I would very much like to congratulate the honourable premier with his concerted efforts to portray an absolute horror story as a fairy tale. A very fictional farfetched tale, that is. A picture of the Free State and South Africa very different from the reality ordinary citizens live in.
Speaker, die premier het tydens sy toespraak gesê dat die mense van die Vrystaat nie mislei sal word nie. Ek hoop werklik dat hierdie woorde waar is. Die mense van die Vrystaat weet wat die verskil tussen 'n suikerklont en 'n bitterpil met 'n dun suikerlagie om is.
Die premier woon in 'n baie ander Vrystaat as wat die gewone inwoners op 'n daaglikse basis ervaar.
The Free State is the only province to report a net loss of jobs since 2003. The Free State lost 98,000 jobs. Maar die premier sê dit gaan goed in die Vrystaat.
The Free State has the highest unemployment rate in the country. Maar die premier sê sy regering slaag om werk te skep.
Die ANC se werkskeppingsbeleid werk nie. Veertien miljoen mense het nasionaal werk aan die einde van 2008 (Q4 in 2008) gehad. Vyf jaar later, in 2013, is die syfer steeds net 14 miljoen. Die syfer bly dieselfde, terwyl die bevolking van 48 miljoen na 51 miljoen gestyg het. Werkloosheid word vererger deur selfsugtige, onverantwoordelike vakbonde wat net na hulleself kyk en nie oor die miljoene werkloses bekommer nie. Die ANC-regering het beheer oor die vakbonde verloor.
Crime. Speaker, the world average for the number of murders per year is 6.9 per 100 000 of the population, whilst in the Free State the latest crime statistics show that there is 37.2 murders per 100 000 per year in the province. Maar die premier sê die Vrystaat is 'n veilige provinsie. Die Vrystaat toon die grootste toename in aangemelde moorde sedert 2004 van al die provinsies in Suid-Afrika. Dit dui op die feit dat geweldsmisdaad in die Vrystaat buite beheer is en dat die landelike beveiligingsplan nie werk nie. Maar die premier skets 'n ander prentjie.
Less than a month ago 26 towns in the Free State were simultaneously without water. This mainly attributed to by collapsing infrastructure. Maar die premier sê dit gaan goed in die Vrystaat.
Last year the Human Rights Commission found the Masilonyana Municipality guilty of violating the community’s access to adequate drinking water. Maar die premier leef in ontkenning.
Rural Maintenance threatened to cut off electricity supply at three hospitals in the Maluti-a-Phofung Municipality over an unpaid R5 million electricity bill. Maar die premier leef in ‘n ander Vrystaat.
Hundreds of students studying with government bursaries are annually deregistered at the end of the first semester due to the bursaries being inadequate to fund a full year of study. But the premier carefully selects an individual case where one student successfully completed his studies. Most of the bursary holders do not have sufficient funds for food, accommodation and books. The government sets these students up for failure. Die premier verdraai die realiteit.
The Free State has the highest over expenditure of all provinces. The Department of Education will according to its third quarterly report overspend by R1,1 billion. Maar die premier sê die finansiële bestuur van die provinsie is uitstekend.
The mayor of Tokologo recently acquired a Jeep as official vehicle because of the terrible state of the roads. This according to the municipal manager. Maar die premier sê tydens sy toespraak dat die paaie van die Vrystaat in ‘n uitstekende toestand is.
Dieselfde munisipaliteit het vir die afgelope twee jaar slegs vir 20 minute op ‘n dag water. In Malebogo het die mense nie water, krag of spoeltoilette nie. Maar die premier slaap rustig in die aand.
During the past five years there has been numerous violent service delivery protests in the Free State. These protests are about erratic water supply, electricity disconnections, poorly built RDP houses and sewerage flowing through the streets.
Why these shortages? A spokesperson would reply: “capacity constraints”. Capacity constraints are in effect a code for affirmative action and cadre deployment at local government level.
Waarom het die ANC sy belangrikste en eerste prioriteit die transformasie van die staatsdiens deur regstellende aksie gemaak? Dit is die grootste fout wat die ANC die afgelope twintig jaar gemaak het. Ek sou water, krag en huise aan die armes as eerste prioriteit gesien het. Ek sou die ervare staatsamptenare, of hulle wit, bruin of swart is, gebruik het om hierdie dienste op grondvlak te verskaf. Vandag het die meerderheid munisipaliteite geen ingenieur om die rioolwerke of die waterstelsels in stand te hou nie.
Speaker, die premier blameer apartheid vir alle probleme en uitdagings.
Late former president Nelson Mandela once said: “It is not easy to remain bitter if one is busy with constructive things”. It seems as though the premier is not very busy if one listens to his constant reference to apartheid.
It is time that we start living in the present, learn from the past and focus on the future. If one applies for a job or bursary, the free-born still has to fill in forms to indicate whether they are white or black. If you are white and poor you do not get a bursary. Your black school mate with the millionaire father is given it.
Speaker, die VF Plus sê dat regstellende aksie die mense van Suid-Afrika gefaal het. Swart Ekonomiese Bemagtiging het tot ‘n elite groepie miljoenêrs gelei, maar die massas is steeds arm. Armoede neem toe, werkloosheid is ‘n nasionale krisis met die jeug wat die meeste daaronder lei.
Die ANC se regstellende aksie het gelei daartoe dat gekwalifiseerde, bevoegde swart, bruin en wit persone nie aangestel word nie, maar dat aanstellings op grond van alles behalwe meriete geskied.
Honourable premier, don’t blame the white people or historic figures for your problems twenty years after 1994. Your own failed policies are to blame. The people of the Free State will not be misled.
And remember, the Bible doesn’t say when Jesus will be returning. It could be today, tomorrow or the 7th of May.
Kontaknommer / Contact number: 082 674 6670