Chairperson, business is business. Whether it is between government and government or government and the private sector, business is business.
I think that the time taken, the nature of the paperwork and the manner in which you account are the same. It would be very difficult to say that because it is government to government we will apply different standards.
What is important to us is that once services have been rendered, payment must be made within a reasonable timeframe, and we think 30 days is a reasonable time for payment to be made in. Whether it is done with other government spheres or not - because it could be national and provincial government, and municipalities - I think it is important to give people a reasonable amount of time to process the papers and everything.
I am sure that the private sector would also feel aggrieved if government did business differently with itself from its doing business with business, where it took its time. I think we should apply one standard to dealing with all business. That is appropriate and acceptable. Otherwise, it would be unfair to people outside of government who did business with us.
Outcomes of Presidential Nodal Zones relating to poverty alleviation
3. Prince M M M Zulu (IFP) asked the President of the Republic:
(1) Whether the Presidential Nodal Zones, PNZs, which were identified for poverty alleviation have made improvements to those areas; if not, what is the position in this regard; if so, what are the relevant details;
(2) whether the PNZ in the Jozini Dam area is being fully utilised; if not, (a) why not and (b) when will the benefits envisaged by the PNZ planners be (i) seen and (ii) felt by the residents of this area; if so, what are the relevant details?