Hon Chairperson, no, not at the moment, but when I have finished.
Die Wet op die Gebruik van Amptelike Tale wat in Oktober 2012 reeds deur die President onderteken is, is 'n stap in die regte rigting. Ongelukkig het dit nog 'n hofsaak geneem om die President te dwing om hierdie wet in werking te stel. Dit het stil-stil op 2 Mei vanjaar gebeur, sonder enige aanduiding dat staatsdepartemente gereed is om dit te implementeer. Ongelukkig versterk dit die persepsie dat die Minister en die President inheemse tale minag.
Daar moet voorsiening gemaak word vir 'n doeltreffende klagte-meganisme sodat die publiek kan kla oor tekortkominge van 'n betrokke departement se taalbeleid. Die Pan-Suid-Afrikaanse Taalraad, PanSAT, wat tot dusver heeltemal disfunksioneel was, sal nie in staat wees om hierdie taak te verrig nie, wat eenvoudig sal beteken dat die wet nie in sy doel sal slaag nie. Die DA se voorstel van 'n taal-ombudsman - of 'n taalgeneraal - moet weer aandag geniet.
Die opleiding van taalpraktisyns om hierdie wet suksesvol te implementeer, gaan deurslaggewend wees, en daarom is die toekenning van 11,8% van die program se begroting van R124 miljoen vir beurse vir studente prysenswaardig. (Translation of Afrikaans paragraphs follows.)
[The Use of Official Languages Act that was signed in October 2012 by the President is a step in the right direction. Unfortunately, it took another court case to force the President to implement this Act. It happened very quietly on 2 May this year, without any indication that government departments are ready to implement it. Unfortunately this strengthens the perception that the Minister and the President show contempt for indigenous languages.
Provision must be made for an effective mechanism for complaints so that the public can complain about the shortcomings of a particular department's language policy. The Pan South African Language Board, PanSALB, which has thus far been totally dysfunctional, would not be capable of doing this job, which would simply mean that the Act would not achieve its aim. The DA's proposal of a language ombudsman - a language general - must once again be reconsidered.
The training of language practitioners for the successful implementation of this Act will be crucial, and therefore the allocation of 11,8% of the programme's budget of R124 million for bursaries for students is commendable.]
Programme 4, Cultural Development, received the largest increase in the 2013-14 budget compared to the other programmes - 32,2% in real terms. This is due to the implementation of Mzanzi Golden Economy projects and is also a response to Outcome 4, which addresses job creation and economic growth. The Budgetary Review and Recommendations Report for the 2011-12 financial year, though, points to underspending of R19,4 million in this programme, which is unacceptable where jobs are at stake.
What are the project's short-term and long-term targets? What are the timelines within which these targets are expected to be achieved? Without these, monitoring and evaluating the department's progress is impossible. Minister, corruption must not be allowed to destroy this project.
Ten slotte, die regering verkondig voortdurend dat die ontwikkeling van die platteland vir hom 'n prioriteit is ...