Speaker, South Africa finds itself today in a microeconomic situation characterised and influenced by global economic uncertainty, sweeping domestic unemployment, growing government debt, and an unstable political and labour environment that is slowly but surely turning away foreign investment. We have widespread service delivery failure, a multitier dysfunctional public service sector, and growing discontent within our population. Our tax base is being squeezed to the nth degree, and all manner of secondary taxation is coming to the fore, with e-tolling leading the charge. The bleak picture I seek to paint before this august House is intended as a reality check. We are on a slippery slope. This trajectory must be arrested and turned around before it is too late.
We know that international business is looking to expand into the African continent, with the IMF recently forecasting that African countries would hold 70% of the top places for economic growth over the next five years.
What are we doing as this Parliament, this government, and this country, to ensure that we are one of those African countries? What conducive environment are we creating to attract foreign investment and incubate future economic growth? This government must arrest the decay that has become so endemic in all aspects of our political and socioeconomic spheres. And there must be a resolve to do it immediately. I thank you, Speaker. [Applause.]