National Assembly - 20 February 2007
TUESDAY, 20 FEBRUARY 2007 __
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY
____
The House met at 14:00.
The Speaker took the Chair and requested members to observe a moment of silence for prayers or meditation.
ANNOUNCEMENTS, TABLINGS AND COMMITTEE REPORTS –see col 000.
NOTICES OF MOTION
Mr L K JOUBERT: Madam Speaker, I hereby give notice:
That I will move that the House discusses the role of the judiciary in our democracy.
Mrs S M CAMERER: Madam Speaker, I hereby give notice:
That I shall move that this House believes that the untimely premature death of internationally renowned historian, David Rattray, as a result of violent crime is a tragedy for our country.
MOTION OF CONDOLENCE
(The late Mama Adelaide Tambo)
The ACTING CHIEF WHIP OF THE MAJORITY PARTY: Madam Speaker, I move
That the House–
(1) notes with profound sadness the death on Wednesday, 31 January 2007, of the struggle icon Mama Adelaide Frances Matlala Tambo;
(2) recognises that Mama Adelaide Tambo represented in her very being, and lived her life in a manner that served us, an indestructible monument to the values and practice of ubuntu;
(3) recalls that Ma Tambo was and activist who from an early age vowed to dedicate her life to the fight against discrimination, oppression and human suffering and as a teenager became politically active in the ANC at the time when Congress was itself becoming more militant and assertive;
(4) remembers that as an early recruit to the fledgling ANC Youth League, the young Adelaide Tshukudu - her maiden name - excelled as an organiser, the leader and unifier, and that the qualities she demonstrated during her early years of political activity were to remain an integral part of her character throughout her involvement in the liberation struggle;
(5) further remembers that Adelaide Tambo was called upon to bear the burden of dislocation and exile and the disruption of family life and that she bore such hardships with fortitude, knowing that her family circumstances were not unlike the experiences of thousands of our people whose family members were in exile, in prison, or in the underground, or those of the oppressed masses;
(6) acknowledges the great contribution that the late Mama Adelaide Tambo made as a Member of Parliament from 1994 to 1999;
(7) believes that she discharged her responsibilities with dedication, discipline, diligence and humility and that the life of this great leader epitomizes heroism and commitment to the cause of our people; and
(8) conveys its condolences to the Tambo family and the African National Congress.
Agreed to.
Mr M J ELLIS: Madam Speaker, I must draw you attention to the fact that there is an ongoing problem with the microphone.
The SPEAKER: There is a different microphone that was supposed to be put on the podium.
Mr W J SEREMANE: The DA sends out its sincerest condolences to the Tambo family, relatives, friends and the ANC. We share in the loss of a great stalwart and a real mother, the deceased Mrs Adelaide Tambo.
This House unconditionally shares in the sorrowful sentiments, and yet in the pride and glory of having heard such a great personality leaving her footprints in the sands of time of this House and country as a whole.
A ke matshidiso a ka Setswana go thweng ga a bole. Mmarona o ile go ikhutsa le badimo mo diatleng tsa Modimo - Mmopi wa rona rotlhe. O dirile, a konosetsa tiro le pitso ya gagwe ka botlalo le ka botswerere le ka bopelokgale. O godisitse matshwititshwiti a banna le basadi mo lefatsheng la rona le Aforika ka bophara. (Translation of Setswana paragraph follows.)
[This reminds me of a Setswana saying that condolences do not expire. Our mother has taken her final rest to join ancestors in the arms of God – our Creator. She has done her work exceptionally well by executing her calling with brevity. She brought up and nurtured many of the men and women in our country and Africa as a whole.]
Much has already been said about this special person and mother, this courageous fighter for human freedom and dignity. Allow me therefore the opportunity to conclude by modifying only two stanzas from two different poems.
The first one is, “God give us men”. In this instance it will be women.
God give us ``women’’; a time like this demands strong minds, great hearts, true faith and ready hands.
Women’’ whom the lust of office cannot kill
Women’’ whom the spoils of office cannot buy
Women’’ whom possess an opinion and a will
Women’’ who have honour and women who will not lie,
``Women’’ who can stand before a demagogue and damn his/her treacherous
flatteries without winking”,- by J G Holland
Such was our mother, Mme Ma-Tambo. This dynamic lady, mother, friend and comrade had all these facets. Like a prism, she reflected so many beautiful colours and attributes and touched so many lives in many different ways.
The second stanza is that:
``Women’’ are still the rock and solid rock. Touch them and crack your fragile and political ego From cradle to the grave, forever they shall rock you”. Bagaetsho le bakaulengwe gomotsegang. Mmarona o re tlogeletse boswa jwa kgololosego le tshiamo le kagiso. A re somareleng dilo tsena.Ke a leboga. Inkomo. [Comrades and compatriots, my condolences to you all. Our mother has left us a legacy of freedom, peace and goodwill. Let us preserve them. Thank you.]
Prince M G BUTHELEZI: Madam Speaker and hon members of the House, even as sorrow gatherers, all of us, at Mama Tambo’s funeral service, one could not believe that she was no more, for we will never see the likes of her again.
I cannot help recalling many poignant moments with her. When I arrived in London in August 1963, en route to Canada, as a delegate to the Anglican Congress in Toronto, I went to the Tambos’ home. Because OR was in Lusaka, Mrs Tambo had to inform him that I was in London. He came especially to London to see me.
I recall that before this Mama Tambo went to the Cumberland Hotel with me where we met Jomo Kenyatta and his party’s delegation, who were in London for the Lancaster House discussions on the Kenyan constitution. I recall that before we reached the hotel she remarked to me with a chuckle about the strange eyes of Jomo Kenyatta. And also mentioned the fact that when they throw the Mau Mau episodes at him, when they throw at him that he was antiwhite, he would say: “No, I am not anti-White; I am antiwrong!.’’ And Mrs Tambo would laugh so much.
Indeed, I met Jomo Kenyatta, Burning Spear, and some of his delegation which included two people I had studied with at the Adams College and Fort Hare University - Dr Munyua Waiyaki and Dr Njoroge Mungai, both of them whom later became Foreign Ministers of Kenya.
I recall that both me and OR paid a visit to the home of Clare Urquhart, the lady who supported the liberation movement in London. As Mr Tambo was not there, I told Mrs Tambo about how I was amused by the great lady. She would serve us yoghurt - and that was my first taste of yoghurt in my life. [Laughter.] And if only one cup was left she would say: “No, this one is for the little makhulu baas” - in reference to OR. Which amused Mama Tambo and me immensely. We laughed so much at the references to OR as “little makhulu or baas”.
OR and I met with our respective party delegation in 1979 at the Excelsior Hotel at Heathrow Airport to discuss our differences regarding the strategies of the ANC and Inkatha on the issues of sanctions, disinvestment and the arms struggle.
Mrs Tambo mothered all of us. I recall that on the day that Mr Tambo’s tombstone was unveiled, it was with her suggestion, as well as the suggestion of the leadership of the ANC, that I was given an opportunity to pay tribute to OR, with whom they knew that I worked with so closely, for so many decades until 1979.
It was in fact on this occasion that the Gauteng leader of the ANC, Mr Cleopas Nsibande, in his address, revealed that he was actually present when Inkosi Albert Luthuli, the then President of the ANC, and his deputy Mr Oliver Tambo sent a message to me via my late sister Princess Morgina who also lived in Benoni with her husband.
The message was that I should not refuse to take a position to lead the government of KwaZulu, which the government of the apartheid regime was imposing on us, if the people elected me to such a position.
After he passed away, I said that, when the history of South Africa’s liberation is finally written up, Mama Tambo’s name will be written in bold gold letters. Her husband’s achievements are as much hers, as his. They were a winning team who fought the good fight for our liberation together.
The fact that Mama Tambo worked with other South African exiles to help set up the African-Asian Solidarity Movement and the Pan-African Women’s Organisation takes on an even brighter allure, when one considers that she moved in what was then, quite frankly, a male-dominated world.
One cannot help recalling what a wonderful trio she, Mrs Albertina Sisulu and Mrs Winnie Mandela were in supporting their husbands, both before and after their conviction in the Rivonia Trial.
I can never forget as long as I live that, even when the tragic rupture between the ANC and Inkatha took place, she never publicly denounced me once, nor had her attitude towards me and my family ever changed.
I think one of Mama Tambo’s great joys would have been receiving the Order of Simon of Cyrene, the highest order given by the Anglican Church for distinguished service by lay people for the people of God. It is splendidly fitting that an award named after the man who carried the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ should be given to Mama Tambo. Her life’s work was carrying the cross of countless souls who crossed her path. Mama Tambo and her simple Christian credo were indivisible.
I am humbled that up to the end of her illustrious political career I was to her just “ubuti” and she was just my sister.
Until we will meet again in the Holy City, we bid the lady of our struggle: Mme, tsamaya hantle! O robale ka khotso! [Ma’am, Go well! Rest in peace!]
Malibongwe! [Praised!]
HON MEMBERS: Igama lamakhosikazi! [The name of women!]
Prince M G BUTHELEZI: Malibongwe! [Praise!]
HON MEMBERS: Igama lamakhosikazi! [The name of women!]
Ms N C NKABINDE: Madam Speaker and hon members, it is with deep regret that we received the news of the passing away of Mama Tambo. On behalf of the UDM, I once more extend our heartfelt condolences to her family, the ANC and her many friends across the world. Our thoughts and prayers are with you.
Her role in the struggle is well-documented. What one can learn from her remarkable life is the extraordinary manner in which she was always there for her husband, her children and the wider community during happy and difficult times. She was a shining example of the power of love and of family.
South Africans will miss her warmth, her dignity, her achievements and her style. Many communities will miss her common touch, including the people of the East Rand, particularly, Benoni. Mama Tambo is renowned for the energy with which she united communities, even in exile in London. People speak of her endless compassion for others.
It is a remarkable achievement for a woman in her time and circumstances to have faced so much, endured so much, carried so much, and still have continued without bitterness. She represented the many qualities of caring and perseverance that exemplified the ability and courage of South African women. We know that her life and her memory will serve as an example to many future democrats, especially young women. Lala uphumule Mama Tambo. Ukulwile ukulwa okuhle [Rest in peace, Mrs Tambo. You fought your battles well.] I thank you. [Applause.]
Mrs P DE LILLE: Madam Speaker, on behalf of the ID, I want to pass my sincere condolences to the ANC and also to the family of Mama Tambo. She struggled long and hard against apartheid and she managed to defeat it. She also lived to enjoy, like all of us, our right to vote for the first time on 27 April 1994.
She came from a generation that believed in service, sacrifice and suffering. She will always be remembered for her friendly smile and also her beautiful outfits. I always admired her. I want to say, “Hamba kahle, Mama Tambo.” She will now follow heroes such as O R Tambo, Luthuli, Robert Mangaliso Sobukwe, Steve Biko, and Barney Desai. Thank you. [Applause.]
Rev K R J MESHOE: Madam Speaker, hon members, the ACDP regrets and mourns the loss of a great patriot and a woman of substance with rare qualities. Mama Adelaide Tambo’s unique and unusual ability to make members of all parties in Parliament feel needed and important in the first democratic Parliament was both inspirational and unequalled.
She was a true democrat, full of warmth, compassion and the ability to accept even those she disagreed with. Her political maturity and personal security enabled her to embrace and treat members of the opposition with dignity and respect. One day, as I expressed my appreciation to her for the way she related to members of other parties, she said that she knew very well that large organisations such as the ANC started small and grew with time.
She was indeed a very wise woman. She knew how to encourage others. On a few occasions she advised me to carry on with the good work we were doing, as she knew that we had a great future in this country. Our deepest condolences go to her children, grandchildren, the ANC and all those who loved her and affectionately referred to her as “Mama Tambo”. We will surely miss her, and may the Lord bless and keep the family. Thank you. [Applause.] Dr P W A MULDER: Madam Speaker, the FF Plus expresses its sympathies to the family of Mrs Adelaide Tambo, following her passing away. Mrs Tambo was known for her work within her community. The loss of Mrs Tambo, therefore, will not only be felt in her family, but also in the broader community.
She had a passion for women’s rights and the dignity of the disabled and elderly people. Her contribution to the welfare of her community is an example worth following, which stands to the honour of her family. The FF Plus extends its wishes for strength and for sympathy to the family and the children of Mrs Tambo in these difficult times. I thank you.
Mr I S MFUNDISI: Madam Speaker and hon members, we in the UCDP align ourselves fully with the motion of condolence on the late Mrs Adelaide Mmatlala Tambo. UMama uTambo was an embodiment of dignity, and somebody to whom young women had to look up regarding how to lead a married life. She stood by her husband through thick and thin. She bore all the difficulty with great fortitude.
Even on her return from exile, she had not lost the fire that saw her pick up the cudgels since her grandfather was pushed to the ground by one irresponsible policeman. On the occasion of her return from exile, when a police tossed her around at what is now aptly called O R Tambo International Airport, she emphatically told them that she had been away from the country for three decades and was not prepared to be delayed and derailed by them as she was then coming home to settle, to which they obliged.
As a mother, she hosted very many people of South African origin while in England. Such hospitality she displayed to all, regardless of their backgrounds. They enjoyed the warmth of a family on their sojourns to Great Britain.
We have no doubt that having fought a good fight and gone the full distance, she has been called to higher service in the world beyond. Our hearts go out to the family, friends and the ANC. May her soul rest in peace. [Applause.]
Mr N T GODI: Madam Speaker, comrades and hon members, the PAC wishes to associate itself with the sentiments expressed by those who stood on this podium before us. So it was to be that Mama Tambo passed away, not that it was not inevitable, for death is a necessary end. In the dialectics of mortal existence life should give way to death. Life and death in themselves are not spectacular. It is the deeds of the dearly departed that give it the edge, the sparkle and impact.
We are, correctly so, making our eulogies to one who has lived her life to the fullest in a personal and larger sense. She has lived through all the stages of life, raised a family and beyond it, served her people and country. Mama Tambo is undoubtedly one of our liberation struggle stalwarts who served, suffered and sacrificed, in the interest of the majority.
She belonged to a generation that was fired up by altruistic ideals of solidarity, liberation and struggle. Her role in our liberation struggle is well-known and needs no adumbration. She is one of those who fought against settler colonialism, survived that struggle and contributed the remainder of her mortal life to the reconstruction and development of our country.
Hers is a contribution, like those of so many of our stalwarts, never to be forgotten. She has fought and has fallen like a heroine. Her example is worthy of emulation. Reflecting on her life and contribution to society, we cannot but agree with Robert Mangaliso Sobukwe’s assertion that we are nothing but tools of history. When we are gone, history shall find new tools. I thank you. [Applause.]
Ms S RAJBALLY: Igama lamakhosikazi! [The name of women!]
HON MEMBERS: Malibongwe! [Praise!]
Ms S RAJBALLY: Madam Speaker, Mama Adelaide Tambo started her political fight from the early age of 10 years. At that young age this little girl could understand the harsh shackles of apartheid had to be broken and her people freed. Blossoming into a young lady, Mama’s efforts were endorsed by political activity and assistance to overthrow the former government.
But God was kind; even in the toughest times he blesses us with love, and her beloved union with the late Oliver Tambo would embrace a united effort to attain democracy and a freedom for all.
Mama, your commitment to the people is a beacon of encouragement to everyone. Your strength, determination and undying love as a comrade, a friend, mother and South African is a shining example for all women.
From Mama’s example we carry with us that the state of our nation, our people and our lives, is the responsibility of every individual.
Mama symbolised the true spirit of ubuntu. The loss of such a great being leaves all of South Africa weeping, but Mama needs to know that she has left us a legacy of freedom, democracy and individual effort for unity that shall live on eternally.
On behalf of the MF, we extend our heartfelt condolences to the family and loved ones of the beloved Mama Tambo. We extend our condolences to the ANC, which has indeed lost a great mother, and to all of South Africa as we say farewell to one of the most remarkable heroines of our time.
We ask God to give us the strength to get through this difficult loss and always to hold you close to guide us on our road to true democracy.
Mama Tambo, may you rest in peace. May your path to the Lord be paved with the petals of soft flowers. May your destination be a most pleasant and enjoyable one. Hamba kahle, Mama wethu. [Farewell, our mother.] Siyabonga. [Thank you.] [Applause.]
Ms N M MDAKA: Madam Speaker, hon members, I join my colleagues in expressing my deepest condolences to the family, the ANC, and the friends of Ma’ Tambo. The South African people have suffered a great loss with the passing away of this heroine. The UIF received with great sadness the news when it was announced that Ma’ Tambo had succumbed to an illness.
There is no doubt that the actions of Ma’ Tambo in this Parliament did count and will continue to count. This clearly indicates that Ma’ Tambo was the mother of the people. Her contributions to the country’s political arena were tremendously noble. She will be remembered for her humbleness and character, which made her one of the greatest stateswomen in the history of our country.
Above and beyond all else, she will be remembered for nurturing her husband, the late Oliver Tambo. Amandla! [Power!]
HON MEMEBRS: Ngawethu! [To the people!]
Ms N M MDAKA: Hamba kakuhle, qhawekazi! [Go well, heroine!]
I thank you. [Applause.]
Mr P J NEFOLOVHODWE: Madam Speaker, Azapo joins the ANC and the people of South Africa in expressing its heartfelt condolences to the family of Adelaide Tambo.
To Azapo, Ma’ Tambo was not just another member of the ANC, but to us she was a true daughter of the soil and a mother of the nation, who demonstrated her strength and commitment to her motherland by dedicating her whole life to the struggle to free our people.
She did this by establishing community projects for those in need. Our members who met her in London testified that she was a mother to all South Africans, irrespective of their political affiliations.
Her life speaks for itself and her dedication to the struggle is unquestionable. Her commitment, and that of her husband, to Africa and the African cause are unparalleled.
As Azapo, we salute this freedom fighter. I thank you. [Applause.]
Mr L M GREEN: Madam Speaker, the FD wishes to express its sincere condolences to the family members and loved ones of the late Mrs Adelaide Tambo, former ANC stalwart and Member of Parliament. Our condolences also go the ANC for their loss of a valuable member, role model and ANC stalwart.
Today we honour Mama Tambo for what she gave to our nation: dignity, hope and liberty.
From a young age, Adelaide Tambo projected the spirit of a leader and the heart of a champion. Faced with the harshness and cruelty of a regime that tried to box in her gigantic spirit, she proved that no obstacle would prevent her from reaching her dream of a free South Africa. She and her husband Oliver Tambo, a dynamic duo, together with former President Nelson Mandela and others, forged the road to a free, democratic and reconciled South Africa.
She became a history-maker and a world shaker. She pursued her purpose with intent and with courage. Many things shaped her life; the choices she made as a young woman directed her path into the future and many today reap the fruits of her labour.
As a mother of the nation, and a beacon of hope to many, she selflessly poured out her life for the poor, the orphaned and the elderly. Displaying dignity and grace, she made every individual believe that they were important and helped them to pursue their dreams.
She became the voice of the voiceless, fighting vigorously against abuse and violence against women and children. She helped to shape the political and legislative landscape in South Africa by ensuring that women have a presence and a place in our democracy today.
Although we are saddened by her sudden departure, we are comforted by the fact that we were privileged to have known her and shared in her life.
Thank you, Mama Tambo, we are the richer to have had a mother like you in our nation. Your legacy will be a memorial for many generations to come.
The FD fully endorses this motion. May the Lord Himself console the loved ones, children and grandchildren of Mama Tambo. I thank you. [Applause.]
Mrs M A A NJOBE: Madam Deputy Speaker, I would like to start by thanking the Members of Parliament from the various parties who have expressed their condolences to the family, friends of Ma-Tambo and to the ANC. Born on 18 July 1929 in Top Location in Vereeniging, Ma-Tambo was to dedicate her life to the achievement of South Africa’s liberation and that of its people. Her political life started at a tender age of 10 years when she had to look at how her ailing grandfather - aged 82 – was arrested, together with other demonstrators, and ill-treated by the police. It is the way the police treated her grandfather that made her decide once and for all that she would fight the system of apartheid to the end, and she did.
At 15 she was an ANC courier, quite a risky task at the time as she too could be arrested and tortured if found. As soon as her age qualified her as an ANC Youth League member, 18 years that is, she did not hesitate to join. Her active role in building the ANC Youth League saw her become the chairperson of her branch, the George Goch branch. Her ability to initiate action saw her open branches of the ANC Youth League in the then Transvaal. Even as a nurse at the Pretoria General Hospital she had the courage and determination to start an ANC Youth League branch.
Because of her human and correct political approach, she never lacked a following. It is therefore no surprise that another great activist of the ANC, Oliver Reginald Tambo, found a Miss Right in Adelaide Frances Matlala Tshukudu. As South Africa knows, together the couple dedicated their adult lives to freedom and service for others.
Sister Adelaide’s strength, compassion and determination to serve others were to see her literally embrace the whole ANC community during the years of struggle in exile. She made many contacts internationally, including while working for the International Defence Aid Fund - IDAF.
She became a pillar of support for families in exile as well as inside the country. When she visited Africa ANC cadres - be it women cadres in Angola, communities in Lusaka, students in the ANC school in Tanzania – they knew that Mme Adelaide had arrived and she would definitely bring the necessary logistics for them.
In this regard she acted in a manner consistent with the ubuntu value system of which she was a living embodiment. Ma-Tambo played a very important role in promoting the values of women’s emancipation and through her active participation in the ANC Women’s League ensured that women were an integral part of the liberation struggle. She also interacted with ease with people of different nationalities; hence she was deployed as the founder member of the Pan-African Women’s Organisation, then based in Algiers, where she made a significant contribution.
As a mother Ma-Tambo took on both political and family responsibilities, bringing up her children single-handed in a foreign country. She did not look after her children only. All the young people under the ANC at the time became part of the extended family that she served.
Indeed, she was the mother of the liberation struggle. Her example was the embodiment of the hopes and aspirations of a nation in struggle, a builder who brought people together for the love of their country. This is why she became one of the first group of members to represent the ANC in the first democratically elected Parliament in 1994.
During the early years of democracy in Parliament, Ma-Tambo made a noteworthy contribution to the making of our Constitution, acclaimed the world over for its provision for women’s and children’s rights. She participated, amongst others, in the Portfolio Committee on Welfare, now of course called Social Development, ensuring the transformation of the sector through legislation. Her interventions in the debates never omitted articulating issues affecting women, the elderly people, people with disabilities and children. This was her real passion.
Some of us will remember her walking along the passage over there. She used to sit somewhere there and she would be composed as always, with dignity and always with a friendly smile. Outside Parliament, some of her activities that I am aware of included organising functions for the elderly and the disabled in her constituency, especially during Christmas time.
Ma-Tambo will be remembered as one of the great heroines of our nation. As Parliament, indeed as a nation, we can learn from her example, rediscover and remain true to those values that she upheld. These must remain for us a guide to the future. Ma-Tambo represented the greatness of spirit which she infused into our organisation, this Parliament and the nation.
She represents the call to return to those values that she represented and lived by - the humanity of the value system of ubuntu, based on respect for the humanity of human beings, regardless of race, class, gender and age. Ma- Tambo is today saying to us as South Africans that we must reclaim ubuntu, put emphasis on mutual understanding, appreciate differences and tolerate diversity in the multicultural environment we live in. She is saying that the ubuntu values we promote must sufficiently meet the challenges of reconciliation, reconstruction and development.
To the Tambo family as a whole, the ANC is saying:
Ngxe! Tutwini! Akuhlanga lungehlanga! Kakade isitya esihle asidleli. Enkosi. [Our condolences to the family. Peace be with you. What has happened always happen. A precious vase always breaks before it is used. Thank you. [Applause.]]
The DEPUTY SPEAKER: That concludes the speakers’ list on this matter. I take it there are no objections to the resolutions being adopted. The Presiding Officers associate themselves with the motion. The condolences of the House will be conveyed to the Tambo family and to the ANC.
FOODSTUFFS, COSMETICS AND DISINFECTANTS AMENDMENT BILL
(Draft Resolution)
The ACTING CHIEF WHIP OF THE MAJORITY PARTY: Deputy Speaker, I move the draft resolution printed in my name on the Order Paper, as follows:
That the House, in accordance with Rule 226, elect the following members as nominated by their respective parties as the Assembly representatives on the Mediation Committee on the Foodstuffs, Cosmetics and Disinfectants Amendment Bill [B 35D – 2005] (National Assembly - sec 76):
Nel, A C (ANC);
Louw, S K (ANC);
Ngaleka, E (ANC);
Ngculu, L V J (ANC);
Malumise, M M (ANC);
Matsemela, M L (ANC);
Madella, A F (ANC);
Morgan, G R (DA); and
Bekker, H J (IFP). Agreed to.
MEMBERS’ STATEMENTS
RELOCATION OF PEOPLE
(Member’s Statement)
Ms M J J MATSOMELA (ANC): Madam Deputy Speaker, the ANC–led government is committed to working with the people to ensure that they are decently housed and that they bring up their families in comfort and security.
Last year, Merafong, which is located in the southern district municipality of Khutsong, was declared unsuitable for human habitation after sinkholes and unpredictable ground movement were detected there. President Thabo Mbeki was shown these unsettling developments in the area during a presidential imbizo, and he called for the affected community members to be moved to a safer location.
The ANC–led municipality of Merafong, in the North West Province, has secured R800 million to help resettle the affected Khutsong residents.
The ANC applauds the proactive initiative taken by the municipality as a clear demonstration that the people’s ANC-led government really cares. I thank you, Deputy Speaker.
DA’S ALTERNATIVE BUDGET
(Member’s Statement)
Mr I O DAVIDSON (DA): Madam Deputy Speaker, the value of the DA’s efforts in compiling its annual Alternative Budget is confirmed by the fact that the President announced government’s intention to implement a wage subsidy this year – an idea floated by the DA two years ago when it was vociferously opposed and indeed trivialized by Finance Minister Trevor Manuel.
This year our Alternative Budget for 2007, launched yesterday, rests on four pillars: a stimulatory package to the supply side of the economy to boost confidence; lower the cost of doing business and stimulate private sector investment; a job creation programme which includes a refined and targeted version of our regional wage subsidy; improving access to and the creation of opportunities to skill our nation and concentrating resources on the fight against crime.
Our budget promises to create an environment in which every South African that wants to do so can get access to the necessary opportunity to rescue herself or himself from the painful grip of poverty.
We hope that this serious and credible document will be accepted in the constructive manner in which it was intended. I thank you. [Applause.]
ANC FUNDING SCHEME
(Member’s Statement)
Ms S A SEATON (IFP): Madam Deputy Speaker, the IFP would want to register its shock and outrage at an article that appeared in Sunday Times of 18 February 2007 that reported on the ANC’s new fundraising scheme which allows businesses to buy access to government information and ANC policy- makers.
The IFP finds the scheme absolutely shocking. Members of Parliament and politicians are elected to serve the people of South Africa and therefore the ANC cannot charge for this essentially democratic service. It should not be allowed; it is completely immoral.
But we should not really be at all surprised, because this is another clear indication of how the ruling party goes about manipulating and misusing its power. Selling access to senior public representatives and public servants is outrageous, to say the least. The IFP supports the call of the Institute for Democracy in South Africa for regulation of party funding. There is a broad consensus across political parties that there is a need to regulate private party funding. Regulation should cover as to why the definition of donation is possible in order to close as many potential loopholes as possible.
Unless we adopt a more transparent approach, the current absence of a regulatory framework will allow for unethical funding schemes such as the one being run by the ANC at present. [Applause.]
THE SONG ABOUT DE LA REY
(Member’s Statement)
Adv A H GAUM (ANC): Adjunkspeaker, die liedjie De la Rey het die afgelope tyd wye openbare debat ontlok. Sommiges meen dat dit maar net ’n gewone liedjie is, sonder politieke bymotiewe. Ander reken die liedjie poog om Afrikanernasionalisme weer opnuut aan te vuur. Nog ander voel dat dit die feit onderstreep dat Afrikaners herderloos voel. Voorspelbaar het die oposisie onlangs politieke munt uit die situasie probeer slaan, deur die Minister van Kuns en Kultuur oor sy woordvoerder se reaksie op die liedjie te kritiseer.
Wat ook al mense se opinie oor die liedjie mag wees, een feit staan vas: daar sal geen De la Rey soos ’n ridder op ’n wit perd kom om Afrikaners of enige ander bevolkingsgroep te kom lei nie. [Tussenwerpsels.] Die tyd van ’n politieke leier vir die Zulu of die Xhosa of Afrikaners is verby. Ons is een nasie met een leier - die President van ons land.
Dit is waartoe Afrikaners en alle ander bevolkings- en kultuurgroepe hulle verbind het deur die onderhandelde skikking. Alle Suid-Afrikaners, ook Afrikaners, moet daarom die nodige vrymoedigheid hê om hul uitdagings en probleme met hul leier en sy regering op te neem. Dit sluit sake in wat mag wissel van grondhervorming en armoede-uitwissing tot geweld en sosiale transformasie.
Hulle kan dit doen welwetende dat hierdie regering geen behoefte het om slegs ’n regering vir enkele bevolkingsgroepe te wees nie, maar daartoe verbind is om al die mense van ons land te dien. Ek dank u. [Applous.] [Tussenwerpsels.] (Translation of Afrikaans member’s statement follows.)
[Adv A H GAUM (ANC): Deputy Speaker, the song De la Rey has recently evoked widespread public debate. Some people feel that it is merely an ordinary song, without political and ulterior motives. Others feel that the song is an attempt to ignite Afrikaner nationalism once again. Furthermore, some people even feel that it emphasises the fact that Afrikaners believe that they are without a leader. Predictably so, the opposition recently tried to gain politically from the situation by criticising the Minister of Arts and Culture for his spokeperson’s reaction to the song.
Whatever people’s opinions about the song might be, one fact remains – there will be no De La Rey who will come like a knight in shining armour to lead the Afrikaners or any other population group. [Interjections.] The time has gone for a political leader for the Zulus, Xhosas or Afrikaners. We are one nation with one leader – the President of our country.
The Afrikaners and all other population and cultural groups committed themselves to this when they negotiated a settlement. All South Africans, also Afrikaners, must therefore have the necessary confidence to take up their challenges and problems with their leader and his government. This includes issues that may range from land reform and the eradication of poverty to violence and social transformation.
They can do so with the full knowledge that this government has no need to be merely a government for a few population groups, but is committed to serving all the people of our country. I thank you. [Applause.] [Interjections.]]
ELECTRICITY ENERGY SHORTAGE
(Member’s Statement) Mr H B CUPIDO (ACDP): Madam Deputy Speaker, the ACDP is concerned that the electricity crisis we are experiencing in South Africa will surely have a very negative impact on the Southern Region. The energy shortage we suffered recently ... [Interjections.]
The DEPUTY SPEAKER: Order hon members! It’s even difficult for us to hear from here. We are pleading with members who are conducting private conversations or meetings to please do that very decently outside the House and leave those that would like to continue with the debates in the House. Hon member, it was difficult for me to follow from the beginning. So, may you please restart the time.
Mr H B CUPIDO (ACDP): Madam Deputy Speaker, the ACDP is concerned that the electricity crisis we are experiencing in South Africa will surely have a negative impact on our bordering neighbours in the Southern African region. The energy shortages we suffered recently were a costly experience for industries and ordinary households in South Africa.
Due to rapid urbanisation and the boom in the construction sector and other industries, the need for greater energy supply came much faster than was anticipated by our energy supplier – Eskom - and also by the government. Because South Africa is such a vast country whose time is set on just one time line, the ACDP is of the opinion that a huge impact can be made immediately during peak hour usage of energy, if the time for the Cape is set back by one hour. By doing so one hour of daylight energy will be saved.
The electricity crisis in South Africa needs some drastic intervention that will have an immediate effect on energy savings without capital input. Such a change will see the peak usage being spread better and consumption doubled. Thank you.
CRIME CONVENTION
(Member’s Statement)
Mr A HARDING (ID): Madam Deputy Speaker, the ID would like to thank the President for instructing Parliament to set up a national convention for crime, poverty and transformation. However, we want to call on the government to adopt a social democratic focus on the importance of social workers who are crucial in tackling the root causes of crime. Simply beefing up the police and criminal justice system needs to be avoided. Instead we must favour a more compassionate crime prevention approach.
Many of our poor disadvantaged communities have suffered hundreds of years of cultural chauvinism and neglect, and the ID believes that we must deploy thousands of social workers to our communities. We must stop sending petty criminals and first-time petty crime offenders to prisons that turn out hardened criminals. Instead we also need to focus more on the establishment of more rehabilitation centres. In addition, Parliament needs to finalise the Child Justice Bill which has a budget and has been on the shelves for some time.
How can we expect our teenagers to fight off the temporary attractions of crime when the child grant stops at the age of 14? How can we expect them not to drop out of school to search for work or commit crime for the same reason? How can we expect them to achieve the best results when their stomachs are empty because the national school feeding scheme does not reach high school?
Poverty does not stop magically at the age of 14. The crimes against our people must not be reciprocated but must be fixed. I thank you.
ANC COMMITTED TO RURAL DEVELOPMENT
(Member’s Statement)
Ms M L MATSEMELA (ANC): Hon Deputy Speaker, the ANC-led government has ended the practice of using the countryside as a dumping ground where rural people are subjected to poverty and abuse, denied their citizenship and dignity.
The Expanded Public Works Programme projects that are being undertaken in the rural communities of Modimole and Modimoeng in the North West are another demonstration of how committed the ANC is to the efforts of eradicating poverty and creating jobs.
A total 7 441 job opportunities have been created in terms of the two projects since they began two years ago. These projects have borne the necessary fruits by equipping our people with skills, whilst giving them employment opportunities.
The ANC will continue to strengthen the relationship we have built over the nine decades of our existence. I thank you. [Applause.]
INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY DEVELOPMENT
(Member’s Statement)
Mr P H K DITSHETELO (UCDP): Deputy Speaker, the information technology to date is still very white and very male-oriented, not only in South Africa, but also on the international front. It is a big problem to get mature managers who are quite prepared to help resolve these imbalances.
Our elders should also be taken on board in this modernised, technologically inclined world. To be able to fill the shortage of these skills, we must give more and proper attention to the up-and-coming graduates, and they must have more than a basic understanding thereof and foundation-level qualifications. The youth must also be allowed areas of specialisation. I think research ought to be done just to find out exactly what areas of specialisation are needed, and then have these put into the curriculum of the Setas. I bet information technology will be on top of the list.
We need to have all these big businesses come on board and play their part in eradicating this problem. This will help to benefit the economy. We are now faced with a serious problem of crime, and this would also help to reduce it.
The youth and the elderly need to be taken into consideration when we move towards changing the imbalances in technology. I know for a fact that Telkom is playing its part in that it is supporting schools with equipment and is also pushing for more training. [Time expired.]
BULLYING TACTICS BY MINISTER OF DEFENCE
(Member’s Statement)
Mr R J KING (DA): Mevrou die Speaker, die DA het met weersin kennis geneem van die onsmaaklike aanval van die Minister van Verdediging, tydens die staatsrededebat, op ’n 80-jarige dame en ander Suid-Afrikaners wat hul vaderland verlaat het as gevolg van die herhaaldelike aanslae van moord en doodslag op hulle en hul geliefdes.
By ’n vorige geleentheid, soos die Raad sal onthou, waartydens die agb Minister hom op die speelveld van die agb Minister van Veiligheid en Sekuriteit begeef het, was dit met die rampspoedige rol wat hy gespeel het met die afskaffing van kommando’s - en dit met noodlottige gevolge vir die stryd teen misdaad.
Agb Minister Lekota, om soos ’n speelgrondboelie ’n bejaarde dame onder die smeerkwas van rassisme te laat deurloop, en terselfdertyd te veralgemeen en beledigende stellings oor alle Suid-Afrikaners wat hulle tans in die buiteland bevind die wêreld in te stuur, getuig van uiterste swak smaak. Hy beledig sommer op die koop toe alle Australiërs ook. Mens vra jouself af: wat het die Minister besiel om so klaarblyklik uit te haak tydens ’n voorbereide toespraak?
Die DA wil pleit dat ten spyte van die rooiwarm magstryd wat besig is om drasties in temperatuur toe te neem, betrokkenes in die ANC, staatsmanskap aan die dag sal lê en sal onthou dat hulle eerste lojaliteit lê in die belang van Suid-Afrika as geheel. Om nou skielik rammetjie uitnek op jou borskas trom te speel, en die hele wêreld uit te daag, getuig van gruwelike politieke onvolwassenheid en laat ’n mens sidder oor die gehalte in die ANC se opvolgstryd. Ek dank u. (Translation of Afrikaans member’s statement follows.)
[Mr R J KING (DA): Madam Speaker, the DA has taken notice with aversion of the distasteful attack by the Minister of Defence, during the debate on the state of the nation address, on an 80-year-old woman and other South Africans who have left their fatherland because of repeated incidents of violence against them and their loved ones.
At a previous occasion, as the Council will recall, when the hon Minister entered the territory of the hon Minister of Safety and Security, he played an ill-fated role in the abolition of the commando system which had disastrous consequences for the fight against crime.
Hon Minister Lekota, to behave like a playground bully by targeting an elderly lady with accusations of racism, and at the same time generalising and sending derogatory remarks about all South Africans who are currently overseas across the globe, bears testimony to extremely poor taste. For good measure, and without further ado, he then also insulted all Australians. One asks oneself: What possessed the Minister to lose control during a prepared speech in such an obvious manner?
The DA wishes to urge that, in spite of the red-hot power struggle that is drastically heating up, those concerned in the ANC should display statesmanship and should remember that their first loyalty lies with the interest of South Africa in general. To start swaggering around all of a sudden, singing one’s own praises and challenging the entire world, bears testimony to abominable political immaturity and makes one shudder at the thought of the quality of the succession battle in the ANC. I thank you.]
FREE STATE PROVINCIAL GOVERNMENT’S EFFORTS AT FIGHTING POVERTY LAUDED
(Member’s Statement)
Ms I W DIREKO (ANC): Hon Deputy Speaker, the ANC-led government remains firmly committed to the vision of reconstruction and development, a vision that embraces the idea that growth and development are significantly linked.
As part of the Free State provincial government’s efforts to fight poverty and boost skills, more than 3 000 jobs were created through the Expanded Public Works Programme in the past year. The Free State provincial government has placed the need to create jobs through a mass-targeted approach and to implement a poverty eradication strategy at the centre, focusing on the development of the N8 corridor and the rehabilitation and revival of the rail network from Thaba Nchu to Bloemfontein.
The ANC commends the efforts of the Free State provincial government to intensify the struggle against poverty as we advance in unity towards 2012. I thank you. [Applause.]
SUSPENDED TRIAL ON HIV/AIDS GEL WAS CONDUCTED ETHICALLY
(Member’s Statement)
Dr R RABINOWITZ (IFP): Madam Deputy Speaker, contrary to the initial impression created by certain newspapers that the recently suspended trial on the use of microbicide or gel was conducted with questionable ethics, the trial appears to have had the highest possible ethical standards.
It was conducted in the United States of America, as well as in Africa and India, and was stopped at the first hint that results may not be favourable. In time they may yet turn out to be so. However, in spite of its stated aim to monitor the ethics of medical trials in South Africa, the SA National Regulatory Ethics Committee does not have an independent and effective inspectorate. Hence Dr Rath has conducted trials on the effective supplements on HIV with impunity, and a trial on the safety of a local herb, Sutherlandia, conducted by the Western Cape University and the University of Minnesota, does not report results publicly in South Africa.
There must be many more such irregularities, and the IFP calls on the Minister to ensure objective and effective monitoring of research ethics in our country to protect all persons in all provinces. Without such monitoring, concern expressed for the exploitation of the poor in drug trials is no more than the shedding of crocodile tears. Thank you.
EASTERN CAPE PROVINCIAL GOVERNMENT COMMITTED TO JOB CREATION
(Member’s Statement)
Nksz P TSHWETE (ANC)eh: Sekela-Somlomo, urhulumente oxhuzula imikhala, okhokelwa ngumbutho wesizwe i-ANC, kunyulo-jikelele lonyaka wama-2004 wenza isibhambathiso nabantu sokulwa indlala nokudala amathuba emisebenzi.
KuLwesihlanu ogqithileyo, iNkulumbuso yephondo iMpuma Koloni idandalazise isigqibo sikarhulumente sokutyala imali engangewaka lezigidi zeerandi. Olu tyalo-mali lujolise ekuveliseni uhlobo olutsha lwamafutha eenqwelo angayi kudala lungcoliseko kwimo yezendalo yaye luza kudala imisebenzi engaphaya kwamawaka angamashumi amabini. Oku kukubonakalisa okwekati emhlophe ehlungwini ukuzimisela kwalo rhulumente ekulweni indlala nentswelo-ngqesho kubantu bakuthi. Enkosi. (Translation of isiXhosa member’s statement follows.)
[Mrs P TSHWETE (ANC): Deputy Speaker, during the 2004 general elections, the ANC-led government committed itself to fight against poverty and provide job opportunities.
On Friday the previous week, the Premier of the Eastern Cape explicitly put her government’s decision about its R100 million investment plan. This investment is aimed at seeing to the production of environment-friendly fuel and is going to create 20 000 jobs. This is further proof of our government’s commitment to fight hunger and unemployment. Thank you.]
CONCERN AT NEGATIVE PUBLICITY ABOUT OUR COUNTRY IN OVERSEAS MEDIA
(Member’s Statement)
Mr L B LABUSCHAGNE (DA): Madam Deputy Speaker, it is always distressing to read negative articles about our beloved country in the overseas media, particularly in internationally influential ones, such as The Economist of this week. It is, however, appalling when the actions of the South African government give foreign critics grist to their mills.
This is appalling because we profess that our foreign policy is informed by our Constitution and commitment to human rights, and then we indulge in tardy lip service and hide our actions behind spurious technicalities. The apartheid government and the Soviet Union hid behind the technicality of noninterference. The present government does likewise regarding the UN Security Council Resolution on Myanmar. These arguments are totally refuted in the letter by the executive director of Human Rights Watch in Geneva.
The South African government insists that the Human Rights Council is the correct forum to address such issues, but as the letter points out, every time human-rights-related issues came before the General Assembly’s third committee and the Human Rights Council in 2006, South Africa turned a blind eye to abuses.
As the letter concludes, and I quote: “Whether the persecuted are near or far, South Africa finds itself with unclean hands.”
It is said that for evil to triumph, good men remain silent. Where would the exiles and others be today if good men and women remained silent? The tragedy is that we are not surprised.
ERMELO HIGH SCHOOL
(Member’s Statement)
Mr B MTHEMBU (ANC): Madam Deputy Speaker, the ANC believes that education must be directed at the full development of an individual and the community, and at strengthening respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms. It must promote understanding, tolerance and friendship amongst all South Africans, and it must advance the principles contained in the Bill of Rights.
The ANC is shocked by the reports that surfaced in the newspapers over the past weekend. The reports indicate the ill-treatment of black learners at Hoërskool Ermelo in Mpumalanga. These learners are not allowed to use ablution facilities in the main school block. They are not allowed to take part in sports activities and continuously suffer racial taunts from other learners.
The ANC urges the Department of Education and the SA Human Rights Commission to investigate the allegations. If crime is found to have been committed, legal proceedings must be instituted against those responsible. Thank you.
ART WORK RELOCATION
(Member’s Statement)
Mr M R SONTO (ANC): Madam Deputy Speaker, under colonialism and apartheid the culture of the majority of South Africans was neglected, distorted and suppressed. Freedom of expression and creativity were stifled. People and communities were denied access to resources and facilities to exercise and develop their need for cultural and artistic expression. The works of black South African artists, depicting life in the townships, were collected by foreign diplomats and art collectors and shipped out of the country more than two decades ago.
Ilifalethu Foundation, launched 18 months ago, is scouring the globe to recover and bring back home these priceless works. The efforts of the foundation have been a phenomenal success to the extent that they have now broadened the scope to include other areas of our South African heritage such as music, films and documents.
The ANC urges all South Africans, especially art collectors from our country and the world over, to join hands with the foundation in its efforts to recover our lost heritage. I thank you.
WELCOMING SWISS DELEGATION
The DEPUTY SPEAKER: Hon members, before we take responses, we have pleasure to recognise the presence, in the House, of the Secretary for Foreign Affairs of Switzerland, His Excellency Mr Michael Ambühl and his delegation who are visiting Parliament today. Mr Ambühl, you and your delegation are most welcome. [Applause.]
MINISTERS’ RESPONSES
RURAL DEVELOPMENT AND JOB CREATION
(Minister’s Response)
The MINISTER OF PUBLIC WORKS: Madam Deputy Speaker, I would like to respond to the two statements that were raised by hon members from the ANC regarding rural development and job creation.
Indeed, we would like to appreciate, as the members of the executive, that the interventions that we’re making in dealing with issues of rural development and job creation are bearing fruit. Hon members would also appreciate that, as the President said in the state of the nation address last week, the challenge we are facing remains poverty, which we must confront at all cost.
I hope the various provincial governments, as they make their state of the provinces address, would also assist us in pushing the frontiers of poverty far back and where possible towards the elimination of poverty in our country, and ensuring that we can create opportunities for creating even more sustainable jobs so that our people can have the better life that we’ve all being struggling for.
I must say that the work that we would be doing with the young people, in terms of the National Youth Service, will in part continue to enhance the skills that those young people would have but would also expose them to job opportunities, which may have a lasting effect, because, as we know, maintenance of state assets, particularly at government level, is a challenge that we have to confront as we go forward.
But if you look at the two projects that hon members referred us to, it has not just been the contribution towards job creation, but we’ve have also been contributing to developing the infrastructure that our country so needs.
I would like to point out that, even though I’m responding as a Minister, I’m also doing so as a member of the ANC National Executive Committee. I agree with hon members that maybe the discussions should be broadened as to how we would deal with issues of fundraising such that they do not compromise our ethics.
But I would like to assure hon members that the ANC Business Forum is a voluntary group where members do contribute, not just by coming to a dinner once or twice, but they also contribute monthly to the organisation as members. They understand that if, indeed, our democracy has to be strengthened, the ANC as a leading party in government also has to be strong.
So, when some of us as members of the ANC are invited to address the Business Forum, we address them as members of the national executive.
I can also say that any political party, if they want to invite us, the Ministers, to talk on any issue of government in portfolios, we would never refuse. We can be invited. [Interjections.] What? Fundraising? Is there anything wrong in fundraising for the party? I don’t think it’s wrong. We have done that, and other parties have done that before to fundraise for its party or party work. We will continue, as the ANC, to do so, because there is nothing unethical about what we’ve done. Thank you very much. [Time expired.] [Applause.]
PROBLEMS REGARDING SOCIAL WORKERS
(Minister’s Response)
The DEPUTY MINISTER OF SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT: Thank you, Chairperson. I just want to respond to the statement by the IDP about social workers.
First of all, the fact that the President mentioned the training of social workers in his state of the nation address shows us that the issue is receiving attention. Also, the Department of Social Development has a recruitment and retention strategy for social workers and for related care workers. The department provides bursaries at this present time for the training of social workers, and the salary scales of social workers have recently been increased. At the moment we are working on the salary scales of auxiliary social workers and we are paying attention to the shortage, particularly in rural areas and rural provinces, which is a problem, because once people are educated they tend to move to the cities.
Also, the department continues to consult with the professional organisation, and the training organisations for social workers, in order to find solutions to the ongoing problems that exist.
Besides social workers there are auxiliary workers, there are home-based care workers, child and youth care workers, and various other care workers, who together will be alleviating the problems. In addition to that, government has committed itself to providing support to children over 14 years who are poor. This may be in the form of grants, but not necessarily – it has not been decided. [Time expired.]
COMMUNITY OF KHUTSONG
(Minister’s Response)
The MINISTER OF HOUSING: Thank you, Chairperson. I would like to thank the hon member who raised the issue of … [Interjections.] Chairperson, please protect me from the Minister here.
The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Mr K O Bapela): You are protected. The MINISTER OF HOUSING: I would like to thank the hon member who raised the issue of the praiseworthy and proactive work of the Khutsong Municipality. This shows government at its most caring, ensuring security and comfort for our people, especially in the form of housing. I sincerely hope that a lot more municipalities will follow this trend, ensuring that our communities who live in dangerous and stressful situations will be given priority treatment in the work of municipalities.
I hope in particular that the City of Cape Town - and I am glad that a number of DA members are here listening - will take a leaf from this experience. Nowhere in the country do we have people living in more stressful and dangerous situations than those that live within the Cape Town city boundaries. If the city could prioritise these communities, allocate the necessary land and budget for this, I think it would be a commendable step.
Importantly, what needs to be noted is the relationship that exists, in this particular case, between our communities and their government, the confidence that they have in their government that they will be able to move from their areas and willingly relocate to other areas. We found that this is a big problem in most of our areas. I would like to commend the community of Khutsong, firstly, for deciding that they were going to raise this with the President during the imbizo, and that, secondly, they were willing to relocate so that better accommodation could be provided for them. I thank you.
SOUTH AFRICA’S VOTE ON MYANMAR IN UN SECURITY COUNCIL
(Minister’s Response)
The DEPUTY MINISTER OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS: Chairperson, I would like to respond to the question from the DA on the vote in the Security Council. South Africa voted on the UN Security Council resolution on Myanmar based on principle, and the principle is that the Security Council’s mandate is to deal with threats to international peace and security.
As we as South Africa do, always have done and will continue to work together with other multilateral organisations to resolve international problems, our ambassador in New York consulted with the ASEAN group, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, nations that live in the same neighbourhood as the Myanmar Republic. They also agreed that the matter should be dealt with by the Human Rights Council, an organisation of the United Nations developed very recently in order to deal with just these questions.
In addition to this, UN Secretary-General’s Good Offices envoy, Prof Gambari, had visited Myanmar. His diplomatic work continues and such a vote in the positive would, we believe, have contributed to jeopardising the position of the Good Offices envoy.
South Africa does not, nor ever will, turn a blind eye to human rights abuses, and I think it is extremely spurious of the hon member to suggest such a thing.
FUNDAMENTAL HUMAN RIGHTS IN SCHOOLS AND ICT
(Minister’s Response)
The DEPUTY MINISTER OF EDUCATION: Chairperson, I would like to respond to two of the statements, one by the hon Mthembu and by the UCDP in terms of ICT.
With regard to education, today we can celebrate the fact that we have a national curriculum statement from Grade R to Grade 12. This curriculum statement has three pillars: knowledge, life skills and values. Amongst the values that run through the curriculum are those of human dignity, nonracialism, nonsexism and respect.
Now, certainly, the reports are quite disturbing. If they are true, it is most reprehensible that a school seeks to exclude learners from enjoying the fundamental rights which are underpinned in the Constitution, that of human dignity and equality. It is a matter that indeed has to be investigated, by both the Department of Education, as well as the Human Rights Commission.
I may add that it is quite interesting that the governing body of this very school sought to exclude 113 learners from the school on the basis that it is a single-medium school. The High Court, composed of three eminent judges, dismissed the application. The Minister, who was included in the application, said that the basic right to access to education could not be compromised under any circumstances.
What the opposition then sought to do was to put a different spin on it, to say that we were diminishing the esteem of Afrikaans as a language. There is no single instance in the past 13 years where any school was prevented or discouraged from teaching in any of the 11 official languages. So, there again, there is a distortion.
I do believe that what is fundamental is that we have to ensure, in an unequivocal way, that we provide access to quality education to all our learners, irrespective of their racial backgrounds, and prevent any form of discrimination.
With regard to the issue of ICT, I am sure the hon member from the North West is aware of the White Paper. We do believe that ICT is an important cross-curricular tool that has to be used to enhance education. We certainly intend to ensure that all our high schools have ICT capacity by the end of 2008. We’ve made huge strides. In Gauteng and the Western Cape more than 80% of schools have ICT. We are ensuring that, in terms of teacher development programmes, ICT is taught and is part of the core curriculum. Thank you so much. [Time expired.]
The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Mr K O Bapela): We are only allowed a maximum of six responses, and we have already had five. I saw various Ministers and Deputy Ministers wanted to respond, but in terms of who raised their hands first, I shall now go to the Deputy Minister of Arts and Culture. That is the last response, unless there is a trading. OK then, the Deputy Minister of Safety and Security.
The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Mr K O Bapela): We are only allowed a maximum of six responses, and we have already had five, and I saw that Ministers and Deputy Ministers really wanted to come in. So, in order of who raised the hand I will then go to the Deputy Minister for Provincial and Local Government. That’s the last response.
Sorry, it’s of Arts and Culture; the Deputy Minister of Arts and Culture, unless there is a trading that the two will agree. OK, the Deputy Minister of Safety and Security.
CHALLENGES OF CRIME
(Minister’s Response) The DEPUTY MINISTER OF SAFETY AND SECURITY: Chairperson, I want to respond to the question raised by hon King from the DA. May I indicate that South Africa is a democratic country. Those people who are leaving South Africa are not helping us. But may I also indicate that during the apartheid era, we saw a lot of people leaving this country, running away from apartheid instead of dealing with the matter decisively as some of the people who remained in this country did.
I think the same situation applies; South Africa is a free country and the challenge of crime is another form of struggle, and it requires every South African to make sure that we create a better, safer and peaceful South Africa.
I think it is important to understand that various forums which are created in this country between government and business leaders, and religious leaders and government are part of those forums which are committed to creating a peaceful and safer South Africa, instead of attacking the Minister and ultimately deciding to leave this country.
I would like to challenge everybody, and those individuals who are leaving this country, to follow what the community of Sebokeng is doing right now in crime prevention. Today they are a community working together with their police station, which is a station no 1 in fighting crime in this country. That’s the only way of making sure that we are able to create a better South Africa for all of us, instead of leaving this country.
May I also say to Mr King that it is very important for all of us to work together towards fighting crime instead of merely grandstanding here. The President has posed a question and a challenge to all of us. So, to stand here and make statements is not going to help us. Let’s seize the opportunity created by the President in creating a safer and peaceful South Africa. That’s the only way! We can stand here, go back and do nothing; it’s not going to change this country. I thank you. [Time expired.]
The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Mr K O Bapela): I understand that the Deputy Chief Whip will be moving on three motions which the Whippery was consulted on.
TORRENTIAL RAINS IN MOZAMBIQUE
(Draft Resolution)
The DEPUTY CHIEF WHIP OF THE MAJORITY PARTY: Chairperson, I move without notice:
That the House –
(1) notes that the torrential rains that fell in January have swamped vast areas of Mozambique;
(2) further notes that about 30 people have lost their lives as a result of the floods, a total of 86 000 have been rescued and thousands more displaced, thousands of people are left homeless facing new problems including food shortages and health related difficulties;
(3) appeals to the African continent and other members of the international community to act together urgently to assist the people and government of Mozambique to deal with this humanitarian crisis; and
(4) conveys its deep condolences to the families of the deceased, the government and the people of Mozambique.
Agreed to.
PROTEA WORLD CUP CRICKET SQUAD
(Draft Resolution)
The DEPUTY CHIEF WHIP OF THE MAJORITY PARTY: Chairperson, I move without notice:
That the House –
(1) notes the announcement of the Protea World Cup Cricket Squad to represent our country at the 2007 ICC World Cup in the West Indies during March this year;
(2) acknowledges the excellent performance of the Proteas team in the one day series victories against India and Pakistan;
(3) further acknowledges the great strides made by Cricket South Africa to transform the game at all levels through sustained development programmes;
(4) congratulates the Proteas for clinching the top spot ahead of Australia in the recent ICC World ranking for limited overs cricket and for being tipped as one of the favourites to win the Cricket World Cup and
(5) calls upon all South Africans to rally behind the team and to support the Proteas to World Cup glory.
Agreed to.
PORTFOLIO COMMITTEE ON FINANCE TO REPORT TO THE HOUSE
(Draft Resolution) The DEPUTY CHIEF WHIP OF THE MAJORITY PARTY: Chairperson, I move without notice:
That upon the introduction of the Main Appropriation Bill on 21 February 2007, the Portfolio Committee on Finance, notwithstanding Rule 290 (3), report to the House within 14 consecutive working days.
Agreed to.
CONSIDERATION OF REQUEST FOR APPROVAL BY PARLIAMENT OF PROPOSED EXCLUSION OF PORTION 1 OF FARM MOZIB 279, THE FARM DROOGE VELDT 292 AND PORTION 1 OF THE FARM THAN 280 FROM THE VAALBOS NATIONAL PARK IN TERMS OF SECTION 21(1)(a) OF THE NATIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT: PROTECTED AREAS ACT, 2003 (NO 57 OF 2003)
Mr D K MALULEKE: Chairperson, the Portfolio Committee on Environmental Affairs and Tourism wishes to request the National Assembly to approve the deproclamation of the Vaalbos National Park in terms of section 21(1)(a) of the National Environmental Management: Protected Areas Act of 2003, as amended, which reads as follows:
21(1) a declaration under section 20 may only be withdrawn –
(a) by a resolution of a National Assembly ... The Vaalbos National Park is currently in the areas of the farms, namely portion 1 of the farm Mozib 279, in the extent of 2 044,7217 hectares, the farm Drooge Veldt 292, in the extent of 6 450,8037 hectares, and portion 1 of the farm Than 280, in the extent of 9 626,3051.
The request for the approval is based on the necessity to honour the outcome of a successful land claim lodged by the three indigenous communities in the location of the Vaalbos National Park. I thank you. [Applause.]
There was no debate.
Question put: That the proposed exclusion of land from the Vaalbos National Park be approved.
Agreed to.
Exclusion of Portion 1 of Farm Mozib 279, the farm Drooge Veldt 292 and Portion 1 of the farm Than 280 from the Vaalbos National Park in terms of section 21(1)(a) of the National Environmental Management: Protected Areas Act, 2003 (No 57 of 2003) approved.
THE ROLE OF PARLIAMENT IN INTENSIFYING THE STRUGGLE AGAINST POVERTY
(Subject for Discussion) Ms C C SEPTEMBER: Chairperson, I thank you for agreeing to have this debate today. We as the ANC welcome the start of the debate around poverty alleviation, and indeed intensifying the struggle against poverty. Hon members and fellow South Africans, the eradication of poverty has, of course, been at the centre of many ANC policies and programmes since before, and after, the first democratic elections.
Drawing on the experience of the first 10 years of freedom, and building on the firm foundation laid by our people in 2004, the ANC identified the goal of halving poverty in South Africa by 2014. A report emanating from the Reconstruction and Development Programme, entitled “Key Indicators of Poverty in South Africa”, that was done in 1995, provides one of the early postapartheid empirical studies attempting to understand the issue of poverty and quantitatively measure the various facets of this social phenomenon. Since the indicator report, a range of more detailed studies has been conducted.
The report at that time already established, amongst other things, that: among other middle-income developing countries, South Africa has a very unequal distribution pattern; poverty has a strong racial dimension in South Africa; geographically, poverty is severe and concentrated in the rural areas; and that poverty also has a strong gender dimension in South Africa with women, of course, earning less, being more vulnerable and concentrated in the poorer economic categories. Equally so, the 2005 Millennium Development Goals Report by the United Nations also notes that, despite significant progress with regard to reducing absolute poverty in some parts of the globe, there are regions of the developing world where absolute poverty and hunger have increased between 1990 and 2005.
Also, the Beijing Platform for Action called upon all governments to take action in the following 12 critical areas of concern identified as barriers to women’s empowerment. They included poverty, education, the economy, power and decision-making, health, violence, armed conflict, institutional mechanisms for the advancement of women, human rights, media, environment, and the girl-child.
What has Parliament done? Several parliamentary conferences and regional parliamentary meetings have confirmed the role that parliaments could play in poverty reduction. The 24th Conference of Speakers of National Parliamentary Assemblies of Africa, which took place in Abuja, Nigeria in 2001, already called on parliaments to take part in the preparation, monitoring and evaluation of poverty alleviation actions and programmes which would strengthen transparency and accountability, and guarantee an equitable distribution of resources.
Similarly, African parliaments at the International Parliamentarians Conference on Development in Africa, in 2005, called on governments to strengthen the African Union and Nepad, and demanded a stronger voice in the design and implementation of poverty reduction strategies. So quite a number of things have been done and have been called for at that level.
In responding to these calls that have been made and continuing to talk about poverty, we think some of the issues around poverty reduction that we need to focus on closer to home could be set out as follows. First of all, we are reminded of the mandate of this Parliament. It derives its mandate from the Constitution, and in particular the mandate around the Bill of Rights in South Africa, which enshrines people’s rights. The majority of those rights lend themselves to poverty alleviation aspects.
Secondly, Parliament’s functions stem from Parliament’s own vision and mission. Parliament’s mission states that, as the freely elected representatives of the people of South Africa, our mission is to represent and act as the voice of the people in fulfilling our constitutional functions of passing laws and overseeing executive actions. Our vision is 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: a People’s Parliament to transform the entire society.
Herein lies the objectives of what Parliament should do and what it should set itself out to do. Of course, the spirit and intention of our legislation should include and translate into this mission and vision that we are talking about. It should translate into a People’s Parliament, and therefore it should address poverty and create an enabling regulatory environment.
Oversight is not just about looking at government departments functioning properly; oversight should be about whether policies are passed and translated properly for the benefit of the people, and the majority of poor people in particular, ensuring that the goals set by government are met and that members have the political will to do that.
Parliament should ensure that the legislative frameworks enabling poverty reduction programmes are in place, and monitor the implementation of such legislation. Parliament clearly has a role to play in ensuring that the budget allocations are in line with the priorities identified for poverty reduction and the goals set to halve poverty, as outlined by the WSSD obligations, by 2015.
As representatives based in constituencies, parliamentarians could serve as an important link between the communities and government, and provide that information. As the direct representatives of constituencies, they could mobilise communities into acting on opportunities for development and growth, and ensure that they follow up on the progress made with regard to particular projects.
Firstly, within Parliament and legislatures, there is a need for poverty alleviation to become the priority of all committees – not only for those committees that have traditionally been linked to poverty alleviation and eradication. It is further being argued that Parliament could play a much stronger role in providing a platform for debate on issues of poverty, and ensuring that the voice of civil society is heard at such platforms. Members of Parliament must play a role in continuously calling attention to the levels of poverty, the impact of poverty on the human development of the people they represent, and apply pressure both nationally and at regional level, and of course at international forums, to ensure that resource allocation for the reduction of poverty becomes a main priority.
As was noted at the Abuja conference referred to earlier, Parliament must promote respect for the civil and political rights, as well as the economic and social rights, of citizens within the framework of democracy and the rule of law. According to the Constitution, Parliament has a legislative function, and that is of course, as I stated earlier, the passing of laws after deliberating, in most instances, at the committee level.
Legislation has been passed by this Parliament which is intended to redress the imbalances of the past, in the process, directly or indirectly, having an impact on poverty alleviation. This includes amongst others the preferential policy, which ensures that the tendering process of government favours previously disadvantaged groups. The preferred groups include women, the disabled, those vulnerable to poverty and so on. However, monitoring the implementation of such progressive legislation is crucial if the intended benefits for the poor are to be realised.
Public participation is of course crucial in Parliament’s and legislatures’ efforts to alleviate and reduce poverty. It is essential that Parliament should capitalise on the process that is already in place and which guarantees public participation. Public participation in Parliament is of course regulated. However, there are several ways in which people can become involved in the business of Parliament, and which I think we should debate much more.
As Parliament now has a tool for oversight, being the tool that most of us use as a guideline for legislative oversight through annual reports, this tool should now start specifying and reflecting the mission and vision of Parliament, and the political will of members. Indeed, we trust that this House, the National Assembly in particular, will find some consensus around the issue of eradicating poverty and intensifying the fight against poverty, and indeed about us meeting our own obligations as enshrined in the Constitution. I thank you. [Applause.]
Moulana M R SAYEDALI-SHAH: Chairperson and hon members, we all know the significant role that a parliament plays in the life of a nation. Indeed, the decisions taken by Parliament and policies developed in this august House impact on the lives of all our people in a very profound way.
The question to ask is whether this Parliament is seriously fulfilling the expectations that the people have of it. Surely the only crucible in which to evaluate the success and efficacy of a parliament is to determine the degree to which it meets the needs of all the people. This is after all the people’s Parliament. Are the views of the opposition parties, which represent a significant portion of the electorate, taken seriously? Are the views and opinions of the various stakeholders, including NGOs, academics and ordinary people, incorporated into government policy?
Parliamentary portfolio committees frequently invite comments when drafting Bills and legislation, allowing interested parties an opportunity to make personal submissions. When doing so, are their concerns given due consideration or are they ignored?
Unfortunately, politics in our country continue to throw up what appears to be personality clashes and attempts to win or hold onto power and positions of high office for personal gain, rather than the interests of society as a whole.
Chairperson, this can lead to continuing disillusionment of the public with regard to politics and politicians, and even Parliament itself, which would be a tragedy, especially when we have just celebrated 10 years of democracy and our hardwon freedoms, won at great cost to life and limb.
In the DA we believe strongly in Parliament’s role in the struggle against poverty in our country, and we would like to believe that we have set a very good example to our colleagues in Parliament in this regard. Our many widely praised initiatives this past financial year count among them the following: we released an authoritative document on how to make the currently completely inappropriately implemented Expanded Public Works Programme really work; we ran an extensive campaign covering a number of aspects concerning enterprise development, including the establishment of a one-stop shop, making it easier to start a small business by removing unnecessary costs and some of the red tape, and addressing the problem of skills and employment; we have released a document urging a vital review of the seriously deficient Asgisa programme, a plan which, though well intended, has some severe deficiencies, which none of the other political parties present in this Chamber today has been able to engage with; and we have yet again compiled our alternative budget for South Africa for the year 2007-08, entitled “Budgeting for Growth, Jobs and Opportunity”.
Chairperson, the facilitation and creation of opportunities for the advancement of the poor and improving access to such opportunities is of great importance in assisting the poor in this country. The DA is concerned about the fact that most young South Africans do not get a fair chance at success, particularly new entrants to the job market, fresh from high school. Those who cannot afford to enter tertiary education are forced make do with fewer marketable skills, making the quest even more difficult.
Also, most employers look for some form of work experience, but because young South Africans cannot break into the labour market in the first place, they have no way of acquiring this experience. In this regard the DA proposes an opportunity voucher system in terms of which annually R4 500 in opportunity vouchers are given to Grade 12 graduates for the first three years after school. Opportunity vouchers are all about choice and will assist school-leavers in entering the job market. These vouchers can be utilised in various ways, to pay towards university fees or any recognised form of tertiary education, to subsidise an apprenticeship or learnership, or to subsidise a newly formed small business as a tax offset.
If young learners know they can look forward to better prospects after Matric, we believe more of them will decide to finish their secondary schooling, and fewer will turn to crime. This, we believe, will be a worthwhile intervention in the struggle against poverty and one that Parliament should not hesitate in recommending to the executive.
Now the question is: Will this proposal be considered seriously and implemented in this House, or will it be ignored simply because it is a solution coming from the opposition? I thank you. [Applause.]
Mrs I MARS: Chairperson, I think we have to look at the role of Parliament generally, and acknowledge that parliaments all over the world are charged with two overriding functions, namely the passing of legislation and maintaining oversight of the government of the day’s actions or lack thereof.
This is no different in the constitutional democracy that is South Africa. Therefore Parliament represents the public and not the government of the day. It is not the servant of the executive, nor is it the useful idiot of technocrats in the Public Service. It is supposed to be the watchdog, which has demonstrable bite to hold the government to account, and to make the executive and its servants understand that if they do not perform to the required standard there will be consequences.
We as parliamentarians must therefore affirm the rightful place of Parliament in our constitutional democratic dispensation. We can do this in at least two ways that will strengthen the struggle against poverty.
Firstly, we have to keep poverty and its consequences as a top priority of our national agenda. This has been done by the President in the state of the nation speech earlier this year. Therefore, whenever we consider legislation, we must ask ourselves as parliamentarians: How will it improve the lives of our most vulnerable people? We must hammer this home to both the executive and the Public Service. If Parliament is not satisfied that its objectives are achieved in a meaningful manner, we must reject it.
If we are satisfied that a piece of legislation has the correct policy and philosophical approach to poverty, we must insist that it is both practical and implementable, and that it will not gather dust on some government shelves.
Secondly, we must put more bite into our oversight functions, and we must take oversight to the poorest communities, so that we can see their plight firsthand, consult with them and respond to their real needs. It is no good to think that we are conducting actual and effective oversight by sitting in a meeting and listening to briefing after briefing from government officials, insisting that all is well. No, we have to see for ourselves what the situation is on the ground, where it matters.
We need moral and political courage to take Ministers and their departments to task, and expose them when they have failed to deliver on government’s promise to the nation and the poor. A mere slap on the wrist or a polite request to do better next time is simply not enough. It is time for this Parliament to use its voice to redefine its role as a protector and champion of the most vulnerable of the poor. To our detractors, who see this Parliament as the lapdog of the executive, we have to prove that they are wrong, and that Parliament is able to carry out its responsibilities to the people. For that we redefine our role, and we need more and better resources so that we can compete in scope and technical ability with the resources of government. We have the teeth: Let us use them effectively. [Applause.]
Mr G T MADIKIZA: Chairperson and hon members, we often debate the challenge of poverty in this House. Last year, in one of those debates, I said:
The prevalence of poverty in our society continues to cast a shadow across the achievements under democracy.
It is not poverty alone that threatens societies, but rather the extreme inequalities and disparities between the poorest of the poor and the super rich. It is societies such as South Africa, where these extremes live within viewing distance of each other, that breed mutual resentment and contempt.
Sadly, the growth of a new middle class and elite, even though it has given some black individuals wealth, has only exacerbated the vast gulf between the haves and the have-nots. Parliament addresses this in its quest to hold the executive to account and together with the government to ensure that the policies and laws that we pursue lead to equality and prosperity for all.
In the processes of this Parliament we provide a forum for policy debate that excludes nobody, where the colour of your skin or the size of your wallet does not diminish your right as a citizen to participate. I am certain that there is no party in this House that does not view poverty as one of the top challenges facing this country.
Thus, you can safely assume that we will jointly intensify the struggle against poverty although we may disagree on the ways in which we can reach our common objectives. The single biggest threat to the struggle against poverty is the way in which power and money seek to monopolise influence and access to governance and policy development. In this regard we must take note of and utterly condemn the ridiculous notion of the ruling party selling time with the senior members of the government to wealthy companies and individuals. This is a classic example of the wealthy buying while the poor remain excluded heavily. [Time expired.]
Me F BATYI: Voorsitter, nie te lank gelede nie is ’n opname gedoen waarin lede van die publiek gevra is of hulle weet wat presies die doel en funksie van die Parlement is. Baie het geantwoord dat hulle nie seker is nie en een persoon het selfs so ver gegaan deur te sê dat die Parlement net ’n “talk shop” is.
Dit is ’n persepsie wat ons spoedig sal moet verander. Een manier om dit te doen, is om seker te maak dat wetsontwerpe wat hier gedebatteer word so ver moontlik die belange van die minderbevoorregtes in ons land in ag neem. Ons moet waak teen wette wat op nuwe liberalistiese beginsels gegrond is en wat deurgevoer word om ’n klein elite minderheid te bevoordeel.
Ons samelewing is té ongelyk vir hierdie tipe wette en die Parlement, as die oorsigliggaam van die regering, moet seker maak dat die vrymaak nie die sosio-ekonomiese beginsels van die staat oorskry nie.
Verder is die Parlement al telkemale gekritiseer omdat die publiek voel dat hulle nie behoorlik hul menings oor sekere kwessies en wetsontwerpe kan lug nie. Hierdie kwessies het gewoonlik direk betrekking op gemarginaliseerde groepe wat voel dat die LP wat verantwoordelik is vir hul kiesafdeling niks doen om hul lewenstandaard te verbeter nie. Soms weet hulle nie eers wie hierdie persoon is nie.
Die OD doen dus ’n beroep op alle LP’s om gehoor te gee aan alle kiesers in hul kiesafdelings ten einde werklik die debatte in die Parlement te verdiep en demokrasie vir almal te laat werk, anders gaan hierdie Huis werklik in ’n “talk shop” ontaard. Ek dank u. (Translation of Afrikaans speech follows.)
[Ms F BATYI: Chairperson, a survey was conducted not too long ago in which members of the public were asked whether they knew exactly what the aim and function of Parliament was. Many answered that they were unsure and one individual even went so far as to say that Parliament was just a “talk shop”.
This is a perception that we shall have to change soon. One way of doing it is to ensure that Bills debated here should as far as possible take the interests of the underprivileged in our country into account. We must guard against laws which are based on new liberalistic principles and that are proceeded with in order to benefit an elite minority.
Our society is too unequal for these kinds of laws and Parliament, as the oversight body of government, must ensure that liberation does not exceed the socioeconomic principles of the state.
Furthermore, Parliament has been criticised time and time again because the public feel that they cannot air their views properly on certain issues and Bills. Usually these issues directly concern marginalised groups who feel that the MP responsible for their constituency is not doing anything to improve their standard of living. Sometimes they don’t even know who this person is. The ID calls on all MPs to listen to all voters in their constituencies in order to really deepen the debates in Parliament and to let democracy work for all, otherwise this House will really deteriorate into a “talk shop”. I thank you.]
Mrs C DUDLEY: Chairperson, the South African experience with regard to poverty and wealth is not entirely unique as basic realities can be observed in global trends. There are two major challenges, how to share the cake more fairly and how to expand it more vigorously so that more people might benefit, especially the poor and the marginalised.
An internationally respected Christian leader, Michael Cassidy, recognised for his enormous contribution to reconciliation and aid development in Africa, in his new book, What on Earth are you thinking For Heaven’s sake, observes that people are often poor because events of history have brought them to that point. South African poor, he says, especially victims of apartheid, are accordingly on a journey of social, cultural and economic repair that could take generations. He recalls an article by Professor James Moulder which called for a paradigm shift which can be summed up as follows:
Anyone who wants to increase wealth must tell us how to distribute it more fairly. Well, anyone who wants to distribute wealth more fairly must tell us how to generate it more efficiently and effectively.
The ACDP believes that we need to create a form of mixed economy geared specifically to the needs of our nation at this time. Parliament’s role is to facilitate an environment in which opportunities for everyone and anyone to be productive are created and at the same time to provide a safety net for the unemployed and those in crisis situations. We must do everything necessary to ensure that every family has a home and every child has a family, love, discipline and a good education.
We will need competent social workers and teachers working hand in glove with police and providers of other basic services to do this. Well- structured, capacitated and adequately funded social welfare services are essential. Issues of poverty are massive and complex at both a personal level and at a macro one. A two-minute input in a debate cannot begin to address such issues.
The ACDP acknowledges that breakthrough in the struggle against poverty will require every one of us to challenge our mind-sets. Justice must be the goal of all policies and initiatives aimed at poverty alleviation. True justice will sacrifice neither productivity nor fair distribution of wealth. I thank you.
Ms D G NHLENGETHWA: Ngiyabonga Sihlalo. Ngiyajabula namhlanje siyavumelana kulesi sihloko esikhuluma ngaso namuhla. Kusho ukuthi kule Ndlu yesiShayamthetho namhlanje kwehle umoya ongcwele. [Thank you, Chairperson, I am happy today because we are all on the same page regarding the subject we are discussing at the moment. This implies that there is a holy spirit that descended upon this House today.]
Chairperson, on 22 December 1992, the United Nations General Assembly declared 17 October as the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty, to be observed from the beginning of 1993. The purpose of this day was to promote and increase awareness of the need to eradicate poverty and destitution in all countries.
It also serves to remind us that concerted efforts are vital to achieve the Millennium Development Goal of halving the number of people living in poverty by 2015. During this day, governments from all over the world, together with nongovernmental organisations, organised activities to commemorate the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty, paying particular attention to the plight of victims of extreme poverty.
The International Day for the Eradication of Poverty follows World Food Day, which is on 16 October, which was proclaimed in 1979 by the Conference of the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation. The aim of World Food Day is to heighten public awareness of the world food problem, and to strengthen solidarity in the struggle against hunger, malnutrition and poverty. The day marks the date of the founding of the Food and Agriculture Organisation in 1945. That’s why the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty is observed following World Food Day, as this recognises the close links between hunger and poverty.
Page 4, paragraph 51 of the ANC guiding document, the strategy and tactics of which were developed in 1969 in Morogoro says:
A national democratic state should continually implement integrated
antipoverty programmes, ensuring that these programmes address not only
social assistance but also the sustainable integration of all
communities into an economic activity.
Thina balimi siye bese sithi asibuyele emasimini. [We, as farmers, would then say “let us go back to the ploughing fields.”]
The government has introduced an integrated nutrition and food security programme. The aim of this programme is not only to provide the most vulnerable households with the most basic food requirements, but also to strengthen the capacity of poor households and communities to contribute directly to their food security through food gardens.
This includes intensification of the registration of social grants and also acceleration of the school nutrition programme, and the provision of agricultural starter packs so that households can provide food for themselves.
In the South African Yearbook 2005-06, it is reported that agricultural starter packs to the value of R31 million were delivered to 18 575 households in all provinces as a measure of encouraging the development of sustainable food gardens.
I’ve been listening to Radio Ligwalagwala. They are calling upon all schools in Mpumalanga to send two teachers from each school to attend a workshop on food gardens. These workshops have been organised by the Department of Education. This means that through the co-operation between the Departments of Social Development, Agriculture, Health, Education, Government Communication and Information Services, the National Development Agency and community-based and faith-based organisations, as well as trade unions and business, more than 200 000 families have already been identified in all nine provinces, and the food parcels campaign has reached more than 12 000 families to date.
Through the Msukaligwa/Ermelo constituency where I am deployed, we have also managed, together with the management committee, the councillors, and the community development workers to identify the poorest of the poor families in each ward. Then we organised 30 food parcels at a cost of R300 each. Then the local supermarket, Grants, added 5kg of mielie meal to each parcel as a donation. We distributed those parcels as Christmas presents to all the families that we had identified.
In recognition of the critical role agriculture plays in poverty reduction
- as we know, agriculture is a driving force, the vehicle for eradicating poverty - the New Partnership for Africa’s Development launched the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme. The intention of this programme is to revive agriculture in Africa with a view to addressing problems of food insecurity and eliminating poverty amongst millions of Africans across the continent.
The CAADP sets the goal of improving agricultural productivity at an average growth rate of 6% each year. To make this possible, the heads of states of governments of the African Union made a commitment at the AU summit in Maputo in July 2003 to increase government allocations to the agricultural sector to at least 10% of an annual national budget within five years.
Also, the Expanded Public Works Programme is regarded as an important bridge between the first and the second economy. The integration of the second economy with the first economy is of paramount importance in ensuring that emerging contractors contribute to true Broad-based Economic Empowerment programmes. Moreover, skills training opportunities will be offered to disadvantaged emerging contractors. Currently, R372 billion has been provided for this set of programmes over the next three years.
It is envisaged that there will be an acceleration of shared growth initiatives as South Africa will play a vital role in assuring job creation through the Expanded Public Works Programme. Also, the 24th Conference of Speakers of African National Assemblies in Africa, which took place in Abuja, Nigeria in 2001, called on parliaments to take part in preparation, monitoring and evaluation of poverty alleviation actions and programmes which will strengthen transparency, accountability and guarantee an equitable distribution of resources.
That is why we, as Members of Parliament, must do as public representatives are supposed to do. Given the fact that poverty reduction choices must be translated into government programmes, we must monitor very closely the implementation of those programmes so that it can reduce poverty. We must also make sure that budget allocations are in line with the priorities identified by the people who again, in local government elections, stand in long queues, renewing the mandate. That’s why we are here today.
As Members of Parliament, through our different committees, we have a well- established tradition of scrutinising department budgets in line with the strategic plans. In terms of the Public Finance Management Act, Act 1 of 1999, government departments must submit annual reports of financial statements on an annual basis. This will ensure that budgets are adequately spent. We also, in our committee programme, undertake provincial visits to play an oversight role and to monitor that service development reaches the intended beneficiaries that arm us to fight poverty, side-by-side.
In conclusion, we also play a vital role in providing platforms for debate on issues of poverty and in ensuring that the voice of civil society is heard at such platforms. I would add that allocations for committee budgets must not be blanket budgets. We all have our different oversight roles to play. We ask that each and every committee be allocated a budget which goes according to the programme so that they do not need to throw a blanket allocation for everyone.
Ngesintu sakithi ke ningasijikijeli ngengubo yomgaqambongolo silale ngayo sonke. Okunye ngicela ukuthi ngengoba sithi silwa nobuphofu, amaconstituency offices ethu sicela ukuthi abe equipped because yilapho la sibona khona konke lokhu kuhlupheka okukhona. Singafika la nama school of thoughts, sithi ama school of thoughts sithi i-poverty line is like this, its like this but thina esihlala nabo laba bantu nala senza khona ama oversight visits, siyakubona lokhu kuhlupheka kukhona. Ngiyacela-ke kulolu hlangothi olungapha kwami ukuthi njengalokhu bekhulume ngokuvumelana nenkulumo ngesihloko sendlala … (Translation of isiZulu paragraph follows.) [In our culture, we say don’t treat us in the same way. The other thing that I would like to request is that, as we say that we are fighting poverty, our constituency offices must be well equipped because that is where we see this poverty. We can come with a school of thought and say the school of thought is saying the poverty line is like this, but we, who stay with these people and where we do oversights visits, we see that poverty is there. I would also like to request the opposition, as they debated positively on this topic regarding poverty …]
I am urging that on each and every oversight visit they mustn’t … [Time expired.] [Applause.]
Mr W D SPIES: Hon Chairperson, according to the speakers’ list, the languages of my speech will be Afrikaans and “Eglish”. Unfortunately I don’t know “Eglish”, so I will stick to the Afrikaans part.
Vandag gaan ek u vertel van ’n klein seuntjie, Damian Botes. Hy is 5 jaar oud, arm, onseker oor sy toekoms en wit – en onseker oor waar sy ma ’n blyplek gaan kry, nadat hulle drie maande gelede kennis gekry het om hulle blyplek in ’n karavaanpark in Johannesburg te verlaat.
Hierdie seuntjie is gebore drie jaar nadat President Mbeki reeds die President van Suid-Afrika was. Hy het nie welvaart geken nie. Hy het nie apartheid geken nie, trouens, in die betrokke karavaanpark waar hy gewoon het, het hy saam met hawelose Suid-Afrikaners van alle rasse gewoon. Sy huishouding is een van die meer as 400 000 wit huishoudings wat die afgelope 13 jaar in hopelose armoede verval het.
Waarom diskrimineer u steeds teen kinders soos Damian Botes? Waarom moet hy agter in die tou inval, wanneer hy eendag gaan werk soek? Omdat u wette en beleidsdokumente hom gevonnis het tot die status van nie-aangewese, voorheen bevoordeelde of ’n “colonialist of a special kind”. Solank u in terme van ras gaan dink wanneer u oor armoede praat, gaan daar meer en meer kinders soos Damian Botes na vore kom. Die Damian Botesse van Suid-Afrika sal eendag lewende getuies wees dat u bloot een vorm van rassisme met ’n nuwe een vervang het. Baie dankie. (Translation of Afrikaans paragraphs follows.)
[Today I’m going to tell you about a small boy, Damian Botes. He is 5 years old, poor, uncertain about his future and white – and uncertain about where his mother will find a place to stay since they received a notice three months ago to evacuate their dwelling in a caravan park in Johannesburg.
This boy was born three years after President Mbeki became President of South Africa. He did not know prosperity. He did not know apartheid; in fact, he stayed with homeless South Africans of all races in the caravan park concerned. His household is one of more than 400 000 white households that have fallen into hopeless poverty in the past 13 years.
Why do you still discriminate against children such as Damian Botes? Why must he stand at the back of the queue when he looks for a job one day? Because your laws and policy documents have condemned him to the status of nondesignated, previously advantaged or a colonialist of a special kind. More and more children like Damian Botes will come to the fore as long as you think in terms of race when you speak about poverty. One day the Damian Boteses of South Africa will be living testimony that you have merely replaced one form of racism with a new one. Thank you very much.]
Ms M M MDLALOSE: Chairperson and colleagues, the President’s state of the nation address suggested that there was a need to define the poverty matrix for South Africa. The speech briefly outlined that a data base was required to determine how many households were living in poverty and to identify the measures that would be taken for intervention. Furthermore, the President’s discourse highlighted that poverty alleviation programmes have to be properly implemented and evaluated.
We in Nadeco believe in implementing poverty alleviation strategies to immediate raise the standard of living of people that live below poverty lines. We also vigorously support the notion of poverty eradication to secure the lasting impact of stability for the future generations still to be born in our beloved country. We link poverty alleviation to the notion of self-sustaining families that have liberated themselves from the shackles of dependency.
Parliament can use local government to get to the root of intensifying the struggle against poverty by prescribing activities and roles that will ensure an impact on poverty. Nadeco believes that it is imperative to use ward competitions to impact on poverty. There are a number of socioeconomic factors, which if used would result in a decline in poverty.
Siyakholelwa ekutheni makube khona imincintiswano yezindawo ezihlanzekile ezigcemeni kanye nomncintiswano wokutshala, owokuphila kangcono nowokwakha imisebenzi yezandla. [We believe that there must be competitions for clean areas in township wards, agricultural competitions for living a healthy life and for craftwork.]
In the long run this could result in a culture of nondependency amongst our people. Nadeco believes that it is critical to implement the values for achieving excellence from a young age.
Abancane mabanikwe ithuba lokulolongeka, basebenze kangcono ukuze bajwayele futhi bafunde ukunganciki ngabanye. [The youth must be given training opportunities, and work better, so that they can get used to working and learn to be independent.] There is a need for public mobilisation of people … [Time expired.] [Applause.]
Mr B E PULE: Madam Chairperson, it is an irrefutable fact that poverty is the number one enemy in our country and if the struggle against it is not intensified, the country will go down the precipice. Parliament must take a leading role in intensifying the struggle, but it should be noted that it alone without the private sectors, civil societies and nongovernmental organisations cannot succeed. There has to be a whole range of concerted efforts with Parliament as a facilitator.
Parliament has to ensure that the use of available resources is maximised. While the question of land restitution is intensified, its use must be equally intensified to produce enough food for the people of our country. We also agree that with improvement of the economy, job opportunities will be created, hence the alleviation of poverty.
Parliament must support, and of course monitor, the small, medium and micro enterprises. These are self-help projects calculated to minimise the dependency syndrome. Our people must really be encouraged to do something for themselves to earn a living, that is to explore all avenues to gain entrepreneurial skills.
The Basic Income Grant that is talked about within certain circles could be looked at, after endeavouring at all cost, to explore the use of available resources, be they human or material, because the number of beneficiaries in any case in the form of poor people also intensifies.
South Africa is predominantly rural and as agriculture forms the backbone of the economy of the country, Parliament must intensify the use of land to its fullest potential by giving resettled people a start of some kind otherwise they become a burden on government. Thank you. [Applause.]
Mr M T LIKOTSI: Chairperson, the advent of the expansion of the markets founded by the rising commercial capital of Western Europe during the fifteenth century and the discovery of new lands, are the root courses of our misery and poverty in Africa, and Azania included. The land was robbed and Africans were subjugated politically. The loss of sovereignty by the indigenous people and the alienation of more and more portions of their land worsened the plight of Africans up to this day and age.
Africans have become foreigners in their country of birth. They live in squatter camps and are experiencing the worst hunger, homelessness, unemployment, landlessness and diseases of this century. The 1913 Land Act passed by the then capitalist apartheid minority settler regime was a last nail in the coffin of Africa that landed us in this dire extreme poverty we see and smell today.
Crime and violence that boomerangs on our citizens today, who are seen to be crying foul, were shamelessly introduced by European colonisers in Africa. This People’s Parliament’s primary mandate in fighting the scourge of poverty is to pass legislation that will reverse the injustices of the past. The legislations must directly zoom in on the equitable distribution of the land and wealth and not let our former oppressors off the hook with cosy legislations of willing-seller as appears in the Land Restitution Act today.
Poverty must be regarded as a national disaster and be fought without any form of compromise.
Ka sehaeso re re, “Tsa habo moshanyana ha di hatjwe.” Ke nnete polelong e reng, “Mopheme o hlatsisitsweng tsa ona ka sehloho e ka kgona o phele.” [In my language we say, “One defends one’s property by any means necessary”. It is also true in the saying, “If something has been taken away from you, you have to find other means to reclaim it.”]
In conclusion, let me quote Comrade Robert Mangaliso Sobukwe on measures to combat poverty. Thank you. [Time expired.]
Mr R B BHOOLA: Chairperson, the MF acknowledges that since 2001 South African households living below the poverty line were reduced from 4, 1 million to 3, 6 million in 2004. While this is encouraging to note, the MF, however, has a need to change these statistics positively at a faster rate.
Parliament’s efforts to engage in effective poverty alleviation require from us to look at the infrastructure loopholes that hinder delivery and that may be creating an anticipation amongst the people of government on promises made that may be undeliverable within their set frameworks.
If we have to deliver our people from the shackles of poverty, then Parliament has to call in an audit of all departments and organs and assist with the shortfalls. This will enable us to abandon lunatic emergency tactics to address issues in the short-term. The bandage does not, however, always fit the wound. We need to realise that constant reassessment and effective enhancement shall deliver. The wound that poverty has left on the nation has no easy solution, but certainly can and will be eradicated.
Parliament oversees and passes legislations that mowed our way to the transformation of our nation. But we need to enhance this by endorsing more vigorous methods of monitoring the progress for the effective utilisation and implementation of policies and legislation. We may add this poverty, unemployment and skill shortages by issuing a Gazette that will list various skills shortages and contracting companies that would sincerely source these skills.
The MF once again calls for the review of and a debate on the affirmative action policy. We need to utilise this forum to put in motion the concerns that we have brought to this House 13 years ago and that we are still struggling to achieve. If we are to effectively represent our nation and materialise delivery, then our words have to be cemented into action. Thank you.
Mr F BEUKMAN: Madam Chairperson, hon members, on Friday, 9 February, during his state of the nation address, President Mbeki said the following, and I quote:
… we must among other things: Define clearly the poverty matrix of our country; develop a proper database of households living in poverty; identify and implement specific interventions relevant to these households and monitor progress in these households as the programmes take effect in graduating them out of poverty …
We must take note of this approach.
Agb Voorsitter, die laaste punt wat deur die President in sy toespraak geopper is, is dié van monitering, en spesifiek die mandaat van die Nasionale Vergadering. [Hon Chairperson, the last point that was raised by the President in his speech is about monitoring , and specifically the mandate of the National Assembly.]
Our present Constitution makes the role of Parliament very clear. Section 42(1)(3) states that its role is that of “providing a national forum for public consideration of issues, by passing legislation and by scrutinizing and overseeing executive action.” The Chapter 4 provisions of the South African Constitution therefore do not prescribe to the historic and static meaning of a parliament, but support the notion of a parliament of oversight and accountability. Monitoring, evaluating and contesting become the key words.
Poverty can be defined in various ways: I just want to refer to two popular ones. The first definition describes poverty as a state where people are poor, have no savings, own very little and often have low living standards. The second definition states that to be impoverished is to lack or be denied adequate resources to participate meaningfully in society.
The 8 January Statement of the ANC’s National Executive Committee includes the following, and I quote:
... no people can be truly free until they have cast aside the shackles
of poverty and underdevelopment.
It is for this reason that the eradication of poverty has been at the centre of our policies and programmes since the first democratic elections. Drawing on the experience of the first ten years of freedom, and building on the firm foundation laid by our people, in 2004 we identified the goal of halving poverty in South Africa by 2014.
In 2007, we must do everything possible to make certain that we achieve further advances towards the achievement of that goal.
Parliament should play the primary role in ensuring that the monitoring of poverty alleviation is done effectively. In practice, it means the following: firstly, ensuring that poverty diagnosis and analysis encompass participation throughout the country, particularly from the poor; secondly, oversight of the Public Service and the executive to see that poverty reduction policy-making does lead to improved service delivery in the areas relevant to poverty reduction; thirdly, on budget review and analysis, to counter misallocation and misappropriation of funds to ensure best possible use of resources, to ensure poverty-related priorities in budgets, and to maintain financial transparency and macroeconomic stability; and lastly, serious monitoring of outcomes and evaluation of impacts, and insisting on explanations when goals are not met.
The well-known South African economist, Dr Iraj Abedian, highlighted in a paper the following as the golden rules of parliamentary oversight: promotion of fiscal discipline, improving efficiency, and enhancing operational efficiency. This approach is embodied in the 8 January Statement of the ANC’s National Executive Committee, and I quote:
... the steps we have taken to redirect state expenditure towards
meeting the needs of the poor, and to free up resources previously used
to service our inherited public debt for spending on service provision
and infrastructure.
... the number of households living below the poverty line dropped from
4,1 million to 3,6 million [between 2001 to 2004]. These and other gains
in addressing poverty can be attributed to improving economic conditions
and a wide range of government interventions specifically aimed at the
various forms in which poverty is manifested.
The wide range of government interventions is an indication of appropriate analysis and corrective measures implemented. In his paper Abedian lists six requirements of parliamentary oversight, and maybe these are issues we must debate during the coming year. They are: one, appropriate infrastructure; two, the promotion of a positive accountability framework; three, political leadership is the key catalyst; four, technical capacity is vital; five, credible audit infrastructure; and six, effective complementary social capabilities are needed. Een van die belangrikste denkskole ten opsigte van armoedeverligting plaas die klem op wyer gemeenskapsdeelname. [One of the most important schools of thought in poverty alleviation emphasises broader community participation.]
The poor themselves need to help shape their own solution. Parliamentary oversight of this public participation is especially important, because the emphasis on public input is such a strong theme.
Secondly, in the case of an emerging government, Parliament has a special duty to further extensive representation of the people. Thirdly, because participation by the poor, especially the very poor, is essential to incorporate their first-hand insights of those who experience the reality of poverty, the 2001 World Bank parliamentary paper highlights the following, and I quote:
Participation of the poor should be a preoccupation of Parliament, given the good governance emphasis on furthering representation of all constituents and citizens.
Die Suid-Afrikaanse Parlement se uitreikprogram en vestiging van provinsiale inligtingkantore is ’n uitstekende voorbeeld in dié verband. Die interaksie tussen portefeuljekomitees en diegene wat as “arm” volgens die tersaaklike definisie geklassifeer word, is krities noodsaaklik. Die projek van die People’s Parliament sluit by hierdie benadering aan. Tydens 2006 se besoek aan Oudtshoorn en die omliggende gemeenskappe, waar die dilemma en uitdagings van arm en landelike groepe deur die parlementslede ervaar is, is die noodsaaklikheid om die debat in die Raad relevant en tersaaklik te hou na vore gebring.
Dit is dan jammer – en ons het vanmiddag ook ’n voorbeeld van die VF Plus hier gehad – dat sommige partye en lede aan dié kant van die Raad nie hul weg oopsien om deel te neem aan die People’s Parliament nie, om eerstehands te verneem wat aan die gang is. Om aan hierdie nasionale diskoers oor armoede deel te neem, moet lede van die Parlement gereeld en direk die uitdagings van ons kollektiewe situasie hanteer.
Die leier van die agb Spies het in die debat aan die President gesê: “We do not know each other and we do not debate with each other.” Dit is baie duidelik uit u inset hier vandag dat u nie die werklikhede van die oorgrote meerderheid van die mense in Suid-Afrika ken nie. (Translation of Afrikaans paragraphs follows.)
[The South African Parliament’s outreach programme and establishment of provincial information offices is an excellent example in this regard. The interaction between the portfolio committees and those who are classified as “poor”, according to the relevant definitions, is critically important. The People’s Parliament project complements this approach. During the 2006 visit to Oudtshoorn and the surrounding communities, when the dilemma and challenges of poor and rural groups were experienced by members of Parliament, the necessity to keep the debate in the Council relevant was highlighted.
It is a pity then that – and we also had an example of the FF Plus here this afternoon – some parties and members on this side of the Council cannot see their way through to participate in the People’ s Parliament, to gain first-hand insight into what is happening. In order to participate in this national discourse on poverty, members of Parliament must regularly and directly deal with the challenges of our collective situation.
The leader of the hon Spies said to the President in the debate: “We do not know each other and we do not debate with each other.” It is very clear from your input here today that you do not know the reality of the great majority of people in South Africa.]
How can MPs build better links with the poor in their constituency areas? How can they contribute to solving the many problems the poor seem to identify in their dealings with local governments? How can MPs ensure that the poor themselves have ongoing input into poverty reduction strategies? Participation can and does have a crucial impact in both poverty diagnosis and poverty policy priority determination.
The approach in the 8 January Statement of the ANC NEC also focuses on participation by communities in eradicating poverty, for example, by monitoring the availability of information on the Public Works Programme and the accessibility of grants, and monitoring by ward committees and communities of the roll-out of the free basic electricity programme.
Regarding the practical implications for Parliament, the Laurentian Seminar on Poverty identified constituency work as an important tool to contribute to the eradication of poverty. Parliamentarians should be agents of change, striving to change attitudes, providing information and mobilising groups. The document indicates that MPs often lack the basic tools needed to serve their constituents effectively, such as properly staffed offices and communications equipment – one of my colleagues already referred to that. Parliament should pursue an active strategy of improving service to constituents.
The Laurentian Seminar on Poverty suggests the following, and I just want to mention a few – some of these issues have already been dealt with by our Parliament, but I think others can also be addressed in the next year or two.
The parliamentary budget should provide funds to cover constituency offices’ staff, expenses associated with travel to the constituency and meeting with constituents. MPs should use community organisations for focus group discussions, as a source of information and advice on development issues. Parliamentarians could carefully check the track record of organisations representing the poor.
MPs should consult with their constituents when they discuss important votes in Parliaments. To facilitate this, they should post their schedules in public places in their constituencies and hold community forums in various parts of their constituencies.
MPs should be given training in serving constituents, including on methodologies of public consultation and citizen engagement. MPs should work closely with other levels of government, and especially with local government in their constituencies. In turn, they should help their constituents find their way through the maze of modern government.
Dit is enkele voorbeelde van hoe die Parlement kan bydra om armoede prakties te verlig. Baie dankie. [These are a few examples of how Parliament can contribute to relieve poverty in a practical way. Thank you very much. [Time expired.][Applause.]]
Ms N M MDAKA: Madam Chairperson, our Parliament is the main institutional link between the will of the citizen of this country and state institutions. As parliamentarians, we have a standing obligation to intensify the struggle for the total eradication of poverty in our communities. Let me stress the importance of forging links with civil society organisations and independent policy-advisory institutions on local and national levels so as to strengthen information inputs as far as poverty alleviation programmes are concerned.
The UIF calls on the government to design more pro-poor strategies to deliver technical and craft skills to support formal employment and facilitate self-employment ventures. Poor South Africans must be encouraged to engage themselves in small individual and group equity formations in the form of savings clubs and be able to have access to low interest credit.
Madam Chairperson, it is however important to mention in passing that the South African Parliament has not been able to strengthen the links of accountability with other stakeholders mainly due to constitutional inelegance.
Parliament should establish a special standing committee to co-ordinate its oversight responsibility of monitoring government and pro-poor policy impact, and obligate the executive to provide clearly articulated programmes for the poor. It is important for political constituency offices and office bearers to work closely with regional representatives and private sector leadership to review … [Time expired.]
Mr L M GREEN: Chairperson, Parliament, especially if it refers to itself as a People’s Parliament, must play a crucial role in reducing the impact of poverty on the poorest of the poor.
Godfrey Dunkley writes in his book entitled That All May Live: Guidelines Towards a Better Society on the issue of poverty:
Sir Thomas More, in his concepts of Utopia set out long before the Industrial Revolution, visualised a society in which all men and women would need only to work six hours a day to provide for all the needs of everyone.
Does it not seem strange that, with all the modern scientific and technical developments, even the advanced nations seem unable to solve the human problem of poverty? Why do some countries actually pay farmers not to produce while people starve in others? Some nations have an abundance of good soil, good climate or mineral resources; some have little in the line of natural resources. Yet it is often the countries which are well-endowed where people live in poverty or starve to death, while other nations with little resources are able to support their population at a reasonably good level.
As South Africans, we are fortunate to have a country rich with natural mineral resources. But our most valuable resource is our people. If children in our country starve, how can we, with a clear conscience, enjoy a well-balanced meal each and every day? As MPs, we must wrestle with the real causes of poverty, and we must all contribute to eliminate, or at least reduce poverty.
Poverty cannot be reduced by hand-outs alone; social relief should bring relief to many people for a period of hardship, but it should not become a lifestyle. Young able-bodied men and women should be given sufficient opportunities for employment. They should not view the state as a source for hand-outs.
As MPs, we must strive to promote the conditions to create sufficient opportunities for everyone who wants to work, especially our youth.
There are many indigent people, amongst the aged, children, and the physically disabled, who cannot survive without social grants. Finally, poverty is a form of enslavement. As MPs, we should unite in our fight to end poverty. I thank you.
Mr M M SWATHE: Chairperson, hon members, as my colleagues pointed out this afternoon, a large number of South Africans are chronically unemployed, and it is likely that this situation will continue if we do not respond urgently.
As Members of Parliament, it is our duty and job to ensure that whatever programmes government has in place to address this situation is implemented properly and appropriately. One such programme is the Expanded Public Works Programme. The government currently presents the EPWP as a primary tool for creating jobs, which it is certainly not able to do.
In truth, the EPWP could be much better utilised to open up opportunities to the unskilled chronically employed by focusing on helping them to compete better for real jobs in the open labour market.
Traditionally, labour intensive public works programmes are employed by governments to provide temporary working opportunities to labour during natural cyclical unemployment or temporary unemployment that came about as a result of temporary economic shock.
In South Africa, unemployment is a deep-seated, chronic phenomenon that resulted because of how the structure of our economy evolved. In our view, this does not obviate the EPWP as a meaningful intervention in our society.
We believe that it merely requires a shift in the focus of the programme.
Re le baDA, re šišinya le go thekga lenaneo la go thuša bahlaki, la basic income grant ya R120 ka kgwedi. Re tshepha gore tšhelete yeo e ka thuša ditšhiwana tšeo di hlokago mošomo, gagolo banna le basadi. Banna le basadi ba merafe ka moka bao ba hlokago, ba swanetše go hwetša dintlo tša RDP. Palamente e swanetše go dira bonnete bja gore dikgoba tša mešomo mmušong di tlatšwa ka go thwala bašomi. Go kweša bohloko gakaakang ge batho ba phela ka bodiidi etšwe go le dikgoba tše ntši tša mešomo mafapheng a mmušo.
Re le baDA, re ka thaba ge Palamente e ka lebelela mathata ka moka a ditirelo tša motheo mebasepaleng gomme ya gapelet ša balaodi le borametse go dira mešomo ya bona ka tshwanelo. Setšhaba se lla ka tlhokego ya mešsomo, meetse, dintlo, ditsela le mohlagase, eupša tšhelete e gomela mo Palamenteng ka baka la go se šomišwe. Presidente o boletše gore dimilione tše seswai tša batho di hloka mohlagase le meetse.
Bodiidi bo tloge bo iphile maatla gagolo bathong bao ba dulago dinageng- magae tša go swana Ga-sekhukhune, Ga-Phasha, Luckau, Mmapela, Masodi, Vaaltyn, Tshamahansi le Ga-Matlala ka porofenseng ya Limpopo. Ditšhaba tšeo di sa nwa meetse a dinoka ao di a hlakanelago le diphoofolo. Batho ba hloka kelelatšhila.
Re le baDA, re rata go bontšha Palamente le komiti ya phothofolio yeo e šetšanego le merero ya bommasepala gore e etele dilete tšeo tša mebasepala go thuša go lwantšha bodiidi le go dira gore mananeo a dihlabollo a hlongwe, setšhaba se šome gomme bodiidi bo lwantšhwe.
Khomišene ya Ditokelo tša Botho e be e etetše Ga-Phasha moo e ilego ya hwetša masetlapelo le tšhego. Batho ba bakišana meetse le diphofolo. Taba ye e ile ya befediša khomišene ka ge e lemogile gore botho ga bo hlomphiwe. Khomišene e ile ya fetša ka gore se e tloge e le kgatako ya ditokelo tša botho. Taba yeo e ile ya gašwa go SABC2 ka la lesomepedi Fepereware. Ke a leboga. (Translation of Sepedi paragraphs follows.)
[We, as the DA, support the programme of poverty alleviation, and that of a monthly R120 basic income grant. We believe that the grant will help the poor unemployed people, especially men and women. All women and men of different races who are unemployed are entitled to RDP houses. Parliament must ensure that the vacant posts in various government departments are filled. It is extremely painful when people are struggling whereas there are a lot of vacant posts in the government departments.
We, as the DA, would appreciate it if Parliament would look into all the challenges pertaining to basic services at the municipal level and insist that the councillors and other leaders in local government do their jobs properly. People are complaining about unemployment, shortage of water, houses, roads and electricity whereas unused allocated funds are returned to Parliament. The President said himself that there are eight million people without water and electricity.
There is a lot of poverty in the rural areas in the Limpopo province such as ga-Sekhukhune, ga-Phasha, Luckau, Mmapela, Masodi, Vaaltyn, Tshamahansi and ga-Matlala. Those people are still sharing water from the rivers with the animals. People desperately need sewerage systems.
We, as the DA, would like to propose that Parliament and the Portfolio Committee on Local Government go on a site visit to the municipal regions so as to help alleviate poverty there and to establish developmental programmes that will create jobs for the people in the areas.
The Human Rights Commission visited ga-Phasha and encountered poverty and distress. People there are sharing water with animals. This upset the Commission as they realised that there is no respect for humanity. The Commission concluded that was an infringement on human rights. This was further broadcasted on SABC 2 on the 12 February. Thank you. [Time expired.]]
Ms C C SEPTEMBER: Chairperson, let me start off by thanking all the members who have participated in this debate. Indeed, the debate here this afternoon has yet again demonstrated why we need to deepen the debate, as Parliament has stated this year that we need to deepen the debate in South Africa around a range of different topics.
One of the topics is around the issue of poverty alleviation and the debate this afternoon has yet again reminded one that unless we inquire and unless we seek consensus in this House around major issues, we are unable to provide hope to our people out there. It is important that this Parliament is seen as a Parliament that leads, a Parliament that provides hope, a Parliament that is able to say to the people in South Africa: This is what we can do. Can you come with us as South Africans?
It is important for this Parliament to give leadership around the fact that it is important to rather establish a broad front out there in South Africa; a broad front that could be developed around poverty alleviation. It is not going to help that if we want to find some quick-fix solution and think that the deep-seated problem for over 300 years will go away by some of the quick-fix solutions that have been offered by some here this afternoon.
The key question that we must answer today is: Did this debate provide the citizens of South Africa with the guidance and leadership and hope that indeed Parliament is living up to what the Constitution requires us to do? It is our constitutional obligation to ensure that what is being said in the Bill of Rights are being done in this country.
The hon member from the DA asked: Is this debate being taken seriously? Well, of course, any debate will be taken seriously on the basis of what you say. This depends on the contents of what you offer as solutions to the country. I think this was probably summed up by the hon member from the MF who said that it is not going to help to have band-aid solutions to some issues.
So, I think we must understand the debate as a continuation of saying that we should not be vultures in the country and so on. Don’t you think that that will take us back to where we have come from by providing a solution yet again that is a band-aid instead of really completely making sure that we do away with the real problem that we do have in this country?
With regard to the hon member who spoke about the EPWP principles, I think it will be good to go to those programmes and see what happens. Let me cite an example. We see many fires around the country. Who are attending to them? They are being attended to by people that are called Working for Fire. To which programme do they belong? It is part of the EPWP programme. How many young people are involved in these programmes? So, I think it would be important to understand what is happening in the EPWP programmes instead of just writing them off.
Indeed, there are areas where the member says people are sharing drinking water with animals. Of course, those committees have been visited and we have seen them in places like KwaZulu-Natal where human beings are sharing drinking water with animals. And of course interventions have been brought about. But I think the important thing that this Parliament must realise about this debate is: Are we able to give leadership? Are we able to develop a broad front out there in our constituencies? Are we able to live up to our obligation that is enshrined in the Constitution? Can we live up to finding consensus on very important issues such as these? Thank you very much. [Applause.]
Debate concluded.
The House adjourned at 16:37. ____
ANNOUNCEMENTS, TABLINGS AND COMMITTEE REPORTS
MONDAY, 19 FEBRUARY 2007
TABLINGS
National Assembly and National Council of Provinces
-
The Minister of Sport and Recreation
Report and Financial Statements of Boxing South Africa for 2005-2006, including the Report of the Auditor-General on the Financial Statements for 2005-2006.
COMMITTEE REPORTS
National Assembly and National Council of Provinces
CREDA INSERT REPORT - Insert T070219E-insert – PAGES - 130-149
National Assembly
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First Report of the Ad Hoc Committee on Review of Chapter 9 and Associated Institutions to the Speaker of the National Assembly, dated 28 November 2006:
- Background
On 21 September 2006, the National Assembly adopted a motion establishing an ad hoc committee to review State institutions supporting constitutional democracy (the so-called “Chapter 9” institutions) and the Public Service Commission. Members assigned to the Committee by the respective political parties are listed in Table 1. The main purpose of the Committee is to review the effectiveness, efficiency and appropriateness of the institutions with a particular focus on recommendations for further development and improvement. The Committee must report its findings and recommendations to the National Assembly no later than 30 June 2007.
The Committee will examine operational and functional systems and processes of the various institutions highlighting areas for improvement. This will include reviewing amongst others, the mandates, mechanisms for public involvement, reporting, coordination, management, governance structures, interactions with the Executive and with Parliament, and financial and operational efficiency. Table 1: Members of the ad hoc Committee on Review of Chapter 9 and Associated Institutions
| Political Party | Member of Parliament |
| African National Congress | Prof A K Asmal (Chairperson) |
| Mr S L Dithebe | |
| Ms C Johnson | |
| Adv M Masutha | |
| Mrs M J J Matsomela | |
| Democratic Alliance | Dr J T Delport |
| Ms M Smuts | |
| Inkatha Freedom Party | Mr J H van der Merwe |
| Minority Front | Mrs S Rajbally |
| United Party of South Africa | Mr S Simmons |
2. Progress
- Meetings
The Committee held its first meeting on 10 October 2006 followed by a media conference. The Committee discussed its Terms of Reference and agreed that in addition to the Chapter 9 Institutions and the Public Service Commission, the following institutions should be included in the review:
• The Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (Chapter 9,
Section 192)
• The Financial and Fiscal Commission
• The Youth Commission
• The Pan South African Language Board
On 20 October 2006, the Committee held a joint meeting with all institutions included in the review. Their Chairpersons and/or Chief Executive Officers or other designated officials or Commissioners represented the institutions. This meeting offered the institutions an opportunity for engagement with the Committee on the content of the Terms of Reference of the Committee. The Chairperson also indicated the intended method of work and work programme of the Committee.
This meeting was followed up with the distribution of a questionnaire to all institutions under review, adopted by the Committee at its meeting on 25 October 2006 (Annexure A). The Institutions are required to respond to the questionnaire no later than 10 January 2007. During this meeting, the Committee heard presentations from research institutes and non-governmental organisations conducting or planning to conduct research on Chapter 9 institutions. These included the Human Sciences Research Council, University of Cape Town and Idasa.
The Committee discussed the constitutional and legal implications of its Terms of Reference (a paper prepared for the Committee by Prof. Pierre de Vos, professor of Law at the University of the Western Cape) in a closed meeting on 8 November 2006. This discussion was intended to serve as a capacity-building exercise for Members and staff of the Committee.
2.2 Communication
A detailed media and communications strategy was developed. The Committee issued three media statements and the Chairperson held two media briefings. Letters were sent to all institutions under review prior to meeting with them on 20 October 2006.
Newspaper advertisements were placed in national and provincial newspapers introducing the Committee and its work and calling for public input into the review process.
Letters were sent to the relevant Ministers informing them of the Committee and its work and requesting any input from the Ministries and their respective Departments.
Letters were drafted to the relevant Portfolio and Select Committee Chairpersons informing them of the Committee and its work and inviting their input on specific matters.
2.3 Planning and organisation of Committee work
To ensure effective planning of Committee activities and effective internal and external communication, the Chairperson of the Committee established an administrative working group comprising the following parliamentary staff:
• Dr Leon Gabriel, Manager: Information Services Section;
• Adv Anthea Gordon: Legal Services Office
• Mr Tshiliso Molukanele, Procedural Officer: National Assembly Table;
• Mr Marc Philander, Control Committee Secretary: Committee Section;
• Ms Teboho Sepanya, Committee Secretary: Committee Section;
• Ms Christine Silkstone, Researcher: Research Unit;
• Mr Mmuso Pelesa, Media Officer: Media Management Office
• Ms Lerato Monethi, Media Officer: Media Management Office
• Ms Pumla Qambela: Researcher (ANC)
• Mr E Nevondo, Researcher: Office of the Speaker.
In addition, the Chairperson procured the professional services of Prof Pierre de Vos, professor of Law at the University of the Western Cape.
Given the short deadline by which the Committee must report to the National Assembly, the Committee agreed that the Members should prioritise the work of the Committee and also on the organisation of work as indicated in Table
- It is important to note that Members would not be confined to the institutions to which they have agreed to be assigned.
Table 2: Organisation of work
| Allocation of functions | ||
| Institutions under review | Member assigned | Staff assigned |
| ICASA, | Hon Prof AK Asmal | Ms C Silkstone |
| Auditor General, | Hon Ms M Smuts | Ms P Qambela |
| Financial and Fiscal | ||
| Commission | ||
| Human Rights Commission | Hon Adv M Masutha | Adv A Gordon |
| Commission on Gender | Hon Ms C Johnson | Dr L Gabriel |
| Equality | ||
| Youth Commission | ||
| Public Protector | Hon Ms C Johnson | Mr M Philander |
| Hon Mr S Simmons | Ms L Monethi | |
| Commission on Religious, | Hon Mr SL Dithebe | Ms T Sepanya |
| Linguistic and Cultural | Hon Mr JH van der Merwe | Mr T Molukanele |
| Rights, | Hon Ms S Rajbally | |
| Pan South African Language | ||
| Board | ||
| Public Service Commission, | Hon Ms MJJ Matsomela | Mr E Nevondo |
| Electoral Commission | Hon Dr JT Delport | Mr M Pelesa |
2.4 Research and documentation
To ensure that Members have ready access to a central repository of documentation relevant to the work of the Committee a resource centre was established in the Library of Parliament. The centre will contain relevant legislation, research papers, five-year retrospective annual reports, Auditor General’s reports and special reports of all institutions under review, provide a news clippings service, and keep all public records of the Committee’s work.
The working group also conducts research as required by the Committee. The following documents have been produced:
• Rationale for the inclusion of Chapter 9 in the Constitution
• Composition, terms, appointment and removal from office of the
different institutions
• Legal basis for institutions supporting democracy
• Profile of State institutions supporting democracy in South Africa
• Budgets and expenditures of institutions supporting democracy 2003 –
2006
• Bodies appointed by Parliament or the National Assembly
3. Planned Activities
The Committee will hold regular meetings early in 2007 to process responses to the questionnaire administered to the institutions under review. The Committee intends conducting individual meetings with each institution.
The Committee intends conducting a public opinion survey in 2007. This might require the services of a research institute or an appropriate nongovernmental organisation.
4. Reporting
The Committee plans to consider its draft report by April 2007 and report to the National Assembly by end June 2007 as required by the Terms of Reference.
5. Preliminary Recommendations
The Committee unanimously agreed to formulate a recommendation on the establishment of a special Unit (at the level of Chief Directorate) in the Office of the Speaker that would focus on liaison and interaction between Parliament and Chapter 9 and related institutions.
AK Asmal, MP
Chairperson: Ad hoc Committee on Chapter 9 and Associated Institutions
TUESDAY, 20 FEBRUARY 2007
ANNOUNCEMENTS
National Assembly and National Council of Provinces The Speaker and the Chairperson
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Classification of Bill by Joint Tagging Mechanism
(1) The Joint Tagging Mechanism, on 19 February 2007 in terms of Joint Rule 160(6)(b), classified the following Bill as a section 75 Bill:
(a) South African Airways Bill [B 35 – 2006] (National Assembly – sec 75).
National Assembly
The Speaker
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Referrals to committees of papers tabled
(1) The following paper is referred to the Standing Committee on Public Accounts for consideration and the Portfolio Committee on Social Development:
(a) Report of the Auditor-General on the Findings identified during an Investigation into Alleged Misappropriation of Funds at the National Development Agency [RP 262-2006].(2) The following papers are referred to the Portfolio Committee on Education:
(a) Government Notice No 1491 published in the Government Gazette No 29317 dated 23 October 2006: Call for comment on the Draft National Policy Framework for Teacher Education and Development in South Africa, made in terms of section 3(4)(f) of the National Education Policy Act, 1996 (Act No 27 of 1996). (b) Government Notice No R 1052 published in the Government Gazette No 29311 dated 18 October 2006: Regulations relating to the exemption of parents from payment of school fees in Public Schools, made in terms of sections 39(4) and 61 of the South African Schools Act, 1996 (Act No 84 of 1996). (c) Government Notice No 1205 published in the Government Gazette No 29438 dated 1 December 2006: Publication of List of No Fees Schools per province – Declaring No Fees Schools in 2007 for all nine provinces, made in terms of section 39(10) of the South African Schools Act, 1996 (Act No 84 of 1996).(3) The following papers are referred to the Portfolio Committee on Transport:
(a) Agreement between the Government of the Republic of South Africa and the Government of the Argentine Republic for the Co-ordination of heir Maritime and Aeronautical Search and Rescue Services, tabled in terms of section 231(3) of the Constitution, 1996. (b) Explanatory Memorandum to the Agreement between the Government of the Republic of South Africa and the Government of the Argentine Republic for the Co-ordination of heir Maritime and Aeronautical Search and Rescue Services. (4) The following papers are referred to the Portfolio Committee on Minerals and Energy for consideration and report: (a) Convention on the Physical Protection of Nuclear Material, tabled in terms of section 231(2) of the Constitution, 1996. (b) Explanatory Memorandum to the Convention on the Physical Protection of Nuclear Material.(5) The following papers are referred to the Portfolio Committee on Water Affairs and Forestry:
(a) Government Notice No 1197 published in the Government Gazette No 29426 dated 28 November 2006: Prohibition in the making of fires in the open air in the districts of Clanwilliam, Piketberg, Ceres, Tulbagh, Worcester, Caledon, Paarl, Stellenbosch, Strand and Somerset West, made in terms of section 25(1) of the Forest Act, 1984 (Act No 122 of 1984). (b) Government Notice No 1198 published in the Government Gazette No 29426 dated 28 November 2006: Prohibition in the making of fires in the open air in the districts of Caledon, Worcester, Robertson and Swellendam. (The Riviersonderend Mountain Range), made in terms of section 25(1) of the Forest Act, 1984 (Act No 122 of 1984). (c) Government Notice No 1199 published in the Government Gazette No 29426 dated 28 November 2006: Prohibition in the making of fires in the Western Cape, made in terms of section 25(1) of the Forest Act, 1984 (Act No 122 of 1984). (d) Government Notice No 1200 published in the Government Gazette No 29426 dated 28 November 2006: Prohibition in the making of fires in the open air in the districts of Swellendam, Montagu, Worcester and Robertson (The Western Langeberg Mountain range), made in terms of section 25(1) of the Forest Act, 1984 (Act No 122 of 1984). (e) Government Notice No 991 published in the Government Gazette No 29277 dated 13 October 2006: Establishment of the eDikeni Water User Association in the Magisterial District of Victoria East, Province of the Eastern Cape, Water Management Number 12, made in terms of section 92(1) of the National Water Act, 1998 (Act No 36 of 1998). (f) Government Notice No 998 published in the Government Gazette No 29277 dated 13 October 2006: Withdrawal of restrictions on the use of water for agricultural purposes from the Bronkhorstspruit River and its tributaries (Tertiary Catchments 820A, 820B, 820C, and 820D and the withdrawal of restrictions on the use of water for urban and industrial purpose from Bronkhorstspruit Dam and Village Dam[Premier Mine Dam]), made in terms of section 63 read with section 72 of the National Water Act, 1998 (Act No 36 of 1998). (g) Government Notice No 999 published in the Government Gazette No 29277 dated 13 October 2006: Withdrawal of restrictions on the use of water for agricultural purposes in the Inkomati Water Management Area, made in terms of section 63 read with section 72 of the National Water Act, 1998 (Act No 36 of 1998). (h) Government Notice No 857 published in the Government Gazette No 29154 dated 1 September 2006: Transformation of the Keurbos River Irrigation Board in the Magisterial District of George, Western Cape Province into Maalgate Water User Association, Water Management Area Number 16, Western Cape Province, made in terms of section 98(6) of the National Water Act, 1998 (Act No 36 of 1998). (i) Government Notice No 897 published in the Government Gazette No 29062 dated 8 September 2006: Notice of List of Protected Tree Species, made in terms of 12(1)(d) of the National Forests Act, 1998 (Act No 84 of 1998). (j) Government Notice No 900 published in the Government Gazette No 29205 dated 15 September 2006: Establishment of the Thukela Catchment Management Agency (Water Management Area Number 7) in the Province of KwaZulu-Natal, made in terms of section 78(1) of the National Water Act, 1998 (Act No 36 of 1998).(6) The following paper is referred to the Portfolio Committee on Defence and the Joint Standing Committee on Defence: (a) The Acting President of the Republic submitted the following letter dated 20 December 2006 to the Speaker of the National Assembly informing Members of the Assembly of the employment of the South African National Defence Force in Burundi:
(7) The following papers are referred to the Portfolio Committee on Finance for consideration and report:
(a) Protocol on Finance and Investment of the Southern African Development Community, tabled in terms of section 231(2) of the Constitution, 1996. (b) Explanatory Memorandum to the Protocol on Finance and Investment of the Southern African Development Community.(8) The following papers are referred to the Portfolio Committee on Finance for consideration and report. The Reports of the Independent Auditors are referred to the Standing Committee on Public Accounts for consideration:
(a) Report and Financial Statements of the Financial Services Board on the Registrar of Collective Investment Schemes for the year ended 31 December 2005 [RP 94-2006]. (b) Annual Financial Statements of the Corporation for Public Deposits for 2005-2006, including the Report of the Independent Auditors on the Financial Statements for the 2005-2006. (c) Report and Financial Statements of the Public Accountants’ and Auditors’ Board for the 15 month period ending 31 March 2006, including the Report of the Independent Auditors on the Financial Statements for the 15 month period ending 31 March 2006.(9) The following papers are referred to the Portfolio Committee on Finance for consideration:
(a) Draft Regulations issued under Section 91A of the Income Tax Act, 1962 (Act No 58 of 1962), prescribing the circumstances under which the Commissioner may write off or comprise any amount of Tax, Duty, Levy, Charge, Interest, Penalty or other amount. (b) General Notice No 59 published in Government Gazette No 29556 dated 24 January 2007: Draft Regulations issued under section 13, tabled in terms of section 13(3) of the Small Business Tax Amnesty and Amendment of Taxation Laws Act, 2006 (Act No 6 of 2006).(10) The following papers are referred to the Portfolio Committee on Justice and Constitutional Development for consideration and report. The Reports 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 Criminal Assets Recovery Account for 1999-2005, including the Report of the Auditor-General on the Financial Statements for 1999-2005 [RP 249-2006]. (b) Report and Financial Statements of the Criminal Assets Recovery Account for 2005-2006, including the Report of the Auditor-General on the Financial Statements for 2005-2006 [RP 248-2006]. (c) Report of the Master of the High Court of South Africa on Moneys in Trust kept in the Guardian’s Fund for 2002-2003, including the Report of the Auditor-General on the Summary of Statements of Moneys in Trust kept in the Guardian’s Fund for 2002-2003. (d) Report on Monies in Trust for 2003-2004, including the Report of the Auditor-General issued in the absence of Financial Statements for the Monies in Trust for 2003-2004. (e) Report on Monies in Trust kept in the Guardian’s Fund for 2003-2004, including the Report of the Auditor-General on the Summary of Statements of Monies in Trust kept in the Guardian’s Fund for 2003-2004. (f) Report and Financial Statements of Monies in Trust for 2002-2003, including the Report of the Auditor-General issued in the absence of Financial Statements for the Monies in Trust for 2002-2003. (g) Report and Financial Statements of the Guardian’s Fund for 2005-2006 including the Report of the Auditor-General on the Financial Statements for 2005-2006 [RP 263-2006]. (h) Report and Financial Statements of Monies in Trust for 2004-2005, including the Report of the Auditor-General issued in the absence of Financial Statements for the Monies in Trust for 2004-2005 [RP 255-2006].(11) The following papers are referred to the Portfolio Committee on Trade and Industry for consideration and report. The Report of Independent Auditors on the Financial Statements is referred to the Standing Committee on Public Accounts for consideration:
(a) Report and Financial Statements of the Support Programme for Industrial Innovation (SPII) for 2005-2006, including the Reports of the Independent Auditors on the Financial Statements for 2005-2006. (b) Annual Report of The Office of the Consumer Protection for 2005-2006.(12) The following paper is referred to the Portfolio Committee on Arts and Culture for consideration and report. The Report of the Auditor-General is referred to the Standing Committee on Public Accounts for consideration:
(a) Report and Financial Statements of the Pan South African Language Board (PANSALB) 2005-2006, including the Report of the Auditor-General on the Financial Statements for 2005- 2006 [RP 264-2006]. (13) The following papers are referred to the Portfolio Committee on Justice and Constitutional Development for consideration: (a) Proclamation No R49 published in Government Gazette No 29456 dated 7 December 2007: Amendment of Proclamation, in terms of the Special Investigating Units and Special Tribunals Act, 1996 (Act No 74 of 1996). (b) Proclamation No R50 published in Government Gazette No 29456 dated 7 December 2007: Referral of matter to existing Special Investigating Unit and Special Tribunal, in terms of the Special Investigating Units and Special Tribunals Act, 1996 (Act No 74 of 1996). (c) Government Notice No R990 published in Government Gazette No 29278 dated 13 October 2007: Regulations regarding the Promotion of Access to Information, made in terms of the Promotion of Access to Information Act, 1996 (Act No 2 of 2000).(14) The following papers are referred to the Portfolio Committee on Water Affairs and Forestry for consideration and report. The Reports of the Independent Auditors are referred to the Standing Committee on Public Accounts for consideration:
(a) Report and Financial Statements of Bloem Water for the year ended 2006, including the Report of the Independent Auditors on the Financial Statements for the year ended June 2006. (b) Report and Financial Statements of Botshelo Water for the year ended 2006, including the Report of the Independent Auditors on the Financial Statements for the year ended June 2006. (c) Report and Financial Statements of Lepelle Northern Water for the year ended 2006, including the Report of the Independent Auditors on the Financial Statements for the year ended June 2006. (d) Report and Financial Statements of Overberg Water for the year ended 2006, including the Report of the Independent Auditors on the Financial Statements for the year ended June 2006.