You do not need to teach me how to speak! I know how to speak. Chairperson, the ANC NEC January 8 Statement 2011 states that 2011 will be the year of job creation and decent work through meaningful economic transformation.
The Budget Vote reflects this emphasis, in that key components of the voting of funds are geared towards: promoting economic growth and strengthening the fight to eradicate poverty; creating an efficient, competitive and responsive infrastructure network through the Expanded Public Works Programme, EPWP; skills; and sustainable human settlements and improved quality of houses.
Public Works is critical to the developmental principle that infrastructural development is a primary driver of economic growth and social development.
We endorse efforts to strengthen the department's capacity to evaluate all current programmes with the idea of enhancing procedures and overcoming institutional and operational difficulties with regard to the co-ordination of government and state-owned enterprises. There is a need to develop the human resource capacity and systems to ensure that the effective management of the delivery and maintenance of infrastructure is achieved. This Budget Vote must ensure the expansion of Public Works capacity in infrastructure development. The monitoring and evaluation capacity needs to be strengthened.
This Budget Vote must ensure that human resources are developed in all aspects of the infrastructure development programme, including targeted skills development; small, medium and micro enterprise, SMME, development; and learnerships targeting young graduates and the unemployed. Our state must have the capacity to transform the economy and society as a whole. It should ensure investment and growth of the economy for the purpose of job creation in order to improve the lives of the people.
The Government Immovable Asset Management Act has to ensure efficient and effective planning of immovable asset management within government, as well as improve service delivery. Given that the department is responsible for the provision of official accommodation to all national departments and all Members of Parliament, and the provision of construction and property management services to client departments at the national level, this Budget Vote must ensure that the EPWP will expedite investment in infrastructure to promote social cohesion, local economic development and job creation.
Some of the challenges require immovable asset register enhancement to align it with generally recognised accounting practice. In this regard, the Government Immovable Asset Management Act needs to be vigorously implemented.
We welcome the fact that the Government Immovable Asset Management Act makes it necessary for the department to facilitate the provision of accommodation, monitors the performance of the state's immovable assets, and maximises their value through ongoing monitoring of portfolio performance. We also commend the department for its commitment to providing life-cycle immovable asset management planning based on credible portfolio and property analysis.
We recognise the increasing need to build sufficient capacity for the continuous management and enhancement of the immovable asset register. We also note that through this Budget Vote the department plans to launch an amnesty campaign called Operation Bring Back.
Njengoba uNgqongqoshe uke wachaza besifisa ukukucacisa lokhu ngoba abanye abantu banezindlebe kodwa abezwa, banamehlo kodwa ababoni ... [As you have explained, hon Minister, we would like to clarify this because other people have ears but they do not hear, they have eyes but they do not see ...]
... in order to encourage South Africans to reclaim lost or missing immovable assets, especially those lost during the years of transition.
The importance of state-owned real estate as a major revenue generator for our country is critical. This property can contribute positively to our inner city regeneration programme by revitalising the economy and making the value of state-owned properties appreciate.
The EPWP has mobilised stakeholders and partners to increase their efforts in the implementation of infrastructural projects at local, provincial and national level. In this regard, Kamoso Awards recognise excellence in the implementation of projects from all four EPWP sectors.
Similarly, we appreciate the work of the Department of Public Works in supporting nonstate sector programmes in the Bushbuckridge community, which contribute immensely to poverty alleviation. Many of these good initiatives should be spread throughout our communities.
We acknowledge the department's commitment to investing in the repair, continuous maintenance and construction of new government buildings in the next three years. The commitment could generate major savings for the state.
President Zuma urged all the departments to ensure that they filled vacant posts in line with the commitment to render services to our people. It is through skilled human resources that we can ensure implementation, evaluation and monitoring of the Expanded Public Works Programme and its principles at that level of governance.
It is noticeable that in this financial year an amount of R1,8 billion has been allocated for the property rates grants. The amount has decreased by 3% from the 2010-11 allocation. Indeed performance in this grant has improved notably in the past financial year, 2010-11, showing improved spending of 92% by provinces, while during the 2009-10 financial year it was 79%. Monitoring of grant transfers to provinces is critical for the better life of all our people.
Siyazi abanye abantu bathanda ukukhuluma ngenkohlakalo kodwa abanabo ubufakazi. [We know that some people like to talk about corruption but they do not have evidence.]
In this regard, we note that the EPWP has been allocated R679 million for incentive grants to municipalities, and R267 million for provinces. The bulk of the budget for grants includes the social sector, nonstate sector and intermediaries. It increased from R1,2 million in 2010-11 to R1,3 million in 2011-12, representing a nominal improvement of 5,6%.
I-ANC iyaseseka lesi Sabiwomali. I-ANC ithanda ukuhalalisela i-ANC Youth League ngenkomfa yabo, ukuthi ihambe kahle, yangabi nezihibe ngoba kukhona abanye abangayifisi inqubekela phambili ngoba izinhlangano zabo zetsha zingenazo izinkomfa [youth league conferences], bayabakhetha, bafake izicelo. Ngiyabonga. (Translation of isiZulu paragraph follows.)
[The ANC supports this Budget Vote. The ANC would like to congratulate the ANC Youth League on its conference which went well without any hiccups, because there are others who do not wish it well since their youth leagues do not have conferences; but they are nominated and then they put in applications. Thank you.]