ADDRESS BY PRESIDENT JACOB ZUMA IN RESPONSE TO THE DEBATE ON THE
STATE OF THE NATION ADDRESS
NATIONAL ASSEMBLY, CAPE TOWN
Honourable Speaker,
Honourable Chairperson of the NCOP,
All Presiding Officers,
Honourable Deputy President, Honourable Ministers, Premiers and
Deputy Ministers,
Members of the Royal Griqua House,
Religious leaders,
All our special guests including 45 interns from the Department
of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries,
Honourable Members,
Fellow South Africans,
For more than a century, millions of our people led by the ANC pursued relentless and heroic struggles against the dehumanising system of colonialism and apartheid.
They devoted their lives and were always ready to pay the ultimate price for the cause of building a more humane South Africa, underpinned by a better life for all.
It is now almost twenty one years since we started the radical transition from Colonialism of a Special Type to a National Democratic Society, founded on the strategic vision of the Freedom Charter.
Since then we have never looked back.
Our strategic focus remains that of rebuilding and developing our country for the benefit of all South Africans, regardless of who they voted for during the elections.
We are on course to build a united, non-racial, non-sexist, democratic and prosperous society, as expressed in the Freedom Charter and in the Constitution of the Republic.
We presented before Parliament, the 2015 State of the Nation Address last Thursday, which is a report back on work done during the previous year and an outline of the programme of action for the current financial year.
We outlined the areas of work that we believe are necessary to tackle, for us to ignite growth and create much needed jobs. We thank all Honourable Members for their contribution to the debate.
We welcome and appreciate all inputs that have been made.
Amilcar Cabral once said:
"Always bear in mind that the people are not fighting for ideas, for the things in anyone's head. They are fighting to win material benefits, to live better and in peace, to see their lives go forward, to guarantee the future of their children."
Therefore, our people look to us to provide answers and solutions to the difficulties they face.
They look up to us to assure them that the country is on track and that the mission of building a united and prosperous society continues and that life will get better each day. Indeed, the country is on track.
Work continues daily to build the country and improve the quality of life of all especially the poor and the working class.
South Africa is a success story. It will continue to be so, despite that challenges and the legacy of apartheid colonialism that we are confronted with. Our task is to contribute in whatever way we can, in our areas of work, to take this success forward.
Our democracy remains solid. All our democratic institutions, including government agencies are strong and functional.
Dedicated men and women working in these institutions perform their tasks as they should each day, taking forward the
consolidation of our democracy, and providing much needed services
and hope to our people.
Improvements must be made in various areas of work within the
public service, and government is alive to this reality. Each year
we strive to do better and to take the country forward.
That is the purpose of the State of the Nation Address, to
identify challenges, progress and further work.
We mentioned that we would prioritise nine areas this year.
These include energy, strengthening of mining towns,
agriculture, small business development and cooperatives,
infrastructure development including water, transport and
information communication technologies, boosting the industrial
policy action plan, attracting investments and Operation Phakisa.
Progress is being made in these areas as part of ensuring that
the country's wealth is shared by all as proclaimed in the Freedom
Charter.
Honourable Godi correctly pointed out that we have not
fundamentally touched the structure of the economy in order to
effect true economic transformation.
It is for this reason that 20 years into freedom, we are still
grappling with poverty, inequality and unemployment.
Inequality is still staring us in the face. Census 2011 informed
us that the income of households has hardly changed and that the
income of white households is still six times more than that of
black households.
In addition, the black majority still owns only three percent of
the Johannesburg Stock Exchange, pointing to the need to move
faster to achieve meaningful economic emancipation.
We have called for radical economic transformation.
By this we mean actions such as the industrialization of the
economy, boosting and expanding agriculture and manufacturing and
adding value to South Africa's mineral wealth in order to open up
opportunities for economic participation for more people and create
jobs.
As part of changing the structure and to deracialise the
economy, the Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment Amendment Act
was proclaimed into law in October last year. Regulations to give
effect to the Act are being finalised. A B-BBEE Commission is to be
appointed this year, to oversee the overall implementation of
B-BBEE, and ensure effective reporting and monitoring.
In addition, as said in the SONA a programme to create and
support Black Industrialists over three years was launched in
November 2014.
As Minister Patel pointed out, work to expand ownership of the
economy through dismantling cartels and monopolies is also ongoing.
The Competition Commission has already taken action against many
companies for collusion and corruption.
Economic transformation to unlock growth also means improving
the support provided to small enterprises especially township and
rural enterprises which will promote economic activities at the
local level.
Honourable Manyoni the chairperson of the South African Local
Government Association reminded us of the importance of local
government, and in particular the development of small towns, rural
towns and townships which are home to 50 percent of the population.
The township or informal economy has been stunted by the lack of
basic economic infrastructure and formal support.
As a result, the township corner and spaza shops, butcheries and
other small businesses are disappearing and need to be revived and
supported.
The recent tragic and unacceptable incidents of violence and the
looting of shops of foreign nationals in Soweto were a reminder of
the need to support local entrepreneurs and eliminate possibilities
for criminal elements to exploit local frustrations.
As said before, we condemn attacks on foreign nationals and
there can be no justification for that type of conduct in any
community in our country.
We have announced that we would institute 30 percent set asides
for small business, cooperatives and small holders so that they can
benefit from government procurement.
Some progress was made last year in supporting cooperatives. As
of 30 October 2014, 158 co-operatives were approved for funding to
the value of more than forty three million rand.
Five areas were identified for the pilot roll-out during the
consultation phase, and they are:
Mdantsane (Eastern Cape), KwaMai-Mai (Gauteng), Tshakuma and
Modimolle (Limpopo), Mbombela and Lebombo (Mpumalanga) and
Drakenstein (Western Cape).
Honourable Lekota, we are taking action to improve the
performance of the supply chain management system in government, to
prevent the fruitless and futile expenditure, corruption and other
problems that you raised.
Government buys goods, services and infrastructure worth roughly
five hundred billion rand a year.
Often, we pay the highest prices and one part of government does
not know how much the other part of government pays for goods or
services. The bulk of negative audit opinions arise from
potentially avoidable procurement violations. This is also an area
where corruption or allegations of corruption, occur.
To respond to these challenges, in 2013, we established the
Chief Procurement Office which will become operational on the 1st
of April this year.
All tenders will be posted on an electronic Tender Portal, which
will free access to public sector tenders across the length and
breadth of South Africa.
This will give small businesses an advantage compared to the
current system where they have to pay money for administrative
costs in order to obtain hard copies of tender documents.
A centralized supplier database will also be phased in, starting
from the 1st of April 2015. Once fully functional, this will
replace the six hundred or so supplier databases that currently
exist.
The system will offer a quick and more effective mechanism for
verifying supplier information such as their BEE status, tax
certificates and the like. These are factors that currently give
rise to negative audit outcomes for departments.
The economic cluster departments will work with the National
Treasury, further to explore practical and effective mechanisms of
using state procurement to give practical expression to the
National Development Plan and our socio economic objectives,
including supporting SMMEs and cooperatives.
Where deemed necessary, we will consider amending existing legal
and regulatory frameworks to accomplish this goal.
Honourable Members,
Improving the quality of education and training remains an apex
priority. Progress is being made to steadily improve outcomes in
the basic education sector.
We believe we have the right formula at last and that results in
all grades will continue to steadily improve.
Honourable Lekota spoke about the post-school sector, and
referred to the need to reopen education colleges and to provide
bursaries to students.
The White Paper for Post-School Education and Training provides
for the establishment of Community Education and Training Colleges
that will primarily target youth and adults who did not complete
schooling or who have never attended school.
The process of identifying nine Community Education and Training
Colleges for piloting in 2015 has been completed.
This initiative will be implemented in collaboration with local
authorities, Sector Education and Training Authorities, community
organisations and business. This is in addition to the re-opening
of teacher and nursing colleges.
With regards to funding, the National Student Financial Aid
Scheme (NSFAS) remains the most significant instrument available to
government, for opening the doors of learning to poor and working
class communities.
Many high profile successful South Africans are NSFAS
beneficiaries. The scheme is a major contributor to the development
of the growing black middle class in South Africa.
In 1999, NSFAS paid 441 million rand in financial aid to
students and in 2014, this rose to over 9.2 billion rand to assist
four hundred and fifty thousand students at 25 public universities
and 50 Technical and Vocational Education and Training Colleges.
The National Youth Development Agency also runs the R20 million
Solomon Mahlangu scholarship for tertiary education which has
assisted close to three hundred students.
We thank other institutions beyond government that provide
bursaries and scholarships.
We also welcome and congratulate students that assist others who
are less fortunate, such as the Wits University Students
Representative Council, working with the Wits Foundation who are
running a campaign to raise funds to assist needy students to
register.
We have also noted the frustrations of many students about
residential accommodation in our institutions.
The Presidential Infrastructure Coordinating Commission is
looking for solutions on this matter.
In addition, the Department of Higher Education and Training
allocated 1.6 billion rand between 2012 and 2014, specifically to
build and refurbish student residences. The bulk of the money, 1.4
billion rand has been allocated to historically black institutions.
This allocation, together with the seven hundred thousand rand
(R700 000) contribution from universities, will fund approximately
nine thousand new beds for the system.
As Honourable Minister Nzimande and Honourable Mahambehlala
outlined, we are indeed investing in our young people. We are
opening the doors of learning for our youth.
Siyaqhuba kwezemfundo, siyasebenza.
Honourable Holomisa, I assure you that what you called
instability at the top echelons of the crime busting institutions
is being attended to. This matter is of great concern to us. There
is no government that would not be worried even if it was only two
or three institutions that are affected.
Even if it was a single institution, it would be one too many,
given that we have prioritised the fight against crime and
corruption.
The head of the Special Investigating Unit, Adv Vas Soni, will
be leaving his post at the end of February due to personal
challenges at home, in particular the health of his wife.
He has done exceptionally well in a short space of time. His
departure is a great loss. We wish him and his family well.
A number of Honourable Members from the Opposition benches
referred to the Land Holdings Bill.
Honourable Members should remember that the Green Paper on Land
Reform was first released in 2011 for public comments.
The Deputy Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries
Honourable Cele provided the detail of this proposed Bill. There
will be opportunity for comments once it reaches parliament.
I have also received emails from concerned members of the public
seeking clarity.
Ms Tanya Elston, Ms Carin Smith and Mr Jan Cronje have asked
whether a foreign national, wishing to buy a home in Johannesburg,
would be able to do that, and if the limit on foreign ownership was
confined to agricultural land.
The answer is that the Land Holdings Bill applies to
agricultural land.
It does not affect those foreign nationals who are planning to
buy homes or residences.
Mr Roy Cokayne has asked similar questions and also whether the
new policy will apply to multinational corporations operating in
South Africa.
Multinationals will be affected only if their future property
purchases consist of agricultural land.
My good friend, Mr. Charl Senekal, a sugar cane farmer in
Phongolo in KwaZulu-Natal says that if the law is passed, the
country will have a food crisis.
Mr. Senekal says that 100 farmers in the country produce 70% of
our food, and if they are forced to reduce the size of their farms
their production could be halved. This sentiment was also expressed
by Honourable Mulder.
There are two answers to this issue. We are taking these actions
precisely because the fate of too many is in the hands of too few.
We are keenly aware of the contribution of the country's hard
working farmers to the economy and food security.
However, the effective participation of the previously excluded
black majority in agriculture and food production will only occur
meaningfully, when they have access to land and the means to work
it.
An inclusive and scientific process will be used to assess the
situation in different commodities and in different localities, so
as to make sure that nothing is done that will prejudice food
security in the country.
Allow me Honourable Members to acknowledge the progressive
farmers who have begun to implement the principle of 50/50, where
farm workers and farmers share ownership of the farm, as alluded to
by Deputy Minister Cele.
Honourable Members,
I had mentioned in the SONA that some new labour laws or
amendments were coming into effect this year.
Honourable Malema raised concerns about workers who are employed
as temporary workers for more than 10 or 20 years, and being
supplied by labour brokers.
In terms of the amended Labour Relations Act, Basic Conditions
of Employment Act and the Employment Equity Acts, the issues raised
by the Honourable member have been resolved.
In terms of the Basic Conditions of Employment Act and the
Labour Relations Acts as amended, all workers will be employed
permanently. Temporary work contracts will not exceed three months,
as Honourable Makue also pointed out.
In addition Honourable Members, the Deputy President will
continue to lead the NEDLAC dialogue relating to a national minimum
wage.
Honourable Shenge, thank you for acknowledging the nation's
dramatic successes in the fight against HIV and AIDS.
We now have 2,7 million South Africans on antiretroviral
treatment. We have three thousand five hundred and ninety (3 590)
public health facilities now initiating patients on antiretroviral
treatment compared to 490 in February 2010. It is a dramatic
increase.
One of our greatest success stories remains the remarkable 67%
reduction of mother-to-child transmission of HIV from 8% in 2008 to
2,6% in 2012.
Siyaqhuba.
Remarkably, 20 million people have to date been tested for HIV
through the HIV Counselling and Testing Campaign.
This indicates that the stigma around the disease is being
eradicated which will assist prevention efforts.
Life expectancy is improving in South Africa and we want to
build on this further, by launching the massive Tuberculosis
campaign next month. We are also continuing to implement the
National Health Insurance scheme at a number of pilot sites.
The scheme is aimed at making access to health equal for all,
regardless of class or financial means.
Sibonga bonke abantu bakithi ngokusebenzisana nohulumeni ukulwa
nesifo sengculazi. Sesivule izikhungo ezidlule ezinkulungwaneni
ezintathu lapho abantu bethola khona imishanguzo yaleligciwane.
Nomama nezingane abanegciwane bayalashwa.
Impilo isingcono, abantu bayaphila manje, sebephindele
nasemsebenzini manje abanye.
Asisangcwabi njengakuqala ngenxa yemishanguzo elethwa uhulumeni.
Siyabonga kubantu ngokuthatha amaphilisi nokuhlola ukuze bathole
ukwelashwa.
Somlomo
UMphathiswa umama uMajodina ubeke kwacaca okwenziwa uhulumeni
ukwenza izimpilo zabantu zibengcono.
Ubale ezempilo, izibonelelo ezitholwa abadala nabancane
ezingakhethi bala lamuntu ezisiza nabakhubazekile, wabala iyunifomu
yesikole, ukudla ezikoleni, nokuningi okuxosha indlala.
Impela uhulumeni uyabasiza abantu, wenza izimpilo zibe ngcono
kakhulu imihla ngemihla.
Siyaqhuba!
Honourable Mulder, Nobody is chasing the Afrikaner compatriots
away from this country.
I began the address last week with an affirmation of the Freedom
Charter pronouncement that South Africa belongs to all who live in
it.
The preamble of the Constitution makes a similar profound
affirmation. Let us work together to build our country, and leave
finger pointing aside.
Going forward with the national reconciliation project, allow me
to remind government departments and national entities that the
implementation of the Use of Official Languages Act must be rolled
out by the 2nd of May 2015.
Government departments must communicate with the people in
languages they understand.
Schools should also prepare to teach African languages to build
a new citizenry of youth that will be able to understand and
respect one another.
Honourable Waters and Honourable Greyling, we have admitted that
load shedding is indeed a serious challenge and an impediment to
economic growth.
Honourable Minister Brown further outlined what we are doing to
deal with this matter.
The extensive short, medium and long term plan to deal with the
energy challenge requires that we work together to ensure success.
Honourable Members
The country will celebrate 60 years of the Freedom Charter on 26
June 2015.
On 27 April, our Freedom Day, we will celebrate twenty five
years since the release of President Mandela and the unbanning of
organisations, which came about as a result of the relentless and
selfless struggles of our people.
We began the journey then, to transform our country from
Apartheid and colonialism to a national democratic society.
We will also reflect on the road travelled and the successes
scored. We are definitely not sitting with a nightmare as
Honourable Waters said. We are sitting in a country that is doing
well, with a people who are determined to make things work.
We will not allow prophets of doom to downplay the hard work and
success of millions of our people.
South Africa was privileged to have an icon like President
Mandela as its first democratically elected President. However,
this does not make South Africa immune to the economic, social or
political challenges at certain periods.
Despite the challenges, South Africa is getting many things
right.
The economy possesses the necessary dynamism to position the
country as a competitive player in a difficult global economic
environment.
Honourable Hill-Lewis, you are correct that South Africa's GDP
growth rate has been lower than other member countries of SADC, but
your reasons are wrong.
While the slow growth on our part reflects some domestic
constraints that we are facing such as the current electricity
constraint, it also reflects the relative level of development of
the South African economy compared to the regional economies.
Less developed countries tend to grow faster than more developed
countries as there is more spare capacity, underutilised land and
generally resources and opportunities that have not been used.
If a country is relatively more developed than other countries,
it is more likely that it will grow at a slower rate.
Advanced economies for example grow at a much slower rate than
emerging markets. South Africa is not an advanced economy and we
face many challenges.
However in some cases our level of development is very high,
especially compared to countries in the region. For example our
financial sector has similar levels of development to many advanced
economies.
The growth patterns observed in the SADC region are not
different to other parts of the world. For example, growth in
Eastern Europe is much stronger than growth in Western Europe. As
the level of development converges between Eastern and Western
Europe, growth in Eastern Europe will slow down.
While, it is unrealistic to expect South Africa to grow at
levels seen in some of the countries in the region with lower
levels of GDP per capita or low levels of development, we
definitely have the potential to grow at much higher levels than
the current level.
Government is addressing the bottlenecks in the economy and
implementing the National Development Plan.
This will allow us to grow at a significantly higher growth rate.
Honourable Members,
Millions of South Africans want their country to succeed. We
will continue to work with them to move South Africa forward.
As we conclude the SONA 2015 debate we are reminded of the
unfortunate incidents of last Thursday.
We all have a responsibility to make Parliament work. Parliament
is a very important institution of democracy where the hopes,
dreams and aspirations of all our people must find expression.
Whatever our views are about one another or political parties
that we represent, we need to preserve the dignity of Parliament.
We must ensure that our people do not lose confidence in
Parliament's ability to discharge its important constitutional
responsibility to produce legislation aimed at improving the
quality of their lives.
We also have a responsibility to promote the Constitution which
is the blood and soul of our democracy.
I therefore would like to reaffirm government's commitment to
Clause 16 of the Constitution which includes freedoms of
association, expression and the media.
The security cluster has addressed and clarified matters
relating to the signal distribution interference in the House last
Thursday. It is an unfortunate incident and it should never happen
again.
Compatriots
The national Netball Team, Amantombazana, will participate in
the Netball World Cup in Australia in August this year.
We wish them well and urge the nation to support them
wholeheartedly.
Let me also join the Minister of Arts and Culture in
congratulating musician Wouter Kellerman who won the Grammy award
for the best New Age album, last week at the Grammy Awards in the
United States.
Honourable Members,
We remain firmly focused on building a united, non-racial,
non-sexist democratic and prosperous South Africa.
Let me close with the words of President Oliver Tambo uttered in
1991 at the first ANC conference after the unbanning.
"We did not tear ourselves apart because of lack of progress at
times.
"We were always ready to accept our mistakes and to correct
them....Even in bleak moments, we were never in doubt regarding the
winning of freedom. We have never been in doubt that the people`s
cause shall triumph''.
Yinde lendlela esiyihambayo.
I thank you.
Issued by The Presidency
Cape Town
