Chairperson and Ministers, it is clear that, as South Africans, we need to do something drastic to create economic growth and get South Africa out of the downturn of the economic cycle. Figures show that, whilst our exports grew to R448 billion in 2008, they are back to the 2007 level of R350 billion.
The export market is becoming very complicated because of the profound alteration and shifts. Therefore, to premise our economic growth on the basis of substantially increasing our manufactured exports - a conventional approach to industrial policy in South Africa - may boomerang on South Africa.
Greece, in particular, and other European countries are experiencing serious economic problems. The notion of a virtually limitless overseas market, especially in the prosperous north and west, needs to be shaken off. If plan A, which is your Industrial Policy Action Plan, Ipap2, does not live up to expectations, does the department have a plan B or C?
Related to that is the issue of the strong rand and the impact that it has on exports at the moment.
The third issue regarding the Department of Trade and Industry's, DTI, input, is that car manufacturing is in trouble all over the world. Given the fact that the DTI is investing a lot of money into supporting the car manufacturers, it's necessary that we ask if it would not be better to have a niche market, specifically regarding the proposed electric car that is being marketed as a South African product.
It is a bit unfortunate that one only has four minutes to speak on these issues, but I just want to make three remarks with regard to tourism. The first is that I'm very happy that a director-general, DG, has been appointed. I think it is step in the right direction. Unfortunately, however, once again the appointment proved that the ANC sticks with the redeployment policy and the same officials are kept in circulation.
The second issue concerns the 2010 Fifa World Cup and the remarks that the hon Minister made. I think we can agree that the 2010 Fifa World Cup is indeed a window of opportunity, and that South Africa will host a very good, productive and safe Fifa World Cup. However, for a province like the Northern Cape, the benefits of the 2010 Soccer World Cup are few and far between, and it's necessary that we now go to the next level in terms of the capital infrastructure development of our country and specifically the development of our rural provinces with the same impetus that was created with the 2010 Fifa World Cup.
The last issue regarding tourism is the changing mind-set of South Africa and continuously increasing investment in the rural areas. In this regard we know that the majority of South Africans travel extensively, not necessarily to go to tourist sites, but to visit their families. I think the good thing about the Minister's legacy is the Sho't Left campaign. Cope, I think, wants to suggest that those initiatives be taken further and also that more should be invested in rural tourism development. We have a lot of opportunities in that area, but unfortunately they don't always materialise.
I want to conclude by saying that I hope that this is not the last time that we see the Minister of Tourism, and I hope that he won't be redeployed to a different position in the world economy. Thank you. [Applause.]