Hon Chairperson, the vision of the National Development Plan, vision for 2030 says, and I quote:
We, the people of South Africa, have journeyed far since the long lines of our first democratic election on 27 April 1994, when we elected a government for us all. We began to tell a new story then. We have lived and renewed that story along the way. Now, in 2030, we live in a country which we have remade.
So kan ons ook vir Openbare Werke 'n visie vir 2030 voorstel. Stel u voor, vandag is 8 Mei 2030.
Ek wens minister Thulas Nxesi hartlik geluk met die prestasies van sy departement oor die afgelope 17 jaar, vanaf destyds, 2013, tot vandag, 2030.
Die eerste rede vir die sukses van Openbare Werke vandag, in 2030, is dat sy prioriteite tans die volgende is: die bou van maatskaplike infrastruktuur, soos skole en klinieke; die instandhouding van hierdie geboue; deeglike boekhouding van verhuurde geboue; die stiptelike invordering van huurgeld van huurders; en die betaling van huur aan private eienaars.
Sewentien jaar gelede, in 2013, het hierdie prioriteite nie bestaan nie. Die begroting vir Openbare Werke is t van R8 miljard tot R6,2 miljard gesny, grootliks weens die onderbesteding aan infrastruktuur.
In sy jaarverslag, destyds, het die Ouditeur-generaal uitgewys dat Openbare Werke nie rekords van hul huurkontrakte gehad het nie en daarom het hulle in die 2011-12-boekjaar R20,7 miljoen aan inkomste uit huurgeld verloor.
Ons onthou ook dat Openbare Werke destyds berug was vir die wanbetaling van huurgeld aan private eienaars. Byvoorbeeld, nadat die betaling vir die streekpolisiekantoor in Worcester minstens ses maande agterstallig was, het die desperate eienaar einde ten laaste sy gebou met kettings toegesluit en die polisie het toe letterlik op straat gesit.
'n Tweede kernrede vir die prestasie van Openbare Werke vanaf 2019 tot vandag, in 2030, is die indiensneming van bekwame amptenare. Die personeel is tans, in 2030, gekwalifiseerd, kundig, eerlik en partypolities neutraal. Hulle word gekeur, nie volgens kleur of politieke kontakte nie, maar volgens hulle geskiktheid vir die pos. Veels geluk ook hieroor aan die Minister! [Applous.]
Dit was voorheen egter nie so nie. Inteendeel, in 2013 was duisende amptenare nie gekwalifiseerd vir hul poste nie, want hulle was politieke aanstellings. In 2013 was 20% van alle tegniese poste vakant en begrotingsgeld moes dus aan konsultante bestee word. In die 2012-boekjaar is 98 amptenare in dissiplinre verhore skuldig bevind aan ernstige wangedrag, soos diefstal en aanranding. (Translation of Afrikaans paragraphs follows.)
[In this way we can also propose a vision for Public Works in 2030. Just pretend that today is 8 May 2030.
I sincerely congratulate Minister Thulas Nxesi on the performance of his department over the past 17 years, since 2013 until today, 2030.
The first reason for the success of Public Works today, in 2030, is that its priorities are currently the following: the development of social infrastructure such as schools and clinics; the maintenance of these buildings; thorough bookkeeping of leased buildings; the timely collection of tenants' rent; and lease payments to private owners.
Seventeen years ago, in 2013, these priorities did not exist. Public Works' budget was then reduced from R8 billion to R6,2 billion, largely due to underspending on infrastructure.
In his annual report, then, the Auditor-General indicated that Public Works did not have records of its lease agreements, and therefore they had lost R20,7 million in rental income in the 2011-12 financial year.
We also recall that Public Works was infamous for defaulting on lease payments to private owners at that time. For example, after the lease payments for the regional police station in Worcester were in arrears for at least six months, the desperate owner eventually chained his building and the police found themselves literally in the street.
The second core reason for the performance of Public Works from 2019 until today, in 2030, is the employment of competent officials. The staff are currently, in 2030, qualified, skilled, honest and neutral with regard to party politics. They are being selected, not according to colour or political connections, but according to their suitablility for the post. Congratulations on this too, Minister! [Applause.]
However, this was not the case in previous years. On the contrary, in 2013, thousands of officials were unqualified for their posts, since they were political appointments. In 2013, 20% of the technical posts were vacant, and as a result the budget had to be spent on consultants. In the 2012 financial year, 98 officials were found guilty of serious misconduct, like theft and assault, in disciplinary hearings.]
However, Minister Nxesi turned the department around successfully, and I am congratulating him, in accordance with the National Development Plan ... [Applause.] ... which states that in 2030 we experience daily, and I quote:
What we contribute in our taxes, we get back through the high quality of our public services. That is why we have good clinics and hospitals ... good schools.
Die derde rede vir die sukses van Openbare Werke vandag, in 2030, is die dienslewering - nie aan die Ministers nie, maar aan alle landsburgers.
Soos die Nasionale Ontwikkelingsplan dit stel vir vandag, in 2030, en ek haal aan: (Translation of Afrikaans paragraphs follows.)
[The third reason for the success of Public Works today, in 2030, is service delivery - not to Ministers, but to all citizens.
As stipulated in the current National Development Plan for 2030, and I quote:]
We know that those to whom we have given the privilege to govern our land do so on our behalf and for the benefit of all the people.]
After the 2019 and 2024 elections, the Minister of Public Works followed the example of the Western Cape DA government ... and reprioritised the budget to meet the needs of ordinary citizens. Today, in 2030, there are fewer Ministers in the Cabinet and they are living modestly. Primary schools, police stations and medical clinics were revamped and new ones were built, from Bisho to Kagiso. [Interjections.]
It was very different before 2019. It's difficult to imagine it now that we have an efficient, people-friendly Department of Public Works, but 17 years ago, in 2013, over R200 million of public money was used to enrich one person. Huge construction projects, including 31 new buildings, were undertaken at his palace, Nkandla.
Furthermore, during that time in 2013, Public Works spent twice as much on presidential parties and functions than was allocated in the budget.
Following the example of the then President, Public Works massively increased spending on ministerial mansions. In 2013, way back then, R532 million was allocated, over the medium term, to the Prestige Portfolio to add luxuries such as swimming pools, braai areas, guest cottages and spas for Ministers. It was clear that Ministers' own comfort was far more important than service delivery to the people. They felt nothing for the voters.
While there was unlimited spending on the ANC ruling class, the department underspent by R212 million on social infrastructure like schools, police stations and clinics. The message then was clear: To hell with the other 50 million South Africans!
This corrupt self-enrichment was a key reason why, in 2019, voters elected a new government, a DA coalition government, which included parties such as Cope. [Applause.] [Interjections.]