You will be pleased Hon Meshoe to hear that there is no intention on our part to utilise the fiscus for general company bail-outs.

As we indicated, we are working with development finance institutions such as the Industrial Development Corporation to identify such companies and, where appropriate, mobilise assistance.

The Hon Ryan Coetzee is correct in saying that the steps we take now must not undermine our ability to take advantage of the upturn. It is also important for us to ensure that the interventions we make do not distract us from our longer-term socio-economic objectives.

We must also keep the productive capacity of our economy intact so that it can respond in a timeous fashion to the revival in demand as the global economy recovers.

It is important that our manufacturing, agriculture and mining sectors are ready for the recovery. That means we must do our best to retain skills and labour.

Honourable Patricia de Lille summed up what should be our approach as a nation to this problem when she said:

"The global recession means that we need a plan around which all South Africans can rally, a plan that can tap into our collective patriotism, skills and wisdom, and bring us together as a nation".

Honourable Members, a number of speakers made reference to the targets we have set with respect to the second phase of the Expanded Public Works Programme.

I reiterate that we intend to create about 500 000 work opportunities this year, as part of our goal of creating about 4 million such opportunities by the end of this five-year term.

Let me emphasise that these measures are not a substitute for the permanent jobs that must be created and sustained in the economy.

The key sectors of the Expanded Public Works Programme are as follows: Firstly, the infrastructure sector programme. Key programmes are road construction, water reticulation, sewerage and waste water management.

The second programme is the social sector, aimed at creating work opportunities through the provision of public social services.

The key programmes in this sector include the Home and Community Based Care programme which entails provision of care and support for those infected and affected by HIV and Aids, as well as personnel required for the expansion of the Early Childhood Development programme.

The third EPWP intervention is in the environment and culture sectors. Programmes include Working for Water, Working on Fire and Land Care. New initiatives on waste management, including the Food for Waste Programme, will be expanded.

This is one of the measures that government has put in place to alleviate poverty and provide income, work experience and skills development to many who are unemployed.

The Minister of Public Works, Hon Geoff Doidge, will provide more information during the department's budget speech.

Honourable Members, as part of the war against poverty, Government has also committed itself to specific goals concerning the development of a comprehensive social security system.

The new system seeks to ensure access to social security as provided for in Section 27 of the Constitution.

We are working on reforms in the areas of retirement provision; national health insurance; unemployment insurance; compensation for injuries and diseases on duty; and road accident insurance.

Honourable Bantu Holomisa, we have noted your emphasis on the need to deliver quality services in the rural areas. We are fully committed to change the face of rural areas.

We must heed the clarion call of the Minister of Rural Development and Land Reform, Hon Gugile Nkwinti, who said "phezukomkhono", "vukuzenzele", "siyazondla", imploring all to swing to action to make the Comprehensive Rural Development Programme a reality.

There has been a lot of interest in our new national Planning process.

In the coming two months, the Presidency should have completed work on the systems and structures to deal with this matter.

This will form the basis of a Green Paper for public discussion in Parliament and by the nation at large, as explained by the Minister in the Presidency responsible for National Planning, Hon Trevor Manuel.

We are also encouraged by the universal support for the monitoring and evaluation system.

It should be emphasised though, as also pointed out by the Honourable Matladi of the UCDP, that the monitoring and evaluation system will not be aimed at punishment. This is not a trap- and-catch exercise. The intention is to improve service delivery.

The Monitoring and Evaluation system will include an early warning system to assist us, working with the affected Departments, to ensure that urgent corrective action is taken when weaknesses are identified.

There are no super Ministries, but just colleagues who will be working together to find new ways of doing things more effectively.

The Honourable uMntwana wakwaPhindangene, Inkosi Mangosuthu Buthelezi raised various critical issues.

Shenge also raised issues related to the elections. Our confidence in the Independent Electoral Commission is unwavering. The men and women of the IEC have never been found wanting with regards to delivering free and fair elections.

This includes their handling of complaints when problems were brought to their attention.

I also wish to thank uMntwana for his counsel on the economic situation. I continue to hold uMntwana in very high regard. He is a tried and accomplished elder statesman of our nation.

The IFP and the ANC have come a long way.

Working together under extremely difficult conditions we managed to bring about peace and stability nationally, and in particular in KwaZulu-Natal. We must respect the will of the electorate, and work together to improve the lives of our people, especially the poorest of the poor.

We fully agree with Hon Dr Pieter Mulder that the public service belongs to all South Africans, and it should serve all South Africans, regardless of party political affiliation.

We have also noted the comments of the Hon Dene Smuts on the judiciary. Amongst the key principles in the Constitution is that of the separation of powers between the legislature, the executive and the judiciary, with appropriate checks and balances to ensure accountability, responsiveness and openness.

Read what was said about Transformation on page 3