Pursuant to Proclamation No. 295 of the State President, dated 19th October, 1966, members assembled in the Assembly Chamber, Houses of Parliament, at 11.30 a.m.

The SECRETARY read the Proclamation.

Mr. SPEAKER announced that the vacancy in the electoral division of Heidelberg had been filled on 7th December, 1966, by the election of Mr. Willem Lodewickus van der Merwe.

Mr. W. L. VAN DER MERWE, introduced by Mr. J. E. Potgieter and Mr. J. M. Henning, made and subscribed to the oath and took his seat.

By direction of Mr. Speaker.

The Secretary read a letter from the Secretary to the Prime Minister, dated 16th November, 1966, stating that the State President would open Parliament at 12 o’clock noon to-day in the Senate House.

Mr. Speaker and members proceeded to the Senate House to attend the ceremony of the opening of Parliament, and on their return.

Mr. Speaker took the Chair and read prayers.

Mr. Speaker stated that at the opening ceremony he had received a copy of the State President’s Address to members of the Senate and of the House of Assembly, which was in the following terms—

Mr. Speaker and Members of the House of Assembly:

I am glad to welcome you to this the Second Session of the Third Parliament of the Republic of South Africa.

Dit is vir my ’n genoeë om u by hierdie Tweede Sessie van die Derde Parlement van die Republiek van Suid-Afrika welkom te heet.

In contrast with the Republic, there is still unrest in a number of African countries and in many parts of the world. One of the reasons for this is that attempts continue to be made by some countries to interfere in the internal affairs of others. This tendency obviously cannot promote peaceful coexistence, notwithstanding differences in policy, and must undermine the mutual respect necessary for peaceful development. There is every indication that attitudes in Southern Africa will serve as an example worth following in other parts of Africa. This is proved, inter alia, by the successful meeting between the Honourable the Prime Minister and the Honourable the Prime Minister of Lesotho and it can be expected that further contact with other independent African States to the advantage of all concerned will follow.

The Government will continue to pursue its policy of co-operation with our immediate neighbours and also with other States in Africa and elsewhere. We have not only the modern scientific and technical knowledge but also the willingness to share it with others for the greater development and prosperity of all.

In spite of dissension on the Communist front arising from the Russo-Chinese dispute, the danger of existing Communist infiltration into the continent of Africa cannot be overestimated. As a Western nation with our roots firmly in the West, we have always ranged ourselves on the side of the Free World in their struggle to counter the spread of Communism not only in Africa but also elsewhere. It is to be hoped that there will be increasing realization of the extremely important role which a strong and resolute South Africa can play in this regard on the continent of Africa.

The measures taken by the Government in past years against Communist subversion, the sustained fight against sabotage and terrorism and the determined action against agitators and inciters have been effective, and the Republic can take pride in the fact that calm and peace are amongst its main characteristics in an uncertain world. The Government is well aware of the conspiracies which are being planned beyond the borders of the Republic against the safety of its inhabitants, and appropriate steps are and will be taken in each case.

As to the Anglo-Rhodesian dispute, the Government perseveres in its conviction that the dispute remains the exclusive responsibility of the two parties concerned and that the intervention of outside parties will not only endanger a settlement, but can have serious consequences for countries not only in Africa but elsewhere.

New steps are being taken to counter the recent attacks on South Africa in the United Nations and elsewhere by the institution of additional procedures for the development of an objective image of South Africa abroad.

In the economic field, the major problem which the Government had to face was the struggle against inflation for the past 12 to 18 months and which has been one of the main causes of the continuous rise in prices. As a result of a variety of factors, amongst others the unduly large inflow of foreign capital and the consequent excessive liquidity in the banking system, the Government’s task against inflation was made considerably more difficult, and appropriate monetary and fiscal measures have had to be applied from time to time. These measures included, inter alia: the restriction of bank credit by various means, increased interest rates in respect of Government loans, the relaxation of import control with a view to the larger availability of goods, increased taxation, the pruning of Government expenditure, the sterilization of surplus Government funds and selective price control. One of the main objectives has also been the encouragement of saving.

While the various measures put into operation by the Government during 1966, in order to bring the rate of economic expansion into a more suitable relationship to the country’s available resources, have had a considerable moderating effect, the past year has, as a result of basic potentialities, enterprise and confidence, been characterized by a continued high level of general economic activity.

The programme of border area development has progressed so well and the principles and aims thereof are being so generally accepted that, in the implementation of the programme, more attention can now be given to the development of remoter border areas where a great need for employment opportunities still exists.

The sustained high level of total spending on commodities and services has caused prices to show an increasing upward trend during the year. In addition to the measures already introduced in order to combat price increases, the authorities are determined to introduce such further measures as may appear necessary to prevent unjustified price increases.

In so far as the country’s foreign trade is concerned, imports declined considerably as a result of earlier import restrictions which, as already mentioned, have now been relaxed. Exports, on the other hand, increased substantially owing to a welcome rise in the country’s exports of manufactured goods which more than compensate for the decline in its exports of agricultural products resulting from the drought conditions in certain agricultural production areas.

In order to stimulate prospecting and mining for prescribed materials and to facilitate the marketing thereof, it is the intention to introduce during this Session legislation to replace the existing Atomic Energy Act.

Drilling operations for natural oil are in progress in various localities, while the intensive investigation into possible natural oil occurrences is being proceeded with over a large area. An extensive prospecting programme has also been instituted to establish the natural oil possibilities of the continental shelf of the Republic.

A Bill to consolidate and modernize the mineral laws will be introduced.

Matters relating to water continue to receive the most careful attention of the Government and steps are being taken to hasten the provision of additional sources of water for the Vaal River complex.

The work of the Commission of Inquiry into Water Matters relating to the formulation of general guiding principles for the long-term utilization of the Republic’s water resources is progressing satisfactorily. An interim report about the Tugela River is about to be published.

At the same time, further discussions with some of our neighbour states are contemplated on the utilization to mutual benefit of the waters of communal rivers.

Legislation on water matters will be introduced with the main object of applying exceptional control measures to public streams during times of drought and water shortage, in view of the fact that defects in existing legislation impeded effective control during the recent drought.

The greatly increased rate of afforestation by private firms and individuals over the past 20 years has augmented the State’s own planting programme and virtually established a new natural resource in the Republic, namely a large and steadily increasing supply of timber which serves as the raw material for many important industries.

An important result of the successful afforestation programme is that the Republic is now very nearly independent of imported building timber. Steps are being taken to ensure that only timber meeting the minimum requirements of the South African Bureau of Standards specifications is sold for building purposes.

In view of the continued threats and the clamour for the use of force against the Republic of South Africa, the role of the South African Defence Force is that of deterring aggression and maintaining peace and stability at the southern end of a continent in constant turmoil.

This concept of peace and stability includes a willingness to co-operate as an ally to prevent the spread of Communism, as a partner in the balance of armed peace, or as a strategic link in the vast Indian Ocean area. Consequently, the Republic of South Africa has the right to expect co-operation from countries with similar aims, in helping her to maintain a well-trained, well-equipped and balanced force capable of fulfilling these roles.

Legislation will be introduced to abolish the ballot system, to lengthen the period of compulsory military service and to provide for compulsory military service for all medically fit male citizens of the Republic.

The comprehensive survey of expenditure in respect of research and development in the natural sciences and engineering is progressing well and will, for the first time, give a complete picture, not only of the local research which is being undertaken in that field, but also of its importance in the development of our country.

In the meantime, the various research bodies, such as the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research and others, are continuing to do valuable work for our country, while the Government is also making use of their services to an increasing extent in the various facets of our planning for the future, for instance in regard to the proper utilization of our man-power, housing, water conservation, communication and generation of power.

Welkome en tydige reëns het die landbouvooruitsigte in baie dele van die Republiek aansienlik verbeter. Ondanks die jongste ernstige droogte wat groot dele van die land geteister het, is daarin geslaag om direkte veeverliese baie laag te hou en om ’n betreklik hoë mate van bestendigheid in landbouproduksie te handhaaf. Hierdie prestasies is in ’n groot mate moontlik gemaak deur die omvattende en buitengewone droogtehulpmaatreëls wat die Regering ingestel het.

Die droogte het ook almal laat besef hoe beperk die watervoorrade van die Republiek is en hoe noodsaaklik doelmatige grond- en waterbewaring en spaarsame waterbenutting, ook deur die landbou, geword het.

Die veldtog om grond- en waterbewaring te bevorder word landswyd verskerp. Verder is intensiewe navorsings- en ontwikkelingsprogramme vir grondbewaring aan die gang.

Wat waterbenutting betref word spesiale navorsingsprogramme aan die gang gesit wat gemik is op verbouingsmetodes wat optimale landbouproduksie met beperkte hoeveel hede water onder besproeiing sal verseker.

Wetsontwerpe sal ingedien word om die Bemarkingswet, 1937, die Wet op die Verkoping van Lewendehawe en Produkte, 1956, die Wolwet, 1946, die Wolkommissieen Wolwysigingswet, 1960, en die Wysigingswet op die Kontrole oor Wyn en Spiritualieë, 1940, te wysig.

Die uitvoering en ontplooiing van die beleid van afsonderlike of selfstandige ontwikkeling vind in toenemende mate byval by die Bantoe. Namate die besef by hulle groei dat die beleid voortspruit uit ’n bewustheid van die kant van die blanke van sy roeping om ’n vorm van naasbestaan te ontwikkel wat aan elke afsonderlike volk die geleentheid bied om homself uit te lewe en na sy eie vermoë tot die welvaart van die land by te dra, word hul vertroue in die beleid gestimuleer. So ook word onderlinge verhoudings en ’n gees van konstruktiewe samewerking bevorder.

Ooreenkomstig die verklaarde beleid word daar doelgerig afgestuur op die stelselmatige uitbouing van selfwerksaamheid en ’n georganiseerde en selfversorgende samelewing in elke Tuisland. In die ontvoogdingsproses is dit van die hoogste belang dat die Bantoe, ook dié in die blanke gebiede, in ’n groter mate betrek moet word by die fondering en uitbouing van elke volk en dat hulle in die groeiproses opgelei moet word tot ’n goeie begrip van gebiedsadministrasie.

Met betrekking tot Bantoe-onderwys word daar beplan om groter verantwoordelikhede aan bestaande Gebiedsowerhede oor te dra. Ten opsigte van die beheer oor Bantoe-onderwys in die blanke gebiede word geen verandering beoog nie.

Nieteenstaande volle indiensneming ervaar die Republiek, net soos ander ontwikkelde lande, ’n voortdurende tekort aan opgeleide en geskoolde werkkragte. Van owerheidsweë word daar egter alles in die werk gestel om die vraagstuk die hoof te bied. Gedurende die afgelope jaar is daar dan ook ’n konferensie oor produktiwiteit gehou, en dit word vertrou dat die beraadslagings wat gevoer is veel vrugte sal afwerp. Om ons tempo van nywerheidsontwikkeling te kan handhaaf, sal dit vir elke individu op watter gebied ook al nodig wees om die hoogste peil van produktiwiteit en doeltreffendheid na te streef.

Afgesien van die stakings in die goud-mynbedryf, wat geen verband met die verhouding tussen werkgewers en werknemers gehad het nie, was daar geen noemenswaardige nywerheidsonrus of -geskille nie.

Daar word beoog om die Wet op Fabrieke, Masjinerie en Bouwerk, 1941, te wysig, ten einde die gesondheid en veiligheid van werknemers te verseker. Die maatreël sal ook vir betaalde siekteverlof voorsiening maak. Dit is verder die bedoeling om die maksimumloongrens in die Werkloosheid-versekeringswet op te skuif, ten einde werknemers wat voorheen binne die bepalings van die Wet geval het maar vanweë onlangse loonverhogings opgehou het om bydraers te wees, weer binne die bestek van die Wet te bring, ’n Soortgelyke wysiging van die Ongevallewet word ook beoog. Dié maatreël sal verhoogde skadeloosstelling vir al die onderskeie rassegroepe voorskryf.

Vanweë die snelle toename in die Republiek se stedelike bevolking as gevolg van faktore soos industrialisering, natuurlike aanwas en immigrasie het daar in die jongste tyd ’n onvermydelike agterstand ontstaan ten opsigte van huisvesting vir die bevolking.

Klem is in die afgelope jaar daarop gelê dat behuisingsvoorsiening nie net die taak van die Staat en van plaaslike owerhede alleen is nie. Dit is bemoedigend dat Bougenootskappe weer meer lenings aan individue beskikbaar stel sodat hulle self in hul behuisingsbehoeftes kan voorsien. Daarbenewens word beroepe voortdurend op nywerheidsondernemings gedoen om in ’n groter mate behuising vir hul werknemers beskikbaar te stel.

’n Wetsontwerp om dit moontlik te maak om bystand uit die Nasionale behuisings-fonds te verleen aan welsynliggame, wat hulle toelê op die rehabilitasie van afwykendes, soos alkoholiste, ten einde hulle in staat te stel om die nodige inrigtings daarvoor op te rig, sal ingedien word.

Die Wet op Huurgelde van 1950 sal gedurende hierdie sessie hersien en gekonsolideer word.

Die Regering is steeds begaan oor die skadelike beeld van ons land wat opsetlik in die buiteland geskep word en is voornemens om die verspreiding van objektiewe inligting oor die Republiek en Suidwes-Afrika te verskerp en uit te brei in ’n poging om ’n beter begrip van ons standpunt en ’n meer simpatieke benadering tot ons probleme, te kweek. Die voorneme is ook om met aktiewer voorligting die Bantoe-, Kleurling- en Indiërbevolkingsgroepe behulpsaam te wees met hul ontwikkeling.

Aangesien daar dikwels klem gelê word op die potensiaal van toerisme wat nog nie ten volle benut is nie, word die noodsaak-likheid van navorsing ten opsigte van die vereistes en benodigdhede van toeriste en toeristeneigings terdeë besef, met die gevolg dat die Departement van Toerisme in same-werking met marknavorsingsinstansies, ’n toeriste-opname gaan maak ten einde die bevordering van die nywerheid op ’n weten-skaplike grondslag te plaas.

Die Departement van Sport en Ontspanning is op 1 Julie 1966 in die lewe geroep met die funksie om sport en ontspanning in die Republiek van Suid-Afrika te bevorder ten einde die ontwikkeling van ’n sterk en gesonde bevolking te verseker.

Die onmiddellike doelstelling is nou om aan sport- en ontspanningsliggame leiding en steun te gee wat hulle in staat sal stel om die deelname aan heilsame liggaamlike bedrywighede te vermeerder, en om terself-dertyd te verseker dat hierdie werksaamhede tot die waardering van morele waardes en die ontwikkeling van karakter bydra.

Dit doen my genoeë om aan te kondig dat die Regering besluit het om ’n Staats-presidentsporttoekenning in te stel. Hierdie toekenning sal inderdaad die formele erkenning van die Staat wees teenoor ’n streng uitgekose groep sportmanne en -vroue wat die Republiek van Suid-Afrika eer besorg het.

Kindersorg, gesinsorg, die voorkoming en bestryding van maatskaplike wanaanpassing, sowel as die behandeling en rehabilitasie van volwasse wanaangepastes, soos alkoholiste en andere, het ’n nuwe fase betree met die aanstelling van die Nasionale Welsynsraad wat bygestaan word deur nege streekrade en gespesialiseerde kommissies in verband met die bevordering van die gesinslewe, welsynbeplanning en die registrasie van maatskaplike werkers en van welsyn-organisasies.

Die groter lewensverwagting van die mens en die gevolglike groeiende persentasie van bejaardes in die samelewing het aanleiding gegee tot noukeurige ondersoek na die bestaande middele om bejaardes te versorg, te beskerm en van huisvesting te voorsien. Ten gevolge van hierdie ondersoek sal ’n wetsontwerp ter beskerming van bejaardes ingedien word.

Primêre en sekondêre onderwysdienste vir Indiërs in Transvaal sal oorgeneem en ingeskakel word by die omvattende, geko-ordineerde onderwysprogram van die Departement van Indiërsake.

Vakkundige welsyndienste vir Indiërs sal ook deur die Departement van Indiërsake oorgeneem word. Indiërs word vir dié werk opgelei en in ooreenstemming met regeringsbeleid sal die indiensneming van Indiër vakkundige maatskaplike werkers groter geleenthede aan Indiërs bied om hul eie mense in hul eie gebiede te dien.

Aan die Poskantoor wat vir die lewering van die land se pos- en telekommunikasiedienste verantwoordelik is, word steeds toenemende eise gestel. Daar is egter planne vir aansienlike uitbreiding en verbeterings in verband waarmee ’n komitee ondersoek sal instel.

Behalwe die maatreëls alreeds genoem, sal die volgende verdere wetsontwerpe onder andere aan u voorgelê word: ’n Wetsontwerp op Nasionale Onderwysbeleid, ten einde die verdeelde onderwys vir blanke persone in openbare skole tot en met St. X te beëindig, die breë beginsels van die onderwys op ’n nasionale grondslag uiteen te sit en voorsiening te maak vir die uitbouing van die onderwys binne hierdie raamwerk; ’n Wetsontwerp op Onderwysdienste; ’n Wetsontwerp op Gevorderde Tegniese Onderwys, met die doel om die vier groot tegniese kolleges wat nie oorgeneem word nie, in staat te stel om hulle toe te spits op gevorderde onderwys op ’n vlak tussen die sekondêre en universiteitsvlak; ’n Wetsontwerp op Grensbeheer om persone te verbied om sonder voorafgaande toestemming die Republiek by ’n ander plek as ’n amptelike poort binne te kom of te verlaat; ’n Wysigingswetsontwerp op Bevolkingsregistrasie, wat die Bevolkingsregistrasiewet, 1950, sal wysig; ’n Wetsontwerp om uitvoering te gee aan die aanbevelings van die Kommissie van Ondersoek na Abattoir- en Verwante Fasiliteite; en Wetsontwerpe met die doel om—

1. (a) die publiek beter teen mediese uitgawes te beskerm deur die bevordering van mediese skemas en die instelling van doeltreffender beheer oor sulke skemas; en
2. (b) die publiek te beskerm teen stralingsgevare deur beheer in te stel oor die gebruik van Röntgenstraalapparaat.

Mr. Speaker and Members of the House of Assembly:

Additional estimates of expenditure for the current financial year and estimates of revenue and expenditure for the ensuing financial year will be laid before you.

Mr. President and Members of the Senate:

Mr. Speaker and Members of the House of Assembly:

I pray that the blessing of Almighty God may guide and sustain you in your labours and deliberations.

I now declare this the Second Session of the Third Parliament of the Republic of South Africa to be duly opened.