National Council of Provinces - 20 August 2002
TUESDAY, 20 AUGUST 2002 __
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL COUNCIL OF PROVINCES
____
The Council met at 14:04.
The Chairperson took the Chair and requested members to observe a moment of silence for prayers or meditation.
ANNOUNCEMENTS, TABLINGS AND COMMITTEE REPORTS see col 0000.
NOTICES OF MOTION
Mr K D S DURR: Madam Chair, I give notice that I shall move at the next sitting of the House:
That the Council -
(1) notes that according to the SA Institute of International Affairs - (a) the Zimbabwean economy is suffering the fastest decline in general economic welfare and quality of life in history, for a country not at war;
(b) the prediction for the commercial farming sector is that it will
produce about 25% of its normal agricultural production in the
coming year, and famine stalks the land;
(c) exports are declining to below the level of one billion US
dollars for the first time in 50 years, and that we are seeing
accelerating company closures and soon possibly banking
failures;
(d) it is unlikely that the government will be able to maintain even
the limited services it currently provides; and
(e) inflation is accelerating further and a collapse of financial
institutions and equity markets can be expected soon, with far-
reaching consequences; and
(2) in the light of the collapsing circumstances in Zimbabwe, calls upon the Government to urgently revise its policies on Zimbabwe, including taking the necessary defensive actions and giving protection to South African citizens and interests in that country.
Mr N M RAJU: Madam Chair, I give notice that I shall move at the next sitting of the House:
That the Council -
(1) notes with utter disgust the conduct of one Mr McCaps Motimele, until recently the Chairperson of the Council of Unisa, when, having been charged with molesting and harassing an eminent academic, Prof Margaret Orr, resulting in her resignation from Unisa, which she had served for many years with impeccable credentials, had the temerity and mind-boggling arrogance to suggest that the lawsuit brought against his person by Ms Orr was just another instance of anti- transformation forces manufactured against black persons in high positions;
(2) condemns Mr Motimele, the unrepentant mampara, for blandly suggesting that the Council of Unisa would pay the settlement of R150 000 to Ms Orr, and would also pick up the tab for the costs of litigation amounting to about R350 000;
(3) welcomes the decision of the vice-chancellor, Mr Barney Pityana, and the Council for rejecting Mr Motimele’s ill-considered and obscene expectation that the Council would play Father Christmas and exonerate him for his x-rated activities by paying the costs of the lawsuit brought against him; and
(4) congratulates Prof Orr for her courage and fortitude in standing up to this bully, and in doing so, becoming a shining beacon to all women who find themselves in similar vulnerable circumstances against the mistaken power of uncouth men like McCaps Motimele.
Me C-S BOTHA: Voorsitter, ek gee hiermee kennis dat ek by die volgende sitting van die Raad gaan voorstel:
Dat die Raad -
(1) die Regering versoek om toe te sien dat Suid-Afrikaanse burgers in Zimbabwe onmiddellik die versekering kry dat hulle beskerming sal geniet te midde van toenemende wetteloosheid;
(2) versoek dat hul regmatige belange beskerm word;
(3) voorts ‘n beroep op die Regering doen om toe te sien dat mev Bibi von Abo, vrou van die Vrystaatse boer, mnr Crawford von Abo, wat gister onregmatig gearresteer is deur oorlogsveterane, alle beskerming van die Suid-Afrikaanse Hoëkommissaris in Zimbabwe, mnr Ndou, sal ontvang, soos volgens persberigte gister belowe is, ten spyte daarvan dat sy vanoggend nog nie gekontak is nie; en
(4) die hoop uitspreek dat President Mbeki sy stilte sal verbreek en Suid- Afrikaners die versekering sal gee dat sy gebrek aan kommentaar oor die aangeleentheid nie beteken dat dit sy goedkeuring wegdra nie. (Translation of Afrikaans notice of motion follows.)
[Ms C-S BOTHA: Mr Chairperson, I hereby give notice that on the next sitting day of the House I shall move -
That the Council -
(1) requests the Government to ensure that South African citizens in Zimbabwe are reassured immediately that they would be protected in the midst of increasing lawlessness;
(2) requests that their lawful interests are protected;
(3) further appeals to the Government that Mrs Bibi von Abo, wife of Free State farmer Mr Crawford von Abo, who was unlawfully arrested by war veterans yesterday, would be given every protection by the South African High Commissioner in Zimbabwe, Mr Ndou, as was promised in newspaper reports yesterday, in spite of the fact that by this morning she still had not been contacted; and
(4) expresses the hope that President Mbeki will break his silence and give South Africans the reassurance that his lack of comment on the matter does not mean that it has his approval.]
CALL FOR SUSPENSION OF MAYOR OF CAPE TOWN
(Draft Resolution)
Mr P D N MALOYI: Chairperson, I move without notice:
That the Council -
(1) notes with concern the latest allegation against troubled City of Cape Town mayor, Gerald Morkel, about his secret acquisition of a residential plot at a discount of R175 000;
(2) further notes that this follows hot on the heels of similar allegations by one Mr Harksen and a former Absa bank official before the Desai Commission, which is currently probing allegations of misconduct during his time as Premier of the Western Cape;
(3) expresses its contempt at the apparent double standards demonstrated by the ``Diabolic Alliance’’ for its unwillingness to suspend its tainted Western Cape leader; and
(4) calls upon big mouth Tony Leon to show respect for the principles of clean governance and immediately release Gerald Morkel from all his duties as pseudo-mayor of the City of Cape Town.
The CHAIRPERSON OF THE NCOP: Order! Is there any objection to that motion? There is an objection. The motion therefore becomes a notice of motion.
NEW SERVICE CONDITIONS FOR DOMESTIC WORKERS
(Draft Resolution)
Mr G A LUCAS: Chairperson, I move without notice:
That the Council -
(1) congratulates the Minister of Labour and his department on the introduction of legislation that -
(a) ensures that urban domestic workers are paid a minimum monthly
wage; and
(b) transforms the overall working conditions of these workers so
that they also enjoy the same protection as others;
(2) notes that domestic and farm workers have long been the most exploited category of employee, given the nature of the work they do, as was clearly reflected in the Special Assignment programme on SABC 3;
(3) condemns the continuing abuse of foreign workers; and
(4) expresses the hope that unscrupulous employers will cease their exploitative practices and will obey the law.
Motion agreed to in accordance with section 65 of the Constitution.
SURGICAL REPAIR OF FULUFHELANI NETSHITUNGULU'S FACE
(Draft Resolution)
Mrs J N VILAKAZI: Chairperson, I move without notice:
That the Council -
(1) notes -
(a) with appreciation and admiration the work of surgeons in
repairing the face of the 11-year old girl, Fulufhelani
Netshitungulu, which was badly disfigured; and
(b) with amazement the way the girl's face had swollen out of
proportion as a result of an unusual condition she incurred when
she was 4 years old;
(2) highly appreciates the hospital’s sponsorship of more than R100 000 towards this plastic surgery operation;
(3) highly commends the two surgeons, Dr Hennie Roos and Dr Mike Bouckaert, for having successfully performed the operation which has boosted the lucky girl’s esteem; and
(4) commends Felicia Mabuza-Suttle’s talk show for having brought this child to the attention of surgical experts.
Motion agreed to in accordance with section 65 of the Constitution.
WELCOMING OF DELEGATES TO WORLD SUMMIT ON SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT
(Draft Resolution)
Mrs C NKUNA: Chairperson, I move without notice:
That the Council -
(1) extends a heartfelt welcome to all the heads of state and delegates from different countries around the globe arriving on the South African shore to attend the World Summit on Sustainable Development starting in Johannesburg on Monday, 26 August 2002;
(2) wishes to assure them of the unique African hospitality in our country which will become their home away from home over the next two weeks;
(3) expresses our gratitude as one of the youngest democracies in the world to have been afforded the opportunity to host the largest and most diverse gathering of peoples in any country for an event of this kind; and
(4) appreciates that their presence here will inspire a common nationhood under the theme: People, Planet, Prosperity.
Motion agreed to in accordance with section 65 of the Constitution.
DISASTERS STRIKE EASTERN CAPE
(Draft Resolution) Nksz P C P MAJODINA: Mhlalingaphambili, ndenza isiphakamiso esingakhatshwa sisilumkiso:
Sokuba le Khansile
(1) ivakalisa izwi lovelwano kwiintsapho zephondo leMpuma Koloni ezihlaselwe zizikhukula, zalahlekelwa zizihlobo zaze zamkelwa zizindlu zisandul’ ukujongana neentlungu zekhephu, imililo yamadlelo ekwatsha kuyo imfuyo kwaze kwasweleka abantu; yaye
(2) ivakalisa ukuba le Ndibano yeZizwe ngezizwe engoPhuhliso, i-WSSD, eza kubanjwa kwilizwe lethu uMzantsi Afrika iza kujolisa kwintlungu ekhoyo kwanokuba uphuhliso luza kutsho luzinze. (Translation of isiXhosa draft resolution follows.)
[Ms P C P MAJODINA: Chairperson, I am moving a motion without notice:
That the Council -
(1) commiserates with the residents of the Eastern Cape on the latest disaster to strike the province, just as it was recovering from heavy snowfalls and veld fires that had hit the province last month; and
(2) notes that the World Summit on Sustainable Development that will be held in our country, South Africa, will focus on the issues of poverty and sustainable development.]
Motion agreed to in accordance with section 65 of the Constitution.
The CHAIRPERSON OF THE NCOP: Order! I note that no interpretation was available for that motion without notice. The hon member indicated in the motion that the House should express its support and solidarity to those affected by the recent floods in the Eastern Cape, and indicated particular concern that the suffering had followed the disaster related to the snowfalls, followed by fires in the Eastern Cape province.
She recommended that the House consider having a discussion on these occurrences, in order to deliberate as to the steps necessary to provide support to these communities.
Motion agreed to in accordance with section 65 of the Constitution.
Dr P J C NEL: Chairperson, I move without notice:
That the Council -
(1) notes with great concern that a well-known South African farmer from Bothaville in the Free State, who also has extensive farming interests in Zimbabwe, Mr Crawford von Abo, and his manager, Mr Willem Klopper, were arrested on his farm in Zimbabwe yesterday;
(2) further notes that this arrest could be a direct violation of the bilateral agreement between South Africa and Zimbabwe, which clearly guarantees the protection of South African-owned property and investments in Zimbabwe; and
(3) also notes the New NP’s call on the South African Government and the Minister of Foreign Affairs to immediately enter into negotiations with the Zimbabwean government to reaffirm the protection of South African property and investments in Zimbabwe in terms of the bilateral agreement.
The CHAIRPERSON OF THE NCOP: Order! Is there any objection to that motion? [Interjections.] There is an objection. The motion, therefore becomes notice of a motion.
TOWARDS INTEGRATED, SUSTAINABLE RURAL DEVELOPMENT AND URBAN RENEWAL
(Subject for Discussion)
The MINISTER FOR PROVINCIAL AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT: Chairperson, hon Deputy Minister, Ntombazana Botha, and hon members, representatives of all countries in the world are descending on our shores. They come as delegates on whose shoulders devolves the responsibility to take part in the programme of the World Summit on Sustainable Development.
The event represents humanity’s most determined and promising effort to save itself from the scourge of underdevelopment and the attendant problem of poverty. As President Mbeki once said, the fact that we have been chosen to host such an important summit, speaks of the confidence which the world’s community of nations has in us. There is an unmistakable conviction that as a country, we have something of value to add to this worthy global effort.
Ten years ago, at a similar gathering in Rio, Brazil, it was recognised that development - itself a multifaceted process - cannot be realised on a sustainable basis, unless it is managed in a way which keeps all its facets in balance. Indeed, central to the task of bringing about sustainable development, is the maintenance of the balance between the economic, social and environmental aspects of development. It is also necessary for governments to ensure that such legislative, administrative and executive structures as they have within different spheres of the government system function as an integrated unit.
Since 1994 South Africa has been writing its own script on the modalities, methods and processes of putting the country on the path of sustainable development. The Integrated Sustainable Rural Development Programme and the Urban Renewal Programme are our flagship initiatives in this regard. We have been and are continuing to look for innovative ways of tackling the twin challenges of pervasive rural poverty and the growing pockets of urban poverty.
The Integrated Sustainable Rural Development Programme is a response to the reality that, as a result of their historical marginalisation, the rural areas of our country remain the least endowed end of the continuum. Many of our people in these areas do not have sustainable sources of livelihood. Our response through these two programmes creates a platform that allows urban areas to continue growing as we simultaneously direct resources towards emulating economic growth in the rural areas.
This explains why, in the case of the rural development programme, entire districts have been designated as nodes, while in the case of the urban renewal programme we have only identified a particular local area as a node. So, we allow Kimberley to grow on the path determined by the height of the diamond industry, but also put particular attention and resources on Galeshewe, so that it may also chart its own development path.
Since both Kimberley and Galeshewe fall within one municipal jurisdiction, their developmental efforts will take place within the context of a single integrated development plan. The integrated planning and budgeting process which underpins the way in which the two areas will interrelate going forward, enables us to achieve the economies of scale. In addition to this horizontal integration at local level, we shall also have to integrate the efforts of various national and provincial departments. This integration will ensure that we deliver a complete product.
The potency of partnership is well-demonstrated by the example of Unkhanyakude nodal municipality in the KwaZulu-Natal province. In this node, there is a cashew nut production and packaging project. The local traditional leader, Inkosi Tembe, together with the Department of Land Affairs, availed land for use in the production of cashew nuts. Old Mutual, Kagiso Trust and the Department of Provincial and Local Government provided financial support. Ntsika Enterprises and the Department of Agriculture, through various training initiatives, helped to develop local capacity for producing and marketing the product. The Department of Trade and Industry, through the Industrial Development Corporation and Itala Bank, identified and sourced international markets.
The hearings held by permanent members of this House, assessing progress with regard to the two programmes, highlight some of the successes and challenges faced by the programmes in the nodes. Some success areas that stand out from the report include the demonstrable commitment to the programmes by various departments at provincial and national levels. This commitment is evidenced by increased responsiveness by national and provincial spheres of government to the needs of local areas, as identified in the municipal integrated development plans. This commitment manifests itself in the increased funding allocations to the nodes. Even with this increased involvement, some challenges still persist and hon members’ report has clearly highlighted this.
The most pressing one that needs urgent attention is the funding of anchor projects. Provinces receive a substantial share of nationally raised revenue. Focused investment by this sphere of government would add impetus to project implementation in the nodes.
Communication amongst national and provincial departments, as well as the Houses of Parliament, is not optimal and thus undermines the overall ability of the stakeholders from these structures. This is a matter which requires urgent attention.
Concerted and dedicated private-sector mobilisation by all role-players would yield visible support and increased investment in the nodes. This challenge extends to the involvement of state-owned enterprises such as Eskom and Telkom. The particular challenge here is not so much whether they are involved or not, but rather how they are involved and how their involvement influences their resource-allocation decisions towards the attainment of sustainable solutions.
In conclusion, allow me to reiterate the vital contribution to poverty alleviation by these two programmes. Having done that, though, let us not lose sight of the bigger context within which we are undertaking these programmes. This context throws up the inherent tension between sustained approaches to development and fast-tracking delivery in attempting to make a dent in poverty levels.
The challenge still remains that in our attempt to push back the frontiers of poverty and underdevelopment, we should not compromise sustainability. If we do, we might as well have not been deemed worthy of hosting the WSSD, and the lessons and contributions - which I am convinced we can and have to make - would be eternally lost. [Applause.]
Mr B J MKHALIPHI: Madam Chairperson, hon Minister and hon Deputy Minister, I must say that we are, indeed, very much honoured in this House this afternoon for having both Ministers here. I also heard somebody saying that we have the department’s new director-general in our midst as well, but I cannot confirm that. [Interjections.]
When this Government came into power in 1994, it inherited a country of gross inequities, with high unemployment and widespread poverty. To address this skewed state of affairs, the Government introduced the Reconstruction and Development Programme, which entailed the following key subprogrammes: meeting basic needs, developing human resources, democratising the state and society, building the economy and implementing the main programme, that is, the RDP.
The architects of the RDP - that is, the unions, civic movements and other civil society organisations - correctly identified the major cause of disparities in the economy and in development as being the consideration of development and business in isolation of the environment and society around it.
It is interesting to note that the Integrated Sustainable Rural Development Programme and the Urban Renewal Programme strategy is, in my opinion, an elaboration and fast-tracking of the five key programmes of the RDP, targeting certain poverty pockets without, of course, neglecting other areas. The strategy also informs me that we have moved from showing people how to catch fish to capacitating those people to breed the fish in a sustainable way, including how to develop and nurture this product.
When we say, ``The people shall govern’’, we are not necessarily confining governance to the legislators. We include business and civil society, so that one’s corporate ethics should reflect that, indeed, one’s consumers and the market are really governing one’s behaviour and attitude as a businessperson. By so doing we all ensure that the people share in the country’s wealth.
Our combined delegation of Mpumalanga and the Northern Province visited the Elandskraal Farming Project, among others. This visit reflected vividly what could be achieved when the three spheres of government interact in the true spirit of co-operative governance in a constitutional democracy. We met as partners in these spheres of government, spurred on by a growing awareness that there is mutual benefit in enhancing our intergovernmental relations.
This recognition of our roles will also ensure that each province and each sphere will fulfil its commitment to the nodal project, not as an act of benevolence, but driven by the sense of responsibility to ensure that there is sustainable work and security for all, even long after the initial project have been finalised. To this end, one should hasten to emphasize that each sphere and each department should stick to the agreed timeframes for the release and replenishment of funds, personnel and other resources, so that the projects remain on track until finalisation.
Our work in these development nodes is informed by the President’s state of the nation address in February 2000. We will note that the President said that development should continue in other areas outside of the development nodes. As houses are being built, water and sanitation networks being installed in many areas and many other development projects continuing, we should ensure the sustainability of the local economy by establishing and maintaining the local economic development forums in all communities.
It is interesting to note that innovations and initiatives that have been brought about by this LED forums can create, in the form of business and jobs, wonders. As I am standing here, I am a living witness to this phenomenon.
Indeed, we feel much stronger after our visit. We are not standing on wobbly legs, informed by some form of briefing or research, but we are informed by our own visit and observations. To that end we can confidently declare that we are together in speeding up change and fighting poverty. [Applause.]
Ms E C GOUWS: Chairperson, hon Minister, Deputy Minister and colleagues,
first of all I would like to appeal to the staff to get my initials
correct: remember I am from the Eastern Cape, so I am E C'' and notE M
Gouws’’. Thank you very much! [Laughter.]
An unknown philosopher once said these very true words, and I quote:
There is a past which is gone forever, but there is a future which is still our own.
The time has come for South Africa to concentrate on our future. What lies behind us is history, but what lies ahead of us and how we tackle our obstacles is of the utmost importance. We will succeed in making our country one of the greatest if we can overcome the obstacles in rural development and urban renewal. We should be committed to promoting sustainable cities and towns that fulfil the promises of development for the inhabitants, in particular by improving the lives of the poor and promoting equity while contributing to the progress of the country as a whole.
The overall aim of our focus area is to investigate ways of reducing vulnerability, generating sustainable livelihoods and eradicating poverty in the South African society. The experience of most South African households is one of outright poverty or of continuing vulnerability to being poor. Many of the households have limited access to education, health care and nutritious food, as well as reliable sources of income, shelter, energy and clean water.
The poor, both urban and rural, often live in marginal and degraded environments. Poverty is multidimensional and complex. To address poverty, we should identify research themes such as the environment and natural resources utilisation; integrated food security, nutrition and health; local development; understanding the informal sector; social institutions and networks; and service provision and management.
The environment and natural resource utilisation theme seeks ways of reconciling the pressing need for economic growth, poverty eradication and the maintenance of the environment. The second research theme, ie health, food security and nutrition, must seek ways of making all South Africans well nourished and healthy through the improvement of households and food.
The third theme, local development, is to research and investigate relationships between various forms of organised society, including Government, NGOs, business and labour organisations, as well as development at a local level. The fourth theme, understanding the informal sector, is a response to the problem of persistently high rates of unemployment in South Africa, which indicates that the formal economy is unable to absorb the available labour.
The fifth theme, social institutions, investigates the meaning of social capital in various South African contexts. The sixth theme, service provision and management, deals with issues such as the nature of poverty, gender and feminisation of poverty, homelessness, housing and shelter, morality, energy, water supply, recreation, tourism and agriculture.
Kwazulu-Natal, for example, is a microcosm of the reconstruction and development problems facing South Africa. Hence, it is an ideal place for researching national development policy. The region allows urban, rural and environmental problems to be analysed. Establishing a sustainable economic growth rate and addressing large-scale inequality and poverty are the critical development problems facing the region and the country. Urban renewal is where we should start. Planning departments must ensure that building standards are upheld so that people do not crowd out their neighbours, destroy the character of the suburb, ruin the view or create health hazards. Many people consider planning regulations a nuisance and simply flout them. Good planning makes for good neighbours.
Due to apartheid planning, some areas are not integrated into the cities and add to the urban sprawl. A Johannesburg town planner once said: ``We have to live with it, but we do not want to perpetuate it’’. This town planner means that another strategy is to develop so-called activity nodes, where both private and public investments tend to concentrate. This will offer the opportunity to locate a range of activities, from small to large enterprises, which is often associated with mixed-views development.
One area that needs development is the strategy on the environment. City planners must note that the lack of an accessible and functional open space system prohibits cities from becoming real world-class cities. Open spaces fulfil numerous functions in the cities, including the protection of water courses, recreation, entertainment, education, tourism and the provision of space for exchange and transaction, the so-called public squares.
On Friday, 26 October 2001, the hon Minister Mufamadi released a media statement. He said that rural development and urban renewal programmes were on track. He informed the Presidential Co-ordinating Council that his department was aiming to demonstrate visible progress in the Integrated Sustainable Rural Development Programme’s 13 nodal rural areas and the eight urban nodes by January 2002. He added that after a process of consultation with politicians and officials in all the provinces, he was satisfied that a programme of rural and urban development was on course.
During the week of 27 to 31 May 2002, permanent delegates of the NCOP visited the nodal points in the provinces. We had no clear guidelines as to what was to be evaluated. Nevertheless, it is now August 2002 and we have not seen the development we were promised. There is a general feeling that there is no full commitment by some departments with regard to full support of the nodes. Shortfalls of budgets also remain a concern and delay the progress of the projects.
There is, however, a positive side to the nodal points. Despite the difficulties, the areas have been put on the national map, with more opportunities for development than before.
``Vasbyt’’ is die woord wat ons in Afrikaans gebruik wanneer dit moeilik gaan, maar wanneer omstandighede vereis dat ons slaag met wat ons aangepak het. Om Suid-Afrika ook internasionale status te gee, moet hierdie program vir die stedelike en plattelandse areas so gou as moontlik geïmplementeer word. (Translation of Afrikaans paragraph follows.)
[``Vasbyt’’ is the word we use in Afrikaans when times are difficult, but also when circumstances require that we succeed in that which we undertook. In order to also give South Africa international status, this programme for the urban and rural areas should be implemented as quickly as possible.]
Ms N D NTWANAMBI: Chairperson, Minister, Deputy Minister, comrades and colleagues, let me start off by saying that I come from a province that has changed its leadership three times. Therefore, one should not expect much from what we have to say today. [Interjections.]
When the President declared the two nodal points in this province the doomed alliance, led by Mrs Versfeld, was in power. [Interjections.] As we had warned when the alliance was formed, it really died without delivering to the poor, but had divided them.
Because they did not care to ensure growth in underdeveloped areas, the management of the city council chose to separate Mitchells Plain from Khayelitsha, thereby creating racial nodes instead of developing them. This has resulted in the council not differentiating between its line functions and projects for urban renewal.
Responsibility for renewing Khayelitsha and Mitchells Plain lies with the city council that chose to develop the already developed areas. They are complaining and moaning about national not giving them money.
Nothing in the budget of the past June makes mention of the renewal projects or funds set aside for that. What is good, though, is that communities have their own initiatives and have demanded that the council shape up. More visible are women who want to lead the process of development and play a central role in making sure that Khayelitsha and Mitchells Plain become attractive suburbs and not gangster-infested townships.
The Nelson Mandela Centre in Mitchells Plain is playing a central and positive role, and has ensured that there is participation by people there. The Khayelitsha Development Forum also runs parallel to the structure. Let me just add that, instead of focusing on the work, the two spheres of Government existed before the co-operative governance between the ANC and the NNP drew their own structure. Instead of looking at what had been declared by the President, they created a new structure called ``The Cape Flats Renewal’’, which was located in the Department of Community Safety. Versfeld would know more about this.
When it comes to the rural node in the Karoo, very, very little has been done there. The municipality and the district council are doing their best, but they have nothing to work on. One has to remember that the Karoo is more like a desert. They even assumed that the DA-led provincial government was punishing them for having helped the poor.
What we also need to focus on as we discuss and debate are contributions from other departments. Our understanding is that Public Works should be fully involved in programmes in an area such as the Karoo, not that department only, but the Department of Transport, as well. Beaufort West is an interchange between the Western Cape, the Eastern Cape and the Northern Cape. And one has to make sure that when servicing that area, one does not help people coming from the Western Cape only, but that one also concentrates on the other provinces. This, therefore, means that all Government departments are supposed to play a major role. Only one department has been noted to be active in that area, and that is the Department of Social Development.
We noted that sustainable development is a process that will foster growth in underdeveloped areas. It is a system that, if well driven, will be called ``Ugxoth’ indlala’’.
Abantu baza kuvuka bazenzele. Abafuni kwamkela, koko bafuna uncedo ukuze bakwazi ukuzenzela, bakwazi ukuzixovela nokuzibhakela. Bafuna ukuqiniseka ukuba bayakwazi ukuzimela, babulawule ngokwabo ubomi babo. [Kwaqhwatywa.] (Translation of Xhosa paragraph follows.)
[People are going to wake up and do things for themselves. They do not want to just receive things, but they want help so that they could start doing things for themselves, make dough and bake by themselves. They need to be sure that they can stand on their own and control their lives. [Applause.]]
Mr Z S KOLWENI: Chairperson, hon Minister, hon Deputy Minister and colleagues, allow me to use this occasion to give expression to what gave rise to the integrated sustainable development and urban renewal programme. Today we are in this high public office of our land on a mandate given by the people, primarily to ensure that their lives are improved for the better.
In executing this programme, people must begin to see a practical change in their day-to-day lives. They should be able to access basic needs like clean water and sanitation, primary health care delivery, education, affordable shelter, energy and road infrastructure.
However, it is not enough to generalise with reference to people, because there is a certain category of people or social class that has been discriminated against and disadvantaged worldwide. This social class continues to suffer even in developed democracies in the world.
I now want to refer to mothers. Be they single or married, women are the backbone or pillar of every family. From sunrise to sunset there is a variety of unpaid labour that needs to be performed or activities that need to be carried out, and no one other than the mother is charged with the delivery of such services. I wish to draw the attention of my menfolk to the fact that they do that without any specific sequence.
By ``unpaid labour performed by women’’ we mean the rearranging of the entire house, from the bedroom to the kitchen, so that the men can have a place to appreciate and finally retire to at the end of an exhausting day’s work.
In the rural lifestyle the situation is even worse, because the whole family depends on the mothers to deliver water to the house. The mother has to go out to the veld, forest or fields to pick up the wood that is required to produce energy in order to prepare meals to feed the whole family.
Mothers by and large struggle with less or no family support at all in bringing up children, from infants to those of school-going age. All these painstakingly long hours of labour go unnoticed or unrecognised. It is regrettable or rather unfortunate to learn that in some communities there is still a mindset that justifies and associates this practice with traditional or cultural norms.
In our democratic new South Africa, our Government, led by President Thabo Mbeki - having adopted the fundamental principles of human rights and committed itself to implementing them - has placed on the transformation agenda the question of rural development, with a view to addressing the legacy of gender inequality across our society. Our Cabinet has considered it necessary to mobilise all its resources to address this problem through an integrated development approach, and it is now evident that, gradually, the army of unemployed women and youth will benefit.
The current initiatives taken by our President to set up projects in the nodal points have raised a ray of hope in our people. This is a typical example of our Government’s commitment. Our President has called on the nation to have a sense of voluteerism, partnership and patriotism in building a better life for all.
When we visited the nodal points in the North West during constituency week, we observed some positive signs in the form of projects that translated into radical gender-equality transformation. The first project comprised 2 600 hectares of land and a herd of 50 cattle owned by six women in a rural village. There was only one windmill to supply water which is, of course, not enough, but the Department of Water Affairs is addressing this problem.
There was another cattle-farming project of 251 cattle, which was also owned by women. A third project, with 76 goats, was also owned by 15 women from the village. We were impressed to learn that the Department of Agriculture was giving every necessary support to these women, including skills training.
All project participants convinced us that a wish list of all their needs and shortcomings is on the table of the MEC for local government, who is ever so willing to offer advice to the Kgalagadi District Municipality Council.
However, we also noted a number of challenges that need to be addressed so as to sustain the viability of these efforts. We noted a need for community policing measures to scale down the rate of stock theft. The access road to the area should be improved, as should the fencing of grazing camps. There is also a need for additional windmills and boreholes for water supply.
It was suggested that the Department of Public Works play a meaningful role. Funding allocation has also been noted, and the hon the Minister has already alluded to this.
Finally, I wish to say, with regard to all these efforts, that a journey of a thousand miles begins with the first step. We shall overcome. [Applause.]
Mrs E N LUBIDLA: Chairperson, hon Minister, hon Deputy Minister and hon members, local government has been assigned the critical role of reshaping and strengthening local communities as a basis for building and sustaining a democratic, prosperous and nonracial society. Under apartheid there was a systematic underinvestment in municipal infrastructure in areas that were arbitrarily designated black. This deprived millions of people of access to basic services, including water, sanitation, refuse collection and roads.
Given these enormous inequalities and the despair this occasioned, it was normal for people to expect an improvement in their living conditions once we established our new democracy. For them, the hope for a better life was closely linked to the arrival of democracy.
It is our task to make sure that we respond decisively to their expectations and development needs. The challenge of meeting these expectations is greatest in the rural areas where underinvestment in basic, social infrastructure has been the worst. While the political obstacles that prevented equitable social advancement for rural people have largely been removed, the extent to which this translated into a more qualitative life for the people in the rural areas is not yet clear.
Some people may feel that the pace of development in our rural and urban areas is not fast enough. We need to keep in perspective the enormity of the challenges that the ANC as Government face. A lack of understanding may lead to unreasonable expectations, resulting in frustrated communities that do not appreciate the work that has already been done and the strategies that the ANC is putting into place to deal with their concerns. To prevent this from happening, it is critical that elected representatives be seen to be responding to the people’s expectations in both our rural and urban areas.
It is in this context that we must view the provincial visit that were undertaken by the National Council of Provinces to the various nodal points identified by the President in terms of the Integrated Sustainable Rural Development Programme and Urban Renewal Programme.
These visits have set the scene for a greater co-operation and participation by communities in their own developmental processes. We must commend the National Council of Provinces for the initiative they had taken in visiting these nodal points, and for allowing communities to air their views on problems experienced in implementing development programmes in their respective areas.
One of the greatest benefits of frequent interaction between the NCOP and communities in our various provinces is the opportunity that this provides to inform communities of legislation and policies that shape rural and urban development. It affords us the opportunity to make communities aware of programmes being implemented by line-function departments, such as the land redistribution programme, poverty relief programmes, agricultural support services and other social services and grants that are available.
By being involved in the national legislative process, members of the NCOP are potentially powerful sources of information to rural and urban communities around these developmental issues. As the institution mandated with the responsibility to monitor and promote co-operation across the different tiers of Government, these visits have also provided the NCOP with an opportunity to gauge the effectiveness of intergovermental co- operation in implementing the Integrated Sustainable Rural Development Programme and the Urban Renewal Programme.
Based on the principles of integrated development, public participation in the processes, democracy and nation-building, the Integrated Sustainable Rural Development Programme and the Urban Renewal Programme are rural- and urban-specific implementation programmes which set up the framework of our Government to implement our vision of the kind of rural and urban communities we want to create.
Both the Integrated Sustainable Rural Development Programme and the Urban Renewal Programme are also powerful allies in our struggle to eradicate poverty. According to the Department of Social Development, about 11% of poverty relief expenditure during 2001 was on projects that are located within 12 of the designated integrated sustainable rural development nodal points.
In addition, more than R2 million has been spent in six of the eight urban renewal programmes during the same period, benefiting some 2 036 people, particularly in the areas of youth development and HIV/Aids.
As part of our oversight function, it is essential that we monitor the progress of local councillors and departmental officials who are responsible for the above programmes. We must make sure that they are in fact co-operating and implementing these programmes in the identified nodal points.
Governments across the African continent face many challenges. The greatest must be meeting the legitimate expectations of their people. The hundreds of millions of Africans who still live in abject poverty want to experience a tangible improvement in their own lives. While it is essential that governments across the African continent should respond to the poverty crisis to which their people are subjected, they need to go beyond simply reacting to this crisis.
If developments across the continent are to be successful and sustainable, they need to be guided by a clear vision of the kind of continent that we want to build and a plan for its achievement. This vision and plan are captured in Nepad. The objective of Nepad is to eradicate poverty in Africa and to place African countries, both individually and collectively, on a path of sustainable growth and development. For Nepad to succeed in placing the continent on a path of sustainable development, it is essential that governments, both individually and collectively, work to promote the principles of peace, security, human rights, sound economic management and democratic governance.
It is undoubtedly so that the preamble to Agenda 21, created at the first Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro, is even more true today than it was 10 years ago. It says, and I quote:
Humanity stands at a defining moment in history. We are confronted with a perpetuation of disparities between and within nations; a worsening of poverty, hunger, ill health and illiteracy; and the continuing deterioration of the ecosystems on which we depend for our wellbeing.
After years of extreme colonial oppression and exploitation, our continent is indeed characterised by all of the above. How then do we turn this tide around? How do we make Africa an equal partner in sustainable development, to preserve a world in which future generations can and will prosper? How do we tackle and eradicate poverty, while at the same time managing and protecting our fragile ecosystem? The answer to this conundrum of questions lies in the convergence of Nepad and Agenda 21.
For us to succeed in improving the living standards of people across the African continent in a sustainable way, it is essential that the programmes and objectives of Agenda 21 are successfully incorporated into Nepad. The two processes cannot exist separately. Agenda 21 is an action plan for sustainable development, while Nepad is a pledge by African leaders to promote the active participation of Africa in the world economy and body politic.
The successful implementation of Nepad is, therefore, essential for the sustainable development of Africa. Without Nepad, the struggle to sustain development and progress on our continent will be futile. It is in this context that we must view … [Time expired.] [Applause.]
Ms J L KGOALI: Chairperson, hon Minister, Deputy Minister, comrades and colleagues, a very good afternoon. I just want to confirm one thing that has been said by the hon Gouws, and that is that the Minister’s statement that we are on track is, indeed, true. [Interjection.]
Ms P C P MAJODINA: She does not know that!
Ms J L KGOALI: Another thing is, a child who does not want to listen, will do exactly what the hon Gouws was doing here. Instead of focusing on the Eastern Cape or establishing what the mandate of the people who went to the provinces to look into these issues was, she decided to go to all the provinces, gallivanting without a clear vision of what she wanted to see happening in the Eastern Cape, where there are serious problems, as has been indicated by other hon members. [Interjections.]
Gauteng has only two urban renewal nodes, and that is Alexandra and Kliptown. [Interjections.]
Ms J L KGOALI: I will come back to the hon Raju! [Laughter.]
Ms P C P MAJODINA: Tell him, Sis Joyce, tell him! [Interjections.]
The DEPUTY CHAIRPERSON OF THE NCOP (Mr M L Mushwana): Order, hon members! [Interjections.]
Ms J L KGOALI: I want to focus on these two historical places in the Gauteng province. I am going to single out Alexandra, precisely because it is surrounded by suburbs. It is an island that is surrounded by suburbs that have everything, while it has nothing. [Interjections.]
Ms P C P MAJODINA: Raju, listen!
Ms J L KGOALI: Alexandra has 4 000 houses and 34 000 shacks sprawling around the banks of the polluted Jukskei River. It is an urban desert compared to the densely forested suburbs that are its close neighbours, ie Sandton, Kelvin and the rest.
The apartheid government inflicted a series of short-sighted town planning nightmares on it, which were topped up with many years of neglect. Its residents have never enjoyed a decent life. However, on 8 February 2001, our own President, Thabo Mbeki, in his opening address to Parliament, announced that R1,3 billion was to be spent on redeveloping greater Alexandra over a period of seven years.
Members will recall that Alexandra is very rich in history and culture. Our former President, Nelson Mandela, comes from Alexandra. To us it has a lot of history and culture. As we are talking today, improvements have been made, ie new houses and roads have been built. We thank the department of local government and housing in the province for that. Of course, we know that they could not have done that without the funding they receive from the national Department of Provincial and Local Government.
Also, one wants to thank the partnership formed with various organisations, including organisations such as Food and Tree for Africa, which has contributed to ensuring that Alexandra will never be the same again. Of interest are a number of programmes that have been put in place in Alexandra, ranging from small to big business, human resources development and many others.
As part of the spin-offs of the World Summit on Sustainable Development, Alexandra will receive a valuable windfall in the form of a hi-tech multimedia resource centre. This gift, donated by the Norwegian government, is a legacy of the summit. The 16 computers and the call-centre video machines, cameras and screens will be moved to Alexandra when the summit ends. A better life, indeed, for Alexandra. [Applause.]
As I have indicated, my reason for selecting Alexandra is its historical background. Together with Alexandra, we have another historical place which is called Kliptown. Kliptown is where the congress of the people was held; that is where our Freedom Charter comes from.
Ms P C P MAJODINA: Gouws does not know that!
Ms J L KGOALI: Yes, indeed, she would never know that! That place was neglected in the same way as Alexandra township. Because of the poor planning of the then government, the place is very shabby. Kliptown is different from Alexandra township. While Alexandra is surrounded by beautiful houses, members would know that Kliptown is surrounded by our houses … ``laphaya emikhukhwini’’. [the shacks]
There are two things that are different here. Because of the commitment of our President to ensuring that we have a better life for all, our delegation that went to Gauteng actually saw a better and a more developed Kliptown than the one that was there before, ie those who knew it before saw the difference.
Connecting roads have been built and completed. On 26 June the soil was turned by the Deputy President for the building of the Kliptown monument. An informal business area will also be located there, because the area has quite a large number of informal businesses.
The work that has got underway gives hope to the people of Gauteng, all thanks to the Gauteng government’s department of local government and housing, and the national Department of Provincial and Local Government. A presidential project called the Newtown Housing Precinct was launched on the same day on which the members of the NCOP, together with the members of the legislature, visited the area before going to the two nodal renewal areas.
It is important that there is co-ordination between the Department of Provincial and Local Government and the Department of Public Works, which is essential when it comes to the Community-based Public Works Programme. Therefore, we want to appeal that the work be co-ordinated to ensure that the Community-based Public Works Programme is effective in rebuilding our roads in the townships. This will go a long way in building on the work that has already been done by local government.
Mnr P A MATTHEE: Voorsitter, aangesien die eerste woorde van die voorwoord tot Agenda 21, waarna reeds gedeeltelik verwys is deur vorige sprekers, so belangrik is, vandag miskien meer as 10 jaar gelede, wil ek ook begin deur daarna te verwys. (Translation of Afrikaans paragraph follows.)
[Mr P A MATTHEE: Chairperson, considering the fact that the first words of the preamble to Agenda 21, which has already been referred to in part by previous speakers, are so important, perhaps more so today than 10 years ago, I will also begin by referring to them.]
Humanity stands at a defining moment in history. We are confronted with a perpetuation of disparities between and within nations, a worsening of poverty, hunger, ill health and illiteracy, and the continuing deterioration of the ecosystems on which we depend for our wellbeing. However, integration of environmental and development concerns and greater attention to them will lead to the fulfilment of basic needs, improved living standards for all, better protected and managed ecosystems and a safer, more prosperous future. No nation can achieve this on its own, but together we can - in a global partnership for sustainable development.
Die vraag wat beantwoord moet word, ook op die komende Johannesburgse beraad, is hoe ver daar gevorder is met hierdie hoë ideale. Dit is van spesiale belang vir Afrika, vir Suid-Afrika, en vir ander ontwikkelende lande, want dit moet nou tot uitvoering gebring word, sodat armoede en die ongelyke speelveld tussen ontwikkelende en ontwikkelde lande nou daadwerklik aangespreek word. (Translation of Afrikaans paragraph follows.)
[The question that should be answered, also at the upcoming Johannesburg summit, is how far we have managed to progress with these lofty ideals? This is of particular significance for Africa, for South Africa, and for other developing countries, because this has to be put into effect now, in order for poverty and the unequal playing fields between developing and developed countries to be urgently addressed.]
What - and I think this question should be asked, answered and kept in mind by all of us - really is sustainable development? The World Commission on Environment and Development produced an influential report in 1987, namely Our Common Future. It introduced the concept of sustainable development as a focal point between the interests of development and those of resource conservation. Sustainable development entails providing for the needs of the current generation without compromising the ability of future generations to provide for their own needs.
The articulation of a vision of sustainable development in Africa is rooted in Nepad and will be based on a fresh set of human, spiritual and economic values that address the central issues of poverty and inequality. Sustainable development requires the integration of action in three key areas, namely economic growth and equity; conserving natural resources and the environment; and, thirdly, social development.
The theme chosen for the World Summit on Sustainable Development, namely “People, Planet and Prosperity” is, therefore, very apt. However, it is vital that social, economic and environmental needs are considered together. The debate should not be about environment versus development, but environment and development. It is hard to optimise development, whilst optimising, at the same time, the ability of the environment to continue to deliver life-supporting services.
If social and economic issues are addressed separately from environmental issues, ecological and social collapse are certain. Economic and political reform are also required to ensure that the environment is treated as an integral part of social and economic development, and not as an alternative to it.
At present nearly half of all South Africans do not have proper housing or access to clean drinking water; only 60% have electricity; 16% are functionally illiterate; unemployment is rife, 20% of households have incomes of less than R500 per month; and the inflation rate is too high, whilst growth and GDP are too low.
Before man’s intervention, South Africa was richly endowed with a diversity of natural resources. These have, however, been depleted and degraded, in some cases to the extent where they cannot be replaced or restored. Twenty five percent of terrestrial habitats and half of all wetlands have been converted to other land uses. All South African rivers have been dammed or modified to provide water for domestic, industrial and agricultural uses, yet there is still a water shortage in our country.
Many plant and animal species have become endangered through loss of habitat or through overcollection, and the number of extinct plants doubled between 1980 and 1995. Soil is eroded in our country eight times faster than it is replaced. Large amounts of waste products are released into the air, water and soil, changing the climate, making water unsuitable for use and reducing the productivity of vegetation. Our capacity to deal properly with our waste is insufficient at present, and predicted to become even more limited in future.
In order to meet our national goals of providing basic needs, equity, employment, economic growth and an improved quality of life, we need ecosystems that function properly. The degraded state of many ecosystems in our country, however, means that they are not able to meet the needs of a large population such as ours. The rapid population growth means that ecosystems are under even greater pressure not only to continue to function, but also to support even more people.
Recent political reforms such as our new Constitution; several new environmental policies; the signing of international agreements; the development of a participatory approach to policy-making; and greater transparency at all levels of Government have laid the foundation for sustainable development in South Africa. Other positive factors are that environmental issues and environmental education have been included in Curriculum 2005.
It is, however, essential that these political reforms are backed up by financial and human resources in order to implement them effectively. Population factors like fertility and migration must be addressed in order to stabilise demand for resources and production of wastes, to be able to meet the basic needs of all South Africans and improve the quality of life for present and future generations.
In line with international trends, the Development Bank of Southern Africa predicted a drop in South Africa’s fertility rate if quality of life improves. This would trigger a positive feedback loop whereby a decline in the fertility rate would slow the rate of population increase, stabilising or even reducing the demand for natural resources. This would, in turn, help ensure sustainability of resources in the long term and provide for future generations, leading to an ever-improving quality of life as technology improves.
South Africa is well-endowed with natural resources for development and food security. In addition, all the right policies are nearly in place to put our country firmly on a sustainable development …
The DEPUTY CHAIRPERSON OF THE NCOP (Mr M L Mushwana): Order! Hon member, your time has expired. Even the extra one minute you were given is over! [Applause.]
Mr T S SETONA: Chairperson, hon Minister, hon Deputy Minister, fellow colleagues, comrades and special delegates from provinces, clearly there can be no denying that the 27 April 1994 democratic breakthrough has heralded a new chapter of hope to the masses of our people in both the rural and the urban areas of our land. This new chapter of hope has brought to the fore many challenges that have to be resolved by men and women at the helm of leadership in our country, in order to have a better life for all.
The 1913 Land Act and subsequent other separatist pieces of legislation were instruments meant to institutionalise land deprivation, poverty and the underdevelopment of the majority of our people. Through many decades before 1994, the spatial development planning in our country was consciously geared towards establishing and developing two nations in our fatherland, ie the nation of the rich and the nation of the poor, divided by rail lines in the urban areas, and the concentration of millions of indigenous people in the Bantustans and farms as suppliers of cheap labour to the rich white farmers and the industrialists in the cities.
It is important to understand the historical context that has created the challenges … [Interjections.] … we are grappling with today, as a basis for forging a common vision and united platform to attack poverty and underdevelopment in our country. Our failure to understand our past will lead to artificial interventions, which will only serve to widen the gap between the rich and the poor. It is, therefore, important to understand that this past is not divine, but is man’s creation, hence the need for it to be changed by men and women, not in some distant future, but in our lifetime.
In response to those segregationist policies of development, the greatest historic convention by the men and women of our country of all races, classes and religious persuasion assembled in Kliptown in 1955 to conceptualise and develop a vision for a South Africa free of hunger, social deprivation, landlessness and underdevelopment, where all can live in peace and brotherhood, irrespective of race, ethnicity, class and religious persuasion.
This august assembly of 26 June 1955 in Kliptown called, amongst others, on all South Africans and the world to acknowledge that the land shall be shared amongst those who work it; secondly, the people shall share in the country’s wealth. We are debating this issue here today because those two noble principles - which underpinned that noble document, the Freedom Charter - have not yet been effected.
At the heart of and underpinning this declaration was a firm commitment to nonracialism in undoing the legacy of colonial rule in our country, hence the reverberating emphasis of blacks and whites, coloureds and Indians throughout the Freedom Charter. It was that historic assembly of the people in Kliptown 47 years back that developed and adopted a document called the Freedom Charter, a document which remains a living policy foundation of our people, our country and our movement, the ANC.
It is for this House, as we debate the critical challenges of integrated and sustainable rural development this afternoon, to do so in fitting memory and dedication to the lives of generations of leadership of our people who steered the drafting of the Freedom Charter. These are the generations of Albert Luthuli, Chief Moroka, Yusuf Dadoo, Prof Z K Matthews, Walter Sisulu, Oliver Tambo, Duma Nokwe and others. We owe it to them to move with speed and courage to eradicate poverty and underdevelopment in our country, amongst the rural communities in particular.
We debate these critical issues after this august House has prioritised the question of integrated, sustainable rural development and urban renewal as part of its ongoing oversight role in the past two months. We were doing this, proceeding from the state of the nation address by the President in 2001, when he identified 13 nodal points for integrated and sustainable rural development. Our task was to check the extent and impact of these identified projects on the lives of the ordinary masses of our people.
On the occasion of the state of the nation address in 2002, the President of the country, the hon Thabo Mbeki, made the following remarks, and I quote: As we push back the frontiers of poverty, integrated rural development and urban renewal programmes assume critical importance. Work has started in all the 13 rural nodes identified last year, with integrated programmes ranging from community production centres, multipurpose community centres, social infrastructure projects and others being laid out. In the urban nodes, business plans have been finalised and a number of projects have already being implemented.
Being from a province which is predominantly rural, with attendant socioeconmic problems associated with a rural setting, I rise to attest to abject poverty that our people are subjected to on a day-to-day basis in both the rural and urban areas. With poverty and underdevelopment still defining the lives of many of our people, I rise with confidence to say that our people have seen a life post-27 April 1994. Unlike before, every sunrise brings unto them a renewed sense of hope for a better future. They are like a maturing organism that steadily begins to take charge of its own faith and destiny, keeping it firmly in its hands on a day-to-day basis.
More than 60% of the people in the Free State live in poverty. The district of Thabo Mofutsanyana, an identified rural node in my province, is a good testimony of a community in transition from hopelessness to a brighter future. As part of the integrated and sustainable development initiatives, there are 143 identified projects, with 16 prioritised as anchor projects with a committed amount of R85 480 000. Both the provincial and national departments are funding these projects, with contributions from parastatals like Eskom.
Of significance is the 500 housing units built as part of the mitigation plan for the families that were displaced by the disaster in 2001. The area where these houses are built is called ``Disaster Park’’, and the provincial department of housing and local government has allocated an amount of R4 million for sewerage and sanitation in that area.
Through private sector investment and the contribution of the Free State Development Corporation, a new shopping centre has been built, thus creating many permanent jobs for our people and enhancing service delivery in that area. There are many projects like the construction of the clinic in Blue Gum Bush to cater for the people there, as well as those in the Disaster Park area. This means that the people no longer have to travel for more than 10 km to access health service.
To cater for the sporting and recreational needs of the community, a sports stadium has been built in the Blue Gum Bush, which will also benefit the people at Disaster Park. The list is too long, with the little time that we have. Suffice to say that projects are unfolding in every village within that node.
We have noted with appreciation, during the process of consultation, while visiting the sites, the co-operation of our traditional leaders in all these developmental initiatives, and we call on the other provinces to follow the courage and spirit of patriotism that has been displayed by traditional leaders in our province.
Like we said in 1994 and 1999 in our election manifesto, electrification and the provision of water in the rural areas remain ongoing priorities of the Government of the day in its delivery programme. More than 70% of our people in Qwaqwa have access to both water and electricity.
Despite the major progress made and the inspiring enthusiasm with which different spheres of government are at work to push back the frontiers of poverty, there still remain critical challenges that need to be addressed as a matter of urgency. Key and critical amongst the challenges that we have identified are the following.
Firstly, there is a lack of co-ordination and communication amongst the different spheres of government, as the Minister has already mentioned. Secondly, there is a lack of capacity of the local government institutions and structures to mobilise our people to be the driving forces of this development initiatives.
Thirdly, there is a lack of a strategic approach in both the provincial and local governments to target special social sectors like women, youth and people living with disabilities as beneficiaries of the projects that are unfolding. Fourthly, there is a lack of capacity of local government in monitoring and overseeing the projects.
I want to make an example around the issue of co-ordination. One can find a situation in Qwaqwa where a particular Government department - let me say it outright: the Department of Sport and Recreation - decides to pump in a lot of resources to put an infrastructure in the community, without any consultation or joint planning with the local government. That means that the local government has not planned, both in terms of the budget and other related services, to cater for that.
When such a project is finished, we would normally call people to the ribbon-cutting ceremony - the work is now done! After the cutting of the ribbon, what happens? That infrastructure collapses! Our people would then be asked: ``What happened to the infrastructure?’’
The local government would also say that they do not know anything about that, as the Minister or the MEC … [Time expired.] [Applause.]
Cllr D MASEMOLA (Salga): Chairperson, hon Minister and Deputy Minister, hon members and special delegates of provinces, ladies and gentlemen, the Integrated Sustainable Rural Development Programme is a Government strategy aimed at ensuring integrated rural development throughout the entire country. It is intended to function in conjunction with the urban renewal programme, which aims to change township conditions.
In particular, the ISRDP’s vision, as elaborated on in the strategy, is to:
Attain socially cohesive and stable rural communities with viable institutions, sustainable economies and universal access to social amenities, able to attract and retain skillful and knowledgeable people who are equipped to contribute to growth and development.
The programme’s strategic objective is to ensure that by the year 2010 the rural areas and townships of our country will have attained internal capacity for integrated and sustainable development. In order to achieve that, the ISRDP, in particular, moves from the position that Government should lead in the consolidation, formulation, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of well co-ordinated programmes and projects which will ensure participation of all spheres of Government and civil society.
The great value that the ISRDP has added to the nodes is that, for the first time in the history of our country, multisectoral Government departments, parastatals and other organisations are co-operating in an effort to address the rural development backlogs in the nodes. This is significant because the interim integrated development planning process was less successful in bringing together the major players in municipal development across the country.
There are, certainly, lessons that were learned with regard to the collective mobilisation of resources at our disposal in order to advance development in our local areas. In line with the political consensus that visible and tangible progress should be shown in respect of the ISRDP by January 2002, an extensive consultative process was embarked upon to identify anchor projects. Approximately 137 projects were identified and packaged by municipalities and provinces, and thereby was announced a basket of services that would bring fundamental changes in the lives of the rural masses.
However, a number of lessons that emerged out of this process include the following. In some instances, some Government officials did not necessarily have the capacity and skills required to engage constructively with our municipalities. There are constraints regarding, in some instances, the sharing of information and that affects intersphere planning. Government structures need to internalise and maintain the notion of intergovernmental integrated development planning as resolved by the President’s Co- ordinating Council. Therefore, we need to ensure that there is proper co- ordination between provinces regarding the cross-boundary rural development nodes. That needs to be addressed as a matter of urgency, as well.
Despite the above lessons, concerted efforts need to be made in order to ensure maximum benefit for rural communities and township residents who were identified within those particular nodes. There is, therefore, a need for joint effort, especially by the interdepartmental task team structures, to harness both human and financial resources in order to ensure socioeconomic sustainability of the anchor projects and development plans of all those nodes.
The premise which informs the management of both the ISRDP and URP is that funds should be channelled from various existing sources within Government to the relevant nodes. The understanding which underpins this position is that the ring-fencing of the amounts for rural development and urban renewal is not necessarily a priority in that regard. However, the lessons which emanate from the past few months suggest that that should be reviewed very urgently because of the following reasons. All rural nodal municipalities, without exception, face critical resource constraints. That is further aggravated by the fact that their development backlogs and challenges are the most challenging in the country. Government departments, in some instances, regarding the process of planning, are not in a position to quickly allocate resources or redirect their funding towards those particular plans.
It is clear that additional funds must be made available to address the funding difficulties that are currently being experienced. Therefore, we pledge our support to the Department of Provincial and Local Government in their efforts to obtain such funding from the national fiscus. Their success in securing such funding will enable municipalities like Sekhukhune and others, who continuously succeed, to bring into existence systems which never existed in those municipalities, notwithstanding the fact that they never existed prior to the election of the year 2000.
Their continuous implementation of the strategy and development projects does account for the impact of the said programmes. The Sekhukhune municipality, in particular, as I speak in this House today, has succeeded to move from being able to pass a budget of R32 million in the past financial year to a budget of about R186 million this financial year. That has shown a substantial growth in percentage, regarding the budget of that municipality. Therefore, that accounts for the direct implementation and the effect of the said programme.
Further, it must be noted that significant progress has been made in establishing institutions for ISRDP implementation both at political and technical levels and across all three spheres of Government to drive, manage and implement the programme. In the context of that programme, the following steps are worth noting. Firstly, an intergovernmental relations analysis that outlines key roles, responsibilities and critical entities across all spheres has been prepared and distributed. A core group of Ministers has been assigned in pairs and as individuals to act as political champions to provinces and particular municipalities. Political and technical champions have been identified both within provinces and nodal municipalities. The interdepartmental task team structure has been established at the national level to manage and co-ordinate the programme. Provinces and nodes are at various stages of establishing similar technical bodies and structures. There is continuous mobilisation of stakeholders, including the IDT, to ensure that the understanding of the contents of the strategy does, indeed, filter to the population on the ground.
The majority of the nodes, as we speak, have already established nodal delivery teams which are vehicles aimed at ensuring the fast-tracking of planning, monitoring and implementation of these two strategies ie the ISRDP and URP. In all nodes, by now, the planning and implementation management support systems have been established, are operational and are able to guide those in management in the direction of how these processes and programmes need to be implemented.
The IRSDP is intended to establish the best possible approach and methodology for integration and co-ordination of Government programmes in order to benefit rural communities, given the basic needs and economic imperatives for local economic development. It is quite clear that there is a need for continuous integration of processes, as identified by the programme, in order for us to maximise benefits for our communities as we have already started. Because of resource constraints within all spheres of Government, the expected high returns on investment by private sector and the high level of poverty among rural communities, financial resources to fund integrated rural villages and urban townships have tended to be short in supply, given the backlogs history of our country in those areas, in particular. Therefore, the strategies to maximise and continuously focus our energies by roping in the participation of major companies to redirect their focus and energies into those programmes, remain a challenging task and a very important one.
In conclusion, the process of identifying anchor projects through the interim IDPs has been a most useful development in the integration and co- ordination of programmes and joint planning. They have reached exciting proportions in the rural nodes. In order to sustain this momentum, there is a need for us to ensure that we continue to avail enough resources towards the complete realisation of the vision of the strategy.
I would like to say that we wish the Department of Provincial and Local Government good luck in its collective responsibility. We would also urge both the Minister and the Deputy Minister, and officials of the department, to put much effort and energy towards the total realisation of these strategies. [Applause.]
Ms P C P MAJODINA: Chairperson, ndza xeweta hi nkarhi lowu. Ndzi xeweta na n’wina Minister Mufumadhi. [Mutshami wa xitulu, I greet you at this moment. I also greet the hon Minister Mufamadi.]
Ndikhahlele, nkosazana, mama uNtombazana Botha. [Greetings to Mama Ntombazana Botha.]
You are not related to either Pik or to P W Botha. But …
“ngubhota wesixhosa, othetha umolo.” [her surname, Botha, means “greetings”.]
Mhlali-ngaphambili, ingxoxo-mpikiswano ngophuhliso oluzinzileyo kwiindawo, ngakumbi, ezasemakhaya novuselelo kwiidolophu yinto esiyiqhwabela izandla leyo. Le ngxoxo-mpikiswano iza ngethuba elihle nelifanelekileyo, kwa nelichanekileyo, kuba kusele iintsuku zintandathu umhlaba wonke jikelele ushukuxa lo mbandela apha eMzantsi Afrika. Ziseliqela ke izinto ezicela umngeni, ngakumbi, kwiphondo leMpuma Koloni, apho kufuneka siwubhinqe ube mfutshane, ukuba uyamazi unozitshotshwana, ukuphucula impilo yabantu bakowethu. Ngenxa yezimpuphuma zayizolo nayizolo elinye, awekho amanzi eMpuma Koloni. Kuza kuvele kungqale izifo kuba siza kuya kusela kulaa manzi ebezimpuphuma. Kaloku, abantu kweliya phondo basasela kunye neehagu neenkomo ngenxa yokuba awakaphuhliswa ngokupheleleyo amanzi.
Umbandela wezeendlela unobuzaza nyani, kuba unxibelelwano kumaziko eenkonzo luyaqhawuka ngenxa yokungabikho kweendlela. Abantwana bangakwazi ukuya ezikolweni, bangakwazi ukuya ezibhedlele, ze kuthi xa kujongwa iziphumo zebanga leshumi kuthiwe iMpuma Koloni ayenzanga ngokwaneleyo. Kulityalwe into yokuba kwiinyanga ezintathu bekungekho zindlela.
Ukutyunjwa kweendawo ezihlelelekileyo phaya eMpuma Koloni ibingelilo
iphutha elenziwe ngokaZizi. Nguye yedwa uMongameli apha kweli hlabathi othi
mna ndimele abantu abangena nto'. Yiloo nto eye wabhengeza kumhlaba wonke
into yokuba nalapho ndandisakuzalwa khona, eMpuma Koloni, kukhona
uKhahlamba, kukhona iO R Tambo, kukhona iAlfred Nzo, kanti ikhona
noMdantsane, kuziiurban' ne rural nodal points’.
Banoyolo abangahlaliyo kwiimbutho zabagxeki, ngoba abana’ kulibona izulu. Kufuneka ke abaya abasenza saba kule meko babenathi ekwakheni lo Mzantsi Afrika. Bangakhombi ngeminwe besithi eMpuma Koloni akukho lulawulo, akukho phuhliso xa kanti sasinamaphandle ayengenziwanga ngulo Rhulumente osele etyathe umthwalo namhlanje. Wazithwal’ izono yena okaMbeki.
Izithuthi azikwazi ukufikelela ezibhedlele, amayeza angakwazi ukufika kuluntu, ze abantu bagule ke, ngakumbi abantu abangondlekanga ngokwaneleyo ngenxa yento yokuba nemisebenzi ayikho.
Kulusizi into yokuba sibe siyathetha apha namhlanje kule ngxoxo-mpikiswano kungekho nomnye umphathiswa osuka kumaphondo. Abaphathiswa bamaphondo bekufanele into yokuba ngeli xesha banika ingxelo apha, yokuba sihambe saza kuma apha. Athi uMphathiswa kazwe-lonke `nantsi ke enye indlela yokuya phambili’. Kodwa ndifumana thina maxhoba sithethathethana sodwa. Ndithi ke kuMbexeshi omKhulu ojongene nale Ndlu maze ancede into yokuba singathethi sodwa abantu bekhona. Makuvakale xa sithethayo.
Ndenza isindululo sokuba kubanjwe i-indaba yeBhunga LeSizwe lamaPhondo ezakubiza bonke abaphathiswa, eza kumbiza uSalga nabaphathiswa, ze sihlale sixoxe malunga nokuba kwenzeke ntoni, siyaphi kwaye sisuka phi na.
Ngokumalunga nombandela ojongene neenkokeli zemveli, kamnandi, ndibuya,
umoya wam uphezulu, ndisuka kwiWomen on Local Government'. Ibiphaya
ePitoli. Besihleli nomam' uBotha phaya, kusithiwa Women in Local
Government, a Powerhouse for Transformation’. Kodwa ngenxa yokuthabatha
ixesha into yokuba makugqityezelwe imisebenzi yeenkokeli zemveli kuhamba
kubekho ukhinxi xa kufika ekubeni amakhosikazi alawule, ngoba inkosi ethile
iza kuthi `lo umhlaba ngowam’. Awusayi kwakha zindlwana zeRDP. Loo nto
imise inkcubeko nophuhliso kubantu bakuthi. Sithi ke kuMpathiswa makabe
ngathi uyakhawulezisa, abe ngathi ubaleka okwe nkwenkwana, ngakumbi ekubeni
ngubani kanye kanye inkokeli yemveli? yenza ntoni, ngakumbi kweli xesha
esikulo? Ewe zikhona iprojekthi kodwa zihamba okomlilo weendiza, wena wakhe
wawubona umlilo weendiza, yeka ispoki sasentsomini, ulozilozi phaya
naphaya. (Translation Xhosa paragraphs follows.)
[We welcome the debate on sustainable development in rural areas and that on urban renewal. This debate comes at the right and appropriate time, six days before the whole world deals with this issue here in South Africa.
There are still a number of challenges, especially in the Eastern Cape where we have to roll up our sleeves in order to improve the lot of our people. As a result of the floods of yesterday and the day before yesterday, there is no water in the Eastern Cape. Diseases will soon break out because we are going to drink the flood water. Indeed, people from that province still drink from the same sources as pigs and cattle, because the water supply has not been fully developed yet.
The question of the lack of roads is a serious one because it adversely affects communication between the institutions of service. Children cannot go to school and also cannot go to hospitals, and yet when matric results are released, people say that the Eastern Cape has not performed well enough, forgetting that for three months roads were inaccessible.
Identifying disadvantaged areas in the Eastern Cape was not a mistake on the part of Zizi (the President). He is the only president in the world who says: ``I represent the needy.’’ That is the reason he declared municipal areas at my birthplace, the Eastern Cape, such as Khahlamba, O R Tambo, Alfred Nzo, as well as Mdantsane, urban and rural nodal points.
“Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked or stand in the way of the sinners, or sit in the seat of mockers.” Those who put us in these circumstances should be with us in building a new South Africa. They should stop pointing fingers, saying that the Eastern Cape has no control and that there is a lack of development. This Government has to shoulder the burden of the former bantustans, which were not its own creation. All the burden is put on the shoulders of President Mbeki.
Transport cannot reach hospitals and medicines cannot reach the people and consequently people get sick, particularly those who are malnourished as a result of the lack of employment.
It is a pity that we take part in this debate today without even a single MEC from a province being present. Provincial MECs were supposed to be here, giving an account of where things stand. The national Minister usually says: ``Here is another way forward.’’ But I find us, the victims, negotiating on our own. I appeal to the Chief Whip of the Council to ensure that we do not speak in a void. We should be heard when we speak.
I propose that we hold an indaba involving the National Council of Provinces, all Ministers and Salga, and talk about what is happening, where we are going and where we come from.
Concerning traditional leaders, I would like to say that fortunately I came
back in high spirits from the Women on Local Government indaba in Pretoria.
We were there with Mama Botha, with Women in Local Government: A
powerhouse for Transformation'' as the theme. Because it takes time to
resolve the question of the role of traditional leaders, we often encounter
problems because a certain chief might say,This is my land. You will not
build RDP houses here.’’ That blocks the development of our people. We
appeal to the Minister to speed up the process, especially in resolving the
question of who really is a traditional leader and what his role is,
particularly in modern times. Yes, there are projects, but they are few and
far between.]
Nkk J N VILAKAZI: Sihlalo ohloniphekileyo, Ngqongqoshe woMnyango nePhini lakhe, Mkhandlu ohloniphekileyo, isihloko esikhuluma ngaso namhlanje sibalululekile kakhulu: ukubumbana ekwenzeni amaqhinga okuletha intuthuko ezindaweni zasemakhaya, ezasemadolobheni kanye nezindawo ezincike emadolobheni.
Siyazi sonke ukuthi iningi labantu libulawa ukuphofu nobubha okungachazeki. Ikhambi lokuqeda lokho kuyoba intuthuko eyogcina isisimamisa umnotho nempilo yabantu. UMongameli wezwe uyiqikelele le ntuthuko. Kukhona izindawo ezibekwe eqhulwini ukuze kuqalwe ngazo kulo mbhidlango wentuthuko. Umsebenzi oqaliwe owokuba isifundazwe ngasinye sibhekisise amakhono ehlukene ekuthuthukiseni lezo zindawo ezibizwa ngama-presidential nodal points.
Into efike ibe yinkinga futhi ithiye umsebenzi nentuthuko kulezi zindawo kuba yisimo esibi semigwaqo noma kube ukuswela umgwaqo odingekayo ukuze impahla engenayo nedingekayo ekuqhubeni umsebenzi ingakhinyabezeki. Kwesinye isikhathi kuye kube ngamanzi angekho eduze adinga ukudonswa emifuleni, emachibini noma kudingeke kumbiwe phansi. Kwesinye isikhathi kuye kube ugesi osuke ungekho, ngisho phela ukukhanya, nokunye nokunye. Amasu okuletha intuthuko, okungumbhidlango esibhekene nawo, yilawo azokwenza ukuthi umphakathi usimame futhi ukleze, hhayi into ephelayo kodwa kube yinto emile nezomisa umnotho. Kudingeka ukufundisa nokukhulisa amakhono okwenza, okusebenza nawokuzithuthukisa emiphakathini yonke e- Afrika jikelele ukuze kungabi bikho ababulawa yindlala. Indlala ibanga izifo ezinhlobonhlobo. Indlala ikhuthaza ubugebengu obunhlobonhlobo. Indlala ivimba intuthuko. Indlala iyisitha sokuqala okufanele kuliwe naso ezweni lonke kwi-Afrika jikelele. Yingakho phela sesinaleli gama elisetshenziswayo okuthiwa uxoshindlala. Kulo mbhidlango asikhulumi indaba kaxoshindlala okwesikhashana ibuye isikhungathe futhi, kodwa sikhuluma indaba yokuthi indlala iphume iphele, imiphakathi ithuthuke, amandla omnotho akhule, imiphakathi ifunde futhi ihlome izikhali zemfundo ukuze kudaleke imisebenzi enhlobonhlobo, abantu baziphathele ezohwebo kuye le nale njengokuhlafuna kwentshebe.
Ukuxosha indlala unomphela kuyoqeda izinqibi emigwaqeni, kukhanyise ugesi emindenini, kuphuzwe amanzi ahlanzekile, kuvunwe izitshalo ezinhlobonhlobo futhi kuthuthuke amandla ohwebo ezifundeni zonke ze-Afrika jikelele. (Translation of isiZulu paragraphs follows.)
[Mrs J N VILAKAZI: Chairperson, hon Minister, hon Deputy Minister, and the honourable Council, today we are discussing a critical topic - working together in finding strategies to bring about development in rural and urban areas, and those areas that are close to towns.
We all know that people suffer indescribable poverty, and the solution to this will be the kind of development that will stimulate economic growth and improve the health of people. The President of this country is serious about development. There are areas that have been prioritised for development. Each province has been tasked with the duty of checking the skills that are needed in developing the presidential nodal points.
Problems hindering the process of development in these areas are roads, which make it impossible to deliver the necessary equipment. Sometimes it is water, which needs to be drawn from rivers and dams, and electricity.
We need development initiatives that will benefit communities, not things that will soon disappear, but that which will sustain the economy. African communities need to be trained and empowered with skills that will enable them to develop themselves so that there will be no people who are affected by poverty, which is the cause of various diseases. Poverty encourages different types of crimes, and it hinders development. It is the number one enemy that needs to be fought throughout Africa. It is because of these conditions that we now have projects that are meant to fight poverty, which are called “oxoshindlala” in Zulu. In this campaign to fight poverty, we are not looking at temporary measures, but we want poverty to end so that communities can develop and the economy improve; communities should get educated in order to create job opportunities and so that they are able to have their own trades.
The end of poverty will also end there being beggars on the streets; it will bring electricity to many homes, clean water, plenty of food from the fields and there will be economic development throughout Africa.]
We know that, in Africa as a whole, half the number of people live in absolute poverty. About 19 000 African children die each year from preventable diseases. About 75% of people living with HIV/Aids are in Africa. We hope that the New Partnership for Africa’s Development will boost expertise and capacity towards integrated strategic rural development and urban renewal. The World Summit on Sustainable Development, which is going to take place in Gauteng, is a privilege and a golden opportunity towards achieving that goal. [Applause.]
Kgoshi M L MOKOENA: Chairperson, when one talks about delivery, some people think of a truck full of bags of mealies, getting moved around the streets and getting off-loaded in front of their yards. From 27 to 31 May a delegation from Limpopo visited some of the nodal areas which were declared by the President. We concentrated on two districts, Sekhukhune and Bohlabela. We were accompanied by MPLs, mayors and councillors. After a formal briefing by the MEC for local government and the MEC for safety and security, we went to the field to do an in loco inspection.
At Greater Sekhukhune we discovered that transformation was taking place, but at a very slow pace. Officials in those offices do not reflect the demographics of that area, and we would like the department to do something about this. The district and municipal councils are housed in the same offices. The district council is at the mercy of the municipal council for equipment and other facilities.
My colleague has touched on the issue of the projects undertaken at Elandskraal, and I need not dwell too much on that. But this is one success story that we are proud of. I can only add that we saw women empowerment with our naked eyes. Those women at Elandskraal are very dedicated. Unfortunately, funding is not enough and they have to share equipment, which makes things very difficult for them.
We visited Tafelkop Centre for the Mentally Disabled. The children there were housed in a change room of a local stadium. It is pleasing to know that they are now housed in a proper building, but there was a request that they be built more classrooms.
The Vergelegen Dam Water Supply Scheme is underway. This dam supplies no less than 28 villages. It also supplies water to the two local hospitals, Jane Furse and St Ritas. Members will recall that Jane Furse made headlines when it went for four days without water.
An augmentation of this dam is now taking place to enable it to supply more water to the local communities. Even though the dam’s capacity is 68 000 kl, the water is not enough to cater for all the people in that area. The only available option would be to draw water from the Flag Boshielo Dam, commonly known as the Arabie Dam. Members will recall that this Arabie Dam is where a local young boy was drowned by those satanic, abhorrent, unreasonable and barbaric rugby players.
The delegation went down to the Bohlabela district in the Maruleng municipality. The road from Trichardsdal to Sekororo is being tarred, but for only 5 km. This municipality experienced serious damage during the year 2000 floods. Bridges were washed away by floods, roads were damaged, houses were destroyed and many people died. People will remember that the body of a child who died during those floods was never recovered. We are still mourning the death and disappearance of that child.
A dangerous bridge that killed many people in the area is now fully operational. Roads are being regravelled, but unfortunately funds are not enough to enable the municipality to do what is expected of it.
A reservoir is being built at Sekororo. After its completion, we are hopeful that it will service not less than 15 villages. According to the mayor of that municipality, they still need more reservoirs to supply water to those communities. I know that the department will do something about this.
The Hoedspruit airforce base is underutilised. There are empty houses that are rotting in the complex. The municipality tried in vain to make use of those facilities. The self-made landlords are unkind, irresponsible, unreasonable, shapeless, unworkable and ugly. [Laughter.] What can we do about those kinds of people? I know that the Minister will respond to that!
Bushbuckridge is one of the areas that were affected by the floods in the year 2000. The conditions of our roads leave much to be desired, but thanks God, something is being done now. Graders are regravelling and levelling those roads, but it is clear that some of those roads need to be tarred.
We told the mayor and his councillors that this department is in good hands. We said the Minister and his Deputy are not like the landlords in Hoedspruit. They are responsible and kind, and when people make a request, they listen. Just wait and see!
There are communities, unfortunately, who still rely on water from the river. Government departments are hard at work trying to deal with this. It is just unfortunate that there was a serious backlog in terms of the provision of social services, but as I speak, there are projects that are underway.
The multipurpose centre at Kasteel came at the right time. It is well located, accessible and beautiful. This will go a long way in making sure that people get service next to where they live.
There are some departments that are still operating according to the old demarcation. They are not yet aligned to the new demarcation. Examples of these are Agriculture, Land Affairs, Education, Safety and Security and others. One would find a department in one district reporting to another district which is about 200 km from where they are.
The mayor and his councillors requested us to convey to the Minister and his Deputy that they would not mind if recreational facilities were built for them in that area.
Again, there is a need for further improvement in communication and co- ordination among the three spheres of Government. I wonder if there is some truth in the saying that in whatever one is doing, once one discovers that he or she has been going in the wrong direction, one should just turn around and take the right direction.
Let the good work continue! I have spoken. [Applause.]
The CHIEF WHIP OF THE COUNCIL: Chairperson, hon Minister and Deputy Minister, you might have heard the hon Kolweni speak about rural women in such high and lofty terms, and quite correctly so. I think he did so because he, like many of us who accompanied him to the remote areas of Kgalagadi, was quite inspired by the courage, the resilience and the will of the women to make a difference to their lives.
We learnt a lot about women, their character, their strength, and about the will of the people to take hold of and seize the opportunities that are presented to them by Government to change their lives. These experiences were quite enriching, and I would encourage members who found that they were busy with other engagements to join such delegations.
Amongst other things, we learnt that there is a difference between basadi [women] and bomme [mothers] in terms of linguistic arrangements or the language construction. We learned about dipudi [goats], kgomo [a cow], ditona [big ones] and dinnyane [small ones]. [Interjections.] I also learned a little bit more about the indigenous languages, which I felt was quite an enriching experience. I have also noticed - and I urge the Minister to take note of this - that we have taken steps from Kliptown, where the assembly of the people gathered in 1955, to Cape Town, where we sit within the precincts of Parliament, and thereafter to Umtata, where Parliament went to the people. And now, in this instance, we had delegations of Parliament visiting the 21 nodes set aside by the President in the nine provinces for purposes of socioeconomic transformation, and to indicate the commitment of the ANC in Government to change the quality of the lives of our people.
When we look at the presidential nodes that have been determined, we find that they have been described in some instances as anchor projects, and in other instances as an intervention to eliminate poverty, or a developmental trajectory to ensure that there is sustainable development.
We must look at these nodes against the background of the multifaceted challenges that we face as a nation. We must do so also in the context of the fact that we have a constitutional arrangement which compels and impels us towards co-operative and co-ordinated governance. I think what we have witnessed was really an exercise in determining to what extent the level of co-operation is working or not working, to what extent it can be improved, and to what extent there would be horizontal interaction, as has been indicated by the hon the Minister. What are the future challenges we have to look at?
I would like to concentrate on a few aspects of a general nature, given the fact that the people from the different provinces, with their diverse development, have already spoken. Amongst the challenges we face, given our experience there, are certain key political questions that we have to ask ourselves. For example, where there are cross-boundary municipalities, there are certain definite choices that we have to make politically.
Firstly, we have to ask whether such municipalities do work. Secondly, if they do work, is the level of horizontal interaction, both politically and administratively, adequate enough in its present conjuncture to ensure that these developments and programmes are successful and efficient?
Thirdly, should we again look at or redesign the boundaries of either our municipalities or our district councils to ensure that they are efficient enough? And if we do not do that, the alternative is to ask who in the provinces should politically manage such an undertaking.
These are key and critical political questions, and I think our nation is sufficiently developed to understand that it does not matter in which province or district one is located, as long as there is social and economic transformation taking place which affects one’s lifestyle, improves one’s quality of life and gives one access to opportunities, education and a better life. I think those are the key, critical questions that we as a nation have to face and answer, in the context of the fact that we in the National Council of Provinces are here to speak about and promote the interests of the various provinces.
The other issue that we have to look at quite candidly and frankly is whether there is sufficient grasp of the integrated development plan. We are aware of and commend Government and the Ministry for carefully and meticulously linking the presidential nodes to the IDPs. The issue is whether there is sufficient understanding of this nexus; and whether there is adequate ownership on the part of local government where these particular projects are located, to ensure that they are sustained.
This is the example that was given by Mr Setona: it is not sufficient to put up an infrastructure if there is no discussion as to who owns it, who is going to monitor it, who is going to promote it and who is going to take ownership of the property. So, in other words, the developments that take place in terms of social and economic infrastructure must belong to the people. That is where the assembly of the people is and that is where ownership should take place.
However, we should qualify this to say that the challenges of our people and of governments at all levels are quite enormous. Whilst we have a much more structured and sustained control at the level of national and provincial government, at local government we have just gone through a phase of realignment with new geographical boundaries, newly constituted councils and new challenges. In the light of this, one now has to marry the important vehicle of infrastructural development through the presidential nodes, to ensure that it occurs efficiently.
So given all these factors, the reality of this inventive and creative approach by Government is that all three spheres co-operate to ensure that appropriate support is provided, from national and provincial to local government. This partnership - which includes not only the three spheres of Government, but community-based organisations, NGOs and religious leaders - ensures that transformation takes place at the behest of the people of this country, and is in fact a very creative and responsive challenge to this nation. We believe that Government has to be commended for that.
The fact that the hon the Minister has heard people from all political parties speak about the presidential nodes in one voice is a clear indication that Government is on track. The Minister would have immediately noticed that when Mrs Gouws, Mr Matthee or Mrs Vilakazi spoke, they all spoke positively about this development, because when they physically went out to see those places with their own eyes, they realised that there is a difference, that there is hope, that there are challenges, but that those challenges are being addressed.
The fact is that there is a collective realisation that these projects are not the responsibility of champions only at the level of local government: they occur through the participation and co-operation of provincial governments and the national Government.
The other area that one has to look at is the role that ward committees can play, particularly at the level of urban development. If there are going to be linkages, then these must be sought through public popular participation where the IDPs and the budgets are engaged. Representatives must also engage with communities at that particular level.
What is important to note is the kind of niche that this House has found for itself, notwithstanding its sophisticated gadgetry and instruments on the panels. The Minister was really surprised when he looked at it, and said: ``Please teach me how this works when I come here next time.’’
We have learnt that we have to listen to the voices of the people. I think Umtata has been an example of that, where the overwhelming majority of the people who were there said: ``Parliament has come here to hear what our grievances are.’’ Indeed, we have listened to their grievances.
I wish to inform the hon the Minister that between the 9th and the 13th, this House is going to the nine provinces, amongst other things to look at integrated development plans at the level of local government, ie municipalities and district councils, and the kind of oversight the provinces have over that particular process. We are looking, courtesy of Dorothy Mahlangu, the chairperson of the finance committee, at the outcome of provincial budgets, ie how they affect provincial and local governments.
Each one of these members in this House would be going to their respective provinces to enlighten them and share that particular information with them. We are going to ensure that we discuss and have public hearings on the Disaster Management Bill, not only at the legislatures, but at district councils in the various provinces, so that municipalities and stakeholders from all the different parts of the country could be part of the participatory democracy that we intend to promote.
These are small, bold but steady steps towards what the assembly of the people has determined, ie that the people shall govern, the people shall influence and shape the people-centred and people-driven democracy that we cherish. This is the kind of ethos that we have in mind when we talk about the presidential nodes. We are saying to communities: ``Be creative, take ownership of this opportunity, seize it.’’
I cannot but express the gratitude of this House to the hon the Minister, and in particular the hon the Deputy Minister and the department, for providing us with a wealth and an abundance of information which made the task - and I differ with the hon Gouws here - of each delegation very easy.
An HON MEMBER: She does not listen!
The CHIEF WHIP OF COUNCIL: She does not listen, perhaps. But what each delegation received was the framework within which Government is operating. It received details of all the projects that will be undertaken in the various provinces, so that when they go out there, they can, in fact, see that it is happening.
Talking of which, I have physically been to … What is the name of that place in Kgalagadi?
An HON MEMBER: Bredel!
The CHIEF WHIP OF COUNCIL: Bredel! I have been there. I have seen those sheep - and I wish the journalists were here. I have seen the women. We have the whole thing on film. We have seen them. We now know more about the grazing habits of the boerbok. Those are the goats that are being looked after by women. Here is a good example where, in a far and remote area, women are given the opportunity to take up the cudgels of the economy, to ensure that there is local economic development that can change their lives.
I must thank all the members of the delegation who have gone out to the provinces. We have, indeed, made a point of visiting the MECs when we went to the provinces, in order to keep them informed about development. We understand that there has been some error in communication, and we do believe that the next time we come here we will be discussing the matter further.
In conclusion, I would like to say that this House will be looking more closely at the report on infrastructural development as it affects all the provinces and local government, because the Treasury has indicated that such reports are going to be made available. We would use those as precious instruments to determine to what extent Government is succeeding in its path to making a difference in the lives of our people. [Applause.]
The MINISTER FOR PROVINCIAL AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT: Chairperson and hon members, allow me to commend the permanent members of the NCOP who undertook visits to the nodal municipalities. Clearly this was an important learning experience: members came back and compiled a report which contained many useful insights. We are going to look at that report very closely, so that we can take on board the insights that it contains as we improve our implementation strategies.
The lessons which derive from the initiative that was taken by hon members need to be absorbed, but quite clearly, there is also a need for the NCOP to consider instituting a programme for members with learning disabilities. I think Mrs Gouws distinguishes herself as a candidate for such a programme! [Laughter.] [Applause.].
She indicated to the House - after quoting what I said to the President’s Co-ordinating Council in October 2001 - that we wanted to make sure that by the beginning of 2002 there would be demonstrable progress. She says that when the teams went out to the provinces, they had no guidelines as to what to look for. If that was true, then she cannot blame the people in the know for the fact that she saw nothing.
Perhaps what I need to point out is that a month after we made a commitment to the President’s Co-ordinating Council, 125 projects worth R3,7 billion were identified, just in the case of the rural the development programme. In the case of the Urban Renewal Programme, 110 anchor projects were identified as an initial set of projects, and more than 64% of these are already underway from the point of view of implementation. Perhaps when one goes out to access progress, one needs to understand the base from which one is starting.
The hon member Kgoali spoke about Alexandra township, which happens to be an area that I knew even before it was a designated node. I was born in Alexandra, so it did not have to be a designated node for me to visit it. However, the point I want to make is that, since this programme was initiated, there have been a lot of improvements. One of them - and this may sound trivial - is the distribution of refuse bins in Alexandra. Now this is a facility which is taken for granted in Sandton, therefore if Sandtonians see refuse bins in Alexandra, they would say that they have seen no progress.
Take the case of Kgalagadi, where those members who went there saw black women involved in farming projects. This is of particular significance, bearing in mind that August is the month in which we focus on the emancipation of women. What some members may not have seen in Kgalagadi, is what one journalist from a Johannesburg daily newspaper also did not see: he visited Kgalagadi after we had made our media briefing and thought that the involvement of women in farming projects was insignificant.
The importance of the involvement of women in farming projects lies in the fact that an initiative has been taken to ensure that women, especially black women, feature prominently in the production process. Furthermore, an area like Kgalagadi, which may not feature in many of the maps that some of our urban-based hon members have in their homes, is for the first time being brought into the production process. We are not only extending the geographic base of production, but also changing social relations which in the past confined women to those sectors of the economy which are unrewarding.
Also, the fact that women are involved in production improves the overall productivity levels of our economy. It also enhances the growth rate of the economy, quite apart from taking this important section of our population, rural women, from the depths of poverty to which they were consigned by the old dispensation.
I am saying that perhaps in future when we go out, we should make sure that we spend some time doing a drill around the guidelines on what to look for. That is because if people go out not knowing what to look for, that is a fruitless expenditure by the National Council of Provinces.
However, the majority of speakers have shared with us useful insights, which means that their visits to the provinces and the nodal municipalities were fruitful in so far as it enhanced their own understanding of the challenges on the ground. This will also enable members to give us feedback in such a way that we should be in a position to collectively improve the efforts that we must keep on making, both in the rural and urban nodes. We have also taken note of the members’ impending initiatives, and we hope that, once more, all of us will learn valuable lessons from those experiences. [Applause.]
The DEPUTY CHAIRPERSON OF THE NCOP (Mr M L Mushwana): Order! We take this opportunity to thank the hon the Minister for engaging this House in this lively debate. We look forward to more interaction with the hon the Minister, because his department is a source of delivery.
Debate concluded.
The House adjourned at 16.30. ____
ANNOUNCEMENTS, TABLINGS AND COMMITTEE REPORTS
TUESDAY, 13 AUGUST 2002
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
National Assembly and National Council of Provinces:
- The Speaker and the Chairperson:
(1) The Minister of Defence on 26 July 2002 submitted a draft of the
Prohibition of Anti-Personnel Mines Bill, 2002, as well as the
memorandum explaining the objects of the proposed legislation, to
the Speaker and the Chairperson in terms of Joint Rule 159. The
draft has been referred to the Portfolio Committee on Defence and
the Select Committee on Security and Constitutional Affairs by the
Speaker and the Chairperson, respectively, in accordance with
Joint Rule 159(2).
(2) The Minister for Justice and Constitutional Development on 31
July 2002 submitted a draft of the Promotion of Equality and
Prevention of Unfair Discrimination Amendment Bill, 2002, as well
as the memorandum explaining the objects of the proposed
legislation, to the Speaker and the Chairperson in terms of Joint
Rule 159. The draft has been referred to the Portfolio Committee
on Justice and Constitutional Development and the Select Committee
on Security and Constitutional Affairs by the Speaker and the
Chairperson, respectively, in accordance with Joint Rule 159(2).
(3) The Minister for Agriculture and Land Affairs on 7 August 2002
submitted drafts of the Agricultural Debt Management Amendment
Bill, 2002 and the Deeds Registries Amendment Bill, 2002, as well
as the memorandums explaining the objects of the proposed
legislation, to the Speaker and the Chairperson in terms of Joint
Rule 159. The drafts have been referred to the Portfolio Committee
on Agriculture and Land Affairs and the Select Committee on Land
and Environmental Affairs by the Speaker and the Chairperson,
respectively, in accordance with Joint Rule 159(2).
(4) The Minister of Safety and Security on 8 August 2002 submitted a
draft of the Explosives Bill, 2002 as well as the memorandum
explaining the objects of the proposed legislation, to the Speaker
and the Chairperson in terms of Joint Rule 159. The draft has been
referred to the Portfolio Committee on Safety and Security and the
Select Committee on Security and Constitutional Affairs by the
Speaker and the Chairperson, respectively, in accordance with
Joint Rule 159(2).
(5) The following Bill was introduced by the Minister of Trade and
Industry in the National Assembly on 12 August 2002 and referred
to the Joint Tagging Mechanism (JTM) for classification in terms
of Joint Rule 160:
(i) Corporate Laws Amendment Bill [B 32 - 2002] (National
Assembly - sec 75) [Explanatory summary of Bill and prior
notice of its introduction published in Government Gazette No
23573 of 28 June 2002.]
The Bill has been referred to the Portfolio Committee on Trade and
Industry of the National Assembly.
In terms of Joint Rule 154, written views on the classification of
the Bill may be submitted to the JTM within three parliamentary
working days.
TABLINGS:
National Assembly and National Council of Provinces:
Papers:
- The Minister of Finance:
Government Notice No 1038 published in the Government Gazette No 23690
dated 30 July 2002, Statements of the National and Provincial
Government's Revenue, Expenditure and National Borrowing as at 30 June
2002, made in terms of section 32 of the Public Finance Management Act,
1999 (Act No 1 of 1999) and section 19 of the Division of Revenue Act,
2002 (Act No 5 of 2002).
- The Minister of Safety and Security:
Agreement between the Government of the Republic of South Africa and
the Government of the Republic of Portugal on Police Cooperation,
tabled in terms of section 231(3) of the Constitution, 1996.
WEDNESDAY, 14 AUGUST 2002
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
National Assembly and National Council of Provinces:
- The Speaker and the Chairperson:
(1) The following Bill was introduced by the Minister for Justice
and Constitutional Development in the National Assembly on 14
August 2002 and referred to the Joint Tagging Mechanism (JTM) for
classification in terms of Joint Rule 160:
(i) Constitution of the Republic of South Africa Third
Amendment Bill [B 33 - 2002] (National Assembly - sec 74)
[Bill and prior notice of its introduction published in
Government Gazette No 23604 of 5 July 2002.]
The Bill has been referred to the Portfolio Committee on Justice
and Constitutional Development of the National Assembly.
In terms of Joint Rule 154 written views on the classification of
the Bill may be submitted to the JTM within three parliamentary
working days.
(2) The Joint Tagging Mechanism (JTM) on 14 August 2002 in terms of
Joint Rule 160(6), classified the following Bills as section 75
Bills:
(i) Export Credit and Foreign Investments Insurance Amendment
Bill [B 29 - 2002] (National Assembly - sec 75).
(ii) Higher Education Amendment Bill [B 30 - 2002] (National
Assembly - sec 75).
(3) The Joint Tagging Mechanism (JTM) on 14 August 2002 in terms of
Joint Rule 160(6), classified the following Bill as a section 76
Bill:
(i) Education Laws Amendment Bill [B 31 - 2002] (National
Assembly - sec 76).
National Council of Provinces:
- The Chairperson:
The following paper has been tabled and is now referred to the relevant
committee as mentioned below:
(1) The following paper is referred to the Select Committee on
Finance:
Government Notice No 1038 published in the Government Gazette No
23690 dated 30 July 2002, Statements of the National and
Provincial Government's Revenue, Expenditure and National
Borrowing as at 30 June 2002, made in terms of section 32 of the
Public Finance Management Act, 1999 (Act No 1 of 1999) and section
19 of the Division of Revenue Act, 2002 (Act No 5 of 2002).
TABLINGS:
National Assembly and National Council of Provinces:
Papers:
- The Minister of Education:
(a) Annual Report and Financial Statements of the South African
Certification Council for 2001-2002.
(b) Revised National Curriculum Statement Grades R-9 (Schools)
Policy 2002:
(i) Languages Learning Area Home Language;
(ii) Languages Learning Area 1st Additional Language;
(iii) Languages Learning Area 2nd Additional Language.
THURSDAY, 15 AUGUST 2002
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
National Assembly and National Council of Provinces:
-
The Speaker and the Chairperson: (1) The following Bill was introduced by the Minister of Communications in the National Assembly on 15 August 2002 and referred to the Joint Tagging Mechanism (JTM) for classification in terms of Joint Rule 160:
(i) Broadcasting Amendment Bill [B 34 - 2002] (National Assembly - sec 75) [Bill and prior notice of its introduction published in Government Gazette No 23745 of 15 August 2002.]
The Bill has been referred to the Portfolio Committee on Communications of the National Assembly.
In terms of Joint Rule 154 written views on the classification of the Bill may be submitted to the JTM within three parliamentary working days.
National Council of Provinces:
-
The Chairperson: (1) Message from National Assembly to National Council of Provinces:
Bill passed by National Assembly on 15 August 2002 and transmitted for concurrence:
(i) Export Credit and Foreign Investments Insurance Amendment Bill [B 29B - 2002] (National Assembly - sec 75).
The Bill has been referred to the Select Committee on Economic and Foreign Affairs of the National Council of Provinces.
TABLINGS:
National Assembly and National Council of Provinces:
Papers:
- The Minister for Safety and Security: (a) International Convention on the Suppression of Terrorist Bombings, tabled in terms of section 231(2) of the Constitution, 1996.
(b) International Convention for the Suppression of the Financing of
Terrorism, tabled in terms of section 231(2) of the Constitution,
1996.
(c) Organisation of African Unity Convention for the Prevention and
Combating of Terrorism, tabled in terms of section 231(2) of the
Constitution, 1996.
(d) Explanatory Memorandum to the Conventions.
(e) Protocol on the Control of Firearms, Ammunition and other
Related Materials in the Southern African Development Community
(SADC) Region, tabled in terms of section 231(2) of the
Constitution, 1996.
(f) Explanatory Memorandum to the Protocol.
FRIDAY, 16 AUGUST 2002
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
National Assembly and National Council of Provinces:
- The Speaker and the Chairperson:
(1) The following Bills were introduced by the Minister of Finance
in the National Assembly on 16 August 2002 and referred to the
Joint Tagging Mechanism (JTM) for classification in terms of Joint
Rule 160:
(i) Special Pensions Amendment Bill [B 35 - 2002] (National
Assembly - sec 75) [Bill and prior notice of its
introduction published in Government Gazette No 23735 of 13
August 2002.]
(ii) South African Revenue Service Amendment Bill [B 36 - 2002]
(National Assembly - sec 75) [Explanatory summary of Bill
and prior notice of its introduction published in
Government Gazette No 23686 of 31 July 2002.]
The Bills have been referred to the Portfolio Committee on Finance
of the National Assembly.
In terms of Joint Rule 154, written views on the classification of
the Bills may be submitted to the JTM within three parliamentary
working days.
(2) The following Bill was introduced by the Minister of Health in
the National Assembly on 16 August 2002 and referred to the Joint
Tagging Mechanism (JTM) for classification in terms of Joint Rule
160:
(i) Medical Schemes Amendment Bill [B 37 - 2002] (National
Assembly - sec 75) [Explanatory summary of Bill and prior
notice of its introduction published in Government Gazette No
23683 of 29 July 2002.]
The Bill has been referred to the Portfolio Committee on Health of
the National Assembly.
In terms of Joint Rule 154, written views on the classification of
the Bill may be submitted to the JTM within three parliamentary
working days.
National Council of Provinces:
- The Chairperson:
The following paper has been tabled and is now referred to the relevant
committee as mentioned below:
(1) The following paper is referred to the Select Committee on
Security and Constitutional Affairs:
Agreement between the Government of the Republic of South Africa
and the Government of the Republic of Portugal on Police
Cooperation, tabled in terms of section 231(3) of the
Constitution, 1996.
TABLINGS:
National Assembly and National Council of Provinces:
Papers:
- The Minister of Environmental Affairs and Tourism:
Rotterdam Convention on Prior Informed Consent (PIC) Procedure for
Certain Hazardous Chemicals and Pesticides in International Trade,
tabled in terms of section 231(2) of the Constitution, 1996.
MONDAY, 19 AUGUST 2002
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
National Assembly and National Council of Provinces:
- The Speaker and the Chairperson:
(1) The following Bill was introduced by the Minister of Trade and
Industry in the National Assembly on 19 August 2002 and referred
to the Joint Tagging Mechanism (JTM) for classification in terms
of Joint Rule 160:
(i) International Trade Administration Bill [B 38 - 2002]
(National Assembly - sec 76) [Explanatory summary of Bill and
prior notice of its introduction published in Government
Gazette No 23573 of 28 June 2002.]
The Bill has been referred to the Portfolio Committee on Trade and
Industry of the National Assembly.
In terms of Joint Rule 154, written views on the classification of
the Bill may be submitted to the JTM within three parliamentary
working days.
National Council of Provinces:
- The Chairperson:
The following paper tabled on 16 August 2002 is referred to the Select
Committee on Land and Environmental Affairs for consideration and
report:
The Rotterdam Convention on Prior Informed Consent Procedure for
certain Hazardous Chemicals and Pesticides in International Trade,
tabled in terms of section 231(2) of the Constitution, 1996.
COMMITTEE REPORTS:
National Council of Provinces:
-
Report of the Select Committee on Economic and Foreign Affairs on the Export Credit and Foreign Investments Insurance Amendment Bill [B 29B - 2002] (National Assembly - sec 75), dated 19 August 2002:
The Select Committee on Economic and Foreign Affairs, having considered the subject of the Export Credit and Foreign Investments Insurance Amendment Bill [B 29B - 2002] (National Assembly - sec 75), referred to it, reports that it has agreed to the Bill.
-
Report of the Select Committee on Land and Environmental Affairs on Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants, dated 19 August 2002:
The Select Committee on Land and Environmental Affairs, having considered the request for approval by Parliament of the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants, referred to it, recommends that the Council, in terms of section 231(2) of the Constitution, approve the said Convention.
Report to be considered.
-
Report of the Select Committee on Land and Environmental Affairs on Rotterdam Convention on PIC Procedure for Certain Hazardous Chemicals and Pesticides in International Trade, dated 19 August 2002:
The Select Committee on Land and Environmental Affairs, having considered the request for approval by Parliament of the Rotterdam Convention on the Prior Informed Consent (PIC) Procedure for Certain Hazardous Chemicals and Pesticides in International Trade, referred to it, recommends that the Council, in terms of section 231(2) of the Constitution, approve the said Convention.
Report to be considered.
TUESDAY, 20 AUGUST 2002
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
National Assembly and National Council of Provinces:
- The Speaker and the Chairperson:
(1) The following Bill was introduced by the Minister of Health in
the National Assembly on 20 August 2002 and referred to the Joint
Tagging Mechanism (JTM) for classification in terms of Joint Rule
160:
(i) Occupational Diseases in Mines and Works Amendment Bill [B
39 - 2002] (National Assembly - sec 75) [Explanatory summary
of Bill and prior notice of its introduction published in
Government Gazette No 23696 of 8 August 2002.]
The Bill has been referred to the Portfolio Committee on Health of
the National Assembly.
In terms of Joint Rule 154 written views on the classification of
the Bill may be submitted to the JTM within three parliamentary
working days.
(2) The Minister of Health on 19 August 2002 submitted drafts of the
Medicines and Related Substances Control Amendment Bill, 2002, and
the National Health Bill, 2002, as well as the memorandums
explaining the objects of the proposed legislation, to the Speaker
and the Chairperson in terms of Joint Rule 159. The drafts have
been referred to the Portfolio Committee on Health and the Select
Committee on Social Services by the Speaker and the Chairperson,
respectively, in accordance with Joint Rule 159(2).
(3) The "Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the
Child on the sale of children, child prostitution and child
pornography" was tabled by the Minister of Social Development on
30 May 2002 and referred to the relevant Portfolio Committee and
Select Committee on 6 June 2002 and 4 June 2002, respectively. In
the Announcements, Tablings and Committee Reports of those three
dates the name of the Protocol was incorrectly printed as the
"Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on
the involvement of children in armed conflict and on the sale of
children, child prostitution and child pornography".
National Council of Provinces:
- The Chairperson:
(1) Message from National Assembly to National Council of Provinces:
Bill passed by National Assembly on 20 August 2002 and transmitted
for concurrence:
(i) National Conventional Arms Control Bill [B 50D - 2000]
(National Assembly - sec 75).
The Bill has been referred to the Select Committee on Security and
Constitutional Affairs of the National Council of Provinces.
TABLINGS:
National Assembly and National Council of Provinces:
Papers:
- The Minister of Education:
(a) Government Notice No R 58 published in Government Gazette No
23600 dated 5 July 2002: Amendment of Schedule 1, made in terms of
section 33 of the South African Revenue Services Act, 1997 (Act No
34 of 1997).
(b) Government Notice No R 987 published in Government Gazette No
23651 dated 19 July 2002: Regulations in terms of section 18 of
the Unemployment Insurance Contributions Act, 2002 (Act No 4 of
2002).
(c) Government Notice No R 990 published in Government Gazette No
23651 dated 19 July 2002: Determination of limit on amount of
remuneration for purposes of determination of contribution in
terms of section 6 of the Unemployment Insurance Contributions
Act, 2002 (Act No 4 of 2002).
- The Minister for Justice and Constitutional Development:
(a) Proclamation No R 54 published in Government Gazette No 23548
dated 21 June 2002, Commencement of section 35 of the Judicial
Matters Amendment Act, 2000 (Act no 62 of 2000).
(b) Proclamation No R 55 published in Government Gazette No 23553
dated 24 June 2002: Referral of matters to existing Special
Investigating Unit and Special Tribunal, tabled in terms of the
Special Investigating Units and Special Tribunals Act, 1996 (Act
No 74 of 1996).
(c) Government Notice No R 894 published in Government Gazette No
23564 dated 5 July 2002: Regulations made in terms of the Judges'
Remuneration and Conditions of Employment Act, 2001 (Act No 47 of
2001).
(d) Proclamation No R 66 published in Government Gazette No 23730
dated 8 August 2002: Referral of matters to existing Special
Investigating Unit and Special Tribunal Act, made in terms of the
Act (Act No 74 of 1996). 3. The Minister of Arts, Culture, Science and Technology:
Annual Report of the National Advisory Council on Innovation for 2001.
COMMITTEE REPORTS:
National Council of Provinces:
-
Report of the Select Committee on Social Services on the Optional Protocol to Convention on Rights of Child on Sale of Children, Child Prostitution and Child Pornography, dated 20 August 2002:
The Select Committee on Social Services, having considered the request for approval by Parliament of the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on the Sale of Children, Child Prostitution and Child Pornography, referred to it, recommends that the Council, in terms of section 231(2) of the Constitution, approve the said Protocol.
Report to be considered.
-
Report of the Select Committee on Social Services on the Protection and Adoption of Children Convention, dated 20 August 2002:
The Select Committee on Social Services, having considered the request for approval by Parliament of the Convention on Protection of Children and Cooperation in respect of Inter-Country Adoption, referred to it, recommends that the Council, in terms of section 231(2) of the Constitution, approve the said Convention.
Report to be considered.