Hon House Chairperson, hon Minister, hon MECs, hon members, ladies and gentlemen, it is indeed an honour and a privilege for me to take part in today's debate on the adoption of the fiscal framework. My focus in this debate will be on job creation, as it must be a focal point for all spheres of government, as directed by the President. The time has indeed arrived for all to share in the wealth of the country. It is now time for all of us to work together to practically give meaning to the vision outlined in 1994 by former President Nelson Mandela when he said, "Let there be work, bread, water and salt for all."
This vision was further amplified by President Zuma during his state of the nation address, when he declared this year to be the year for job creation. To prepare the soil, in his 2011 Budget Speech, the Minister of Finance, Mr Gordhan advised:
We must show, across the economy, the game-changing strengths we have shown on big issues, from creating our democracy to hosting Africa's first soccer World Cup festival. Now we have to ignite the flame of higher inclusive growth and sustain it.
This vision finds expression in the ANC's adopted New Growth Path policy, which advocates inclusive growth. The New Growth Path outlines the fact that South Africa's economic development must contribute to and reinforce complementary efforts to overcome widespread poverty and income inequalities. Inclusive growth aims to address the low quality of life associated with poverty and inequality, namely poor education, poor health and poor opportunities of all kinds. All this can be reduced through economic growth and sustainable job creation, which is one of the key points that the ANC has always advocated and is still advocating with vigour. However, these efforts are suffocated by unchanged structures in our economy due to injustice and the inequalities of the apartheid government in the past.
As the first step in levelling the playing fields and creating a conducive climate, the 2011 Budget sets out a sound and sustainable framework for implementing this vision. This framework acknowledges the fact that building South Africa is a multidecade project that requires the input of all to achieve sustainable growth. Emphasis is placed on job creation and expenditure on social wages, including access to health services, education, social security, transport and municipal infrastructure.
This framework expands on investment in modernising our infrastructure and transport logistics, accelerating further education and skills development, and supporting research, technology and industrial development. This budget targets financial and enterprise development programmes and tax relief measures. All these are indeed measures that will assist each one of us in working together to focus on the implementation and ultimate realisation of the vision as outlined above.
As we ignite the flame of higher inclusive growth we should not lose sight of the challenges ahead. We should take note of the realities that, one, only 13 million people out of the total population of about 50 million are employed; two, 42% of young people at the age of 19 are unemployed; three, almost 15 million adults of working age are under the age of 30; four, many people have given up looking for employment, and the number of discouraged has risen by 440 000 over the past 12 months, pushing the broad unemployment rate to 32,4%; and five, one million jobs created between 2003 and 2008 were lost in the period between 2009 and 2010.
The ANC, unlike all other parties and commentators, has refused to take these as mere statistics. The ANC-led government has, among others, and despite all shortcomings and pressures, created a climate in which employment rose by a net 157 000 across the formal sector in the final three months of 2010. As of January 2011 the training layoff scheme has supported 7 286 workers at a cost of R21,3 million in training allowances. Since its second phase in April 2009, the Expanded Public Works Programme has created one million short-term jobs, and is targeting the creation of a further 80 000 short-terms jobs with an average duration of 104 days during the 2011-12 financial year.
The community works programme introduced in 2009 created about 81 000 part- time jobs in 2010. As at December 2010 about 335 552 people had enrolled in training through the learnership incentives in the 2010-11 financial year. This is part of the reform of the sector education and training authority and the implementation of the new National Skills Development Strategy. The ANC-led government has created a R9 billion jobs fund to support projects with the potential to create a large number of jobs. In total the Budget makes R150 billion available for job creation.
These are not just statistics but the real work being done by the ANC-led government, not by the DA, Cope nor any other party for that matter. Despite all these noble endeavours we continue to be bombarded by all sorts of criticism that this and that will not work, without our critics coming up with alternatives or working out the solution. Even worse is the realisation that among those who criticise so much are owners of the means of production and architects of apartheid who created this mess in the first place. It is so unfortunate that the DA has positioned itself among those. [Applause.]
Perhaps it is about time that our detractors tell us why the ANC should not bring radical changes to the structure of our economy, given that it remains an impediment to our economic transformation agenda, and why our economy continues to benefit beneficiaries of the past order when masses of our people continue to die. I am interested to know what the answers would be from both the DA and Cope.
Unlike the ANC-led government, other parties have turned a blind eye to the reality that the youthful army of the unemployed is growing. They are deaf and so preoccupied with criticising the ANC for the sake of criticising that they can't even hear the voices of the unemployed on their doorstep, shouting at those who hold the keys to resources to release them, and any further delay will result in them pushing and forcing open the gates for their own survival.
Before it is too late, let us heed the call and join the President and the ANC in all their efforts towards creating jobs and improving the quality of life. The stage is set and we know what should happen. The time for criticising without offering solutions is over. It is time for putting forward all the ideas and resources that will help us economically to break away from past injustices and inequalities. The time for change has come and it is now.
As I close I wish to remind the hon members and all parties that the clarion call has been sounded for job creation, skills development, quality education, rural development, infrastructural development, housing and health. We appreciate the work already done by all provinces and await with keen interest sound plans from all departments and other role-players, including our detractors and those who continue to criticise us. This time around we will perform oversight on this matter and ensure full implementation. Let there be more work and jobs for all, and less talk and criticism, because working together we can do more for our communities. I thank you. [Applause.]