UNREVISED HANSARD
NATIONAL ASSEMBLY
25 JUNE 2008
PAGE: 2
WEDNESDAY, 25 JUNE 2008
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY
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The House met at 14:05.
The Speaker took the Chair and requested members to observe a moment of silence for prayers or meditation.
THE CHIEF WHIP OF THE OPPOSITION
Start of Day
SANCA AWARENESS WEEK
(Draft Resolution)
The CHIEF WHIP OF THE OPPOSITION: First of all, before I move the motion with out notice, I would really like to compliment you on your stunning outfit, it really is quite excellent.
Madam Speaker, I hereby move without notice:
That the House –
[TAKE IN FROM MINUTES]
Agreed to.
The CHIEF WHIP OF THE MAJORITY PARTY
The CHIEF WHIP OF THE OPPOSITION
PROCEDURE TO AMEND MONEY BILLS
(Draft Resolution)
The CHIEF WHIP OF THE MAJORITY PARTY: Madam Speaker, I move without notice: That the House –
[TAKE IN FROM MINUTES]
Agreed to.
MEMBERS` STATEMENTS
The CHIEF WHIP OF THE MAJORITY PARTY
MEMBERS’STATEMENTS
STABBING OF MR M SKWATSHA
(Member’s Statement)
Mr O E MONARENG (ANC): Madam Speaker, following the stabbing of the Western Cape provincial secretary, Comrade Mcebisi Skwatsha by a certain Ndikho Tyawana while addressing an ANC meeting in Worcester, a provincial disciplinary committee was convinced to consider the matter. The accused and his colleague have been found to have violated the Constitution of the African National Congress and as a result they have been expelled from the organisation with immediate effect. When an individual join the African National Congress he or she makes the following declaration: “I, Oupa Monareng, s solemnly declare that I will abide by the aims and objectives of the African National Congress as set out in the Constitution, the Freedom Charter and other duly adopted policy positions, that I am joining the organisation voluntarily and without motives of material advantage or personal gain, that I agree to respect the Constitution and the structures and to work as a loyal member of the organisation, that I will place my energies and skills at the disposal of the organisation and carry out tasks given to me, that I will work towards making the ANC an even more effective instrument of liberation in the hands of the people, and that I will defend the unity and integrity of the organisation and its principles, and combat any tendency towards disruption and factionalism.”
The African National Party found Mr Tyawana and his colleague to have violated the constitution…
The CHIEF WHIP OF THE OPPOSITION: Madame Speaker, I am not quite sure what this has to do with Parliament as opposed to internal ANC matter?
Mr O E MONARENG: We, the ANC and not the DA, welcome the decisions made by the disciplinary hearing. I thank you.
The CHIEF WHIP OF THE OPPOSITION
Mr O E MONARENG
CORRUPTION IN SOUTH AFRICA
(Member’s Statement)
The CHIEF WHIP OF THE OPPOSITION: A recent survey shows that 90% of South Africans feel that corruption as become a way of life in the country and a further 85% believe that a lot of corruption takes place in senior levels of government. It is not surprising that South Africans think that corruption is endemic given the number of senior ANC involved in corruption cases such as the travel gate, oil gate and arms deal. The fact that the leader of the governing party is still facing criminal charges for corruption reflects the shrinking moral fibre of the government in the ANC. Access to state positions is abused by many in the ruling party for personal enrichment at the expenses of the interest of the poor. The government is too lenient in curbing corruption in states institutions; instead of punishing and convicting corrupt government official. All too often these individuals are moved form one government department to another. The government needs to refine its moral compass and take the lead to rooting out corruption from society. For its part the DA remains committed to a vision …
Prof B TUROK: Madame Speaker are these matters not before the courts and therefore sub judice? Is it correct that these matters should be raised here under the protection of the Rules of the House?
The CHIEF WHIP OF THE OPPOSITION: For its part the DA remains committed to a vision of a society in which there is zero tolerance to corruption as its record in the City of Cape Town and other municipalities throughout South Africa reflects.
Ms C N Z ZIKALALA
The CHIEF WHIP OF THE OPPOSITION
the Vulnerability of women and children in rural areas
(Member’s Statement)
Ms C N Z ZIKALALA (IFP): Madam Speaker, a report by the Presidential Working Group on Women has highlighted huge shortfalls in the provision of water and sanitation and the failure to end violence against women and children in our poorest provinces.
Despite all the achievements, and immense contributions of women in our country, the women in rural and poor areas, together with children, remain the most vulnerable members of our society.
The fact that women are so well-represented here in Parliament and in government should mean that gender issues become more prominent and take on an increased importance, and that more resources are allocated to the plight of the many women and children who are suffering in the rural and poor areas.
This, however, is unfortunately not the case as the suffering and vulnerability of women and children continues. We are failing these vulnerable groups. [Interjections.] Thula wena! [You shut up!] [Laughter.]
There is no doubting the strength of South African women and I believe that we, here in Parliament, can, and must, take the lead with this important issue and put a stop to the suffering of our many sisters and children who have no voice. All women in positions of power and authority must use the resources at their disposal to mainstream gender issues so that they receive the attention that they deserve. We owe this to the many women and children of South Africa who are trapped in suffering and misery and who still get abused everyday. Awuthule wena! [You must shut up!]
MnuM D GUMEDE:
Ms C N Z ZIKALALA (IFP):
ANC PROVINCIAL CONFERENCE IN KWAZULU-NATAL
(Member’s Statement)
IsiZulu
MnuM D GUMEDE (ANC): Kusukela ngomhla zingama-20 kuya mhla zingama-22 kuJuni 2008 umbutho wenkululeko we-ANC ubukade ubambe ingqungquthela yesifundazwe saKwaZulu-Natali eMgungundlovu. Injongo enkulu ye-ANC ukwakha iNingizimu Afrika engenabandlululo ngokwebala, ngokobulili nangokobuzwe. Silwela ukwakha iNingizimu Afrika ebumbene nesebenza ngokulandela imigomo yentando yeningi lapho zonke izakhamuzi ziyophila impilo enhle nenokuthula.
Ingqungquthela yesifundazwe saKwaZulu-Natali iwuqhubele phambili umzabalazo wethu ngokuthi iyalele amagatsha kanye nawo onke amalungu ukuthi sisebenze singakhathali, ukuze siqiniseke ukuthi zonke izinqumo zengqungqthela eyayisePolokwane ziyafezeka. Ingqungquthela ibuye yazibophelela ukuqhuba umzabalazo wokulwa nobuphofu kanye nokweseleka kwezidingo zokuphila njengamanzi, izindlu, imisebenzi, izimfundo kanye nezempilo. Siyayihalalisela i-ANC ngokuba nengqungquthela eyimpumelelo enkulu. Halala kwi-ANC KwaZulu-Natali! Halala!
Mrs C DUDLEY:
Mnu M D GUMEDE:
NEED FOR A transitional government in Zimbabwe
(Member’s Statement)
Mrs C DUDLEY (ACDP): Madam Speaker, the Movement for Democratic Change’s decision to pull out of the 27 June elections in Zimbabwe speaks of a people and a party committed to a democratic outcome against all odds! They said:
Elections are our game. We do not want to take to the streets or to pick up weapons to make our point; we are democrats.
When the MDC won the 29 March elections, 73% of the population voted against Mugabe. For SADC states to have stood by seemingly helpless was quite unbelievable.
The hon Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Susan van der Merwe, promised in this House that the South African government would watch closely for signs of violence and abuse but would respond if necessary. Hon Minister, do you know how many deaths, abductions and other horrors like chopping off of hands and feet, may have been averted if the South African government had taken its head out of the sand.
Calls for the Security Council to meet urgently to discuss Zimbabwe and the UN Secretary General being more vocal and on the situation; the new consensus emerging within SADC as Angola, Swaziland and the ANC if not government, become new critics, and today’s SADC meeting on Zimbabwe are promising and we hope will bring some action.
The intensified nationwide campaign of violence and intimidation in Zimbabwe have totally put paid to any possibility of a free of fair election at this time.
The obvious need now is for the formation of a transitional government that will include all parties to take the country through a period of stabilization and recovery before holding new elections. This can, however, hold no place for Mugabe who has shown himself to be the cruel enemy of his people and has disqualified himself in every possible way.
Mrs P DE LILLE:
Mrs C DUDLEY:
The Continuation of Prosecution of Arms deal
(Member’s Statement)
Mrs P DE LILLE (ID): Madam Speaker, just because the German prosecution authorities have stopped their investigation into German citizens and companies involved in the arms deal, does not mean the case is over, or that anybody in South Africa is off the hook.
The only reason that they have decided to stop the investigation is because they have been frustrated by the lack of co-operation by the South African authorities.
The responsibility for investigating and prosecuting South Africans involved in the arms deal rests with the National Prosecuting Authority and the NPA's reluctance to cooperate with the Germans is an indictment on this government.
The NPA has subpoenaed me twice over the past nine years and I have handed over all the documents relating to the German investigation. But, because of political interference, the NPA has failed hopelessly to investigate and prosecute the crooks in our midst. But because, and I have said this before and I will say it again; corruption steals from the poor.
The ID will continue to fight for the truth in the arms deal and for an end to corruption in our country. It is only useful idiots that want to stop this investigation.
Mr I S MFUNDISI
Mrs P DE LILLE
PROBLEMS AFFECTING SOUTH AFRICAN EDUCATION
(Member’s Statement)
Mr I S MFUNDISI(UCDP): Madam Speaker, education in the country is beset with many problems, such as a poor or no culture of teaching and learning; a lack of discipline among teachers and pupils alike; shortage of teachers and lack of facilities in some instances.
This may perhaps be traced back to the failure by government post-1994 to seek a philosophy for education, as did countries such as Botswana with their education for Kakgisano and Tanzania with Julius Nyerere’s Ujamaa or education for self-reliance.
After accepting 20 or so education departments, all that the new government did was to impose a new curriculum which was not well-researched and has come to be a bone of contention in the schooling system, because it was not internalised by the practitioners and the communities.
That almost all MECs for education in the provinces lament the poor training of teachers; the class sizes in most schools exceed the policy norms and teachers nowadays leave teaching in their droves is cause for concern.
The Department of Education will have to double their efforts to make teaching attractive and a career of choice. While efforts are being made to make education accessible through the no-fees schools, the problem is that schools go for months without amenities because of the bureaucracy that goes along with the release of funds.
Another problem in this case could be that those who run the schools are not certain how to requisition for the funds. Interventions aimed at assisting schools in poor communities seem to bear no fruit as the schools do not own their terms to improve their performances. The UCDP calls on the department to assist the provincial departments much more than they are doing so far.
Ms A M DREYER
Mr I S MFUNDISI
MINISTER OF LABOUR’S REMARKS HAVE RACIAL UNDERTONES
(Member’s Statement)
Ms A M DREYER (DA): Madam Speaker, the Minister of Labour recently made rather bizarre statements about the recent High Court ruling that, for the purposes of the Employment Equity Act, Chinese people are regarded as black.
If the Minister does not accept the ruling, he can appeal against it. Alternatively, he should respect the judgement and keep quiet about it. One would hope that as South Africans, we have put the race classification behind us. That Act was already scrapped in 1991, that is 17 years ago, but now it seems race classification is back with a vengeance; however, this time without any legal basis.
While the Minister is obsessed with dividing people into various race boxes, millions of South Africans are fighting for survival, confronted with real problems such as unemployment, poverty, crime and Aids. The Minister would serve South Africa’s people better if he welcomed the fact that many South African Chinese people have brought with them skills, entrepreneurship and a work ethic, and have created thousands of jobs.
Mr G J SELAU
Ms A M DREYER
MORITI PROJECT LAUNCHED AT MADIBENG