Chairperson, hon Ministers, hon members and all esteemed guests, comrades and friends, firstly, let me congratulate the hon Ministers Van Schalkwyk, Sonjica and Joemat-Pettersson and their Deputy Ministers Xasa, Mabudafhasi and Dr Mulder on their appointments to the executive and wish them all the best in our fourth democratic term. [Applause.]
I would also like to thank the Minister of Tourism and his then Deputy Minister, together with the then Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism, for what seems to be a job well done during the past term. Indeed, we promise a constructive and professional relationship with the Ministry and the department.
We had fantastic experiences as a competing destination serving big events such as the IPL, the Confederations Cup, the 2010 Fifa World Cup next year, big rugby and cricket events, and cultural events such as the annual Cape Town Jazz Festival, among other things. These are success stories for South African tourism.
You have also given more than your fair share in making our motherland green and clean. Annually, our plains are bright with the flora of the Karoo spring, the sharp flame of the ever-colourful daisies of the West Coast that are matched by the fresh plump bloom of the protea in the fynbos of the Western Cape. These scenes and sights have inspired many a writer, poet and innovator to creativity and great innovation.
South Africa has managed to solve its problems from this beautiful natural scenery that has inspired a number of our generations, as in the national anthem, where it says:
"Oor ons ewige gebergtes, waar die kranse antwoord gee."
It is not only the black population that has looked up to the mountains for solutions; it seems that all South Africans have looked up to the mountains for solutions. No wonder our Parliament is next to the big Table Mountain, with its cliffs. [Applause.] Who knows, maybe we were looking for answers to the problems we have experienced in the land and which we are continuing to try and solve.
This pristine scenic beauty repeats itself in almost all provinces with a great variation in colour and texture. The sweet smell of the bushveld never fails to invite swallows from lands far away to sing and cheer the kudu, the leopard and the lion in the beautiful Kruger National Park. This is matched by the trumpeting elephants of the Addo National Park and the grazing rhino of Hluhluwe. All these add to the splendour that many have cherished. Indeed, you have preserved it for our grandsons and granddaughters to cherish with awe when we are no more. Yes, many of us are poor, but seasonal rains and the fragrance thereafter never fail to give us hope and fire to fight on when the going gets tough.
These surely must have inspired the sweet African melodies that come from the townships, suburbs and deep bundus, producing sounds that have been expressed through artists such as Spokes Mashiyane, Hugh Masekela, Miriam Makeba, Abdullah Ibrahim, Shwi Nomtekhala, who have made our theatres the heartthrob of many globally.
These are among many ingredients that made the great democracy of South Africa rise from the ashes of apartheid; a nation inspired by beauty, song and the sound of great oceans. These make our country continue to be the best. Come drought, death or mirth, we shall always rise despite all the challenges we face. We as South Africans are tough. This is illustrated by the fact that in the midst of one of the greatest global recessions, our tourism has maintained its growth against all odds. Because of your great leadership and stewardship, we shall continue to rise. This is a tribute to the department as well as the Ministry. But still, a lot has to be done. We have to take success in tourism to a greater level, with more impact on the gross domestic product and job creation fronts.
South African tourism should not just be a player, but a great world player, according the World Tourism and Travel Council in one of its documents dated 2006. They further stated that tourism represents 8,3% of growth. However, the Minister said that it represents a little bit more than that. The Minister referred to tourism as the "new gold", because, according to an article of the World Tourism and Travel Council, it grows so fast that it has surpassed some minerals that have been traditionally South Africa's strong point, such as gold. What is more interesting is that we are beginning to see South Africans travelling in their own country. That seems to reflect the success of the Sho't Left campaign that we all recognise, thanks to SA Tourism.
The council further asserts that for every seven tourists that visited South Africa, one permanent job was created in 2006. They added that about 50% of tourists are repeat visitors. South Africa has a competitive advantage of excellent weather all year round, especially for people from colder climates. It has diverse attractions. Furthermore, South Africans are peaceful, friendly and hospitable. Above all, South Africans have political stability emanating from their democratic traditions. Definitely, we solve our problems by means of the vote. [Applause.] We have done so repeatedly. No wonder we produced two Nobel Peace Prize laureates - who were once neighbours and from the same street in Soweto, Vilakazi Street - on two occasions. In that street everyone can see where our icon and former President Mandela and Archbishop Tutu used to be neighbours.
This is the land that developed Mahatma Gandhi, an international icon who came and donated to the world the philosophy of Satyagraha, which promotes truth and love for all humanity. The houses where these icons used to stay are still there and preserved for us and future generations to see and reflect on these gifts to humanity. They are there for us to reflect when times are tough. Who else can offer these? I cannot look further for a better, unique selling proposal for our marketing.
It is now time to accelerate and deepen that growth further, which has to be expressed through sustainable livelihoods, decent jobs, and equitable growth. We have to take this growth to a higher level to enrich our approach with an acute vision, a sharper focus and more determination to give it the required impact for a better quality of life for the poor and the rich.
Our product should be labour-intensive and equitable growth for rural and urban-based black and white men and women from all walks of life. We shall look more holistically at the question of education and skills development to match human capital requirements and to secure the envisaged growth as plans become clearer.
There are a number of challenges facing the sector that need to be borne in mind. These include, for instance, the skewed development of tourism in the Western Cape, Gauteng and, to some extent, KwaZulu-Natal; inequitable growth along the historical apartheid trends; destructive competition between the national approach and many provincial and municipal approaches, resulting in one approach cannibalising the other, further resulting in significant inefficiencies; and strengthening the South African tourism brand whose message gets diluted, if not distorted, by many local and provincial tourism brands that are without a single destination effect.
More resources - time, human and financial - are required to address these challenges, and it cannot be business as usual. To avoid skewed and different approaches neutralising each other, my view is that we have to struggle for an integrated national approach that weaves the provincial and different municipal tourism approaches into a beautiful tapestry of diversity that is in line with a single brand.
The question of equity has to be confronted head-on. The President of the country, the hon Dr Zuma, said in his reply to the debate on the state of the nation address:
Regardless of political differences as parties, I believe that we have a common goal, which is to make South Africa a great country.
Yes, as the Constitution implores us to improve the quality of life of all citizens and free the potential of each person, we cannot afford to have a growth rate that increases inequality between black and white, black and black, province and province, rural and urban, and able-bodied and disabled. Growth in tourism has to be a shared growth with sustainable livelihoods and decent jobs and it should be equitable.
Together, let us continue to rise to greater heights. It is us against recession; it is us against poverty; and it is us against joblessness. And together we will win. I know that what we have been through has made us better.
Coming back to the 2010 Fifa World Cup project, the magnitude of which has never been experienced in this country before, I'm confident that we shall come up with one of the best World Cup events ever. There are many reasons that support this belief. We have run similar events with success a number of times; it is only a question of magnitude. Right now, we are having a trial run with the Confederations Cup, which so far has largely been a success.
According to press reports, crime, particularly violent crimes, seems to be on the decline. [Interjections.] Our security services seem to be much more responsive compared to a year or two ago. The question of accommodation is being attended to and it is known that a close watch has to be kept on it.