National Assembly - 27 February 2007
TUESDAY, 27 FEBRUARY 2007 __
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY
____
The House met at 14:04.
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, on behalf of the DA, I will move:
That this House –
(1) notes and welcomes the additional expenditure announced by the Minister of Finance;
(2) further notes the acute awareness of the critical lack of capacity across all spheres of government including but not limited to experience, skills and training, and huge numbers of vacancies; and (3) calls on this House to debate this issues as a matter of urgency.
Ms H WEBER: Madam Speaker, on behalf of the DA, I will move:
That the House discusses the slow pace at which children’s homes and places of safety are being registered given the huge number of Aids orphans.
FAREWELL TO MR M S MANIE
(Draft Resolution)
The ACTING CHIEF WHIP OF THE MAJORITY PARTY: Madam Speaker I move without notice:
That after consideration of Order number one, precedence be given to the farewell to Mr M S Manie.
Agreed to.
SUSPENSION OF RULE 253(1) FOR THE PURPOSE OF CONDUCTING THE SECOND READING DEBATE ON THE DIVISION OF REVENUE BILL
(Draft Resolution)
The ACTING CHIEF WHIP OF THE MAJORITY PARTY: Madam Speaker, I move the motion as printed in the name of the Chief Whip, on the Order Paper, as follows:
That Rule 253(1), which provides inter alia that the debate on the Second Reading of a Bill may not commence before at least three working days have elapsed since the committee’s report was tabled, be suspended for the purposes of conducting the Second Reading debate on the Division of Revenue Bill [B 3 – 2007] (National Assembly – sec 76) on Wednesday, 28 February.
Agreed to.
JOHANNESBURG INNER-CITY CRIME FIGURES
(Member’s Statement)
Adv T M MASUTHA (ANC): Madam Speaker, on 8 February this year, the eve of the President’s state of the nation address, the BBC broadcast a damning documentary purporting to project the inner-city of Johannesburg and in effect our country, as a whole, as the crime capital of the world.
The inner-city where I have studied, worked and lived for nearly two decades, is not only a home to well over a million people, both young and old, and of all races, but also a place of learning, work and conducting business for many more, be they from near or far. It boasts of being the entertainment Mecca of South Africa, with a concentration of cultural, sports and learning centres ranked amongst the best in the world. Of course, like any other big city, the issue of crime is obviously a challenge as it is a densely populated area.
The latest annual crime statistics however, in fact, reveal a steady decline in the crime rate in the country and in Johannesburg in particular.
Further, the Johannesburg development agencies’ annual survey reflects a steady improvement in a number of key performance areas, including a sharp improvement in a great property occupancy rate –from a peak vacancy rate of 25,8% in 1999 to the latest rate of 11,3% recorded last year. I thank you. [Applause.]
ACTING MINISTER OF HEALTH
(Member’s Statement)
Mr G R MORGAN (DA): Madam Speaker, the appointment of a caretaker in the Ministry of Health will give Dr Manto Tshabalala-Msimang the time she needs to make a full recovery. We wish the hon Minister well.
But Transport Minister, Jeff Radebe, is unlikely to have enough time available to tackle the numerous problems besetting the Department of Health, and the DA believes that the President should have rather appointed a Minister from a portfolio less in need of such constant management as transport.
The Health department requires constant and personal engagement by a Minister. About 1000 people a day are infected with HIV because the government’s prevention programme has stalled. The Hospital Revitalisation Programme budget is being slowly cut back off the MTF period in favour of other capital projects. The Auditor-General’s report shows provincial health departments to be so bogged down in mismanagement that patients’ lives are at risk.
At the same time, the transport portfolio requires full-time attention in a sputtering Taxi Recapitalisation Project and the rebuilding of South Africa’s dilapidated transport infrastructure.
Can Minister Radebe handle both these portfolios? It remains to be seen. Of course, the Minister deserves an opportunity to prove himself. It is unlikely that, with the transport issues already on his plate, he’ll be able to do justice to health issues as well. I thank you. [Applause.]
MEALS FOR PRISONERS
(Member’s Statement)
Mrs S A SEATON (IFP): Madam Speaker, section 85 of the Correctional Services Act of 1998 makes it clear that the provision of meals to prisoners is subject to set guidelines. In particular, the law clearly prescribes the allowable maximum intervals between meals. For instance, the Act states that not more than 14 hours should elapse between the evening meal and breakfast during each 24-hour period.
However, it has come to the attention of the IFP that this maximum interval of 14 hours is being ignored and exceeded in some prisons. For instance, we have learnt that prisoners are often given their evening meal as early as 14:30 or 15:00, with breakfast only at 7:30 the following day. That would mean an interval of between 16 and 17 hours.
The IFP finds this practice inhumane and completely unacceptable. It is yet another example of the impunity with which the Department of Correctional Services operates as it is clearly in violation of its own basic law, the Correctional Services Act and the Constitution.
The IFP therefore calls on the Minister to immediately launch an investigation into this inhumane practice at South African correctional facilities and to take the appropriate remedial steps to rectify the illegal actions of correctional officers. I thank you.
THE DA AND CORRUPT LOCAL GOVERNMENT
(Member’s Statement)
Me L N MOSS (ANC): Mevrou die Speaker, die DA se sogenaamde stryd teen korrupsie is ‘n blote rookskerm, net soos wat sy opportunistiese samewerking met die onstabiele Independent Civics Organisation of South Africa – Icosa – aandui. Die DA verklaar byvoorbeeld dat hy nie met die gediskrediteerde Truman Prince sal saamwerk nie, maar is besig om Prince te herstel in sy posisie as munisipale bestuurder in Beaufort-Wes. [Gelag.] In Oudtshoorn beskerm die DA-raadslede die amptenare van Icosa wat aan korrupsie skuldig bevind is.
In die onlangse tussenverkiesing in Beaufort-Wes het die DA meer as 500 stemme verloor in die ooreenstemmende wyk vanweë sy samewerking met Truman Prince en Icosa.
Die DA sal nie daarin slaag om die Wes-Kaap in te palm met elke korrupte Jan Rap en sy maat nie. Die kiesers sal by die stembus met die DA afreken oor sy heulery met die korrupte elemente in Icosa. Ek dank u. [Applous.] (Translation of Afrikaans member’s statement follows.) [Ms L N MOSS (ANC): Madam Speaker, the DA’s so-called war against corruption, is merely a smokescreen, just as its opportunistic co-operation with the unstable Independent Civics Organisation of South Africa – Icosa – indicates. The DA, for example, declares that they will not collaborate with the discredited Truman Prince, but yet they are busy restoring Truman Prince to his position as municipal manager of Beaufort West. [Laughter.] In Oudtshoorn, the DA councillors are protecting the Icosa officials that have been found guilty of corruption.
During the recent by-election in Beaufort West, the DA lost more than 500 votes in the corresponding ward as a result of its collaboration with Truman Prince and Icosa.
The DA will not succeed in its quest to gain control of the Western Cape by collaborating with every corrupt Tom, Dick and Harry. The voters will get even with the DA at the polls because of its collusion with corrupt elements in Icosa. I thank you. [Applause.]]
FLOODS IN MOZAMBIQUE
(Member’s Statement)
Ms S N SIGCAU (UDM): Madam Speaker, the UDM extends its best wishes to the people of Mozambique during their current hardships as they battle the consequences of the recent floods which have now been compounded in the aftermath of the recent tropical Cyclone Favio.
We want to assure them that the South African nation notes their suffering, and stands ready to assist. In two days’ time Rositha Tedro, a daughter of Mozambican floods, will celebrate her 7th birthday. South Africa and the world will remember her as the baby that was born in a tree where her mother had fled during the floods of 2000. Sophia, her mother, is an emblem of the determination to survive just as little Rositha is a symbol of hope even in the face of massive natural disaster. They give a face and a personality to the tragedy that this year again has befallen our brothers and sisters across the border.
As they attempt to do elsewhere in Africa, the SA National Defence Force was there in 2000 to provide support, and they were able to save Rositha and her mother and many others, thus physically demonstrating that as a nation we are actively seeking the betterment of our continent. Thank you, Madam Speaker. [Applause.]
THE BATTLE OF MAJUBA COMMEMORATED
(Member’s Statement)
Dr P W A MULDER (VF Plus): Mevrou die Speaker, die VF Plus bring hiermee hulde aan daardie Afrikaners wat vandag, presies 126 jaar gelede, die supermoondheid van die 19de-eeu, Brittanje, by Majuba oortuigend verslaan het.
Die Slag van Majuba het op 27 Februarie 1881 naby Volksrust plaasgevind. Tydens die veldslag is een Boer en 96 Britte dood, en onder hulle was die Britse bevelvoerder, Generaal Colley.
Brittanje, as koloniale moondheid, het vanaf die Napoleontiese oorloë tot by die Falklandoorlog aan meer as honderd verskillende oorloë deelgeneem. In hierdie tydperk – vanaf die tyd van Napoleon af tot vandag – het die Britte slegs een oorlog verloor, naamlik die Eerste Vryheidsoorlog van 1880- 81 teen die Boere van die Transvaalse ZAR. In ander oorloë het die Britte wel veldslae verloor, maar nie die hele oorlog nie. In die Eerste Vryheidsoorlog het die Britte al vier veldslae ook verloor.
Die helde van hierdie oorlog was Generaal Piet Joubert, na wie Pietersburg vernoem is, asook Generaal Nicolaas Smit. Op ‘n reis deur Europa na die oorlog het die beroemde Graaf Otto von Bismarck die hoogste Duitse toekenning, Ridder van die Rooi Adelaar, aan Generaal Smit, ‘n mielieboer van Ermelo se kontrei, oorhandig. In Nederland is Generaal Smit met die orde van Kommandeur van die Orde van die Nederlandse Leeu vereer, en in Portugal het hy die land se hoogste toekenning ontvang.
Ons bring hiermee hulde aan ons voorvaders en die Afrikaners van Majuba wat in een van die eerste anti-koloniale oorloë in Afrika vir vryheid geveg het. Ek dank u. (Translation of Afrikaans member’s statement follows.)
[Dr P W A MULDER (FF Plus): Madam Speaker, the FF Plus hereby wishes to pay tribute to those Afrikaners who today decisively defeated the superpower of the 19th century, Britain, at Majuba, precisely 126 years ago.
The Battle of Majuba occurred on 27 February 1881 near Volksrust. During the battle, one Boer and 96 British soldiers died; and amongst them was the British Commander, General Colley.
Ever since the Napoleonic wars and up to the Falkland war, Britain, as a colonial power, had been engaged in more than a hundred wars. During this period – from the time of Napoleon up till today – the British had suffered only one defeat, namely the First South African War of Independence of 1880- 81 against the Boers of the Transvaal Republic ZAR. In the other wars, though the British had lost some of the battles, they had not lost the war. During the First South African War of Independence, the British were defeated in all four battles as well.
The heroes of this war were General Piet Joubert, after whom the town of Pietersburg was named, as well as General Nicolas Smith. During his travels through Europe after the war, the famous Count Otto von Bismarck bestowed Germany’s highest Order, Knight of the Red Eagle, on General Smith, a maize farmer from Ermelo. In Holland, General Smith was awarded the Order of the Commander of the Order of the Lion of the Netherlands and in Portugal he was also awarded that country’s highest Order.
We hereby pay tribute to our forefathers and the Afrikaners at Majuba who fought for freedom in one of the first anticolonial wars in Africa. I thank you.]
CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR SOUTH AFRICAN ARTISTS
(Member’s Statement)
Mr H P MALULEKA (ANC): Madam Speaker, again, our own artists have done us proud. Today we salute, firstly, the two-times Grammy Award winners, Ladysmith Black Mambazo, for their nomination in two categories, best contemporary world music and best surround-sound production, for their album “Long Walk to Freedom”.
Secondly, the 49th Grammy Award for the category best traditional world music went to the Soweto Gospel Choir for their album “Blessed”. Drawn from churches and communities of Soweto, the 26-member group with its rich traditional and contemporary rhythms expresses the energy of our beloved country in six of our 11 official languages. Accompanied by a four-piece band and percussion section, the choir, in their debut CD “Voices from Heaven”, reached number one on Billboard’s world music chart within three weeks of its US release, after debuting at number three.
The ANC congratulates the Soweto Gospel Choir on their grand achievement. A Grammy Award is no mean feat and we would like to say to the choir: You have done South Africa proud and we wish you good health and success in the days ahead. Thank you. [Applause.]
CELEBRATION OF THE LIFE OF ROBERT MANGALISO SOBUKWE
(Member’s Statement)
Mr M T LIKOTSI (PAC): Madam Speaker, today the nation marks the 29th anniversary of the life of one of the stalwarts of our liberation struggle, a visionary, a patriot and a tried and tested leader, Comrade Robert Mangaliso Sobukwe, the true and selfless son of Africa who passed on on 27 February 1978. In a competitors’ social speech at Fort Hare University on 21 October 1949 he said: “It is meant that we speak the truth before we die.”
The PAC is extending an open invitation to this House, and to the nation at large, to join it in celebrating the life of a man who sacrificed his life and suffered the worst torture at the hands of the enemy. He was poisoned, isolated for nine years on the notorious Robben Island and denied expert international medical attention, and he was banished to Kimberley in the Northern Cape until the last days of his well-deserved life.
Sobukwe was a true Africanist, one of the few champions of Pan-Africanism as an ideology for total freedom in our country and the return of the land to its rightful owners, the indigenous African people, and total freedom for economic emancipation and preservation of human dignity. Let the spirit of this undisputed intellectual live within us and the unborn until the whole of Africa and our country Azania are totally free. I thank you. [Applause.]
TRANSFORMATION OF SPORTS
(Member’s Statement)
Mr P J NEFOLOVHODWE (Azapo): Madam Speaker, Azapo believes that in the context of our history of racist settler colonialism and its deliberate programme of black impoverishment, blacks were not allowed to participate in other sports codes such as rugby, hockey, cricket, golf, swimming, etc. That meant the concentration of resources in the hands of a racial minority.
Our national teams in hockey, cricket, rugby and swimming are still too white. It must be demanded of them to become fully representative of all players. The question we must ask of South African sport is: How much longer are we going to give support to untransformed teams? Our country is now in the fifteenth year of sports unification, and we have had more than 10 years of democracy and freedom. The transformation of society is most imperative.
Azapo is of the view that there can be no democracy in this country if the structures that form the basis of apartheid sports are not done away with. In this context, the process of transformation in sports must continue to reverse the legacy of centuries of colonial rule, but this transformation process must not be in the form of assimilation into already set up systems, and it must not suggest the substitution of white faces for black faces in roles of mere window-dressing. It must be a genuine process all the way.
Sports is a vital component of our culture and it must be accessible to everybody. Sports must be broadly organised amongst the masses, and facilities must be built throughout the country, commencing with the upgrading of facilities in poor communities. Indigenous sports must be funded and promoted up to Olympic levels. All sports codes must be transformed. I thank you. [Applause.]
CRIME LEVELS IN RANDFONTEIN
(Member’s Statement)
Adv H C SCHMIDT (DA): Madam Speaker, during the recess, and in particular five days before Christmas, four killers fatally shot a five-year-old girl, Danielle Esterhuizen, in her mother’s arms at the Riebeeck Lake, a public amenity in Randfontein.
Despite requesting help from the SAPS, no such assistance was forthcoming, to such an extent that the father of the deceased girl had to take his own daughter to hospital, who was certified dead on arrival. In addition, poor police investigation has been displayed in solving the crime and bringing all the suspects to justice.
It is alleged that one of the two suspects arrested in connection with the murder was a suspect who had been released on bail for another murder charge.
To worsen matters, a man was found murdered at the same Riebeeck Lake approximately one week after the death of the five-year-old girl. No arrests have been made in connection with this case.
In addition, the owner of a farm stall in Randfontein was also shot and killed one week after the discovery of the murdered man at the Riebeeck Lake. No arrests have been made.
In fact, no fewer than two armed bank robberies, as well as an armed robbery of a furniture store, in broad daylight within the CBD of Randfontein took place during the period of the commission of the above crimes.
Despite the above incidents, the commander of the Randfontein Police Station, the Gauteng Provincial Commissioner, the National Commissioner as well as the Minister of Safety and Security are all of the view that crime is under control.
Quite clearly, Madam Speaker, it is not. It is time for the executive authority to realise the dire consequences of such crime on a local community such as Randfontein as well as on South Africa as a whole. What is needed is a firm commitment from government to stamp out crime. I thank you.
ACHIEVEMENTS IN HOUSING
(Member’s Statement)
Ms B N DAMBUZA (ANC): Madam Speaker, the democratic government under the leadership of the ANC continuously work tirelessly to ensure that the rights of the people to live where they choose, to be decently housed and to bring up their families in comfort and security are fulfilled. The house of Ms Nothi Makhala stands proud and serves as a symbol of a new beginning for the Joe Slovo informal settlement near Port Elizabeth in the KwaDwesi Township in the Eastern Cape. The house is one of many houses built under the Federation of the Urban and the Rural Housing Programme. The programme is supported by the People’s Housing Process, which is a government programme which encourages people to build their own houses. The programme also encourages communities to work together and save.
The houses that are built in this process are much bigger and of good quality. By working together the communities gain skills as the construction work will be done by the members themselves. The ANC believes that it is initiatives like these that can speed up the journey to a better life for all.
Ndiyabulela. [Thank you.]
UBUNTU VALUES
(Member’s Statement)
Mnu V B NDLOVU(IFP): Somlomo neNdlu yakho ehloniphekile, okokuqala, ngithi angiphakamise ukubonga uNgqongqoshe Wezezimali ngenkulumo yakhe ayenza yokubuyisa ubuntu, lapho athi khona, “Umuntu ungumuntu ngabantu.” Lokho wakusho ekubhekise kwinqubomgomo yokuphilelana kwabantu e-Afrika nalapha ePhalamende esikulona.
Okwesibili, ngithi angiphakamise ukubonga kuyena uNgqongqoshe ngoba emuva kokuba esekhulumile kwaba khona isethulo sencwadi ekhuluma ngobuntu ebhalwe uMnu Mfikiselwa John Bhengu, ilungu elihloniphekile lale Ndlu, nayo egcizelela khona njalo ukuthi umuntu ungumuntu ngabantu. Uma le nqubomgomo noma le nqubokucabanga ingaba nengqalasizinda lapha eNdlini, isho khona ukuphilelana kwale Ndlu kuzokhula njalo.
Sithi asibonge Somlomo ngoba wakhuluma uNgqongqoshe kwaze kwaba sengathi wake waba yilungu le-IFP [Uhleko]. Ngikusho lokho ngoba kuyinqobo nenqubomgomo yenhlangano yeNkatha yeNkululeko ukuthi umuntu ngumuntu ngabantu. Ngiyabonga. (Translation of isiZulu member’s statement follows.)
[Mr V B NDLOVU (IFP): Madam Speaker and your august House, I rise firstly to thank the Minister of Finance for saying in his Budget Speech that a person is a person through other persons. The Minister said this referring to the culture of helping each other and mutual symbiosis here in Africa and in this Parliament.
Secondly, I rise to thank the Minister, because after his Budget Speech there was a launch of a book by Mfikiselwa John Bhengu, an hon member of this House. Even this book too, emphasizes that a person is a person through other persons. If we continuously follow this good trend, we will have a solid foundation in this House, because all this to me means that this fellow feeling in this House will grow.
We are therefore very thankful, Madam Speaker, because the Minister spoke so compassionately that it seemed as if he were at one stage a member of the IFP. [Laughter.] I am saying this because it is the policy of the Inkatha Freedom Party that a person is a person through other persons.] [I thank you.]]
RECOGNITION OF GAY AND LESBIAN RIGHTS
(Member’s Statement)
Mr A F MADELLA (ANC): Madam Speaker, the ANC has always committed itself to fight against all forms of discrimination, including discrimination based on sexual orientation. This is further endorsed by section 93 of the Constitution, a clause that gives protection to gays and lesbians against unfair discrimination.
South Africa must be proud as it is the first African country to enshrine gay and lesbian rights in its Constitution. We also acknowledge the remarkable achievement by our Parliament in passing ground-breaking legislation that seeks to broaden rape so as to define it as a violent crime that is happening to every citizen, be it between woman and man or between man and man.
The implementation of this legislation, the Sexual Offences Bill, will go a long way in addressing the challenges of under and nonreporting of rape committed between man and man. I thank you. NO-FEE SCHOOL POLICY
(Member’s Statement)
Mr G G BOINAMO (DA): Madam Speaker, poor schools around the country are being bankrupted by the Minister of Education’s overhasty implementation of the no-fee school’s policy. Parents with children at non-fee schools have not been paying school fees since January. However, the fund will only be available from the beginning of the 2007-08 financial year, on 1 April. In her haste to broadcast her policy, the Minister neglected to plan for its proper implementation. This has left already dysfunctional schools substantially worse off than they were before, and has made quality teaching at these schools even more of a challenge than it already is.
While the intention behind this policy was good, it is unacceptable that it was implemented without ensuring that the necessary funding was in place. The Minister needs to explain how she is going to rescue these schools from the troubles she has inflicted on them. Thank you. [Applause.]
COMPULSORY EDUCATION
(Member’s Statement)
MS D G NHLENGETHWA (ANC): Madam Speaker, education is not a privilege; it is a right. The ANC is committed to moving as rapidly as possible to free, dynamic and compulsory education. We are committed to making sure that no learner is excluded from public schools because a family cannot afford to pay school fees; that public schools remain viable and that resources for learning are equitably spread.
The implementation of the no-fee school policy is gathering pace across the country. Recently, the provincial government of Mpumalanga has increased the number of no-fee schools to reach over 400 000 learners. The ANC believes that the dream of the free, compulsory, universal and equal education for all children is realisable. I thank you. [Applause.]
MINISTERS' RESPONSES
ACHIEVEMENTS BY GOVERNMENT
ACTING MINISTER OF HEALTH
(Minister’s Response)
UNGQONGQOSHE WEZEMISEBENZI YOMPHAKATHI: Somlomo, malungu eNdlu ehloniphekile yePhalamende, ngithanda ukuphawula kokubili okushiwo amalungu kwinkulumo noma izincomo zawo. Ngithanda ukuphawula maqondana nodadewethu obekhuluma ngezindlela lo hulumeni ozama ngazo ukuthuthukisa izimpilo zabantu, ikakhulukazi ekwenzeni ukuthi sonke sikwazi ukuba nezindlu futhi sikwazi nokuthola amanzi. Udadewethu kade encoma-ke esikwenzile laphaya ekwakhiweni kwezindlu eDwesi; encoma futhi indlela esizakhe ngayo yokuthi sidale amathuba emisebenzi ukuze labo bantu bazakhele izindlu zabo ngokuhambisana nalo mgomo obizwa phecelezi nge-people’s housing process.
Ngiyathemba-ke ukuthi baningi omasipala abazokwazi ukulusebenzisa lolu hlelo ngoba, ngale nje kokuthi sakha izindlu, kodwa senza nabahlali uqobo kube yibo abazakhelayo lezo zindlu zabo. Ngaleyo ndlela bathola amakhono, baphinde bathole ukuxhaseka ngokwezimali okwesikhashana.
Okwesibili, mangisho nje kwilungu elihloniphekile le-DA ukuthi ngiyadumala nokho ngalokho ebelikukhuluma kokuthi ngabe uNgqongqoshe Wezokuthutha uzokwazi yini ukumelana nalo msebenzi anikezwe wona uMongameli. Kubalulekile sikhumbule ukuthi vele kuyinhlala yenza ukuthi uma kukhona uNgqongqoshe ophumile kuleli ngomsebenzi, noma uma omunye uNgqongqoshe engaphilanga, kufanele uMongameli abeke uNgqongqoshe ozokwazi ukubamba lowo Mnyango okwesikhashana. Ngakho-ke angiboni ukuthi kuzoba nzima ukuthi lo msebenzi awunikeziwe uMnu Radebe akwazi ukuwenza.
Masingabi sesibheka kumbe sigijime kakhulu kunokufanele sikwenze, size sifake noMongameli amazwi emlonyeni okuthi ngabe wenzani manje. Uma sekufanele akwenze lokho, siyofika isikhathi futhi akwenze ngendlela afanele akwenze ngayo. Kodwa okwamanje asithokoziswe nje ukuthi ukhona umuntu ozohola lo Mnyango okwesikhashana ngenkathi esalulama udadewethu uManto Tshabalala-Msimang. Ngiyabonga.] (Translation of isiZulu minister’s response follows.)
[The MINISTER OF PUBLIC WORKS: Madam Speaker, hon members of the House of Parliament, I would like to comment on two things said by the members in their statements or compliments. I wish to comment on the statement by my sister there regarding the ways in which this government is trying to make the people’s lives better, more especially in making sure that we all have houses and clean water. My sister over there was complimenting us on what we have done at Kwa-Dwesi. My sister also complimented the way we built those houses there because employment opportunities were created, and thus people built their own houses using the government policy known as the People’s Housing Process.
I just hope that there are many municipalities that will be able to use this project, because we do not only build houses through this project, but we also make people build their own houses. And thus, these people acquire new skills, and also incentives for that particular time.
Secondly, let me also say to the hon member of the DA that, I am disappointed by what this member said here. The member was asking if the Minister of Transport would be in a position to do the task that the President has assigned to him. It is important for us to remember that it is common cause that, if there is a Minister who is perhaps outside this country on duty, or if one of the Ministers is indisposed, the President has to appoint an interim acting Minister for that particular department. I therefore do not foresee that it will be difficult for Mr Radebe to execute the duty placed on him.
We need to be careful not to simply rush things and do what we are not even supposed to do. We do not have to put words in the President’s mouth and say what he should be doing now. If the time comes for the president to do that, he will do it accordingly. But as for now, let us be content and happy that at least there is someone to lead this department in the interim whilst our sister Manto Tshabalala-Msimang is recuperating. I thank you. [Applause.]]
NO-FEE SCHOOLS
(Minister’s Response)
The DEPUTY MINISTER OF EDUCATION: Madam Speaker, education is indeed a fundamental and a basic right to all our learners. I think we can celebrate the fact that more than 5 million learners in our country are now the beneficiaries of attending no-fee schools. The introduction of no-fee schools is not something new. It has already occurred last year where 20% of our schools were covered. This year it has been expanded to 40% – this means that 12 000 schools have now been declared no-fee schools.
Obviously, in the context of the large number of schools that are involved, you may have some difficulties. It would have been very helpful if the hon member had drawn the attention of the Ministry to the particular schools that are affected. However, whilst we celebrate this, we have a responsibility in ensuring that provinces are able to implement the policy and that resources are provided to the provinces in terms of the Division of Revenue Bill and that they are indeed available. It means that there has to be better management and planning.
The Minister is currently undertaking a survey on the impact of the no-fee schools in the various provinces. This means that whilst the policy is good, we have to ensure and take the responsibility of ensuring that the implementation occurs with due regard to the interest of the learners and not to inconvenience any of the schools.
May I also add that, in addition to the 5 million learners who are the beneficiaries of attending no-fee schools, we’ve had a wonderful announcement by the hon Minister of Finance that there is going to be R800 million set aside for FET bursaries. This would increase the volume of access to our schooling institutions.
May I further add, for the benefit of the hon member, that no learner can be excluded from school on account of the inability of his or her parent to pay school fees in terms of current legislation. We cannot then say that because there are difficulties in a few schools with regard to implementation we should withhold the resources generally to schools and, therefore, deny access to thousands of our learners who are afflicted by poverty. We have the responsibility to ensure that we provide quality education and free access to our learners wherever it is possible. I think what we should do rather is celebrate the wonderful strides that had been made in education. I will not even comment on the wonderful further contributions that treasury is making in terms of education. Thank you very much. [Applause.]
CRIME CHALLENGES FACING GOVERNMENT
(Minister’s Response)
The DEPUTY MINISTER OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS (Mr A G H Pahad): Madam Speaker, I rise to express my deep concern about what the member has referred regarding the BBC programme on crime in South Africa on the eve of the President’s state of the nation address. What we can’t understand is why the BBC, which has such a good reputation generally, saw it fit to show a programme that was so one-sided, so selective and so distorted. We have acknowledged on many occasions that crime is a problem that we are trying to tackle. And as the President said in his state of the nation address, we have consistently, all these years, put sufficient resources in the criminal justice system to enable us to tackle this. Why the BBC went in this direction, I believe we need explanations on. I hope all members of the House, including the opposition, will be able to see this programme again so that we can all in a united way respond to such distorted reporting from such a reputable TV station.
Let me quote before I say something. A newspaper recently wrote:
People are fed up with crime. They’re tired of being afraid to walk alone at night and of worrying that some creep is going to break into their home or steal their car. Honest people living honest lives shouldn’t have to put up with this crap. It’s not safe to work in a gas station or convenience store. You’ll be threatened, maybe beaten and robbed.
Those of us lucky enough never to have been the victim of breaking and entering, or random vandalism, or an opportunistic thug with a fetish for other people’s wallets, purses, iPods, etc. all know someone who hasn’t been so lucky. And that makes us scared.
But before the opposition jumps to conclusions, that’s not a South African newspaper report. That’s an editorial in the The Daily News in Halifax, Canada which is a reflection of the reality that crime is not unique to South Africa and that we must fight it as we are fighting it all over the world. It is in this context that I would argue that there are many areas in London that you cannot go to precisely because of this problem. So, if you go to those specific areas and look for distorted reporting, you will get such distorted reports. Thank you. [Applause.]
MEALS FOR PRISONERS
(Minister’s Response)
The DEPUTY MINISTER OF CORRECTIONAL SERVICES: Thank you, hon Speaker, I would like to respond to the statement made by the hon Seaton – and unfortunately I don’t see her in the House, I don’t know if she is still around – about the meal times and the intervals between the serving of those meals.
It is indeed a challenge that is facing Correctional Services. The matter that we are grappling with is, as we speak, still on the table of Correctional Services. And when we are ready, we will come and report to the portfolio and select committee.
Last year, for the first time, we launched what we call “Corrections Week”, where, as Correctional Services, we actually reach out to communities, to NGOs, to all our partners out there who work with Correctional Services, and indeed anybody who has an interest in working with Correctional Services in overcoming some of the challenges that we do have, and indeed the portfolio committee, hon Seaton and everybody out there are also invited actually to come and assist us in grappling with this challenge that we are facing.
As I said, we will come and report to the portfolio committee when we are ready, because the matter is still under discussion in the Department of Correctional Services as well. Thank you. [Applause.]
MAJUBA MUNICIPALITY
(Minister’s Response)
The DEPUTY MINISTER FOR PROVINCIAL AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT: Madam Speaker, I would like to respond to the hon member that spoke about Truman Prince. [Interjections.] That is right, Truman Prince. [Laughter.]
I would just like to inform the DA that I am a daughter of the soil of Beaufort West. [Interjections.] I know Beaufort West better than you do. I know Truman Prince better than you do. [Interjections.] Now, there is one thing that you must tell us as the people of Beaufort West. [Interjections.] Tell us the truth: Are you trying to resuscitate Truman Prince for your narrow interest? You must tell us the truth. [Interjections.] What are you trying to do? I’m particularly referring to the hon Doman. [Interjections.]
I’d like to warn the DA. [Interjections.] I’d like to warn the DA, Madam Speaker. [Interjections.] Give me a chance! Don’t be nervous. Don’t be nervous.
The SPEAKER: Order! Order!
The DEPUTY MINISTER FOR PROVINCIAL AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT: I’d like to warn the DA that in respect of those municipalities that you say you are governing together with Icosa, that are so unstable – and they’ll continue to be unstable until the next election – you will live to regret it! [Interjections.] Thank you. [Applause.]
MAJUBA MUNICIPALITY
CRIME LEVELS – RANDFONTEIN ARMED ROBBERIES AND NO ARRESTS
VALUES RETAINED BY UBUNTU
(Minister’s Response)
The MINISTER OF FINANCE: Thank you very much, Madam Speaker, a few quick responses. On the anniversary of the Battle of Amajuba, I think we want to congratulate the sons and daughters of the Afrikaners. It’s just a pity there wasn’t a TRC after the South African War. Some of these things kind of need to be resolved and it is a very important part of nation-building.
The hon Schmidt has left the House. Now, I am familiar with the case, partly because the father of the young girl he referred to is an employee of the Revenue Service. I just hope that the hon member, rather than standing here and making hollow statements, is active in building the community police forum in Randfontein, because we need local oversight, we need local accountability. That is the message. There is no point in standing here and making a member’s statement and then running off from Parliament. We must be active in the communities and that is part of the honour and responsibility of service to the electorate.
In respect of the hon Ndlovu, I think when our forebears met in Bloemfontein in 1912, they established a parliament of the people. And when others left that parliament of the people to form different organisations, we are glad to see that they retained the same values that have been there in the parliament of the people from 1912. Some of them have even retained the colours and added a few more colours. We are grateful on this side of the House. [Applause.] Thank you. [Laughter.]
ENSURING RESPECT FOR AND PEACEFUL COEXISTENCE BETWEEN ALL RELIGIOUS
COMMUNITIES AND BELIEFS IN A GLOBALISED WORLD
(Debate)
uMnu S J NJIKELANA: Somlomo, hayi obekekileyo kuphela kodwa nothandekayo, abaPhathiswa abahloniphekileyo, malungu ePalamente, kunye nani nonke bemi boMzantsi Afrika, namhlanje mawethu sithi masike siphicothe lo mbandela weenkolo namasiko kuzwelonke. Endiza kukuphakela umzi ke kumalunga neendlela ekuzanywa ngazo kuzwelonke intsetyenziswano nokuhloniphana kweenkolo, amasiko nezithethe.
Gxebe xa ndinaba, ngumntu ekufuneka enzile, hayi inkolo, isiko okanye isithethe. Kuninzi okwenzekayo kumazwe ngamazwe malunga nalo mba kwaye ukunyamekelana nokuhloniphana phakathi kweenkolo namasiko yintsumantsumane esaqhekeza iintloko, itshise namabunzi kwabo baphethene nemicimbi elolu hlobo. Mandikhe ndigocagoce ukuba kutheni le nto lo mcimbi uyintsindabadala, kodwa sibe sibona iinkokheli zethu zikunye neenkcuba- buchopho, bechininika amabunzi bezamana nesisombululo. (Translation of isiXhosa paragraphs follows.)
[Mr S J NJIKELANA: Hon and beloved Speaker, hon Ministers, Members of Parliament and all South African citizens, today I would like us to explore the issue of beliefs and customs as it is a national question. My presentation in this House is in relation to mechanisms that are being generated nationally in an endeavour to bring about harmony and respect amongst the various religions, beliefs, cultures and traditions.
Furthermore, it is a person’s responsibility to perform, not the belief, culture or tradition. There is a lot happening in different countries around this matter and tolerance and respect of other people’s religion and customs is still a burning issue to those who deal with matters of this nature. Let me explain why this issue has become a big problem which is causing our leaders, together with experts, to perspire with the effort to come up with solutions.]
The history of mankind is littered with both religious and belief tolerance and intolerance amongst nations, races, tribes and social groups. We have yet to see any abatement of the wars and tensions rampant in Palestine, Sudan, Somalia and Sri Lanka, to name a few.
Many are still licking their wounds and emotional scars in Yugoslavia, Nigeria and Algeria. What we are made to believe is that religious differences are the underlying causes for such conflicts.
If we assume that every society has an obligation to ensure that all citizens have the right to freedom of association and freedom of thought or choice, then this topic would be redundant if that was practised. The reality is that the world is reeling and agonising due to conflicts caused by religious differences. From the days of colonialism to present-day neoliberalism, religious conflicts are still rife. Discrimination on the grounds of religious differences has caused untold harm, especially on our continent.
Obviously, one of the reasons for calling Africa the Dark Continent was the contempt for our religions, traditions and beliefs. In fact, Danielle Mezzana states:
For centuries African traditional religions have been subjected to the same misinterpretations, underestimation and basic stigmatisations which have been reserved and continue to be reserved for the societies, cultures and actors of Sub-Saharan Africa in general.
At the core of abuse of religion is the unquenched desire for material gains. Expeditions to discover and spread the Word of God were abused to advance colonialism, and crusades under the pretext of spreading Islam were used to plunder nations. Whilst the values, principles and ethics of all religions are worthwhile, the abuse thereof must always be condemned and obliterated without mercy. Capitalism and its parent, imperialism, have been very crafty in abusing religion for material gains.
Let me further assert that using the fight against terrorism as a guise to undermine certain religions, due to the imperialist gluttony to buttress and sustain its insatiable appetite for dominance, must be condemned as well.
Countries such as Iran, Iraq, Sudan, Somalia and Afghanistan are amongst those enduring untold suffering due to the so-called crusade against terrorism. I maintain very strongly that the most appropriate action against terrorism should not only be its elimination, but also addressing its underlying causes.
The evidence of a series of resolutions and conventions in international bodies such as the United Nations and the Inter-Parliamentary Union is quite abundant; however, evidence of effective implementation is unfortunately quite scant. The question is: Why, in spite of so many resolutions and conventions that oblige governments and even ordinary citizens to ensure respect and coexistence of religions and beliefs, is the world still shaken now and again by conflicts arising from religious differences?
To me, the lack of political will amongst those in authority cannot be ruled out. Using incorrect, and at times distorted, ideological tools to address such conflicts do not, unfortunately, yield the desired and sustainable results. Overreliance on legislation rather than resocialisation of those entangled in such conflicts will always run the risk of limited impact. I therefore argue for resocialisation, because a resocialised person will always behave of his or her own volition without compulsion due to statutes.
Obviously, international bodies such as the IPU and the United Nations are in one way or another committed to ensuring that all nations strengthen respect for human rights, democracy, tolerance and pluralism – all attributes that are important for the maintenance of peace.
Some of us believe in, and have actually implemented, the practice of keeping the state separate from religion, and also that the institutions of religion should be entirely free from governmental interference. This is a principle that is found in various constitutions throughout the world. Let me quote a few. Chapter 3 on the fundamental rights of the constitution of Sri Lanka asserts:
Every person is entitled to freedom of thought, conscience and religion without the freedom to have or to adopt a religion or belief of his choice.
The dilemma is that in reality there is strife and tension due to religious differences, and even hostilities that are triggered despite constitutional obligations to do the opposite. When the distinction between state and religion is blurred, there are bound to be certain sectors that will suffer unavoidable discrimination of some form.
We also need to guard against practices that aim to maintain the dominance of one religion at the expense of the other. The SA Communist Party argued in 2003 that the SABC needs to review existing religious programmes with the intention to promote comparative education and analysis of religions and other forms of beliefs and nonbeliefs, and tolerance of different religious beliefs, and to ensure that African traditional religions, Islam, Judaism, Hinduism and other minority religions get increased exposure on the SABC.
Another display of religious intolerance happened in January 1998 when Pope John Paul visited Cuba. The Pope was received as a divine messenger by millions of Cubans. President Castro said in a conference:
The success of the visit of the Pope must be a success of the country and a success of the revolution. It is a manifestation of confidence.
Even here in South Africa, within our new political dispensation, we’ve been able to experience a very clear turnaround in terms of discrimination which was rampant before we got our freedom. It is therefore understandable when the ANC claims that every neighbourhood in our country has religious, political, commercial, educational and social communities who are concerned to build a just and peaceful nation.
Amongst some of our achievements in this current dispensation is plausible religious coexistence, an accolade which we need to share with other countries which are still immersed in unfortunate religious conflicts. What we need to share is not only the outstanding legislation that has ensured that discrimination on religious grounds is flung into the political dustbin, but also our daily campaign and dialogue, especially the noble effort of resocialising the behaviour and attitudes of ordinary South Africans. We need to share this with others throughout the world.
But how do we promote sustainable respect and coexistence amongst those who practise different religions globally? Our leadership, guided by our country’s well-supported conventions, has engaged in debates on various international platforms and has vigorously promoted interreligious dialogue and understanding, including awareness of differences and commonalities amongst peoples and civilisations. I feel that this is the starting point if we are to ensure the sustainable promotion of respect and coexistence.
However, let me point out that changing the material conditions of the poor for the better will go a long way in addressing the neverending strife that tears families apart, that triggers wars and pushes communities asunder into rampages. Using the correct and time-tested ideological tools to promote religious tolerance and therefore co-operation is the undoubted choice that humanity needs to opt for with the greatest passion.
Godfrey Igwebuike Onah claims that at the centre of traditional morality is human life. Africans have a sacred reverence for life, for it is believed to be the greatest of God’s gifts to humans. I therefore maintain that we need to be guided by this dictum.
Once again, some of us have gone, and will still go, out into the world to champion tolerance, co-operation and dialogue so that humanity can ensure respect and coexistence. We need to be mindful of what President Mbeki said:
The process of change has created space for religious communities by guaranteeing all freedoms, particularly religious freedom, which should give these communities all possibilities and opportunities to play their part in the reconstruction and development of our country.
I conclude by asserting that this pertains not only to our country but to the world as a whole. Thank you. [Applause.]
Mr W J SEREMANE: Modulasetulo, se sugele ngwana thari mpeng. [Chairperson, don’t count your chickens before they are hatched.]
Despite the long title of the subject of debate, one can only begin the discourse by picking on the key operative words of the title and these are respect, peaceful coexistence between all religious communities, beliefs and global world, because with a sober approach we could be able to begin to lay the ground for the ideals that are espoused by this very long title. Respect can only be meaningful if it’s reciprocal and mutual and not mono- directional.
Peaceful coexistence between all can only mean that a strong element of justice and mutual recognition of each other’s sovereignty and space, so to say, are essential for global cohesion and tolerance. In most democratic societies it is imperative that there should be a culture of the recognition of fundamental freedoms and human rights undergirded by tolerance and the preparedness to uphold these tenets unselectively and fearlessly. To ensure respect and peaceful coexistence of all these bodies or religious bodies, the dialogue between all religious bodies is also critical. Ecumenism and interfaith dialogue are critical in sustaining the sentiments as expressed by this topic.
Much work has been done in this area by bodies such as the World Council of Churches and similar circular institutions. The foregoing contention is borne out by the resolve ensuing from the 1998 12th Summit Conference of the Heads of State or Government of Nonaligned Movements in Durban which expressed itself thus:
The Heads of State or Government expressed their concern at attempts to suggest division between cultures and civilizations and reiterated that despite conflict and war throughout human history, positive interaction and fusion between cultures and civilisations have continued for the benefit of all humanity, and expressed their resolve to facilitate and enhance this dialogue between cultures and civilisations.
Therefore, the peaceful coexistence between all religious communities can, on the other hand, be strengthened and enhanced by joint social justice ventures, meaning from word to deed witness between these different and globally situated communities.
In conclusion, I would also like to say that it would be a useful exercise if we, our Parliament, explore the possibilities of contributing to these ideals and sentiments as conjured up by the subject under discussion. If we believe in the validity of the subject, we, as Parliament, must live out the sentiments and begin to be what we espouse as an institution – individually and severally. We need to take note of what Bishop Francisco Claver said in his pastorals. He says in a very short pithy way: “We must separate the chaff of rhetoric from the grains of reality.”
The ideals, therefore, envisaged by this topic are certainly acceptable to all freedom-loving and democratic societies. Therefore, it is imperative to endorse such aspirations. Thank you. [Applause.]
Mr J H VAN DER MERWE: Madam Deputy Speaker, it is an honour for me to follow on the possible new leader of the DA [Applause.]
At the end of April the International Parliamentary Union will meet in Indonesia to discuss serious matters affecting the people of this world. About 150 parliaments will try to find solutions for the problems of this planet. One of the issues to be discussed concerns religious communities; there are literally thousands of different religious beliefs on earth and they all have to be respected and have to coexist peacefully and contribute to create a better life for all human beings.
Those members of the South African Parliament attending the forthcoming IPU meeting cannot simply arrive there and take stands. They represent the South African Parliament and must reflect this Parliament’s views. For that reason this debate is taking place so that the South African delegation can today be briefed on what stands we are to take, not only on the issue we are debating today, but also on other issues to be covered later by this House.
Religion is supposedly all about faith, hope and love and yet, one will have to go far to find another issue that is so filled with divisive elements such as intolerance, disrespect, hatred and even war. In many ways religion has shaped the modern history of the world. Witness, for instance, the Christian Crusades to the Holy Land and the penetration of Islam into Europe hundreds of years ago.
The reverberation of those monumental historic epochs can today still be felt and for some still serve as a rallying point. It is very important that all people recognise and respect freedom of religious choice and practice and especially to be tolerant of differences and divergent approaches to religion.
We therefore have to give the people of the world room to practise their religion of choice freely. But unfortunately hard-lined religious fundamentalists refuse to be tolerant of other religions, and they refuse to give room to other believers to practise their choice of religion freely. They thrive on intolerance, hatred and fear and have become a danger to humanity and to world peace.
One needs to take an example from the Roman Catholic Pope who, having raised the ire of Muslims everywhere with his misunderstood speech in Regensburg, went on a bridge-building visit to Turkey where his humility and respect for Islam went a long way towards rebuilding a fractured relationship.
The IPU must, therefore, at the forthcoming meeting in Indonesia, urge its member parliaments, about 150 of them, to make it possible for religious communities and leaders to enter into a dialogue of which the main aim should be guaranteeing respect for and peaceful coexistence between religious communities and beliefs in a globalised world. Thank you. [Applause.]
The DEPUTY SPEAKER: Before we call the next speaker, just to remind the House that this Parliament will be represented in Indonesia, and amongst the topics to be discussed is this topic that very few people are paying attention to. The reason has always been that you are being represented elsewhere without your input, so we thought that by bringing the topics here you would either participate in the debate or follow the debate and be able to advise the delegation before it leaves. I am just pleading with you to assist us to give the best that South Africa can give to other countries.
Ms F BATYI: Deputy Speaker, everybody in this House knows that we live in a globalised world. Whether we are all for globalisation or against it, it’s almost irrelevant since we are all part of it now, whether we like it or not. Despite the obvious benefits that it brings, globalisation has opened the world’s eyes to what happens all around it and has sparked a sense of fear and insecurity that has led to the loss of many lives.
This fear and insecurity is a result of people realising that they have different beliefs, and their unwillingness to accept and embrace each other’s otherness. This is a simple reason for why we are faced with a war on terror. This is the reason why the Middle East has yet to find a solution to a conflict that has been going on for decades. And this is why there is fear around the globe of a third world war based on the conflict between the West and the East, or more extremely, Christianity and Islam.
Strong leadership is necessary if we want to foster respect and peaceful coexistence between all religious communities and beliefs. Sadly, prominent international leaders have failed to do this and have instead imposed more fear on the peoples of the world.
The ID believes that South Africa, as a new member of the UN Security Council, can help to reverse this trend by showing the world how to reconcile different cultures, religions and beliefs under one flag. South Africa has survived its apartheid era, and our country now flourishes with acceptance and respect for all cultures and beliefs in our land. This Parliament, along with other sectors of government, must therefore do what it can to discourage unnecessary warfare and the abuse of human rights.
Finally, the ID hopes that the South African government will use its power at the UN Security Council wisely. We urge them to recall the memories of our conflict-ridden country whenever they have to vote on the situation of another state, and we trust that it will always vote humanely for the duration of its term. I thank you.
Mrs C DUDLEY: Deputy Speaker, the ACDP believes that it is entirely possible and desirable for all religious communities to coexist in a globalised world.
In a report approved by the 9th Assembly of the World Council of Churches, representatives from 120 countries reaffirmed their commitment to respectful dialogue and co-operation between people of different faiths and other convictions, declaring that the international community must work together to nurture global respect for diversity, culture and religion.
Sadly, the reality has been that efforts in this direction have instead undermined diversity, culture and religion. Anyone claiming a distinct identity or holding to unique and absolute values is seen as an obstacle and hindrance to an envisaged one world order.
Christians, for example, worship Jesus Christ who claims to be the one true God, the way, the truth and the life and the only way to the Father. This, in the opinion of those driving the new world order, makes an enemy of all Christians who will not compromise their belief.
Many cultures perceive themselves under threat which does not augur well for peaceful coexistence, when the mere expression of one’s faith is said to constitute hate speech and people are intimidated into accepting laws promoting unacceptable practices such as abortion, homosexuality, experiments on human foetuses, pornography, assisted suicide, sexual immorality and evolution.
The World Council of Churches’ report goes on to state that the real tension in our world is not between religions and beliefs, but between aggressive, intolerant and manipulative seculars and religious ideologies used to legitimise the use of violence, the exclusion of minorities and political domination.
Respect for and peaceful coexistence between all religious communities and beliefs in a globalised world will not happen if it is at the cost of religious freedom and genuine diversity. The right to hold and articulate one’s belief, the right to worship freely and even exclusively, and the right to refuse to participate in practices which violate one’s conscience is fundamental and cannot be wished away or ignored.
Mrs B M NTULI: Madam Deputy Speaker, hon Ministers, friends and colleagues, South Africa is generally regarded as one of the religious countries of the world according to the Inter-Parliamentary Union’s 116th Assembly and related meetings. Its religious population is constituted as follows: Christian 68%; African religions 28,5%; Muslim 2 % and Hindu 1,5%.
South Africa’s religious history is linked to the European powers’ involvement in Africa when the colonial powers divided the African continent among themselves and in that process became actively involved in missionary actions. As from 1890, missionaries became involved and they were more associated with the ruling political powers in Africa. In many African states religion became the cornerstone of the African education systems and social, political and economic life in Africa. South Africa’s history provides sufficient proof that this country followed the trend of the rest of the African continent during the country’s native- settler wars. Some of the conflicts were motivated – in the opinion of the warring parties – by a God-given mandate, eg The Piet Retief and the Zulu wars. Let us avoid that.
Babe nesandla sika Esawu kodwa benezwi lika Jakobe. Babe khombisa ukuthi bazojikela kwesokudla kodwa bajikele kwesokunxele. [They had hands like those of Esau and yet had the voice like that of Jacob. They indicated that they would be turning right only to find that they turned left.]
In subsequent years South Africa in a great way succeeded in creating a climate conducive to the peaceful coexistence of the country’s religious groupings. The South African Constitution, Act 108 of 1996, makes explicit reference to the following: It emphasises and enacts religious sensitivity in a country with potential ethnic and social divisions.
The Bill of Rights protects religious freedom. Everyone has the right to freedom of conscience, religion, thought, belief and opinion. The Constitution does not only acknowledge the rights of religious communities to assembly without prejudices, but also acknowledge the right of religious communities to join and maintain cultural, religious and linguistic associations.
The Freedom Charter says that the law shall guarantee to all their right to speak, organise, meet together, publish and preach and to worship and to educate their children. Sadly, international conflicts and wars are increasing at a rapid pace, some in the name of religion. South Africa remarkably, particularly given the country’s divided tragic past, succeeded in escaping scourge of armed conflict but also in enabling its various religious groups to live together harmoniously.
Kusho ukuthini nalokhu? Ngabe kusho ukuthi sifanele silwe ngoba inkolo yethu ingafani? Cha kodwa sifanele siphile sonke kuleli zwe esilinikwe nguMdali wethu. Munye uMdali, uthi yena unguAlfa no Omega, uyisiqalo nesiphetho. IBhayibheli lithi “Hambani niye ezweni lonke, nishumayele ivangeli kwabakholwayo nibabhaphathize egameni lendodana nelikayise nelikamoya ongcwele, bese nibafundisa ukwenza konke enginitshele khona” Alisho ukuthi bacindezeleni abantu kodwa lithi okholwayo. Lokho kusho ukuthini na? Kusho ukuthi okholwa yile nkolo engizobe ngiyishumayela ngaleso siskhathi. Lisho ukuthi ke asimhloniphe futhi sibahloniphe nabanye. (Translation of isiZulu paragraph follows.)
[What does this therefore mean? Does it mean that because we are from different religions we must fight? No, because we all need to live in this country which was given to us by our Creator. There is only one Creator. He says that He is the Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. The Bible says, “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations baptising them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them all that I have commanded you.” It does not therefore say oppress people, but it says he who believes. What does this mean? This means that whoever believes in the kind of religion that I would be preaching at that particular time, should be respected and should respect others too.]
The World Council of Churches’ declaration on religious liberty of 1948 remained as topical as it was in the middle of the previous century. The protection of the religious rights of others must be on top of the agenda of the international global world. This is also important to South Africa since this country’s religious groupings are to play an important role in advocating global justice.
Thus it is important to protect the religious rights in a democratic state like ours, and to determine to what extent is the Constitution and other legislations in line with the international trends regarding the protection offered to religious communities. These include the right human rights instruments with reference to religion and belief, eg the United Nation’s Charter, the elimination of all forms of discrimination against women, racial discrimination, the declaration on the rights of the child, the rights of indigenous people, the protection of human rights and the Arab Charter on human rights, etc. The question is: Are religious differences and religion to be blamed for wars and conflicts? The answer is no.
Sifanele sihloniphane. Abenzi balezi zimpi banezandla banezandla zika Esawu kanti banezwi lika Jakobe. Bakhombisa ukujikela kwesokudla kodwa bajikele kwesokunxele. rmrmKithina abashumayela ivangeli lithi iZwi, asiphakamise uJesu yena uzobadonsa abantu beze kuye. Umsebenzi wethu ukushumayela abantu baphenduke. (Translation of isiZulu paragraph follows.)
[We need to respect each other. The instigators of all these wars have Esau’s hands, and yet have the voice of Jacob. They indicate to be turning right, and yet they are turning left. To us who preach the living gospel, the Word says, let us exalt Jesus and He will draw them to himself. Our job is to preach to people to repent.]
The religious rights guaranteed by South Africa’s Constitution are further entrenched by the Commission for the Promotion and Protection of the Rights of Cultural, Religious and Linguistic Communities.
The commission was established in terms of the Commission for the Promotion and Protection of the Rights of Cultural, Religious and Linguistic Communities Act, Act 19 of 2002.
The commission is to promote respect for and for further protection of these rights, promoting tolerance and national unity in our communities. We have the challenge of nation-building in a diverse and deeply divided society. Let us build together and make South Africa a better place to live.
Asingazikhohlisi bakwethu sicabange ukuthi uma sisebenzisa iZwi lenkosi sisazophumelela ukubakhohlisa abantu njengakulesiya sikhathi sakuqala uma sasibakhohlisa ukuthi bangabheki okunye okungamasiko abo, bakusebenzise. Zikhona izinto ezinhle ezazingamasiko ethu esasizenza. Ake ngenze umfanekiso, ngithi esikweni labantu intombi yayiba yintombi ize ifinyelele emshadweni. Nasenkolweni kunjalo, intombi ayiphile ubuntombi ize ifinyelele emshadweni. Angazi ke Ukuthi kuhluka kuphi. Kuningi okunye ebengingakubala kodwa ngikhetha ukuthi ngime nje kulokhu okubili engikushilo. Asiqapheleni ke bakwethu ukuthi ukuze sakhe iNingizimu Africa enenhlonipho, enokubekezelelana, enothando, ezoba yindawo enhle ukuthi wonke umuntu akwazi ukuphila kuyo ngenjabulo.
Asihloniphane, sihloniphe izinkolo zabanye abantu kanti neyethu bayihloniphe kanjalo. Mina ke njengekholwa ngiyazihlonipha izinkolo zabanye abantu. Angigxambukeli ezintweni zabanye abantu kodwa engikwenzayo ilokho engikushilo ukuthi ngishumayela ivangeli lokuthi abantu abaphenduke balandele uJesu. Ophendukayo uye engizombhabhadisa bese ngimfundisa ukuhamba njengo Jesu. Ngiyabonga Sihlalo ithuba ongiphe lona, ngicela ukuthi ke sonke sihloniphane sakhel lelizwe lethu libe yizwe elinokuthula, sakhe lelizwe lethu kuze nezwe ngaphandle libukele kithina ukuthi kuhanjwa kanjani uma kuhlangene izizwe ezingafani, ezinezinkolo ezingafani, ezinabantu abahlukile ekwenzeni izinto abakholelwa kuzo kodwa bekwazi ukuphila ndawonye. Singavumi ukuthi izwe lethu lenziwe indawo yempi, kusetshenziswa igama lezinkolo zethu. Ngiyabonga sihlalo. (Translation of isiZulu paragraphs follows.)
[Let us, therefore, not fool ourselves and think that if we use the Word of God we will succeed in fooling the people around us as it happened previously when people were told to surrender their cultures. There are, of course, good things which were part of our cultures which we were doing. Let me make an example here. Traditionally, a girl would remain a virgin until she gets married. The same also applies in the religion; a girl has to maintain her virginity until she gets married. I can’t spot the difference here. There is a lot that I can mention in this regard but I choose to pause here on these two that I have mentioned. Let us, therefore, be very vigilant in order to build a South Africa that is respected – a place of tolerance and love where everyone live happily.
Let us respect each other and respect other people’s religions so that they also respect ours. I for one, as a Christian, respect other people’s religions. I do not interfere in other people’s affairs, but what I do is, as I mentioned before, to preach the gospel for repentance and that people should follow Jesus. He who repents is the only one that I will baptise and teach to emulate Jesus. I thank you, Chairperson, for this opportunity that you have given me. I therefore ask all of us to respect each other, and build this country of ours so that even the world outside can look at us with envy and see how to live together as different races with different religions, as people with different interests who can live together in harmony. Let us not allow our country to be turned into a war zone through our religions. I thank you, Chairperson.]
Ms M M MDLALOSE: Madam Deputy Speaker, colleagues, our universe is home to many different races, cultures and religious convictions. The basis of social cohesion is the willingness to understand and respect the various religious practices around us.
It is our duty, as human beings, to build an ideology of acceptance, a prejudice-free world where we focus on the thread that binds us together as a people. An individual without any belief in anything in or beyond this world is a human being without purpose.
Religion serves as a force that grants us the gift of purpose. Without purpose there is no inspiration to live and to achieve great things. We have to acknowledge that the greatest world leaders were compelled by purpose to bend history and impact on millions of lives in a positive way. For this reason, we have to accept and respect various forces that direct us to our destinies, to live and to be great people.
Ukholo lukhona, lwamukelekile futhi luvumelekile kuzo zonke izinhlanga. Asifunde ukwamukelana ngokuhlukana kwezinkolo zethu. Ngiyabonga. [Religion is there, and it is both acceptable and allowed in all races. Let us learn to accept each other and our different religions. I thank you. [Applause.]]
Mr I S MFUNDISI: Madam Deputy Speaker, hon members, the coexistence of religions is a fundamental challenge all over the world, and there is no doubt that religion is becoming increasingly important in the political sphere.
Nowadays that, which people believe in, has become a political issue. How people practise their religion has become politics. And in some regimes politics equals religion. It is always a great shock to see people fire shots at worship centres, or even go to the extent of having to guard them in some instances.
Religion has to be treated with the greatest caution and, above all, tolerance. The golden rule in religion is: “Do unto others as you would like them to do unto you.” This is common among religions such as Christianity, Islam, Judaism, Buddhism, Bahai and Hinduism. They may be using different words, but they boil down to one thing: “Be tolerant of others.”
All religions should be accepted as potential bearers of peace, reconciliation and reflection. Coexistence in religion does not allow room for the holier-than-thou attitude. It does not allow Puritanism, and neither does it leave room for extremism and violence.
Religious intolerance has shown its face elsewhere in the world. The current tension in the Middle East should not be apportioned only to the Jews, while Muslims are not held responsible for the acts of radical Muslims. Anti-Semitism and Islamophobia are two faces of intolerance that our democratic society must fight to the end.
The global village, which the world has to be, experiences migration of people who live their beliefs in a new environment that becomes suspicious of such newcomers. The result is mistrust which more often than not leads to discrimination, hate and violence. These manifest themselves in a situation that leads to intolerance.
For religious communities to live in peace with one another, they should love, respect, consult and be tolerant of one another. None should view themselves as better than others. The principal word should always be “tolerance”.
Our argument has always been that we all strive to become better with the dawn of each day. Those attending worship centres should not walk on air and look down on others. They should accept that a church or a worship centre is not a museum for saints, but a hospital for sinners.
In conclusion, it has to be noted that nowadays foreign policy extends beyond management of natural resources to the management of religious diversity, faith and cultural pluralism in the globalised world.
Foreign policy is about a quest for high ideals, paving the way for freedom, human rights, democracy, justice, as well as global understanding. I thank you. [Applause.]
Mr M T LIKOTSI: Deputy Speaker, the religious communities of the world have constantly been sending misleading and conflicting messages to international religious communities and others at large. There has been a superiority struggle amongst them, with some claiming to be more relevant and more authentic than others: Christians, Muslims, Hindus, African culture, etc. They all believe that there is only one God, named differently: uQamata, Jah, Tlatlamatjholo, Allah, Here, etc, but still there remains a strong feeling amongst them that the one’s God is better than that of the others.
Amongst Christian religious groups there are sharply diverging views and approaches. The Catholics, the Protestants and abazalwane or the Zionists find it very difficult to coexist with one another, although they are all Christians.
There are repeated incidents of violence amongst some of these groupings, as seen through conflicts in Northern Ireland between the Catholics and the Protestants. These matters of nonrespect and lack of coexistence are sometimes caused by political interference, such as marginalising other religious groupings as nonmainstream.
In our country the mainstream religious communities are foreign-originated churches, such as the Roman Catholic Church, the Nederduitse Gereformeerde Kerk and the Methodists. African churches include the ZCC, Shembe, Rastafarianism, amaPostile and IPCC and they were regarded as uncivilised religious groups.
The African cultural beliefs are a factor and may not be ignored. Anything that relegates these beliefs to zero creates unnecessary tensions that may result in global disturbances. Each religious community should learn to respect the others and forge co-operation among people of different faiths, cultures and other convictions to prevent pain and suffering as seen in some of the places in the world. I thank you. [Applause.]
Mr M RAMGOBIN: Madam Deputy Speaker, colleagues, ladies and gentlemen, since the scientific temper, the enquiring and challenging temper, is a temper of a free person, can we truthfully say to the world, especially to our children and all the children yet to come, that we, all of us, are assured by our deeds and respect for one another, which are directed towards peaceful coexistence with all religious communities and beliefs in our globalised world?
Humbly put, I think, there is very little evidence of this, but given the faith we have in one another as fellow compatriots, we can and must build on and enhance this evidence so that it may bloom into millions of flowers – South African flowers – that are diverse in form, colour and scent, but majestic in their collective grandeur.
I ask the question: Why else would Kofi Annan, the former Secretary-General of the United Nations, have said in this very Parliament that, and I quote:
Your robust economy, stable democracy, support for the rule of law – and perhaps most important – your fully inclusive Constitution have made South Africa a beacon of tolerance, peaceful coexistence, and mutual respect between people of different races, languages, religions and traditions.
Hardly 12 months ago, from this very podium, he went on and emphasised that, and I quote:
South Africa’s particular wisdom, derived from its own history of overcoming resentment and mistrust, can be used to convince other countries that injustices and misunderstandings are not cured by confrontation or threats, since these only strengthen the determination of the powerful to keep power in their own hands.
I believe this refers to political power, religious power or otherwise.
South Africa can teach all of us that, on the contrary, the way to a better balance lies through dialogue, and the establishment of mutual trust.
These sentiments, bordering on an article on faith, no doubt must humble us. Indeed they do.
With equal humility, whilst we acknowledge our major victories and many achievements, we are seized with the responsibilities of addressing the many problems that we as South Africans and the world at large face.
Of course, for us human rights were proclaimed, the anchor of our secular Constitution, and they are the cornerstone in determining our policy options for governance and foreign policy. More than this – and I’ll repeat, more than this – our Constitution invigorates us to think about the ultimate purpose of life.
Indeed, we seek to affirm our lives to the fullest. However, we are also conscious, as our transition to democracy demonstrated, that we should resist the temptation to become a victim and a slave to life, which is rooted in self-centredness.
It will not be an exaggeration to assume that it is this self-centredness that has given rise to our current global nightmare, a nightmare that makes peaceful global coexistence seem beyond our reach. But, this must not be so.
In our globalised world, it is unthinkable that our economic, political and social institutions and practices will remain insulated from influences other than our own. It is encouraging to note that the IPU is convening a conference to address the issue of peaceful coexistence, especially in light of the growing communal temper of religious intolerance that characterises major parts of the world.
And since parliaments are repositories of power, it is within their scope to ensure that the preservation of our essential identities are not allowed to become bigoted. These identities must also not be given the scope to assume for themselves a self-righteous indignation for others. This should become the guiding principle of statecraft for all nations, religious states not excluded.
Communalism based on religion has the capacity to build and manipulate aggressive attitudes, which in turn stimulate another form of communalism. Religious communalisms feed each other, and the doctrine of resorting to force at will becomes the order of the day.
Globally we are descendants of people who were capable of establishing civilisation. Today we are faced with the challenge to either negate our lives or affirm them. The current global situation, especially in the regions where conflicts and wars based on competing faith systems abound, is that there is a significant decay of simple human values.
Out of these crucibles of conflicts and wars emerge a particular tendency of intolerance and lack of respect for life, where we witness the undermining of our common advanced civilisation.
Whilst it should be our duty to add to the great advances and achievements of humanity, as well as the essential values that give meaning to our lives, we are preoccupied, on the basis of existing power and in seeking sectarian power over others, coupled with the arrogance that goes with it, with an uncanny mission to sow the seeds of self-destruction.
In conclusion, peaceful coexistence among all religious communities and beliefs in our globalised world demands respect for one another and for one another’s beliefs. All the parliaments of the world must carry this forward or else religious fanatics will give expression to our human capabilities of destroying ourselves and much else. Finally, I wish to quote from one of the greatest religious thinkers that walked this earth, Swami Vivekananda. He says:
I’m thoroughly convinced that no individual or nation can live by holding itself apart from the community of others. And whenever such an attempt has been made, under false ideas of greatness, policy or holiness, the result has always been disastrous to the secluding one.
With these words I thank you very much.
Ms S RAJBALLY: Madam Deputy Speaker, globalisation has been defined in Wikipedia as the increasing convergence of markets, economies and ways of life across the world. It goes on to explain that there are a variety of ways that globalisation may befall a country and, in light of our topic cultural globalisation, in which the growth of cross-cultural contacts is highlighted.
In late November of last year, the former president of South Africa, Mr F W de Klerk, made a valuable contribution voicing his sentiments on globalisation. He was talking at the Africa and Middle East conference when he correctly advanced that inequalities in the global economic and political system, and failure to deal sensitively with cultural and religious differences, were driving the global village apart. Economically, the world’s people were divided by ongoing poverty and a widening gap between poor and rich nations.
He could not be more right. Each time we turn on the news, we hear of the world’s division, war and imbalanced markets. We know of the existence of the first and second markets that are dominated by a few wealthy countries.
If we are to breach the divide, we need to realise that the human rights that South Africa so proudly boasts in our Constitution need to be carried out in our global dealings. We need to realise the benefits of trading with East and West, acknowledging the potential benefit to both markets.
To do so, we also need to engage in respecting and valuing all races, cultures and religions. South Africa is building great trading agreements, both with East and West.
We need to educate ourselves that to label terrorist activities with a religion is wrong. If we are to research the various religions, monotheistic and polytheistic, we would realise that all inscribe values and uphold the purest and greatest respect for human life, equality and harmonious living.
The MF acknowledges that as Parliament we have a mandate to investigate the progress of business human rights and, if need be, drive efforts to motivate such progress in our markets. [Time expired.]
Mr S SIMMONS: Madam Deputy Speaker, the UPSA supports the ideal of creating respect for and peaceful coexistence between all religious communities in a globalised world, and we further believe that it would go a long way in the eradication of present conflicts around the world.
We don’t have to look beyond South Africa since it became a democracy in
- Prior to South Africa becoming a democracy, the world stood in awe waiting for a revolution or a civil war to take place, but because of a mutual desire to coexist, we achieved what we have today, notwithstanding some domestic issues.
The relatively peaceful manner of our transition was a result of South Africans, irrespective of their religious convictions, demonstrating respect for one another’s desires and beliefs.
Met Suid-Afrika as voorbeeld is ons oortuig dat met dieselfde ingesteldheid van wedersydse respek vir ander, soortgelyke vlakke van vreedsame naasbestaan tussen verskillende godsdiensgroepe in die wêreld bereik kan word. Hierdie plaaslike ervaring kan dus globaal herhaal word.
Daarom moet ons waak teen godsdiensgroepe in die wêreld wat in die naam van demokrasie hul geloofsoortuiginge in politiek en staatsadministrasie wil afdwing, want as dit toegelaat word, is hierdie debat van nul en gener waarde. Ek dank u. (Translation of Afrikaans paragraphs follows.)
[With South Africa as an example, we are convinced that, with the same disposition of mutual respect for others, similar levels of peaceful coexistence could be reached between different religious groups in the world. Therefore this local experience can be repeated globally.
Hence we must guard against religious groups across the world that want to impose their religious beliefs on politics and governance in the name of democracy, because if this is allowed, then this debate is futile. I thank you.]
Mr L M GREEN: Chairperson and hon members, the FD believes in and strongly supports the peaceful coexistence between all religious communities, and we believe in a globalised world in which there will be freedom of religion.
Tolerance is not equal to compromise. To tolerate someone else’s religion does not mean one must sacrifice one’s own faith.
History records man’s inhumanity to man because of religious intolerance. The history of intolerance is well recorded. In 1517 Martin Luther nailed his 95 theses on the church’s door at Wittenberg, and he was persecuted for his beliefs. As a result of religious intolerance, the Protestant Reformation was born.
One hundred years before Luther, John Hus was burnt at the stake, because he stressed the authority of Scripture instead of the corrupt papal authority of the day. He was burnt at the stake because his society did not believe in peaceful coexistence between the religious communities.
In 1564 John Calvin, a French Protestant, was imprisoned because of his faith. He was forced to worship in secret because of the religious intolerance in Germany in that period.
In 1572, 30 000 Protestants were massacred while worshipping on St Bartholomew’s Day, and they were also, of course, known to us as the French Huguenots. The Huguenots became convinced of the necessity of using force in self-defence, and they articulated their biblical reasoning in the document called A Defence of Liberty Against Tyrants. Many French Huguenots fled to South Africa to find a new home of religious tolerance.
William Tyndale was burnt at the stake as a heretic in 1536. Before his death he spent 12 years in exile. His only crime was to translate the Bible into English so that it would become accessible to the common man.
We must jealously defend our religious freedom in South Africa and throughout the world, and therefore we commend the IPU for putting this on the agenda. I thank you.
Moulana M R SAYEDALI-SHAH: Hon members, salaam alaikum. I wish more time was dedicated to such an important subject, because historically, religion has always played a significant role in the lives of millions of people, shaping societies, communities and even the geopolitical landscape of the globe, and it continues to do so even today.
A large part of the South African population adheres to some form of philosophy. We all have some kind of concept of the universe and our place in it. We, therefore, cannot ignore the potential of religion and religious communities in making a meaningful contribution towards the socioeconomic development of countries.
However, and sadly so, religion also has the potential to disrupt peace and stability in society, when hijacked, by planting seeds of hatred and intolerance. It is a law of history that every ideological community starts with certain values and from these values emerge certain norms, then follow certain principles, then emerge certain laws and, finally, under those laws emerge definite rules, regulations and practices. A community adopts a certain philosophy of life in its pristine purity and, depending on the vitality and cohesion of the value system, the community moves forward and wins laurels. But what happens after that?
All values and ideals stand in need of certain institutions for their preservation. Sadly, though, after long periods institutions become more important and the values are forgotten, forgetting that the soul is more important because it survives the body. When the values and the spirit are forgotten, those institutions become stereotyped, moribund, static and stagnant.
Followers and religious leaders of the respective religions then find themselves in a straitjacket. On the other hand, the vested interests which emerge in a community come into conflict with one another, not only through politics, but also through conflicting sects in religion. Ultimately, it becomes a dangerous tool in the hands of a few, leaving behind a silent majority, helpless and unable to wrest control.
Even Islam, the faith to which I belong, presents itself as a comprehensive philosophy and code of life which seeks to establish the universal brotherhood and sisterhood of humankind. Taking this to be its greatest social ideal, it too became a victim of the same treatment at various periods in its history.
The point I’m making is that religion itself is not to blame for the global conflicts fought in its name. It is in fact the practitioners of the various religions who have abused them. Take, for example, the role of religion in apartheid South Africa. It was both a participant in the maintenance of the apartheid status quo as well as an active and effective participant in the struggle against apartheid.
Fortunately, we now have a constitution which guarantees freedom of conscience, religion and belief. As long as faith-based communities, in respect of the Constitution, do not impose their beliefs and values on others, have mutual respect for one another’s religious traditions, refrain from stereotyping, shun racial prejudice and view the “other” as an integral part of the human race, these fundamental human rights are recognised.
Furthermore, as long as governments, and our government too, treat their subjects and the various religious communities equally and protect their respective rights, there is no reason why South Africa should not become a model of what a truly pluralistic society should be; that it should not become an example for others to emulate. I believe we can achieve this goal if the religious and political leaders in our country and the world act responsibly and lead by example.
Peace is not a white dove that will miraculously appear from heaven; peace is the absence of conflict, conflict is but a symptom of fear and fear is the product of ignorance. So, fellow South Africans, let us reach out to one another across the cultural, linguistic, religious and racial divide. Let us get to know one another better so that we may stop viewing one another as “the other”. Then we shall be able to speak the language of “us” and “we” instead of “I” and “me”. When this happens, South Africa will truly become a great country. I thank you. Salaam aleikum. [Applause.]
Ms N P KHUNOU: Chairperson, Deputy Ministers, hon Members of Parliament, I greet you all in the name of our Lord and Saviour. We live in such exciting times with abounding opportunities. We are all alive, young or not so young, wealthy or less well-off, clever or just average, therefore, let us make the most of everything. Let us be alive and well. Do we ever think about ourselves and try to understand who we are? Have we ever thought how special we are? Do we ever think and thank God that we are alive? Why can’t we live life to the fullest, without thinking less of one another, least of all let religion prescribe to that.
God has created us all in his own image. We are all equal in his eyes irrespective of who we are. God is no respecter of persons or religions, therefore there is no religion that can claim superiority. Therefore, let us learn to respect and accept one another. We, people of South Africa, believe that South Africa belongs to all who live in it, united in our diversity. As this is our Constitution, let us all recognise the fact that the entity described as the South African nation is made out of diverse linguistic and cultural groups.
There is a difference between beliefs and religion. We have different beliefs as human beings and they are not formalised, but religion, on the other hand, is formalised. We have different religions in this country and we call God different names as Mrs Ntuli has said. Some call him Allah and some call him God Almighty. He is still the same God, the Creator, infinite God, Alfa, Omega and our Protector.
In South Africa Christianity dominates other religions, but that does not mean that we have to belittle others. We are living in diversity. I need to emphasise this! It is important to respect and tolerate each other. Religion is made of social issues which become a binder. For instance, peace is a binder and therefore we are bound, as a society, to live peacefully. That is religion! Love binds all people.
People who have grown spiritually and are advanced always create an enabling environment for other religious groups. We need to have a common platform for coexistence, as my other colleagues have said. That is the aim of government – for all religious groups to create an environment that is conducive to coexistence. Comrade Cedric Mason, the co-ordinator of the ANC Commission for Religious Affairs, in his attempt to describe religious heritage says: “It falls on to two parts, which are religion education and religious education.” Religious education means the instructor of an adherent tenet and practices of a particular religion, nurturing of faith and advocacy of membership. It seeks to inculcate a specific viewpoint on faith and religious adherence which is our responsibility at home, in our families and churches and not government.
The Freedom Charter is a deeply spiritual document. Every clause thereof can be supported by chapter and verse quotations from the Bible and the Quran, the Hindu scriptures and other holy books. It is noted in the great religious concepts revealed to humanity through the ages: justice, peace, liberty, government, authority, land, brotherhood, opportunity and freedom.
Scriptures make it clear that religion is concerned about the whole of human life, about society, justice, loving our neighbour as we love ourselves, the land and the role of people and cultures. Jesus, in the Christian religion, proclaimed to the suffering people of his age that God will bring the kingdom of heaven so that the poor, oppressed and the downtrodden can be redeemed.
It was not a mistake that Father Trevor Huddleston and other religious personnel met in Kliptown in 1955 and discussed religion. Religion is a very important subject. One of the greatest needs today is for religious people to study the Freedom Charter again and rediscover and reinterpret its truths for the generation which is moving from liberation into transformation.
Se ke mokgatlo wa ANC. Ga re akanye gore motho o mongwe o botoka go na le o mongwe. Re lekana botlhe. Sengwe le sengwe se re se buang re le ANC re se nnela fatshe, re tle ka ditshwetso gore ke eng se re tshwanetseng go se dira. ANC ga e atlhole batho. La Beibele e re e buisang ka metlha yotlhe ga e atlhole batho. Modimo ke ena fela moatlhodi. (Translation of Setswana paragraph follows.)
[The ANC does not view people differently, because it believes that all people are equal. We ensure that any matter that we discuss is endorsed by everyone before we decide what should be done. The ANC, like the Bible we read every day, states that we should not judge people because it is only God who does.]
Earlier I alluded to the fact that we as parents need to educate our children on religious values, and not the government. We don’t expect our children to be taught religion at school. Somebody would impose what they believe on our children. I would like to cite examples. One Muslim scholar in Cape Town got married and according to her religion she can fall pregnant because she is married. When she went back to school, she encountered problems because other teachers didn’t want to re-register her. I think it is the right of the child to be registered if she wants to go back to school. No one must oppress that child. Secondly, in North West, one school governing body decided that instead of praying at assembly, they would rather observe a moment of silence. This caused conflicts amongst parents. It is important for all parents to teach their own children their religious values, norms and standards. The school cannot do it, because children come from different religious backgrounds.
Some Africans believe in sangomas and traditional doctors, which are called witchdoctors by the westernised organisations. When people go to hospitals and cannot tolerate Western medication, they are said to be hallucinating and having delusions. In some instances people impose yoga on us. It’s OK for the Jewish to do yoga, because it is their own cultural belief and I think we, as Africans, also need to be respected. When we believe in our sangomas and ancestors, it should not be anybody’s problem.
In conclusion, the nation has experienced spiritual dryness for some decades, and now we are witnessing a lifting up of heaviness and bursting forth of a new season of brotherly and sisterly love. There isn’t any national change and renaissance, but a repairing of the nation into a cohesive unit of oneness in spirit and in mind. We are experiencing a bursting forth of days where the Spirit of God is bringing an understanding between religious communities, beliefs and cultural groups all rallying around issues of peace and national interest.
Whilst differences and similarities in other cases could be viewed as opposing factors, when it comes to nation-building, they become the foundation for ensuring respect and for peaceful coexistence. Truly, the plans that God has for South Africa are not written on paper, but are felt and witnessed by the discerning heart. Without a doubt, we each possess a level of inner knowing that God is preparing the nation for a season of not only spiritual healing, but of reconstruction that goes way beyond religiosity. He has anointed many minds and is giving divine strategy for the cutting away of the dross of discrimination and belief system bars.
These strategies and measures bring us, as people, to a level of spiritual maturity, and we experience a liberty from the bondage of intolerance, religious exclusion and resentment. We are a highly acclaimed nation that hungers and thirsts for deeper understanding and possess lofty levels of thinking, and view the world from an informed position as victors in issues of national unification. Perhaps the world, as a global system, can learn a few things from us as we master our national genius and customise our own excellence. Thank you. [Applause.]
The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Ms C-S Botha): That concludes the debate on this subject. As agreed earlier, we will now take farewell speeches to the hon M S Manie upon his resignation from the National Assembly.
FAREWELL TO HON MR M S MANIE
Mr M S MANIE: Madam Chairperson … [Interjections.] [Applause.] Madam Chairperson, I can see I will be missed in this House. I don’t know what this House is going to do without me but that’s the House’s problem. Even the DA will miss me. [Interjections.] Thank you, Mike.
When I heard that I would be given the opportunity to address this House before I leave, I was not sure about what I would say to this House. The obvious thing would be to say thank you and thank all the people, but then you would have a long list of “Thank yous” only. I have one or two things that I wanted to leave with the House. If there is time left … Mike, don’t heckle me on the last minute, man! [Laughter.]
The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Ms C-S Botha): I will keep him in order for you.
Mr M S MANIE: You see he is taking it out on me for all the years I have given him grief. I am thankful to the ANC and Parliament for the opportunity to have been able to serve my country for the past 13 years. [Applause.] Parliament’s role is defined by the Constitution of our country. It has four elements in it. The first one is the one that we all know about and that is to make laws for our country. The second one is to ensure that we do our work in a way that includes public participation. The third thing is to ensure accountability and the fourth one, an important one, is to exercise oversight over the executive. We don’t have any choice about these four things that the Constitution says we must do.
I thought it would be important for me to state that we have done an enormous amount of work in this Parliament since 1994. We have been able to do what very few other countries would have been able to do over this period, like writing hundreds of laws as well as getting a new Constitution in place. It’s not only the ANC which has done this, it’s also the opposition parties. Together we’ve been able to achieve this.
However, one of the points I thought would be important to make here today is to say, in my view – because now I can say what I want; they can’t sack me and I am leaving tomorrow anyway – Parliament cannot execute that mandate because it is underresourced. If we do not allocate more money, we will not be able to execute our constitutional mandate.
I think this is important. If Trevor Manuel had been here today, I would have preferred to say this to him myself. However, he is still busy appearing on TV explaining his Budget, such that he obviously doesn’t have time to say goodbye to me. The passing of the laws is one component. Members and portfolio committees need more resources. Unless that is going to be addressed urgently, we are still going to have the same problem. [Applause.]
Just as a throwaway proposal, I have this to say: Don’t try and do this internally. I have been part of some of these processes myself. Try and get an independent outside party, maybe international people and some experts, and let them come up with a proposal recommended to Parliament as to how this should be dealt with, maybe it will be dealt with quickly. I want to leave that as a proposal.
Another point I want to raise is that I have noticed that we often speak past one another when we appear in this House. I am talking about political parties, not necessarily from the ANC’s side or the opposition benches. People tend to speak past each other, and I don’t understand why people are doing this.
On a previous occasion, I cited an example of what had happened to me. I think I would want to mention that example again before I leave this House. One day when I came home from Parliament, I didn’t have time to go to the barber and asked my daughter to cut my hair. My wife overheard this and asked me where I was going to cut my hair. I replied and said I was going to cut my hair in the bathroom. She then said that I must make sure I cleaned up and picked up all the hair before I left the bathroom.
I went into the bathroom and took off my shirt and spectacles and put them on one side, and my daughter cut my hair. Before she left I asked her to bring me the vacuum cleaner. I was going to make sure that I vacuumed that place myself, because I know how my wife can go on if I don’t listen to her. [Laughter.]
I took the vacuum cleaner and cleaned every single corner. I made sure it was clean. I went around the toilet cistern and cleaned everything. I looked again to be 100% sure that everything was clean.
So, when my wife heard that the vacuum cleaner was switched off, she came and popped a head just around the corner of the door and looked at the floor and said, “I asked you so nicely to clean this place, look at the mess!” But I had just made 100% sure that the place was clean. I looked around, the place was clean. I became very cross. I was so cross that I was going to fight. I put on my shirt and specs and as I was walking out, I suddenly saw the hair because now I had my specs on. [Laughter.]
Comrades and colleagues, this might sound funny to you. It was like somebody had smacked me, because I suddenly realised that I had been given insight into something much bigger than just the dirty floor in front of me. How often are we convinced that we are right, and we fight about it because we see it from a particular perspective? The moment you put on the spectacles of someone else, and you look through their eyes, you see a completely different picture.
It is not only in politics, it’s in every walk of life. I want to ask that we reflect on this example, because often when we are so sure that we are right, but there is a possibility that we might be wrong.
I think we will find many more solutions if we are able to look through the eyes of other people, especially if we come from different experiences and different backgrounds.
The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Ms C-S Botha): Hon Manie, you will have another three minutes at the end.
Mr M S MANIE: Thank you, Chairperson.
Mr P J GOMOMO: Chairperson, hon Members of Parliament, I rise to represent the ANC in saying farewell to the hon Member of Parliament and Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Labour, Comrade Salie Manie, as he surrenders the mandate back to his people through this Parliament and his party, the ANC.
It is rare for the National Assembly to come together during an occasion like this to say farewell to an ordinary Member of Parliament, at the level of Comrade Salie. It is uncommon for ordinary Members of Parliament to provide us with an opportunity to say this when they depart. We therefore want to say thank you for that, Comrade Salie. Your footprints are clear for us to follow.
You are departing during the time when this House, in particular, and Parliament in general, has the responsibility to champion the cause of the poor as we intensify the struggle against poverty, backwardness, ignorance and crime, to mention just a few. We recognise your heroic footprints.
You are departing during the time when we have just entered our second decade of freedom with a clear mandate to address people’s expectations, to deepen democracy and to accelerate service delivery through active public participation derived from tolerance for one another. And your unwavering commitment in this regard is printed boldly on your footprints.
You are leaving Parliament during the time when we are giving more attention to oversight work with a view to accelerating the implementation of the policy responses by our ANC-led government, and your vigilance and determination will guide us like your footprints.
As we say farewell to this hon Member of Parliament, we want to acknowledge that he is not just an ordinary Member of Parliament and committee chairperson, but he is a people’s person, a trade unionist, a revolutionary, a fighter, a leader and, amongst all, a highly organised person. I worked with Comrade Salie during my days as Cosatu leader and through activities both in the SA Municipality Workers Union and Cosatu, and the tripartite alliance.
He would always advise us to remember that the needs and interests of workers are linked to the needs and the interests of the whole society. And that any programme to fight for the needs and interests of the workers, is in fact, a programme to fight for the needs and interest of the society as a whole. He would always advise us that those who would argue for dichotomy between the struggle for the rights of the workers and the general political struggle for liberation should be helped, for he believed that they were trapped in the confusion of ignorance.
Comrade Salie, you are departing from Parliament during the time when the alliance has to provide leadership to this Parliament and the government as terrains of struggle to realise a better life for all the people. Your vocal submissions are a guide to us as, of course, you are busy walking to produce more footprints.
It is at a time like this, Comrade Salie, that, as you always provided leadership, your footprints will guide us not to focus on trifles and selfish agendas that may only seek to address our temporary and personal needs at the expense of the goals of our liberation struggle.
In conclusion, as we say farewell to this hon Member of Parliament, we are confident that, even in a small way, Comrade Salie will not betray the masses and will always keep contact with the masses of our country. Comrade Salie, we all love you. We used to call you the “weteman” and the ox that pulls the wagon when it is in difficult times. Do so, even when you leave this Parliament. I thank you. [Applause.]
Mnr T D LEE: Voorsitter, dit is snaaks. Die agb Manie sê hy was baie lanklaas hier. Ek was net so lanklaas hier voor by die podium.
En nou moet ons vanmiddag totsiens sê aan die agb Salie Manie. Dit is met gemengde gevoelens dat ons vandag afskeid neem van mnr Salie Manie. In ’n mate sal die Opposisie ’n sug van verligting slaak, want nou kan ons in vrede, sonder die bytende tussenwerpsels van die agb Manie debatteer.
Sommer so van tussenwerpsels gepraat, wie van ons wat hier was, sal ooit die agb Manie se tussenwerpsel aan die destydse Minister van Welsyn en Bevolkingsontwikkeling, mnr Abe Williams, vergeet toe hy hom gevra het, “Abe, waar is my pa se pensioen?” [Gelag.]
Terwyl u ’n bydrae tot die ligter oomblikke in hierdie Raad gemaak het, was ons ook daarvan bewus dat u ’n hardwerkende en toegewyde lid was. En dit is werklik so; ek kan daarvan getuig, want ek het saam met u in komitees gedien. Ek is seker dit is as gevolg van hierdie toewyding dat u bevorder was en destyds voorsitter van die Portefeuljekomitee oor Staatsdiens en Administrasie geword het.
As Suid-Afrikaners roem ons ons graag op wat ons deur ’n onderhandelde skikking in ons land bereik het, en dit is reg dat ons ons daarop roem. Daarom kan u en die arbeidsbeweging – dit het mnr Gomomo ook nou hier genoem – se bydraes hierin nie geringgeskat word nie. U het ’n groot bydrae daar gemaak.
U kan met reg sê, agb Manie, “Ek was daar”, want jy was orals. Die DA wens u sterkte toe. “As-salaamu-alai-kum. Fi-amanillah.” [Vrede vir jou. Ek los jou in die sorg van Allah.] (Translation of Afrikaans speech follows.)
[Mr T D LEE: Chairperson, it is funny. The hon Manie said that he has not been here for some time. I have not been here at the podium for some time as well.
And now we must say goodbye to the hon Salie Manie this afternoon. It is with mixed emotions that we say goodbye to Mr Salie Manie today. To some extent the Opposition will give a sigh of relief, because we can now debate in peace, without the biting interjections of the hon Manie.
Talking about interjections, whom of us who were here, will ever forget the interjection of the hon Manie to the then Minister of Welfare and Population Development, Mr Abe Williams, when he asked him, “Abe, waar is my pa se pensioen?” [“Abe, where is my father’s pension?”][Laughter.]
Whilst you were contributing to the lighter moments in this Council, we were also aware that you were a diligent and dedicated member. And it is indeed so; I can testify to that, because I served with you in the committees. I am sure that it is because of this dedication that you were promoted and became chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Public Service and Administration at that time.
As South Africans we like to boast about what we have achieved through a negotiated settlement in our country, and it is right that we should pride ourselves on that. Hence the contributions made by you and the labour movement towards this – and Mr Gomomo also mentioned that here today – should not be underestimated. You have made a big contribution there.
Hon Manie, you can rightfully say, “I was there”, because you were everywhere. The DA wishes you all the best. As-salaamu-alai-kum. Fi- amanillah. [Peace be with you. I leave you in the care of Allah.]]
Mr B W DHLAMINI: Madam Chairperson and colleagues, in conveying the IFP’s goodbye to Mr Manie, if you think of it, of more than 45 million citizens of our country, only 400 are given the privilege to sit and serve in this important forum of our nation to better the lives of our people. It should really humble us, and we should thank God and our ancestors for giving us the opportunity. You are one of those lucky and privileged ones, hon Manie, to have served at this important level.
I also want to agree with you that it is very important that one should look at other people from their perspective, because when I arrived at Parliament in 2000, when I used the spectacles from this side, I only saw a Manie that always shouted about his father’s pension. [Laughter.] But then, when I looked and worked with you through the years, I saw that this was a dedicated patriot who wants the best for our country. I only hope that you are not leaving Parliament because you’ve got the perception that there are peanuts around here, therefore there will be monkeys, but that you are leaving to serve a better place. I thank you. [Applause.]
Mr G T MADIKIZA: Madam Chairperson, hon members, the UDM joins the House in bidding farewell to the hon Salie Manie. We hope that the future has only good things in store for you, sir. After a long period of service in the NA, we salute the hon member for his contribution. Even though we are from opposing political organisations, and while we may not have agreed on certain political and ideological matters, we can still recognise that the hon member was a dedicated democrat and public representative.
Our common commitment to freedom and democracy calls upon us to acknowledge his contributions and to feel regret at his departure. We would like to wish the hon member success in his future endeavours. I thank you. [Applause.]
Mr I S MFUNDISI: Chairperson and hon members, one always has mixed feelings when speaking on an occasion of a farewell, particularly to a vociferous man like Mr Manie. It becomes even more complicated when one has to speak on behalf of 11 other parties.
Mr Manie showed that he is a unionist to the bone. He is hard-pressed to keep quiet. Notwithstanding his indisposition that came to characterise him post-2003, he was always vocal on issues he did not agree with.
As chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Labour, there were times when I thought he mistook that role for that of chairing a labour movement in the Chamber here.
He is second to none as a heckler in this Chamber. [Laughter.] This he did consistently when he asked, as my colleagues who spoke before me indicated, former member Abe Williams when the latter was going to pay his father’s pension. I hope he did eventually get the pension.
This man, whose otherwise outward and quiet disposition belied the activist he is, will be remembered for a long time to come in the corridors of this Parliament. On behalf of the ACDP, the FF Plus, Nadeco, UCDP, PAC, MF, UIF, Azapo, FD, UPSA and PIM, we wish Mr Manie the best of luck in all his pursuits in life. I thank you. [Applause.]
Mr M S MANIE: Chairperson, I am worried about my own pension now because it is not enough. In fact, on a much more serious note, I want to advise people to actually go and check how little it is for you to retire on. It is not enough.
I do not have enough time, but all I want to say to you is that this Parliament has been far too generous to me. I sincerely appreciate the opportunity and time that I have had to serve my country and the small contribution that I have made. I just want to say two things. Firstly, that I will remain a loyal ANC member so that nobody has any ideas of who and what I am. [Applause.] I will die a loyal ANC member, and I hope to serve my community in the same way and be loyal to all my principles, but I will do it from the outside.
Secondly, I do want to leave a message for all my colleagues on both sides of the House, and I say to you now as public representatives that the rich and the people who have access to resources will find a way of getting their voices heard. Never forget that you are here to represent the voices of those people who find it difficult to be heard in places like these. The poor, the sick and the elderly, keep them in mind. [Applause.] I thank you very much, comrades. Viva ANC, Viva! [Applause.]
HON MEMBERS: Viva!
The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Ms C-S Botha): That concludes the farewell speeches to Mr Manie. The Presiding Officers and I also wish to take this opportunity to wish you well, Mr Manie. We will now take Orders two to seven together. These are the first to the sixth report to the Standing Committee on Public Accounts. Hon Godi, please come to the podium.
CONSIDERATION OF FIRST REPORT OF STANDING COMMITTEE ON PUBLIC ACCOUNTS - SA LOCAL GOVERNMENT ASSOCIATION (SALGA) CONSIDERATION OF SECOND REPORT OF STANDING COMMITTEE ON PUBLIC ACCOUNTS - DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONAL SERVICES (DCS) CONSIDERATION OF THIRD REPORT OF STANDING COMMITTEE ON PUBLIC ACCOUNTS - MARINE LIVING RESOURCES FUND
CONSIDERATION OF FOURTH REPORT OF STANDING COMMITTEE ON PUBLIC ACCOUNTS - THE SHELTERED EMPLOYMENT FACTORY
CONSIDERATION OF FIFTH REPORT OF STANDING COMMITTEE ON PUBLIC ACCOUNTS - NATIONAL SKILLS FUND
CONSIDERATION OF SIXTH REPORT OF STANDING COMMITTEE ON PUBLIC ACCOUNTS - GOVERNMENT COMMUNICATION AND INFORMATION SYSTEM
Mr N T GODI: Madam Chairperson, comrades and hon members, as indicated, we are presenting the six reports in front of you for adoption by the House. It will be noted that these are reports, except the last one, arising out of the hearings that we have had with these entities.
I would like to start by thanking my colleagues in the committee because of the amount of hard work that they put into our work despite, of course, the observation made by Comrade Manie around being underresourced.
The first report is on the SA Local Government Association. As hon members and comrades would have noted, there is a whole range of issues that we are not happy about around noncompliance with laws and regulations, as well as weak internal controls in the appropriateness of accounting transactions, as well as in human resources.
The recommendations that we have made there are around the need for building capacity, that is, ensuring their vacancies are filled, ensuring that they have skilled persons, especially in the finance departments, as well as ensuring that there are proper systems to manage their affairs.
When one looks at the Department of Correctional Services there would still be, to a very large extent, similar problems except that when one looks at internal controls there have been a problem in that department for four successive years. The same could be said about medical expenditure for four consecutive years, and I think in our reports we have made recommendations on what we think needs to be done. Of course, also including the question of vacancy rates which we know are problematic. In the finance sector it is 34% which has a great bearing on the ability of the department to manage its finances appropriately.
The third report is on the Marine Living Resources Fund, which is an entity in the Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism – the same problem around noncompliance with laws and regulations, and the question of skills and capacity which affects their internal controls. Of course, in this particular entity there is an added dimension of the need to finalise the governance arrangements, whether it has to be the trading account of the department or whether it should be a stand-alone public entity.
Our recommendation is that in view of the failure of the entity to run its affairs appropriately – for the last three financial years there were no reports, and even those that we received last year came in very late – we are of the view that the department should take complete charge of the entity to ensure that the strategic purpose for which it has been established can be better fulfilled. As things stand right now, they do not go accordingly.
The fourth report deals with the Sheltered Employment Factory under the Department of Labour. The entity also has governance and accountability problems in terms of the clearly defined framework within which governance and accountability has to take place. Even the director-general of the department agreed that the entity is in complete disarray and has been like that for quite some time on the question of internal control which impacts negatively on the ability of the entity to run its affairs. We believe that this needs to be sorted out.
There was a special investigation after the suspension of the manager and as a committee we feel that Parliament should also actually insist that the investigation should continue, and the reports thereof should be given to Parliament and action be taken against those who would have misused public funds. The fifth report is also of an entity from the Department of Labour, which also, just like the Sheltered Employment Factory, has serious governance issues in terms of accountability arrangements, as well as reporting which makes it difficult for us to define exactly how the department features in terms of assisting and monitoring the activities of the entity. We feel that these do need to be sorted out. There are very serious shortcomings in terms of internal controls that negatively impact on the ability of the entity to control its resources.
The last report relates to the Government Communication and Information Systems. The House will recall, as it is indicated in the preamble of that report, that we passed a resolution authorising the write-off of an amount of about R1, 6 million incurred as a result of an unauthorised expenditure incurred by one, Moses Kotane, who was in charge at that time.
What we overlooked was the fact that, at the time when we passed this resolution, the interest accrued out of this amount was actually bigger than the original amount. The interest stood at about R1,8 million. So, the GCIS came back to us to request that Parliament should allow them to waive this interest because if they were to pay this interest, which is more than the principal debt, it would certainly not make sense.
They have discussed with National Treasury, and we have also checked with it, and we are in agreement with National Treasury that this can be done on condition that, firstly, the High Court judgment against Mr Kotane should stay until the 30-year period lapses. This means that if he were to win the Lotto before these 30 years, the state should be able to recoup the money that it has lost through his reckless action.
We want to commend these reports to the House and request it to adopt them. I have been very generic in my input, but I think that my comrades and other hon members are going to go more into details in terms of each of the reports that we present before you. I thank you. [Applause.]
Mr P A GERBER: Madam Chairperson, colleagues, comrades and friends, I would like to quote two paragraphs from the 8 January Statement of the President of the ANC, President Thabo Mbeki, and I quote:
We must vigorously counter all corrupt practices, not merely through effective rules and regulations, and scrupulous monitoring, detection and, where appropriate, prosecution, but also through the strengthening of political consciousness and the values associated with ubuntu.
Similarly, these values must infuse the work of all those who provide a public service. Amongst other things, ubuntu should give content to the Batho Pele campaign ensuring that, at all times and all instances, the interests of the people are prioritised, and that any impediments to optimal public service are identified and removed.
These are our marching orders. With that in mind, I would like to highlight one of these resolutions, namely the one on the Marine Living Resources Fund. This seasick entity has been in a terrible financial state for quite a few years, receiving disclaimers for four years in a row from the Auditor- General. We hope that this resolution will assist to cure this financial seasickness.
There have been numerous problems with this entity, and I would just like to highlight and read the headings. There has been noncompliance with the Public Finance Management Act; problems with harbour fees; problems with levies on fish and sea products; problems with application fees for fishing; problems with value-added tax; problems with debtors’ management; problems with opening balances; problems with skills and capacities; problems with accounting systems, performance management and reporting; and also problems in the abalone industry. I would like to highlight a few of these issues, if I may. Regarding clause 2.2 that deals with the levy on fish and sea products, I would like to say that the average price, in Hong Kong, of South African abalone is 342 to 855 US Dollars per kilo. In other words, it is between R2 394 to R5 985 per kilo; in other words, it is R2,2 million to R5,9 million for a ton. The average canned price of abalone, which is this size, is about R180 plus. These are the figures for 2006. This industry is worth about R2,5 billion just with the figures from Hong Kong. The levy that we as government charge to the factories and the people harvesting the abalone is R25 a kilo for abalone.
So, it is nothing else but criminal to give an asset away for R25 a kilo where it’s actually trading in the international market for more than R2 000 a kilo. The poor diver who gets paid anything from R180 to R220 a kilo for the perlemoen, that he delivers to the factory suffers. If I were a diver, I would also sell my abalone to anyone who was prepared to pay more than that. Therefore, as long as we have abnormal profits in an industry, we’ll have smuggling and poaching.
According to the traffic bulletin of 2002, Hong Kong trade statistics show that, apart from South Africa, abalone is also imported from other African countries, such as Swaziland, Zambia and Zimbabwe. These countries are landlocked and don’t have a coastline. So, the abalone was probably smuggled from South Africa. Swaziland alone supplies 4% of the imported abalone to Hong Kong, and it does not even have a sea! So, colleagues know that we are allowing illegal asset stripping in this country in terms of abalone. Therefore, we need to recommend that a new and market value- related levy structure be determined and implemented as soon as possible so that we can get better monetary value for the taxpayer.
Regarding the abalone industry, we are also asking in this resolution that the Auditor-General do a cost-benefit audit regarding the tonnage that is harvested; tonnage that is locally sold; the value of the exports; the amount of money that is being returned to South Africa; the amount of tax that the SA Revenue Service is receiving; the amount of money that the SA Police Service is spending on policing the industry, Environmental Affairs on managing the industry, Justice on enforcing the law and Defence on protecting the industry; and any other information that is relevant to this issue.
We ask for this so that there can be an informed decision on whether we should have an abalone industry, whether we should ban abalone harvesting, or whether we should have an aquaculture abalone industry. At the moment, it appears as if we act in a haphazard way when it comes to monitoring, managing and policing of the industry.
In 2.3 of the resolution, we note the complicated structure of application fees for fish and sea products, which complexity might deter potential applicants and affect potential revenue. For example, the application fee to collect seaweed is R1 900, but the fee for crayfish is only R300. These amounts are just to get the physical application forms. To get an application form for a mineral mining permit from the Department of Mineral and Energy Affairs costs you nothing. In fact, you can draw it from the website. Whether you want to mine gravel or gold, it costs you nothing.
If you look at some of the companies, for instance, and close corporations, they have been awarded fishing permits and quotas. Many of them have African names, and I don’t want to name any of them, but if you look at the Companies and Intellectual Property Registration Office report of the names of the directors and the members, the only thing that is black there is probably the ink on the permits. So, we need to look at this. For example, you have a fishing company with a postal address in Mossel Bay, but with a physical address in Paarden Island, or you have a fishing company with a postal address in Mavuso location in Alice, but the physical address is in Bloubergstrand.
The fish product quotas are all determined by kilo or per tonnage, yet the whole seaweed industry is regulated by allocated geographical areas. For instance, nearly the whole Eastern Cape coast is allocated to one company with the postal address in Ganubi, but with a physical address in Sandton. Three very high potential areas are also allocated to one company in Rivonia. If seaweed were also regulated in terms of mass or volume, our beaches would not have been littered with high-potential washed-ashore kelp.
With these matters as background, the committee recommends that the application system, including fees and structure, should be simplified so as to allow as many applicants as possible, ensuring more value for money to the taxpayer.
Regarding the future of the Marine Living Resources Fund … [Interjections.] … we noted that the fund is being administered by dedicated employees of the Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism on a seconded basis. Also, the fund cannot operate on its own financially without an annual government grant. It does not have a board that exercises oversight. The director-general was of the opinion that the fund, as a public entity, as opposed to a trading account, should be looked at and reviewed.
This comment on whether the Marine Living Resources Fund can do so as a directorate of the Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism was quite significant. It will serve the country much better if it reverted back to the department. There will be better control, rules, regulations and financial discipline.
For example, the Department of Minerals and Energy does not have a separate entity to administer mining rights and fees. Thank God for that, otherwise we would have had similar problems.
It is in this light that the committee recommends that the Marine Living Resources Fund be reincorporated into the Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism so as to have a proper accounting authority in promoting proper management of this important industry.
I believe that the entity is going to workshop this specific recommendation. I don’t think that they should do this as they have too many vested interests in that. We don’t need workshops or talkshops; we need action on this problem.
Chairperson, I would like to end by saying that we really need to make this industry seaworthy again. Too many of the poorest of the poor – the people that Salie Manie has referred to – are dependent on the sea and its harvest, and we can’t fail these people. We trust that this entity will get rid of the seasick attitude and pull itself together, as we owe it to the generations to come. I thank you. [Applause.]
Mr E W TRENT: Chairperson, I would like to focus my contribution this afternoon on a few broader issues rather than on the reports. The reports are all printed in the ATC for everybody to read, and I hope that those who are interested will do so. I will also include in my speech a few ``Tips for Trevor’’ with respect to the effective, efficient, economical and also honest expenditure of taxpayers’ money. The hon Minister – I see he is gone now – earlier on made the speech specifically for himself. Maybe somebody will give him a copy.
The first issue that I want to deal with is performance measurement and reporting. The Auditor-General reports the following shortcomings on performance reporting: Firstly, that Salga did not ensure that its business plans had measurable objectives with proper monitoring and evaluation of identical key actions; and secondly, that the committee noted with concern that the Marine Living Resources Fund has not disclosed or reported on the achievements of the objectives it has set.
The question is very simple: How can Parliament rely on the accuracy of the performance information presented in the annual report if the AG is, for whatever reason, unable to order that information? And that is a quick tip to those in the standing committees. How can you rely on that information if it has not been audited? How can we trust the statistics on, for example, crime and a number of houses built if they cannot be audited?
In the open market, no wise shareholder would invest in companies if their results were not audited. Why should it be different in government? My first tip for Trevor is: Use the considerable leverage and the many tools that you have at your disposal as Minister of Finance to ensure that institutions of government provide auditors with performance information in a format that can be audited in terms of the PFMA.
Noncompliance with laws and regulations and poor internal control is the second threat that weaves its way through the fabric of each of these institutions and the overwhelming majority of the 280 others that come before SCOPA each year.
I just want to give you some examples. Of the 12 issues on procurement and tendering of all provinces that were raised by the Auditor-General in the provinces, 10 of them were issues of noncompliance which could relate to corruption or lead to corruption. Nineteen of the 26 issues raised in hospital administration were issues that could lead to corruption. In order to prevent a heart attack, your doctor will make sure that your blood pressure and cholesterol are within certain parameters. Likewise, corruption and theft also have indicators that can be monitored in a similar fashion. One of these indicators is the existence of opportunities for corruption to take place, and the other is the issue of ethical standards, that is, what is deemed acceptable or not in the management of government finances.
Let me deal with opportunity first. The PFMA requires managers to put in place systems designed to minimise risks and therefore to minimise the opportunity for corruption, and then to manage those systems. It makes no sense to put in place systems and then overlook noncompliance.
My next tip to Trevor is: In the interest of clean honest administration, implement a policy of zero tolerance against those who fail to comply with the laws and regulations administered by National Treasury. If compliance is too onerous or beyond the capability or capacity of government departments and entities, then amend the laws and regulations without compromising standards. It serves no purpose to set people up for failure. In this respect, it is instructive to note that the PFMA has not been amended in the six or seven years that it has been in existence.
In terms of the question of ethics, I would like to mention at the outset that the sense of entitlement in the echelons of the ruling party is not constructive at all.
Then, there is also the flagrant abuse of space in our legal framework by the governing party to use its influence and its resources of state to facilitate and sell access to Cabinet Ministers and senior civil servants in order to raise funds.
As put by Professor George Devenish, this scheme is politically unethical and is clearly in conflict with the ethos of the Constitution, even if, in a very narrow sense, it is not illegal.
I have read many press comments on this latest fundraising scheme of the ANC. The one issue that I have not seen raised is the very issue that I am talking about. Yes, it may be debatable whether it’s legal or not, but what it does do is that it opens the doors of opportunity for corruption to take place.
I would like to use an analogy. I can remember in the years of the former regime, in my city, Port Elizabeth, it was rather strange that somehow a certain individual always happened to have the premises that were required for a government department tailor made. Wherever there was a tender put out, one or two individuals always just had the right building, at the right place, at the right time. What was not strange about this was that those business people, who were repeatedly awarded tenders, were all major donors of the former government.
If we continue with this scheme we are going to open the doors of temptation and corruption. Of course, it stands the governing party free not to heed our wisdom in the fight against corruption. But lest they forget, if the impression is created, as it currently is, that it is fine to be corrupt, then the example set by Cabinet and senior civil servants will be followed with impunity by others. I thank you. [Applause.]
Mr H J BEKKER: Chairperson, SCOPA’s reports on the SA Local Government Association, the Department of Correctional Services, the Marine Living Resources Fund, the Sheltered Employment Factory, the National Skills Fund and GCIS yet again bring into sharp focus the inability of many state institutions to comply fully with the public finance laws and regulations.
The Public Finance Management Act was created specifically to improve state financial administration, but now some nine years after its creation the law is still not being properly implemented and is perhaps not taken seriously enough by accounting officers. By way of example, Scopa’s reports also highlight a lack of proper internal controls, inappropriate accounting transactions, lack of performance audits and weaknesses in financial administrations at these six institutions.
Some of the more glaring weaknesses identified by the Auditor-General include the following: Firstly, Salga purchased a building without obtaining approval from the executive, resulting in an amount of R3,2 million paid in commission that still has to be recovered; secondly, Salga opened and used bank accounts without having obtained approval from National Treasury; and thirdly, at 30 June 2005, Salga was still owed R136 million in outstanding membership fees. Those are from the municipalities which are supposed to pay that.
Fourthly, the same weaknesses and problems at the Department of Correctional Services have been identified for four years in a row. This included the inability of the Auditor-General to verify the validity, accuracy and completeness of medical expenditure – and in this case I am not even talking about Schabir Shaik’s medical history in Correctional Services; that’s another aspect.
Fifthly, the department had a vacancy rate of 34% in financial management, which at least partly explains why it was unable to spend an amount of R150 million. Sixthly, the Marine Living Resources Fund bought an accounting system for R3 million; then discovered it was not functioning properly and bought yet another system at a cost of R5 million.
Finally, the Department of Labour has still not made any progress on the appropriate governance and accountability arrangement and reporting procedures for the National Skills Fund.
Mr Chairperson, the IFP wholeheartedly supports the various recommendations of the committee. We hope that vigorous implementation of the recommendations will improve the state of affairs at these institutions, and we assure them of our support, but also our vigilance in monitoring their future performance. We are concerned about the lack of competence and the question arises whether some entities should indeed be further supported.
We would also like to express our appreciation to the chairperson of the committee, the hon Themba Godi and our colleagues from all the parties for their hard work and dedication to clean, accurate and proper financial management. Thank you. [Time expired.] [Applause.]
Mr G T MADIKIZA: Chairperson, hon members, the failure by certain departments and institutions to adhere to the Public Finance Management Act and the National Treasury regulations is cause for concern. The transgression of these auditing standards is often the first sign that poor service delivery, mismanagement and even corruption is afoot.
When it comes to the Auditor-General’s report on Salga, we are doubly concerned because it highlights weaknesses that have bedevilled many local governments themselves. The inability to account for vast sums of money, failure to collect its dues, inadequate administrative and management systems and too many staff vacancies are indicative of an institution in serious disarray.
How can we expect local governments to adhere to these most basic of management and accounting standards if Salga does not? The UDM fully endorses the recommendations in the report, specifically that a progress report be submitted by Salga within 60 days of the adoption of this report.
If Salga’s affairs are cause for concern, then the Auditor-General’s report on the Department of Correctional Services makes for dismal reading. The same serious lack of internal controls has now been highlighted in four consecutive years. We support the report. Thank you. [Time expired.]
Mr T J BONHOMME: Mr Chairman, I would like to refer to the Budget Speech of 21 February 2007, by our most esteemed Minister of Finance, hon Mr Trevor Manuel, which I believe was the most outstanding speech this country has ever heard, a speech that was full of wisdom and hope, and guarantees a better life for all, especially for the underprivileged, lower-income group and the homeless.
One line in this speech will stay with me forever, when Minister Manuel stated that, and I quote: “Human life has equal worth.” A human being is a human being; there is no lesser human being.
That phrase drove home every reason we are in Parliament, why we have sacrificed ourselves in the struggle for our liberation and for the liberation of all the people of South Africa.
It drove home the reason I am placed in the Standing Committee on Public Accounts, Scopa. It told me that the taxpayers’ money must be protected. At Scopa we are the watchdogs of public finances. The public’s money must not be wasted, but be protected. We must guard against fraud, corruption, and abuse of people’s money, and remedial action must be taken where there are discrepancies.
Hon members, we have been doing just that. We find, on examining our Auditor-General’s report, that some departments’ performance was shocking. They have no respect for the controls that have been put in place to protect the public’s money.
We have very serious concerns, as stated in our resolutions, with deviations from the Public Finance Management Act, mismanagement and lack of discipline in respect of adhering to proper policies and procedures.
There is a major problem of the poaching of staff. Senior staff members, for example, directors-general and chief finance officers mess up their departments and resign. They move to other departments and leave their previous departments in shambles.
When we call specific departments before the committee to account, they cannot account because chief financial officers often have taken up the position only recently. So they are off the hook, because we always get audit reports a year later. Serious weaknesses have been exposed at Salga and Correctional Services. At Salga, through noncompliance with the Public Finance Management Act and Treasury regulations, an amount of R3,2 million was paid out on commissions in 2004-05 for the purpose of the purchase of a building. The transaction was subsequently cancelled and the monies were recovered.
Three bank accounts, with a total of R15,8 million, were not accounted for. No approval from National Treasury could be submitted for the opening of the bank accounts. There were no risk management procedures in place.
Remedial measures were recommended to Salga, with properly formulated policies and proper systems in place to monitor finance-related matters and to comply with its own internal control policies, as well as with the requirements of National Treasury on delegation of authority. They have to report back to Parliament within 60 days of the report being adopted by Parliament.
Salga must also comply with section 51(a) of the Public Finance Management Act, which clearly states that a public entity must have effective and efficient transparent systems, with risk management procedures.
Regarding the Department of Correctional Services, serious inefficiencies with internal controls have been reported in the past four years.
These include insufficient data capturing and monitoring of assets, insufficient verification, and no files were found of newly appointed staff. The department had the highest qualified staff in 2005-06 compared to any other department.
Regarding surplus funds for the year 2004-05, the department did not spend R155, 9 million. The excuse was a late changeover to the BAS system.
The committee found it unacceptable that the department was unable to solve these problems. Therefore remedial action was taken by the committee and the department to ensure: one, that all assets are barcoded and managed properly; two, completeness of files of newly appointed staff; three, that management reviews take place; four, that a compliance improvement plan is embarked upon; and five, that the weaknesses highlighted by the Auditor- General are addressed as a matter of urgency.
It was also pointed out by the Auditor-General that the financial management process also points to poor performance and poor information processes in the Department of Correctional Services, and that the department also lacked a process for management of its financial information.
We have now put remedial measures in place, with recommendations. Our task is to find the defects and weaknesses and to apply remedial action to ensure that public money is protected and utilised for the purpose for which it was allocated.
In closing, I want to thank members of Scopa, who work so hard with courage and conviction, and they do their work gallantly, with a passion. I thank you. [Applause.]
Ms S RAJBALLY: Chairperson, with regard to the first report, the MF agrees with the recommendations made by the committee regarding noncompliance with laws and regulations. We further feel that Salga needs to take these recommendations seriously and implement them to ensure effective and efficient management in this regard.
As for report two, the MF values the committee’s contribution. And with regard to report three, we gladly welcome the levy on the fish and sea products, which is crucial to the Marine Living Resource Fund.
We look forward to the shelter and employment factory at Parliament, as indicated in report four.
Regarding report five, we agree that if we were to expect results, the steering committee will have to function more effectively and that the use of funds for training will have to be highlighted for improvement.
As for report six, we support the waiving of the interests accrued, and the writing off of the debt owed by Mr Kotane, as long as this does not violate National Treasury regulations. The MF supports the public accounts. Thank you, Chairperson. [Applause.]
Mr V G SMITH: Chairperson, hon members and comrades, it is inevitable that in conditions of abject poverty and where basic financial management systems are weak or nonexistent that corruption and maladministration would thrive.
In his Budget Speech last week, the Minister of Finance again made it clear that bad management of resources that are meant to eradicate poverty have no place in our society. The costs and consequences of maladministration and corruption are that resources, that otherwise could have been directed towards the production of goods and services, are deviated by individuals who are bent on plundering the life savings of ordinary South Africans who are poor and desperately in need to improve their material conditions.
The ANC’s Statement of 8 January 2007 has declared 2007 as, “the year to intensify the struggle against poverty as we advance in unity towards 2012.” It is with this in mind that the Statement of 8 January calls on all of us to vigorously counter all corrupt practices through effective rules and regulations, greater monitoring, greater detection and, where appropriate, through the prosecution of those that are found guilty.
As millions of South Africans seek to escape the cycle of poverty by improving the quality of their lives, 13 years after liberation, there are some within the public sector administration who continue to retard the struggle through poor provision of services to our people. Parliament has, by the authority of the Constitution, a very crucial role to play in terms of oversight over the executive and the administration.
When analysing the Auditor-General’s report on government departments’ finances, we must ask the question: What are the root causes of maladministration and what can be done to remedy the situation? In our humble view, the root causes include the following: the inability of departments to implement the requirements of financial management legislation such as the Public Finance Management Act and the Municipal Finance Management Act; the incapacity of government departments to spend the budget wisely with maximum value for money impact; the lack of appropriate financial management skills and the continued high vacancy rates in senior management, as alluded to by my colleagues; the absence of internal control systems; poor filing or archiving systems of support documents required for audit purposes; and the inadequate management of fixed assets.
In answering the second part of the question about what needs to be done, we suggest the following: Firstly, the disciplinary procedures in relation to misconduct must be refined with the aim of ensuring that there are no instances of officials being suspended for unacceptably long periods with pay before the matter is concluded.
Secondly, performance-linked remuneration must become the order of the day within the public sector as soon as possible.
Thirdly, that the public must be empowered and encouraged to maximise legislation that is meant to hold officials accountable.
Fourthly, an environment conducive to whistle-blowing and the utilisation of corruption hotlines must be created.
Fifthly, Parliament must develop an effective system to follow up on the executive on resolutions that have been adopted by this House – like this resolution that we going to adopt today.
Sixthly, the Chapter 9 institutions established to entrench democracy and good governance must be more accessible to all citizens of our country; and very important in our view, all portfolio and standing committees of Parliament must consciously and regularly interrogate the information related to strategic plans, budget and actual expenditure, and demand explanations from the department throughout the year and not only when the Auditor-General’s report has been tabled 18 months after the effect.
The purpose and the intention of the budget allocations last week meant that the child born and brought up in Soweto must have just as much of a chance of passing Grade 12 as a child that was born and brought up in Sandton. [Applause.]
The end results of resources awarded must ensure that my mother living in Alexandra will receive the same medical services as my mother living in Houghton. The social grant earmarked for the elderly and the disabled must not find its way into the bank accounts of ghost beneficiaries. The quality and the quantity of houses built must be the best value that money can buy. Procurement procedures and tender adjudication policies must be such that there is no room for any corruption or abuse of power or position.
Our promise to South Africans to create a better life for all can only be realised when the executive implements policy as effectively and efficiently as possible. A better life for all will only be realised when Parliament exercises its mandate of oversight effectively. When the judiciary enforces the provisions of the Constitution and when civil society demands the best possible provisions of service from government departments, only then can South Africans be assured of a better tomorrow.
For the sake of our children and in honour of those who lost their lives in the struggle for a democratic, nonracial, nonsexist, united and prosperous country, we must fight for better management of our resources.
Koos, ek hoop ek was nie te lank nie, en u kan nou huis toe gaan. [Koos, I hope I didn’t take too long, and you can go home now.]
Thank you very much.
Debate concluded.
The ACTING CHIEF WHIP OF THE MAJORITY PARTY: Chairperson, I move that the report be adopted.
Agreed to.
Report accordingly adopted.
The House adjourned at 17:01 ____
ANNOUNCEMENTS, TABLINGS AND COMMITTEE REPORTS
FRIDAY, 23 FEBRUARY 2007
ANNOUNCEMENTS
National Assembly and National Council of Provinces
The Speaker and the Chairperson
- Introduction of Bill
(1) The Minister for Justice and Constitutional Development
(a) South African Judicial Education Institute Bill [B 4 –
2007] (National Assembly – proposed sec 75) [Explanatory
summary of Bill and prior notice of its introduction published
in Government Gazette No 29625 of 9 February 2007.]
Introduction and referral to the Portfolio Committee on Justice
and Constitutional Development of the National Assembly, as well
as referral to the Joint Tagging Mechanism (JTM) for
classification in terms of Joint Rule 160.
In terms of Joint Rule 154 written views on the classification of
the Bill may be submitted to the JTM within three parliamentary
working days.
TABLINGS
National Assembly and National Council of Provinces
-
The Minister for Justice and Constitutional Development
a) Progress report on the inquiry into allegations of misconduct regarding Mr K Suliman from Durban, in terms of section 13(3)(f) of the Magistrates’ Act, 1993 (Act No 90 of 1993).
b) Progress report on the inquiry into allegations of misconduct regarding Mr M K Chauke from Pretoria, in terms of section 13(3)(f) of the Magistrates’ Act, 1993 (Act No 90 of 1993).
c) Progress report on the inquiry into allegations of misconduct regarding Mr M S Makamu from Benoni, in terms of section 13(3)(f) of the Magistrates’ Act, 1993 (Act No 90 of 1993).
d) Progress report on the inquiry into allegations of misconduct regarding Mr M F Mathe from Johannesburg, in terms of section 13(3)(f) of the Magistrates’ Act, 1993 (Act No 90 of 1993).
-
The Minister of Education
a) Medium Term Strategic Plan for 2006-2010 and the Revised Operational Plan of the Department of Education for 2006-2007.
-
The Minister of Home Affairs
a) Report and Financial Statements of the Film and Publication Board for 2005-2006, including the Report of the Auditor-General on the Financial Statements for 2005-2006.
National Assembly
- The Speaker
(a) Reply from the Minister for Justice and Constitutional Development to recommendations in the Eighty-Third Report of the Standing Committee on Public Accounts (Legal Aid Board), as adopted by the House on 7 November 2006.
Referred to the Standing Committee on Public Accounts.
(b) Letter from the Minister of Home Affairs dated 7 February 2007 to the Speaker of the National Assembly, in terms of section 65(2)(a) of the Public Finance Management Act, 1999 (Act No 1 of 1999), explaining the delay in the tabling of the Annual Report of the Film and Publication Board for 2005-2006:
ANNUAL REPORT OF THE FILM AND PUBLICATION BOARD FOR THE YEAR
2005/2006
The above matter has reference.
In terms of section 14 of the Films and Publications Act, 1996 as
amended, as the Minister of Home Affairs I am required to table a
report on the activities of the Film and Publication Board and the
Review Board, as well as an audited balance sheet and accounts
within fourteen days of receipt thereof.
The Annual Report for 2005/2006 has been delayed due to the Office
of the Auditor-General. The reasons for the delay are as results of
internal quality controls issues between the Office of the Auditor-
General and their service provider. Office of the Auditor-General
subsequently appointed another service provider to re-perform an
audit for Film and Publication Board 2005/2006. (Attached are the
correspondence letters from the Office of the Auditor-General).
I’m now in a position to table the report together with the audited
financial report. I wish to apologise for the late tabling of this
report.
Kind regards,
signed
MS N N MAPISA-NQAKULA, MP
MINISTER OF HOME AFFAIRS
COMMITTEE REPORTS
National Assembly
-
Report of the Mediation Committee on Foodstuffs, Cosmetics and Disinfectants Amendment Bill [B35B and B35D – 2005] (National Assembly – sec 76), dated 21 February 2007:
The Mediation Committee, having considered the Foodstuffs, Cosmetics and Disinfectants Amendment Bill [B35B and B35D – 2005] (National Assembly – sec 76), as well as papers referred to it, reports that it has agreed to a new version of the Bill [B35F – 2005].
-
Report of the Portfolio Committee on Trade and Industry on a Study Tour to the Peoples Republic of China, 02-10 September 2006:
- TERMS OF REFERENCE
The Committee had agreed to undertake a study tour of the Peoples Republic of China pursuant to an invitation from the Ambassador of the Chinese Embassy on behalf of the Ministry of Commerce of the Peoples Republic.
- LOGISTICAL ARRANGEMENTS
A delegation from the Portfolio Committee on Trade and Industry undertook a study tour of the Peoples Republic of China, from 02 – 10 September
-
The Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee, Mr B D Martins (ANC) accompanied by Mr S Maja (ANC), Mrs D Ramodibe (ANC), Mr L Labuschagne (DA), Mrs E Chang (IFP) and Ms M Williams (Committee Secretary), led the multi-party delegation.
-
BACKGROUND As a developing country, China with an economy driven by a strong export performance and public investment, shares similar positions with South Africa with regard to the reform and governance of the global economic system. Reform of the economic system is a key element in South Africa’s multilateral agenda and China has the potential to be an effective ally in this regard. The growth of China and its manufacturing prowess has had a significant impact on global trade, and it offers vast opportunities and potential to absorb a higher proportion of value-added exports. In light of the commonalities that emerge from comparable levels of industrial development and economic growth, China holds significant and unique opportunities for South Africa’s own development more specifically in the areas of investments; joint ventures and technology transfer, as well as the regeneration of the African Continent, in which China has shown great interest. The China-Africa Forum on the renewal of Africa and co-operation in the globalising world enhanced the strategic understanding between the two countries, particularly within NEPAD and in the SADC region.
Conversely, the rise in Chinese imports particularly in the clothing, textile and footwear sector has impacted immensely on the South African economy and subsequently prompted the Committee to embark on this visit.
- OBJECTIVES
The objectives of the visit to China were informed by a need to find answers to the following questions or challenges:
• What government support programmes are currently offered to the Chinese industry, from an industry, perspective,? • What are the key drivers for the success of the Chinese manufacturing sector? • How the proposed SACU – China Free Trade Agreement can deliver mutually beneficial benefits in the light of the challenges in the clothing and textile sector? • Also, the need to devise urgent concrete bilateral solutions to the challenges facing the South African clothing, textile and footwear sector and beneficiation of South African companies more specifically in the area of raw materials; mining and extraction segments.- FINDINGS
The Portfolio Committee on Trade and Industry delegation met with the official from the South African Mission in Beijing, Mr Liks Ramushu, on Sunday 03 September along with Mr Chai Zhijing from the Ministry of Commerce of the Peoples Republic of China.
Presenter: Mr Zhao Xin Xin, Deputy Director Beijing Development Area (BDA), Beijing
The presentation was preceded by a showing of a DVD footage relating to the Beijing Technological Development Area. Major Companies such as Nokia, Panasonic and Sony occupy offices here. A second phase of development is planned especially for the Beijing Olympics.
Mr Xin Xin informed the meeting that the Beijing development area/ zone (BDA) was an area of approximately 40 square meters. 15 square meters was comprised of 2000 companies. Two development areas were currently under construction. The BDA was approved in 1994 by the Government of China and by 2020 it will have developed into a newly developed city. By June 2006, 1986 companies had been registered with the BDA of which 400 were foreign companies and 1400 domestic. This amounted to an investment of US$13.6 billion in terms of foreign investment and US$11.5billion as domestic investment, US$4billion was reinvested back into the development zone. Resident foreign investors are the United States and Europe but the Chinese would like Africa to invest as well. The BDA houses 80 international companies of which 53 are from the top 500 companies in the world. The top three comprises the electronic, automotive and biochemical trades.
The Chinese government departments in co-operation with the Beijing Municipality established offices at these development zones to offer hands-on support in areas of administration. Registration of companies is done at the government offices located in the zone, which assists in processing of applications. The Beijing office will use the BDA’s to enhance the investment relationship with South Africa in terms of trade and co-operation.
Municipalities are set up within the zones so that companies do not have to travel outside the zones for registrations. Hands-on support is available therefore location is important in setting up a BDA. Customs, taxation and quarantine offices are all available on site at branch offices. Approximately 150 applications are processed yearly. Applications take between 1 week to 1 month.
When BDA’s were set up, the people factor had to be considered. Those who previously owned the land were compensated by means of monetary value, employment and setting up new communities. This is a contributing factor to the cost of a BDA being so high.
China is participating in a worldwide competition to attract industries to its BDA’s. The state determines preferential policies and active marketing strategies are investigated currently. However many cities in China are using China’s features of good service and supportive BDA’s as a marketing tool.
In terms of women being empowered, there is no discrimination at the BDA’s. Women prefer the fields of human resources; marketing and sales. A women’s rights protection agency is based at the BDA and thus far no complaints have been received. Females steer away from construction sites because the buildings are high rises, it is hot, dangerous and labour intensive, however some manage.
The BDA’s assist in solving the unemployment issue in Beijing as approximately 39 000 workers are employed and intensive training is undertaken yearly of approximately 3 700 workers. A training fund has been established by the government for this purpose. Disabled persons are catered for in suitable work positions in factories. From this briefing it was clear that China and South Africa are both developing countries, however China has a higher level of development than South Africa. South Africa can definitely learn lessons in best practice and implementation from it’s Chinese counterpart.
Presenter: Mr Guangsheng Shi, Chairperson: Economic and Financial Committee, National Peoples Congress, Beijing
Mr Shi welcomed the visit by the delegation in light of the good relations held with former President Mr Nelson Mandela and President Thabo Mbeki He further added that inter-Parliamentary exchanges were welcomed and should be a regular activity. Mr Shi informed the meeting that China came from a history of Feudalism and Imperialism which brought along with it oppression. China had thus been left to improve the lives of its people as well as the economy. This is the common objective of both governments, the betterment of the lives of the nation, Mr Shi said. He went further to say that both governments had done a good job in building up their countries. The Chinese were appreciative of South Africa’s support and assistance to China’s accession to the World Trade Organisation, especially in terms of the Doha Round of negotiations which is important for all developing countries. Subsidies and domestic support were still high from the US and Europe, he indicated. This, he said affected China tremendously especially as agriculture was a lifeline of the economy and China had a population of 1.3 billion people. China and South Africa serve as a role model to other developing nations in their development and roles of leadership, he remarked.
Mr Shi pointed out that conflict of interest arises when nations have similar industries and economic needs, and for this reason, it is important to keep the lines of communication open. A case in point, he said, was the Clothing and Textile industry. It served livelihood for both nations, and thus a solution should be found. Political issues should not impact on trade issues, he argued.
The National Peoples Congress is the highest authority of power in China, which constitutes a single congress. Delegates are elected and rotated every five years. 175 comprise standing committee members and they commence a plenary every two months. The National Peoples Congress considers nationwide legislation and endorses national leaders.
Mr Shi continued by explaining that during his career, he had witnessed the development of China’s textile industry. This process came about in the 1970s due to the poverty experienced by the Chinese; the livelihood of many Chinese people was challenged. For this particular reason, labour intensive interests were mobilised. The textile industry started with spinning and yarning, at this point there was no export market for textiles due to the underdevelopment of technology in so far as delivering an unfinished product was concerned. Fifteen years later China started experimenting with clothing manufacturing. The focus was targeting the lower end market for export, because at this time Chinese clothing were not available in upmarket stores in the US and Europe, also the spinning was done with home based machines. At this point the Chinese government decided to intervene and assist. After a period of 10 years, the industry moved to making suites instead of single processing. Thus the success of the Chinese industry happened over a period of three decades, from the development to importing raw materials, processing and then supplying. The process of developing raw materials has also moved to where 80% of the raw materials are supplied by the domestic market. This enabled the entry of high end and middle range products into the various markets.
Mr Shi added that with the experience that China had been through it would be able to assist and encourage South Africa to manufacture and process raw materials, and future co-operation instead of competition was envisaged. South Africa has land masses available and these should be explored. In terms of Intellectual Property, China is very vigilant regarding issues relating to it and legislation around intellectual property is scrutinised carefully. China has made great strides in terms of realizing that Intellectual Property and economic growth and development go together. From this briefing the delegation learnt that the Chinese textile industry is not an overnight success story. It progressed over a period of approximately 30 years to develop and become market related for exports.
Presenter: Mr Yao Weigun, Director: Shanghai World Trade Organization Consultation Centre, Shanghai Mr Weigun informed the delegation that the Shanghai WTO Consultation Centre was the largest service centre of its kind in the world. The centre was founded prior to China’s accession to the WTO. It was established as a nongovernmental organisation for WTO affairs by the Shanghai Municipal Peoples Government. The main function being to provide governments, enterprises and public with law and policy consulting and information as well as WTO-related training services. It also updates WTO members on the creation and enforcement of trade-related laws, regulations and policies in both Shanghai and China as a whole.
A board of trustees administers the centre. It is a non profit public service organisation and mainly financed by the Shanghai Municipal Peoples government, however it is allowed to receive donations from international, domestic enterprises and institutions.
Presenter: Mr Zhou Yupeng, Vice Mayor: Shanghai’s Municipality, Shanghai
The Vice Mayor hosted a banquet for the Committee and a short exchange was held. Mr Yupeng was happy to host the delegation for that short period an added that economic exchanges should be pursued between South Africa and China.
Presenter: Mr Liu Xiaodong, Deputy General Manager: Shanghai Stock Exchange, Shanghai
Mr Xiaodong informed the delegation that the Shanghai Stock Exchange enjoyed a strong relationship with the Johannesburg Stock Exchange. China has experienced rapid economic growth over the last few years, 10.2% growth in the GDP in 2005, especially in Shanghai. Two thirds of the shares on the Shanghai Stock Exchange are owned by the government but this will in fact change. Air Asia as well as Air China are both listed on the market. The technology that the stock exchange has invested in is one of the leaders in the information technology industry and in the world. This particular technology processes 20 000 transactions are per second. The Shanghai Stock Exchange would, in fact, like to enter into a Memorandum of Understanding with the JSE and this could bring about co- operation in the running of the JSE in terms of advanced technologies.
Since China’s accession to the WTO, foreigners are able to buy shares on the Shanghai Stock Exchange. Two schemes are available for this purpose. Road shows would be coordinated if South African investors are interested in investing in the Shanghai Stock Exchange. Also, visit tourism should be explored as well as training of entrepreneurial South African youth by their Chinese counterparts.
The Shanghai Stock Exchange admires the JSE code of conduct and believes strongly in the aims of corporate governance. It released its audit to the annual report of the listed companies up-holding good practices.
Mr Xiaodong concluded that these opportunities should be explored because China is definitely a friend of South Africa’s and has great respect for ex-President Nelson Mandela. The Beijing games in 2008 and Fifa World Cup in 2010 should be used as avenues of co-operation and communication.
Presenter: Mr Zhoa Zhali, Director: Baosteel, Shanghai Mr Zhali informed the delegation that Baosteel steel conglomerate was a result of the Chinese reform process started in the late 1970’s. The plant comprises an area of 19km squared. The first phase of investment into baosteel amounted to RMB 12.5 billion. Of the four phases three have been completed. Baosteel became a public company in 2000 and is listed as a fortune 500 company. Last year it in fact made 372 on the list. Baosteel employs 15 000 workers and produced a turnover of RMB 7billion during 2005. Tin plate and automobile manufactured components are supplied by overseas suppliers. Its automobile share in the market amounts to 52% and its household appliances amounts to 48% of the market.
Mr Zhali further explained that Baosteel has a social responsibility toward the underdeveloped rural sector. In this regard the company makes an effort to make good business so that the tax amounts paid to the government are used to alleviate the plight of those in the rural areas. A task team will be mobilized to assess and assist in developing the rural areas. An educational fund has been created that amounts to millions of RMB to assist children in the rural areas, 40 schools have been built in 11 provinces and millions have been donated to areas affected by natural disasters. Projects are also underway in developing zones. Along with the 15 000 employees that the company employs, Baosteel, in fact, sees to approximately 320 000 people in terms of a four-member family.
Baosteel investments are long-term contracts. Ten percent of the steel used is imported from South Africa. South Africa offers quality resources and this is welcomed by China. The delegation was then given a tour of this vast plant.
Presenter: Mr Wu Yi, Vice Premier of the Peoples Republic of China 10th China International Fair for Investment and Trade [CIFIT], Xiamen The China International Fair for Investment and Trade (CIFIT) serves as a bridge between China and the outside world enhancing co-operation, and common development international organisations which have supported the CIFIT include the United Nations Conference on Trade and development (UNCTAD), United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO), Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), The International Finance Corporation of the World Bank (IFC) and the World Association of Investment Promotion Agencies (WAIPA), to name a few.
The topic for the opening of the Fair was “To adhere firmly to reform and opening up is an established basic national policy of China”. In Mr Yi’s speech he stated that during the late 70s, with China starting its reform, China’s economic and modernisation drive has realised sustainable development as well as achievements that have attracted worldwide attention. The GDP grew from $140 billion USD in the early years up to $2.2 trillion USD in 2005, which results in a 9.6 % growth on average annually. China has risen in global rankings from 15th to 4th place. During this period foreign trade has increased from 20.6 billion USD to 1.4 trillion USD, representing an average annual growth margin of 17% and a rise in global ranking from the 32nd to the 3rd place. The cumulative amount of foreign direct investment inflow into China is nearly 660 billion USD over the 27 year period, which makes China the largest Foreign Direct Investment recipient amongst the developing nations for 15 consecutive yeasars. Thus Chinese enterprises have made a total of 51.7 billion USD worth of investment overseas and the 2005 figure stands at 7 billion USD.
Furthermore, the sustainable and rapid economic development of China is attributed to its reform and opening up, and proactive and effective utilisation of foreign investment. The reform and opening up has brought about a marked improvement in the Chinese people’s living standards and quality of life. China has now reached a point of building a well-off society, by increasing the pace of its socialist modernisation drive. Its economic development is now standing on a new historic starting point as this year marks the first year of the implementation of the 11th five- year plan. This means by 2010 China will have achieved noticeable improvement in energy efficiency, reduced the energy consumption per unit GDP by 20% and doubled its per capita on the level of 7.800 RMB. China will prioritise the optimisation of foreign investment composition and improve the quality of foreign investment. China will also take active measures to create conditions necessary for becoming an international outsource service provider. Added to this, more attention will be paid to improving the investment environment and protecting the legitimate rights and interest of both domestic and foreign investors according to the law. Lastly, China will be firm in implementing mutually beneficial and win- win strategies for trade enhancement and economic co-operation with other countries in the world for the shared development of all countries.
In conclusion, China will strengthen its co-operation with multilateral and regional economic organisations, and continue to promote trade and investment facilitation in order to create an international environment conducive to realising common development and prosperity worldwide.
The China International Fair for Investment and Trade (CIFIT) ran over a period of three days (08 September – 10 September). It was followed by a dinner, a performance ceremony, cocktail function and an expo at which the Department of Trade and Industry was represented by the South African Mission. Added to this, the DTI held an investment marketing seminar which the delegation supported. Mr Martins addressed investors and various dignitaries. He delivered a speech entitled “the investment climate in South Africa”.
Members of the South African Parliamentary delegation felt that the visit was rewarding, informative and interesting in the sense of exposing the committee to the development of China and its drive to a market economy, and also proving goodwill of mutual visits. The Chinese economic success is a combination of government support for a market economy coupled with a strong work ethic. This was inter alia illustrated by an answer to a question of what the Chinese government does for the youth. The answer was that at 18 they are adults and must basically get on with life and fend for themselves. Under 18 they are youth and education and support is provided.
Speech by Chairperson, Mr BD Martins The 10th China International Fair for Investment and Trade 2006.9.8-11 Xiamen, China China-Africa Cooperation Forum
Introductory Briefing on Investment Environment in South Africa:
Honourable chairperson, Distinguished Heads of Delegations, Excellencies, Ambassadors and County Representatives, Esteemed Guests,
Mr Martins expressed, on behalf of his Parliamentary delegation, gratitude to the Ministry of Commerce of the People’s Republic of China and the organisers of the International Trade and Investment Forum for the hospitality and kindness that has been accorded to the delegation.
He indicated that his delegation had visited China to participate in this Investment Forum to promote South Africa as a destination for business and investment; to facilitate trade and foreign direct investment; and to encourage enterprises to develop transnational business partnerships.
In terms of the South African government’s Accelerated Shared Growth Initiative (ASGI-SA), he said, the government would spend more than R350 billion ($50 billion) on infrastructure development, during the 2006 and 2009 period. This initiative’s ultimate objective, he said, was to substantially increase growth and to reduce unemployment and poverty by the year 2014.
Focused interventions would address government’s investment on infrastructure, sector development, education and skills, as well as macro economic issues, including the capacity of the state to implement these, he indicated.
Mr Martins further indicated that the Department of Trade and Industry (the DTI) would over the next three years pay particular attention to opportunities arising from the hosting of the 2010 FIFA World Cup. It would also pay attention to a massive infrastructure development programme; small enterprise development, and investment promotion amongst others.
He concluded by inviting the audience to view a short video on possible opportunities in South Africa.
- CONTRIBUTORS
▪ Mr Chai Zhijing, Chinese Ministry of Commerce
▪ Mr Liks Ramushu, Department of Trade and Industry, SA Embassy,
Beijing
▪ Mr Rudu Conley, Department of Foreign Affairs, SA Embassy, Shanghai
▪ Mr Zhao Xin Xin, Deputy Director, Beijing Development Area/Zone
▪ Mr Guangsheng Shi, Chairperson: Economic and Financial Committee
National Peoples Congress, Beijing
▪ Mr Yao Weigun, Director: Shanghai World Trade Organization
Consultation Centre, Shanghai
▪ Mr Zhou Yupeng, Vice Mayor: Shanghai’s Municipality,
▪ Shanghai
▪ Mr Liu Xiaodong, Deputy General Manager: Shanghai Stock Exchange,
Shanghai
▪ Mr Zhoa Zhali, Director: Baosteel, Shanghai
▪ Mr Wu Yi, Vice Premier of the Peoples Republic of China
MONDAY, 26 FEBRUARY 2007
ANNOUNCEMENTS
National Assembly and National Council of Provinces
The Speaker and the Chairperson
- Classification of Bill by Joint Tagging Mechanism
(1) The Joint Tagging Mechanism, on 26 February 2007 in terms of
Joint Rule 160(6)(b), classified the following Bill as a section
76 Bill:
(a) Division of Revenue Bill [B 3 – 2007] (National Assembly –
sec 76).
COMMITTEE REPORTS
National Assembly and National Council of Provinces
-
Report of the Joint Standing Committee on Defence on Employment of SANDF to Burundi, dated 23 February 2007:
The Joint Standing Committee on Defence, having considered the letter from the President on the employment of the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) to Burundi, referred to the Committee, reports that it has concluded its deliberations thereon.
-
Report of the Joint Standing Committee on Defence on Employment of SANDF to the Democratic Republic of Congo, dated 23 February 2007:
The Joint Standing Committee on Defence, having considered the letter from the President on the employment of the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) to the Democratic Republic of Congo, referred to the Committee, reports that it has concluded its deliberations thereon. National Assembly
-
Report of the Portfolio Committee on Finance on the Division of Revenue Bill [B 3– 2007] (National Assembly – sec 76(1)), dated 22 February 2007:
The Portfolio Committee on Finance, having considered and examined the Division of Revenue Bill [B 3– 2007] (National Assembly – sec 76(1)), referred to it and classified by the Joint Tagging Mechanism as a section 76(1) Bill, reports the Bill without amendment.
TUESDAY, 27 FEBRUARY 2007
TABLINGS
National Assembly and National Council of Provinces
- The Minister for Agriculture and Land Affairs
(a) Strategic Plan of the Ingonyama Trust Board for 2007-2008.