TUESDAY, 06 JUNE 2006 __

                PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY

                                ____

The House met at 10:01.

House Chairperson Mr G Q M Doidge took the Chair and requested members to observe a moment of silence for prayers or meditation.

ANNOUNCEMENTS, TABLINGS AND COMMITTEE REPORTS – see col 000.

                          NOTICES OF MOTION

Mr M J ELLIS: Chairperson, I give notice that I shall move:

That this House debates the state’s compliance with its constitutional duty to ensure that everyone has a right to basic education.

                        MOTION OF CONDOLENCE

                    (The late Dr Sabera Bhamjee)

The DEPUTY CHIEF WHIP OF THE MIJORITY PARTY: Chairperson, I move without notice:

That this House -

(1) notes with shock and profound sadness the untimely death of Dr Sabera Bhamjee, wife of the Hon Yusuf Bhamjee, who was murdered on Friday, 2 June 2006;

(2) further notes that Dr Sabera Bhamjee was a progressive gynaecologist practising at St Anne’s Hospital Medical Centre in Pietermaritzburg;

(3) calls on the South African Police Service to investigate this crime thoroughly and bring to book all those responsible for this heinous crime; and

(4) conveys its condolences to Hon Yusuf Bhamjee, their children and the entire Bhamjee family.

Agreed to.

The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Mr G Q M Doidge): The message of condolence will be conveyed to the Bhamjee family, and I would like to add on behalf of the Presiding Officers of Parliament, our concurrence with the motion. MOTION OF CONDOLENCE

                       (The late Uriah Maleka)

The CHIEF WHIP OF The MAJORITY PARTY: Chairperson, I move without notice:

That this House -

(1) notes with great sadness and regret the passing away on Sunday, 4 June 2006, of the struggle veteran Uriah Maleka;

(2) further notes that Comrade Uriah was a founder member of Umkhonto we Sizwe and was involved in many of its activities;

(3) recalls that Comrade Uriah left the country in 1964 to join some of his comrades in exile and served the people of this country in various capacities over the years;

(4) recognises that Comrade Uriah was a South African patriot who lived a selfless life, made an enormous contribution to the struggle for democracy in this country, and also served as the ANC representative in Angola and several other countries;

(5) believes that Comrade Uriah leaves a legacy of heroism and dedicated service to the people of South Africa; and (6) conveys its condolences to the entire Maleka family, his loved ones and the ANC.

Agreed to.

The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Mr G Q M Doidge): The motion will be conveyed to the family with the sentiments of the Presiding Officers in terms of the condolence.

                        MOTION OF CONDOLENCE


                       (The late Eric Molobi)

The CHIEF WHIP OF The MAJORITY PARTY: Chairperson, I move without notice:

That this House –

(1) notes with sadness the untimely death of Comrade Eric Molobi, who passed away on Sunday, 4 June 2006;

(2) further notes that Comrade Eric was an activist in the fight against apartheid and was amongst the scores of anti-apartheid activists who were imprisoned on Robben Island;

(3)     recognises that after his release from Robben Island, he was
    recruited by the South African Council of Churches to set up a
    community development programme, that in 1990 he joined Kagiso
    Trust as chief executive where he was responsible for raising funds
    from foreign government agencies to channel into educational and
    community development projects in South Africa, and that he also
    served on the boards of many companies;


(4)     recalls that, for his contribution in the struggle against
    apartheid and his role in community development, the French
    government awarded Comrade Eric the prestigious Ordre National de
    la Legion d’Hónneur in 1994; and


(5)     expresses its condolences to his family and friends.

Agreed to.

The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Mr G Q M Doidge): The motion will be conveyed to the family together with the sentiments of the Presiding Officers.

                         APPROPRIATION BILL

Debate on Vote No 27 – Environmental Affairs and Tourism:

The MINISTER OF ENVIRONMENTAL AFFAIRS AND TOURISM: Chairperson and hon members, hope is the firm hand of the fisheries officer who risks life and limb to keep fish in the sea, and put poachers behind bars.

Hope is the fence that falls between the parks of two countries, once in conflict, now partnered in conservation. It is the tread of the lion, the leopard and the cheetah, free from shameful death.

Hope is the sure and steady breathing of children’s lungs no longer battling airborne poisons. It is the exhilaration of the community that once stood and watched as travellers drove past, and who now stand proud as hosts and guides.

Hope is the whispered promise of all of this, preserved for the benefit, enjoyment and pride of generations yet unborn.

There are few emotions more powerful or more infectious than hope. It springs to life at even the most desolate of times, endures conditions of great adversity and thrives when nourished by the glimpse of a better future. It is the union of faith, potential, expectation and optimism and, in South Africa, it has come to define the character of our people. The fundamental commitment of our department is clear: better tourism and a better environment to build the age of hope.

There have been few years in which more was achieved in South Africa, both in tourism and the environment, than the one now past. It has seen South Africa become recognised as a global “champion of the earth” by the United Nations. We welcomed more international travellers than at any time in our history. Major new parks were proclaimed, three new World Heritage Sites inscribed and the Black Economic Empowerment Charter and scorecard for tourism was finalised.

These and so many other achievements have been the successes, not of government alone, but of every community, organisation and individual involved in tourism and the environment. They form a track record of trust and a firm foundation on which we will continue to build the age of hope.

We know that there are many communities for whom the environment has been anything but a source of hope. This is where the interests of people and the interests of our environment converge. We must ensure that the development so critically needed by our people is balanced by considerations of the long-term impact of development, not only on our environment, but also on the health of our communities. This is also why we promulgated the Environmental Impact Assessment regulations in April. I am pleased to announce that we have created a specially funded unit to build EIA capacity and to provide the necessary support to provincial authorities.

From EIA regulations to the regulations for threatened and protected species and norms and standards for hunting, we have seen much legislative and regulatory progress this year. I am pleased to announce today the first- ever South African National Standards for Ambient Air Quality that are specifically aimed at protecting people’s right to air that is not harmful to health and wellbeing. We are now defining the specific levels of air pollutants like benzene, sulphur dioxide and particulate matter that South Africa considers harmful to health.

Apart from giving teeth to our air quality legislation and effect to our constitutional protections, this will also help us to decide the types of development and technology that will be acceptable in specific areas. Developed in partnership with the South African Bureau of Standards, the standards will be published for public comment for 90 days in the Government Gazette on Friday. We will also be hosting the first annual National Air Quality Governance lekgotla in October, bringing together officials from all spheres of government to address air quality issues and to help us clean up the air in all communities. [Applause.]

Thank you. The department informed me that the detailed document will be on the website of the department later this morning.

A concern often raised by hon members and by the broader public when government has passed important legislation is how it will be enforced. I would like today to ask this House to recognise the presence, in the visitor’s gallery, of the men and women of our Environmental Management Inspectorate, the so-called EMIs, our “Green Scorpions” who appear today for the first time in their official enforcement uniforms and branding. [Applause.]

Are they here? There they are, to the right. Thank you, Melissa.

We have already appointed more than 630 EMIs within South African National Parks, but this is not enough. We know how vital it is to ensure compliance and enforcement, and how challenging. This is why we have trained another 175 EMIs who will be appointed by the provinces in the next three months. By the end of this financial year, at least 800 EMIs will form the sharp end of the spear that enforces compliance with our environmental laws.

On the marine and coastal management front, our national operation, Orca, which was initiated in August last year, has seen marine products to the value of almost R38 million seized, along with 35 vehicles, three vessels and a number of other assets. There have been 78 convictions, breakthroughs into four syndicate operations and the first-ever, long-term, direct imprisonment for seven years for possession and transport of perlemoen.

Our environmental protection fleet led by our flagship, the Sarah Baartman, is now fully operational. In 510 sea days last year, 714 vessels were inspected, 13 rescue operations undertaken, 25 arrests made and 50 fines issued. We plan to boost these operations to at least 700 sea days with at least one SADC patrol per quarter.

With the closure in July by the Department of Justice of the specialised courts, all environmental cases will now be heard within their own districts. From 1 August, a new dedicated unit will be established by our department and the Department of Justice to attend to all cases in the Western Cape – we will start here - with officials seconded from the department to join a unit prosecuting these cases in district courts, regional courts and the High Court. By the end of this financial year, more than 100 prosecutors will also have received specialised training in the prosecution of environmental crimes relating to marine, wildlife and pollution matters.

Jobs, growth and hope are the core business of every South African. Through our social responsibility projects and programmes, we have created more than 16 800 job opportunities, 254 permanent jobs and almost 103 000 training days last year alone. [Applause.] This year, we will be launching a social impact study to review the direct results of these programmes, and we aim to create a further 12 500 job opportunities, another 300 permanent jobs and more than 130 000 training days. [Applause.]

The conference bags hon members have received today are just one of the examples of the fruits of our social responsibility programmes. These bags are produced by a craft group of about 80 rural women called Thubaleth’ elihle, our good opportunity, in KwaZulu-Natal. The bags are woven from indigenous, water-loving sedge, known as Ikhwane, which is the most abundant plant in the 400-hectare Mbongolwane wetland. Production of crafts from Ikhwane growing in this area forms part of an ongoing, integrated initiative to assist the local community in sustainably using the wetland under increasing social and economic pressures.

There is little doubt as to why tourism has been identified as one of the immediate priority sectors within the Accelerated and Shared Growth Initiative for South Africa, the programme that the Deputy President leads, as it remains one of the most dynamic sectors in our economy. Lest we forget, in the two decades before 1990, we received less than one million annual foreign arrivals. Last year, we shattered every target we set for ourselves, welcoming no less than 7,3 million international visitors. [Applause.]

As part of the growth platform targeted by Asgisa, tourism has been set some very steep goals for the next five years: 500 000 new jobs; 8,5 million international arrivals annually - and we are looking at these targets because we believe we can do even better; and a contribution to the gross domestic product of at least R100 billion a year. Our challenge in reaching these goals will be to ensure that this growth translates into real benefits for the people trapped in poverty and in the second economy.

In addition to the work that we are currently doing, I have instructed the department to develop, within the next two months, a comprehensive programme of second-economy interventions. I am also pleased today to announce the creation of a new R20 million tourism equity fund by our department. This fund will provide access to much-needed support for small and medium-sized wheel and tour operators and it will provide tourism SMMEs with a real boost for further growth.

To further strengthen the growth in tourism, we will be strongly focused on seven key priorities: transport, safety and security, product and business development, market growth, information, BEE and skills. In order to address the skills gap specifically, we have allocated R7,5 million to a partnership between our department, the Tourism, Hospitality and Sport Education and Training Authority, Theta, which is our Seta, and the National Business Initiative and the Tourism Business Council of SA, to build a consensus skills plan, revise the existing curricula and streamline the process of accreditation and certification. In October we will host a national tourism skills conference to discuss the results of a skills audit currently under way.

Another focal point for our interventions to support the first economy, grow the second economy and build real hope has been the long-term fishing rights allocations. Members may not be aware that in total 8 028 applications were received for these long-term commercial rights, roughly double the number anticipated. With 1 516 successful applicants thus far awarded rights to catch about 600 000 tons of fish, the major hallmark of the process has been real empowerment.

Three examples are: 29% of the deep-sea hake trawl catch – and this is very capital-intensive, highly lucrative fishing - is now black-controlled; up from 14% in 2001. So we have achieved the target that we set for ourselves there, that is before we dealt with the appeals. With regard to pilchards, it is 66% now, up from 64% in 2001; and, with regard to West Coast rock lobster offshore this is up from 51% to 61%.

Ons het Sondag ’n aankondiging gemaak na die appèlle teen die vlakwaterkreef of die Weskuskreef. Ek weet hier is van ons vrouens van die Weskus wat kwotas gekry het - hulle noem hulself Kleinbegin – Mavis Bailey, Christa Kuilders en Lina van Wyk is ook hier. [Applous.] (Translation of Afrikaans paragraph follows.)

[On Sunday we made an announcement after the appeals regarding the West Coast Rock Lobster. I know there are some of our women from the West Coast who received quotas - they call themselves Kleinbegin – Mavis Bailey, Christa Kuilders and Lina van Wyk are also here. [Applause.]]

We have not forgotten our very poorest communities in the rights allocations either, specifically those coastal fishers who depend on the sea for their own food needs and the most basic of incomes. To regulate this activity and to ensure a fair share for these fishers, we will be publishing by August for comment and review, two new policies, one for subsistence fishing and one for small-scale commercial fishing. We would like to invite, and we urge, all interested parties especially NGOs and our provincial and local authorities to contribute to this process.

This year we will also be tabling the new Integrated Coastal Management Bill in Parliament, which will promote co-ordinated and integrated coastal management, one of the benefits of which will be ensuring access to the coast for coastal communities that are increasingly being restricted by development rights granted to companies and private individuals.

There are signs that our environmental concerns are fast becoming part of the daily lives of South Africans. A good example of an environmental battle that is being taken up by communities across South Africa is our effort to combat and adapt to the worst effects of climate change. The agricultural sector – and I see that the Deputy Minister is here - is already in the process of developing its plan; the Department of Science and Technology – I see their Deputy Minister is here - is crafting a national research and development strategy. Minerals and Energy has just released appliance energy efficiency labelling; and our own department is in the process of updating South Africa’s Greenhouse Gas Inventory in partnership with Business Unity SA.

This year will also see long-term planning for climate change, initiated to assist us in directing investments in major sectors such as energy, transport and even tourism. We will, for example, be engaging with the tourism sector through the Tourism Grading Council to develop standards for waste recycling, reducing energy consumption and introducing green technology.

Our aim is to ensure that the 2010 Soccer World Cup, for instance, leaves our country with a legacy of green tourism infrastructure and practices. In this regard I would like to issue a challenge to the industry, especially in the accommodation sector, that their contribution to the 2010 legacy is that all new accommodation establishments to be built be guided by the principle of energy efficiency. [Applause.] I will be interacting with the industry – that is the previous Minister of Minerals and Energy - in the next six months in order to decide on a mutually agreeable approach.

Perhaps the most visible embodiment of our environmental success and the points of greatest contact with our communities are our national parks and protected areas. I invite hon members to join us this year in celebrating a number of very important milestones, like the 80th anniversary of the Kruger National Park, the 75th anniversary of the Addo, Bontebok and Kalahari Gemsbok National Parks, and the 40th anniversary of Augrabies.

To honour these celebrations we will launch South Africa’s National Register of Protected Areas in terms of the Protected Areas Act by the end of November. We do not have a complete and accurate record of all protected areas in South Africa – it’s unbelievable but its true - and this register will meet that need as an interactive electronic database.

In 2002 we set a goal for South Africa to increase the land under formal protection from 5,3% to 8% by 2010. Over the next three years we have budgeted more than R175 million for further land purchases, and I will give details of another 230 000 hectares of newly acquired protected areas in the National Council of Provinces on Thursday.

The expansion of the conservation estate and the quest to have a representative park system are important, but what is equally important is how well we manage our parks. In 2004 Parliament promulgated the Protected Areas Act. This Act gives us the power to institute a performance- management system of our parks. We will be announcing in the financial year a new park performance-management system, which will guide our decision- making system and set the standards for the management of our national heritage.

I would also like to announce that to further improve the quality of the experience that visitors have in our national parks and to expand our ability to make conservation a driver of jobs and growth, we will be investing another R395 million in park infrastructure over the next three years.

This will concentrate on, amongst other projects, the upgrading of 520 existing accommodation units thereby creating and supplying 100 new accommodation units, upgrading and constructing 320 kilometres of tourist roads, developing five new camping sites, and improving or creating seven new park entrances. [Applause.] I think many people in the agricultural community will welcome the fact that new fences will be erected, or that some of the fences will be repaired.

In conclusion, I would like to take a moment to reflect on a few of the many positive changes that our department has undergone to ensure that we protect, build and expand South Africa’s age of hope. At the forefront of this change have been our Director-General Pamela Yako and her management team. They are in the benches right behind me.

Management and operational structures have been streamlined with, for instance, the creation of new capacity like the specialised unit to drive our international co-ordination and liaison, the new Directorate: Litigation and Law Reform that was much needed, and the new Chief Directorate: Integrated Coastal Management, as well as the bolstering of our research capacity in marine and coastal management.

They have also led the charge in terms of improving the representation of women in senior management positions, which by the end of March stood at 38% and for which we have set a target of 46% by the end of this financial year. [Applause.] Their leadership has set the pace for our departmental achievements for which they are highly commended.

I would also like to express my thanks to our Deputy Minister, Rejoice Mabudafhasi – she will participate in the debate a bit later - for her hard work and support this year; to the hon Langa Zita – here he is now in the waiting bench - he assumed the chairpersonship of our portfolio committee; to every member of our committee, which remains one of the most involved, committed and active in Parliament; and to our hard-working and greatly effective statutory bodies, which are also represented in the benches behind me.

It was Beyers Naudé who observed that hope is more fundamental than either pessimism or optimism. In South Africa it sustained the cause of our long- sought freedom and now empowers the cause of our burgeoning prosperity. As we continue together to intensify our efforts, redouble our commitment and exceed even our own expectations, we will ensure a better environment and better tourism to build the age of hope.

Ngiyabonga! Ndiyabulela! Ke a leboga! Enkosi! [Kwaqhwatywa.] [I thank you very much. [Applause.]]

Mr L ZITA: Comrade Minister, Deputy President, Deputy Minister and colleagues, Ari Sitas, the professor and working-class poet, on being invited to the opening of the KwaZulu-Natal Legislature last year, had this to say about transformation in delivery:

Knowing that politics and poetry do not mix, poets want tax exemptions for those in love, for those who love each other. Poets want quotas for the reduction of tears. Poets want public tears for each woman waking up in drudgery, in fear. Poets want dance to leap beyond despair; they want performance indicators that drive politicians to drink to rum, to beers.

I will admit that we have not yet been able to legislate tax exemptions for those in love, but we have nonetheless reached an age of hope with the people of our country.

The strategic goals of the Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism are to promote the conservation and sustainable use of our natural resources, tourism growth, to protect and improve the quality and safety of the environment, the pursuit of global sustainable development agenda as well as the socioeconomic transformation of our country.

The department has six core programmes. The administration conducts the overall management of the department and provides centralised support services. Due to the creation of a branch under the international co- operation and resources subprogramme, expenditure is expected to increase from R184,8 million in 2005-06 to R213,8 million in 2008-09 over the MTEF - an average annual increase of 5%. The International Cooperation and Resources branch was created to engage internationally on an environmental sustainable development, marine and biodiversity agreements and to co- ordinate the national implementation of these agreements.

Environmental Quality and Protection aims to protect the constitutional right of all South Africans to an environment that is not harmful to health and well-being. Spending is expected to increase from R102, 2 million in 2002-03 to R194, 9 million in 2008-09 at a rate of 7% - as a result of the current focus on implementing and enforcing pollution in waste management legislation.

Also contributing to the growth is the fact that the National Environment Management: Air Quality Act became effective in 2005. The Act enforces air quality standards and procedures as well as the enhancement of environmental compliance and enforcement capacity. Through the memorandum of understanding signed with the representatives of the glass industry and various pilot waste management projects in selected provinces, attempts have been made to minimise waste. The Environmental Impact Assessment was set up, revised EIA regulations were drafted, a computerised authorisation system is in place and various guidelines and information booklets have also been developed.

We however would like to call upon the department to accelerate its work with regard to the capacitating of other spheres of government to deal with EIAs speedily and effectively.

Expenditure on Marine and Coastal Management increased from R261, 3 million in 2002-03 to R354, 4 million in 2004-05 and then declined to R272 million in 2005-06. The total cost of the four new patrol vessels is R473 million, down from the projected cost of R501 million. Expenditure further decreases to R260, 7 million in 2006-07 due to the termination of the allocation for land, buildings and structures for the Marion Island base building project between 2003-04 and 2005-06 under the Antarctic and Island Research programme.

As the ANC, we are pleased with the fact that for the first time, ten-year, long-term fishing rights were allocated in the large pelagic fishery. The 15-year, long-term commercial rights have been expanded to 19 existing fisheries. All four fisheries patrol vessels, that is the Lillian Ngoyi, Ruth First, Sarah Baartman and Victoria Mxenge, have now been delivered.

Two new marine protected areas, Stilbaai and East London, will be declared in an effort to meet the target of 20% of South Africa’s marine areas being protected areas.

A national oil contingency plan has been finalised in order to enable the department to respond to all spill disasters at sea. Last week I addressed a group of fishermen from around Jeffery’s Bay. Some of these workers earn less than a thousand rand a month and they have no medical or pension fund. They also complain about fronting in the industry.

This situation is unacceptable and needs urgent attention. As the ANC, we look forward to engaging with the National Environment Management: Air Quality Act and Coastal Zone Management Bill, which we think should also address the issue of access to and enjoyment of the sea and beaches by black people and the working class communities. [Applause.]

The tourism budget has increased steadily over the seven-year period, rising from R237,7 million in 2002-03 to R696,1 million in 2008-09 at an annual average growth rate of 19,6%. Transfers take up the majority of this programme’s allocation to tourism agencies, particularly South African Tourism, which gets 86,6% of this total expenditure.

The tourism development subgroup increases significantly from R4,7 million in 2002-03 to R93,3 million in 2008-09 at a rate of 64,6%. The growth is due to the increased allocation for the Tourism Enterprise Programme, ,TEP, tourism SMME development and the Tourism Satellite Account. International tourism marketing grows by R8 million in 2006-07, by R45 million in 2007-08 and by R83 million in 2008-09. As part of the broader transformation agenda of the tourism industry, the department has finalised and launched the tourism BEE charter and also appointed the BEE Charter Council. The TEP enabled the creation of 6 577 tourism jobs in 2005 while the sector as a whole increased the number of jobs to 539 017 in 2005.

The department successfully implemented the Sho’t Left domestic marketing campaign, generating over R40 million from a R20 million investment. The campaign promoted affordability, thus increasing the number of South Africans accessing tourism products and services.

Despite these breakthroughs, a lot needs to be done to share the wealth of tourism amongst all the people of the country. We need to ensure, in the spirit of affirmative procurement, that government employees utilise bread and breakfast hospitality in our townships as well as BEE-rated hotels for the hospitality needs.

Spending on the Biodiversity and Conservation Programme has increased rapidly over the seven-year period, rising from R183,7 million in 2002-03 to R637,4 million in 2008-09 at an annual increase of 23%. The increases are mainly due to transfer payments to the three public entities: the Greater St Lucia Wetland Park Authority, South African National Parks, SANP, and the South African National Biodiversity Institute - SANBI. In all, transfer payments average 86,9% of the total expenditure and this covers the infrastructure in SanParks and research and development in SANBI.

As the ANC, we are heartened by the fact that during 2005, the National Environmental Management: Protected Areas Amendment Act of 2004 came into effect and regulations for the proper administration of protected areas and world heritage sites were drawn-up. We also welcome the steps taken to give effect to the implementation of the National Environmental Management: Biodiversity Act of 2004 – the lists of threatened and alien species and their regulations. These have been developed and published for public comment.

In the same vein, we welcome the establishment of a biosafety directorate – a critical element of the National Environmental Management: Biodiversity Act of 2004 which strengthens the department’s ability to respond to the impact of genetically modified organisms on the environment.

We welcome the adoption of the strategy that positions transfrontier conservation areas in nine South African Development Community countries as a premier national tourism destination as well as the proclamation since April 2005 of 79 009 ha of land into the national parks system. This includes the new Camdeboo National Park at Graaff Reinet and the development of a memorandum of agreement between the department and the Department of Land Affairs to provide a framework for the restitution of land claims in protected areas.

Social Responsibility and Projects is part of the Expanded Public Works Programme, which provides for projects that are targeted at infrastructure development, job creation and community training within the contexts of tourism and environment.

Spending has increased steadily over the seven-year period, rising from R241 million in 2002-03 to R569, 5 million in 2008-09 at an annual average increase of 15,4%. Of this, 91,8% has gone to the Expanded Public Works Programme and the Working for Wetlands project.

During 2005, 7 665 job opportunities were created, of which 149 are permanent jobs, while 58 722 days were spent on training. Thirty-five per cent of the programme’s budget was spent on SMMEs and BEEs in the implementation of projects. The challenge remains to ensure that these projects can be sustainable beyond the government-funded phase. Indeed, we are not far from the clarion call of Ari Sitas in which it will no longer be possible for us to have, “the birds whose wings are singed by oil on fire, the peasants whose bread and yam is soaked in gas, the land that flares from burnt-up tyre.” Indeed, “the cindered land of greed will be appeased as the gods that stir life’s wisened, snared-up, old desire shall intervene through our hands to redraft the landscape green there will be a better day wherein politicians want tax exemptions for those in love.” This budget takes us in that direction. The ANC supports it. [Applause.]

Mr M SWART: Chair, hon Deputy President, the new buzzword in Parliament is Asgisa. The DA supports the objectives of Asgisa, and it would in fact be wonderful to achieve them. However, the saying, “Talk is cheap but it takes money to buy whiskey,” remains pertinent. The question is: Will the objectives be met, or do we just have another talk show?

Asgisa, inter alia, proposes that the contribution by tourism to GDP be increased from 8% to 12%. In this way, and if this objective is achieved, an additional 400 000 jobs can be created in the economy. It would therefore indeed be a wonderful achievement.

In the programme itself, however, three factors are highlighted which would hamper the achievement of the Asgisa goals. They are skills development, air access and safety. The Minister referred to skills development, but it is particularly in the case of the first two factors - air access and safety - that there seems to be a lack of action.

In Travel News Weekly of 24 May 2006 – that’s last week - the problems experienced by an airline wanting air access to South Africa are highlighted, and I quote from the article:

Travel 5-Live wants to launch charter flights from Manchester and Gatwick to Cape Town from November to April 2007, but after more than a year of negotiations still hasn’t secured landing rights from SA transport authorities. These initial flights are part of a planned three-year programme that could see as many as 50 000 British tourists travel to South Africa annually.

“It is peculiar that it is taking such a long time for something relatively simple,” says managing director Brian Murfin. “I find it peculiar, in the difficult global holiday market and with a massive variety of choices on offer, that tour operators have to struggle against the seeming intransigence of the South African Department of Transport, who don’t seem troubled about tourism,” he says.

The red tape and protectionist policies practised by SAA, to keep low-cost competitors out are, therefore, totally unacceptable. This is certainly not the way to ensure air access. In a similar application in Egypt recently, it took the airline exactly three days to obtain an operator’s licence to fly to Egypt. I would therefore be pleased if the Minister could indicate what steps he proposes to take to resolve the issue, so that air access to South Africa is made easier and simpler. In his annual report he said he tried, but he failed.

At this time I would be pleased if the Minister could indicate what steps he proposes to take, in conjunction with his colleague from the Department of Safety and Security, to resolve the high incidence of attacks on tourists in South Africa. These attacks attract considerable attention in the overseas media and have a negative effect on the growth of the industry.

If, for example, the more than 100 attacks on tourists that occurred just in the Table Mountain Park is considered, the necessity to safeguard the lives and properties of tourists becomes paramount. Unfortunately, I don’t think you will get much assistance from the Minister of Safety and Security, as he said that we should stop complaining about crime and rather leave the country. This is, of course, exactly what the tourists will do.

Die agb Minister het ’n groot verantwoordelikheid om die Asgisa-doelwitte ten opsigte van toerisme te bereik, en dit is dan veral die veiligheid van toeriste en die oopstelling van ons lugweë wat die Minister se dringende aandag vereis. Terselfdertyd bring dit my by ’n ander verantwoordelikheid van die agb Minister, naamlik visserye. Hier is daar groot probleme, agb Minister. Die toepassing van die beleid van langtermynvisvangregte het en sal veroorsaak dat derduisende mense hul enigste heenkome verloor. Wat sê u vennoot in die ANC-Cosatu alliansie hieroor? En ek haal aan: (Translation of Afrikaans paragraphs follows.)

[The hon Minister has a great responsibility to achieve the Asgisa objectives in respect of tourism, and so the safety of tourists and the opening of the airways in particular require the Minister’s urgent attention. At the same time this leads me to another of the Minister’s responsibilities, namely fisheries. Here, hon Minister, there are major problems.

The implementation of the long-term fishing rights policy has had and will have the effect of thousands of people losing their only means of livelihood. What did your partner in the ANC-Cosatu alliance have to say about this? And I quote:]

Cosatu wants to see the fishing rights returned to the true people of the sea as these communities have an inbred sense of conservation and the sea is their world and the focus of their dreams and aspirations. If these people are simply left to perish, our country will have lost a treasure that cannot be replaced.

Net om die doelstellings van regstellende aksie te bereik, het persone wat nog nooit in die bedryf was nie, nou regte bekom, terwyl baie ander wat nog altyd op ’n eerbare wyse uit die see geleef het, hulle nou tot onwettige bedrywighede sal moet wend, ten einde ’n bestaan te kan maak. Dit is dus geen wonder nie dat nagenoeg 5 000 vissers hulle tot die gelykheidshof moes wend om hul regte te verdedig. U departement se reaksie op hierdie stap het ongelukkig veel te wense oorgelaat toe u besluit het om, teenstrydig met die aanbeveling van die regter van die Gelykheidshof en sonder toestemming van die Appèlhof, die aangeleentheid verder te voer.

Heel tereg was die uitspraak van die Appèlhof dat u nie vissers wat visvang om hul gesinne aan die lewe te hou hul dag in die hof kan ontneem nie. Die uiteindelike uitspraak van die Gelykheidshof of die Hooggeregshof word met belangstelling afgewag, maar is, en bly die vraag: hoeveel het hierdie stap van u departement die belastingbetaler uit die sak gejaag en wie gaan vir die koste aanspreeklik gehou word? Vrae in hierdie verband is reeds aan u kantoor gerig.

Een van die doelwitte van die visvangbeleid was ook om die vroue te bemagtig, sodat hulle hierdie bedryf kan betree. Ook hier het die toepassing van u beleid veel te wense oorgelaat. Ek dra kennis van drie vroue wat elk meer as 10 jaar in die bedryf doenig is, wat nou hul visvangregte verloor het, omdat hul mans, en nie hulself nie, op die bote is. Dit is ’n nuwe vereiste. Hulle het ’n bemanning van meer as 30 persone wat ook nou werkloos is.

Minder as twee jaar gelede het u departement aan hierdie drie vroue die reg verleen om nuwe bote te koop teen R500 000 stuk, wat hulle dan ook gedoen het en wat hulle nou moet betaal sonder enige inkomste uit die see. Toe die departement aan hulle toestemming verleen het om die bote te bou, is daar geen vereiste gestel dat daar byvoorbeeld ’n toilet vir dames aan boord moet wees nie. En is daar nou nog nie so ’n vereiste nie. Verwag die departement dat dames sonder so ’n fasiliteit vir ’n dag lank see toe moet gaan of dat hulle so ’n fasiliteit op die boot moet aanbring, sonder sekerheid oor die toestaan van ’n permit?

As mense hul regte om vis te vang ontneem word, is dit tog sekerlik die plig van die departement om ’n ander heenkome vir die vissers te bewerkstellig. In hierdie verband moes die departement lank gelede reeds met grootskaalse akwakultuurprojekte begin het, waar alternatiewe werkgeleenthede beskikbaar gemaak kon word. Sodoende sou daar ’n ander heenkome wees vir mense wat hul visvangregte verloor het.

Die volgende ernstige probleem is die grootskaalse stropery van ons maritieme bronne. Nog meer kommerwekkend is die bewerings dat bemanningslede aan boord die Sarah Baartman vir perlemoenstropers inlig oor anti-stroperyvaartuie. Suksesvolle anti-stropery-organisasies soos die Marines van Hermanus is ontbind, sonder dat ’n behoorlike plaasvervangende organisasie ingestel is. Die instandhouding van die hof wat spesiaal ingestel is om die stroperysake te hanteer, is van die uiterste belang en die aankondiging van die Minister in hierdie verband word verwelkom. Stropery word oral ooglopend toegelaat en neem veral ernstige afmetings in die Oos-Kaap aan. Die stappe wat die Minister beoog om die probleem hok te slaan, moet verwelkom word, maar dis die dringende instelling van die maatreëls wat nodig is.

As die algemene toepassing van die nuwe visvangbeleid in oënskou geneem word, is daar baie ooglopende probleme en verbaas dit ons dus nie dat hofsake en optogte die gevolg van u beleid is nie. Ek dank u. [Applous.] (Translation of Afrikaans paragraphs follows.)

[For the sole purpose of meeting affirmative action targets, permits have now been given to people who have never been in the industry, while many of those who have always made an honest living from the sea now have to turn to illegal activities to make ends meet. It is therefore no wonder that approximately 5 000 fishermen were compelled to turn to the Equality Court in order to defend their rights. Your department’s reaction to this move unfortunately left much to be desired, since, contrary to the Judge’s recommendation in the Equality Court and without the permission of the Appeal Court, you decided to take the matter further.

Quite rightly the Appeal Court ruled that you cannot deny fishermen, who practise their craft in order to feed their families, their day in court. The final verdict of the Equality Court or the High Court is awaited with great interest, but the question remains: How much money did this action on the part of your department cost the taxpayer, and who will be held liable for the costs? Questions in this regard have already been addressed to your office.

The fishing policy had the further objective of empowering women, so that they could enter this industry. Here, too, the implementation of your policy has left much to be desired. I am aware of three women, each of whom has been active in the industry for more than 10 years, who have now lost their fishing permits because it is in fact their husbands, and not the women themselves, who are on the boats. This is a new requirement. They have a crew of more than 30 people, who are now also unemployed.

Less than two years ago your department granted these women the right to buy new boats at R500 000 each, which they did, and which they now have to pay without any income from the sea. When the department granted them the permission to build the boats, no requirement was imposed that there should, for instance, be a ladies’ toilet on board. And even now there is no such requirement. Does the department expect that the ladies will spend a day at sea without such a facility, or that they will have to install such a facility on the boat without any assurance as to the granting of a licence?

If people are denied their right to fish, surely it is the department’s responsibility to provide them with alternative sustenance. In this regard the department should have initiated large-scale aquaculture projects a long time ago, where alternative employment could have been generated. In this way there could have been alternative sustenance for people who have been deprived of their fishing rights.

A further serious problem is the large-scale poaching of our maritime resources. Even more alarming are allegations that crew members on board the Sarah Baartman are warning abalone poachers of antipoaching vessels. Successful antipoaching organisations such as the Marines of Hermanus have been disbanded, without a proper alternative organisation having been put in place. The maintenance of the specially established court for handling poaching matters is of the utmost importance, and the Minister’s announcement in this regard is welcome. Poaching is openly tolerated everywhere, and in the Eastern Cape in particular it has taken on serious proportions. The steps the Minister is contemplating to curb this problem must be welcomed, but what is needed is the urgent implementation of the necessary measures.

If one looks at the general implementation of the new fishing policy there are many obvious problems, and it is therefore not surprising that your policy has resulted in court cases and protest marches. I thank you. [Applause.]] Mrs J CHALMERS: Chairperson, hon Deputy President, hon Minister, hon Deputy Minister, members of this House, I have taken part in the budget debates of this committee on a number of occasions, and I have always found the research involved in preparing my speech edifying and exciting, whether it be on biodiversity, marine issues, climate change or one of the many other relevant issues. This time, however, my Chairperson gave me the task of speaking on the administration of the department. Administration! I thought: How boring! I complained to my Chair. His response was: “Just do it, it’s very important.”

And, of course, it is critically important, for without effective and efficient administrative management and systems the best, most carefully drafted legislation and the most visionary and innovative policies will become bogged down, unable to translate those laws and policies, so necessary for the management of our country’s environment, into concrete reality.

Indeed, on close reinspection, I found myself quite awed by the diversity and magnitude of the challenges and responsibilities Programme One indeed has to manage.

I have no doubt, as our government tries by all means to transform our country into a state where we have achieved a better life for all our people, that fundamental to that better life is an environment where good air quality and an efficient waste system are the norm; where our marvellous coastline and the richness of the sea are well cared for and where our unique biodiversity is preserved for future generations.

The great challenge, of course, is how to manage these fantastic natural resources sustainably, whilst at the same time using them to reduce poverty, create jobs and, in fact, to attain the objectives set out so cogently in Asgisa.

Programme One of this department has two objectives, and I quote:

To provide for the strategic leadership of the department, as well as a variety of essential support services, such as environmental information, financial and administrative support and human resource management.

In fact it is the glue that keeps all six programmes of the department, diverse as they are, together.

It also determines working methods and procedures, as well as providing costs for the head office. Environmental reporting into global networks has become increasingly important and South Africa is now amongst the 10 leading countries in the world in terms of reporting on the state of the environment.

Global warming is a critical issue worldwide as the poles and other climatic indicators show unmistakable signs of change and meltdown. And it is vitally important that up-to-date information is available to keep track of these and other relevant factors.

South Africa’s state of the environment report is constantly being updated, including facts on the links between environment and poverty. Exciting too is a new document, the Youth State of Environment Outlook, which is being prepared as part of the UN environmental programmes focused on children, youth, sport and environment.

The department also has to interact with the various provinces, other departments and other stakeholders in order to ensure that co-operative governance and administrative justice are maintained. That challenge was recognised and dealt with when the National Environmental Management Act was drafted and passed way back in 1998, but the proposed mechanism to manage it has taken an awfully long time to become a reality. Now, however, the National Environmental Advisory Forum is in place in its role as an advisory body to the Minister with representation from labour, community- based organisations, NGOs and business, as well as the Committee for Environmental Co-ordination.

This last structure facilitates discussion on environmental issues between various spheres of government. Convened quarterly, it provides a useful platform for engagement on issues that have a crosscutting impact, including the climate change response strategy and the national strategy for sustainable development.

Arguably the greatest challenge facing South Africa right now is the problem of unemployment in our society. Wherever one goes the cry is the same: “We need jobs.” But skills are also in great demand and creative ways have to be found to cross the divide between skills required and the lack thereof.

The Department of Environmental Affairs is rising to meet this challenge in a serious and committed way, with its internship programme. This programme employs graduates for a year whilst paying them a stipend, thus offering them and jobless, qualified individuals an opportunity to gain work experience and exposure.

A total of 65 interns and 70 bursars are currently enrolled in critical and valuable skills areas, as well as 60 learners in environmental education and training and development practice.

They are given life skills as well as computer training, presentation and facilitation skills, and instruction in business writing, project management and Batho Pele at a time when, whatever a graduate’s qualifications are, if he or she does not have experience, his or her chances of getting a post are fairly slim. This is the reason this sort of on-the-job experience can make all the difference to a young person’s career path.

And whilst I’m talking about skills and careers, I have a concern that I would like to voice here. South Africa is held in high regard internationally for the quality of work our scientists are involved in - research that is adding to our own and global knowledge on a whole range of environmental issues.

Much of what they are doing is original, groundbreaking and exciting studies underpinned by decades of experience in the field. Recently, however, I attended a national biodiversity conference where anxiety was voiced across the board about the fact that our scientists working in the various fields are getting older, and there’s a noticeable lack of younger scientists coming up to continue with their vital work.

This is a situation that needs to be noted and proactively addressed, even to the extent of seeking out promising students at school and enabling them to have the option of a career in one of the environmental sciences.

Programme One of the department provides for the strategic leadership of the Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism, DEAT, and this extends to the sphere of international relations as well. To facilitate this requirement, it has a special unit whose job is, amongst other things, to translate the various multilateral international agreements into national action and public awareness at all levels of government. This is no easy task, and it does a great job.

I know from having attended some of these conferences how South Africa’s input is regarded with great respect, and I hope that we’ll continue to attend to that and also to some of the vital interim meetings where often the really important decisions are taken. This is where our influence can really make a difference to the direction being followed at a global level and where the environment is coming under increasing pressure, with a growing population demanding more food, more energy, more household products, fresh water, places to live, cars and roads.

Yet another challenge being dealt with by the department is meeting transformation targets, and here too DEAT is making steady progress, as the Minister has mentioned, in achieving equity, including a 46% target in SMS and 2% of the disabled. However, I think that last year’s figures could be improved on.

To support the Black Empowerment Act, DEAT has collected a database of BEE companies and SMMEs and is using its purchasing power to boost these companies by procuring 50% of all goods and services needed by the department from this database. Finally, I would like to pay a brief tribute to our hard-working Minister and Deputy Minister, who are constantly on the move and are showing by their commitment, matched by an equally committed department, that South Africa is totally dedicated to playing a forceful and meaningful role in what is probably the most serious challenge facing this earth of ours, that of managing it sustainably for future generations. Thank you. [Applause.]

Ms C N Z ZIKALALA: Chairperson, hon Minister, Deputy Minister and honourable members, the overall aim of the Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism is to lead the sustainable development of our country’s environment and tourism industry. This is indeed a laudable goal and we support the department’s various efforts to reach its objectives. The IFP will support the increase of 13% in the department’s 2006-07 budget. We welcome the increased allocation to international tourism marketing, the tourism enterprise programme, the SA National Parks infrastructure and combating coastal erosion. However, we have to raise certain concerns about the environment and tourism in general.

The first concern relates to air quality ad air pollution. We welcome the fact that the 2004 Air Quality Act became effective last year to create a coherent air quality management system. However we have to recognise that the successful implementation of this system will depend on constant monitoring and enforcement of compliance with air quality standards. It is therefore disappointing that only 700 environmental management inspectors will be deployed to enforce the law. This should be viewed against the background of communities in Durban South, Secunda and Zamdela who complain about air pollution from local industry and its adverse effects on their health.

The second concern deals with fishing rights. We accept that the department has to find the correct balance between protecting marine resources and providing the ability to alleviate poverty and create jobs for fishing communities. This is not an easy task. While some improvements have been made to the rights application process and its cost, we feel that too many traditional coastal fishing communities can no longer provide for their families and their communities because they have been deprived of the right to fish for a living.

We applaud the department’s efforts at empowerment in the fishing industry, but this should never be done at the expense of communities that depend on fishing for a living. To grant these communities fishing rights would not be inconsistent with empowerment objectives and in fact would empower those communities to help themselves.

Finally, I would like to deal with tourism. We accept that foreign tourism brings huge amounts of money into the country and creates much-needed jobs. However, as much as foreigners are welcomed to visit our beautiful country, we should also look inwards to the promotion of domestic tourism. Currently accommodation and other prices are set in dollar terms for foreign tourists, but this means that for many South Africans, a holiday in their own country is too expensive. It might even be more affordable to visit a neighbouring country.

Chairperson, it is therefore vital that the industry’s prices take into account that not all tourists are foreigners and that domestic tourism can be vital to the long-term sustainability of the tourism sector. The IFP supports the budget. I thank you.

The DEPUTY MINISTER OF ENVIRONMENTAL AFFAIRS AND TOURISM: Deputy Chair, Deputy President, Ministers, Deputy Ministers, hon members and our distinguished guests, it is with pleasure that I address you on this Budget Vote, which in essence depicts the achievements of this department over the past financial year.

I will, of course, not only reflect on our achievements, but also on some of the challenges that we have faced and continue to face. Additionally, I’ll also reflect on the programme for this year, and how we intend to achieve some of the deliverables as defined in the departmental business plan.

It was indeed a challenging year, which saw us deal with women leadership and empowerment, land degradation, wetlands, invasive aliens plant species, the fight against poverty, democratisation and transformation of protected areas, providing an effective and efficient weather service and establishing partnerships and capacity for better waste management in this country.

As we will be celebrating, in August this year, the 50th anniversary of the women’s protest march, which took place in 1956, I am reminded of Chief Albert Luthuli’s words when he paid tribute to women and declared that, and I quote:

When the women begin to take an active part in the struggle, as they are doing now, no power on earth can stop us from achieving freedom in our lifetime.

As a department we have to protect women and children from harsh environmental conditions. These conditions range from exposure to toxic chemicals, breathing polluted air to drinking unsafe water.

As part of celebrating the 50th anniversary of the women’s march, our department will be holding the second women and the environment conference. Drawing from the strength of the commemoration of the 30th anniversary of 16 June, a side event for the youth will also be held on the margins of this conference. By the way, mothers never forget their children.

At international level, we have responded to gender equality and equity challenges by establishing a network for women Ministers of environment, which is co-chaired by South Africa and Sweden. This network will focus on implementing the United Nations Environment Programme’s decision on gender equality in the areas of climate change, desertification, waste management and sustainable development.

The United Nations General Assembly declared 2006 as the International Year of the Deserts and Desertification, with the theme: “Desertification a threat to humanity.”

To signify our commitment, we have already launched our campaign for the celebration of 2006 as the International Year of the Deserts and Desertification. We launched this campaign by unveiling a soil conservation project to the tune of R5 million on 16 March in the Madibeng area, within the Sekhukhune District Municipality in Limpopo.

There are several provincial initiatives that are being rolled out in celebration of 2006 as the International Year of the Deserts and Desertification. By the way, we know that our provinces, especially those that are very rural, depend on agriculture. Land degradation is a big enemy for them as it threatens food security.

Through Working for Wetlands, our department will continue to invest funds in the rehabilitation of degraded ecosystems. We’ll continue to partner the Department of Water Affairs and Forestry in their Working for Water project, which has been very successful in clearing invasive species.

As part of the Nepad environment initiative South Africa co-ordinates the invasive alien species programme. Of the 14 projects identified, the following three are being prioritised: Preventing waterweeds from choking Africa’s water bodies; preventing invasive alien species from ruining Africa’s productive land and preventing invasive alien species from entering Africa.

As an important step towards ensuring that communities living adjacent to protected areas assume ownership of and take an active part in decision- making processes and the management activities of protected areas, we established a People and Parks Forum, which met for the first time in the year 2004. An important outcome of this meeting was the development of a comprehensive and ambitious action plan to address issues such as access and benefit sharing, co-management and establishment of partnerships.

Later this year we’ll be holding a second meeting of the People and Parks Forum. We felt it’s very unfair that people have been living on the land and yet they don’t take any decisions regarding the parks, and they don’t own them. They should know that these are their own parks.

On that note, not many people have access to parks as they cannot afford the entry fees. As a department we created and launched what we call the “Wild Card”. Once you’ve got your Wild Card, for which you pay only R200, you can get access to all the parks, anywhere in South Africa, for the rest of the year. [Applause.]

Some of the ramifications of climate change include the adverse weather conditions that threaten the lives of people and their belongings. Last year the SA Weather Service issued over 150 adverse weather warnings through its website and the most prominent media.

To increase its nowcasting capabilities the SA Weather Service is going to spend in excess of R6 million to expand its weather radar network this year. We are already sharing weather radar data with Mozambique, with a long-term goal of establishing a regional weather radar network involving all our neighbours in SADC.

One weather phenomenon that causes major damage and loss of life in South Africa is lightning. In the past financial year the SA Weather Service installed a state-of-the-art lightning detection network that covers Lesotho and Swaziland entirely, extending to some parts of Namibia, Zimbabwe, Botswana and Mozambique, closer to our borders. However, as a scientific organisation the SA Weather Service has a daunting challenge of competing with several other scientific organisations for scarce-skilled scientific personnel. To attract and keep skilled scientific cadres the SA Weather Service is finalising its reward and remuneration strategy. In line with Jipsa, the Joint Initiative for Priority Skills Acquisition, this strategy will also include increased investment in skills development programmes in order to produce more meteorologists and atmospheric science graduates.

The challenges of limited financial resources to meet the needs of a developing country through Asgisa, the Accelerated and Shared Growth Initiative for South Africa, against the backdrop of government’s commitment to the people’s contract, have pressured the SA Weather Service into walking a very tight rope between the public good and revenue generation.

Over the past few years the SA Weather Service has embarked on a focused commercialisation of some of its products and services. Its commercial revenue now contributes more than 30% of the total revenue and it plans on improving this situation.

As part of the implementation of the waste minimisation strategy, our department is in the process of forging strategic partnerships with industries involved in various waste streams. These partnerships are aimed at encouraging voluntary compliance by the industry, thus creating an enabling environment for the promulgation of the Waste Management Bill in the near future.

We signed a memorandum of understanding with the glass industry last year, in addition to the one we signed with the plastic bag industry. We aim to sign another one with the tyre industry in the near future.

At the Reduce, Reuse and Recycle ministerial conference in Japan last year we made a commitment globally to manage waste in a holistic fashion. South Africa is one of the seven countries that have signed a grant agreement on the African stockpile programme with the World Bank. We have called upon everyone involved to declare obsolete pesticide stocks in their possession so that these could be disposed of, using funding from the World Bank.

We notice that some farmers are still afraid to come forward, or maybe they didn’t get the message. Please pass on the message. They won’t be arrested. We know that there are some pesticides that have expired out there. Farmers should come forward and contact their provincial offices. We are going to use this money to assist them.

South Africa is also a developing country that has already initiated the process of developing guidelines for the implementation of the Globally Harmonised System of Classification and Labelling of Chemicals. In July 2004 we launched the West Indian Ocean land-based activities in Madagascar. We took a robust approach in raising awareness and educating the coastal communities on the importance of protecting marine environment from pollution caused by land-based activities.

We’ve established task teams to deal with municipal water, physical alteration and destruction of habitat. We are also starting to assess the impact of litter from rivers on our oceans.

South Africa hosted the Global General Assembly for the Foundation for Environmental Education, which is responsible for the Blue Flag and eco- schools programme. The Blue Flag programme ensures that our beaches and oceans are clean and safe for tourists and for our communities, while generating employment and skills development opportunities for the local people.

Allow me to conclude by thanking our Minister for his leadership, the portfolio committee for the support and the oversight role that it plays, sometimes under very difficult conditions.

I also wish to thank the director-general and her officials for their tireless efforts to find better and innovative solutions to ensure a healthier and safer environment for all.

A wise woman, Ruth Lilongula of the Solomon Islands, once said that - … biodiversity is invaluable. We value our surroundings as our identity, as who we are, and our inheritance that is given to us. Our environment is many things, a classroom, a pharmacy and a supermarket.

Ndi a livhuwa. [I thank you.] [Applause.]

Mr S N SWART: Deputy Chairperson, hon Minister, the National Environmental Management Act requires an environmental impact assessment to be carried out before certain developments may be built. There can be no doubt that there has been poor oversight by persons performing these assessments, and this has been an area of concern to environmentalists.

The ACDP consequently welcomes the new EIA regulations, which are due to take effect from 1 July. We trust that these new regulations, which are streamlined to prevent unnecessary costs and delays, will also result in a consistent application of statutory provisions relating to assessments. These new regulations oblige the department to finalise decisions within 45 to 105 days. Questions have, however, arisen as to the department’s capacity to cope with these shorter timeframes.

We must also ensure that politicians do not unlawfully interfere in the process, for example, by personally approving a property development application that should be left to officials to decide on, whether for personal gain, which obviously would be illegal; or to gain support for a political party, which would similarly be both undesirable and unlawful.

As far as fishing quotas are concerned, the ACDP welcomes the admission that possible errors of judgement and policy have been made by the department, which has caused damage to the fishing industry. We agree that as far as possible, fishing rights should be returned to the true people of the sea; those communities who have a natural sense of conservation of the very resources they depend on for survival.

Poaching remains a significant problem, and thank you for alluding to that. We are particularly concerned at allegations that law enforcement officials, including officials from marine services and marine protection vessels, are allegedly tipping off poachers.

As far as tourism is concerned, we welcome the increase in the contribution for international tourism marketing, which will increase from R150 million to R298 million in the 2008-09 year. In conclusion, the ACDP wishes to commend and thank all dedicated members of this department. The ACDP will support this Budget Vote. I thank you. [Applause.]

Mrs R A NDZANGA: Thank you, Chairperson. Whenever our members from the opposite side speak … … bathetha ngathi ngabaseNgilane, asingabo bantu balapha. Bagxeka yonke into eyenziwa ngulo rhulumente endaweni yokuba bamxhase. Kambe bafanele ngobabamkelwa kuwo onke la mazwe. Bangaya eNgilane, eBritane, eAustralia naphi na. Thina bantu abanje, ikhaya lethu linye, yiAfrika ukusukela eKapa ukuya kutsho eCairo. [Kwaqhwatywa.] Yiyo loo nto kufuneka simxhasile urhulumente wethu. (Translation of isiXhosa paragraph follows.)

[… they speak like British citizens, but we are not people from there. They criticise everything that’s being done by this government instead of supporting it. However, they are justified in their behaviour and thinking because they are welcomed in all these countries, be it England, Britain or Australia. To people like me, there is only one home and that is Africa, from Cape to Cairo. [Applause.] That is why we need to support our government.]

Over the past decade, South Africa has enacted some of the world’s most progressive environmental legislation. The aim of the legislation has been to safeguard the country’s biodiversity based on the principles of equity, accountability, participation, the right to clean and healthy environment, and the right to have their environment protected.

In addition to a comprehensive body of legislation, South Africa has implemented a number of policies designed to ensure more equitable access to natural resources, and the entrenchment of the principles of environmental sustainability. Protected areas coverage has tripled over the past years, and has provided society with immeasurable benefits such as clean water, fish stocks, flood protection and reduction of poverty through supporting sustainable livelihoods.

Increasingly, protected areas are encouraged to join process for sustainable international friendship, peace and security, through rapidly growing transfrontier conservation area initiatives across the world.

As the ANC our message is to emphasise the urgent need to fill existing gaps in the global protected areas system. There is also the need to ensure participation and equitable sharing of the benefits of protected areas, particularly with indigenous people and the local communities, and the need to create the necessary enabling conditions, including appropriate institutions and human capacity, policy, and legal framework and support.

We should also recognise that protected areas provide a number of valuable ecosystem services in addition to protecting threatened species, and play an important role in relation to mitigation and adaptation to climate change.

Over recent decades the indigenous forests of South Africa have become much reduced in area and highly fragmented, resulting in the gradual loss of biodiversity from the region. However, the ecological effects of area loss, fragmentation and environmental disturbances on forest communities remain poorly understood.

The conservation of fresh water and fresh water resources will be among the most pressing environmental issues facing us during the 21st century. Given this scenario, it is not surprising that there is a tremendous need for fresh water biologists to work with people and address these problems. A multidisciplinary approach is truly required as the major threat to the survival of fresh water is overfishing. But more often, this stems from inappropriate land use practices, including deforestation, industry and human pollution.

These activities that ultimately affect major rivers and lakes could arise many hundreds of kilometres from the point where they kill the fish or cause major deterioration of water quality. Clearly, the challenges to conserve the world’s fresh water biodiversity are of enormous urgency, requiring the intellectual energy of many wise students.

If you are interested in botany, you will never want to leave South Africa. We have the third largest level of biodiversity in the world, and ours is the only country to contain an entire floral kingdom. South Africa has plant species that the whole British Isles or New Zealand do not have. Species of plants occur within South African boundaries, of which 80% occur nowhere else in the world. Our incredible biodiversity is due to our unique physical features. Most of the country is situated on a high-lying plateau, between two different oceans. The Indian Ocean, on the east, is warmed by the Mozambique current, which flows down from the tropics, while the icy Benguela current cools the Atlantic, on the west coast, which comes up from Antarctica.

These two different oceans and the prevailing winds of South Africa, combine to create lush forests and subtropical savannah on the east coast, gradually changing to desert or semidesert on the south. Unfortunately this immense natural wealth is under extreme pressure resulting from human demand placed on the environment through economic development and urbanisation.

Alien vegetation and the trade in wild life also contribute to the problem. We must continuously remind each other that poverty, displacement, hunger, degradation and climate change are a threat to this heritage. We must be continuously reminded that we are living in a period in which poverty and the ever-increasing gap between the developed and the developing worlds pose a major threat to both global prosperity and environmental integrity.

We must be reminded of our shared future, our responsibility to one another, to the great community and to life, and to our children. As a vital contribution to the achievement of the millennium development goals and the sustainable development targets set in the Johannesburg plan of implementation, an expanded and comprehensive worldwide system of protected areas must be mainstreamed within the framework of a pro-people and pro- development agenda aimed at socioeconomic development and poverty reduction.

It must have the full support and participation of local communities, the youth and women, in decision-making processes that take account of their rights, aspirations, cultures and interests. It must recognise and strengthen community conservation areas, which have over the ages been conserved through a traditional culture of our people.

In order to achieve the multiple goals of biodiversity and conservation … [Time expired.]

Bagaetsho, ke a leboga. A pula e ne! [Mahofi.] [My fellow South Africans, thank you! [Applause.]]

Mr M U KALAKO: Deputy Chairperson, hon members, in looking into achievements made by the marine and coastal management branch of the Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism, we see that in its efforts to transform the fishing industry, it has put in place measures and is building capacity to protect our marine living resources so as to preserve them for future generations. As we assess and analyse challenges that are faced by the department as a result of these developments, we have to remind ourselves of some of the objectives and principles of the Marine Living Resources Act, to see if we have in our implementation processes followed the Act to the letter.

Among these objectives and principles I want to mention just a few. Firstly, there is the need to conserve marine living resources for both present and future generations. Secondly, there is the need to apply precautionary approaches in respect of the management and development of marine living resources and thirdly, the need to restructure the fishing industry to address historical imbalances and to achieve equity within all branches of the fishing industry.

It is against these objectives and principles that we must assess the progress made by marine coastal management in transforming this industry. With the passing of the Marine Living Resources Act of 1998, which was set up to govern, among other things, the management of protected areas, we have witnessed the gradual process of transforming the fishing industry in all its aspects, not withstanding the resistance mounted by those who previously enjoyed, under apartheid, monopoly control and ownership of our marine resources.

This was done through taking the department and the Minister to court to challenge the government’s transformation policies. But the department never capitulated in its efforts to pursue the transformation agenda of the government, which resulted in the broadening of ownership and participation in our marine resources. The department must be commended for such steps.

While we commend and encourage the department in its endeavours to transform the industry, transformation has brought new challenges that confront the marine and coastal management. Amongst these we can mention the threat to our species by overfishing or fish species that are becoming extinct either through poaching or climate change.

The migration of some fisheries from our West Coast fishing towns resulted in high levels of unemployment in these areas. All of this points to a dilemma that is faced by the marine coastal management whenever it is time for rights allocations, and that is decreasing levels of our marine living resources and the rapid increase of participants.

In order to meet these challenges the department must accelerate its efforts to look for new fisheries. It has an obligation to make sure that it concludes the development of subsistence fisheries policies in order to assist coastal communities. This together with the development of an aquaculture policy will assist in providing a sustainable livelihood for these coastal communities. These efforts together with the creation of economic opportunities in fishing harbours will go a long way in assisting our coastal communities.

Last week, Minister, there have been disturbing reports about collaboration of the MCM law enforcers with poachers taking place on board the Sarah Baartman vessel. It has been reported that officers on board are passing information to poachers about the movement of the vessels that are protecting our marine resources. As this has been brought to your attention, Minister, we hope those officials will be disciplined and be dismissed from the department.

There is a growing tendency on the part of exclusive residential and golfing estates situated at the coast, to prohibit access to beaches and the sea to ordinary people. Communities along the Garden Route especially along the coast around Knysna, Plettenberg Bay and Noetzie are angry because they are barred from enjoying natural amenities used by their families for generations. People in these areas are beginning to suspect that this type of coastal development is used as a new form of economic apartheid to create an elite area. This denies these communities their livelihood. The department must find ways to prevent coastal development from being used as a mechanism for social exclusion and must ensure unhindered public access to the coast. The committee and the ANC support this budget. I thank you.

Ms S RAJBALLY: Thank you, Madam Chair. It remains our greatest challenge to maintain and develop our environment, while at the same time improving the quality of life for all South Africans. To balance these two systems it is necessary for us to maintain a functional ecosystem, stabilize biodiversity and manage a successful system of waste, pollutants and resource extractions.

The strategic objectives of the department to maintain such ends are clearly spelled out in its programme commitments and the numerous activities and initiative it has undertaken. However, though the department has a clear intention to preserve our environment, progress needs to be made to achieve sustainable development.

Tourism is one of our greatest sources of revenue and it is important for our economy that tourism is maintained at a peak and that South Africa remains a favoured tourist destination. The MF seeks the department’s embarking on initiatives with the Department of Safety and Security to ensure the safety of our tourists. I would further like to be briefed on the department’s initiatives to assist black-owned tourism enterprises.

In terms of the budget the MF supports the increase made to the department. However, noting that 72% of the department’s budget is dispensed through subsidies and transfer payments, the MF enquires as to whether organisations promoting tourism have been monitored for their success in that arena.

The Environmental Quality and Protection Programme, through legislation, plays a vital role in protecting our constitutional right to an environment that is not harmful to our health. In the light of the National Air Quality Act of 1994, we ask whether the department is monitoring industries’ compliance with these provisions. We acknowledge that the department also manages our marine sector and the MF’s response to the Marine and Coastal Management Programme asks whether the National Oil Spill Contingency Plan will take over the rescue and rehabilitation of sea birds. We do feel that it is incumbent upon government to perform this duty and assistance should be allowed from NGOs that previously took it upon themselves to assist these helpless creatures.

The MF is confident that this year’s budget shall sufficiently assist the department in fulfilling its objectives for the sector. The MF supports the budget.

Mr I M CACHALIA: Madam Chair, Minister, Deputy Minister, ladies and gentlemen. Global climate change, often referred to as global warming, is possibly the greatest challenge facing the world this century. It emanates from the build-up of human emissions and heat-trapping gasses in the atmosphere.

The resulting greenhouse effect can thereby cause long-term climate change. There are two main mechanisms to counteract this process. The Kyoto Protocol adopted in Kyoto in Japan in 1997 and the United Nations Framework on Climate Change established in 1992. South Africa is a signatory to this initiative. The Kyoto Protocol commits countries like the United States and Canada to legally binding targets to reduce these emissions to at least the levels of 1990 during the period 2008-12.

South Africa ratified the Kyoto Protocol in March 2002, becoming the 52nd country to do so. The starkest evidence of climate change is the shrinking of the icecaps and the melting of the glaciers. Less specific signs include rising average temperatures and changing weather patterns. Polar bears could disappear by 2100.

There could be serious consequences for bird, plant and animal life, for rising sea levels will flood low-lying lands. More extreme weather conditions will precipitate hurricanes and tropical storms of greater intensity. Heating of the Arctic threatens the livelihood of millions of people. In the region were the Inuit people live, one resident, ruefully casting his gaze into the future, stated, “Some day we will not have any snow; someday there will not be Eskimos.”

Global climate change is a serious threat to sustainable development especially in the developing world and could further undermine global power to alleviation efforts, and will have severe implications for food security, clean energy supply, environmental health and human settlement.

African research suggests that 25% of people on this continent will be affected by a significant decrease in rainfall and water availability by

1. South Africa’s economy is vulnerable to the possible response measures to global warming, since the economy is highly dependent on income from the production, processing, export and consumption of coal. This vulnerability extends fatally to all facets of the energy sector. Sir David King, the British scientist and adviser to Prime Minister Tony Blair, stated:

If you could stabilise the atmosphere carbon dioxide concentration at some reliably low levels, there is still a good chance of mitigating the worst effects of climate change.

As a result of these emissions millions of more people around the world may in future be exposed to the risk of hunger, drought, flooding and debilitating diseases such as malaria. The United States is the world’s greatest polluter of greenhouse gases on the planet. It is responsible for more than 20% of the world’s pollution, yet harbours only 4% of its population.

In 2001 the United States walked away from the Protocol at the behest of George Bush, a climate change denialist, arguing that its curbs on greenhouse emissions were too costly and unfairly excluded developing countries.

Guy Midgeley of the SA Biodiversity Institute says, “Climate change is the real and significant threat to biodiversity”. This threat has also the potential to damage poor tourism, which contributes R100 billion every year to our economy. To quote The Sunday Independent of 6 February 2005:

Global meltdown will hit South Africa hard. Catastrophic loss of animal species and water shortages, hunger and diseases lie in wait as temperatures rise.

The Sunday Independent newspaper continues:

The forests of the world act as a carbon sink, soaking up green houses gases from the atmosphere. The place where Sister Dorothy Strang lost her life fighting to protect the Amazon forest is marked by a simple wooden cross pushed into the mud of a track running deep though the jungle.

A few plastic flowers were scattered all over the ground with a young sapling in a plastic grow bag. It is just about a year since sister Dorothy was murdered, allegedly shot by a gunman hired by a local rancher. The cause to which she devoted 30 years of her life remains imperilled as ever.

Quoting from The Star of 13 February 2005, it is said that –

Even the simple act of planting trees could help and will play a part in absorbing harmful gases and the care demonstrated this way may expose those greedy destroyers of the world’s remaining forests and other natural habitats for the selfish creatures they are.

Our Minister of Environmental Affairs and Tourism, Mr Martinus van Schalkwyk said in August 2005:

Climate change is a very powerful threatening reality. If South Africa does not act immediately it will cost the country 1,5% of its GDP by 2050; roughly equivalent to the total direct investment in South Africa.

It is critically important that South Africa addresses the issue of climate change, as lack of action in this sphere could have serious consequences for South Africa and for the poor, marginalised communities in particular. Climate change could impact negatively on agriculture, putting food security in peril and threatening the livelihood and the very survival of the rural poor.

Our coastal areas could be vulnerable to rising sea levels and become prone to flooding, posing a danger not only to those dependent on the sea and marine culture for a living, but also to their very lives. Severe weather events such as heat waves and hurricanes are a potential risk to all.

The technology to halt global warming already exists, and implementing the same in our county and elsewhere in the world should start immediately. Large-scale use of technology will reduce the emissions by at least 1 billion tons by 2004.

The recent ICLEI conference on local government for sustainability held in Cape Town showcased wideranging benefits for municipalities of tapping into local renewal energy sources, including reducing the strain on electricity grids, reducing gas emissions and saving money for both municipalities and consumers.

Local renewables are energy resources unique or suited to a particular locality and include solar energy. These forms of energy are clean and do not release harmful gases into the atmosphere. Under the Kyoto Protocol the clean development mechanism allows industrialised countries with emission reduction targets to meet part of those commitments by investing in project development in countries such as South Africa.

A TV campaign by the advertising council and an environmental group, uses stark imagery of a child about to be run over by a train to drive home its point on global warming. There is no time to remove the child. In order to save the child you have to stop the train; in order to save the world we have to stop global warming.

The debate now is no longer about what we are going to do about it. Just a decade ago on a winter’s day in Kliptown we adopted the Freedom Charter and said South Africa belongs to all who live in it. Today we in the ANC-led government in the Parliament of South Africa say to those nations that have failed to honour the protocol that this world belong to all who live in it. They must heed the dire signs and the warnings of the consequences of climate change and heed and respect the international concerns and conventions, and implement immediate measures to counteract the consequences of global warming. It is incumbent upon us to save and protect our world from the disastrous consequences of the already present and looming threat posed by this phenomenon.

We need to do this for our children and for all the future generations to come. It is the right thing to do. We support the budget.

Mr S SIMMONS: Chair, hon Minister and colleagues, the Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism is probably the department that is the most underestimated by ordinary people in terms of its socioeconomic role. This is despite the fact that tourism has clearly outperformed other sectors of our economy and still holds great potential for further socioeconomic growth. This industry is, nevertheless, showing signs that leave reason for concern. One such distressing issue is the manner in which tourism seems to be exploited by some operators who inflate prices beyond what should be seen as fair. This needs to be attended to by the department.

The situation within the fishing industry is one for which this department seems unable to find an acceptable solution. It is not acceptable to have a few PR exercises claiming to have addressed the problem of fishing quotas among our fishing communities, just to see the very same people not having the situation adequately addressed.

The same fishing communities are still suffering because of inconsistent access to marine resources, and under the current political leadership there seems to be no reasonable prospect of these people’s situation changing significantly in the near future. I am not surprised at this.

U moet onthou, agb Voorsitter, die agb Minister het nie juis ’n positiewe rekord wat betref opbou nie. Inteendeel, die agb Minister se rekord is vervuil met die afbreek van goeie strukture, die afbreek van ’n jeugorganisasie wat goed gefunksioneer het, toe die afbreek van die NNP en nou die afbreek van die sosioekonomiese vooruitgang van ons vissersgemeenskappe.

Die jongste imbizo is die grootste klug, want die agb Minister was nooit gretig om te luister na die mening van die mense na wie se belange hy moet omsien nie. So het die agb Minister die wense van die NNP-lede en sy ondersteuners om nie by die ANC aan te sluit nie totaal geïgnoreer. Agb Voorsitter, die agb Minister sal die wense van die vissersgemeenskappe ook ignoreer en sorg dat hulle verder in armoede krepeer. Nieteenstaande voorvermelde, ondersteun die United Party of South Africa die begrotingspos. Ek dank u. (Translation of Afrikaans paragraphs follows.)

[You must bear in mind, hon Chairperson, that the hon Minister does not exactly have a positive record of reconstruction. On the contrary, the hon Minister’s record is littered with examples of the destruction of good structures, the destruction of a youth organisation that functioned well, then the destruction of the NNP and now of socioeconomic progress of our fishing communities.

The latest imbizo is the greatest farce, because the hon Minister was never eager to listen to the views of the people whose interests he must serve. In the same way the hon Minister ignored the wishes of the NNP members and his supporters not to join the ANC. Hon Chairperson, the hon Minister will also ignore the wishes of the fishing communities and will ensure that they will continue to live in abject poverty. Notwithstanding the abovementioned, the United Party of South Africa supports the budget Vote. I thank you.]

Ms M M NTULI: Chairperson, Minister, Deputy Minister, Ministers and Deputy Ministers present in the House, Members of Parliament and honourable guests, I am very honoured indeed to participate in this Budget Vote debate. The Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism is huge, and I’m going to refer to its Programme 6: Social Responsibility and Projects that is part of broader government objectives to alleviate poverty and create employment opportunities through government expenditure.

Programme 6: Social Responsibility and Projects is very important, more particularly in changing people’s lives. This has been witnessed by this year’s budget, as it constitutes the second largest figure within the entire budget for the year 2006 in the Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism. Now, the big question facing us is whether the poorest of the poor will benefit directly from this budget.

Kuyiqiniso ukuthi abesifazane nentsha basalokhu besalele ngasemuva, ikakhulukazi uma kuthinta intuthuko nomnotho wakuleli. Kunezinhlelo ezisunguliwe ezifukula umnotho ezinjengo-Accelerated and Shared Growth Initiative for South Africa, Asgisa, no-Joint Initiative for Priority Skills Acquisition, Jipsa, okucacayo ukuthi kusadinga kuqiniswe uma kuthinta imiphakathi empofu, ngoba uma kungenjalo kuyobe kulokhu kunesikhala phakathi kwalaba abadla izambane likampondo nalaba abadla imbuya ngothi. I-Sector Education Traning Authority, Seta, futhi nayo kufanele isebenze ubusuku nemini ukukhanyisela thina okusahlwile ngoba lentuthuko esikhuluma ngayo siyoyikhomba uma singaqeqeshwa kuleyo mikhakha esingena kuyo. (Translation of isiZulu paragraph follows.)

[It is true that women and youth are still trailing behind when it comes to economic development in this country. There are programmes in place that have been established specifically to develop economic growth, such as the Accelerated and Shared Growth Initiative of South Africa, Asgisa, and the Joint Initiative for Priority Skills Acquisition, Jipsa. It is therefore clear that we still need to do more when it comes to the empowerment of the poor, because if we do not do that there will be a lasting lacuna between the first economy and the second economy. The Sector Education and Training Authority, Seta, should work day and night training those of us who do not have knowledge, because we will not enjoy the fruits of this democracy if we are not trained for the businesses we start.]

This budget should talk to the previously disadvantaged people more than to the stinking rich ones. The President has announced the rural nodes, and I believe that this budget should also play a big role in this regard. During our oversight visit, we came across initiated projects. Although some of these projects reflected a lack of capacity and skills, it is true that today is better than yesterday and that tomorrow will be better than today, and surely this is the age of hope.

Some projects were doing well, but for others the sustainability was not clear. For instance, there was a garden project at KwaMnqobokazi in KwaZulu- Natal in which the seeds were overdue and not properly planted. Again, the irrigation was not arranged in time, and you could see that the team was not prepared for the project even though they were full of enthusiasm. Another good project was at KwaJobe in the same province in which women had very good handcraft under a big tree. When you begin to compare hot, rainy and cold weather, you can imagine what happens to this good project on such days. Today, with such a good budget, those are the people to be uplifted, so that one day they can operate under sheltered conditions.

There are so many ways and means in which the previously disadvantaged can benefit, but they are totally indirect. If we look at Klip River running through Soweto and Kliptown to the Vaal River, it is a priceless jewel that can be developed into a viable tourist attraction, which can benefit our communities. This needs the collaboration of the three spheres of government to do research in this regard. This could bring business and projects to the banks of this river, like restaurants, vegetable gardens - you name them. This could create a lot of jobs and broaden the tax base for the relevant municipality.

Other important issues are ways and means of waste awareness such as the cleanest town competition, a national initiative that can capacitate people around waste management, recycling programmes and environmental awareness. This also emphasises the three R’s, that is reducing, reusing and recycling; and these involve people on the ground.

Uma ngingake ngicaphune lapha kwezemvelo nezokuvakasha, kubuhlungu ngaphakathi ukubona imisebenzi emihle yomama eklele e-Beach Front eThekwini okuthi ngokuhlwa kume owomdabu waseNdiya noma isiqumama esithile esimhlophe neveni sesizoqoqa. Kuhle kucace ukuthi labo mama bamele omunye umuntu okuba uyena ohlomulayo bona bathole izimvuthu. Sithi-ke lesi sabiwomali asisize kubantu abanjengalaba ukuze bakwazi ukuzimela. Kunjalo nje sibheke kwiNdebe yoMhlaba yebhola likanobhutshuzwayo ka-2010 kuleli lakithi. Kuyoba kuhle uma nemiphakathi empofu iyohlomula nalapho, kube ukuthi umkhakha nomkhakha uyayiqeqesha lemiphakathi empofu ukuzilungiselela phela ukuze u-2010 ufike sesimi ngomumo. Ngiyaphinda ngithi namhlanje kungcono kunayizolo futhi nakusasa kuyobe kungcono kunanamhlanje ngoba phela kunohla lwemisebenzi emikhulu esungulwe uMnyango wezeMvelo nezokuVakasha elwisana nobuphofu. Nansi eminye yawo: (Translation of isiZulu paragraph follows.)

[If I can touch on the issue of environmental affairs and tourism, it is very sad to see the beautiful craftwork of women displayed at the Beach Front in eThekwini being loaded into bakkies by wealthy men of Indian origin or white tycoons. It must be said that these women are the shadows of certain rich people who are really the ones who make money out of the women’s craftwork and they simply get a few cents of that. We therefore say that this budget should help these women so that they can become independent. And again we are looking forward to the 2010 World Cup here in South Africa. How good it would be if these poor people could also get something out of it. These women would have to be trained so that when 2010 comes, they will be well-armed and ready to rock and roll. I say again that today is better than yesterday and tomorrow will be better than today, because a lot of projects are brought about by this Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism which fight poverty. Some of them are …]

… working on waste, people and parks, sustainable land-based livelihoods, working for tourism, working for the coast …

… njalo, njalo. Ngenxa yale misebenzi kusunguleke izinkulungwane zamathuba emisebenzi kwaze kwaqeqeshwa nabantu emiphakathini yethu. Lemisebenzi-ke isezifundazweni ezehlukahlukene futhi ihlelwe ukusetshenzwa ngezandla kunemishini okubizwa phecelezi nge-Labour Intensive. Injalo nje ihlose ukwelekelela ekuvikeleni imvelo kanye nokweseka izinhlelo zokuvakasha nokungcebeleka. Ngobungako bayo lemisebenzi ihlangabeza nokwashiwo uMongameli wakuleli, uThabo Mbeki, owagcizelela enkulumweni yakhe yesizwe ngokuqinisekisa ngohlelo lomsebenzi womphakathi olweluliwe olubizwa nge-Expanded Public Works Programme.

Sengigcina ngifisa ukuthi thina sonke asiphume siyoshumayela emiphakahtini yakithi ukuthi impumelelo isezandleni zethu. Nanti ifa lemvelo uMdali asipha lona, asilisebenzise. (Translation of isiZulu paragraphs follows.)

[… etc. Because of these projects there are a lot of job opportunities that were created and many people were trained. These projects are in different provinces and they are labour intensive. These projects are also aimed at securing the environment and also supporting tourism and recreation. These projects also meet what President Thabo Mbeki said in his State of the Nation address, when he spoke of the Expanded Public Works Programme.

In conclusion, I wish to say that we all need to go out and preach to our people that success is in our hands. Here is the inheritance that God gave us, let us use it.]

The ANC supports the Budget Vote. [Applause.]

Mr G R MORGAN: Chair, Minister, hon members, let me say at the outset that Minister Van Schalkwyk continues to place his media profile ahead of public accountability. Instead of using the appropriate forum of this House to announce his department’s plans for the upcoming year, he chose to make the announcements at a media briefing this morning. This serves only to undermine this House when a Minister believes the media is more important than the representatives of the people. [Interjections.]

Having said that, Mr Minister, your media profile in your second year of office was considerably lower than in your first year. I can only imagine that your new party leader has been forced to slap you down in recent months, something with which you are not unfamiliar.

Government’s Accelerated and Shared Growth Initiative for South Africa maps out ambitious plans that aim to take this country to upwards of 6% growth per annum. A cornerstone of this policy is the massive infrastructure- building programme. This is an exciting policy and is to be welcomed, but we must at all times balance the needs of development with the needs of the environment.

Over the coming months and years the rigorous use of environmental impact assessments will become crucial to ensuring that good development is promoted. Government’s new EIA regulations are to be welcomed provided they live up to everything they are meant to be. The biggest problems relating to EIAs are, firstly, insufficient and poorly trained staff in provincial environment departments and, secondly, the lack of independence of some environmental assessment practitioners.

No matter how good the new EIA regulations are, the so-called streamlined process of applications could be a disaster if incompetent departmental staff oversees the process. Further, the environmental assessment practitioners in the private sector must move swiftly, with the encouragement of the Minister, to complete the regulation of their own profession to ensure that practitioners are qualified and registered with the governing body. I would like to lend my support to the call made earlier this year by the Endangered Wildlife Trust for a national strategic environmental assessment. This would not be a hindrance to development projects. In many ways, it could advance development, as such an assessment would readily highlight those areas of our country that can sustain various types of development.

It would have been preferable in these days, when Asgisa is on the lips of every government official, for the national strategy for sustainable development to have already been completed. I’ve seen a draft copy of the report and must commend its wide-ranging scope and honest assessment of the challenges. The debate must now start, however, about which authority should implement the strategy. While Cabinet tasked the Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism with drawing up the strategy, I do not believe that the Minister has the necessary political clout to be its co- ordinator.

The national strategy for sustainable development needs a champion higher than the Minister. It is a strategy that should sit alongside Asgisa and for this reason, it should be housed in the Office of the Deputy President.

The training and roll-out of new environmental management inspectors is to be welcomed as well. Over the past two years I have stood up in this budget debate and praised the quality of our environmental laws, but bemoaned the fact that enforcement remained sketchy at all three levels of government.

The new inspectors will improve enforcement, but don’t stop now, Mr Minister, we need even more inspectors and I’m glad you have set yourself a timeline for the improvement; and they need to be accessible to the public. There are thousands of illegal building projects and environmental hazards that need to be investigated and prosecuted in this country. I think, particularly here, of the numerous cases of acid-mine drainage in Gauteng and Kwa-Zulu Natal that threaten water quality, the dirty Jukskei River and other rivers that remain a dumping ground for polluters, not to mention the thousands of tons of coal dust with a high sulphur content that have been lying around the precincts of Richards Bay Harbour for five years. More inspectors and prosecutors and more of your beloved Green Scorpions would restore the image of environmental enforcement at all levels of government.

The move to ban canned hunting has progressed steadily since last year. The new hunting and threatened species policies provide the necessary framework to manage these sectors, but provinces remain the ultimate enforcers of these laws. I’m confident that these new regulations will be successful if provincial officials act in the best interests of conservation. A warning though: a by-product of ending the canned hunting industry will be an animal welfare crisis for thousands of captive-bred predators that are currently intended to fuel the industry. Government must plan to deal with the more than 2 500 lions and other predators that will need homes in the near future.

Mr Minister, I urge you to finalise the elephant management policy for the country. We need good science to back up management decisions concerning this species of charismatic megafauna. On the same note concerning hunting, I ask you to seriously consider banning the use of gin traps.

Turning to the Great Limpopo Transfrontier Park, something that you did not mention in your speech at all, there has been little progress with regard to dealing with the Zimbabwean portion of the park. The fact that Minister Van Schalkwyk claims to have flown over Gonarezhou National Park and not noticed any illegal settlers does not mean that there are not any settlers. Even the Zimbabwean environment Minister, Francis Nhema, admits there are illegal settlers in the park and says, to make matters worse, that he has no plans to move them - and so Minister Van Schalkwyk’s denialism continues.

In closing, Mr Minister, while practically all the directorates and entities under you are fiscally well run, there is one that is of serious concern, the SA Weather Service. The procurement procedures of the Weather Service have been severely flawed over the past two years. It seems that they believe they can exempt themselves from certain procurement procedures due to reasons of emergency, and, believe me, these emergencies are not earthquakes, tsunamis or storms. In most cases, emergencies at the Weather Service mean bad planning and incompetence. I’m happy that the Weather Service will be called before Scopa in the coming weeks.

Yes, hope, Minister, hope: Tourists hope that they will not be mugged in the Table Mountain National Park. Law-abiding citizens in the Eastern Cape hope that you’ll put an end to abalone poaching. The farmer living downstream from an illegal dam hopes that you will remove the dam. You like to quote Beyers Naudé, Mr Minister, on hope. Well, I prefer Benjamin Franklin: “He that lives upon hope will die fasting.” Mr Minister, let’s not hope; let’s do. Thank you. [Applause.]

Mr A D MOKOENA: Chairperson, Minister, Deputy Minister, officials of the department and Members of Parliament, it is an honour and privilege for me to participate in this Budget Vote as a member of the portfolio committee, speaking on behalf of the ANC in support of the R2, 6 billion appropriated by this Parliament to the Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism, DEAT, to carry out its mandate.

My input will be based on tourism. I have identified nine areas of focus; the first is transformation. After the ushering in of the democratic dispensation in our country in 1994, we had a political duty to democratise society. This meant that there had to be drastic changes in various sectors of society.

Every government department came under pressure and scrutiny from MPs to ensure that transformation took place. Tragically, the crescendo of transformation is gradually diminishing, perhaps because the vocalisation and campaign have become trite and too commonplace. We must rekindle the campaign of transformation. The ANC is serious about transformation.

We must not take for granted the democracy we have achieved. Democracy without economic empowerment is a hollow achievement and has a potential to threaten democracy itself.

We are happy with the blackening of the staff complement and gender representation in the department. This must, however, filter down to provinces and municipalities. However, the challenge still remains on the part of the tourism industry. This sector of our economy virtually resists transformation. To them, despite 27 April 1994, it is business as usual.

The white captains of the tourism industry are the architects of an economic laager to keep all wealth to themselves, thus leaving even white women, let alone black entrepreneurs, out in the cold.

South Africa is a developmental state and we have a moral and political duty to intervene decisively, hon Minister, through installing legislative measures that are couched in economic incentives that are more far-reaching than the carrot we are currently dangling.

A spectacular example of lack of transformation in the tourism industry is the tourism indaba that was recently held in Durban, where the industry exhibited its wherewithal. The categories of competition virtually excluded blacks, women and people living with disability. Only white males, predictably, were announced as winners.

Secondly, there is the Sho’t Left campaign. Hon Minister, the concept of Sho’t Left has its roots in the township as a jargon between commuters and taxi drivers to indicate an impromptu stop for the passenger to alight. It was an ingenious idea for the department to adopt this township transportation jargon in order to promote domestic tourism. This creative strategy was regrettably hijacked by big players in the tourism industry and flew like a kite virtually above the heads of black tourism operators.

The big white tour operators own luxury vehicles, which they use for the Sho’t Left campaign, whereas SMME tour operators cannot afford them unless boosted by such a campaign. These white captains of the tourism industry subsequently engaged in self-congratulation and pride themselves on how they collaborate with government.

No, far from it, they are actually inhibiting a noble plan of government, to promote domestic tourism by lifting up black tour operators so that they can taste the fruits of liberation through tourism, which they are involved in.

SA Tourism must invite the taxi leadership and work out strategies on involving taxi owners in the Sho’t Left campaign in order to broaden the commuter market share and thus reduce the prevalent incidence of taxi violence.

Thirdly, I come to the BEE Charter and scorecard. At the tourism indaba that was held in Durban last year our Minister launched the BEE Charter, the essence of which is to encourage white tourism entrepreneurs to make available 30% of their companies to blacks as a way of enabling them to be part of the tourism cake. In return, tourism businesses that adhere to this charter would qualify for and access government tenders and patronage.

We were present as MPs and participated in the launch, and congratulate the Minister and the department for taking such a significant step. This is what we mean by desirable and decisive government intervention in black economic empowerment and transformation as a whole.

Fourthly, I’ll talk about Mebuso ya selehae – local government. Adjust your listening devices for the interpretation, please.

Letona le hlomphehileng, maetong a komiti ya rona ya palamente ha re ne re etela dibaka tse fapaneng, bo-mmasepala ba bangata ba ile ba bontsha takatso le tjheseho e kgolo ho ikakgeleng ka setotswana mererong ya bohahlaodi. Empa bothata ba bona ke hobane ba sena ditekanyetso tsa ditjhelete, ho ntshetsa pele merero ya lefapha lena la bohahlaodi.

Jwale he Letona, ke etsa boipiletso ho wena hore o buisane le mosebetsi mmoho le wena, eleng letona la mebuso ya selehae hore le rale maano a ho hlwekisa makeishene hore a tle a be le tikoloho e kgahlehang. Hona ho tla phahamisa maemo a bohahlaodi ka hare ho naha hobane makeishene ke sefahleho sa naha, ebile a ka sehloohong mabapi le leano la ho matlafatsa batho moruong.

Etswe batjha le bona ba tla qala ho elellwa hore bahahlaodi ke batho ba bohlokwa ho phahamiseng moruo le ho ntshetseng pele mesebetsi naheng ena ya rona. Makeishene a se ke a nkuwa feela e le dibaka tse tlase tsa batho ba sotlehang, ba lokelang ho hauhelwa. (Translation of Sesotho paragraphs follows.)

[Hon members, when our parliamentary committee visited various places, many municipalities showed an interest in committing themselves to the tourism programmes. But their problem is that they don’t have a budget to carry on with these programmes.

Therefore I appeal to you to approach your colleague, the hon Minister for Provincial and Local Government, so that you can make plans to clean up the townships to create an attractive environment. This will improve the standard of tourism in the townships, because they are the face of the country and come first in the programme of developing the people’s economy.

Furthermore, young people will start to realise that tourists are very important in improving the level of the economy and developing job opportunities in the country. Townships mustn’t be downgraded to places for poor and helpless people.]

Fifth, with regard to Asgisa and Jipsa, the campaign for accelerating skills development to ensure economic prosperity is exciting and imperative

• a holistic programme of government that must be embraced by all.

Theta, as our sectoral education and training authority, must come up with concrete plans on how it is going to instrumentalise Asgisa and Jipsa. The portfolio committee will invite Theta soon as part of our oversight function.

Sixth, I address myself to 2010 Soccer World Cup readiness. Minister, it is heartening indeed to learn from you that DEAT is well geared to playing its role in the 2010 Soccer World Cup, which our country will be hosting. The portfolio committee compliments Sis Pam, the Director-General, Dr Patrick Matlau, the Deputy Director-General, and Mr Moeketsi Mosola, the CEO of SA Tourism, for their proactive endeavours in regard to tourism.

Seventh, with regard to women and youth for tourism, I would like to propose to you, hon Minister, that you should consider introducing and launching a new campaign: “Women and youth for tourism”, as part of our strategy to boost domestic tourism in particular, in the context of celebrating the 30th anniversary of June 16 this year.

The campaign could produce women and youth who can become tour guides and operators, the details of which can be worked out by the department. [Applause.]

Eighth, I come to the development of the Soweto Klipriver waterway. Minister, I received, with great excitement, a novel idea from Comrade David Maluleke, an MP, who is also the whip of the portfolio committee. His idea is to develop the Klipriver that runs across Soweto and spills into the Vaal River to become a spectacular waterway similar to the Waterfront.

Such a development could be handled jointly by the Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism and the Department of Water Affairs and Forestry, and has an enormous potential to serve as an excellent tourist attraction, as well as create many job opportunities across a wide spectrum of the economy. This idea gels with the strategies the Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism of revitalising the ecosystem of the Vaal River. [Interjections.] I will deal with you. You should put on your listening devices.

The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Ms C-S Botha): Hon member, I hope you have already dealt with point nine, because your time has expired.

Mr A D MOKOENA: The ANC supports this Vote. It’s a pity that the member is spared discipline. [Interjections.] Don’t envy the position of the Minister. [Interjections.] He has executive authority to execute his task. Thank you. [Applause.]

The MINISTER OF ENVIRONMENTAL AFFAIRS AND TOURISM: Thank you, Chairperson, I would like to thank those parties that expressed support for the Budget, for the support expressed. I will deal with some of the comments made, inter alia, by the Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee, by hon members Ndzanga, Ntuli, hon members Chalmers, Mr Swart from the ACDP and Mr Swart from the DA as well.

Let me first deal with the issue of tourism: We appreciate the comments. Over the next three years we’ve budgeted an additional R136 million for the marketing part of South African Tourism’s budget. What we will be doing is obviously to continue to concentrate on our key traditional markets: Britain, the Netherlands, France and so on. They have always been strong markets and they will continue to be strong and important markets. However, our focus will now be broadening.

We will be concentrating on some countries where South African Tourism hasn’t had offices in the past. We’ve opened offices in China, as well as in Japan and those two markets will be two very important markets for us in future. So we are investing in them and we are quite sure that they will continue, not to grow steadily, but I believe, quite dramatically.

With regard to Africa – that is also a key market for us – the figures for the last year look quite promising. Just an interesting fact: some of the latest research shows that the bigger spenders per capita in this country are no longer international tourists from the US, but from a country very close to us – Angola. Some of the hon members referred to the fact that it is the fastest growing sector of the economy and we intend to make sure that for the next few years it stays that way.

One issue that was raised by the hon Mr Swart, was the issue of air access – we agree with you. We think it is an important issue that we need to solve. The one example that you mentioned of charter flights, is one where we had to intervene in one or two instances, but the problem there was – and I cannot remember if it is the same example that you mentioned here – that some of the safety documents that had to be supplied by the charter company was not supplied in time. Now, obviously, safety of people flying to this country is a very important issue to us and we would like to make sure that we adhere to the international regulations in that regard.

The President has instructed the key departments, the Department of Transport, ourselves, Public Enterprises and Trade and Industry, to come back to Cabinet on the issue of air access and I hope we will be able to crack that issue, because we have to balance the fact that we have a national carrier also with is in our national interest in terms of tourists coming to South Africa at the best available prices. So we will report back to Parliament on that issue, obviously.

Then, on the issue of the Environmental Impact Assessment regulations that was raised by Mr Swart and other members here: We announced the new EIA regulations a few weeks ago and we are quite confident that they will make a huge difference. It is not often that government commits itself to timeframes – the hon member referred to that – and we will obviously do our best to keep within those timeframes. At national level I can give the unqualified assurance that we will be able to do that. We have already increased our capacity. It is at provincial level where the major challenge is, in four or five of the provinces. I referred to the fact that we have created a specially funded unit to assist provinces and to support provinces in applying the new regulations.

Then, on the issue of the profession itself: That is the third dimension - I see that Prof Seaman is in the gallery - he is leading the process to make sure that we unite all the stakeholders. Anybody can be an environmental consultant or practitioner. We would like an authority that we can recognise with standards and with a code of conduct with teeth. So, hopefully, this will happen within the next few months – not hopefully; we expect that from the industry. If they do not do it, we said we would do it for them, but all the indications are that from their process they will come to us with proposals that we can seriously consider and then move forward.

On the issue of international agreements that was raised by some of the hon members, I think the hon member Chalmers was the first to raise it: Yes, there are 28 international and regional treaties, conventions and protocols related to the environment; 33 bilateral agreements; six international and regional tourism agreements; and four TFCA agreements. The hon member referred to the fact that we now have the branch dedicated to servicing those agreements in treaties and protocols, but the challenge is also to make sure that, as a country, intellectually, we can always contribute and play a leadership role. I have no doubt that the record, as the hon member pointed out, is supporting that.

On the issue of the fishing industry and the Coastal Zone Bill: It is quite interesting to me that the DA has become very fond of quoting Cosatu and the SACP when it suits them. [Interjections.] We can provide them with a long list of quotes that they can come and quote here in Parliament. It is very often an indication, when people are not really sure if they believe strongly enough in their own convictions, to quote somebody else. [Interjections.] [Applause.] Let me deal with those two issues. [Interjections.]

The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Ms C-S Botha): Order, please! Order, members!

The MINISTER OF ENVIRONMENTAL AFFAIRS AND TOURISM: In the fishing industry the record of this government in making sure that we restore the rights of people who are historically fishermen and women is an exemplary record. Just look at what happened over the last few years in traditional line fishing and what is happening with regard to West Coast Rock Lobster. But there is a challenge, and the challenge is that there are some fisheries where you need huge investments to go in and fish tens and hundreds of millions of rands.

The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Ms C-S Botha): Hon Minister, may I interrupt you, please? Hon members, please give the Minister an opportunity to use his speaking time. [Interjections.] You are interrupting quite unnecessarily.

The MINISTER OF ENVIRONMENTAL AFFAIRS AND TOURISM: There our approach has been to make sure that we achieve those BEE targets that I referred to previously. And I would like to inform the House that very soon we will have a meeting with some of the bigger companies to investigate what their BEE component really is. [Interjections.] Is it only chequebook investors or is it really an empowerment exercise? And we said we really want an empowerment exercise.

On the issue of – one of the DA members here raised it – other people coming here and getting quotas, teachers and businessmen from Gauteng, and so on … [Interjections.] No, just see what the reaction was. I haven’t heard, up to now, of one fisherperson coming up and saying: “Listen, I haven’t received a quota, because somebody who is not a fisherman did.”

Because, what did we do this time around? For the first time ever, we published a prefinal list in the communities so that people can go there and say “Nee, nee, nee! Hierdie mnr Witbooi of mev So-en-so is nie ’n visserman of ’n visservrou nie. Hulle kom van buite af.” [“No, no, no! This Mr Witbooi or Mrs So-and-so is not a fisherman or a fisherwoman. They come from outside.”]

This was a transparent process, and we did that twice. I said that I gave the undertaking that by August we will publish the subsistence fisheries policies and also the small-scale commercial fisheries policy, and I believe that will take us forward.

Maar ons het ’n groot uitdaging om mee te handel. [But we have a great challenge with which to deal.]

We have a big challenge: Hake and West Coast Rock Lobster, let me just use those two fisheries as an example. Fifty years ago, we had 1,5 million tons of hake to fish, now we have a total allowable catch of 150 000 tons. That is all – it has decreased ten times. That is the reality that we have to deal with.

Let me use West Coast Rock Lobster, because there are many members here going around and whipping up emotions. Thirty years ago, 70% of catches for West Coast Rock Lobster, “Weskuskreef”, was caught between Saldanha Bay and Port Nolloth, and the total allowable catch was much more than what it is now. Now 90% of West Coast Rock Lobster catches are caught between Dassen Island and the Cape Peninsula. So the resource is shifting around Cape Town and up to Kleinmond and Hermanus. We have a problem, colleagues, the resource is shifting and that is what is happening. However, I believe the announcement that we made over the weekend with regard to West Coast Rock lobster will deal with many of the problems, but it is impossible to allocate rights where there really are no lobster, or for that case, any other fishery stocks any longer.

Let me also deal with the workers in the factory, the issue that the hon Chairperson of the Committee raised, as well as the Coastal Zone Bill. It was interesting when the members of the DA raised issues. They raised other issues, but not one of them responded to that issue that the hon Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee raised. [Interjections.] Not one. Because, if you go to some of the factories and you see the long lines of people standing there, working from early in the morning until late at night, and they continue to boo temporary or seasonal workers, we think it is something that needs to be addressed. [Interjections.] [Applause.]

In the same vein the DA now says to us, “Deal with the other issues”, and they didn’t mention this one. I think they should quote Cosatu on this one. [Applause.] Maybe you would like to quote Cosatu? On that issue, please go to the owners of those factories and, with the same vigour when you raise money for the election, tell them that you think we must deal with that issue. [Applause.] I challenge you to do that.

The hon member, Mr Morgan, raised some issues here. And I think, hon members, when I observed this member, there is a special clause in the DA that when you arrive as a new member you must dress and talk like the leader. [Laughter.] But, the problem is … The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Ms C-S Botha): Order, please, order! Not you, Minister.

The MINISTER OF ENVIRONMENTAL AFFAIRS AND TOURISM: The problem is, if that continues to be your approach in politics, very soon, hon member, you will have to start wearing dresses – if you don’t already do that in your free time. [Interjections.] [Applause.] Because the leader of the DA in the National Assembly now is only the de jure leader, the de facto leader of the DA is the present Mayor of Cape Town – that is the de facto leader. And politics has a way of dealing with that. You need one leader, de facto and de jure. Thank you, members, for your support for this Budget. [Applause.]

Debate concluded.

Business suspended at 12:27 and resumed at 14:02.

                         APPROPRIATION BILL

Debate on Vote No 2 – Parliament:

HON MEMBERS: Malibongwe! [Praise.]

The SPEAKER: Igama lenu. [Let your name be praised.] The hon Chairperson, hon Deputy President and members of the executive, hon Members of Parliament, ladies and gentlemen in the gallery, this year on 8 May 2006 we celebrated the 10th anniversary of our Constitution. The Constitution lays the foundation for a democratic and open society in which government is based on the will of the people and in which all citizens have equal rights, and are equally protected by the law. The Constitution, being the supreme law of the Republic, helps us to establish a society that strives to achieve equality.

It is in that spirit that Parliament has adopted “All shall have equal rights” as the theme for this year. Under this theme we have a campaign to review the impact of equality legislation passed by Parliament. The campaign is focusing on gender and disability. Through this we seek to examine what progress or otherwise we are experiencing as a society on the basis of the legislation this Parliament has passed. The campaign will help us know if there are legislative or other measures we need to effect to improve the situation on the ground.

The chairpersons of the following parliamentary committees have been central in guiding the campaign: the Joint Monitoring Committee on Improvement of Quality of Life and Status of Children, Youth and Disabled Persons; and the Joint Monitoring Committee on Improvement of Quality of Life and Status of Women.

In this year when we also mark 50 years of the Women’s March for their rights, it is important for Parliament to check what the realities of our women are and do whatever we need to do to deliver a better life for them and for people living with disabilities.

On the implementation of the vision of Parliament, the two Houses of Parliament adopted the new vision of Parliament in 2005, as we reported in the past Budget Vote in 2005. The vision seeks to build an effective people’s Parliament that is responsive to the needs of the people and that is driven by the ideal of realising a better quality of life for all the people of South Africa. It builds a people’s Parliament, which provides – as the Constitution enjoins - a national forum, involving the people of South Africa in its processes and acting as their voice.

The budget tabled today provides the necessary funding to enable Parliament to continue on its quest to reach this vision. In a nutshell, the ongoing business of Parliament is as follows: to pass legislation; to scrutinise and oversee executive action; to facilitate public debate and involvement in the legislative and other policy processes; to facilitate co-operative government; and to take part in and facilitate good international relations through the Parliamentary domain.

My speech will cover some of the work being done to implement Parliament’s vision, to make ours more and more a people’s Parliament. Secondly, I wish to speak about the efforts to improve systems in Parliament. Thirdly, I will turn to our work in the broader legislative sector; and, lastly, to our international relations work.

Building a democratic Parliament that is transparent and responsive to the electorate, and that develops and follows a legislative agenda that is aimed at accelerating the transformation of the South African society, has been Parliament’s overriding policy and strategic objective since 1994.

Between 1994 and 2004 there was a sustained focus on repealing discriminatory legislation and laying the foundations for a democratic and open society based on the new Constitution and laws of the new order.

Over 700 transformatory laws were passed in the first decade. The focus of Parliament has since shifted to its oversight function to ensure that the ideal of realising a better quality of life for all the people of South Africa will come true.

In establishing an oversight model, Parliament has focused on the following areas: determining systems and human resource capacity required for the function of oversight; the necessary technical mechanisms and tools; trying to increase the research capacity of parliamentary committees; to implement a system to manage information within the parliamentary committees; to develop a public-participation model to ensure that inputs received through public-participation activities are channelled to appropriate committees; changes in parliamentary policy and/or rules to accommodate the creation of an integrated parliamentary oversight committee; continual capacity development of members in terms of information communication technology, budgeting practices and other skills required; the training of staff in line with the oversight best practice guide; and adopting a procedure for executive or government compliance.

The Oversight and Accountability Task Team will, hopefully, table its final report to the Joint Rules Committee on 21 June 2006. This takes us closer to some changes for the better on which we will, no doubt, update this House next year. Apart from the creation of the Integrated Parliamentary Oversight Committee to improve co-ordination in our work, the task team is also working on the legislation provided for in chapter 4, section 77(2) of the Constitution. It says that “An Act of Parliament must provide for a procedure to amend money Bills before Parliament,” hon Minister of Finance.

Our participatory democracy puts our people at the centre. Parliament is elected by the people to represent them and to act as their voice. This is done through the work of our freely elected representatives; through the access the people have to their Parliament, its structures, processes and members. Parliament facilitates the involvement of the public in lawmaking and other parliamentary processes by nurturing an understanding of Parliament and its work through educational, informational and direct engagement activities.

In enhancing its public participation programme, Parliament is implementing the following interventions. The first is additional resources to help improve co-ordination of constituency offices. In the 2005-06 financial year parliamentary political parties were allocated R59 million, and for this financial year the allocation has increased to R105, 9 million. This translates into a 77% increase. This will improve the ability of political parties to reach their members and the public at large through their constituency work.

The second area in this regard is establishing parliamentary democracy offices in all provinces. The purpose of these offices is to increase the points of contact where people can access Parliament and inform its work and direction; to create an immediate parliamentary presence in the provinces – that is outside of provincial legislatures whose sphere and competence are provincial; and to ensure a greater level of efficiency in accessing communities and providing ground support for parliamentary programmes.

These parliamentary democracy offices will be established in all nine provinces and they will eventually be supported by a fleet of mobile offices that will be equipped to take Parliament even further into rural areas.

The third project is the People’s Assembly. This programme uses technology to enable Parliament directly to engage with the public across the length and breadth of the country on issues affecting the people. It is conducted in co-operation with the provincial legislatures and civil society. This ground-breaking programme was the first of its kind that enabled the public, from across all nine provinces, to interact in real time with their public representatives.

This year’s People’s Assembly will be held on 14 and 15 September in Oudtshoorn in the Western Cape province. We are hoping to arrange for all of us to travel by train to the People’s Assembly. [Applause.] The topics for discussion will be informed by the outcomes of the Equality Review Campaign I mentioned earlier.

The fourth project is the Youth Parliament. This year our country, as you know, celebrates the 30th anniversary of Youth Day, 16 June, in recognition of the contribution made by youth in the realisation of a democratic society in South Africa.

Parliament, in partnership with youth formations and provincial legislatures, will be holding a Youth Parliament on 28 June and 29 June

1. The theme for the Youth Parliament is “All shall have equal rights” in terms of keeping Parliament’s theme. It will be broken down into subthemes dealing with two main clusters – the first being youth and economic participation, and the second one being socioeconomic development.

The fifth project in this context is the Women’s Parliament. The theme for this year’s Women’s Parliament is: “Combating the trafficking of women and girl-children”. In this context, we intend to reach out to women in a focused manner in order to provide them with an opportunity to exchange information on the theme and to be empowered.

We are in the process of approaching the Departments of Social Development and Home Affairs to work together with us where necessary. We are aware that Parliament needs to look at the legislative measures needed in this regard.

Our country for some years now has been used as a transit facility or destination for victims of this horrible crime. One of the points made at the recent International Women’s Conference which dealt, among other things, with this matter is that human trafficking needs to be viewed from a supply and demand perspective.

We need to look at the phenomenon as it occurs in and affects our society. Socioeconomic factors like poverty, unemployment and lack of education make many women and children vulnerable and lead to their human rights being severely violated. It is important to note that international solidarity and networking are essential for effectively dealing with this international crime. We, in that regard, welcome the attention of the UN Committee on the Status of Women being paid to this matter. We believe that for their discussions and their work on the next International Women’s Day, they will be focusing on this matter. Parliamentarians should lobby the AU, the PAP and/or Nepad to institutionalise antitrafficking desks, which can deal with this issue collectively on a continental basis.

These projects, which I’ve just mentioned, the People’s Assembly, the Youth and Women’s Parliaments, provide opportunities for citizens to engage directly with Members of Parliament in a meaningful way on issues that affect them.

Most importantly, the activities start in the provinces where there are workshops on the ground on the chosen themes. The deliberations culminate in provincial forums at which delegates are elected to come to the national events. At the national level the first day is used for the provincial delegates to hold workshops with members of the portfolio committees working on the themes of those forums. This year’s Women’s Parliament will be held on 3 and 4 August here in Parliament.

The second major area I wish to deal with is the systems improvements within Parliament. It is not an exaggeration to state that Parliament has undergone unprecedented transformation at both the political and administrative levels. New rules, procedures, mechanisms and capacities were needed to effect the work of the Parliament of the present. In improving its efficiency, Parliament commissioned the development of an information technology strategy. A key system for managing the administrative functions of Parliament efficiently is called Marang, which means sunrays or sunlight. Marang integrates Parliament’s human resources, payroll, financial and procurement systems.

The benefits of Marang for Parliament are the following: Operations of Parliament are now streamlined and in line with best practice; we have removed duplication; there has been a reduction in manual tasks and we have been provided with more automation; all transactions are auditable; and the policies of Parliament are included in the system for checks and balances.

In terms of improvement in systems, I wish to come to the new travel system. I would first like to say that the Auditor-General’s report of 2003- 04 highlighted areas of weakness in Parliament’s financial and administrative systems. Under the supervision of the Parliamentary Oversight Authority – and the very alert eye of the hon Gibson - the specific issues have been addressed and I will not go into those details.

On 1 April 2006 Parliament successfully implemented a new travel system for members and their dependants. The new travel system addresses significant shortcomings in the previous travel procurement process.

Regarding problems with the old system, I would just like to go over them quickly in case we have forgotten. There was no central storage of data and data was not accessible to Parliament. Entitlements were controlled manually through the issuing of paper vouchers. Travel statements and procurement data were not immediately available to members.

The new system has the following improvements. The travel data is now stored centrally, using an electronic platform through which members and service providers request travel, and authorisation occurs. Travel profiles are maintained electronically, ensuring stricter adherence to travel policy. All data is available in real time to both Parliament and members. There are multiple ways to use the system that allows members to procure and authorise their travel irrespective of their location.

Further completed projects include the upgrading of our information technology networks, and the implementation of the digital recording system for Hansard.

All these and other projects will lead the way in realising our vision that seeks to build an effective people’s Parliament that is responsive to the needs of the people and that is driven by the ideal of realising a better quality of life for all the people of South Africa.

I now wish to turn to the work we are doing in the broader legislative sector. The first issue here is to deal with the EU legislature’s support programme, the EULSP. The EULSP provides financial assistance to Parliament and the provincial legislatures that enable them to better fulfil their functions. To this end, as previously reported, the European Union has made 10 million euros available over three years to the legislative sector in South Africa. That period will end this coming December.

The Speakers’ Forum has attended to a number of matters aimed at providing a strategic basis of work for the legislative sector, among which are the following. We have dealt with the development and acceptance of gender strategy for the legislative sector. The implementation will take place pending the development of action plans by each institution. The development of a draft public-participation framework for the legislative sector: towards this end a national workshop is planned for discussion of the framework document.

The Speakers’ Forum, in conjunction with the LSP, will also be working towards the development of a sector-wide oversight model. This will be done in close co-operation with the parliamentary task team on oversight and accountability.

A presiding officers’ workshop was held during April 2006 – which was actually the third of the workshops we have been holding since the 2004 elections - covering all aspects relating to a presiding officer’s responsibilities.

There are important projects expediting parliamentary democracy in South Africa. In this regard, the LSP throughout the legislative sector has made major contributions to the enhancement of democracy. I’ll just mention a few of these projects. Approximately R1, 6 million was contributed to our own People’s Assembly celebrations during June 2005. A large portion of the EULSP funding assisted with capacity-building initiatives throughout the legislative sector. Some of the funding is going towards the video– conferencing system, which will involve Parliament and the nine provincial legislatures.

Some of the challenges we are facing are with regard to delays we have experienced in the installation of the video-conferencing system. But we are hoping that it will be finalised in this financial year. We still also need to improve on liaison with tertiary institutions to develop courses for members, as identified in the Members’ Needs Assessment. There is also the issue of the development of a human resources development strategy framework for the legislative sector.

The Speakers’ Forum and the European Commission in South Africa recently met and agreed to discuss possible future programmes pertaining to the legislative sector. A delegation from Parliament will be visiting the European Commission and the European Parliament next week to continue with these engagements.

I now come to my last point, and that is our international work. We have made significant progress towards the adoption of an international relations policy. This policy is due to be tabled at the Joint Rules Committee this month.

During the next three years Parliament will host a number of international events including the Southern Africa Development Community Parliamentary Forum at the end of November 2006; the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association, the CPA, Africa Region Conference in 2007; and, lastly, the Inter-Parliamentary Union, the IPU, Assembly that is going to be held in

1. The largest of these conferences is the IPU Assembly with 140 national parliaments, each of which will probably be bringing more than 10 people. Parliament will be sending a 30-person contingent that will form part of a South African election observer mission to the DRC for the pre-election, election and postelection phases next month. The vastness of the country presents an enormous logistical challenge for any election observation team, hence South Africans need to be tightly co-ordinated. We trust that we will be able to play the important role expected of us in ensuring that the elections are free and fair.

We then come to the Pan-African Parliament. Many critical issues were processed during the last session of the PAP earlier in May. I wish to confine myself to some security concerns in the main.

There was unanimity on the fact that Africa will not be able to achieve growth and development if issues around peace and security continue to plague the continent. This seemed to be the overall sentiment shared by many Members of Parliament, following a report by the AU Commissioner for Peace and Security and the Chairperson of the PAP Permanent Committee on Co- operation, International Relations and Conflict Resolution on peace and security in Africa.

On the Second World Conference of Speakers of Parliaments, 150 Speakers of Parliaments and presiding officers gathered in New York on the eve of the high-level meeting of heads of states and governments in September 2005. A declaration was adopted in terms of which they examined how they could provide more support for international co-operation and the United Nations, and thus help bridge the democracy gap in international relations.

The presiding officers stated:

The United Nations must remain the cornerstone of global co-operation. The United Nations Secretary-General should therefore be encouraged to pursue the current reform process vigorously.

In conclusion, Parliament will tirelessly pursue its constitutionally based mandate to create a just South Africa in which all shall have equal rights. It is in that spirit that I hereby table Vote 2 of Parliament for the implementation of our strategic vision and a better working environment for all members. I thank you. [Applause.]

The CHIEF WHIP OF THE MAJORITY PARTY: Chairperson, Deputy President, Ministers, Deputy Ministers and Members of Parliament, it is indeed a pleasure, Madam Speaker, to follow on after you in this important debate, particularly given the gigantic advances we have made in transforming this institution.

Today we are gathered in this august institution of our democracy, the people’s Parliament, to debate and vote on the budget of Parliament. In debating this budget, the ANC is cognisant of the enormous sense of responsibility placed by the overwhelming majority of South Africans on its shoulders, as we affectionately call the ANC “ugxalaba libanzi ngokuthwal’ iintsizi neentlungu zabantwana bomthonyama” [the one who welcomes and carries every indigenous person’s troubles and pains on her shoulders].

We have accepted this responsibility with humility for the past 12 years. It is a responsibility we are committed to implement to the best of our ability, with the same fortitude as our forbears when they said, “These freedoms we will fight for, side by side, throughout our lives, until we have won our liberty.”

We, the public representatives of the ANC, humbled by the growing confidence of our people in the ANC, as was displayed through the overwhelming mandate in the recent local government elections, pledge ourselves not to disappoint the trust which our people have bestowed upon us. Our democracy is firmly established on the rock foundation of the South African democratic Constitution.

Inspired by the standard beacon of the vision of our people - the Freedom Charter, our Constitution, in its preamble, declares that:

We, the people of South Africa, recognise the injustices of our past; honour those who suffered for justice and freedom in our land; respect those who have worked to build and develop our country; and believe that South Africa belongs to all who live in it, united in our diversity. We therefore, through our freely elected representatives, adopt this Constitution as the supreme law of the Republic so as to –

   heal the divisions of the past and establish a society based on
   democratic values, social justice and fundamental human rights ...

Of necessity, the premise of the ANC regarding the debate on Parliament’s Budget Vote is firmly anchored on the fundamental tenets of our Constitution, in the light of the fact that this year we celebrate the 10th anniversary of the adoption of our Constitution by an elected Constitutional Assembly, not Parliament. It’s not Parliament that adopted the Constitution, it is the Constitutional Assembly.

In a real sense, this debate makes an important contribution to the celebration of our democracy. Our participation in this debate is also informed by the vision of Parliament. Indeed, the adoption of the vision of Parliament in the historic year of the 50th anniversary of the adoption of the Freedom Charter by the congress of the people marked a giant leap in the transformation of Parliament. It was a clear declaration of intent.

The vision makes crystal clear the mission and purpose of people’s legislators. In this regard, the vision of Parliament says we must pool our efforts to build an effective people’s Parliament that is responsive to the needs of the people and is driven by the ideal of realising a better quality of life for all the people of South Africa.

Fundamentally, this vision encapsulates the hopes of a people-centred and people-driven process of transformation. As we reflect on the advances made since our last budget and the challenges that confront us, we should draw strength from this vision and rise to the challenges occasioned by the transformation of society. Furthermore, we should draw inspiration from the creative tension inherent in our constitutional dispensation.

We have indeed travelled a long way since 1994. So much has been transformed and yet still much needs to be transformed. The Parliament we inherited was structured differently and therefore impacted differently, not only on socio-political processes but also on the lives of the members who were driving the institutional processes. It is a fact that, today, our work puts an even greater strain on family life.

We must accelerate the effort to ensure that members with disabilities find this environment welcoming. We must continue to pay particular attention to this matter. One of the ways could be the establishment of a unit to focus solely on the condition and needs of vulnerable sectors, including the elderly and children. When elderly people and children visit this institution, we still lack a bit in ensuring that they are looked after and that there are facilities that cater for them, which we should provide.

The other matter that we would like to raise is about counselling. Among the issues that need to be considered seriously is that of counselling services for members. This should be structured in such a way that it does not come up only when things have come to a head. It also raises the need to investigate, on an ongoing basis, ways in which members’ lives can be made more bearable. One of these could be the revitalisation of the gym and other sporting activities. [Interjections.] [Applause.]

A way must be found to ensure the utilisation of Parliament’s gym. The same must be done to improve members’ participation in sports and recreational activities. [Interjections.] [Applause.] This, though, raises the question of where would members find the time to do these things. We must acknowledge that sizeable progress has been made in the structuring of our programme. More needs to be done to ensure that members spend sufficient time with their constituencies and find enough space for their wellness and family life.

There has been improvement in the time available for constituency work and we must commend the institution on this. Much good work is also being done in constituencies. Our weakness is still in the lack of systematic reporting of this work and the necessary institutional follow-up processes to give effect to the work members do. To address this would go a long way in restoring the dignity of public representatives and add weight to this important aspect of our work.

Systematic reporting would help to ensure that we learn from each other and would lead to the identification of best practices and better service to our people. Here, again, the need will arise to differentiate between narrow political interests and matters of national priority.

We also need to do more to ensure that constituency issues find expression in our institutional work. Among other things, better resourcing of constituency offices, including equipping them with better technologies, will bring them within closer reach. Our Taking Parliament to the People programme would find a qualitative impetus if we were to focus on equipping constituency offices and capacitating them with the requisite facilities and up-to-date information and communication technologies.

Our programming has also improved, with respect to the time available for members’ training. We, however, need to continue to engage, with regard to the type and quality of training. There has been an improvement in time allocated for party training. This has the potential to contribute greatly in the strengthening of the quality and vibrancy of debate and multiparty democracy.

There is a need to address the issue of members’ administrative and secretarial support. We must move towards individual support for members. This will have to include making available individual research capacity to members. This matter, of course, brings to the fore a lot of other issues, particularly with regard to resources. However, if we are to cope with the increasing demands for better service for the people, we also shall have to improve our capacity.

The full implementation of the mandate of Parliament is directly linked to the extent of the investment we make in skilling Members of Parliament and the staff of Parliament. Staff must also be conscious of the fact that they are here in this institution at the invitation of members, and not vice versa. If there were no members in this institution there would be no staff here. In this regard, a change of mindset is needed. There is a need to improve turnaround times.

A better sense of consultation, participation and inclusiveness characterises the relations amongst parties and between the parties and the institution. We believe that there is good accommodation of small parties in the work of the institution. This finds expression in the manner of their representation in the structures of the institution as well as in time allocations during the debate. This approach continues to ensure that our society is afforded the opportunity to listen to even the smallest voice; alternatively, that even the smallest constituencies and ideas have the space to contribute to the debate about reconstruction and development of our country, without strict adherence to representation and percentages. If we were to adhere to representation percentages, other parties would just stand up and say, “Hallo; good afternoon,” and sit down. There is also an evolving sense of common understanding and appreciation of challenges we face, in regard to our common and respective responsibilities. We have also succeeded in deepening good party-to-party relations. The work of the Chief Whips’ Forum is invaluable in this regard, and this brings to the fore the need for a dedicated budget for the forum.

All the issues we have referred to have resource implications. We must commend Parliament on the sincere efforts that have been made to provide the resources to ensure steady realisation of our national objectives.

We need to take stock of the symbols of the institution to see if they are consistent with the new vision. The culture of democracy, peace, human rights and social justice that we worked to deepen must also find expression in the symbols that define who we are. The recognition of the sensitivities around these matters should not be allowed to paralyse us into inaction.

The principal platform of action for members is committees. To improve the quality of the work of committees we need to improve the quality of the work of study groups. Furthermore, and in general, the quality of work is a broader reflection of the allocation of resources. More resources go hand in hand with stronger influence.

Let me conclude because my time is running out. Where do we go from here and where is the source of our optimism? Necessarily, the answer to this critical question cannot be based on a figment of one’s imagination. Our experience in the first 12 years of our democracy informs us that we should rely on the evidence of our observations. Anything to the contrary will condemn our assessment to wishful thinking.

It is our considered view, as the ANC, that the quantitative gains of transformation we have registered in the past 12 years of democracy are being translated into qualitative improvements. Today is better than yesterday; tomorrow will be better than today. Parliament is well poised to enter the age of hope. I thank you. [Applause.]

The CHIEF WHIP OF THE OPPOSITION: The hon Mr Goniwe used the word “humility” four times in his speech, and I was very impressed until I remembered how he spells the word: “a-r-r-o-g-a-n-c-e”.

Chairperson, Parliament’s programme of sittings, debates, constituency weeks and oversight visits is working better than it ever has. But, at another level, the National Assembly is no longer quite the place where things happen in the political life of South Africa. Five areas should set the alarm bells ringing about what can only be called the sidelining of Parliament.

Ministers address the media at briefings before coming to Parliament for announcement and approval. This sends out the message that Ministers think the media is more important than the National Assembly. This should stop. Media briefings must take place after Parliament, and not before it. Parliament itself spends time on inconsequential debates and is far less preoccupied with discussing urgent and important matters.

Some debates attract no more than a handful of hon members. No doubt they are busy with very important work elsewhere, but the point is that other things seem to be more important than sittings of the National Assembly.

A third aspect is that because the government has been in power for more than 12 years, it seems to have run out of steam. There are few new ideas emanating from the ANC, and it has become a little tired. In a normal democracy the ANC would have been voted out at the last elections, and it would now be spending time in opposition, regrouping, re-examining its priorities and its policies. That is one reason why Parliament is not what it was. [Interjections.]

Parliament has many dedicated public servants who serve MPs well, and I want to thank each one of them for what they do for us. There are, however, two positions that require examination. The first is that of the Head of Finance of Parliament. I must repeat here what I said outside Parliament, and that is that Harry Charlton, the former Head of Finance of Parliament, was fired on trumped-up charges.

South Africa does not believe that there was substance to the charges against him, or the findings of the kangaroo court appointed to dispose of him. The suspicion lingers that because he was the whistle-blower in the Travelgate scandal, who insisted on a proper investigation and no shoving under the carpet, he had to be got rid of. And you succeeded.

Months later he is not being replaced. Lionel Klassen, a very nice and decent man, has been acting for six months, probably against his own wishes. Mr Klassen presided over the finances of Parliament when they slipped into disarray, and when the systems were such that many MPs were able to defraud the public by abusing their office. When is the successor going to be appointed? It is six months later.

The person of the current Secretary to Parliament diminishes Parliament. Mr Zingile Dingani is an able man. I remember him when he was a Member of Parliament who aspired to be the leader of the ANC in the Free State. He served as an MEC, was knifed, as they all are in that province, and then redeployed as the Secretary to Parliament. The fact is that he is a politician and not a public servant. It is a very difficult transition to make, from politician to public servant. [Interjections.]

Regrettably, Mr Dingani has not managed that transition very well, and I want to give you an example: There was the publication about Parliament a few months ago. On the cover was a huge picture of the Secretary with his hand raised and rays of light reaching out from his fingers. He was described underneath as the people’s visionary. I thought the thing stopped just short of being blasphemous. It is laughably inappropriate for a public servant to promote himself in this way at the expense of the taxpayers.

What it does, is that it serves to illustrate my point. In the publication, the Speaker and the Chairperson had tiny photographs like this. I think it was either on page 3 or on page 4. But the difference between their importance and the Secretary to Parliament was only too clear.

My repeated letters to the Speaker and to the Chairperson of the NCOP requesting details of the amount spent on the publication, who had approved it, and who selected the pictures in the text, have gone unanswered. Madam, it is rude to ignore repeated letters like this. But it shows that the officials are above Parliament and are not accountable to Parliament. Surely, this is wrong.

Another aspect of … Ms M P MENTOR: On a point of order, Chairperson: To say it is rude and pointing to the Speaker of Parliament, I think is unparliamentary.

The CHIEF WHIP OF THE OPPOSITION: No, it is not.

The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Mr K O Bapela): Hon Gibson, did you say, “rude” when you referred to the Speaker?

The CHIEF WHIP OF THE OPPOSITION: Yes I did, Chairperson. It is rude to ignore repeated letters about this matter and allow months to go by.

The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Mr K O Bapela): It is not unparliamentary in terms of law. No, your time will be taken care of. You can sit down. I am not ruling on that order. Thank you. You may proceed.

The CHIEF WHIP OF THE OPPOSITION: Thank you. Please give me an extra half a minute. Another aspect that deserves attention is that of the representation of this Parliament to big international occasions. I want to remind you about the visit by our Speaker to the inauguration of Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf, the President of Liberia.

The President of South Africa was going, the Foreign Minister was going, but a committee consisting of the Speaker, the Chairperson of the NCOP and the Secretary to Parliament, decided that our Speaker should go, and that she should hire a plane at a cost of R470 000. In addition to that, there were all the other costs of hotel, catering and transport. I then wrote about them to her as well, and asked about all of those. Months have gone by and I still have not received an answer. The implication is that the duty to account to Parliament will be undertaken when it suits the Presiding Officers, not when it suits members. This is quite wrong, Madam.

The Presiding Officers are not the bosses of Parliament, but they are the servants of Parliament. Their trips, their expenditure, and their decisions are not above the law, or above Parliament. They need to become accountable. I say this in the friendliest possible way. Because all of us are accountable: the Speaker is accountable to Parliament and Members of Parliament are accountable to the electorate.

All these aspects lead me to say that while we keep on protesting and talking until we blue in the face, about this being a people’s Parliament, Parliament as an institution is being sidelined and downgraded in our democracy. It is a worrying tendency, and something that needs to be arrested. I generally do not align myself either with the Communists or with Cosatu. There is, however, a great deal of validity in the claim they have recently made about Parliament being sidelined.

Of course, in power, those people would be far worse than the ANC, but when they are in opposition or whatever it is that they are at the moment, they quite often put their finger on sensitive points. It is all these things that make me come to the conclusion that Parliament should think very carefully before we vote for this Budget Vote of Parliament. I think we should cry, “halt”. I think what we should say is, “thus far and no further”, and we should reject the Budget Vote of Parliament this year.

Mr O E MONARENG: It is unfortunate that I am after the Chief Whip of a whingeing party, who displays rudeness and roguishness at all costs. You are the chief of an opposition party. It is unparliamentary and bad for you to be bashing officials, even Parliament to which you belong. What we need to do …

Mr M J ELLIS: Chairperson, I rise on a point of order. The hon speaker at the podium said that what Mr Gibson said was unparliamentary. I believe that that in itself is unparliamentary and should be ruled out.

The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Mr K O Bapela): I did rule that the word “rude” is not unparliamentary; that ruling stands. Mr Gibson was not unparliamentary in that regard. Hon Monareng, that was the ruling that we had earlier.

Mr M J ELLIS: He is going to withdraw, Chairperson? He can’t go around saying that my hon colleague is unparliamentary, when you have ruled that he was not.

The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Mr K O Bapela): Hon Monareng, can you withdraw that assertion?

Mr O E MONARENG: Yes, I thought you were going to make a ruling. You want to force me to withdraw. [Interjections.] Why should I? I don’t want to.

The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Mr K O Bapela): Order, order, Please sit down. Hon member, I made a request and I think you are now addressing my request. Please withdraw and then proceed with your speech.

Mr O E MONARENG: If I have to withdraw at the request of an hon Chairperson, I withdraw the remark.

Let me start by saying that hon members, Ministers, I am sure that there are a couple of things that we were supposed to learn because over the past 10 years in the new dispensation there were so many lessons that we have learned about Parliament. It was not only about Parliament in South Africa but across the world, and it is important and imperative that we should draw on these lessons. My attention will be on political and ideological issues that have to do with Parliament and how it has evolved over many years.

Since the end of the Cold War, a plethora of scholars have advanced a range of theories concerning the future likely state of the world as we entered the new millennium. Some argue that we have just witnessed the final victory of the West’s capitalism and that countries everywhere will now adapt their political systems to those of the West. Others, exemplified by Samuel P Huntingdon in his book, The Clash of Civilization and the Remaking of the World Order, argues that the world, for the first time in history, is now both multipolar and multicivilisational, along civilisational lines based on the main. Huntingdon describes a world in which countries increasingly identify their allies and enemies along civilisational lines, based on the main cultures and religions and predicts the possible decline of the ascendency of the West in the new millennium.

Regardless of which future one espouses, in order to discuss the new millennium and attempt to investigate the role to be played by government and parliament therein, it is necessary to assume that governments and parliaments will operate in a largely peaceful world; and history has shown that parliament plays a very minor role in war situations.

This is a lesson which I use to illustrate that parliament is not a rogue, is not an arrogant institution. It is a very democratic institution. Allow me the opportunity to express myself in this seemingly simple and obvious debate, which, because of the absence of particular portfolio committees who specialise in parliamentary matters, is made more complex and difficult. Our understanding of Parliament and all its operations is nurtured over a period of time by its members, leaders, presiding officers and committees, members of the executive, officials and simple, ordinary functionaries. These are the people who make Parliament possible, including the opposition. As South Africans they have borrowed experience primarily from the Westminster system and elsewhere in the world.

Its experience is very important and in their past 12 years we have also learned a couple of experiences. Without much ado, I would not deliberate on the obvious and the simple. I wish to adopt an approach, which encroaches onto complex political and ideological methods, which the opposition has ventured into, tampering with an area that has nothing to do with it, but has to do with the liberation history. This is an area of attention and focus best understood and known by nobody else but the liberation movement in its entirety.

The hon Chief Whip of the DA, Mr Gibson, has interpreted the statements of Cosatu and the SACP from a far, remote political point of view. He misconstrues an ongoing internal debate and criticism on the ANC from a pure position of opportunistic point of view by suggesting that the ANC and its allies are about to go their separate ways and pursue an agenda of the national democratic revolution as individual, separate entities. That is not the way it is interpreted. In the ANC there is debate, there is openness, there is criticism and selfcriticism. That point about Cosatu criticising us is not a problem of the opposition, but it is actually a problem of the alliance and those who participated in the liberation of this country.

I want to continue by drawing on other experiences insofar as … [Interjections.] That is not true. Some scholars have attempted to define democracy. I just want to get to a point where we have to explain exactly what democracy means, so that the opposition can understand it. Most say that it is virtually impossible to define democracy. No definition exists in law and there is no totally acceptable consensus on the political meaning of the concept. There are many variants of democracy and different legitimate interpretations, derived from various historical, cultural and regional experiences of various people around the world. Certain features are common to the concept of democracy, as a universal, not exclusively Western value.

This includes the contest of regular free and fair elections by many parties conducted by secret ballot on the basis of unilateral adult suffrage. There is a separation of powers and an independent judiciary and a free press. There is a respect for the rule of law. Human rights and the rights of minorities are respected. An independent, efficient and accountable civil service exercises prudent management of public resources. Underpinning democracy is a private sector, free from excessive government intervention. I am sure that in South Africa we have such an experience.

Our view as the ANC is that we have come a long way in exercising and practising democracy. We have actually added value to the understanding of democracy and we are in a country that is exemplary. South Africa is one country that understands what democracy and what parliamentary democracy is all about. In addition to parliamentary democracy, we have got the notions that are tantamount to what we call people’s participatory democracy and this is what is happening. Some of the issues are the ones that are actually explained in a deep way by the hon Speaker of this House on how should we go about public participation. The Speaker and the Chief Whip of the ANC have also explained processes, which, at an operational level and administrative level, we are able to engage in.

As the ANC, we call upon the DA to stop confusing the nation, because the ANC is not confused. The ANC can handle complex and sophisticated questions raised by complex organisations such as the SACP and Cosatu. Their questions do not really constitute a crisis within our ranks, instead, they strengthen democratic participation within our ranks. The debate has further attracted the nonmembers of the ANC to enter the fray in the name of democracy, in which we will come.

South Africans have the right to entertain ideas around the election of the President. A number of surveys should determine the popularity of potential presidential candidates. This is acceptable in a democratic country like ours. The unfortunate thing is that in the South African context of a democracy guided by the Constitution, only political parties contesting a democratic election can have a particular name serving as a presidential candidate. That candidate will henceforth be elected by Parliament to be the President of the country, unless the process is changed by the amendment of the Constitution, which in my view is not likely in the next 20 years.

The Constitution of the country enjoins the notion of the separation of powers through Parliament, for the executive is held accountable by Parliament, notwithstanding the judiciary. Parliament is the centrepiece of all institutions that are in chapter 9 of the Constitution, in that these institutions ensure that there are checks and balances in our democracy, like the Office of the Auditor-General, that makes it possible that departments account in accordance with the PFMA and the country’s fiscal policies. That Parliament is able to exercise oversight over both the executive and the judiciary is not child’s play, but real and true democracy in operation. Parliament is a true agent for change and the Portfolio Committee of Defence was able to hold discussions with the Department of Defence at a point where land was occupied by the SANDF in Vaalmansdal. Our portfolio committee was in a position to pursue the Department of Defence, and this was at a time when Prof Kader Asmal was the chairperson of the committee. As we speak now, the Department of Defence has agreed to the giving of land to the people of Vaalmansdal and the people of Vaalmansdal are about to occupy the land. This action, in short, means victory to Parliament and the people. This lesson and victory could be claimed by all parties belonging to the portfolio committee, including the DA.

I would therefore like to conclude my input by reiterating that Parliament is a forum for democratic participation by Members of Parliament and a range of people and organisations, representing fellow South Africans and, sometimes, foreigners. This important institution has empirical evidence that it is a true agent for change. I want the House to support this Budget Vote. [Time expired.]

Mr J H VAN DER MERWE: Chairperson, the IFP would like to express its appreciation to Madam Speaker, and other presiding officers and parliamentary officials as well as the staff, for the good work that is being done to make our Parliament more efficient, modern and people- friendly. Thank you very much.

Notwithstanding the good work, it would be remiss of me not to raise at least three issues today, and my colleague, Mrs Seaton, will raise some other matters.

The first is the issue, which I notice has been omitted by previous speakers, of the budget rollovers. It is my understanding that about R200 million has been rolled over from previous years, while about R160 million was rolled over from last year.

If that is so, then it is an untenable situation. Members are crying out for more assistance and equipment, yet Parliament is not spending its available resources. This cannot continue.

We, as Members of Parliament, should beware, because in our oversight role we often criticise government departments and agencies for underspending, and yet here we are also doing the same. This undermines our authority as the watchdog of democracy. I see that Mr Groenewald agrees with me. Thank you very much.

Let me deal with the most important issue next, that is members’ retirement benefits. The issue of member’s pensions has regularly been raised in the Chief Whips’ Forum and also in this House. [Interjections.] Yes, I have decided that I will retire and when I can announce the date, it is the day that I die. [Laughter.] The issue of members’ pensions as I have said, has been regularly raised not only in the Chief Whips’ Forum but also here, and although small improvements have been made, our pension still falls far short of what members deserve and need.

How is it possible that a member, after ten years of serving democracy and the nation, must walk away with a net monthly pension of about R5 000, which is about a quarter of what he gets now? [Interjections.] I can’t hear you. Please ask for an opportunity to speak; apparently your Whips don’t give you an opportunity to speak. They don’t trust you because you would talk nonsense! [Laughter.]

This appalling situation means that members who retire, leave here as paupers, and this is not a party-political issue. It affects each member who is sitting here. One day when you retire, if something drastic is not done to your pension, you will retire as a pauper.

Members of Parliament always support the calls by the trade unions for a living wage for their members. It is high time that we call for a living pension for MPs. [Applause.]

This hopelessly inadequate pension issue means that members have to work way past the retirement age of 65; it is no wonder that many members have to rely on outside business interests to provide for their retirement. [Interjections.] Like myself; I have an outside business. I am sure you are jealous because you were also an attorney, but nobody wants you to work for him or her. You can come and work for me! [Laughter.] Of course, by calling for improved pensions, members will be accused of boarding the gravy train again. But let it be so, and let those who criticise us when we ask for improved pensions exchange their pensions for an equivalent period of service with members. I don’t think any one would take up that offer.

The pensions issue has now become so serious that one of our colleagues will soon meet personally with the Minister of Finance to discuss this matter. We can only hope that the Minister will recognise this urgent need to improve member’s retirement benefits because he, the Minister of Finance, is in the same boat.

Finally, I want to raise the fact that this Parliament does not have a restaurant befitting its status as the Parliament of South Africa. I see many members agree with me, especially Dr Koornhof. The existing facilities for members can at best be described as average and are not really appropriate for receiving dignitaries, VIPs and guests.

A few years ago, the then Deputy Minister of Public Works undertook an international fact-finding mission to, amongst other things, view members’ restaurants in parliaments all over the world. He made certain positive recommendations on his return, but those were dismissed by the then Speaker.

The fact of the matter is that we do not have anything that can compare with restaurants in other parliaments of the world and we have nowhere to receive and entertain important guests properly. I am glad that Madam Speaker is smiling and bowing her head. Thank you for agreeing that we will have a restaurant, Madam Speaker. Thank you. [Laughter.]

In addition, although we are close to some of the best winelands of the world, we can hardly choose between one or two quality wines in our restaurants. What a pity. We strongly urge that we should rectify this embarrassing situation for our Parliament by creating a dining room that befits the status of the democratic Parliament of South Africa. I can see the Deputy Speaker also agrees with me. She is nodding, yes. Are you saying yes, Madam Deputy Speaker? The IFP supports the Budget. Thank you. [Laughter.]

Mr G T MADIKIZA: Chairperson, hon members, the workload of Parliament and its individual members in both Houses continues to grow at an exponential rate. Amongst the vast array of duties that members carry out, none can be said to be unimportant nor could any of these multitude of duties be described as being undemanding in terms of time, technicality and effort.

The modern parliamentarian must shoulder wide-ranging institutional, legislative, political, oversight, ideological, constituency and even international burdens. We are thus faced as an institution with the duty of ensuring that members are able to perform all of these important tasks. It means that we must spend more on the individual parliamentarian in terms of administrative and institutional support. This should be reflected in the Budget, unfortunately it is not exactly so.

These concerns are raised every year, and yet the budgets don’t show any significant changes. The only thing we continue to hear is promises of improvements in the medium term. We need to look at the expectations placed upon the average parliamentarian and budget accordingly. Other countries whose MPs have such heavy workloads are spending vastly more on the institutional and administrative support of individual MPs. The UDM supports the Budget Vote. I thank you.

Mrs C DUDLEY: Chairperson, Madam Speaker, hon Ministers, colleagues and visitors, the ACDP questions the decision taken to appoint parliamentary information officers in all the nine provinces. This, as we see it, is the work of MPs through constituency offices and the ACDP takes exception to the fact that the parliamentary budget is being used to propagate a version of what is the objective with regard to Parliament.

Parliament being responsible for the oversight of the executive and for passing legislation must, of course, create an enabling environment in order to carry out these duties, ensuring adequate financial and human resources are made available. The ACDP has expressed concern that portfolio committees should be monitoring every department and internal audit process throughout the year, and not during the budget process. We need to ensure that members of portfolio committees are fully conversant with departmental expenditure, and are not surprised by an adverse Auditor-General’s report, such as the AG’s disclaimer recently issued to Home Affairs.

At the same time individual members, especially those in opposition parties, have an additional role and responsibility from the added perspective of being outside the ranks of the majority party.

It is in this regard that the ACDP is concerned that the effectiveness of smaller parties, in particular, is capped and frustrated by inadequate resources.

In many cases even leaders of parties are forced to share secretaries with other members, and parties have to rely on party structures in order to afford media or research staff. This is counterproductive and problematic, especially in view of the underspending. It makes no sense.

I would like to place on record the ACDP’s concern that Parliament’s status as a “people’s Parliament” was seriously dented this week when a request from Christian leaders to access Parliament was turned down without any effort to accommodate them. These men and women responsible for the Global Day of Prayer, which took place on Sunday 4 June, had hoped to end this unprecedented event by praying at Parliament. This day saw millions of Christians across the world united in prayer for the healing of their nations.

Sadly, Parliament missed an opportunity to open its doors to those who represent a vary large and important sector of our society and has failed to recognise and value the efforts of this sector which is committed to serving the people of South Africa and supporting their representatives in Parliament by actively identifying with and participating in our democracy.

We also register our objection to the practice of media briefings preceding debates. The ACDP thanks you for the extra bit of time. It does, however, acknowledge Parliament’s many concerted efforts to address weaknesses and increase transparency and access. This excludes, of course, the matter of speaking time for smaller parties, which often effectively silences us and seriously constipates the debates.

On a positive note, the new travel system is one example where despite the challenges, it has been professionally handled and implemented and constitutes a vast improvement on the previous system. Well done to all concerned.

The ACDP also applauds efforts to ensure that the needs of women parliamentarians, those with disabilities and the elderly are high on the agenda. Very importantly, we also strongly support calls for members to be encouraged not to neglect family responsibilities, their health and, of course their constituencies; as Parliament has a way of consuming our every waking moment, if we let it.

The ACDP is seriously considering supporting this Budget Vote. Thank you.

Ms M P MENTOR: Chairperson, hon members, about two years ago I saluted Comrade Eric Molobi from this podium, a mentor who instilled in me an undying passion for education, freedom and justice.

Comrade Eric Molobi taught not only me the values of nonracialism, nonsexism, unity and prosperity, but also hundreds of young people, whom he also taught to duplicate themselves. Today Eric Molobi rests in peace, fully knowing that he built a democratic, just, fair, nonracial and nonsexist South Africa. He must rest in peace knowing that he left South Africa in good hands. And we the young people, who went through his hands, must pledge today that we will defend democracy, our freedom, peace and stability, our economy, our people, our country and our leadership.

Chairperson, my speech today focuses on the support of Parliament to its members. If I have time, I will also consider the question of whether Parliament is weak against the executive or not.

Coming back to the issue of support for members, let me acknowledge first that Parliament is supporting its members administratively to do its work. I would like, however, to submit immediately that this support is not necessarily efficient.

Parliament is obliged to support its members in order for them to be able to do their work, which is complex and intricate, but can be made easier with much support. In order to understand the nature of the work of members of Parliament and their performance, you need to go to the Constitution to extract the role and authority of Parliament. The role of Parliament then becomes the responsibility and the core function of its members.

These are the following: to amend the Constitution; to pass legislation and review it; to represent the people of South Africa, in the case of the National Assembly, and to represent provinces in the case of the National Council of Provinces; to scrutinise and oversee executive action; and to be a national forum for public consideration of issues that affect the nation.

Constitutionally Parliament should also intervene in the following matters: maintenance of national security; maintaining economic unity; maintaining essential standards and establishing minimum standards required for the rendering of services; preventing unreasonable action on the part of a province that is prejudicial to the interests of another province or the country as a whole.

Parliament is bound by the Constitution and must act within its limits when passing or amending legislation. Comrades and colleagues, South Africans, we can ask together whether members of Parliament are empowered enough to deal with the above-mentioned daunting tasks.

I think you will agree with me that as far as legislation and national norms and standards are concerned, Parliament and its members pass with flying colours. However, with respect to national security, economic defence of the Republic, and guarding against prejudicial action against the country, its interests and its people, Parliament must still learn to empower its members to confront these tasks as the Constitution expects. We need to do serious work to start empowering members to face this daunting task.

The Bill of Rights is another key performance area for members of Parliament. We must, again together, ask this question: Has Parliament empowered its members to defend and ensure the following rights of its citizens: the right to equality; human dignity; life; freedom and security of the person; no slavery, servitude or forced labour; the right to privacy; freedom of religion, belief and opinion; freedom of expression; the right to assemble, demonstrate, picket and petition; freedom of association; political rights and the right to citizenship; freedom of movement and residence; freedom of trade, occupation and profession; the right to fair labour; the right to a protected environment that is not harmful to their health or wellbeing; the right to adequate housing; the right to health care, food, water and social security; rights for children; the right to basic education, further education and adult basic education; the right to language and culture of choice; access to information; access to courts; and the rights of arrested, detained and accused persons.

I don’t think that members of Parliament have been empowered enough to secure these rights for the citizenry of South Africa. When we talk about empowerment of members, I think that, yes, we must talk about their work environment, their wellbeing, how much they earn to support their families and their dependants, but most importantly, we must check whether members of Parliament are empowered to fulfil the requirements that are imposed on them by the South African Constitution. Earlier on I indicated that we should be guided by the Constitution when we carry out our work.

Lastly, because the nature of work in Parliament is such that there is nothing like job security, we may need to learn from other parliaments, both in Africa and in the world, as to whether in the next 15 to 20 years we can affirmatively, with pride and assurance, say that this Parliament will be attracting skilled, professional and capable members who are able to stand up against their counterparts in fulfilling these obligations that are constitutional and in relating to the world at large.

We must seriously consider whether we are remunerating our members efficiently to do work in a very befitting manner. The image of Parliament rests upon the image of members. Whereas the issue of conduct is important, and members of Parliament are expected to conduct themselves in a very good manner at all times, we must also do away with circumstances that force them to behave in ways that are unbecoming.

I would propose to Parliament that we look into the models used by other parliaments where, if parliament is not remunerating its members adequately, serving members of parliament are allowed to venture into other things, such as their own businesses and professions, as long as they declare that to parliament.

Is Parliament weak against the executive? I think that there is always room for improvement. Only a nonthinking person would ever say that we do not need to improve. I think that with regard to the three arms of the state, the judiciary, the executive and Parliament itself, there is always room for improvement for all of them.

Lastly, I would like to respond to hon Gibson. You see, the ANC has touched on three important issues that probably we had not touched on before seriously, like we are doing now. These include the media, the intelligentsia and the economy. I think that we are pressing the right buttons and we are touching on the right areas. That is the reason it becomes a matter of concern to hon Gibson and others, who had a leeway of using the media for their own benefit only.

In conclusion, I will submit to the opposition and to the media, in particular, that this country is your country too. Help us to build it. There is no way you can build it if you undermine Parliament the way you do. I would like to encourage the media to play a positive role by helping us build this country. I thank you. [Applause.]

Dr C P MULDER: Chairperson, hon Speaker, Deputy Speaker, the hon chairperson of the ANC caucus delivered a good speech. I can’t, unfortunately, agree with the last conclusions she made.

Criticism of things in Parliament doesn’t mean that you undermine Parliament. It means that you put your finger on certain things that are not correct.

Mnr die Voorsitter, in die kort tydjie wat ek het, twee minute, 120 sekondes, wil ek stilstaan by … [Mr Chairperson, in the short time at my disposal, two minutes, 120 seconds, I want to dwell on …]

… section 42(3) of the Constitution, which basically deals with Parliament as an institution. It deals with the two Houses, but specifically the National Assembly. It’s elected to do what? It’s “… elected to represent the people”. And you must understand that it is to represent all the people, not only the people of a certain party or the majority. Members are elected to do that. Then to do what? To choose a President.

That we have done and we will do so again, some time in the future. Then it has to pass laws. That we are doing. Furthermore, it also represents the people “… by providing a national forum for public consideration of issues …”. With due respect, I think that Parliament fails miserably in dealing with this specific issue that the Constitution asks us to do.

We do not debate and consider issues of public importance regularly in Parliament. We don’t do that.

The second point and the last one is that the Constitution says the National Assembly represents the people “…by scrutinising and overseeing executive action”. And I think we are failing in that regard, also very badly.

It’s very easy; we can ask the executive. Is any member of the executive scared of or worried in terms of coming to Parliament, yes or no? The Minister says she is. I think she is probably the only one. Parliament fails in that respect.

I’ve got 23 seconds left, and that brings me to the last point. It’s impossible, if we want to do justice to debates in Parliament, to give political parties 120 seconds to debate budgets consisting of billions of rands in a meaningful way; we cannot do that.

An HON MEMBER: Get more votes!

Dr C P MULDER: No, not get more votes, definitely not! We are here. We represent people and we should be allowed to put our case in a decent manner. You cannot do that in two minutes. How should you touch on the Budget? How should you look at the different projects of Parliament? You cannot do that; it’s as simple as that.

You come here; you make one or two points, it’s the end of my speaking time. That’s exactly the point I’m trying to make. We have to change that. The sooner, the better. [Time expired.]

Mrs L MALONEY: Madam Speaker, Ministers, Deputy Ministers, Chairperson and distinguished guests present here and Members of Parliament, it is an honour for me to participate in this parliamentary debate. My input will be focusing on how Parliament is viewed by an ordinary MP.

Chairperson, before I go into detail, allow me to echo what is written in the Freedom Charter, “The People shall govern”. All people shall be entitled to take part in the administration of the country. Though the idea of the Freedom Charter emanated from the ANC, the people of South Africa adopted it, hence it is called the People’s Document.

Even after 50 years of its existence the demands enshrined in the Freedom Charter are more relevant than before. They are the demands of the people that the ANC stands for. The first democratic Parliament laid a foundation and the second democratic Parliament built on that foundation. The third democratic Parliament is the phase for people’s power in action, to accelerate policy implementation.

This is the reason why the ANC signed a contract with the people in order to cement these phases - while on the other side the DA is divorcing itself from the people. As Members of Parliament we need to sharpen our oversight and accountability tools through our constituency work, public hearings and making sure that people come to visit Parliament, and then the gallery will be as full as it is today.

In the strategic document Parliament has been identified as one part of the powerful state machinery that can be used as an agent for change. This can be answered with a big yes, as Parliament is made up of women and men who are democratically elected by the people for the people.

Since 1994 up to today, 799 pieces of legislation have been passed by this Parliament. All legislation passed by this democratic Parliament is to make sure that the plight of the poorest of the poor is addressed for a better life for all. At the ANC’s 51st National Conference in Stellenbosch, a resolution was adopted that there is a need to capacitate legislatures.

This resolution is been implemented by Parliament to make sure that at the beginning of each session all Members of Parliament undergo training in order to equip themselves with skills on how to run Parliament effectively and efficiently.

We welcome Parliament’s women’s caucus that has been established, led by our honourable deputy secretary, Comrade Kiki Gweqane. This political instrument will not only look at the needs of women, it will also monitor the engendering of all legislation passed by this Parliament. Much has been done during these 10 years of democracy and much more still needs to be done. The 50% of women in Parliament came here through the commitment of the ANC government, and it has fulfilled that commitment.

This poses a challenge to other political parties to follow suit. The DA must stop this nonsense of merit when it comes to the selection of women. That is nothing else but women-oppressing tactics. They must treat the equality principle with the honesty that it deserves.

The cluster system that was introduced by Parliament is a good concept as it broadens the scope of understanding and more knowledge is gained through this system.

The MPs do not have enough time to attend a lot of committees. This system eliminates the clashing of committees. Members are more focused now than they were before. This Parliament has produced role models and many ex-MPs are now deployed in different areas. Some are captains of some industries, some are community leaders, and some are in the Public Service.

I want to touch on the challenges facing MPs, especially previous MPs. I think Parliament should look at those skills that have been accumulated during the training of those former MPs, in order for us to feed them into what Jipsa is calling for. The time we spend in Parliament as MPs needs immediate attention. For those who do not understand, the work of MPs does not start at 14h00; it starts as early as 08h00, and it ends at about 19h30 to 20h00 in the evening.

Sitting in Parliament is only one of the jobs that Members of Parliament are doing. Most of the time during the day the MPs are in committees, in study groups, in public hearings, but backbenchers remain active all the time to make this Parliament more vibrant.

The problem faced by this Parliament is that because it is made out of both young and old women, young parents with young children are denied time and opportunity to interact with their children, as they arrive home late. Our veterans as well are kept in Parliament for long hours and that is not really good for their health - something must be done about this.

The backup support of staff members remains a major challenge. The MPs still access researchers from a pool of researchers and that applies to the secretaries as well. This creates a workload for staff members as well as for the researchers. To the MPs this creates a nightmare, as it is difficult to access what they need. This defeats the whole question of MPs being effective and efficient.

The transformation of Parliament is a necessity to all of us in this House and we should not pay lip service to it. Different parties have a responsibility to abide by this. Before my time expires I want to share something with you. You know, when the DA came here it wanted to turn itself into a better party. Let me tell you a secret about this DA, on behalf of my black brothers and sisters who are in the DA. More than a decade into the new dispensation there are some who are intent on preserving white privilege. It should tell us that these people are organised into a political formation that actively seeks black votes. I have never heard of any political party that chooses its delegation to a federal congress based on votes that were cast and not on membership.

The DA constitution was amended in such a way that 60% of the votes cast and 40% of members decide on it and it was clear that it was a device to make sure that the people of colour will never control the DA. What more could be more racist because the DA knows that the majority of its votes are from the white communities? Therefore delegates will have to be white. That is a scandal, so that is why you will always have this cherry on the top, which is being the deputy president of the DA! [Applause.]

Mr I S MFUNDISI: Chairperson and hon members, Parliament is the legislative body and should serve as a watchdog over the executive because Members of Parliament are the people’s representatives. In keeping with the vision of Parliament, members should strive to improve the quality of life of people they represent. MPs should always ensure that what they say and do is what the electorate looks forward to.

For Parliament to be dynamic as an institution it should undertake study tours like the portfolio committees do, to observe how other parliamentarians carry themselves. Whips of parties should be afforded an opportunity to go out to see how their counterparts manage their offices.

This may also bring to light how speaking time is managed among the majority party and other parties in democratic governance. The efforts by the presiding officers to bring parties on board regarding the day-to-day running of Parliament is welcomed. The parliamentary oversight authority seeks to ensure that the political parties steer the course of this great ship called Parliament.

One can only hope that the change of the travel system for members that was brought in was to keep pace with the times, not necessarily to obviate fraudulent use of vouchers by members. If that is the case it will be an unpleasant reflection on the people who are supposed to be called the honourable.

One disturbing matter is when a matter has to be decided by voting and members barely make up the requisite quorum. This should not happen in a Parliament that has a majority party with a two thirds majority, for outnumbering the total number of opposition members. It surprises me that the portfolio committees can go on with business as usual, even when the Budget Votes are decided. What impression does Parliament create when officials from departments outnumber the members in the House?

It is appreciated that much has been done to enhance the lives of the members. Travel facilities have been increased and the 20% payment by members to some cards has been discontinued; telephone allowances have been raised - though it will never be sufficient. All that remains now is for Members of Parliament to accept their status and all responsibilities of being custodians of the interests and the trust of the electorate with responsibility. The UCDP supports the Budget Vote.

Ms S RAJBALLY: Madam Chair, Parliament represents the heart of South Africa, as it is here where the voice of our nation is heard, represented and served. Both the National Assembly and the National Council of Provinces play a vital role in delivering a system that shall provide for the needs of the nation. We therefore welcome the 16,5% increase in Parliament’s budget for this financial year.

The increase in this year’s budget is a result of capacity-building and members’ remuneration. However, the MF would like a more detailed elaboration on the capacity-building and how it will be set out.

In view of the parliamentary programme we extend concerns as to what general member support is set for this term that increases Programme 3, as this clarification will assist in approving the 64,2% increase in this programme.

Further, the decrease in Programme 2 is a result of policy changes. We would like more clarity on what policy changes are being referred to here.

The MF regrets that Parliament’s report lacked any of our commitments regarding gender or disability, even though we attempt to reach our balances in this respect daily.

In view of the subprogrammes of Programme 1 – Administration, the MF draws attention to the legislation and oversight accounts. Oversight is one of our priorities and it is a spectrum in which we may bring the executive and the various houses to question regarding delivery, loopholes and challenges. In view of the decrease for this subprogramme the MF expresses its discontent, as oversight needs to receive far more prioritisation than at present.

However, in view of Parliament in general under the auspicious Chairs of both Houses, the MF applauds the success and delivery achieved through all challenges.

As advised, we would respect and value greater clarity on a number of issues and representation of Parliament’s stand on gender and disability progress. The MF supports the Budget Vote.

Ms E NGALEKA: Chairperson, Madam Speaker, hon members, ladies and gentlemen, I’m pleased to have the opportunity to participate in this important debate. We welcome the opportunity created by the Speaker to allow members the time to reflect on our Parliament and democratic process. The ANC supports this Budget Vote.

There has been public comment in the past few weeks on the democratic Parliament. I would like to begin my input by repeating the words of our President: “Today is better than yesterday, tomorrow will be better than today.”

This year marks the 10th anniversary of the adoption of our Constitution. It’s been 12 years of freedom, 12 years of democracy. Not all members were in this House from 1994 to 1996, but it is worthwhile to remind ourselves of that history. Our newly elected members in 1994 cemented democratic decision-making and democratic participation in this Parliament. They did this in two ways.

Firstly, our Constitution was written, not by experts, but by our elected representatives through a process of popular public participation. The participation of the public is entrenched in the Constitution. Today all the meetings of Parliament are open to the public, except those that are declared closed for clearly stipulated reasons. This means that the public is now not only dependent on representation by the members who are elected, they also have direct access to participate in the processes of government. Members of the public can make their own contributions to influence the legislative and supervisory functions of Parliament.

The method of democracy developed and continues to influence our practice today. Our Parliament is open, democratic and accessible. Nevertheless it is important to ask ourselves if we have gone far enough in transforming our Parliament or if there is more that we should be doing.

Allow me to refer in this regard to the Rules of Parliament. Those of you who came to Parliament in 1994 will remember that you found the Rules in place. We have amended them over the years, but shouldn’t we be doing more? Some of our Rules, especially those relating to the debates in the House, are in need of serious reconsideration. We have rules that govern the nature of the debate. They state that we should not read our speeches. All Members of Parliament do not honour this Rule.

Members, what changes should we make to this? Does our current model allow debate and engagement, or do speeches deny debate? We have achieved a great deal in a range of rule changes. Open committees mean more time for public comment on legislation and improved participation of members in the Budget. Yet more still needs to be done. We have to make our Parliament different, more responsive and more accessible.

The task of our Parliament is to respond to the needs and interests of the most marginalised, the poorest in our country. Have we done enough in our Rules to ensure that this sector of our community is represented and heard? We are debating our Budget Votes, but what are the views of the most excluded? How could we use Parliament to hear their voices? Are our Rules sensitive in this area? We may need to consider community radio izimbizo linked into community meetings. We could hold budget hearings via community radio stations based at multipurpose centres. Community members could be given the right to question us, to seek clarity and explanation from MPs on budgets and national priorities. Committee rules would have to be revised to accommodate such innovation.

We can never truly transform Parliament without adjusting the Rules. Further than that, we can never have an African Parliament governed by a Westminster system. By transforming the Rules of Parliament we aim to achieve the objectives laid down in the Freedom Charter, which protects and promotes equality, transparency and accountability. This embraces the notion of public participation through encouraging public hearings and conducting oversight.

Furthermore, we still face the challenge of linking our roles as members to visible transformation. To what degree should Parliament require MPs to report through constituency reports on delivery in communities in our society? We need concrete rules on expectations regarding constituency work, as this remains a subject that is underdeveloped.

The first decade of our democratic Parliament marked a time for intensive legislative reform. Now that we have done that, we need to consider the programme of Parliament seriously and ensure we monitor delivery and do oversight in our constituencies. Firstly, Parliament’s schedule should allow more public input, which will impact on the time committees spend in Cape Town. Secondly, Parliament should create extended periods of time for public outreach.

We have had much discussion during the past few years on the programme of Parliament. The time has come for us to debate and decide on the amount of time we should spend in the House. We need to plan better, to have a programme that allows us to exercise oversight of practical progress in our communities. This should be phased in, going hand in hand with public education in order for the electorate to understand that MPs do not only work when they are in Cape Town.

Members’ statements are one of the reliable mechanisms of making the executive accountable to the masses out there. In general, political parties in Parliament have been using members’ statements successfully for the purpose it was created for. However, we have realised that Ministers are not always available to respond to questions due to their work schedule.

The mechanism of members’ private motions was created towards the end of 2004 with the purpose of allowing individual members to initiate snap debates in the House. This mechanism allows members to debate relevant, topical issues of national importance and be able to reflect their parties’ views. There is room for improvement in this regard, however.

The majority of parliamentarians feel that the structures that deal with questions and answers are adequate for two main reasons, the first relating to the time allocated and the second to the coverage and information that are disseminated.

Our Rules and procedures tend to support democratic processes, but we need to scrutinise them to ensure that they remain relevant and responsive. It may be useful to create a subcommittee that would analyse the Rules and identify areas that need change to make them more dynamic and more supportive to Parliament. We need to make Parliament visible and accessible to the people of South Africa.

Allow me an opportunity to thank all the staff members of Parliament, from the cleaners to those in higher positions, for always being helpful and going the extra mile. I also want to thank the service officers for not getting tired of serving us in the House. Once again, the ANC supports this Budget Vote. Ndiyabulela. Kwaqhwatywa. [Thank you. [Applause.]]

Mr N T GODI: Chairperson, Madam Speaker, comrades and hon members, on behalf of the PAC I join those who have stood up to support the budget for Parliament, a Parliament guided by its vision to build an effective people’s Parliament, amongst other things, which we as the PAC believe entails a responsibility for openness, transparency and accountability. We want to acknowledge that much has been done to make Parliament more open and to ensure that it is closer to the people. However, we believe that much still needs to be done.

In order for Parliament to be effective, there is a need to capacitate both individual members, which is done through the various programmes we have from time to time, and committees. We are happy that at least at a conceptual level there has been recognition of the need to capacitate committees, but our concern is the implementation and the extent of this capacitation, how far it will go.

Indeed, Madam Speaker, there are visible changes and improvements in the administration of Parliament. Regarding the travel facility for members, the worst I can say about the system is that it is working well.

I also want to join those who decry the roll-overs when facilities for members need a lot of improvement. But I must acknowledge that even we as committees have roll-overs. Whether we have roll-overs because we have no capacity to spend or because we are prevented by almost insurmountable red tape from accessing that money, I think is another question that needs to be looked at.

In passing this budget, as with all departments, we expect proper management and administration of this budget. It is not good that Parliament received qualified audit opinions from the Auditor-General for the past two years. I think this highlights the need to quickly pass the Financial Administration of Parliament and Provincial Legislatures Bill, to ensure that there is clarity on how financial accountability and oversight should be achieved by Parliament. Should this be done by the Standing Committee on Public Accounts, or at what level? At this stage it appears there is some disagreement over whether Scopa has the right and obligation to check on the finances of Parliament or not.

The PAC wants to stress that we believe that Parliament should be continuously transformed to better serve our people, deepen democracy and help to propel the national democratic revolution towards the ideal of an egalitarian society. The PAC supports the budget. [Applause.]

Mr P J NEFOLOVHODWE: Madam Chairperson, year after year we come together, as we are doing today, to consider a budget for Parliament, a budget which is meant to facilitate the proper functioning of this assembly. This is important in the sense that the decisions that we take as a legislative body have a direct as well as indirect bearing on the lives of many South Africans. By the same token, lack of adequate funding can impede work that has direct consequences for the lives of citizens, particularly those whose lives depend on Parliament’s capacity to legislate in a way that is consistent with the Bill of Rights.

In order for us as representatives of the people to be sure that the laws that we bring to bear on the lives of our people are relevant, we need to give ourselves more time to interact with those whose lives we intended to advance by the laws and regulations we have crafted since 1994. Azapo suggests that we should plan to have time to spend with the people out there in the townships and in the villages. In spending more time with the marginalised communities not only will we be in a position to understand the conditions they live under, but we will be able to check whether our legislative good intentions correspond to the benefits intended, and if not, we will be able to take timeous, corrective measures.

For too long we have left this area of responsibility to government departments and officials who are most of the time office-bound. In any event, we are the representatives of our people and this is our responsibility.

In conclusion, Azapo wishes to commend the National Prosecuting Authority for bringing to our courts all those who are alleged to have defrauded Parliament. The oath we have all taken as members of Parliament compels all of us to uphold high moral standards and values. Azapo supports this Budget Vote. [Time expired.] [Applause.]

Mr S SIMMONS: Chair, hon Speaker, Deputy Speaker, Ministers, Deputy Ministers and colleagues, it goes without saying that no compromise can be made when it comes to the provision of support services required by Parliament to fulfil its constitutional mandate. In this respect I wish to express my general satisfaction with the provisions made by this budget as it goes a long way in allowing Parliament to function optimally.

I especially wish to express my gratitude for the manner in which smaller parties are being accommodated by the functionaries of Parliament, and also to the governing party for its positive approach in matters such as time allocation to the smallest parties in this House, though I am of the opinion that a minimum time allocation of four minutes would be more satisfactory.

Chair, despite the relative satisfactory composition of this budget, I wish to point out that the dynamic nature of a parliament in a multiparty democracy requires of all parties to make quality contributions in the execution of their parliamentary mandate. I therefore wish to expostulate that the current provision for especially the smallest parties has much room for improvement. The lack of funding for, for instance, competent researchers for the smallest parties is an area of great concern.

An important project that Parliament has undertaken in the past two years is taking Parliament to the people. This has given rise to a decision to establish parliamentary information offices or parliamentary democracy offices, as also mentioned by the Speaker. It is however worrying that despite a good response from team leaders to run these offices and the closing date having expired some time ago, a shortlist has not even been compiled. If we intend to be a Parliament that is truly responsive to all South Africans and with deep public participation and involvement, we need to ensure that we first streamline the internal administrative processes of Parliament. I thank you.

Mrs S A SEATON: Chairperson, Madam Speaker, I too would like to express the IFP’s appreciation to you, Madam Speaker, to the Deputy Speaker and to the three House Chairpersons, as well as those parliamentary officials and staff who work for the benefit of all, striving to make Parliament successful; and there are many of them.

I think that you know, Madam Speaker, that I have the greatest respect and admiration for you. You are a people’s person without doubt and you genuinely have the interests of members at heart. I would agree with you that there are many things that have transformed Parliament and made it a great deal better over the past few years. One of them is the new travel system, which is without doubt a very successful story. I believe we have to say thank you to Harry Charlton and Linda Harper for making it successful.

We have always contended that there are still serious issues that need to be addressed. We have also contended that Members of Parliament should have private secretaries. We should do what parliaments around the world do, and that is to have individual secretaries. Members are desperate for more assistance and equipment. Most Whips have an extremely heavy workload and yet not even they have personal secretaries, despite numerous requests over the years for secretaries and equipment to do our work effectively. And yet Parliament is not spending available resources.

Mr Van der Merwe spoke earlier on today about pensions, but there are other issues that also need to be raised that needed a tremendous amount of attention. One is the additional notch for members serving their third term of office. Currently members who have completed a five-year term and members who have completed two terms and are in their third term are earning the same amount of money. Hardly fair, would you say?

I know the matter is before the Moseneke commission, but what pressure is being put on the commission by the presiding officers to ensure that the position is rectified?

Many members have to run two vehicles and yet our car allowance does not even come close to the car allowance of senior parliamentary officials who need to run only one vehicle. [Applause.]

There are still numerous outstanding issues relating to the infamous LG 19, such as overnight accommodation for members travelling in excess of 800 km, and the unilateral decision of the officials to limit AA rates to the cost of an air ticket on the shortest route.

Members are living in dilapidated houses in the three villages, houses furnished with old, unsightly furniture and electrical appliances. [Applause.] Many houses are not burglar-guarded. Pelican Park doesn’t even have a tearoom. Members are stuck in these villages, because they don’t have adequate transport facilities.

Then there is the issue of administration, which presently leaves a great deal to be desired. Why has the post of the chief financial officer not yet been filled? We were assured at the last Parliamentary Oversight Authority meeting that by 30 March this person would be in place. It is now 6 June and we still don’t see this person. Parliament has to set the example of good management instead of the somewhat chaotic state we sometimes appear to be in. To get any response to correspondence sent to the Secretary’s office on important matters is almost impossible.

Members have had their laptops stolen out of locked offices, yet Parliament does nothing to replace laptops. I wrote, on behalf of my colleague Mrs Mars, nine months ago. Mr Van der Merwe and I started addressing the Secretary to Parliament on this issue. To this day, nine months later and still no laptop. How are members supposed to work?

The Whips have to take the flak from our members for these issues. We are looking to you, Madam Speaker, as the presiding officer, to take these matters up and to sort them out.

Lastly, in the few seconds I have left, there are issues that we really need to look at and one of them is the ethics committee. I am increasingly concerned about our ethics committee in this Parliament. We have an ethics committee with a wonderful so-called code of conduct, which we never adhere to. The ANC majority continuously ramrods issues through and says that members are not breaching the code of conduct, when in actual fact they are breaching the code of conduct. We need to do something about it; we need to change the composition of the ethics committee and we need to treat it with more respect. Thank you, Madam Speaker. [Applause.]

The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Mr G Q M Doidge): House Chairperson, Madam Speaker, members of the executive, hon members, comrades, friends, ladies and gentlemen, visitors in the gallery, thank you for being interested in what we do here in Parliament. You are most welcome to this budget debate.

At the beginning of this year, we were keenly aware that 2006 was going to offer us moments of critical reflection on the strides made in terms of fostering the people-centred democracy envisaged in our Constitution. Barely a month ago we celebrated a decade of constitutional democracy. This month we are going to reflect on the role of the youth in fostering and strengthening democracy, 30 years after the 1976 student uprisings.

Even later this year, in August, we are recalling the 50 years since the historical stand made by women in the face of brutal suppression when they declared: “You strike a woman, you strike a rock.”

As we debate this budget today and in light of these significant moments in our country’s political life, I wish to focus this contribution on reflecting on what strides Parliament has made in strengthening and fostering the hard-won freedoms of our democracy.

Of late an impression has been created in the media, strengthened by pronouncements from certain quarters, that Parliament has weakened in terms of its ability to perform its functions as set out in our Constitution. For those of us who have been a part of the institution since its formative years, such views stand in stark contrast to the progress made, especially with regard to improving mechanisms for the co-ordination of functions of Parliament’s committees and the development of protocols for the effective working of committees.

The remarkable transformation of Parliament from a closed, insular institution 12 years ago, to an open and transparent organisation driven by public participation, is recognised throughout the Commonwealth and by the members of the Inter-Parliamentary Union.

With regard to the co-ordination of committee activities, we have been particularly successful in ensuring that the committee of chairpersons moves from being a crying chapel to becoming a vibrant forum, through which chairpersons of committees can articulate their views for the smooth and effective functioning of committees.

With a membership of 40 committee chairpersons and another 26 senior managers and staff, this is the largest of all Parliament’s committees. Our regular and well-attended meetings have not only broken down the silos, but allow for the sharing of knowledge and experience, in the spirit of the struggle dictum “each one teach one”

We are encouraged by the Secretary’s support in the creation of a post to support the committee of chairpersons. However, given the scope of this committee’s mandate, an appeal is being made for additional support to be considered as a matter of urgency.

With the executive increasingly conducting their activities in a clustered fashion, we have to find ways of appropriately exercising oversight over such activities. To this end, we will be proposing to the committee of chairpersons that it sets up a task team to look at mechanisms that would allow committees to carry out oversight in a clustered manner in addition to committees’ current modus operandi. We have already discovered that our rules currently do not permit for a cluster of committees to submit a joint report for debate and consideration by this House. We call on the rules committees of Parliament to amend these rules accordingly.

Cognisant of the developments taking place in the task team on oversight and accountability, it has become abundantly clear that Parliament’s research, procedural, administrative and information communication technology support systems have not kept up with the ever-increasing workload and demands on our committee system. To rise to Minister Manuel’s challenge - and I am sorry that he has left the House – and I quote:

We have to utilise all the information available to Parliament when exercising oversight. We need then to beef up these systems by addressing this backlog and it becomes of paramount importance.

The committee of chairpersons will soon be afforded an opportunity to make contributions to the restructuring of Parliament’s programme. We specifically wish to ensure that committees are given enough time to effectively carry out their mandates.

In partnership with the National Assembly Table, we have finalised and implemented two very important protocols, namely the procedure on multiple referrals to committees as well as the procedure for ensuring executive compliance with recommendations from Parliament as emanating from committees.

Just yesterday, the National Assembly Table and the Legislation and Oversight Division briefed the committee of chairpersons on how committee reports are dealt with by the House and the executive. Following this, the committee of chairs has resolved to have a one-day workshop, at the beginning of the third term, on how to improve this important aspect of committee work. It is necessary to undertake a process to gauge the extent to which the executive is responding to recommendations contained in committee reports. Such measures clearly illustrate that it is never business as usual, but that we constantly have to review our systems with the intent to improve and grow our evolving Parliament from strength to strength. Over the past year we have placed extensive focus on the training of members and staff with regard to the analytical work required to exercise oversight on the President’s state of the nation address, departmental strategic plans and estimates of national expenditure, better known as the national Budget.

The Applied Fiscal Research Centre, Afrec, which is affiliated to UCT, has been commissioned to document these practices into a manual for committees. This is work in process. We now have in place procedures and mechanisms for analysing departmental annual reports in the form of a guide. With regard to these initiatives we recognise, with appreciation, the collaborative role played by the National Treasury, Afrec and Parliament’s donors, particularly the European Union and the African Capacity Building Foundation.

I wish to place special emphasis on the huge strides made through our work in the task team on oversight and accountability, especially as it relates to the role of committees. As reflected in this budget, Parliament’s legislative workload has reached a natural point of saturation, leading to an increased emphasis on Parliament’s oversight role, coupled with improved member support, as well as increased demands on the role that Parliament is expected to play with regard to global relations.

A fundamental outcome of the work of the task team on oversight and accountability is that it will provide every Member of Parliament and the parliamentary service with the opportunity to consciously reflect on what it means when the Constitution enjoins us -

To make rules and orders concerning Parliament’s business with due regard to representative and participatory democracy, accountability, transparency and public involvement. Through the activities of the task team, we now have a deeper understanding of Parliament’s constitutional mandate and measures required to enhance oversight. For committees, three critical areas for implementation currently underway are of particular importance. Firstly, through a process of extensive consultation and research, Parliament’s procedural staff and external consultants are finalising a best practice for committees on oversight. This guide captures our very own best practices as developed within the various committees; and for the first time provides us with a document that not only strengthens Parliament’s institutional memory, but also allows for the strengthening of capacity as it relates to committee oversight processes.

Secondly, the importance of support, especially as it relates to research and support to members in general and committees in particular, is being addressed through a reviewed strategy for committee resource support. It is a resolution of the Joint Rules Committee that each committee will have at its core a content analyst, a committee secretary and a subject specialist researcher; and a specialist librarian and assistant committee secretaries will provide further support.

An administration unit will be set up to focus on documentation, publications, logistical arrangements, web page publications and updating Parliament’s web page in respect of committee activities. This will free up the time of committee secretaries to focus on procedural work. During this financial year the Legislation and Oversight Division will implement this new support system in three clusters, comprising a total of 15 committees.

The committee of chairpersons recommends that steps be taken by the Secretary to Parliament to engage with National Treasury to secure adequate funding for all committees to benefit from the envisaged support structure within the 2006-07 financial year.

The third most important programme emanating from the work of the task team, as it relates to committees, is the introduction of the Parliamentary Content Management System. This system is envisaged to greatly facilitate members’ ability to access and share information required to perform their duties whether in Cape Town or when deployed in their constituencies or provinces.

In recognising the above-mentioned achievements, we, however, in no way underestimate the challenges confronting us in bringing to fruition the People’s Parliament, responsive to the needs of the people and committed to a better quality of life for all South Africans, as captured in Parliament’s vision.

The complex nature of governance today will place increasing demands on Parliament as it relates to its ability accurately and timeously to deal with matters emanating from various government portfolios. The reality that Parliament confronts a capacity paradox in relation to the executive is by no means an issue that should be underestimated.

Whilst government departments generally have extensive access to public as well as private sector research resources in developing policy and plans of implementation, Parliament’s access to the same pales by comparison. We have to find creative means of addressing this paradox as the knowledge society we find ourselves in demands of us a closer linkage with knowledge resources for us to truly remain the custodians of our people’s aspirations.

We call on the Secretary to Parliament to investigate the plausibility of setting up a technical assistance unit in line with that of the National Treasury, comprising specialists available on demand.

We cannot shy away from the fact that Parliament finds itself in an often unfair competition with the private sector and government as it relates to access to highly skilled human capital. Given our fundamental role in ensuring good governance and service delivery, it is imperative that we put in place policies and strategies that will ensure that Parliament becomes an employer of choice for skilled individuals.

Whilst the PCMS will assist us in more fruitfully employing information and communication technology, we should be frank in recognising that much more thinking and work is required to ensure that we more proactively use ICT to capacitate members and to enable us to perform our function.

We are aware that many challenges remain in improving Parliament’s capacity to deliver on our constitutional mandate, but we remain optimistic and are encouraged by the tremendous progress that has been made. To this end, we wish to call on civil society and the media to partner us in ensuring that we identify the challenges and respond to them in an appropriate fashion.

Parliament is and will remain a tool of people’s power, established to serve, first and foremost, the will of the people as expressed through our country’s democratic process. The vigour required to ensure that we, in time, become the democracy envisaged by our founding parents when they penned our Constitution demands of all of us to resolve to further strengthen and build this institution.

I wish to thank the presiding officers, the Chief Whips of all parties, the Secretary to Parliament and the parliamentary service for their unwavering commitment to ensuring that we build a people’s Parliament. Today’s Parliament is better than that of yesteryears, and tomorrow’s will even be better than today’s. Thank you. [Applause.]

Chair, I haven’t left the podium yet. I’ve got a few responses I would like to make regarding points raised by hon members.

The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Ms C-S Botha): Fortunately, you have some time left.

The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Mr G Q M Doidge): Thank you, hon Chairperson. Hon Gibson, I think we must respond very quickly to some of the issues you’ve raised. I think in respect to the trip to Liberia, Mr Gibson, you should acknowledge that you have been responded to, and that the trip, as it was decided by the policy-makers of the institution, was legitimate and therefore well within the law. I’m sure when you have time to look at that extensive response you will be able to feel a bit better. You might be unhappy about it, but Mr Gibson, I’m sure … [Interjections.] … We will look into that, Mr Gibson.

The second point raised by Mr Gibson relates to the publication, Around the House, an internal publication. It is a publication through which the Secretary to Parliament communicates with the staff and Members of Parliament on issues of the new vision of Parliament, and the Secretary to Parliament was actually explaining what the vision means to the parliamentary service and to Members of Parliament. So, I am sorry that Mr Gibson doesn’t like the picture on the front page of the publication.

On constituency resources, there is already a marked improvement in funding constituency support for political parties, and I think the Speaker touched on this, if you were listening carefully. There is a 75% growth from 2005- 06 to 2006-07. In actual rand terms, it has increased from R59 million to R104 million. So, I think that anybody who is complaining should really have a look at the figures once more.

On the issue of roll-over funds, Oom Koos - he has left the House - and I think Mrs Seaton also raised this and we should respond to it. I think we should acknowledge that this is a problem and not shy away from it. However, there are reasons, and because of poor planning there has been a tendency to overstate our budgetary requirements so that we are safe, and therefore it creates an impression that we are underspending.

Let me assure you that this is being addressed. The Secretary to Parliament has now put in place a management budget council, whose objective is to align planning with budgeting and make sure that divisions do a proper exercise in terms of cash flow projections. So, I think we should watch this space for further improvement.

Mrs Dudley, on the issue of parliamentary democracy offices, I think it is something that all Members of Parliament have complained about, that when we have public hearings we seem to attract only the well-organised, the monied and we never hear the rural voices. The parliamentary democracy offices are to do that exactly; they are going to address the rural voice. They are going to assist us in reaching out to the rural communities, the far-flung communities, so that we do hear their voices when we pass legislation or legislate and do oversight on their behalf.

They are there as an access point for members of the community in provinces to access Parliament and to create an immediate presence of Parliament in the provinces. So, I think there is a lot more that maybe we could discuss around this when you have some time, and I would like to take that process further with you.

Chairperson, my time is running out, but lastly, I would like to just to pay tribute to somebody very important in my life, with your permission, Chairperson. My older sister turns something six, on the sixth of the sixth of the sixth. I won’t reveal the first digit! Thank you very much. [Applause.] [Laughter.]

The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Ms C-S Botha): Congratulations to your sister, Mr Doidge.

Mr M J ELLIS: Yes, indeed, Madam Chair, I do also want to congratulate Mr Doidge’s sister on her achievement. I also want to say to Mr Doidge as well, that you were certainly very quick to criticise my colleague with regard to certain issues that he raised. We did not hear you saying anything at all about Mr Charlton and he certainly chose not to reveal any other issues relating to what he had to say. So, we note that with interest, but obviously perhaps the hon Andries Nel will be referring to that when he speaks later.

What the hon Speaker had to say today about the new vision for Parliament, the work of committees, the process of oversight, etc, is not something the DA will argue about; and certainly the ANC Chief Whip, who is busy talking over there at the present time, also has some interesting things to say, with humility of course, about the parliamentary programme. But I want to say to both of them that it’s not all as good as they think.

I certainly want to pick up one or two issues raised by my hon Chief Whip, Douglas Gibson. He mentioned something about the nature of the parliamentary debates and that Parliament itself spends far too much time on inconsequential debates and not enough time on matters of state - and that, of course, is a fact. The truth is that by far the majority of debates in Parliament are repetitive and boring. Parliament, quite frankly, has become a very predictable place and has lost any real form of spontaneity – the same faces at the podium, every time after time to talk about much the same subjects each time. Very seldom these days are members’ motions debated or snap debates granted to discuss something of actual importance, something that may have just happened, which should be debated in this House. I want to say that the hon Corné Mulder, who is not here, also raised this particular point. Quite frankly, there is no imagination given to the formulation of the parliamentary programme, which would help to revitalise parliamentary sittings and make members want to be in this House. Quite frankly, even Budget Votes now are very boring with many Ministers themselves doing very little to make their own inputs interesting and engaging. They simply get to this podium – and you are an exception, Minister of Education, but you know what I’m talking about because you actually agree with me. Many Ministers do very little to make their own inputs interesting and engaging. They simply come here and they read 30 to 35 minute speeches in a most tedious manner and they don’t even begin to engage the House. And then we have five or six ANC members arrive here, each with 10 or 14 minutes, and they do say much the same thing as the Minister has said; and they are long, boring and repetitive.

So, we find ourselves saying today is as boring as yesterday and tomorrow will be as boring as today! [Applause.] [Laughter.] Question time is no better, in fact, it is often worse. What used to be the most vibrant exciting time in Parliament every week has become the most boring and predictable. [Interjections.]

The CHIEF WHIP OF THE MAJORITY PARTY: On a point of order, Madam. [Laughter.]

Mr M J ELLIS: This should be interesting.

The CHIEF WHIP OF THE MAJORITY PARTY: Is it parliamentary to be bored by good news and transformation?

The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Ms C-S BOTHA): Well, it’s not very pleasant but it’s parliamentary.

Mr M J ELLIS: There you are again being very boring, sir, you see. [Laughter.] Question time has been engineered by the ANC to prevent the opposition from participating effectively in it, and question time itself has a very small oversight role. It used to be a high-quality opportunity for Members of Parliament to hold the executive to account. We had questions mostly from the opposition and we had interpellations, but now we have the extraordinary situation of the ruling party insisting on questioning itself - the result, quite frankly, is a farce.

Their questions are all sweetheart questions and of no real consequence at all. Let’s take the question paper of last week – the Social Services and Governance cluster. There were 30 questions on the question paper altogether, only four of which were from the ANC and 26 from the opposition. Yet the ANC had all their questions answered while only three questions from the opposition were heard that day.

The opposition’s other 23 questions were unanswered. [Interjections.] It is much the same as last week – I’m sorry, Madam, you have to speak much louder than that because I’ve got a loud voice, so I can’t hear what the heck you are saying. So, it’s very obvious then that no ANC members even bother to write their own questions these days. They are written for them with the intention of giving specific Ministers the opportunity to brag or explain about some particular action in their departments. There is no oversight intended whatsoever.

The same basically applies to follow-up questions. No worthwhile, sparkling questions ever come from the ANC or ever will. So, week after week, or whenever the ANC even bothers to hold question time these days, we go through the same poor and pathetic process.

But the truth of the matter is that the ANC intends to try doing one thing, and one thing only, and that is to close down the opposition space in Parliament. Take, for example, the way they have manipulated the so-called sitting of the 10th Anniversary of the Constitution. They allowed only one speaker so that opposition parties had no opportunity to participate. There is no spontaneity and no excitement about Parliament anymore. It is just the rubber stamp that the ANC wants it to be. There is little enthusiasm on the part of MPs. We all know that when the bells ring at 13:50 each day, they signal little more than probably another boring day in Parliament.

So, I would say to the ANC that if you do have such a huge majority and if you do have so much confidence in your ability to rule forever - as you claim you do - then open up Parliament, give the opposition parties a real opportunity to hold the executive to account, create real opportunities for MPs to question the executive and make Parliament a place that is vibrant, interesting and exciting. Thank you. [Time Expired.][Applause.]

The DEPUTY CHIEF WHIP OF THE MAJORITY PARTY: Chairperson, Madam Speaker, hon members, in all that we’ve heard from this debate, I don’t think anyone seriously contested that we are moving forward towards building an efficient people’s Parliament that is responsive to the needs of the people and that is driven by the ideal of realising a better quality of life for all the people of South Africa. I think we are on track in terms of the realisation of that vision that we have for Parliament, which is based on the constitutional mandate for Parliament that is contained in our Constitution.

But as representatives of the people I think we have a sacred duty constantly to engage in criticism and self-criticism. We can never accept that we are doing well enough for those who have sent us here to represent them. Therefore we need to engage honestly and seriously at all times in whether we as public representatives, and the institution within which we work, is really doing what it needs to do. But we need to engage in that debate in a serious way. We need to engage honestly and on the basis of fact. And I think the vast majority of inputs that we have heard here today have tried to do exactly that.

But unfortunately we have heard inputs that I think are really doing grave injustice to the seriousness of the issue that we are dealing with. Mr Gibson comes here, and he makes the assertion that Parliament is being sidelined. I mean that is a very serious allegation. Firstly, who is sidelining Parliament? Because to sideline Parliament goes against the Constitution, so whoever is doing that is acting in an unconstitutional manner. And we presume that they, like ourselves, have taken a solemn oath to uphold the Constitution. So who is sidelining Parliament and how are they doing that? I think we need some weighter evidence or arguments to be brought before us than Mr Gibson has done. He comes here today and he says Parliament is being sidelined, because Ministers are holding media conferences. What kind of an argument is that?

I can understand that for people who worship the media like my colleagues on my left, that to address a media conference is almost more serious than coming to address Parliament, but I don’t think that is evidence that Parliament is being sidelined. [Applause.]

Secondly, Mr Gibson makes the assertion that government has run out of steam, and that it has no new ideas. You see, the problem, Mr Gibson, is that the ANC and government are not intellectual fashionistas. We are not driven by opportunism or by what sounds nice today. More than 50 years ago the people of South Africa came together and drew up the Freedom Charter. That is the base policy document on which we operate. [Applause.] That is the framework that is being spelt out, and that is the mandate that we were given five decades ago. Why must we reinvent new ideas for the sake of it or to excite ourselves?

No, we have been given a mandate to implement. We formulated policies. This Parliament engaged in lengthy debates on policies. I remember in those early days of this Parliament, none other than Mr Leon once complained that the ANC is running Parliament as if is a sociology seminar. No, we were engaging in policy debates. We have laid that policy foundation. Why is it that every week we must come and think up new policies? We need to work seriously towards the implementation of these policies and assess the impact of those policies as we implement them. [Applause.] Where there is then a need for new ideas and policies, we will develop them.

Thirdly, Mr Gibson raised the issue of Mr Charlton. Now I do not know why it is that one individual out of the whole parliamentary service is now being brought to the floor of the National Assembly for this serious discussion. But the undertone of what Mr Gibson is saying is that someone is being fired, and he says it is in order to sweep matters under the carpet. But what has happened in this case?

I don’t know what the relevance of Mr Charlton in this matter is, because what happened here is clearly that a junior official in Parliament detected certain irregularities, and reported this matter to their superior. Their superior in turn reported it to the Secretary to Parliament, who in consultation with the Presiding Officers commissioned an investigation. This investigation comes back. The matter is then handed first to the South African Police Services and secondly also to the National Prosecuting Authority. And the law takes its course. Members are charged, and all parties are charged. Trials are continuing and the law is taking its course. So is there anything swept under any carpet? Those things are the matter of legal processes. [Applause.]

And whether those members or others are guilty or not the court will decide. But I don’t know where anything has been swept under any carpet, and where Mr Charlton has anything to do with this. He is often described as a whistle-blower, but whistle blowing only becomes relevant where an official in an institution attempts to raise a matter, but that is blocked. There was no blockage of anything here. Everyone was doing their work, and the law took and is still taking its course.

Next, Mr Gibson raises the issue of the Secretary to Parliament, and says that he is a politician and not a public servant. Now I don’t know what is meant by that because as far as I know and recollect we were all in this House when we passed the resolution to appoint the Secretary to Parliament in that position, and that is a decision we took unanimously as a House. We knew very well that Mr Dingani was a former member. I do not see why that disqualifies him to hold this position.

One would think that exactly someone who has the experience of Parliament and provincial legislatures would be very well-equipped to acquit himself of the position of Secretary to Parliament.

Come to think about it, he has built admirably on a very solid foundation that was laid by his predecessor Mr Mfenyana. The programmes of Parliament are being implemented in an effective and efficient manner. And if one takes any performance indicator, I challenge the opposition to show where these things are not being done properly. Two years ago the Auditor-General gave Parliament a qualified audit report on eight counts. Last year’s report shows that it is down to one. We hope that next year that would be down to zero. [Applause.] Now they want to crucify the man, because his picture appears somewhere. Surely we can’t conduct debates on that basis and at that level.

Next, Mr Gibson turns his attention to the speaker of the NA. He then puts forward as charge number one, that the speaker attended the inauguration of a head of state in Liberia. He does not say that there was anything financially untoward, and that no system was followed, or a rule was broken in this. He demands instant accountability. But we can’t operate on that basis, surely the Secretary to Parliament as the Accounting Officer of this institution accounts thoroughly and properly on an annual basis.

We can’t be constantly writing to people and asking for full justifications of each and every thing that they do. I mean that would be chaos, but in this case those who have power over that matter have seen it fit to respond. We haven’t heard that there was anything wrong with the response. But we would wonder why it is that these two individuals are being singled out, and not only today but last year and consistently. Why are the Speaker of the NA and the Secretary to Parliament consistently being singled out for attack and vilification without any real substance?

Is it not perhaps that instead of being inefficient they are too efficient for the liking of certain people, in terms of implementing a programme that will transform this Parliament into the Parliament that we want it to be? [Applause.]

Mr Van der Merwe raised the issue of roll-overs; I think some members have responded to that. And I think equally we would associate ourselves with the concerns expressed. Clearly we can never allow a situation where there are resources available for those resources not to be utilised, but I think it is also a matter that we need to look at a bit more carefully. Is it really a question of funds that are going to waste or are there issues in the budgeting and budget management systems of Parliament that need to be improved, and which we think are being improved by the introduction of the Marang management system?

Mr Ellis goes on at great length about boredom, but I think at the heart of it is his boredom of form and content. He harped on, for virtually the whole of his speech, issues of form, going on and on that this form is boring and that one is boring, and so on and on, and nowhere does he address himself to matters of content. Mr Doidge spoke at length about the work being done to put oversight and accountability and committee work on a proper structure or scientific basis that leads to real qualitative oversight. That bores Mr Ellis, yet he focuses on form.

But we are here to represent the people of our country. We are not here for our own amusement. So I must sympathise with Mr Ellis. There are many speakers who also bore me, but I am not here to be amused. I am here to represent people. [Applause.]

Lastly I would like to, in conclusion, thank the Presiding Officers, the Whips and the members of all parties, the Secretary to Parliament, the parliamentary service, the leader of government business, but most of all the people of South Africa who have entrusted us with this task of representing them. Thank you. [Applause.]

Debate concluded.

                         APPROPRIATION BILL

Debate on vote No 16 – Health:

The MINISTER OF HEALTH: Chairperson, I thought members were going to say “impilo iyasetshenzelwa” [one has to work for health].

But they haven’t said that and I understand in parliamentary procedures you can’t sing. I would have loved to sing: Impilo iyasetshenzelwa. [One has to work for health.]

Chairperson, hon members, invited guests, thank you very much for being here this afternoon.

Members would have noticed the screening programme outside this Chamber and I hope most of you have taken the opportunity to be screened for body mass, hypertension, diabetes and cholesterol. These screenings, together with skipping ropes and pedometers on your desks are part of our interventions to promote healthy lifestyles and I hope you will use them.

Allow me especially to welcome the health workers who made a special effort to be in the House this afternoon, including our stakeholders and special guests. [Applause.] In January this year, the National Health Council decided on five priorities for health for 2006-07 in the context of our five-year strategic plan. These priorities are: service transformation plans which should be completed by each province; human resources plans for health; quality of care; physical infrastructure for primary health care and hospitals; and priority health programmes with specific reference to promotion of healthy lifestyles, TB control and prevention of HIV/Aids.

Through a resolution sponsored by our country in 2005, the World Health Assembly resolved that 2006 be dedicated to human resources for health. This is in recognition of the hard work that health workers in all categories put into ensuring that we promote healthy lifestyles and when we are ill, we receive the best possible care that our country can afford.

South Africa led this process because we understand that the planning and development of health resources for health is a major undertaking that requires both national and international interventions. In view of this, I wish to take the opportunity to salute the contribution of each and every health worker who contributes to the effective running of our health systems. [Applause.]

In line with the importance that we have attached to the matter of human resources for health, we made considerable efforts to finalise the human resource plan for health for South Africa. Part of the process included extensive consultation with stakeholders. I am happy to announce that we completed and launched this plan on World Health Day on 7 April 2006.

During our consultations, health workers raised many issues as challenges affecting them, which included issues of inadequate remuneration, poor working conditions in some areas, lack of suitable accommodation and other supportive amenities, particularly in rural areas.

The health system is challenged by the migration of health workers from the rural to urban areas, from the public to the private health sector and from South Africa to developed countries. One of the factors is a desire by some health workers to gain international exposure and experience by working in different health environments as part of their health career development.

Chairperson, permit me to provide just a few examples of the activities of the Department of Health that are beginning to address these push and pull factors.

On the issue of remuneration, we accept that over the past few years the remuneration of public health workers has lagged behind the public sector workers. We have been working very hard and closely with the Department of Public Service and Administration and National Treasury on developing a revised remuneration structure for health workers and I am informed that this should be ready for implementation in the next financial year.

On the issue of improved conditions of our health facilities, members will recall that we have initiated the revitalisation of hospitals programme over a period of three years. Currently, we have 42 projects enrolled into the programme and we hope to complete another four hospitals in the 2006-07 financial year. These are the George Hospital in the Western Cape, which will be officially opened on 30 June, Jane Furse Hospital and Lebowakgomo Hospital in Limpopo and Mary Theresa Hospital in the Eastern Cape. The other three hospitals will also be officially opened during this financial year.

In addition, every hospital has been requested to develop a hospital improvement plan that includes basic activities such as repairing the broken windows or leaking taps to clinical audits to improve the quality of care that we provide for our citizens.

To demonstrate the effect of the changes we are making through the revitalisation programme, I would like to quote two health workers and a journalist on their experiences and perceptions of our facilities.

A nursing sister working at the newly opened Manne Dipico Hospital in Colesberg said: Our patients feel safe and comfortable in this beautiful hospital. It is fantastic to work here. We have all the equipment we need and the Karoo summer heat cannot reach our patients; thanks to the air-conditioning. In my 20 years of experience I have never felt more comfortable and confident to provide our people with care that they need.

The head of the newly completed Trauma Unit at Pelonomi Hospital in Bloemfontein said:

This is going to be the best trauma centre in the country. We will be able to handle the accidents and emergencies effectively.

A reporter who went to write a story about the same trauma unit in Pelonomi said, ``The trauma unit is so well equipped and I would not mind being treated here, should I be involved in an accident.’’

These comments from health workers and users of our service bear testimony to the results that are beginning to filter through. We must, however, accelerate our programme to ensure that within at least 15 years our public facilities are completely revitalised. Of course, in the meantime we shall be fast-tracking maintenance work that is needed to ensure that our facilities are properly maintained.

In this regard, I wish to quote a letter that I received recently from Mr Prinsloo about treatment of his friend at the George Mukhari Hospital in Gauteng. Hon members will recall that this is the same hospital that I visited last year and found its mental health section to be in urgent need of upgrading which I am pleased to report has taken place.

Mr Prinsloo writes:

A very dear friend of mine, Kobus Cronje, was shot in the head on 21 April 2006 in his house at 02:00 in the morning. He was rushed to the Montana Private Hospital and the doctors there stabilised him – for which I am very thankful. Because he did not have a medical fund and because the family could not secure R500 000, the functionaries of the said hospital dumped him at the Dr George Mukhari Hospital in Gauteng at 8 am. One must understand that the intensive care unit of the Dr George Mukhari Hospital was full but the doctors made a plan. I witnessed the doctors, sisters, nurses and other staff rendering but only the best possible service to my friend. Apart from the absolute professional services the hospital, although old, was very clean. Another fact is that the doctors worked for more than 18 consecutive hours in order to do good to my friend and other patients. The aforesaid is not hearsay, I was there and I saw it with my own eyes. I was at the hospital myself for 24 hours. For example, Dr Monana, an ear, nose and throat specialist who attended to my friend in the morning came back at 21:00 that night and worked on him until 02:00 the following morning. Dr Monana was not the only doctor, a number of others also worked on him. The only thing I can do is to thank you for rescuing my friend through a hospital and wonderful staff at the Dr George Mukhari Hospital. If possible, kindly convey to the staff our sincere appreciation. From now on I will be your and your department’s biggest supporter.

[Applause.]

I invited Mr Prinsloo to attend, but unfortunately he is not well and has been advised by his doctor not to travel. However, I am pleased Dr Monana was able to be here with us today so that we can show him our appreciation. He is in the public gallery. Can you please stand up, Dr Monana. [Applause.] I am however saddened to learn that despite the efforts of our public sector health workers, Mr Cronje passed away. I wish to take this opportunity to express our sincere condolences to the Cronje family for their loss.

There are many Dr Monanas out there. They work very hard every day, saving lives, providing comfort and improving health. [Applause.] Their skills have made them a valuable asset in the global market. There are those who, because of today’s world realities, happen to have much stronger economies than ours and would like to steal the likes of Dr Monana away from us.

In search of professional excellence, our health professionals may want to compare their competencies with those of their peers in developed countries. I am also delighted that our President during his recent visit to the UK also emphasised the fact that developed counties are poaching valuable human resources from underdeveloped countries because we cannot stop our health professionals from gaining experience outside the country. However, we have sought to work with other countries to manage this movement so that it does not impact negatively on our health system.

We have an agreement with the United Kingdom through which health workers can work in UK hospitals and return to the public sector without loss of employment or status.

There have been major achievements as a result of this agreement. Since we signed the agreement in 2003, the number of South African nurses registered with the Nursing and Midwifery Council in the UK has decreased by more than 55% from 2 114 in 2002 to a mere 100 in 2005. We are exploring similar agreements with other countries such as Canada.

Our health professionals, especially those in rural areas, often feel unsupported. In order to improve additional support, especially to health professions on the periphery, we are strengthening our telemedicine capacity so that the specialists in the tertiary hospitals can support our doctors and nurses and other professionals working in the rural areas.

Finally, with respect to human resources for health, I am pleased to announce that the Universities of Pretoria, Walter Sisulu and Witwatersrand will, amongst them, admit 100 students to commence training as clinical associates, otherwise called medical assistants, in January 2007. [Applause.] This new cadre of health workers will complete a three-year- degree programme with significant on-site training in district learning centres. Upon graduation, they will work under the supervision of health officers in district hospitals and primary health care levels. The scope of practice will include diagnosis and treatment, including minor surgery.

We have made progress in other areas of the health sector as well. The implementation of the integrated management of childhood illnesses strategy has been strengthened in the past year and will continue to be improved through the training of additional health workers who work with children. In a further endeavour to strengthen the health sector, we are in discussion with the deans of health sciences and faculties and heads of clinical departments to review and improve the exit competencies of undergraduates and postgraduates in the health sector.

Our immunisation programme - and we can be proud of this - is generally good and has a national coverage rate of more than 80%. However, there are districts and subdistricts with coverage of less than 70% that we will be paying special attention to during this year. Through our joint initiative with Biovac Institute, a public-private partnership for local vaccine production and distribution, South Africa has been able to become self- reliant, with regard to the production of a range of vaccines and is currently building capacity required to export vaccines to other countries in the region.

We need to redouble our efforts to decrease the burden of noncommunicable diseases on our population. As you know, there are many risk factors for noncommunicable diseases, which include high blood pressure, tobacco use, excessive alcohol use, diabetes, artery diseases, physical inactivity and obesity. These are things that we can do something about as part of a healthy lifestyles programme.

Regarding tobacco use, in particular, we appreciate the support that we are receiving from ordinary South Africans in terms of intensifying our tobacco control measures. We hope we will get similar support from this House with regard to the amendments to the Tobacco Products Control Amendment Act.

We have strengthened our healthy lifestyles programme through a range of activities including the establishment of food gardens, the initiation of the move for a health campaign to encourage increased physical activity; screening for diabetes, hypertension and cervical cancer; strengthening the health-promoting schools programme as well as the school health service. In this regard, South Africa was able to showcase, together with Brazil and Spain, our efforts to implement a healthy lifestyles programme at the World Health Assembly that was concluded two weeks ago. I must say members of the audience from many countries who, I have no doubt appreciated our input, will be emulating us in the months ahead.

Those members who joined us before lunch would have seen concrete evidence of our attempts to increase the levels of physical activity amongst our people. I urge you to work with your constituencies to broaden this movement, which is called “Vuka South Africa” - Move for your Health.

Concerning communicable diseases, we have worked with other government departments and the private sector to develop an avian flu preparedness plan, which has been approved by Cabinet. The control of avian flu outbreaks requires monitoring of poultry and birds, especially migratory birds. This is being done by the Department of Agriculture and South Africa has been declared free of avian flu.

The Department of Health has taken primary responsibility to prevent humans from contracting human influenza. Let me assure this House that we are prepared to deal with this disease. Our National Institute for Communicable Diseases has developed the capacity to test for this virus and we are ready to assist on the continent as well.

We shall use the World Health Organisation guidelines on the management of patients with influenza and we have fast-tracked the registration of antivirals that may assist, and I underline “may assist” in the management of patients and may be useful as prophylaxis. The recommendation from WHO is that these drugs should be stockpiled in quantities that are adequate to manage, particularly regarding frontline workers who may have extended exposure to possible infection in the line of their duty.

Last week I was informed about cases of polio in Namibia. Our National Institute for Communicable Diseases assisted Namibia to conduct tests and has confirmed three cases. I have offered our assistance to my counterpart in Namibia, and we have also strengthened our own effort in this regard. We are all on full alert, particularly in the Northern Cape, which borders Namibia. In addition the Biovac Institute sent 1 million doses of the polio vaccine to Namibia to assist with the vaccination campaign against polio.

As you may be aware, we launched a National TB Crisis Management Plan in March this year to strengthen the TB control programme in those districts with a significant number of TB cases and unsatisfactory cure rates. These districts are the Nelson Mandela Metro and Amathole district in Eastern Cape, EThekwini Metro in KwaZulu-Natal and the Johannesburg Metro in Gauteng.

Concerning HIV and Aids, our emphasis on prevention of new infections and tackling the link with poor nutrition has finally been endorsed by the international community in various forums. The World Health Organisation Africa region declared 2006 the year of accelerated prevention because of our understanding of the central role of preventing new infections in responding to this major challenge.

We will be implementing an accelerated HIV-prevention strategy, which includes an increase in budget allocation for a communication and social mobilisation campaign to the tune of R200 million for the next two years. The campaign will improve the abstinence component of prevention, support the distribution of female condoms and seek to sustain the very impressive condom distribution rate, which currently averages 350 million free male condoms per year.

A report tabled by the World Health Organisation to the World Health Assembly two weeks ago urged member states to integrate nutrition in their responses to this challenge. In addition, the Global Fund to Fight Aids, Tuberculosis and Malaria has urged that proposals for funding on HIV and Aids should also include a nutrition component. We are honoured, as South Africans, to have led the way in this regard through our comprehensive plan.

I wish to inform this House that the Global Fund to Fight Aids, Tuberculosis and Malaria will be hosting a partnership meeting in South Africa in July. Again this signifies the confidence that the world has in us as South Africa. We are conscious of the need to strengthen the implementation of the comprehensive plan in its totality, including strengthening the health system; social mobilisation and public awareness; increasing access to voluntary counselling and testing; prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV; promotion of human rights and access to care and support services; promotion of good nutrition; research and development of African traditional medicines; and safe administration and monitoring of antiretrovirals. [Applause.]

Our determination to implement this programme rigorously and comprehensively is reflected in the consistently increasing budgetary allocation for our response to HIV and Aids. As South Africans, we must be proud of our comprehensive plan. At last week’s United Nations General Assembly meeting in New York there was consensus that the following are key ingredients for a successful programme: interventions to reduce poverty and underdevelopment; interventions to strengthen the health system and ensure proper nutrition; and the need to set appropriate, realistic and attainable targets that are specific to each country.

The hosting of the soccer World Cup in South Africa in 2010 provides us with both challenges and opportunities. The department will be ready with regard to the preparedness of the health system. We will be training and deploying significant numbers of emergency medical services practitioners, purchasing additional ambulances as well as upgrading the casualty sections of designated hospitals as a matter of urgency. These improvements to the health system will be one of the concrete legacies of the 2010 World Cup.

Let me now turn to our interaction with the private health sector. The department has been engaging with various health stakeholders in our effort to finalise a charter for the Health Sector. The charter is our attempt to provide a coherent framework for engagement between the public and private health sectors. It is an effort to deal with the inequities between the two sectors as well as the desire for transformation of the private health sector. We have started the process of negotiating targets with respect to equity ownership within the context of broad-based black economic empowerment.

Equally important is the need for sharing resources, experiences and competencies between the two sectors in a manner that strengthens the entire health system. We are confident that we will be able to negotiate a charter with the stakeholders, and that stakeholders will feel comfortable to sign, noting that it is indeed a voluntary exercise. Of course we will do this, I hope, within the next two months.

As you know, the Department of Health has, over the past few years, taken legislative and other measures to strengthen the financial situation of schemes. I reported previously that this has been achieved. Medical schemes are now financially stable and the Council for Medical Schemes has put in place strategies for early identification of potential problems, which they are dealing with.

I also reported on the previous decision to implement a risk equalisation fund. We are in the process of finalising legislation to give effect to this policy, and hope to send to the House draft legislation in this regard during this parliamentary session.

As a result of the Constitutional Court ruling, which upheld the right of government to regulate medicine prices, we are continuing with our efforts to reduce the prices of medicines in the country. Interested parties have provided input to the Draft Dispensing Fee Structure published in March, and these inputs are being consolidated and considered in the finalisation of the new dispensing fee structure, which should be finalised soon.

The pricing committee is also developing a methodology for international benchmarking, which will bring medicine prices in South Africa in line with those of other countries. The draft methodology should also be available for public comment within the next few months, with the intention to implement it before the end of this year. Patients can expect further cost savings when this methodology is implemented.

On African traditional medicines, the department will focus on the establishment of the Traditional Health Practitioners’ Council as provided for in the Traditional Health Practitioners Act, and developing a policy framework for dealing with African traditional medicines. We will be hosting an international workshop on traditional medicine on 9 and 10 June. We hope to learn from international experience in this regard.

These initiatives will assist us to better understand the value and the use of traditional medicine, and support the research and development of this important component of health.

I am pleased to report to this House that our investment in health research far exceeds 2% of the health budget guideline accepted internationally. It far exceeds 2%.

In addition to the monetary investment that we made to support the provisions of the National Health Act, we developed structures and systems to ensure better co-ordination of health research and to safeguard the population from unethical research practices, especially with regard to clinical trials. We need further to improve equity in the spread of research, especially involving previously disadvantaged researchers and historically disadvantaged research institutions and universities.

In the development of health clinical policies that I have highlighted this afternoon, you will notice that we have gone the extra mile in ensuring that most stakeholders had ample opportunity to make inputs to influence these major policy undertakings.

In addition to consulting on specific issues last month, we inaugurated the National Consultative Health Forum, the purpose of which is to act as a platform for consultation with national stakeholders. Similar structures have been established at provincial level and indeed will be extended to district level.

Finally, let me turn to the budget that we have been allocated to fulfil our mandate. The allocation to the Department of Health for 2006-07 is R11 billion, and that includes that which we must dispense for conditional grants to the provinces.

The increased allocation received by the Department of Health for its own use was limited to R15 million for project management of certain projects in the provinces, and also risk equalisation management to be implemented by the Council for Medical Schemes.

With respect to conditional grants, the department has received the following increased allocations for 2006-07: R100 million for the Hospital Revitalisation Programme; R525 million to fund improvements in the Forensic Pathology Services, which we took over from the SA Police Service on 1 April this year; and R32 million for the Medical Research Council to accommodate the new VAT laws without decreasing its operating budget.

In order to strengthen the national Department of Health, I approved a new organogram for implementation in 2006-07. This will see the number of new Deputy Directors-General increasing from the current three to six. There will also be an increase in the number of management posts at other levels to strengthen the senior management team. This expansion will require an additional R30 million for personnel.

In the past, the cost of accommodation for the national Department of Health was budgeted for by the Department of Public Works. These funds have now been transferred and are included in the budget for the national Department of Health, amounting to R35 million for 2006-07.

As I noted earlier, I attended, together with the MECs for Health of KwaZulu-Natal and the North West province, the annual World Health Assembly meeting of the World Health Organisation. Whilst preparing for the World Health Assembly, we learnt that Dr Lee, the Director-General of the WHO, had suffered a stroke. Despite the efforts of the best health professionals in the developed countries, he didn’t survive.

I wish to acknowledge the role that Dr Lee played in international health and, in particular, in Africa. He revived the principles of Alma Atta which include issues of development, provision of drinking water, adequate sanitation and the importance of education as the key to ensuring the provision of effective primary health care, including community participation and involvement.

I am pleased to report that the South African delegation made a significant contribution to several areas of debate, and to strengthening the resolutions on a wide range of issues. I shall just mention two to provide hon members with the flavour of the issues.

The issue is whether all countries should destroy the smallpox virus that some countries still hold, even though smallpox has been eradicated. The issue here is the risk posed to all nations should the virus get into the wrong hands. Progress was made in this regard through the broadening of the advisory committee that will address this matter. Initially, the advisory committee was only composed of only two countries that are, themselves, doing research on this issue.

The second issue revolves around intellectual property rights as it affects health. Again, tough negotiations and discussions were needed to protect the interests of developing countries, which we championed. In the context of a globalised health system, it is very important that South Africa is able to speak for itself and on behalf of other developing countries, especially those in Africa, and ally itself with progressive forces in Africa and other parts of the developing world. Unless we are able to do this, nation states in the developing countries will be less likely to make and implement health policies that are in their best interests.

Before I conclude, permit me to remember our former Minister of Public Works, Stella Sigcau who inspired many of us in Cabinet with her work with rural communities in particular. May her soul rest in peace.

In conclusion, I thank our health workers once again for the sterling work that they are doing. I wish to sincerely thank Members of this House, in particular, the Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Health, for the support during the year, for looking critically at both our draft legislation as well as monitoring the implementation of our policies.

Finally, I wish to thank the Deputy Minister, the MECs for Health, the Director-General and the officials of the Department of Health at national and provincial levels for their contributions to our transformation agenda. I ask this House to pass the Health Budget Vote. Thank you very much to the health workers. I really want to acknowledge you. [Applause.] I thank you very much.

Ms D KOHLER-BARNARD: Madam Speaker, two days ago we found out what they do with Aids charlatans in Kenya. A woman there fleeced hundreds of people living with HIV/Aids of thousands of dollars by promising to cure them of HIV through prayer. She was arrested, charged with six counts of fraud, and faces up to three years in jail and a fine.

Here in South Africa we have 1 000 Aids deaths per day. This is the figure released by the Actuarial Society of SA. Yet, Minister, your colleague Trevor Manuel told me in this very House that that figure was poppycock when he was one of the long list of alternative Ministers answering the questions that you should, in fact, have been dealing with. It seems you even have your own colleagues denying that there is a problem.

And does this country deal with charlatans as they do in Kenya? No. Here we reward them with a free ministerial stamp of approval. One quack claimed that his vitamins cured all heart disease, cancer, Aids, bird flu and, as of last week, tuberculosis. He’s currently peddling his wares in Nigeria, claiming that his clinical trials in South Africa proved his case. The bereaved families in Khayelitsha would disagree. There were, of course, never any clinical trials.

Then there is a woman in KwaZulu-Natal Tina - van der Maas - who tells thousands that Aids doesn’t exist, so safe sex is not necessary. Her so- called patients are dying, and she is the one who told you that garlic and beetroot were the cure you were looking for.

Then there is the man who says he’s never trained as a traditional healer. He brews up leaves in his back yard every evening, pours the concoction into plastic milk bottles and makes a killing on the proceeds. He claimed to two of my KwaZulu-Natal colleagues on separate occasions that in four months he could cure Aids. He is unable to produce any records, any proof. Instead he makes claims about a dream he had.

Doctors in that province are warning their patients not to buy into his blandishments about a cure, as he insists that they stop taking antiretrovirals once they buy his product. The result is disastrous. You won’t stop him and other charlatans like him, so I’ve gone to the police and I’m hoping that where the Ministry of Health has failed us all so disastrously, the Ministry of Safety and Security and our legal system might just assist in stamping out the charlatans. Well, we live in hope.

And when I tackled you on a radio programme on World Aids Day, Minister, and asked you to state once and for all, for all South Africans to hear, whether, if you were raped, you would take antiretrovirals within 72 hours to avoid contracting HIV, you said you would want to know what your options were. You seem utterly fixated on attempting to prove that the rest of the world - every nation in the world - is wrong and that there is an alternative out there. Well, there isn’t.

No one has ever claimed that ARVs are a cure for HIV. No one! But thousands upon thousands of HIV-positive people are pulled back from the brink of death by those miracle drugs. They recover, they put on weight and they go back to work. If monitored by a doctor, this regime could keep them well for over a decade - time enough, perhaps, for the scientists on this planet to find a cure.

For the sake of South Africa, Minister, put aside your flirtations with the Aids denialists and accept the truth. Vitamins and vegetables are important to everyone - no one has ever said they weren’t - but they will not prevent the downward spiral towards death.

A year ago I stood at this podium and, Minister, you were apparently on the verge of launching a huge anti-Aids campaign. Well, we’re still waiting. It’s rather like waiting for Minister Jordan to appoint a new NAC board. You know it won’t happen, but all you have left is hope.

In any other country in the world, 1 000 deaths a day for just a week would have triggered calls for the declaration of a national emergency. Here, sadly, we have a Minister who is known globally, not for the lives she saves, but for her denialist stance. One thousand deaths a day! Minister, what are you thinking, and what was it that you graduated in that allows you to call yourself “doctor”, when every single doctor and nurse I’ve spoken to in this country - black, brown and white - just shake their head in utter disgust at the bizarre choices you make?

Well, the time has come for you to stop. Stop meeting with and encouraging the Aids denialists and quacks; stop denying our people the drugs they so desperately need - it’s your duty to provide them - not only to the lucky 130 000 who are provided by public hospitals, but to any of the over 500 000 amongst us who need them. We can’t just target one in five. Who’s supposed to choose which of the five get them, and which four are left to their deadly diet of garlic, beetroot and vitamin pills?

You have until 2010, until the next UN Aids Congress. Are we going to hear again, then, that the Aids pandemic in this country shows absolutely no signs of slowing? Do we have 5,5 million infected now, or is it really 6,3 million as your Department of Health states? Well, at least one in nine is infected.

One third of pregnant women in this country are HIV-positive, but you have only managed to get 15% of those women the treatment that prevents their babies from contracting the virus from them. Fifteen percent! The treatment exists, it works, but you’ve done nothing. How do you sleep at night?

To your never-ending shame we’ve had exposed to all the world the fact that the life expectancy of the average South African has now dropped to a mere 47 for men, and 49 for women. We should have a plan. That’s about all the ANC does produce: plans.

But the UN General Assembly Special Session on Aids said such a plan should be a national priority. Such a plan would reduce Aids-related deaths, says the UN – well, you failed there. Such a plan would ensure that those with HIV would be cared for. You failed there too. You keep one and throw back the other four to die. Such a plan would reduce the stigma of HIV, as they’ve done so well in so many other countries. Look at Uganda, the Seychelles, Mozambique, Botswana, but you won’t look! Well, will you? You failed there too. The last thing such a plan would do is promote the rights of women and children. And this country’s response there has been to close down 66 child protection units. There are 151 reported rapes each day. That’s only 50% of the rapes that actually take place.

Minister, 1 500 people a day are being infected with HIV in this country, and where are you; or, are you, like Minister Nqakula, going to tell me to stop whingeing and leave the country when I tell you the truth? By the time the Soccer World Cup comes to South Africa, it will be too late for five million of us, who will have to watch the games from a garlic-and-beetroot- induced afterlife.

Your good friend Matthias Rath, who has now spread his tentacles to my province, KwaZulu-Natal, with his Sanco colleagues encouraging residents to rise up and strike those who insist that ARVs be made available to them, has accused me personally of genocide and crimes against humanity.

Now, Rath is a joke in most countries in the world, but this business of being charged with crimes against humanity! I’ve begun to hear calls about the Minister in this regard, and should the Minister not be able to pull her head out of the sand and turn things around by the next UN Aids conference - well, watch this space.

Of course the next President will, no doubt, want to start with a clean slate, and so, no doubt, your days in that seat, which you don’t use much, are numbered, I’m sure. But I doubt that you want your only legacy to be that under your tender care 365 000 people a year died of a plague the rest of the world took seriously. Make it work, Minister. [Interjections.]

Don’t please talk to us about the big bad world stealing all our doctors and nurses. If you’d ever just once stopped and listened to them, they wouldn’t be in such an all-fired-up hurry to leave. But you just can’t stop yourself from treating them as your own personal army, enduring years of poorly paid conscription in your rat-infested hospitals; hospitals such as the one that killed four newborns a few days ago, even though I warned you about how bad it was, and you know I personally took the photographs of the rats. [Interjections.] No one but you blames our health professionals for leaving the rampant crime and disintegrating education systems in this country -and that, together with the filth and the efficiency that have come to represent our public health service. They leave - well, for any country really - where they are treated with respect and given the right to live and work where they wish, and where they quite probably don’t have to drive to work with a gun on their hip.

The Auditor-General tells us your Ministry received a qualified report, again. He couldn’t even get an audit report out of the Northern Cape. Overall your internal audit systems are a mess and getting worse. Your asset management was a disaster, rather like the Ministry of Arts and Culture. It seems that people just help themselves, and chances are that without a forensic audit no one will ever know.

Of the eight reports that were audited, personnel, revenue, expenditure and compliance with the Division of Revenue Act were identified as problem areas. Unauthorised expenditure was also reported in four of the eight …

Dr M SEFULARO: I rise on a point of order, Madam Speaker.

The SPEAKER: Yes, hon member. What is your point of order?

Dr M SEFULARO: Is it appropriate for the hon member to keep sniping at the Minister of Arts and Culture when we are debating the Health Vote? [Interjections.]

The SPEAKER: She’s within her rights to say whatever she wants to say. Hon member, please proceed.

Ms D KOHLER-BARNARD: This is a democracy after all. [Interjections.] The Division of Revenue Act framework for the Ministry of Health’s hospital revitalisation plans was ignored. Were the implementation plans ever approved, ever monitored? No one knows. Where were the business plans with respect to the HIV/Aids grants?

Minister, your grant expenditure was ineffective. There were no guidelines to ensure monitoring, and somehow the financial statements between your department and the provinces just won’t add up. Shoddy work again, Minister. Why didn’t you ensure that the fixed assets were safeguarded and the movement of assets controlled? Where are the asset registers? In fact, where are the assets? Where are the fraud prevention plans? In the past year you’ve managed to develop inadequate systems of internal controls, staff capacity problems and, of course, under your care we’ve seen develop an ineffective financial administrative system ensuring that benefit payments weren’t recorded when banks rejected them.

Let’s look at the so-called SA National Aids Trust. That’s a fine title for a nonexistent organisation. This is how the auditor puts it: “The Trust had limited operational activities resulting in nonachievement of objectives.” It’s just a name; nothing else. It has R33 million in assets, but spent just R600 000. What on? Rent and benefits for the members who never meet - that’s what it was. [Interjections.] Good news is that the King George V Silver Jubilee Fund for tuberculosis has a clean report, but that’s because it’s been closed down.

We’re told that there was underspending of R554 million rand - that’s underspending by Mpumalanga and North West for the second consecutive year. As for Gauteng: again, it’s to do with capital works and the failing hospital revitalisation programme. In fact, things are so bad in Gauteng that the latest news is that over half of them have already failed to achieve minimum standards set by an independent watchdog body, and these are the basics I look for when I judge hospitals: cleanliness, patient safety and a fully stocked pharmacy. Well, another three look like they’ll be losing their rating, and they are Pretoria West, Leratong and South Rand.

I heard 10 minutes ago that in Gauteng they cut the budgets for the Johannesburg General Hospital and the Pretoria Academic Hospital by over R1 million apiece. What are you thinking? All this on top of the fact that

• surprise, surprise - R44 million of the maintenance budget for Gauteng hospitals and clinics was not spent, and the year before R55 million wasn’t spent. It’s something of a record, I would think. Tuberculosis is a huge problem, especially HIV/Aids-related tuberculosis, and, as your DG has admitted to the portfolio committee, it seems the systems there are failing too.

Well, the hospital revitalisation programme hasn’t amounted to much, Aids and TB are soaring, your books are in a mess, state hospitals are too. I receive constant reports from patients, throughout the length and breadth of this country, who claim that they have to attend the worst hospitals in this country. One that didn’t make it onto my list of the five worst hospitals is one which, let me remind you again, just caused the deaths of four newborn infants. They suffocated in their incubators during a power failure.

Then there was the Nursing Bill. The nurses spoke with one voice. No, they did not want you to take over their council. No, they did not want to do your conscription. You took over the council, and now they have to sign over a year of their lives to you, even the ones who pay for their own training. You didn’t listen to a word they said. This nation has come to understand that you have only one modus operandi: that what you want, you take. And if people don’t like it, don’t want it, you force it on them. Must I remind you that we live in a democracy? [Interjections.]

Well, you’ve ensured that you get your way everywhere by appointing a team of yes men: the MRC, the Health Professions Council of SA, Professor Anthony Mbewu, Professor Nicky Padayachee. Need I say more? As for the Medicines Control Council: since the honourable man, Professor Peter Folb, was suspended in 1997 for refusing to bend to the ANC’s wishes that drug trials be held to test that poison, Virodene - well, you’ve put two senior government officials on that board. [Interjections.]

And it’s through them that Rath has been elevated in this country; he has actually been given access to Members of Parliament’s private pigeonholes via the good graces of the ANC Chief Whip to ensure a maximum audience for his maniacal claims. As for the so-called investigation into Rath’s activities, it didn’t happen, and I was told that it was because of you, Minister. One of these so-called investigators told me you instructed him not to. [Interjections.]

The medical community has lost all respect for these once proud institutions. They were meant to be scientifically independent bodies, but you couldn’t allow that, could you? And that final statement sums up the current state of the Ministry of Health. It’s because you won’t allow it to work, that it doesn’t. And no, of course, the DA will never vote for this budget. [Applause.]

Mr L V J NGCULU: Thank you very much, hon Speaker. Thank you very much to our Deputy President. Hon members, we in the ANC support this budget. [Applause.] It is indeed a budget that gives hope to the people of South Africa. In other words, it gives life and meaning to the age of hope, which our President so eloquently spoke of in the state of the nation address.

As the Minister of Finance stated, this budget gives practical expression to the programme of a better life for all. Most gratifying to us as the ANC is the fact that this budget focuses on the needs of the poor and the vulnerable. I would like to dedicate this budget - especially as it falls in the time of the 30th anniversary of the June 16 uprisings - to the great doctors who served the ANC and uMkhonto weSizwe.

My memory goes back to many years ago in my life. I remember in particular those doctors who sacrificed all to be part and parcel of the sufferings of the cadres of uMkhonto weSizwe. We think of the great doctors of the ANC who remained true to the Hippocratic oath of serving the people selflessly. My mind goes back to the memory of Dr Nomava Ntshangase, Dr Peter Mfelang and Dr Sipho Mthembu who all are no more today. They served the June 16 detachment with splendid and sterling responsibility.

These doctors, together with our current Minister of Health, looked after the health of the generation of June 16. This generation, coming mostly from urban areas, experienced for the first time the sting of a mosquito or a tsetse fly, thus for the first time they suffered from tropical diseases. Thanks to these great doctors many of us survived and many of those who died may not have seen freedom, but those who survived were able to carry on the fight for a free and democratic South Africa.

So as we debate this budget we take pride in the fact that the ANC they served, until they could no more, remained true to the ideals of a better life and a free South Africa. We take pride in the fact that the Health budget keeps going up, thus confirming that the commitment to a healthy population and better access to health is guaranteed.

In the 2005-06 financial year for instance, the budget increased by 11,4% compared to 2004-05, and the allocation is projected to rise. To further prove this point, the national Department of Health recognised the fact that one of the principal challenges in ensuring that health delivery was improved was human resources. In this regard, a new programme, the human resource plan, was created in order to consolidate various departmental responsibilities for human resources, a reflection of an increased focus on human resource planning. We take pride in the fact that the human resource plan has been launched, and the department is sparing neither strength nor resources to ensure that human resources, the bedrock of health delivery, are improved.

It is indeed very saddening for us to listen to the DA speak disparagingly about the exodus of health professionals from South Africa. Whilst it may be true that they are leaving, no one can take comfort or pride in their leaving. You can’t celebrate such a thing. [Applause.] If indeed the DA is serious about the quality and delivery of health care services, they shouldn’t celebrate the departure of doctors from South Africa. [Interjections.]

Some, of course, may want to nit-pick about this, but to the actual recipients of health, problems notwithstanding, they know that today South Africa is better than yesterday. Maybe one day when we speak from this podium, we may say a little bit about the history of Dianne Kohler-Barnard before she became a Member of Parliament, or even before South Africa was liberated and there were still troops on the border. I will tell you something about that one day. [Interjections.] To further illustrate this progress … [Interjections.] My history is very illustrious, of course.

To further illustrate this progress towards a better life that gives rise to the age of hope that sometimes confounds our cynics and pessimists, 2004 was the first year of our implementation of the comprehensive plan. We are happy today – this is also what our Minister stated – that our comprehensive plan is in place and that all the targets have been met. It is important, therefore, when we deal with this particular issue, that the operative word in this regard should be “comprehensive”. For the DA, therefore, to stand up here, especially for me as an African, and ridicule traditional health care actually makes me sad. [Interjections.]

I wonder sometimes how those of a darker skin in the ranks of the DA survive when their cultures and traditions are trampled on. They may not be proud, but one of the lessons the DA will actually learn in its life is the fact that HIV/Aids can never be declared a national emergency because it’s a long-term struggle all of us are involved in. You deal with an emergency now and later declare that it is no longer there, but this particular challenge is with us today, will be with us tomorrow and will be with us for a very long time to come. It can’t be dealt with as an emergency. [Interjections.]

Of course, for us one of the things we must say as the ANC - and I think the trend is actually already discernible from the ranks of the DA – is that in this regard our hearts and prayers go to Comrade Ruth Bhengu who lost her beautiful daughter, Nozipho. Even before her bones touched the cold ground of the earth, some people, including some NGOs, politicians and editorials, treated her in the most insensitive and cruel way. They never cared for the family or for her dignity. They never thought of the pain Comrade Ruth was going through.

I’m certain that when Comrade Ruth stood on this podium to announce the condition of Nozipho, little did she know that those who cherished her bravery for such an act would, when Nozipho passed on, trample on her dignity. Indeed we found some celebrating her death, and some quite chillingly for, in their own view, she did not heed their advice. Yet we here know full well that Ruth tried her level best to ensure that her daughter, Nozipho, lived longer and better, but death, cruel as it always is, robbed her and us of her best gift in life, Nozipho. We, in the ANC, feel very strongly that the people who humiliated and haunted Nozipho in her death should be condemned vehemently, for they would like to cheapen death and display unheard-of intolerance.

We are proud that every time we discuss the budget, both of the national Department of Health and provinces, we talk of progress. We may highlight some challenges, but no one can deny progress. Even when some of our comrades in the Sport and Recreation committee were restless on the preparedness of Safa regarding 2010, we in the Portfolio Committee on Health would take pride in the fact that Health was ready for the challenges of 2010. [Applause.] This is one of the things that makes us proud, as do all elements in this regard.

Health will actually be part of those people at the front line, whether you are looking at the emergency services, looking at hospitals, or looking at everything. Health is ready for the challenges of 2010. Perhaps those in Safa may take heed when they sit with the Department of Health and look at how best to be ready in their own ranks. Here, in South Africa, we even talk of paperless hospitals, thanks to the visionary leadership we find in Health, when sometimes our own predictors of an apocalypse don’t actually see progress.

The struggle for affordable medicine has been a long and arduous one. Vested interests tried every trick in the book to block legislation that actually tried to address these particular issues, especially when it came to the question of affordable medicine. Scare stories were peddled, and some pharmacies even had notices about closing down because the Minister of Health didn’t want to operate medicine. Yet we know, however, that the saga is off the radar screen, precisely because we were right and the matter has now come to finality.

Another arena, of course, was around the question of the dispensing of medicine. Again, here we were treated with scare stories that the poor would suffer and that the government was not reasonable. Perhaps the most unfortunate thing about this was the way some pharmacists decided to increase prices and include what was called an “administration fee”. All of this was done to put pressure on the people. Again, we are happy that that saga is behind us.

It is therefore clear to all of us that the sphere of health is presented with a lot of challenges. Whilst, on the one hand, it must strive to deliver better health care and support to the people, it must, on the other hand, manage the vested interests of some of the people in the supply chain of health.

Key and fundamental to everything we do in health is that we must not forget that the central pillar of any of our achievements must be the need to strengthen our health system. In this regard, we need to ensure that we are integrated in terms of our activities both nationally and in the provinces. Only when we focus on this can we ensure that everyone will have access to good and quality health care.

Conversely, we must laud the decision of the department to focus on healthy lifestyles. This is a campaign that must be promoted and developed at all levels of society, in schools and in the larger society for it is here that the people will be aware of the values of health and how we should live healthily. Some may try to distort this as the displacement of other programmes by government. This could not be further from the truth, but at this stage and time it cannot be denied that health is not just medicine and drugs; it is broader than that and we must actually be able to appreciate that. All of us will be finalising our speeches here today. We must not be content with what we have said at this podium, even though we have recognised the strides we have made. We must, equally, acknowledge that the road ahead is still long. To my mind, dealing with health is like trying to solve a recurring decimal. The challenge attenuates as we try to find its solution, but we must not relent in trying to deal with this challenge.

Therefore, the key question we must bear in mind is that there must also be the social mobilisation we talk about. People must own up to all these challenges. These are not the challenges of the Minister, or the director- general or his staff, or the MECs. These are the challenges of the populace. Therefore, mobilisation for a better life becomes a crucial strategy that must be harnessed.

Whingers and moaners will tell us that things are collapsing. They will cite some unfortunate incidents such as the death of the infants at Cecilia Makiwane Hospital and tell this House and the people, “We told you so”. We, in the ANC, will try to learn from the mistake. We extend our hands of sympathy to the parents of the infants, and vow that the core of our existence is to avoid such incidents happening in the future. We do not celebrate death or failure; we try to learn from them. [Applause.]

Let us not be discouraged by those whose sole reason for existence is to criticise and pontificate. We know the challenges we face are huge. Some might decry the fact that there are long queues in our clinics and community health care centres. We are aware of the efforts to address these challenges. Equally, we know that those queues are partly caused by the fact that health services are now accessible. What gratifies us is that people will get the treatment and the medicine they want.

Efforts have been made in this regard by introducing mid-level workers, who are the professionals at the mid-level and subprofessionals. These are the efforts we are making. We are aware that strides have been made towards finalising the scope of practice of these cadres of people in order to address what the DA has actually been celebrating: the departure of our health care professionals to overseas countries.

That’s why it was sad when the Minister was announcing Dr Monana and the valuable work he was doing in his hospital - some of us in this House clapped our hands and ululated because we were proud not only of what Dr Monana was doing but also of many of the cadres like him – that some, again, in this House, especially those on my left, sat still and were confused about this department delivering a better life for all. They were confounded that a true example, not distant, not far, but here in this House breathing the same oxygen with us, was displayed to say that a better life was indeed coming.

These are the strides we are proud of. These are the initiatives we are all proud of for we know, as we said earlier, today will be better than yesterday and tomorrow will be better than our yesterday. We face the future with hope because we know that the resolve of government to provide a better life is unshakeable. We know that only the ANC can solve the problems of South Africa. The ANC supports this budget. Thank you very much. [Time expired.] [Applause.]

Mr M W SIBUYANA: Hon Speaker, Deputy President and the Minister of Health; I am an alternate in this department. As I was coming here I happened to meet Life and Health running away from Death and Disease which were chasing them with a terrible machine gun called HIV and Aids. About 12 years ago the Department of Health laid down the fundamental aim of its policies: It was to provide good quality health care equally to all South Africans. To that end the department undertook a huge process of transformation and social engineering. One of the features of this was to establish health districts to provide primary health care. What do these latest statistics concerning 53 health districts reveal? They reveal vast variations with respect to population and geographical size, health status and indicators, resource infrastructure and capacity available to improve the quality of health services.

The expenditure on primary health varies from as much as R389 per person in Gauteng to a mere R70 per person in Mpumalanga. Although most provinces are spending between R800 and R1 200 per capita on health care, infant mortality is increasing. Aids infections and deaths are increasing, as well as TB and resistant TB, and life expectancy is decreasing. We have to recognise that most of what comes from central government is obstructive. In its obsession with equal services, government is providing fewer services, particularly to the poor.

The IFP would have no problem with the health vote of R11,3 billion if the money was used efficiently. Rightly, the largest increase was for Strategic Health Programmes reflecting increased commitment to tackling TB, HIV and Aids, but the 192 accredited sites still have only 112 000 patients on treatment in the public sector - a number far from being reasonable to cope with the spreading epidemic.

The information systems for monitoring the sites are poor. The current statistics on all aspects of the pandemic are poor. There is inadequate provision of medicines and tests at clinics and hospitals, and there is still a huge problem of denial. This could be overcome by leadership being more outspoken and united around HIV through better partnerships between conventional and traditional doctors, and through greater deployment of community health workers.

The IFP strongly believes that decentralising health decision- making powers and funding to provincial level, would offer a solution to health care problems that afflict the state and the private sector. We should simplify and clarify political and financial accountability as well as responsibility. Let provincial and local government make health decisions, control funds and choose priorities.

We also firmly believe that it is high time we implemented an unambiguous Aids policy that treats HIV like an ordinary disease without a need for special secrecy provisions and provides more testing, treatment, training and support. We need far stronger health districts and far better IT systems, for tracking numbers of people tested, infected and on treatment. We would also improve our response to HIV if traditional healers and doctors worked more closely together. Better funding and training of health workers as well as motivation of nurses and doctors to work in rural areas through incentives, and more extensive use of mobile clinics would also improve the response to HIV/Aids.

We acknowledge the goodwill in the department and appreciate the intentions behind the measures adopted to try and distribute equal health care. However, after 12 years we believe that the ANC should re-evaluate strategies such as co-operative governance, conditional grants and red tape, and give the autonomy they always talk of to the provinces. The IFP supports the budget. Thank you.

Ms M J J MATSOMELA: Hon Speaker, hon Minister and Deputy Ministers present, hon members, all present in the House and in the public gallery, allow me to honour the patriots and fighters of 1976, whose stay at the coalface and resilience contributed immensely to the freedom that we enjoy today.

I am talking of the late Barney Molokwane, Solomon Mahlangu and Mboniswa Mbatha, who is still missing; and Mickey Tsagae, who is currently employed in the Air Force, and many more. We celebrate their lives because through their struggles and sacrifices we can talk of a Comprehensive Health Plan, whose objective is to enhance the state of health of our nation. To them we are eternally grateful and indebted for the gift of freedom they have helped to bring to us. That freedom would not have been achieved if it were not for the hope and fighting of the youth of 1976 and the women of 1956.

Yes, indeed, South Africa’s freedom and achievements have given hope to the masses of our people in our country and also to the people on the continent. Our role in government is to provide the muscle and the means to fulfil our people’s dream in this age of hope. South Africa has embarked on a journey that gives flesh to the immortal words of Patrice Lumumba:

Africa will write its own history and both north and south of the Sahara will be a history full of glory and dignity.

Se se buiwang ke Patrice Lumumba se a bontsha gore puso e e eteletsweng pele ke mokgatlho wa ANC ga ya simolola go itse ka 1994 gore e tshwanetse go kgathalela le go tlhokomela pholo ya batho ba Aforika Borwa. Ba itsitse gore batho ba tshwanetswe ke botshelo jo bo botoka. Fa e sale kwa tshimologong, ka ngwaga wa 1912 le dingwaga pele ga 1994, mokgatlho wa ANC entse e le modisa wa setšhaba. ke ka gone seane sa Setswana sereng, modisa wa dikgomo o tswa natso sakeng. Modisa wa dikgomo ga a kopane le dikgomo mo tseleng, modisa wa dikgomo o itse dikgomo tsa gagwe. (Translation of Setswana paragraph follows.)

[What Patrice Lumumba said shows that the ANC-led government already knew before 1994 that it is supposed to care for the health of the people of South Africa. They knew that people deserve a better life. In the beginning, in 1912 and the years before 1994, the ANC had been watching over its people, that is why the Setswana proverb states that the way in which you behave when you start something, will determine the way in which you are going to continue. A shepherd does not meet his cattle along the way, and he knows his cattle.]

In 1994, the ANC-led government made a commitment to the people of our country that our agenda is one of creating a better life for all. The ANC committed to the quality of life of our people, and in particular their health status. Every citizen in this country has the right to achieve optimal health, and it is the responsibility of the state to provide this because this is one of the key priorities of the RDP – meeting the basic needs. The policy on universal access to primary health care introduced in 1994, forms the basis of health care delivery programmes and has had a major impact on the South African population.

Re agile mafelo a pholo mo diseterekeng di le 53 gore batho ba baaborona ba se ke ba tsamaya sekgala se se leele go fitlhelela pholo. Balwetse mo nageng ba tlhatlhobiwa ka tlotlo le ka go lekana. (Translation of Setswana paragraph follows.)

[We built health centres in 53 districts so that our people should not travel a long distance to receive treatment. Patients in our country are treated with dignity and are all equal.]

The Freedom Charter proclaimed that there shall be equal status in the bodies of state, in the courts, in hospitals, in schools, etc, and this notion from the Freedom Charter is embedded in the Constitution that our people’s dignity must be protected and respected. The rights to health care, food, water and social security are also a fundamental rights. These rights, as contained in the Constitution, are an epitome of the Freedom Charter and the tone was set by the masses in their thousands on 26 June 1955.

Ditirelo tsotlhe tsa pholo di neelwa kwa ditleliniking le kwa dipetleleng tsa rona tseo di agilweng go simolola ka ngwaga wa 1994, ka gore re fitlhetse batho baaborona ba sa kgone go fitlhelela pholo e e tshwanetseng. Dingwe tsa tsona di ntse di tlhabololwa e bile di sa ntsane di tlile go tlhabololwa.

Ditirelo tse tsa pholo di neelwa ke baoki bao re ba bonang kwa godimo kwa, le dingaka tseo di rupeletsweng sentle mo nageng e ya rona ya Aforika Borwa. [Legofi.]

Se e sa ntse e le kgwetlho mo lefapheng go ya ka puo ya ga Moporesidente gore mangwe a mafelo a thupelelo ya baoki a bulwe gore se setle se oketse palo ya baoki mo nageng ya rona. Pulo e ya mafelo a thupelelo ya baoki – reopening of nursing colleges – e tla totobatsa e be e tsepamisa tsholofelo mo ngwageng o wa ditsholofelo. (Translation of Setswana paragraphs follows.)

[All health services are provided in our clinics and hospitals that have been built since 1994, because we realised that our people could not access the relevant treatment. Some of them are being developed and we will continue developing them.

The health services are being provided by nurses who are sitting over there, and our doctors who have trained in our country, South Africa. [Applause.]

According to the President, this is still a challenge for the department. Some of the nursing colleges need to be re-opened to increase the number of nurses in our country. The re-opening of nursing colleges will confirm and instil hope in this hopeful year.]

This will be the realisation of Asgisa as a catalyst instrument aimed at specific interventions across all sectors.

All the services provided by public health care workers for our people at both the public clinics and hospitals need a budget for sustainability and accessibility. Hence the health budget for this financial year is R11,184 billion. [Applause.]

One of the stated aims of the Department of Health is to improve public health through the prevention of both communicable and noncommunicable diseases. And this is in line with our ANC-led government’s objectives to provide opportunities for good health to all our people.

I would like to focus on the critical issue of noncommunicable diseases. As we all should know, South Africans have - and this has been proven by various studies and investigations over the last few years - become almost negligent with regard to our physical and mental well-being.

Some of our most common health conditions like obesity, hypertension, diabetes, cancer, high blood pressure, etc, are inevitably linked to lifestyle. These conditions are deadly if not managed or treated as serious. Both prevention and management of these conditions depend heavily on adopting healthy lifestyles and can be prevented through the following: a balanced diet, regular exercises, no tobacco smoking, moderate or no alcohol intake. In fact, many experts would add another – management of stress.

However, it is not for the Department of Health to legislate against lifestyles. Attitudes and lifestyles are personal decisions, but often it also depends on external factors. It goes without saying that people who are healthy are more likely to learn, work, care for their families and contribute to their communities – in other words to drive the social and economic development process of their villages, towns and ultimately the country. In fact, heads of state recognized this vital link between health and development when they adopted the Millennium Development Goals.

Furthermore, the national health promotion strategy is consolidating around the lifestyle factors that are critical to preventing and managing these chronic diseases. In 2005, the Department of Health led a major campaign to promote physical activity under the slogan: Vuka South Africa! Move for Health! It sought to include communities where exercise facilities are particularly underdeveloped. The campaign featured informative workshops, mass walks and screening for diabetes, hypertension and obesity problems. Since then, new partnerships to promote healthy lifestyles were concluded with private sectors and nongovernmental organisations. As the ANC, we would like to encourage the youth, our economically active population and our citizenry in general to take responsibility for their health. And we say this, mindful of the reality of the poverty and the conditions of under-development in which millions of our people are still trapped. The fact is that we will, together with all stakeholders, continue in our endeavours to ensure the best and appropriate quality care of our people, particularly the poor.

In conclusion, despite all the challenges that the department is facing, we hope that the budget allocated for the department will definitely assist in dealing with those challenges because our role in government is to provide the basic needs contained in the RDP. By so doing we will indeed continue to build a winning nation through our national effort and do all these things that will ensure that the mountains and hills of our country break forth into song before all our people. Let me remind all of us of our vision – an accessible, caring and high-quality health system. In order to achieve this, we must work together, because across the world there is not only HIV/Aids as a disease. There are a number of diseases across the world. That is why in my conclusion I am saying this budget, amongst other things, will address also noncommunicable diseases that have been mentioned.

The ANC supports the Budget Vote. I thank you, Madam Speaker. [Applause.] The DEPUTY MINISTER OF HEALTH: Madam Speaker, hon members and honoured guests, in supporting the Budget Vote of the Minister of Health, I do so believing that as South Africans we can find common ground on health issues. This is the basis from which we can all move forward. As a nation, we have proved that we are capable of putting aside our differences in the interest of peace and progress.

In the Preamble to our Constitution we say:

… united in our diversity. We adopt this Constitution … so as to heal the divisions of the past … Lay the foundations for a democratic and open society in which government is based on the will of the people and every citizen is equally protected by law; improve the quality of life of all citizens …

As we debate this Budget Vote, may we be reminded of what inspired us in agreeing to healing our divided past and move forward. We need to build a strong and united front led by all leaders rallying our people to act together in the interest of health. Health is everyone’s concern and is more important than individual and party political differences. We must acknowledge our differences and bring forward the creative power in all of us to create light and not heat. We must draw on the spirit of the negotiated settlement and joint problem solving as well as evidence of research so that we can reach consensus on how to provide optimal health care with the limited resources available. We have laid a foundation for the delivery of health services to all. Our policies aimed at addressing health disparities and implementing an integrated and transformed health system are in place. We have built a district health system to deliver basic health needs. We have also established structures for public consultation, participation, consensus- building and multisectoral collaboration at ward, district, provincial and national level. We must use these effectively and not demonise our opponents or allow the health debates to be politicised or personalised.

We have prepared the ground for the provision of a minimum, defined, basic package that will provide a health care safety net for all. In the context of limited resources, the challenge inevitably involves reaching consensus around the content and delivery of this package as well as weighing up the costs of poor health as a result of not making additional investments on health care. We call on everyone to adopt health-seeking behaviour and to use our facilities to check our health status – even if we feel well. Many illnesses are silent killers and show no symptoms in the early stages when they can be most easily and effectively treated.

The stigma attached to mental illness discourages people from seeking help. We must all step up awareness-raising efforts on mental health and give support to the NGOs and CBOs helping us in this important work. Our strategic plan for 2006-07 has prioritised the integration of mental health into primary health care. We are ensuring that Mental Health Review Boards are appointed and finalising the referral pathways and the list of facilities that will conduct 72-hour assessments. The shortage of mental health specialists, problems of infrastructure and systems has a negative effect on our efforts to implement the Mental Health Care Act. We are addressing these problems through hospital revitalisation and the Human Resource Plan.

We are strengthening the policy on free health care for people with disabilities, assessing accessibility of our public health facilities and developing a strategy on orientation and mobility services for the blind. The guidelines on the implementation of the National Rehabilitation Policy and the revision of the price list for the orthotic prosthetic devices, have been completed.

Our policy is to keep the elderly in the community for as long as possible in order to keep the family unit together and tap into the wisdom of our senior citizens in moulding the characters of the young, libunjwa liseva [Discipline the child when it is young]. We will, this financial year, implement a long-term, home-administered oxygen programme and establish stroke units in all provinces.

We have a great shortage of qualified personnel in the area of health technology. I appeal to our youth to take up training as health engineers, health technologists and technicians. These skills in these rewarding careers are in huge demand and provide an avenue to contribute to the health and development of the nation. As a medical laboratory technologist myself, I found the career rewarding as well as valuable in my present post as the Deputy Minister of Health. Health personnel are a priority component of the Joint Initiative on Priority Skills Acquisition, the skills programme under the Accelerated and Shared Growth Initiative for South Africa led by our hon Deputy President.

We are transforming the delivery of oral health care and are integrating it into primary health care, health lifestyles and neonatal care. When that first tooth emerges, we want to make sure it is healthy and strong. We are finalising a national oral health promotion framework and a manual for community and home-based care. Our programmes for schools are assisting us in identifying other health ailments. I have visited Gauteng and visits are planned to other provinces to assess compliance with national oral health norms and standards and make recommendations for improvements.

In August last year, I visited the innovative Phelophepha Health Train during Oral Health Care month. The Phelophepha team is helping us take health care to all, especially to the most remote and isolated parts of our country. I wish to thank Transnet for donating a second train to Phelophepha. [Applause.]

Hon members, I am concerned by reports of health practitioners who are defrauding taxpayers by falsifying medical claims. More than 40 dentists, dental technicians and doctors in Durban could face criminal charges. I would like to make a call to all South Africans to expose fraud and corruption everywhere. People who defraud the State are not only taking the public’s money, but are also undermining the values for which we struggled and on which we created the democratic South Africa as well as the health profession that has a proud record of integrity.

Our community service programme for new graduates in the health sciences is playing a valuable part in nation building, especially in underserved communities. A doctor doing community service at Ngwelezane Hospital wrote to me and said:

I would like to thank you for the opportunity to work in a rural environment. I have found it extremely worthwhile and can only hope that I have been of good service to this community. I have gained a lot of experience. For this I am so grateful as obstetrics and gynaecology is my passion. “Enkosi kakhulu” [Thank you very much]. Yours sincerely, Dr Kerry Anne Sherwood.

I wish to add my own thanks to all the young medical personnel doing community service. How wonderful it would be to have a young accountant, engineer, artist, journalist, social worker, beauty technologist or philosopher doing community service in my constituency in Vulamehlo in the Ugu District Municipality or in Buhlebezwe in the Sisonke District. These volunteers would be very warmly welcomed and collectively would be a valuable asset working in the municipalities.

In April this year, medicolegal services that include forensic laboratories and mortuaries, were transferred from the police to the Department of Health. The transfer is aimed at ensuring separation and autonomy as well as offering comprehensive services. This illustrates our commitment to providing quality health care from the cradle to the grave.

In this financial year, we aim to address the backlog of specimens for blood alcohol and toxicological analyses through Forensic Pathology Officer learnerships, career-path and SANAS accreditation for the blood alcohol sections of the laboratories. An emergency maintenance and upgrading project is in progress including the purchasing of urgently required equipment and vehicles for which more than R1,5 billion has been allocated. A total of 1 346 nonmedical vacancies have been advertised and an agreement aimed at the retention of staff was reached with SAPS to give serving police officers in mortuaries first preference in the filling of posts.

I wish to pay tribute to medical science in the fight against disease. Through progress in medicine, we are living longer. We are finding ways to prevent and treat cancer, once dubbed the dreaded “C”. A vaccine has been developed to fight cervical cancer and this should make a huge impact in the campaign against cervical cancer and HIV/Aids. [Applause.]

We are supporting pilot research at our universities such as the screen and treat to prevent cervical cancer in low resource settings being done by UCT; the HPV prevalence and type in women 18 to 34 years, also done by UCT; and the management of abnormal cytology in HIV/Aids-positive women at the University of Free State. The University of KwaZulu Natal and the MRC are researching HIV and traditional medicine. The reproductive health and research unit at Wits and the MRC are doing research on microbicides and organised the international conference on microbicides held in Cape Town last month. Microbicides can offer women a tool they can control directly in preventing being infected with HIV.

The Department of Science and Technology sponsored two awards at this conference in recognition of research excellence and it supports the Academy of Science of South Africa – a statutory independent, merit-based, activist body committed to assisting the nation to find science-based solutions and create science-based opportunities for growth and prosperity. The academy is constituted to ensure that leading scientists, acting in concert and across all disciplines, can promote the advancement of science and technology; can provide effective advice and can facilitate appropriate action in relation to the collective needs, threats, opportunities and challenges of all South Africans. Its mission statement states: The function of science is to create, in a disciplined and systematic way, a continuum of coherent, rational and universally valid insight into observable reality in all its various facets. Scientific thinking and knowledge are fundamental to the best work done in the applied natural sciences and in technology.

The academy networks with academics in other countries. I wish to stress the importance of evidence-based research as opposed to anecdotal evidence, especially in medical science where people’s lives are at stake. And our policy decisions must always be guided by the best available scientific knowledge derived from credible, peer-reviewed research.

I believe that through working together in the spirit of co-operation and communicating effectively, affirming each other’s achievements, correcting and supporting one another with compassion when we fail, we can achieve the goal of comprehensive and quality health for all.

In closing, I wish to thank the Minister of Health, the Health MECs, our Director-General, Deputy Director-Generals and all heads of department in the nine provinces as well as my own staff. I thank our health personnel, who serve us when we need them most - when we are sick and not able to take care of ourselves.

Siyabonga kakhulu. [Thank you very much.] [Applause.] Ms N C NKABINDE: Madam Deputy Speaker and hon members, the department has a budget in excess of R11 billion, almost all of which is transferred to provinces and other institutions. Thus the department has a very specific responsibility to ensure that the spending translates into service delivery.

When we are told that the vast majority of the provincial capital budget for hospital building was not spent, we must then also conclude that the department at national level failed to properly monitor provincial service delivery. This is of deep concern to us, since more than R10 billion in this budget is earmarked for spending at provincial and institutional level.

When we look at a budget such as this, and we celebrate growing allocations for vital programmes such as hospital revitalisation, we hope that this funding will actually translate into service delivery. Another matter which seems to be positive is the growth of the HIV/Aids programme, which this year totals nearly R2 billion.

We are relieved that it represents a fourfold increase in what was allocated a mere four years ago. Indeed, we are happy that the target of at least one site for each of the 33 districts has been met, and efforts are afoot to expand into the subdistrict level.

The UDM would like to appeal to the department, in conjunction with the Department of Social Development and the SA Police Service, to investigate the child mortality rate in South Africa. It has recently been claimed by the University of Cape Town’s Children’s Institute that child mortality is significantly higher than previously thought. We need to determine what the real causes of these deaths are. Quite a number of these child deaths stems from disease-related causes. Quite a number are poverty-related, but how many are the result of abuse and other crimes?

We need to know these numbers and what factors contribute to them. Our concern should be how we can identify those at risk in advance and intervene before they lose their lives. There must be identifiable signs beforehand for the majority of cases of child death. [Time expired.] [Applause.]

Mr A F MADELLA: Comrade Madam Deputy Speaker, hon Minister of Health, hon Deputy Minister of Health, hon members, esteemed guests in the public gallery, like Comrade Manto Tshabalala-Msimang, I wish to dedicate my contribution to this debate to all the health care workers who are doing a sterling job in caring, nursing and healing the sick, the frail, the poor and unhealthy under very difficult conditions many, many a time. As the ANC we wish to salute them.

My input will, in the main, deal with the issue of health service delivery that constitutes Programme 3 in Vote 16 of the Health estimates of national expenditure for 2006. This programme essentially deals with support to the delivery of health services primarily in the provinces and local spheres of government.

Comrades, Madam Deputy Speaker, health care constitutes a fundamental basic need as identified and documented by thousands of cadres of our movement, the ANC, its alliances, formations and progressive, nongovernmental organisations when they gathered from all corners of South Africa to put together a strategic policy framework that will serve as a basic guide to the ANC, upon seizing power through the ballot box in 1994.

This strategic framework policy is none other than our Reconstruction and Development Programme. We consciously argued that the transformation of the apartheid national health system, which was racially fragmented, inequitable, and nonexistent in most rural areas, etc, must be driven by a primary health care approach. This approach should provide community participation, empowerment, intersectoral collaboration, cost effective care as well as the integration of preventative, promotive and curative services.

Such a primary health care approach should be located closest to the people and in fact at the level of the democratically elected local government structures. The notion of health districts amongst other things formed an integral part of the institutional arrangements for such an approach.

This approach found expression in the White Paper for the transformation of the health system in South Africa, launched by the then Minister of Health, the hon Comrade Dr Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma in 1997. The primary health care approach forms the basis of health care delivery programmes and it is having, without a doubt, a major, positive impact on the South African population. Many speakers have referred to that.

This primary health care approach is also encapsulated in a national health act which in its preamble recognised the socioeconomic injustices, imbalances and inequalities of the health service of the apartheid past; highlighted the need to heal the divisions of the past and to establish a society based on democratic values, social justice and fundamental human rights; and expressed the need to improve the quality of life of all citizens, and to free the potential of each person.

The National Health Act further compels us to unite the various elements of the national health system in a common goal to actively promote and improve the national health system in South Africa; and to provide for a system of co-operative governance and management of health services with national health guidelines, norms and standards in which each province municipality and health district must address questions of health policy and delivery of quality health care services.

In assessing the general statement of health care and progress made in the provision of health for all at the 51st national conference of the most dynamic liberation movement of all time, namely the ANC, our conference resolved, amongst other things, to strengthen primary health care especially in the rural areas. This would be done by amongst other things eradicating the backlog of health services; improving the availability of doctors and nurses in especially clinics; improving the management and governance of hospitals and clinics with community participation; decisively attacking communicable and preventable illnesses through, amongst other things, an immunisation programme; strengthening measures to combat cholera and TB and ensuring the early treatment of chronic and noncommunicable diseases; accelerated appropriate decentralisation of certain health services to local government with appropriate resources; accelerated strategies for the training and retention of health professionals; accelerated strategies to reduce maternal and infant mortality rate and morbidity; and strengthening programmes with child nutrition, food security and the improvement of nourishment.

In deepening health care delivery to all, especially those communities who were denied such services as a result of apartheid, we can now report with pride that a total of 53 health districts across the South African landscape exist today in line with our municipal boundaries.

Access to primary health care facilities has increased dramatically over the years. The basket of services provided by the primary health care level includes immunisation; communicable and endemic disease prevention; maternity care; screening of children; integrated management of childhood illnesses and health care; health promotion; youth health services; counselling services; taking care of chronic diseases and diseases of older persons; rehabilitation; accident and emergency services; family planning and oral health services.

The district health system, which is the main carrier for the provision of primary health care, was strengthened during the last financial year through a special role clarification of provinces and the municipalities. These clarifications and the provision of district health planning guidelines will facilitate, going forward, a more systematic planning process in contributing to improved implementation and monitoring.

Sections 29, 30 and 31 of the National Health Act provide for the division of health districts as well as for the establishment of district health councils. I just want to indicate the factors that need to be taken into consideration in the determination of health districts which must and should include equity, access to services, quality, overcoming fragmentation, local accountability, community participation, sustainability and, of course, comprehensive services. The provision of primary health care services at the community level makes it more accessible for the people, but also draws patients away from hospital services, thereby reducing the burden on them. Primary health care centres such as clinics, etc, refer patients to hospitals services. A key element of the primary health care approach is the participation, as I said earlier, of communities in its application.

The National Health Act provides for, amongst other things, community representation at clinic and community health centre committees. The hon J Ngculu referred to this process of social mobilisation, and this is one way of ensuring that, in our communities where we are living, our representatives, our people, indeed are taking part in those structures and indeed are driving the process of creating better health in the communities.

I wish to mention and highlight Programme 3 of the Department of Health’s strategic plan and Budget Vote, which deals with health service delivery and I wish to raise the following six subprogrammes that deal with noncommunicable diseases, hospital services and emergency medical services. The issue of hospital revitalisation has already been mentioned by the previous speaker. There are also the issues of health economics and health information, primary health care and tenets of compliance.

The expenditure trend of the Department of Health, and the allocation that has been given to Health is in line with the ANC’s commitment to expanding service delivery and health infrastructure, which have risen steadily from 2002 to the current year. For 2002-03, it was R6,3 billion and now speakers have referred to it as being just over R10 billion.

When we look at the Medium-Term Expenditure Framework cycle, we will see that there will be an average increase of 8,2%. The key challenge for the Department of Health is to use this consistent, positive increase in expenditure as a tool to expand health infrastructure; continue with the refurbishment of existing clinics and hospitals where such needs have been identified, and deal with human resources challenges in relation to training of health care personnel; in line with the presidential clarion call for the reopening of nursing colleges, to increase the number of nursing professionals.

As indicated by Comrade Minister Tshabalala-Msimang the health infrastructure programme is in full swing, and a number of new hospitals will be completed soon, and 16 new projects will commence in this financial year. In addition, a total of 78 new clinics will be built across the country, and 41 clinics will be upgraded in the Eastern Cape. The key policy challenge for the current financial year relates to strengthening primary health care delivery in the 13 rural and eight urban nodes. Deputy Speaker, I just wish, as a new member of this committee and a new member of this illustrious House, to extend my gratitude for the guidance and leadership provided by the Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee, Comrade James Ngculu who is always at pains and has the necessary patience to guide us as new members. I must say that literally half of the health portfolio committee consists of new members, who all came to Parliament in the last six to seven months. He has been the one guiding us to find our feet in this House. The ANC supports this Bill. [Time expired.][Applause.]

The DEPUTY SPEAKER: Unfortunately, the chairperson missed those wonderful words about himself, because an hon member had drawn his attention to something else at the time. I promise I will convey the message to him.

Mrs C DUDLEY: Madam Deputy Speaker, hon Ministers, conditional grants to provinces constitute the bulk of the Budget and improved management and monitoring of these grants is imperative, especially in view of the qualified audit report received in 2004-05. Conscious of our limited time, the ACDP notes that the comprehensive HIV and Aids grant and the hospital revitalisation grant have increased significantly, which indicates at least some degree of recognition of the ever increasing challenges. Researchers are warning of an expected sharp rise in the cost of public health services within the next few years as HIV positive South Africans develop Aids- related diseases. HIV patients might soon account for as much as 70% of hospital expenditure in medical wards where presently about half of all patients admitted have HIV-related illnesses, and the numbers of HIV- patients in paediatric wards are even higher. Aids patients stay in hospital on average four times longer than other patients, placing enormous pressure on health facilities and health care workers.

Over the years the ACDP joined others in calling for antiretroviral treatment to be available through the public health system to relieve the increasingly desperate situation in hospitals, but delays in providing treatment continue to take their toll on health services and the economy in general, not to mention lives. Now as budgets are increased in seemingly futile efforts to meet the challenge, regrets over government’s unwillingness to escalate efforts years ago, hang ominously in the air. Reports showed that the use of antiretrovirals led to a dramatic decline in deaths and the numbers of Aids patients admitted to hospitals; that while pharmacy bills initially increased, patients’ bills drastically decreased; that countries like Brazil also experienced this cost benefit of antiretroviral therapy significantly decreasing the incidence rate of TB; and many more reports of a similar nature were all sadly ignored.

Now a recent survey conducted by the HSRC, the Medical Research Council and the Centre for Aids Development Research and Evaluation found that there were still gaps in knowledge about the behaviours that put people most at risk. The impact of expensive awareness campaigns has been questioned and the need to go beyond merely encouraging condom use and to focus on risk factors was advocated, confirming what the ACDP has said over and over again.

The ACDP once again appeals to government to ensure that prevention campaigns target all age groups with clear messages, which are not smoke screens distorting the truth and fuelling the pandemic. The truth with regard to abstaining from sex outside of marriage and being faithful in marriage has been severely compromised and the devastating consequences just continue unabated. When will we come to our senses? Will the ACDP support the Health Budget Vote, which still supports the indiscriminate and irrational murder of unborn children, a health budget which is fundamentally flawed, a health budget which has no respect for human life – no, the ACDP cannot support this budget.

It won’t be long before South Africa will face a new challenge, a challenge that American citizens face presently. As we emulate American society in killing unborn children, we effectively wipe out our future workforce. We and our children, and you and your children, in your retirement years are going to be in a situation where fewer and fewer numbers of economically active people will make up a depleted tax base, which will be unable to carry the burden of the greater numbers of the aged. The only difference in South Africa is, of course, that the situation will be even worse, because of the shocking number of people dying of Aids-related deaths. This policy is not only diabolic but also crazy. No, the ACDP cannot support this lunacy. Thank you. [Interjections.]

Mr B E PULE: Madam Deputy Speaker, while supporting this Budget Vote, the UCDP notes with concern that in both 2003-04 and 2004-05 the Department of Health had received a qualified audit report in respect of conditional grants, and there was noncompliance with the Division of Revenue Act. This is of course unacceptable.

Hospital revitalisation has been identified as a priority in the state of the nation address and it is hoped that with the allocation of R100 million for this purpose, the Department of Health will support provinces in this regard. And it would be more than just a mere talk show. Oversight in this department always remains a hollow euphemism. In the 2005-06 Adjustment Appropriation Bill the department requested a roll-over of R10 million from the 2004-05 financial year, because it ordered a large quantity of condoms, which could not be delivered on time. On the contrary, in the 2006 estimates of national expenditure the department indicated that the number of condoms is set to increase to 450 million in 2006-07. Whilst the UCDP does not advocate the indiscriminate production and use of condoms, where expenditure is involved, it must be seen to be fruitful. This was not the case.

The department indicates that the management of communicable diseases is a priority as identified in their 5-year strategic plan, but the amount allocated for the programme for 2006-07 is the same as the previous year, which amounts to a decline of 4,9%. The same applies to the health professionals training and development grant allocations for the current financial year, where there is also a decline of 4,9%. Will the department explain these declines?

In the 2005-06 adjustments the department requested a roll-over of R11 million from the 2004-05 financial year for a tender for a reliable inventory management tracking system for a comprehensive HIV and Aids plan, due to a delay in advertising the tender. What was the reason for the delay? [Time expired.]

Ms P TSHWETE: Madam Deputy Speaker, special greetings to Ministers and Deputy Ministers that are here today and to our distinguished guests in the gallery.

Last year the Minister of Health tabled the Nursing Bill, and today we are proud to announce that the President of South Africa signed has signed it into law, and that it is Act 33 of 2005. This Act amends all pieces of legislation related to nursing in this country.

The primary purpose of this Act is to transform the nursing council so as to strengthen the protection of the interests of the health care users, to improve corporate governance and promote greater accountability by council members.

The Act will also promote the constitutional requirement of increasing access to health care services. The Department of Health has heeded a call from the President of the Republic for the training of nurses by reopening nursing colleges. This has been discussed with the following structures: the nursing colleges in the provinces, heads of provincial departments of health and the SA Nursing Council.

Hon members will note that the training of health professionals is complex, since it incorporates theoretical and clinical learning. Both theory and practice should be given enough time so that students can internalise the content of nursing studies.

In preparation for increasing the number of provinces that have engaged with the SA Nursing Council to make sure that additional clinical areas are accredited in order to allocate students for clinical practice and to maximise teaching and learning, more nursing educators are being recruited in order to fill vacant posts so that when additional students are admitted effective learning can take place.

Collaboration with the private and public health sectors is beginning to take place. With the introduction of community service in nursing in 2007, it is envisaged that staffing in the underserved and rural health facilities will improve.

On 7 April 2006, World Health Day, the national Department of Health launched the National Human Resources for Health Plan. In addition, a task team was established to draft a national nursing strategy. The Human Resources for Health Plan lays guidelines for the production of health human resources, including nurses, based on sound scientific information and health care needs. This will include staffing norms for health facilities.

The Democratic Nursing Organisation of SA, Denosa, has won the bid to host the Quadrennial International Nursing Conference in South Africa in 2009. As the ruling party, we have high regard for nurses and other health workers. Together we have a mandate to deliver quality health care to all South Africans.

Efforts by health workers, who hold the most critical resources in health service delivery, assist in meeting our constitutional mandate of ensuring access to quality health care.

The Department of Health will encourage school-leavers to consider nursing as a career, thereby contributing to the wellbeing of every citizen of this beautiful country. We, as the ANC, pay tribute to all nurses who commit themselves to heartily provide health care to our people. Although hard to admit, health services would collapse without nurses. [Applause.]

Sekela-Somlomo, ndithi mandibhekise kakhulu kumaqobokazana ahleli phaya kwigalari. Sinazo iingxaki esinazo, kuba sinabantu abangaqondiyo ukuba xa sithetha ngemfuduko yabasebenzi abaqeqeshiweyo abanobuchule, okanye i-brain drain, sithetha ngantoni na. Abayicingi into yokuba kuthe ukuze ibe kho le mfunduko i-ANC yavumela abantu ukuba baye kwamanye amazwe, into engazanga yenzeka ngaphambili. Yayingasoze ibe kho le mfuduko ngaphambili phambi kowe-

1. (Translation of isiXhosa paragraph follows.)

[Deputy Speaker, let me address the ladies seated in the gallery. We have problems because there are people who do not understand us when we talk about workers who are leaving this country with experience and skills - the brain drain. They cannot imagine that this migration was created by the ANC by allowing people to go to other countries, because this had never happened before.

This migration would never have happened before 1994.]

Before 1994 people were not allowed to go to other countries. So, through the efforts of the ANC, today they are able to go to other countries and come back. [Applause.]

We also say to people that the doctors that come to South Africa not only come to assist, but also to learn.

Kwaye kufuneka sazi ukuba kuzo zonke ezi zivumelwano sisebenzisana nabantu. [And we should know that in all these agreements we are dealing with people.]

I have used a stethoscope before, and most of the time you, as scientists, do not come with a diagnosis without checking signs and symptoms. I think without even using a stethoscope on the people on my left here, you might have a diagnosis of them. [Laughter.]

Kaloku imizamo esiyenzayo siyi-ANC, okanye eyenziwa nguMphathiswa, ayibonwa, ngenxa yokuba abantu abakafundi ukuhlala phantsi, beze nendlela eyakhayo yokwakha uMzantsi Afrika. [By the way, the efforts made by the ANC and the endeavours of the Minister are not recognised, because people have not yet come forward with a way to develop South Africa.]

They have time, which we don’t have. We go to our constituencies – and we will be going to our constituencies right now. On 23 June we will visit hospitals in order to find out where we can help; not to take photographs of hospitals that are dilapidated and those that are not.

I want to remind hon members that before 1994 – the people on my left know about this …

… kwakukho amagumbi ezigulane ezimhlophe kunye nawezigulane ezintsundu. Eyona nto ibuhlungu kubo yinto yokuba uMphathiswa usa izixhobo zokusebenza emaphandleni ukwenzela ukuba kulinganwe. Abayifuni ke loo nto. [Kwaqhwatywa.] Anizi kumthanda uMphathiswa, siyayazi loo nto, kuba kaloku wenza le nto ningayifuniyo.

Ndingeva into embi, sihlalo wam, ukuba andimphenduli obekekileyo uDudley. Uthi yena balubonile uphando ngeNtsholongwane kaGawulayo. Thina asiludingi uphando ngale ntsholongwane, ngoba sinabo emakhayeni ethu abantu abagula yiyo, siphila nabo. [Kwaqhwatywa.] Basoloko besima apha eqongeni besithi uphando lusixelela oku, noku. Hayi! Thina sinabantu abagulayo: oodade wethu, abantakwethu, abantwana bethu, abahlala nathi. [Kwaqhwatywa.] (Translation of isiXhosa paragraphs follows.)

[… there were wards for white patients and for blacks. What is frustrating them is that the Minister is providing health resources to the rural areas for equity purposes, and this is not what they want. [Applause.] We know for a fact that you are not impressed by the Minister’s actions.

Chairperson, I would be disappointed if I did not reply to hon Dudley. She says they have seen a research report on HIV/Aids. We do not need such a report because we have first-hand experience of people suffering from HIV/Aids in our homes. [Applause.] The members of the opposition always come and stand at the podium and tell us that the research says this and that. No! We have people who are suffering from the illness: our sisters, brothers and children living with us. [Applause.]]

As a health care worker, I know that you cannot give antiretrovirals to a patient who has not had anything to eat.

Ukuba eso sigulana asityi, asizi kuphila, ndiyakuxelela. Kwaye bayalibala ukuxelela abantu ukuba amachiza adodobalisa ulwamvila lweNtsholongwane kaGawulayo, ii-Antiretroviral, awanyangi mntu. Soloko bedala ingcingane yokuba la machiza aza kunyanga umntu. Ayikho loo nto. (Translation of isiXhosa paragraph follows.)

[If the patient is not eating well, chances of getting well are limited, I am telling you. They also fail to tell people that the antiretrovirals cannot cure HIV/Aids. They always create the impression that these medicines cure HIV/Aids. There is no such thing.]

So, please, don’t mislead our people; tell the truth. [Applause.]

Xa ndiqgibezela, ndiyazi ukuba uMphathiswa wephondo waseNtshona Koloni uza kutsala nzima. Ndandingumongikazi apha eNtshona Koloni, amachiza ayengayi kwiindawo zabantsundu. Ngoko ke ndiyacela kuye ukuba aqinisekise ukuba abantu abadala mabangayi ezibhedlele nasezikliniki ePhilippi, eKhayelitsha, eGugulethu, bafike phaya bafole, kuthi emva kokuba sekukudala befolile kuthiwe awakho amachiza.

Ngamanye amaxesha asingomongikazi obangela ukuba amachiza angabikho, ingenguye noMphathiswa wephondo. Mhlawumbi kufuneka sazi ukuba zikhona iingxaki ezikhoyo ngamanye amaxesha ezibangela loo nto.

Mphathiswa, ndicela uxolo ngokukubalisela le nto: Ndakhe ndaya komnye umngcwabo … (Translation of isiXhosa paragraphs follows.)

[In conclusion, I know that the MEC in the Western Cape province is going to face a difficult situation. I was a nurse here in the Western Cape and medicines were not delivered to the black communities. I plead with you not to let older people travel to the hospitals and clinics in Philippi, Khayelitsha, and Gugulethu and queue up there, only to be told later that there are no medicines.

In other instances the absence of medicine is not the nurse’s fault, nor is it the fault of the provincial Minister. We must understand that there are other causes for these problems.

Minister, pardon me for telling you this story: I once attended a funeral …] … where nurses were blaming the health workers for the deaths in hospitals. It is also our collective responsibility - and it is not reserved for nurses only - to take care of our sick people.

Ndakhe ndaya komnye umngcwabo, Mphathiswa, apho kwakungcwatywa ixhego elinama-96 eminyaka. Andikhumbuli ukuba yayingumngcwabo wesingaphi apho kwakusithiwa xa kubulelwa - siyathanda kaloku thina ukwazi unobangela wokufa, kwaye lo nobangela wokufa soloko uchaphazela abongikazi - kuthiwe: “Yho! Utata ngengabhubhanga ukuba aba bongikazi bebengamphethanga kakubi.” Uneminyaka engama-96 ngelo xesha.

Kaloku thina asinayo imimangaliso yokuthi xa lifikile ixesha lokuba umntu alishiye eli, sikunqande oko. KwaseBhayibhileni kuthiwa siya kuhamba ngokuhamba, kodwa abantu abafuni kuvuma ukuba umntu xa enama-96 eminyaka, ngamanye amaxesha kudla ngokuba ngaphaya kwamandla abongikazi ukumsindisa. Abongikazi bayazama, bayafuna ukuba akaphile, kodwa abakwazi. [Kwaqhwatywa.]

Xa ndigqibezela, ndicela ukuphakamisa, Sekela-Mphathiswa nawe Mphathiswa, ukuba sinawo amandla; siza kunincedisa, siza kulilwa utshaba. Alukho olunye utshaba lwethu ke, bantu, ngaphandle kwe-DA. Siyawuxhasa lo Mthetho uyilwayo. Enkosi. [Kwaqhwatywa.] (Translation of isiXhosa paragraphs follows.)

[I once attended a funeral of a 96-year-old man, Minister. I do not remember how many funerals I may have attended where the speaker would tell the people about the cause of death. We like to hear the cause of death. Unfortunately the cause of death will always implicate the nurses when people say, “Oh! The old man would have still been alive if those nurses had treated him well.” Meanwhile he was 96 years old.

The nurses are not privileged to be able to perform miracles and stop people from dying. Even in the Bible it is stated clearly that everyone has his day. People do not want to believe that the nurses cannot prevent the death of a 96-year-old person, and that sometimes it is beyond their capability. Nurses do try their best, but they can fail. [Applause.]

Finally, I want to appeal to the Deputy Minister and the Minister that we do have the power and that we will support you in fighting the enemy. We do not have any other enemy except for the DA. We support this Bill. Thank you. [Applause.]]

Ms S RAJBALLY: Thank you, Madam Deputy Speaker. The department’s budget is viewed in line with the 2006 state of the nation address, as well as the department’s strategic plan for 2004-09, which clearly portrays government’s commitment to improve accessibility, facilities, and health services to the South African people.

Looking at the budget, the Minority Front sees that the department has had a steady growth and that commitments continue to be prioritised on community concerns such as HIV/Aids-related programmes, health, human resources and hospital services.

As always, the bulk of the department’s funds are disposed through grants to provinces. The MF, however, expresses its concern about the department’s success in monitoring and managing grants. We also enquire as to why there is a decline of 4,9% in real terms, in the health professional training and development grant for 2006 and 2007.

Concern is expressed as to precaution being taken in light of the bird flu spreading to South Africa since the first man-to-man infection was reported abroad.

I now turn my attention to a more pressing issue, which is the Aids situation in South Africa. It has been reported that South Africa has an estimated 5,5 million people living with HIV, making it the most infected country on the continent of Africa. It is hoped that the R180 million grant set aside for Aids vaccine research shall serve to reduce these statistics in time. However, something needs to be done in order to address this issue in all urgency. HIV/Aids places a heavy toll on our economy and irresponsible behaviour needs to be treated as a criminal offence.

As for the recent power cuts, the MF finds it crucial that the hospitals be equipped with generators that are operational, and maintenance of these need to be made regularly to ensure that tragic incidents like the loss of the babies at a hospital in East London, as a result of a power cut, will not occur again.

This calls for all of us to stand together, not to criticise but to compromise and work together and find solutions to the problem. We have to work together to build a better South Africa to live in. Remember, united we stand, divided we fall. An injury to one is an injury to all.

The MF is pleased that the department is continually making efforts to deliver health facilities to the poorest of the poor, and making health facilities more accessible. The MF takes this opportunity in thanking all the health service people, the doctors, the nurses, and all those who serve the ill of health and the health department. God bless you. Thank you. [Applause.]

Mr M J ELLIS: Deputy Speaker, before the next speaker starts, I wonder if you could take a point of order, please. The hon Bloem is wandering around Parliament pointing at me. I am absolutely positive that it is not parliamentary for him to behave in the way he does. I wonder if you could ask him to take back these cutting the throat and punching movements, and maybe do them to himself instead. It might be more appropriate. The DEPUTY SPEAKER: Hon Bloem, I don’t expect you to address me. I am just going to call you and Mr Ellis to order. May you please concentrate on the debate?

Mr M J ELLIS: Madam Deputy Speaker, I promise you I have done nothing, I have been sitting here very quietly, minding my own business. I don’t understand why he wants to do that to me. [Laughter.]

The DEPUTY SPEAKER: I have a problem with your eyes following Mr Bloem wherever he is going. [Laughter.]

Mr D V BLOEM: I really beg to respond, Deputy Speaker. In Sesotho, it means, “I like you.” I love you, ke a o rata [I love you]. [Laughter.]

The MINISTER OF EDUCATION: Madam Deputy Speaker, it is possible that the hon Bloem is behaving in that way because the hon Ellis, is boring. [Laughter.]

The DEPUTY SPEAKER: Now, the Minister is definitely out of order. [Laughter.] Mr Ellis you are exciting, if that is going to make you feel better.

Ms N F MATHIBELA: Madam Deputy Speaker, hon Ministers, hon Deputy Ministers, hon members, our distinguished guests in the gallery, the doctors, nurses, community health workers, and all other health professionals, this month is the month in which the youth of 1976 is commemorating their 30th anniversary. I therefore have two people to whom I have to dedicate this speech.

Firstly, this speech is dedicated to the women’s march that took place in Pretoria 50 years ago. Being the 30th and 50th anniversary of the 1976 uprisings and the women’s march to the Union Buildings respectively, I would like to make mention of two heroes whose contributions to the fight for a better South Africa, like many of our fallen heroes and heroines, will forever be etched in our hearts and minds.

The first is Japie Vilankulu, who was among the first fatalities in the Alexander Township on 17 June 1976. Your death has not been in vain. May your soul rest in peace. The second one is a woman who participated in the woman’s march to the Union Buildings in 1956 and she was Malie Fakier. She later dedicated her life to empowering women at grassroots level, and co- founded the woman’s institute for leadership development and democracy.

I had the privilege of working with her and learning from her. May her soul also rest in peace. We will eternally be grateful to these heroes and heroines and many others who fell in the struggle for a free South Africa.

Due to its history, Africa in general, and South Africa in particular, cannot afford to drag its feet when it comes to fighting diseases, particularly communicable diseases. The socioeconomic impact of these diseases on our people is huge. If we are to attain the goal of halving unemployment and poverty by 2014, then no time or resource ought to be spared in fighting these diseases.

The most common communicable diseases in the country are measles, malaria, sexually transmitted infections, TB and HIV/Aids. Great strides have been made in the country in the fight against measles. Immunisation rates are increasing, but there are pockets of low coverage in some districts. The last confirmed polio case was recorded in 1989 and we are well on the way to being declared polio-free by the World Health Organisation.

Great strides have also been made in the fight against malaria. In 2005, 7 254 cases of malaria and 55 deaths from the disease were reported. It is a substantial decrease from 64 622 cases and 406 deaths in 2000. This was delivered through our policy of indoor residual spraying and our collaboration with our neighbours.

The collaboration between the Medical Research Council and the national and provincial Departments of Health has also played a major role in the effective monitoring of the disease. The MRC has further also identified two plants that are effective against malaria parasites. Through the Lumbombo Special Development Initiative involving South Africa, Mozambique and Swaziland, malaria prevalence in Mozambique has been reduced by 82% and in KwaZulu-Natal by 96%, compared with 2002. A similar initiative between Zimbabwe and Limpopo is being explored.

There is currently active co-operation with Zimbabwe on cross-border malaria control. For a number of reasons, the fight against TB has been a rather challenging one. TB infections continue to escalate despite improvements in TB care and despite treatment for TB being free of charge at all public hospitals and clinics in our country.

The Department of Health has declared TB to be a national crisis and is working with provinces to improve diagnosis and treat TB early, reduce treatment interruption and further improve the quality of the directly observed treatment short course programme. During 2006 to 2007 and 2008 to 2009, all provinces will be supported to develop high-level plans to reduce TB infections in line with the recommendations of the national TB review. This has already started.

Among other things, a TB crisis management plan, in line with the World Health Organisation Afro decision, has been developed to focus on four health districts. The government’s comprehensive plan for the management, care and treatment of HIV/Aids has two main objectives, namely the prevention of further HIV infections and the management of those already infected with HIV. The plan’s core focus is the prevention of HIV infections through many interventions, including encouraging people to get tested to determine their HIV status. In the unfortunate event of people testing positive for HIV, they are encouraged to maintain a healthy lifestyle with an emphasis on good nutrition, avoidance of substance abuse and taking exercise.

It is common knowledge that women, in particular, are at a great risk of acquiring the disease for biological and socioeconomic reasons. We must continue to empower our women and ask men to be responsible in their behaviour. Women are, and will remain, vulnerable, unless urgent steps are taken to empower them and educate their partners.

Community leaders and NGOs ought to be encouraged to continue to empower women and men as partners. During the period 2004-05, 347 million condoms for men and 1,1 million condoms for women were distributed. The plan is to increase the distribution of condoms for women over the next three years to 3 million per year. This will assist in empowering more women.

If the objectives of Asgisa are to be achieved, there is no question about the need for the youth to stay healthy and free of disease, as the future growth of our economy depends on them being healthy and living longer. This empowerment will further reduce infections. It would thus be encouraging to see a more active participation by the youth in programmes that advocate for healthy lifestyles.

Youth organisations such as the National Youth Commission must take the lead in prevention programmes and health promotion, particularly as we commemorate the 30th anniversary of the 1976 uprisings. The youth commission and other organisations must actively participate in eradicating complacency among the youth and show their appreciation of, and indebtedness to, the 1976 youth for fighting for better opportunities for today’s youth. Youth, vukani emaqandeni [wake up] and take charge of izwe lenu [your land] and the future of the economy!

The ANC supports this budget. Before I leave the podium, I would like to talk a bit to the DA. The DA pretends or tries to give people wrong messages, as if HIV started in 1994. HIV/Aids started in 1981, and they tell us nothing about what they were doing to eradicate this HIV/Aids. Thank you. [Applause.]

The DEPUTY SPEAKER: Hon members, before we call on the next speaker, I would like to recognise, in the public gallery, a former member of this House and a former Chairperson of the ANC caucus in this Parliament, Mr Mendi Msimang. Siyabonga Baba. [Thank you, sir.] [Applause.]

Ms R J MASHIGO: Thank you, Deputy Speaker, hon minister, hon Deputy Minister, hon Members and guests, we know that a healthy nation is a rich nation. That is what the ANC-led government strives for - a better life for all where everybody will not be poor in health services and facilities.

Our Constitution clearly states that everybody has a right to access health facilities including reproductive facilities and also has the right not to be refused emergency medical services. My focus today in the budget speech will be on hospital revitalisation, but before I get there I would like to refer a little bit to what our hon Minister said.

The Minister spoke about five priorities which are in the plan of the Department of Health, but hon Kohler-Barnard just thought of one thing that is not a priority but has been addressed year in and year out; an obsession about HIV and Aids. We should remember very well that the Cabinet adopted the comprehensive treatment plan for HIV and Aids in 2003 and here is hon Kohler-Barnard addressing it as if it is a new issue in this Parliament.

Once again, instead of going to the police to report a constitutional issue of traditional healers she and her party should come and stand here and tell us about their programmes. What are the DA’s programmes to address HIV and Aids? They do not have one single programme except the programme of going to the police; the programme of going to the press, the programme of going to anywhere. Really, come up with a programme and we will honour you. We will see that you are part of South Africa and that together we are fighting this pandemic, but you are not.

Let’s all fight this pandemic. Now the hon member from the IFP, I am so sorry for you because you just took Dr Rabinowitz’s paper and stood here without editing it and just read it and read it. You are from the black community and you know the truth about everything. You should just have looked at Dr Rabinowitz’s paper and put it aside, then told the truth about the communities because your people there in Mpumalanga were listening to you. They were listening to what you were saying but you did not listen to them.

Hon Dudley, we pray that you attend at least our portfolio committee meeting. We pray that you could be in line with the concepts used in the department. We talked about the choice of termination of pregnancy and you stand here and then talk about abortion. We don’t know what abortion is. In the portfolio committee we talk about choice. The community talks about choice. Everybody talks about choice. If you know the relevant terminology you will know about the comprehensive treatment plan for HIV and Aids - but you talk about your research. You know about the ARV roll-outs but you don’t refer to that …

Mr M W SIBUYANA: I wonder if the hon member expected me to throw away the speech and say nothing. I am very pleased to hear that she comes from a place where people are not sick.

The DEPUTY SPEAKER: Take your seat; that is not a point of order. Hon member, please continue. But I also hope that you have prepared your speech because you are using a lot of your time.

Ms R J MASHIGO: When the Reconstruction and Development Programme document was drawn up it was based on what the people of South Africa wanted the ANC government to do, and that was to build resources next to our places. We know that we have few facilities and hospitals in our black communities, which were inhumane and a shame. People travelled distances from their places because the hospitals next to them could not attend to them because of the colour of their skins.

People travelled to the Chris Hani Baragwanath hospital because it was the only state-of-the-art hospital for blacks in the country. Our democratic government, as a result, addressed the issue and saw the special need for revitalisation of hospitals and our National Treasury has set aside conditional grants for that. The purpose of these grants is specifically to provide strategic funding for provinces so as to enable them to plan, manage and rationalise hospitals to improve and transform infrastructure and to monitor and evaluate hospitals in line with the national policy objectives. The province should include business plans.

Tse batho bantsho ba tshwanetseng go di itse, kwa gae koo diporofense tsa lona di tswanetse go romela polane ya kgwebo le di PIP’s, Project Implementation Plans kwa Lefapheng la Pholo gore dipetlele di tle di tsosolosiwe. Dipolane tse tsa kgwebo le di PIP’s di tla sekasekiwa. (Translation of Setswana paragraph follows.)

[There are things that the black people should know, such as that your provinces are supposed to send in their business plans and the PIPs Project Implementation Plans, to the Department of Health so that your hospitals can be developed. The business plans and the PIPs will be scrutinised.]

This hospital revitalisation plan is a comprehensive one which also deals with hospital CODs and before I go today, let me tell you that in this short space of revitalisation we have completed four well-equipped hospitals. We also have 16 new projects in line which need to be initiated. Our best hospital, Baragwanath, is one of them. The demolition is partly completed.

We also talked about our hospital managers. They do a good job even if they don’t have any training. In my constituency our CEO from the FH Odendal hospital addressed the community about what they do at those hospitals to give people an opportunity to interact with all of their management team, which accompanied him to address the community.

In the state of the nation address our President referred to the fact that there were audits done at institutions to see how well equipped our managers are so that they will be able to delegate to the authorities. The audits were done and some of our managers have already gone through this training programme. For your information, Wits and KwaZulu-Natal universities have Masters degree programmes, which address the capacitating of hospital managers. I am proud to say that we have six CEOs in Limpopo who have registered for this programme.

For hospital care, we have a patient care charter, a patient rights charter, we have Batho Pele, which is a challenge to everybody here to make sure that we use the patient charter that will assist in the improvement in the care of our people. That will also uplift and enable our health professionals to check themselves and see that Batho Pele says we are doing this. Let’s improve our care because here we talk about the treatment of people, we talk about referral systems and so forth.

The challenges we know of are that we need to improve our relationships with the Department of Public Works so that we stop the backlogs. We need to understand as that department understands. That will help us to understand that not every province is underspending. The reasons for underspending are various. They are not the same in each province.

We also have emergency medical services. People want shorter response times, for ambulances. Short-time responses call for trained ambulance officials and proper information systems so that when they report an emergency it must be picked up quickly and the response must come about quickly.

The Minister and our chairperson have already referred to what the health services will be doing in 2010. We are not going to start then. That is part of what we know the people want and what we know we should be delivering to the people.

When it comes to governance, we urge the communities to participate in this democratic election of our hospital boards. Hospital board members are supposed to be nominated from the communities because in that management board they bring forward the needs of the people and how they want the hospitals to be managed. This also enables the hospital to know what is happening because there are assurance tools, like feedbacks to the meetings and call centres which people should call when they are not happy; community meetings, addressed by councillors and hospital board members and our PCOs; because we have constituencies that can also be used. We have contact with the people.

Re tshwanetse gore re itse kwa di kgaolotlhophong. Lona kwa gae koo le lebeng kwa di kgaolotlhophong le tsamaeng di… [We have to know from the constituencies. People should go to their constituencies and attend …]

The DEPUTY SPEAKER: On a point of order: Your time has expired.

Ms R J MASHIGO: Thanks very much. The ANC supports the Budget Vote.

The MINISTER OF HEALTH: Deputy Speaker, at my disposal I have only three minutes and I don’t know whether I can do justice …

The DEPUTY SPEAKER: You actually have five minutes, Minister.

The MINISTER OF HEALTH: First of all, let me thank all those who have participated in this debate and thanks all those who spoke in support of the Budget Vote. At first I thought it probably would be a waste of time to respond to hon Barnard-Kohler. I thought … [Interjections.] … whatever. I think it is correct to do so.

Mr M J ELLIS: Madam Deputy Speaker, on a point of order.

The MINISTER OF HEALTH: I apologise if I haven’t pronounced her name properly.

Mr M J ELLIS: Well, it is not only that, Madam Deputy Speaker, but you don’t just say, “whatever”. That is a bit rude.

The DEPUTY SPEAKER: The Minister has already apologised.

The MINISTER OF HEALTH: In any case, it doesn’t warrant any serious response as far as I am concerned. The only thing that I’d like to say to her is: I will never stop telling the truth about HIV and Aids. You can stand here and babble and babble and quote figures and figures, I will never stop telling the truth about HIV and Aids. That is just who I am. [Applause.] Listen to me and you will learn about the truth. Just listen to me.

The best strategy to prevent and fight the spread of HIV in this country is through prevention, and that is the truth. [Applause.] Healthy living and positive living and especially proper nutrition is vital - shall I repeat, garlic; shall I talk about beetroot; shall I talk about lemons; shall I talk about amadumbe – because it delays the development of HIV to Aids- defining conditions. That is the truth; proper nutrition. [Applause.]

I say that traditional medicine has been used by our people long before the advent of other forms of medicine, and our people still use traditional medicine, even today.

Moulana M R SAYEDALI-SHAH: Why are they getting Aids? Why do we get Aids then?

The DEPUTY SPEAKER: Order, order! Hon member, you must never do that again. You must ask. You don’t just switch on your microphone in the middle of someone’s speech. [Interjections.]

The MINISTER OF HEALTH: I want to repeat the third truth, which is that traditional medicine has been used by our people – I don’t know about yours – long before the advent of other forms of medicine. I know your people used it too and our people still use traditional medicine, even today. And you can’t stop them from using traditional medicine. That is the truth. [Applause.]

It is not true that only South Africans focus on traditional medicine. Next week the WHO is convening a meeting on traditional medicine. Maybe you are unhappy that they didn’t invite you. If you had asked me to give them your name, you would have been invited. They will continue discussions on the role of traditional medicine. The WHO continues to support research into traditional medicine, while hon Kohler-Barnard sleeps through it all and is not part of it. You just sleep and are not part of what the whole world is doing. That is the truth.

These and many other things are the truths that I will continue to tell the people of South Africa; the citizens of this country. I will continue to do it. Therefore, no churning out of figures will deter me and my department from telling the truth to the people of our country. You can remain there and talk about everything you want to talk about, but we will continue to tell the truth. In fact, maybe I should invite you to our workshop on traditional medicine that takes place this weekend. I know you will be lost in that workshop. I will not even bother to invite you to that workshop. You will not understand.

The DEPUTY SPEAKER: Order! Hon Minister, may I just appeal to our distinguished guests in the gallery. You may not participate in this debate, please.

The MINISTER OF HEALTH: I think they understand the things that I am talking about: the truth and the truth and the truth. Perhaps what I should also do is to advise the hon member to visit the UK to find out how that country is debating the role of traditional medicine. You sit here and you don’t want to debate it. In the UK they are debating it. This debate was initiated by the Prince of Wales, who spoke strongly in favour of traditional medicine – just two weeks ago in Geneva at the World Health Assembly. Please go to the UK and you might come back better educated than you are today.

I just wanted to address those two issues and thank the speakers, particularly members from the ANC, who have elaborated on the programmes that are undertaken by the Department of Health. Indeed, we have decentralised health care systems and I thank all those who spoke in favour and supported the Budget Vote. Thank you. [Applause.]

Debate concluded.

The House adjourned at 19:32. ____

            ANNOUNCEMENTS, TABLINGS AND COMMITTEE REPORTS

ANNOUNCEMENTS:

National Assembly and National Council of Provinces

The Speaker and the Chairperson

1. Classification of Bills by Joint Tagging Mechanism (JTM)

   (1) The JTM on 6 June 2006 in terms of Joint Rule 160(3) classified the following Bills as section 75 Bills:

   (a)      South African Institute for Drug-Free Sport Amendment Bill
        [B 7 – 2006] (National Assembly – sec 75)
   
   (b)      Sectional Titles Amendment Bill [B 8 – 2006] (National
        Assembly – sec 75).
   

2. Introduction of Bills

(1)     The Minister of Safety and Security

    (a)      Firearms Control Amendment Bill [B 12 – 2006] (National
         Assembly – sec 75) [Explanatory summary of Bill and prior
         notice of its introduction published in Government Gazette No
         28843 of 19 May 2006.]

    Introduction and referral to the Portfolio Committee on Safety and
    Security of the National Assembly, as well as referral to the JTM
    for classification in terms of Joint Rule 160.


    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 Sport and Recreation

    (a)      2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa Special Measures Bill [B
         13 – 2006] (National Assembly – sec 75) [Explanatory summary
         of Bill and prior notice of its introduction published in
         Government Gazette No 28593 of 10 March 2006.]

    Introduction and referral to the Portfolio Committee on Sport and
    Recreation of the National Assembly, as well as referral to the JTM
    for classification in terms of Joint Rule 160.


    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 Assembly

1. Referral to Committees of papers tabled

1.      The following paper is referred to the Portfolio Committee on
    Provincial and Local Government for consideration and report. The
    Report of the Auditor-General on the Financial Statements is
    referred to the Standing Committee on Public Accounts for
    consideration:

    (a) Report and Financial Statements of the South African Local
       Government Association (SALGA) for 2004-2005, including the
       Report of the Auditor-General on the Financial Statements for
       2004-2005 [RP 21-2006].

2.      The following paper is referred to the Portfolio Committee on
    Provincial and Local Government and the Standing Committee on Public
    Accounts for consideration:

    (a) Letter from the Minister for Provincial and Local Government
       dated 11 May 2006 to the Speaker of the National Assembly, in
       terms of section 65(2)(a) of the Public Finance Management Act,
       1999 (Act No 1 of 1999), explaining the delay in the tabling of
       the Annual Report of the South African Local Government
       Association (SALGA) for 2004-2005.

3.      The following papers are referred to the Portfolio Committee on
    Justice and Constitutional Development:

    (a) Letter from the Minister for Justice and Constitutional
       Development to the Speaker of the National Assembly, dated 9 May
       2006, informing her of the resignation of Magistrate, R Ameer an
       Additional Magistrate at Pinetown.

    (b) Letter from the Minister for Justice and Constitutional
       Development to the Speaker of the National Assembly, dated 25
       April 2006, informing her of the upliftment of the provisional
       suspension of Magistrate M S E Khumalo from Amsterdam.

4.      The following paper is referred to the Portfolio Committee on
    Arts and Culture for consideration:

    (a) Strategic Plan of the Department of Arts and Culture for 1 April
       2006 to 31 March 2009.
5.      The following paper is referred to the Portfolio Committee on
    Safety and Security for consideration:

    (a) Strategic Plan of the South African Police Service (SAPS) for
       2006 to 2007 [RP 42-2006].

6.      The following paper is referred to the Portfolio Committee on
    Transport for consideration:

    (a) Strategic Plan of the Department of Transport for 2006 to 2009.

7.      The following papers are referred to the Portfolio Committee on
    Public Service and Administration for consideration:

    (a) Medium Term Strategic Plan of the Department of Public Service
       and Administration for 2006 to 2011.


    (b) Medium Term Strategic Plan of the Public Service Commission for
       2006/07 to 2008/08.


8.      The following paper is referred to the Portfolio Committee on
    Home Affairs for consideration:

    (a) Strategic Plan of the Department of Home Affairs for 2006/07 to 2008/09.

TABLINGS:

National Assembly and National Council of Provinces

1. The Minister of Education

(a)     Government Notice No 540 published in Government Gazette No
    28719 dated 10 April 2006: Call for written submissions from
    stakeholder bodies and members of the public on the draft policy
    document: An addendum to the policy document, the National
    Certificate: A qualification at Level 4 on the National
    Qualifications Framework (NQF), regarding learners with special
    needs, in terms of the National Education Policy Act, 1996 (Act No
    27 of 1996).

(b)     Government Notice No 603 published in Government Gazette No
    28806 dated 8 May 2006: Call for comment on the Further Education
    and Training Colleges Bill, 2006.


(c)     Government Notice No 265 published in Government Gazette No
    28657 dated 24 March 2006: Calling for the nomination of persons to
    serve as members on the Second Umalusi Council for General and
    Further Education and Training Quality Assurance for the period 8
    June 2006 until 7 June 2010, in terms of the Act, 2001 (Act No 58 of
    2001).


(d)     Government Notice No 593 published in Government Gazette No
    28790 dated 3 May 2006: National policy regarding further education
    and training programmes: Approval of Modern Greek as an additional
    subject to be listed in the National Curriculum Statement: Grades 10-
    12 (General), in terms of the National Policy Act, 1996 (Act No 27
    of 1996) and the South African Schools Act, 1996 (Act No 84 of
    1996).

1. The Minister of Environmental Affairs and Tourism (a) Government Notice No 385 published in Government Gazette No 28753 dated 21 April 2006: Regulations in terms of Chapter 5, made in terms of the National Environmental Management Act, 1998 (Act No 107 of 1998).

(b)     Government Notice No 597 published in Government Gazette No
    28803 dated 5 May 2006: Draft Regulations relating to listed
    threatened or protected species, made in terms of the National
    Environmental Management: Biodiversity Act, 2004 (Act No 10 of
    2004).


c) Government Notice No 598 published in Government Gazette No 28803
   dated 5 May 2006: Draft national norms and standards for the
   regulation of the hunting industry in South Africa, made in terms of
   the National Environmental Management: Biodiversity Act, 2004 (Act No
   10 of 2004).

COMMITTEE REPORTS

National Assembly and National Council of Provinces

1. Report of Joint Monitoring Committee on Improvement of Quality of Life and Status of Women on Appropriation Bill [B 2-2006], dated 2 June 2006:

Introduction The Joint Monitoring Committee on the Improvement of the Quality of Life and Status of Women, having considered the Appropriation Bill and the associated budget votes, reports that it has concluded its deliberations.

The Joint Monitoring Committee has over the years consistently focused its attention on the three issues of poverty, gender-based violence, and HIV/AIDS. The Committee has done so because these are all issues that affect large numbers of South African women, and – in particular – tend to affect those who are most disadvantaged. We can all be proud of what South Africa has achieved in respect of gender equality at the top end of the political and economic arenas in our country. In both the public and private spheres, South Africa does much better than average in having women in powerful positions. Indeed, we have reached the point where it is no longer something to remark on that a chief executive officer or a Minister or a director-general is a woman. At the bottom end of these arenas, however, there is still much room for improvement. The Committee’s comments therefore focus on what the 2006/07 Budget of national Government says in the areas of poverty, gender-based violence and HIV/AIDS. Each of these issues is a major topic in itself, and our comments can therefore not cover all aspects. However, we highlight some of the aspects about which we have concerns.

Before going on to the three topics, we must commend the Treasury and the individual departments on the amount of information that is provided in our Budget books. We are fortunate compared to many other countries in having a programme-by-programme narrative alongside the Budget figures. We are fortunate in having Budget estimates for seven years, allowing us to see patterns over time. We are also fortunate in having information on objectives and targets and indicators. Perhaps unfortunately for Government, this information makes us hungry for more! It is the Committee’s opinion that the potential of this Budget format is currently not being fully utilised. In particular, we would like to see better use made of the targets and indicators as these are a concrete tool that Parliament and civil society can use to monitor Government’s achievements.

Poverty The Expanded Public Works Programme (EPWP) is a flagship programme for South Africa in terms of directly addressing poverty. The EPWP was introduced in 2003, as an expansion of activities previously funded through poverty alleviation funding. One of the changes announced in 2003 was that the scope of the activities covered by Public Works would be expanded. In particular, EPWP would now also include the social sector activities of home- and community-based care (HCBC) and early childhood development (ECD), alongside physical infrastructure activities on which Public Works traditionally focus.

Having public works in home- and community-based care (HCBC) and early childhood development (ECD) is an extremely innovative idea. Perhaps South Africa is the first country to attempt to do this. It is an idea that is welcome from a gender perspective.

Firstly, it is innovative to recognise that caring services can also produce a type of infrastructure – an infrastructure that is called healthier people. Secondly, HCBC and ECD are areas of work in which women traditionally predominate, unlike the building of physical infrastructure which is the traditional focus of Public Works. In the latter area, South Africa instituted a quota to ensure that women – who predominate among the poor – could benefit in proportion to their relative need. This quota has not, however, always been observed. Thirdly, HCBC and ECD are types of work that are often done for no pay, and their inclusion in the Expanded Public Works Programme (EPWP) affords some recognition that these activities constitute real, productive work.

We nevertheless have several concerns about the social sector EPWP programme. Firstly, we understand that the programme will focus on learnerships rather than on payment to people who are doing this work in an ongoing way. If this is the case, the programme will not be especially useful to the many poor women who already have the necessary skills for this work, but are providing the services for free both in their own homes and to others in the community. A focus on learnerships also does not acknowledge that there is a huge ongoing need for both types of services – and a need that is growing in respect of home- and community-based care (HCBC). We cannot expect women to continue to provide these services for free simply because they are given a few months training during which time they receive a limited stipend.

Secondly – and even more importantly – it seems that implementation of the social sector EPWP has not yet happened. As noted, the EPWP was introduced in early 2003. It is now early 2006, three years later. Yet it seems that the home- and community-based care (HCBC) and early childhood development (ECD) are still only at the planning stage.

In his budget vote speech on 17 May the honourable Minister of Social Development stated that R4,2 billion had been set aside for the social sector EPWP programme. He added that, with the support of the Business Trust, the sector had ‘identified the critical path for implementation’ and ‘begun to address the capacity and project management deficits’ which had been identified. The Committee is very concerned that three years after the social sector EPWP was announced, this important activity is still only at the planning stage. The Estimates of National Expenditure state that the Department of Social Development plans to train 5 800 caregivers during this budget year. This is too little too late.

Another poverty-related issue revolves around divorce and maintenance. When marriages split up, women are often left in a precarious position economically. This is so because men tend to earn more than women, because men are more likely to be employed than women, and because women’s household responsibilities limit the time and energy they can devote to income earning. In addition, the dwelling in which families live is generally registered in the man’s name despite the fact that after divorce the children generally stay with the woman. This places even greater burdens on the woman’s time and greatly limits on her ability to earn income. The many women in South Africa who bear children outside marriage face the same impossible burden as those who are divorced and separated.

Yet research commissioned two years ago by the Commission on Gender Equality (CGE) found that the average amount of maintenance per child awarded to women who were persistent and lucky enough to get such an award was only R200 per month. Meanwhile the men concerned were earning an average of nearly R3 000 per month. The Department of Justice and Constitutional Development’s Annual Report for 2004/05 acknowledges that even the specialist Family Courts are not able to deliver a satisfactory service in respect of maintenance. The situation in ordinary courts will be even worse.

Given these difficulties, the Committee is pleased to see in the Department’s Annual Report for 2004/05 that Child Maintenance is regarded as one of the Department’s flagship projects. The Committee is pleased to see in the pages of this year’s Estimates of National Expenditure relating to the Department of Justice that the Legal Aid Board has named women involved in divorces, maintenance and domestic violence as a priority group. We hope in future reports to see the actual numbers of women in this situation who have been assisted by the Board. This would be a useful way to utilise the potential of the targets and indicators of our performance budgeting format. Also promising is the restructuring of the Office of the Master of the High Court so that the rulings in the Moseneke and Bhe judgements on Black deceased estates can be properly implemented. The Moseneke issue is also one of the Department’s flagship projects, and we therefore hope to see good progress on this, and that this progress will be reflected in the budget documents and annual reports.

The Committee is, however, concerned that this year’s Budget does not seem to say anything about maintenance investigators and prosecutors. Last year’s Budget reported that the appointment of 82 investigators and 100 clerks for maintenance and domestic violence courts had helped improve the system. Despite these improvements, the Committee is well aware that women who approach the courts are still facing major obstacles. The Department of Justice’s Annual Report for 2004/05 says that 140 investigators would be in place by the end of 2004/05, and that they would be employed as permanent civil servants rather than – as in the past – as contract staff. The Annual Report also says that the Department has ‘prioritised funds’ for the appointment of maintenance investigators at the ordinary and Family Courts. The Committee is concerned that the 2006/07 Budget book does not say anything about maintenance investigators. Without this information it is difficult to monitor if commitments are being carried through.

Violence against women The Department of Justice and Constitutional Development has a major role to play in respect of gender-based violence. Unfortunately, the Department’s Vote in the Estimates of National Expenditure says almost nothing on this topic.

The one area related to gender-based violence in which there is an exact number relates to the sexual offences courts. This year’s Estimates of National Expenditure state that 70 such courts had been established by August 2005, and another 30 would have been established by March 2006. This is welcomed. However, we need more information. Last year’s Budget book said that 52 sexual offences courts had been established, but only 52 of these met minimum requirements. Do all 70 courts established by August 2005 meet the minimum requirements? And will the 30 established by March 2006 also meet them?

We would also like more information about the sexual offences courts. In particular, we need to know how many cases they are dealing with in respect of children, and how many cases in respect of adult women. The Committee notes that the Department has set itself a target of a 70% conviction rate in sexual offences courts. This is lower than the target set for all other courts. The Annual Report for 2004/05 states that the conviction rate for the sexual offences courts was 63%. The conviction rate for sexual offences in other courts was only 47%. This means that more than half of cases of the women and children who are not fortunate enough to land up in a specialised court do not result in conviction. These rates are very worrying as we know that there are many more women and children who do not report the violence that they experience in the first place. Low conviction rates increase the chances that they will not consider it worth the trouble to report in the first place.

The significant difference in conviction rates for the sexual offences courts is particularly worrying given recent announcements that the specialist courts are to be abandoned. The Committee is concerned that when available indicators provide strong evidence of the effectiveness of a particular strategy, Government is planning to abandon that strategy. We urge that this decision be reconsidered.

HIV/AIDS Our third special area of interest is HIV/AIDS. This issue is particularly burdensome for women for a number of reasons. Firstly, because of both biological and sociological reasons, women are more vulnerable than men to infection, and are likely to be infected at a young age. Secondly, women and girls tend to predominate among those who care for others in the household and community who are ill. Women are thus both more infected and more affected by HIV/AIDS than men.

In terms of HIV/AIDS, the Committee must again refer to the issue of HCBC. Until now, there has been a national conditional grant that has provided money to provinces in respect of home- and community-based care (HCBC). That grant has now come to an end, and provinces are expected to provide for these services in their own budgets. The Committee is not confident that this will happen across all provinces. We have twice in the past had a bad experience in terms of conditional grants in respect of early childhood development (ECD) which, when they came to an end, were not adequately replaced by funding from the provinces. The Committee fears that this will again happen in respect of HCBC. The Committee would therefore like information on what the national Government is planning to do to ensure that the carers and those for whom they provide care will not suffer. Our concern is especially acute given the lack of progress in implementing the EPWP in the social sector mentioned above.

There are many other issues that the Committee could raise in respect of the three issues of poverty, gender-based violence and HIV/AIDS. The Committee offers these examples in the hope that they will assist Government departments in understanding what is required by Parliament. If these and similar improvements can be effected, it will also assist Parliament in better fulfilling its mandate of oversight.

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