Chair, I thank all the members who participated in the debate you very much. I think the ideas that are coming from the hon members are the ones that we are going to be using in Public Works, because the majority of the people who spoke were very positive and added value to the work of Public Works. We really want to thank you very much for that.
I want to start with the Expanded Public Works Programme, EPWP. The hon Tau spoke at length about the matter. I still want to hear from the recipients or the beneficiaries of EPWP opportunities about any condemnation of EPWP, but you will never find that.
That is because they understand that even when the economy of this country was growing, before we had the recession, the economy did not produce jobs. It is for that reason that the ANC said that they would do an intervention - they should come up with something. This was the EPWP. Where it operates, the people who benefit from it love the EPWP, because they can take food to their children because of it. We do not want our people to be begging on the streets.
What the EPWP is saying is that it should go into the communities and be with people and assist them. We have started in the Free State, where people are going to be looking after their own internal streets. They don't have to travel anywhere; they've got to work for themselves there, and the EPWP is going to be taking care of them. We have looked at the matter of skills and spoken to Salga. We have already met because we have understood the challenges that the municipalities are faced with. We have also agreed at the national level that some of our officials might have to be deployed to municipalities, to go and make sure that the skills that are necessary are actually transferred there. That is how serious we are in saying that people should be able to access the EPWP and make sure that it makes a difference in people's lives. It does make a difference.
I don't want to take much of your time because we agreed on most things. However, to the hon Groenewald, if you had listened when I spoke, you would have heard me say that this department had made a call to all those people who had state assets in their hands, assets which did not belong to them. We are going to give them six months to bring them back if they want to be legitimised, but if they do not come back within the six months, the law will kick in.
Regarding all the problems that you spoke about, for example, the houses, in fact, you are the first person who should come and speak to us, because you are so knowledgeable about corrupt activities that are occurring elsewhere. [Interjections.] Please! Bring that information and if these people do not come forward within the six months, I promise you, you and I will make sure that they are sent to jail. [Applause.]
We are definitely going to hold the workshops that we spoke about. Let me tell you that I called in the professional services in Public Works. A lot of you will be surprised that we have professionals in Public Works. Why are we outsourcing so many functions, when we have professionals? We have had a tendency of getting the work that can be done by the people that we have in the department outsourced to people who are actually equal in terms of education. Now they have to do the work, because once it is done outside, any price can be asked and we have stopped that. We have introduced a new word, "insourcing". We are using the capacity that we have in the department to make sure that we can build the assets of the state with the people that we have. They are already receiving a salary; there is no need for us to be paying consultants when we can consult our own people, as we are paying for those people.
We have agreed that we are going to hold the workshops. We have over 9 000 artisans. I went on for two weeks, calling for South Africans who are artisans or who are just about to complete their studies to come forward. Hon members, you must understand that even when you have finally got a degree, you still need to have experience. That is the level where the majority of our people, especially the African people, have been frustrated. The system would make sure that you didn't proceed. We cannot say that the private sector should give them that experience.
Now we have taken a decision with the deputy directors-general, DDGs, that we are going to make sure that Public Works becomes the place where they are going to get the necessary experience. Once they have the experience, we will make sure that we employ them, because what is the purpose of giving them experience and the next thing we leave them at home? How did we get these 9 000? These people tell us that they have been there and that they are qualified, but the system rejects them. We will bring them back.
If you look at the property ownership in this country, it makes you think. Who are the people who own properties in this country? Where do they come from, at the expense of South Africans? Those are some of the things that we are asking. Let us look at it and change those kinds of things so that our own people can be seen to be property owners. Of course, you know very well that they are sent from pillar to post because that is an area which is not meant for people who are emerging!
Look at a simple thing. We have adopted "Re ya patala" in Public Works to make sure that when you have done work for us, you are paid. The state says payment should be made within 30 days. But we have managed through our CFO to introduce a system of payment within 14 days. So, even if you are late, you still have another 16 days to play around with, but it should be within 14 days.
Whom do we pay? We pay the main contractor. Under him are the people that he has subcontracted and he chooses whether to pay them on time or not. Most of the people that are complaining that they are not being paid are not the people whom we have the contract with. They are the people that are subcontracting, and these are the emerging black contractors that are trying to make a living. Once you don't pay them, it means you have killed them and kicked them out of the system. We need to come up with something. These are some of the areas that we are going to ask you as a select committee and portfolio committee to help us with.
There is just no way that we cannot support the co-operatives. They have worked very well in KZN. I don't know how they make it possible, but they have worked very well. My time is running out, but I think we need to have a post-budget select committee meeting, where we go through all the areas that have been raised.
We owe it to our nation, hon members. South Africa needs us. We can create those jobs. Let us put politics and other things aside, and look at the nation and say that with our mandate as Public Works we can change the face of South Africa, and I know that we can. We can empower youth, women and people with disabilities because we have the commitment, the drive and at least a little bit of money. Let us use it before we complain that we don't have enough money!
Let's make sure that we go out, especially to the small corners of this country where there is no access to the television. Let's go there and assist our people - they need us there. You have me too. I will support you in any of your projects that you have, whether it's in your municipality or elsewhere. Where I am able to come, I will come. That is because I see one country - there is one big South Africa which is run by the ANC. As a member of that organisation, I will be available wherever you would like us to make a difference. Thank you very much. [Applause.]