Yes, she is. Thank you, hon Chairperson, for affording us yet another opportunity to present to this honourable House the 2013-14 budget for the Ministry for the Public Service and Administration.
In just less than a year our people will once again have the opportunity to cast their vote in the national general elections. This vote lies at the centre of our participatory democracy, which was won through the blood, sweat and tears of millions of our people, with the people's liberation movement, the ANC, being at the forefront of this struggle, but of course assisted by fraternal forces from across the African continent and beyond. The fact that we will be holding the fifth national election since the advent of democracy is consistent with, and conforms to, the ANC's commitment to universal suffrage as part of entrenching democracy and a culture of human rights in the land of Makana, Zondo, Tambo, Sisulu, Mbeki, Slovo, Ngoyi and many other stalwarts of our revolution.
It is my hope that South Africans do notice the progress that the ANC-led government has made in consolidating democracy and giving a voice to those who did not have it 19 years ago. As duly elected representatives of our people, we, together with them, are setting the tone for progressive change and sustainable freedom in our land, and we believe that the spirit of co- operation is vital as we seek to accomplish the noble objective of a better life for all. Through this budget we once again pledge to honour our promise to our people, the promise for the progressive realisation of a better life for all, and we ask them to join us in this effort.
As the Ministry for the Public Service and Administration, we are starting this year on a sound footing, guided by the tone and resolutions of the 53rd National Conference of the ANC that was held in Mangaung in December 2012. The conference adopted the National Development Plan, NDP, the formulation of which was characterised by consultation and inclusivity. The NDP, and the National Planning Commission that developed it, is an outcome of extensive deliberations within the ANC-led alliance over many years, the intention being to build broader consensus on policy direction and set the pace of our country's political economy. This is an absolutely important point to make in view of the ideological theses developed in part by the Opposition, which seeks to separate its development from the broader alliance and the ANC. In fact, judging by the mood and tone of the 53rd national conference, as well as the adoption of the conference declaration, this reflects the level of enthusiasm among the general membership of the