Thank you very much, Mr President, as you are aware, the average consumer is suffering a great deal under the current economic conditions. Confidence is low and as large a proportion of costs as possible are being passed on to consumers in order to be able to optimise profits and pay tax to the state.
The current delay in the signing of the amending Bill is preventing economic development and growth from being stimulated. Some examples of consumers suffering on a daily basis are the fixing of bread prices, the high and relatively uncompetitive cell phone tariffs, the 100% correlation of banking cost and the determining of the prime rate as soon as the Reserve Bank adjusts the repo rate.]
Mr President, delays in the signing of this Bill have exacerbated the agony and perceptions amongst consumers that government has a hidden agenda or hidden interest in certain implicated sectors. Sir, are you prepared to institute investigations into implicated businesses and sectors? Failing that, are you then admitting that there are some sectors and/or organisations that are either too sensitive or too strategic for you to do so? What is your message to the suffering consumers who are crying out for decisive action? I thank you.