THURSDAY, 19 MAY 2005 __

                PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY

                                ____

The House met at 14:02.

The Speaker took the Chair and requested members to observe a moment of silence for prayers or meditation.

ANNOUNCEMENTS, TABLINGS AND COMMITTEE REPORTS – see col 000.

                             NEW MEMBER





                           (Announcement)

The Speaker announced that the vacancy caused by the resignation from the National Assembly of Mr N H Masithela had been filled by the nomination, with effect from 18 May 2005, of Mr L P Khoarai.

                                OATH

Mr L P Khoarai, accompanied by Mr L J Modisenyane and Ms N P Khunou, made and subscribed the oath, and took his seat.

                          NOTICE OF MOTION

Mr S F HAASBROEK: Madam Speaker, I hereby give notice that I shall move on behalf of the DA that this House should debate the creation of export processing zones as a measure to alleviate poverty and reduce unemployment in South Africa. [Applause.]

                 REPLACEMENT OF RULE 107(7) and (8)

                         (Draft Resolution)

Mr S K LOUW: Madam Speaker, on behalf of the Chief Whip of the Majority Party, I move that the existing Rule 105(7) and (8) be replaced by the following:

105 (7): In the absence of a Minister who may respond to a statement as envisaged in Subrule (6), the relevant Deputy Minister or any other Minister must be given an opportunity to respond on behalf of the absent Minister; and

105 (8): Ministerial responses must be taken in the following order of preference: Minister as envisaged in Subrule (6), the relevant Deputy Minister, or a Minister responding on behalf of the absent Minister.

Agreed to.

                         MEMBER’S STATEMENTS



          FIRST TENANT AT COEGA INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT ZONE


                        (Member’s Statement)

Mr M JOHNSON (ANC): Thank you, Chair. The ANC welcomes the announcement that the Coega industrial development zone in the Eastern Cape has secured its first tenant in the form of a R200 million niche textile plant. This investment by a Belgian company, Sander International, together with an empowerment company, I-Can, will provide jobs for 1 200 people in the next two to three years.

Upon making the announcement, Coega chairperson Moss Ngoasheng said that 75 more potential jobs, including the mooted multibillion rand I-Can aluminium smelter, were in the pipeline and that this is the first of a series of investments to follow over the next 18 months.

This announcement confirms the strategic decision by government to develop Coega as a deep-water port with an industrial development zone. The announcement proves once more the viability of this multibillion-rand project and has dispelled the criticism that the project is politically motivated rather than economically sound. Thank you, Speaker. [Applause.]

             ANC’S SO-CALLED COMMITMENT TO NONRACIALISM


                        (Member’s Statement)

Mnr T D LEE (DA): Speaker, die Wes-Kaapse Premier, Ebrahim Rasool, het in die Sunday Times gekla dat diegene wat gekant is teen sy herverkiesing as partyleier in die provinsie beweer dat hy as ANC-leier verdra word omdat hy ’n kleurling is. Dit is ’n verbasende erkenning. Dit is uiters vernederend vir die Premier om te moet erken dat hy net verdra word vanweë sy ras. Dit wys die ANC se sogenaamde verbintenis tot nie-rassigheid is ’n leë dop, en dat daar geen waarheid steek in hulle “tuiste vir almal” nie.

Wat hy eintlik sê, is dat hy nie swart genoeg is vir die ANC nie – iets waarmee miljoene bruinmense in die land kan identifiseer. Kyk maar na die ANC se behuisingsbeleid wat bruinmense na die onderkant van waglyste skuif, ’n ANC-taalbeleid wat keer dat hulle in Afrikaans mag leer of die taal mag gebruik, en ’n ANC-indiensnemingsbeleid wat hulle die slagoffers pleks van die begunstigdes van regstellende optrede maak. Die ANC moet ophou om hul rasbehepte optrede te probeer mooipraat. Ek dank u. [Applous.] (Translation of Afrikaans member’s statement follows.)

[Mr T D LEE (DA): Speaker, the Western Cape Premier, Ebrahim Rasool, complained in the Sunday Times that those who were opposed to his re- election as provincial party leader alleged that he was being tolerated as ANC leader because he is a coloured. This is an astonishing acknowledgement. It is extremely humiliating for the Premier to have to acknowledge that he is only being tolerated on account of his race. This shows that the ANC’s so-called commitment to nonracialism is totally meaningless and that there is no truth in their “home for all”.

What he is actually saying is that he is not black enough for the ANC – something millions of coloured people in the country can identify with. Just look at the ANC’s housing policy which moves coloured people to the bottom of waiting lists, an ANC language policy that keeps them from being educated in Afrikaans or using the language and an ANC employment policy that makes them the victims instead of the beneficiaries of affirmative action. The ANC must stop trying to sugar-coat their racially obsessive actions. I thank you. [Applause.]]

         GOVERNMENT CAPITAL PROJECTS WITH MULTIPLIER EFFECT


                        (Member’s Statement)

Mr H J BEKKER (IFP): Madam Speaker, the IFP believes that the essential economic growth of South Africa can be further accelerated by selected massive financial spending programmes by the government. Such programmes, if correctly directed, can have a multiplier effect on the economy. This would mean, for example, that for every million rand spent this money would filter through to the economy and, if spent wisely and invested again, particularly by the private sector, thus benefiting the workforce with the total sum of even 10 times the original spending, this could improve the situation.

We in the IFP are of the opinion that the huge financial projects and five years plus investment programmes, announced by the Minister of Public Enterprises, do fall into this category and mindset. The capital expenditure by Eskom, Transnet and Denel will indeed open up and kick-start the economy.

Just as an example, the Eskom project alone would require an additional one million tons of cement and 60 000 tons of steel, coming from the private sector. The IFP has, for a long time, pleaded for government capital projects that could have a multiplier effect in order to boost the economy.

The IFP trusts that we have now embarked on the right economic course, and we wish the Minister success and offer our support.

                   AGRICULTURAL PROJECT IN NONGOMA

                        (Member’s Statement)

Mnu B Z ZULU (ANC): Somlomo, umphakathi wakwaNongoma endaweni yakwaDabhasi kanye naseKuvukeni uzwakalisa ukubonga okukhulu ngomsebenzi obuzokwethulqwa yiPhini likaMongameli umhlonishwa uMsholozi kanye noNdunankulu umhlonishwa uManzankosi ukwakhiwa kwezinqolobane zokubeka ummbila kanye nesigayo sawo.

Kulesi sikhungo kuzobuye kwakhiwe izindlu zamakhza zokugcina izitshalo kanye nenyama engumkhiqizo wezinkukhu ezobe ivela emikhankasweni emincane yabantu bakwaNongoma. Lona ngumsebenzi ongowokuqala omkhulu wentuthuko wezolimo kule ndawo olethwa uhulumeni kaKhongolose ukusiza abantu bakithi abahlala ezindaweni ezisemakhaya. Lolu hlelo lwezolimo silubona luyisixazululo ezinkingeni zobubha nobumpofu obukhungethe abantu bakithi abahlala ezindaweni ezisemakhaya.

Sikhuthaza uMnyango wezoLimo ukuthi uluxhase kakhulu lolu hlelo lwezolimo ngoba yilona olwenza ukuthi uhulumeni kaKhongolose afinyelele bukhoma ukunikezela imisebenzi kubantu bakithi abahlezi emakhaya. Sithi phambili kuhulumeni kaKhongolose nokulwa nendlala, phambili.

Ngiyabonga somlomo. (Ihlombe) (Translation of isiZulu member’s statement follows.)

[Mr B Z ZULU (ANC): Speaker, the Dabhasi and eKuvukeni communities from Nongoma would like to commend the biggest project launched by the Deputy President, hon Msholozi, together with the Premier, hon Manzankosi, for the building of a storehouse for storing mealies and its mill.

It will have cold storage for storing fruit and chicken meat that comes from the small projects of the Nongoma people. This is the first big agricultural development project to be launched by the ANC government to assist people who live in rural areas. We see this agricultural project as a solution to the poverty that affects people living in rural areas.

We urge the Department of Agriculture to fund this agricultural project, because it gives the ANC government an opportunity to reach our rural people and to give them work. We are saying, long live the ANC government for fighting poverty, long live.

Thank you, Speaker. [Applause.]]

                          ABUSE OF CHILDREN


                        (Member’s Statement)

Ms M N MDAKA (UDM): Madam Speaker, the UDM expresses its shock at the child abuse figures that were revealed yesterday by the Medical Research Council during a conference on the abuse of children held by the SA Professional Society on the Child. It was revealed that every year 1 100 children aged 14 and under die due to violence and intentional assault. A survey reviewing deaths among children younger than 15 revealed that head injuries constituted 42%. A separate study conducted in Cape Town found that out of 1 809 child deaths, more than half were unnatural deaths. In this study the ages of the children ranged between one month and 11 years.

These new findings confirm survey results previously published by the Red Cross Children’s Hospital. I thank you.

                  CONGRATULATIONS TO MAKHAYA NTINI


                        (Member’s Statement)

Adv A H GAUM (NNP): Madam Speaker, we would like to congratulate South African bowling icon Makhaya Ntini, who was named South Africa’s cricketer of the year on Wednesday.

The cricketer of the year award is South Africa’s premier cricketing honour. The award was one of three Ntini won. He was also voted as the Castle Lager/MTN test cricketer of the year and received the singular accolade of being honoured by his team-mates and other South African players as the players’ player of the year.

Ntini is currently ranked fourth in the International Cricket Council test bowling rankings. Ntini has done South Africa proud. You are a great inspiration and a role model to many young South Africans. I thank you.

                      AFRICAN POLITICAL PARTIES


                        (Member’s Statement)

Mr K D S DURR (ACDP): Madam Speaker, the ACDP calls upon political parties in South Africa and in the region to cease and discourage the growing convention of allowing past presidents of countries to continue as leaders of their respective political parties after they retire from public office, as presidents or heads of state. We note that the practice frustrates the whole point of limiting the terms of office of heads of state.

Furthermore, as in Malawi recently, it creates tension between the parliamentary and extra-parliamentary forces. It also allows departing presidents to remain de facto leaders, retaining effective power as we have seen in Namibia recently. This is undemocratic. The president of Namibia is a lame duck. We know where the power lies in Namibia.

Also, in Zimbabwe there is talk of Mugabe wishing to retain de facto control after his term of office as president expires. The effect of shifting power and influence from the democratic institutions to nonelected leaders of political parties strikes at the very heart of liberty and constitutional government.

Parties should take a leaf from past president Mandela’s book. There’s no reason why a political party cannot honour a former leader by making them honorary life president - a nonexecutive, neutral position.

Thus, the ACDP calls upon African political parties to amend their constitutions where necessary so as to make this growing practice unlawful. [Applause.]

                    AVIATION ON AFRICAN CONTINENT


                        (Member’s Statement)

Mr J P CRONIN (ANC): Madam Speaker, aviation is one of the many developmental challenges faced by our continent. Air routes, airline operations and schedules, and even access to airports are often one-sidedly shaped by the commercial and strategic interests of developed countries in the North and, particularly, by some former colonial powers. It’s a notorious fact, that is often cited, that the quickest route between one West African country and another is not the direct route, but sometimes flying via Paris or another European capital. There are also many intra-African challenges. The general safety record of aviation on our continent, although thankfully not in our country, is very poor. It’s in this general context that the ANC welcomes the initiative of the AU to convene an air transport conference at Sun City this week. And we salute the leadership role that President Mbeki and Minister Jeff Radebe have been playing in this conference.

While an open-skies policy is a laudable objective, perhaps, we must ensure that we gear up to face the challenge and, above all, we must act collectively as African societies, otherwise the liberalisation of airspace will simply be used one-sidedly by the airlines of the North to overwhelm African airlines - many of them in a precarious situation.

If this happens, a developmental agenda that prioritises intra-African aspirations and challenges will be further sidelined. For this reason the ANC calls for the resolutions of this week’s AU air transport conference to be resolutely implemented. Thank you. [Applause.]

                       EQUITY AND TRANSPARENCY


                        (Member’s Statement)

Mr K J MINNIE (DA): Madam Speaker, in attempting to redress the injustices of past housing policies, the ANC government talks about equity and transparency. And correctly so, because if these values did not underpin government the ANC would be no better off than their predecessors. However, what the ANC does and what it says are two different things.

The allocation of only 30% of N2 Gateway housing in Cape Town to people on the waiting lists is a direct contradiction of these values. Where is the fairness? Does anybody, other than the Minister, know how these ratios were determined? Where is the transparency?

The fire disaster at Joe Slovo this year makes an argument for some of the houses to go to the fire victims, but then, surely, at least 70% should go to those who have been on the waiting list for years. After all, the majority of people who have been on waiting lists, often for decades, are living in equally squalid conditions. Don’t penalise people because they are not ANC voters. I thank you. [Applause.]

                  RECOGNITION OF AFRICAN HOLOCAUST


                        (Member’s Statement)

Dr S E M PHEKO (PAC): Madam Speaker, The African holocaust must be recognised. No one denies the brutality of the holocaust against the Jews by the Nazis, but the African holocaust is the worst in modern history.

Africans have been the most dehumanised people in the world. It began in the 15th century through the transatlantic slave trade. Through this barbaric system the Western powers used their military power to accumulate their wealth through slavery.

It is estimated that 10 million Africans landed in the Americas and West Indies as slaves. Twenty per cent of these died in transit. Ghana alone lost 5 000 – 6 000 of its people to slavery every year for 400 years. Then came the Berlin Treaty of 26 February 1885, which facilitated the stealing of African countries and the looting of their wealth by colonialists to the extent that to this minute the riches of Africa do not benefit Africans.

The African holocaust must be recognised. Africa is owed trillions of dollars in reparations. In South Africa, apart from apartheid and colonialism, the Khoisan people were exterminated. It is surrendering to barbarism that the African holocaust can be so ignored. Only the late Pope John Paul II recognised the African holocaust, and may God bless his soul. [Applause.]

         WALTER SISULU PAEDIATRIC CARDIAC CENTRE FOR AFRICA


                        (Member’s Statement)

Ms P TSHWETE (ANC): Madam Speaker, throughout its existence the ANC has always been struggling for the provision of a better life for all our people, both in South Africa and throughout the African continent through partnerships and bilaterals with their governments and civil societies.

The ANC is delighted by the donation of R1 million by the Vodacom Foundation to the Walter Sisulu Paediatric Cardiac Centre for Africa. The centre renders services to all children across the continent. The donation was made on 12 May, the day observed as International Nurses’ Day.

One million rand donated by the Vodacom Foundation will assist five children to be operated on. The first of five children was operated on last Friday. Twenty-six children from across the continent have been operated on since the centre opened its doors last year. Each operation costs in the region of R140 000.

The ANC is pleased by the donations made by other business people and individual South Africans who have contributed generously to its worthy cause. I thank you. [Applause.]

      DA PARTICIPATION IN ANNUAL LIBERAL INTERNATIONAL CONGRESS


                        (Member’s Statement)

Mr I O DAVIDSON (DA): Madam Speaker, a DA delegation returned this weekend from the 53rd annual Liberal International congress held in Sofia, Bulgaria, where DA leader Tony Leon was once again elected as a vice- president of this esteemed organisation . . . [Interjections.] . . . that brings together more than 65 liberal parties from around the world, including the governing parties of Denmark, Bulgaria and Senegal.

The DA also had the honour of one of its veterans, Mr Colin Eglin, being elected as a patron of this organisation. [Interjections.] The congress paid particular attention to the oppression of opposition liberal politicians on the African continent.

The DA delegation held bilateral discussions with 17 African political parties, and subsequently committed itself, along with the African liberal network, to bring together the leaders of all African liberal parties before the end of 2005 to discuss the challenges of building multiparty democracy across the continent.

The DA reinforced its view that the international community should treat opposition parties as a critical pillar of democratic political life on the continent, and that resources should be committed to building associations between opposition parties across Africa, within which these parties can learn to hold their respective governments to account in constructive ways. [Applause.]

          BLACK ECONOMIC EMPOWERMENT IN AGRICULTURAL SECTOR


                        (Member’s Statement)

Mr M V NGEMA (IFP): Madam Speaker, black economic empowerment in the agricultural sector is long overdue and needs to be actively pursued if any meaningful inroads are to be made. That is one of the reasons why the long- awaited AgriBEE framework is such an important document.

It is, therefore, encouraging when we hear of transactions like the recently completed deal in which Arch Equity, PSG Group’s economic empowerment partner, bought a 25,1% stake in the agricultural company GrainCo.

Black economic empowerment needs to take place at all levels in the agricultural sector for real transformation to occur. These agreements between industry stakeholders and government only serve to delay the transformation of this industry, and in turn frustrate many people.

The IFP therefore encourages companies and individuals to take initiative and encourage transformation deals and transactions that will speed up this whole process and help revitalise the industry. I thank you.

                    EZEMVELO KZN WILDLIFE PROJECT


                         (Member’s Statement)

Mnu N M NENE(ANC): Ngiyabonga Somlomo ohloniphekile. I-ANC ishayela izandla uhlelo olulethwe uMnyango wezeMvelo nokuVakasha kazwelonke ezintabeni zoKhahlamba olubizwa ngokuthi Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife Drakensberg Park.

Lolu hlelo oluyingqayizivele lugidlabezwe ngesamba sezigidi ezingama-53, lube lungolukhulu kunazo zonke izinhlelo zokongiwa kwemvelo esezake zaba khona emlandweni futhi luyimpumelelo emangalisayo.

Singasho ngokungathandabuzi ukuthi lo mbutho wabantu obusa manje wawungasengi ezimithiyo uma uthi amagugu angumlando nengcebo yaleli zwe kuyakubuyiselwa kubaniniwo ngoba kungumnotho wesizwe.

Lo msebenzi uzophinde unikezwe abantu abakhele le ndawo amathuba okufunda amakhono nawemisebenzi anhlobonhlobo, imisebenzi yokwakha, ukukhangisa ngamakhono obuciko, yimisebenzi yobuchwepheshe bezandla, ukuthutha nokubonisa izivakashi indawo nokunye okuningi esingakubala.

Impela indlala izobhincela nxanye nekati lisuke eziko. Ukudlondlobala kwalo msebenzi kulindeleke ukuthi kube yisigadlelo esikhulu sokuvusa umnotho wakule ndawo ikakhulu ngoba uzogxila kubantu besifazane nalabo abasebasha. I-ANC ukuphela kwenhlangano ezinhlelo nemigomo yayo ingeyokwenza izimpilo zabantu bonke, Lokho akuguquki selokhu yazibophezela kuMqulu weNkululeko eminyakeni engama-50 eyedlule.

Ngiyabonga. [Ihlombe.] (Translation of isiZulu member’s statement follows.)

[Mr N M NENE(ANC): Thank you, hon Speaker. The ANC applauds the programme called the Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife Drakensberg Park, brought to the Drakensberg by the Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism. This programme is very new and has been granted an amount of R53 million. It is the biggest nature conservation programme we have ever had in our history that has been successful.

We can undoubtedly say that this group of people who led today were not telling lies when they said that heritage is history and that the wealth of this country will be given back to the owners because they are the wealth of the nation.

This job will be given to the people in the surrounding areas, with opportunities to learn skills for different kinds of jobs such as bricklaying, advertising with art skills, expertise in hand craft, and transporting and orientating visitors. We can mention many more.

Hunger will definitely be eradicated. The growth of this work is expected to have an impact on economic growth in this area mainly because it will focus on women and the youngsters. The ANC is the only party with a the programme and customs to make people’s lives better, that has not changed since it confined itself to the Freedom Charter in the past 50 years.

Thank you. [Applause.]]

                        MINISTERS’ RESPONSES

PREMIER RASOOL OF THE WESTERN CAPE; GOVERNMENT’S SUCCESSES; CHILD ABUSE FIGURES; HISTORY OF SUFFERING OF BLACK PEOPLE

                        (Minister’s Response)

The MINISTER OF EDUCATION: Madam Speaker, the only racial talk I have heard in the statement by the hon Lee was from the member himself. Ebrahim Rasool is the properly elected leader of the ANC in the Western Cape. He has played an exemplary role in promoting nonracism in this province and leads the first government of this province that has taken on the challenges of the Western Cape, and is handling them appropriately. [Applause.]

With respect to those matters that were raised relevant to government’s success in promoting economic activity in our country, as well as in alleviating poverty in a range of communities, and generating job and entrepreneurship opportunities for our people, we welcome the congratulations to government. I will certainly communicate the comments and the congratulations, specifically to the Minister of Public Enterprises from the hon member of the IFP.

With respect to the child abuse figures, government shares the concerns that have been indicated by the member of the UDM. I think the member is absolutely correct; we need, all of us, to do more, to intensify activities directed at the protection of our children. The matter is of national concern to each of our communities, our country, government, and all structures of our society. It doesn’t rest with any one party. It is an endeavour that each of us must certainly lend our hand to.

Finally, I certainly would like to agree with the member of the PAC, that we should do more to ensure that the plight and history of suffering of black people on the continent, indeed, becomes part of the record of society. I do not know how we should deal with the matter of reparation, but directing our efforts at the full development of our people may be part of that design.

However, I do think that we have neglected the full history of the level of suffering endured by black people throughout the world, and particularly the history of slavery, which occurred even on the very soil on which we ourselves sit. So, we welcome those comments and I hope that we will begin to share this history with our children and ensure that we teach it to them.

Let me not be limited only to what was said about government. We have also heard about the election of the hon Tony Leon as deputy president of this organisation. We trust that he will use this forum to speak in a positive way about our country and promote its positive attributes. Thank you. [Applause.]

The House adjourned at 14:31.