Chairperson, hon Minister, hon chairperson of the portfolio committee and members, do any of you really believe that after one year any progress has been made on the matter of structures and mandates for this new Ministry? Certainly not, because the current Ministry is underfunded, understaffed and, according to Treasury, this Ministry will only be fully equipped and operational over a period of three years. Minister, I appreciate that you have delivered a well-structured speech. However, how all of it will fit into this Budget Vote is a great challenge.
According to the strategic plan for 2011 to 2015, the Ministry acknowledged the fact that its department is not a service-delivery department. It will be dependent on all other departments to deliver on the international and national obligations for South Africa in terms of the three sectors. The immediate concern is whether this department will achieve this in the absence of the most critical factors, namely human and financial resources. I make bold to say: of course not. The strategic plan of the department further highlights that it can only achieve its vision by drawing from both the presidential and ministerial authority to facilitate its work, as it relates to all partners, both public and private. If this is so, does this department really have the authority to hold all relevant sectors accountable? I do not believe this as yet, because the ANC-led government is politically tampering too much with changing structures and mandates, not looking at the financial implications and the effect it has on service delivery.
The department also claims that mainstreaming and integration are its core strategies to deliver on its goals and priorities. We all know that unless this department has the authority to hold all stakeholders accountable, this claim in itself will remain lip service. The gains made in the legislative policy arena will remain empty shells and real impact at grassroots level unachievable. If the department acknowledges this in its strategic plan, why is it continuing with practices that are definitely not achieving the necessary results?
When looking at the three sectors within Budget Vote No 8: Women, Children and People with Disabilities respectively, the women's programme was increased by only R2,4 million more than in the 2010-11 financial year.
Daar was ook 'n skamele verhoging van gemiddeld R2,5 miljoen meer as in 2010-11 vir die programme van kinders en mense met gestremdhede afsonderlik. Wat nog meer kommerwekkend is, is die feit dat meer as 50% van die begrotings wat toegeken is, binne al drie sektore vir die vergoeding van personeel gebruik word. Dit is beslis 'n ongesonde finansile praktyk, veral in die regering.
Seker die grootste teleurstelling en onderneming is die feit dat hierdie begrotingspos deur die Nasionale Tesourie bepaal is en dat, soos die agb Minister die portefeuljekomitee ingelig het, die departement en die Minister geen aandeel hierin gehad het nie. Die verskoning was dat die Minister eers in November 2010 aangestel is. Dit is beslis onaanvaarbaar. Waar was die amptenare dan? Hulle het geskitter in hul afwesigheid om seker te maak dat aanbevelings na die Nasionale Tesourie deurgegee word om 'n behoorlike begroting daar te stel. (Translation of Afrikaans paragraphs follows.)
[There was also a modest increase of on average R2,5 million more than in the 2010-11 financial year for the programmes of children and people with disabilities respectively. What is even more worrying is the fact that more than 50% of the budgets that were allocated in all three sectors have been used for the remuneration of personnel. This is definitely an unhealthy financial practice, particularly in government.
The greatest disappointment and undertaking is probably the fact that this Budget Vote was determined by National Treasury and that, as the hon Minister informed the portfolio committee, the department and the Minister had no part in this. The excuse was that the Minister was appointed only in November 2010. That is definitely unacceptable. Where were the officials in that case? They were conspicuous by their absence in ensuring that recommendations were passed on to National Treasury in order to put in place a proper budget.]
Chairperson, this ANC-led government does not even have the issues that can be accounted for sorted out for all sectors of the Ministry. The strategic plan of the department is already at a disadvantage. One should just look at the identified risks for each of the programmes on pages 28 and 40, which state: insufficient budgetary allocations, lack of compliance and accountability and lack of skills and capacity. For instance, in the risk mitigation section, the department highlights that it will motivate for additional funding, accelerate the promulgation of legislation, implementation of the mainstreaming strategy and, finally, recruit appropriately skilled staff and so forth. How ridiculous is this, Chairperson? Budget Vote No 8: Women, Children and People with Disabilities for the 2011-12 financial year is an absolute disgrace and a slap in the faces of our women, children and people with disabilities. How on earth will the identified risks be mitigated, by such measures which are so unrealistic, in the broader context of the reality it faces?
During my speech in the 2010-11 financial year, I said the following:
The department's mandate in broad terms is to deal with human rights concerns, which often remain marginalised in the mainstream of government work. Mr Speaker, the many manifestations of the marginalisation of human rights and equality concerns, as perpetuated by government itself, are unacceptable and this must stop.
It is therefore time for the ANC-led government to get its act together, because with one Minister gone - now in an ambassadorial position, representing our country in Egypt - one wonders why she really left. Was it for that position, or was it because she knew this Ministry will still take a long period to fulfil its mandate, ensuring that the mainstreaming of the issues of women, children and people with disabilities indeed takes place, let alone holding and signing off on memoranda of understanding with 33 national departments, nine provinces, and 283 municipalities, ensuring their accountability on service delivery to these sectors? In conclusion, in the DA, and maybe the members must listen, especially the ANC, we always have our act together. [Interjections.] We know how to govern, and we surely know how to plan before we roll out any new structures, policies and strategies. Minister, I surely await the outcome of the report that was sent to the President. I cannot wait for that report, so that we can sit and really see whether we are going to get more money. I thank you. [Applause.]