Deputy Chairperson, this is a question that has been raised by the Chief Whip.
On the issue of integrated development plans, IDPs, I can inform the House that the department conducts assessments of IDPs on an annual basis. We have done that from April to June and found that 85% of IDPs are credible. This is an improvement over the previous year in which we found that the level of credibility was 79,5%. This means that we are moving forward.
However, one could say that there are still challenges. One of the challenges is the issue of the link between IDPs, provincial growth and development strategies, as well as national priorities. There is also the involvement of national departments, provincial departments and state-owned enterprises in the IDPs. They do not participate. If they do participate at all, they send junior officials. This is a situation we want to improve, because we believe that IDPs are the cornerstone of any development. If it is not in the IDPs, it cannot be implemented. We believe that IDPs must be like the Torah to the Jews, the Qur'an to the Muslims and the Bible to the Christians. It must be something that is followed by all. We are trying to create that type of coherence.
We are also looking at a situation where even other government departments can play their role in the same way that municipalities do in ensuring that this process is taken care of. This is because there is a disjuncture between IDPs within municipalities with regard to priorities and the budget - how these are linked and implemented.
We will be working with the Minister in the Presidency: National Planning Commission to ensure that these things are done so that in South Africa there is one planning system and a framework that is followed by all wherever they are, including state-owned enterprises and the private sector.
In that respect, this process of IDPs is quite important. It is going to be given credibility. We believe that if legislative amendments must be made to strengthen it, we will come to the NCOP and to Parliament to assist in that respect. Thank you very much.