Hansard: Members' Statements
House: National Assembly
Date of Meeting: 29 Aug 2011
Summary
No summary available.
Minutes
UNREVISED HANSRD
NATIONAL ASSEMBLY
Tuesday, 30 August 2011 Take: 501
TUESDAY, 30 AUGUST 2011
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY
The House met at 14:02.
The Speaker took the Chair and requested members to observe a moment of silence for prayers or meditation.
Mr I M OLLIS
START OF THE DAY
NOTICES OF MOTION
Mr I M OLLIS: Speaker, I hereby give notice on behalf of the DA that at the next sitting of the House I shall move:
That the House-
(1) urgently debates structural problems that are holding back economic growth and job creation in South Africa, including an analysis of the contribution to growth, or lack thereof, of existing labour laws; and
(2) comes up with measures to overcome these hurdles.
I thank you.
Mr L SUKA
Mr I M OLLIS
Mr L SUKA: Speaker, I hereby give notice that at the next sitting of the House I shall move:
That the House debates the role of internationally acclaimed sports personnel in sports development, especially in previously disadvantaged communities.
I thank you.
Mr L RAMATLAKANE
Mr L SUKA
Mr L RAMATLAKANE: Speaker, I hereby give notice that I intend moving on behalf of Cope at the next sitting of the House:
That the House debates why the people of Limpopo still do not have running water and have to depend on rivers, even though there is high investment in dams in Limpopo.
Mr G J SELAU
Mr L RAMATLAKANE
Mr G J SELAU: Speaker, I hereby give notice that at the next sitting of the House I shall move on behalf of the ANC:
That the House debates how to enforce the intellectual property laws to prevent the South African market from being flooded with counterfeit goods.
Thank you.
Mrs D A SCHÄFER
Mr G J SELAU
Mrs D A SCHÄFER: Speaker, I hereby give notice that at the next sitting of the House I shall move on behalf of the DA:
That the House-
(1) noting President Zuma's recent comments on the judiciary at the Access to Justice Conference; and
(2) further noting-
(a) the comments of ANC secretary-general Gwede Mantashe in an interview published in the Sowetan newspaper on 19 August 2011; and
(b) the comments of Adv Dumisa Ntsebeza to the effect that the judiciary should not second guess decisions of the President;
(3) debates this government's commitment to constitutional democracy and the independence of the judiciary. [Applause.]
Mrs D M RAMODIBE
Mrs D A SCHÄFER
Mrs D M RAMODIBE: Speaker, I hereby give notice that at the next sitting of the House I shall move:
That the House debates mechanisms to redress, and speed this up, the huge imbalance in women empowerment, particularly of women from previously disadvantaged communities.
Mr E J LUCAS
Mrs D M RAMODIBE
Mr E J LUCAS: Speaker, I hereby give notice that at the next sitting of the House I shall move on behalf of the IFP:
That the House debates the current effectiveness of roadworthy testing procedures in regard to all vehicles in South Africa, and especially public transport vehicles.
Thank you.
Mr A P VAN DER WESTHUIZEN
Mr E J LUCAS
Mr A P VAN DER WESTHUIZEN: Speaker, I hereby give notice that at the next sitting of the House I shall move on behalf of the DA:
That the House debates the initiatives of the Accelerated and Shared Growth Initiative for South Africa, Asgisa, and Joint Initiative on Priority Skills Acquisition, Jipsa, launched under the presidency of President Thabo Mbeki; their record of achievement, if any; and their current status.
Mr M S F DE FREITAS
Mr A P VAN DER WESTHUIZEN
Mr M S F DE FREITAS: Speaker, I hereby give notice that at the next sitting of the House I intend moving the following motion on behalf of the DA:
That the House debates the fact that to date financial figures and information pertaining to the Gautrain rail project have never been made public, nor reasons for this or solutions in this regard.
Mrs N J NGELE
Mr M S F DE FREITAS
Mrs N J NGELE: Speaker, I hereby give notice that at the next sitting of the House I shall move on behalf of the ANC:
That the House debates means to ensure that public transport adheres to vehicle roadworthy safety standards.
Thank you.
The DEPUTY CHIEF WHIP OF THE MAJORITY PARTY
Mrs N J NGELE
BOMB EXPLOSION AT UNITED NATIONS BUILDING IN ABUJA
(Draft Resolution)
The DEPUTY CHIEF WHIP OF THE MAJORITY PARTY: Hon Speaker, I move without notice:
That the House-
(1) notes with shock the bomb explosion at the United Nations Building in Abuja, Nigeria, on 26 August 2011; and
(2) expresses its deepest condolences to the government and the people of Nigeria, as well as the staff of the United Nations based in Nigeria, on the tragic loss of life and the destruction of property, following the car bomb that exploded at the United Nations Building in Abuja.
Agreed to.
The CHIEF WHIP OF THE OPPOSITION
The DEPUTY CHIEF WHIP OF THE MAJORITY PARTY
DEAF AWARENESS WEEK
(Draft Resolution)
The CHIEF WHIP OF THE OPPOSITION: Hon Speaker, I move without notice:
That the House-
(1) notes that Deaf Awareness Week is commemorated between 29 August and 4 September 2011;
(2) further notes that the purpose of this week is to raise awareness of the challenges that deaf people face, as well as the successes in their lives;
(3) recognises the importance of educating individuals about deafness, and ensuring an inclusive society that allows deaf people the opportunity to thrive;
(4) asserts its commitment to equal rights for all South Africans and assisting people with disabilities; and
(5) calls upon all South Africans to constantly reaffirm the constitutional right of every individual to dignity and equality.
Agreed to.
The CHIEF WHIP OF THE OPPOSITION
The CHIEF WHIP OF THE OPPOSITION
OSCAR PISTORIUS AT ATHLETICS WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS
(Draft Resolution)
The CHIEF WHIP OF THE OPPOSITION: Hon Speaker, I move without notice:
That the House-
(1) notes that Oscar Pistorius, the first amputee athlete to compete at the Athletics World Championships, performed admirably in the 400 m competition at the championships in South Korea;
(2) further notes Oscar Pistorius powered through the heats, qualifying for the semifinals of the 400 m competition;
(3) recognises that in the semifinals he finished a second short of his personal best time, and sadly did not qualify for the finals of the event;
(4) expresses its pride at the achievements of Oscar Pistorius and commends his tenacity; and
(5) wishes him well for the 4 x 400 m relay event at the championships and for his preparation for the London Olympics in 2012.
Agreed to.
Mr G S RADEBE
The CHIEF WHIP OF THE OPPOSITION
ABUSE OF FARMWORKERS IN WESTERN CAPE
(Member's Statement)
Mr G S RADEBE (ANC): Hon Speaker, the ANC acknowledges with deep concern the recent report by Human Rights Watch on human rights conditions in the Western Cape's fruit and wine industries.
The report documents the ghastly and inhumane working and living conditions of the more than 121 000 farmworkers in the province, which include: on-site housing unfit for living, exposure to pesticides without proper safety equipment, lack of access to toilets or drinking water while working, and efforts to block workers from forming unions.
Although the DA Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Mr Gerrit van Rensburg, states that the report's findings represent extreme and isolated cases within an otherwise sound agricultural sector, these are not isolated cases, but pervasive. He emphasises that the wellbeing of farmworkers is his passion and a top priority. However, the report clearly lays bare the fact that no urgency has been given to this issue by the DA. The denial of farmworkers' forming unions is indicative of the DA's complete aversion to organised labour, and farmworkers are left at the mercy of their exploitative bosses.
The agreement between the Department of Labour, Agri SA and the other parties, which requires a labour inspection to give farm owners notice of inspection, hardly helps, as it works against gaining a true perspective of what really takes place on those farms. It would be helpful to engage a different ... [Time expired.]
The LEADER OF THE OPPOSITION
Mr G S RADEBE
Debate on business interests of president zuma's family
(Member's Statement)
The LEADER OF THE OPPOSITION (DA): Hon Speaker, in response to a DA press conference on the growing list of state deals that have reportedly benefitted the family and friends of President Zuma, the Presidency yesterday said it would, and I quote, "welcome any debate on the current legislative mechanisms for parliamentary oversight over the executive."
The DA welcomes the Presidency's change of heart, because two weeks ago the Presidency publicly rejected my call for a debate of public importance on this topic. The Speaker then, too, rejected my request for a parliamentary debate on the business interests of the President's family.
So, Mr Speaker, now that the Presidency is open to debate, my question is: Will you now entertain a request to debate this matter? It is imperative that this House considers ways to limit the scope for corruption and power abuse at the very top. We are not alone in this belief. Even the ANC's alliance partners and its Youth League agree.
Speaker, let's have this debate as soon as possible. I am today resubmitting my request for a debate of public importance to be held on this matter, and ask that you reconsider your decision in the interest of all South Africans. [Applause.]
Mr D A KGANARE
The LEADER OF THE OPPOSITION
ANC INTERNAL PROBLEMS CAUSING MAYHEM
(Member's Statement)
Mr D A KGANARE (Cope): Hon Speaker, I rise to raise a concern about the tendency of the ANC to act as if the property of the state is its property. This bad behaviour inherited from the National Party should be brought to an end with immediate effect.
During the local government elections earlier this year, the ANC burnt tyres in the streets, and burnt and destroyed clinics and schools, just because they were not happy with their own candidates. [Interjections.] Today their kindergarten are causing mayhem in Johannesburg and disturbing people's lives, merely because they have their own internal problems with their mother body.
This, hon Speaker, is typical of organisations revolving towards imperialism and dictatorship. This was done by Europeans some years ago. When they had their own tribal wars, they decided to call them world wars. They were convinced by their own lack of knowledge of geography that Europe alone constituted the world. Today, hon Speaker, the ANC and its members believe, in word and conduct, that they are South Africa.
The ANC belongs to its members and if they have internal problems they must learn to deal with them without disturbing the general public. The ANC must learn from civilised and progressive parties like Cope. [Applause.] [Laughter.] If you are unable to resolve your problems internally, approach the courts peacefully. [Interjections.] [Laughter.] [Applause.]
The SPEAKER: Order! Order! Hon members!
Mrs P A MOCUMI
Mr D A KGANARE
WOMEN IN SCIENCE AWARDS
(Member's Statement)
Mrs P A MOCUMI (ANC): Speaker, the ANC wishes to congratulate the Department of Science and Technology on hosting yet another successful event, the annual Women in Science Awards, which rewards the achievements of female scientists.
The science sector is still male-dominated, with women making up only 26% of the total professoriate at universities and only 40,3% of the total number of researchers in the country. Therefore, the Women in Science Awards, Wisa, is aimed at profiling female scientists and researchers as role models for younger women, and encouraging those with emerging careers.
The ANC would like to congratulate the following women scientists who are charting the way in different categories: Prof P Sithole - Distinguished Young Women in Science: Social Sciences and Humanities, University of KwaZulu-Natal; Prof J Roux - Distinguished Young Women in Science: Life, Natural and Engineering Sciences, University of Pretoria; Prof A Stewart - Distinguished Women in Science: Humanities and Social Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand; Prof N Lall - Distinguished Young Women in Science: Indigenous Knowledge Systems, University of Pretoria; and Prof Abdool Karim - Distinguished Women in Science Awards: Life, Natural and Engineering Sciences.
Prof Karim received a top award for her commitment to halting the spread of HIV in the country. As a principal researcher in the Centre for the Aids Programme of Research in South Africa, Caprisa, 004 scientific research programme, she demonstrated that Tenofovir gel prevents both HIV and herpes simplex virus type 2 infections. This finding has been hailed globally as one of the most significant scientific breakthroughs in the fight against Aids.
Congratulations, you have made us all proud. Malibongwe! [Praise!] [Time expired.]
Mrs C N Z ZIKALALA
Mrs P A MOCUMI
RHINO POACHING
(Member's Statement)
Mrs C N Z ZIKALALA (IFP): Speaker, the IFP applauds the efforts of the SA Police Service in Limpopo province in respect of their arrest and detention of six men allegedly involved in rhino poaching.
So far this year the number of rhinos killed stands at 279. This is utterly unacceptable, and we urge the government and the Ministry of Environmental Affairs and Tourism to continue and increase their efforts against the poaching of both our flora and fauna.
We therefore call for even harsher fines and longer jail terms, and for these punitive measures to be extended to the poaching of all endangered flora and fauna in South Africa. I thank you. [Applause.]
Mr L W GREYLING
Mrs C N Z ZIKALALA
PUBLIC PROTECTOR FUNDING
(Member's Statement)
Mr L W GREYLING (ID): Speaker, it is obvious that the constitutional requirement for the Public Protector to be accessible to all communities can be restricted through a lack of funds, especially when high profile cases are streaming in and more cases are constantly being introduced.
The ID therefore calls for a complete overhaul and review of the Public Protector's budget. This is especially in the light of the recent policy change requiring the Public Protector to pay its rent or leases, which were previously paid by the Department of Public Works. Several corruption probes have been stored, including the investigation of a company linked to Julius Malema, with a threat that some of them will suffer a delay of over a year. We must ensure that government is in no way able to destabilise the work of this vital Chapter 9 institution through limiting the level of funding that it receives.
On 11 August this year, while still waiting for government to address the issue of funding, the Public Protector's office announced that it would work jointly with state organs that had pledged to make available their resources in order to increase the visibility and accessibility of its services. It is crucial, though, that the Public Protector should be seen to be operating independently from such institutions.
Having an insufficient budget, which is currently three levels below the desired funding level, undoubtedly constrains and affects the quality and prompt execution of its investigations. The ID therefore maintains that it is essential that funding for this institution be seriously and robustly reviewed by Parliament. I thank you.
Ms M L DUNJWA
Mr L W GREYLING
DEVELOPMENT OF ASSISTED REPRODUCTIVE TECHNOLOGIES
TO ASSIST EMERGING CATTLE FARMERS
(Member's Statement)
IsiXhosa:
Nksz M L DUNJWA (ANC): Somlomo, siyi-ANC sothula umnqwazi kwi-Agricultural Research Council ne-Science and Technological Innovation Agency ngokwamakhumsha, ngobuchule ababenzileyo ukunceda kwimiceli-mngeni ethi ihlangabezane namafama asakhulayo. Uphando olwenziweyo lubonisa ukuba amafama asakhulayo arhweba ngeenkomo awenzi nzuzo. Igalelo lawo likumyinge wesihlanu ekhulwini kwi-GDP yelizwe kushishino lwenyama yenkomo, nangona iimveliso zenyama yenkomo zikumyinge wama-40% kwilizwe lonke.
I-TIA kunye ne-ARC yenze ungenelelo olujoliswe ekukhuliseni imihlambi yeenkomo zeNguni ukuze incede ukwenyuswa koqoqosho olubhekisele kwimveliso yenyama yenkomo, ukwenzela ukuncitshiswa kokuthengwa kwenyama yenkomo kwamanye amazwe ekuqikelelwa ukuba oko kukumyinge wama-50 000 eetoni kunye ne-150 000 ukuya kuma-300 000 amathole asandul' ukulunyulwa ngonyaka. Eyona njongo ye-Assisted Productive Technology Projection, ngokwamakhumsha, kukwehlisa izinga lokunqaba kweenkunzi zeenkomo, nto leyo ekhokelela kumazinga aphantsi emveliso nokhuliso loqoqosho kumafama asakhulayo.
Le projekthi yakhiwe ngeenjongo zokukhulisa amafama, ingakumbi akwiindawo ezisemaphandleni, ukwenzela ukuba akwazi ukuthabatha inxaxheba kushishino olujongise kwinyama yenkomo nasekubaxhaseni ngakumbi kwezempilo ezijoliswe kwizilwanyana ... [Kwaphela ixesha.]
Mr R B BHOOLA
Ms M L DUNJWA
ENRICHMENT OF ELITE IN SOUTH AFRICA
(Member's Statement)
Mr R B BHOOLA (MF): Mr Speaker, a very great event has taken place in India, where the entire nation has united and asked Parliament to respond to corruption.
We have to wage certain wars. Our highest priority is how we win in the fight against poverty. On the other hand, another front has opened, the enrichment of the elite, and when I say enrichment of the elite, I am not referring to whites. Are we spreading the wealth of South Africa to ordinary people? Are they getting the taste of freedom?
The GDP figures at the provincial and national levels are dismal. Economic upliftment, discipline and respect for the community must be our highest priorities.
The MF is asking the following searching questions: Is South Africa providing leadership for Africa? Is South Africa providing effective leadership in our country? Is there respect for multiparty democracy? Are we getting social cohesion? Or are a few individuals enriching themselves, with contracts going to new tenderpreneurs well-connected all the time, while ordinary people - emerging black people - are asking certain searching questions about what is happening in South Africa?
The MF calls for deep soul searching. The ANC is going to celebrate its 100-year anniversary. It is time to return to the values and systems that the great founding fathers, Oliver Tambo, iNkosi Albert Luthuli and Nelson Mandela stood for. Thank you. [Applause.]
Mr S C MOTAU
Mr R B BHOOLA
DAMAGE CAUSED BY ANC YOUTH LEAGUE PROTEST OUTSIDE LUTHULI HOUSE
(Member's Statement)
Mr S C MOTAU (DA): Mr Speaker, it is deeply troubling that today's ANC Youth League protest outside Luthuli House in Johannesburg broke into acts of violence against journalists and police officers. A South African Press Association, Sapa, photographer and two eNews journalists were pelted with missiles. The burning of placards was the prelude to the damaging of property. This kind of behaviour is totally unacceptable.
Business owners around Luthuli House had to close their doors fearing for their safety and that of their employees. For these businesses it has been an entire day of lost income.
There is absolutely no reason why the ANC Youth League members could not have conducted a peaceful vigil. These reckless actions, though of rogue ANC Youth League members, have placed the lives of everyone present in danger. The atmosphere is tense and politically charged. All of this creates a very volatile situation. We do not want to see conflict between the police and the youth on Johannesburg streets or any other street in South Africa.
The internal battles of the ANC Youth League must not be externalised and go onto the streets of South Africa, diverting precious police resources away from crime control in other places. We call on the ANC Youth League to control their members and to maintain a peaceful presence. In addition, the police must arrest those people who have damaged property. Thank you. [Applause.]
Ms P MADUNA
Mr S C MOTAU
HIV TESTING IN GAUTENG AND NATIONALLY
(Member's Statement)
Ms P MADUNA (ANC): Hon Speaker, the ANC welcomes the progress made in HIV testing nationally, and particularly in Gauteng, where recently more than 3 million people were tested for HIV in Gauteng's health facilities after the launch of the HIV Counselling and Testing Campaign in April 2010. To date, almost 13 million have been tested nationally, with 65% female and 30% male adults tested.
This is as a result of efforts by the Gauteng Department of Health to extend the campaign to provincial events and shopping malls, as well as having HIV Counselling and Testing mobile services, which go out to community gatherings and rural parts of the province where health facilities are not easily accessible.
The ANC encourages all provinces to follow suit, and expand their campaign so that people can know their HIV status and have access to appropriate treatment, care and support. Thank you. [Applause.]
Mr K P SITHOLE
Ms P MADUNA
NATIONAL YOUTH DEVELOPMENT AGENCY
(Member's Statement)
Mr K P SITHOLE (IFP): Hon Speaker, joblessness among our youth currently stands at around 50%. This, coupled with the fact that our education system has dismally failed to adequately prepare our youth for the job market, paints a dismal picture. However, the situation is aggravated by the fact that the National Youth Development Agency, NYDA, tasked with driving youth development in South Africa, is limp and without a cause.
The IFP has been a very vocal critic of NYDA. We have even gone as far as calling on the President to dissolve the NYDA, and to establish a youth Ministry to look after the interests of all the youth of our country and not just the few selected and connected ANC youth.
The IFP has received the backing of an independent economist, Vince Musewe, who noted this week that:
It is disturbing to note that despite the claim that the NYDA is apolitical, it is clearly behaving as a de facto wing of the ANC Youth League and therefore cannot be treated as an independent entity with genuine interest in the development of South African youth in general. The fact of the matter is that the NYDA is effectively using taxpayer funds to further the agenda of a political party-typical ZANU (PF) style.
The IFP believes that Musewe has hit the nail on the head. As long as the development of the youth remains the affair of NYDA only, youth unemployment will remain a ticking time bomb. I thank you, Chairperson. [Applause.]
Mr P D MBHELE
Mr K P SITHOLE
INVESTIGATION OF TOLL ROADS
(Member's Statement)
Mr P D MBHELE (Cope): Mr Speaker, Cope is deeply concerned about the rapid deterioration of the brand new 185 km Gauteng Freeway Improvement Project roads. It seems as though government has bungled yet another project paid for by the already cash-strapped taxpayers.
Chunks of SA's R20 billion freeway are warping to such an extent that they will have to be cut up and re-laid; motorists are going to be considerably inconvenienced once again; and scarce resources that should have been applied to other infrastructure will be absorbed in what should have been finished. According to reports, the SA National Roads Agency Limited, Sanral, is trying to downplay the gravity and magnitude of the problem.
Cope calls for an independent investigation to be conducted in order for the truth to surface. In particular, the country needs to know why motorists are going to be tolled for a substandard highway, and whether this surface will last for any length of time. Cope believes that an investigation of the quality of work must be undertaken, and that all aspects of the tender should be fully scrutinised to ascertain whether the Public Finance Management Act, PFMA, was fully complied with.
Cope calls on government to take heed of the fact that the country is fed up with its using taxpayer's money to buy shoddy and inferior services at inflated prices. I thank you. [Applause.]
Ms F C BIKANI
Mr P D MBHELE
WOMEN'S BUILDING PROJECT TO COMMEMORATE 1956 WOMEN'S MARCH
(Member's Statement)
Ms F C BIKANI (ANC): Speaker, the ANC government's consideration that it would assist people with building materials and encourage self-involvement in the provision of housing needs is bearing fruit, as the women's building project, a partnership project between the Department of Human Settlements, the private sector and the community, has built 100 houses at Brandfort in the Free State, of which 55 houses were built by women under the supervision and guidance of qualified builders. This is part of an annual co-ordinated initiative geared to commemorating, during Women's Month, the 1956 Women's March to the Union Buildings against the apartheid pass laws.
This project is aimed at raising consciousness of the construction sector and women's role in it. The project promotes volunteerism and women's access to economic opportunities in human settlements. Women volunteers are mobilised and trained to lay bricks, to plaster and to build foundations to construct 100 houses during Women's Month. One of the beneficiaries that received her house was 102 years old.
The ANC acknowledges that much has been done to recognise and empower South African women. However, we share the view that the struggle for women's emancipation remains an incomplete project if choices women have to make are primarily influenced by their economic status.
The ANC will continue to be at the forefront of struggles that ensure that the emancipation of women is not merely a dream but a reality. Thank you, Speaker.
Mrs A T LOVEMORE
Ms F C BIKANI
XENOPHOBIA IN SOUTH AFRICA
(Member's Statement)
Mrs A T LOVEMORE (DA): Speaker, the African Peer Review Mechanism Monitoring Project has assigned the South African government's handling of xenophobia the lowest possible rating. The monitoring project report notes that the government has failed to prioritise the issue, and that there is an element of denialism.
In the first quarter of 2011 the Human Sciences Research Council tracked 20 xenophobia-related deaths, 40 injuries, 200 foreign-owned shops looted, and thousands displaced. This is not much different from the appalling situation we experienced in May 2008, which many nongovernmental organisations have been warning is likely to repeat itself in the near future.
One would have hoped for concerted efforts seeking to understand and address root causes. However, the Department of Home Affairs Counter-Xenophobia Unit, launched with much media hype, appears to have died a quiet death. The Interministerial Committee on Xenophobia, set up after the 2008 attacks and chaired by the Minister of Police, is no longer active. The drafting of a national action plan to address xenophobia, started in 2009 in the Department of Justice and Constitutional Development, has still not been finalised.
The government's efforts are clearly fragmented, and show no sign of the serious attention this matter deserves. The DA calls on the responsible Ministers to table a comprehensive plan of action for wide-ranging consultation and implementation as a matter of urgency. [Applause.]
Mrs H H MALGAS
Mrs A T LOVEMORE
ANNUAL NATIONAL ASSESSMENT INITIATIVE IN EDUCATION
(Member's Statement)
Mrs H H MALGAS (ANC): Mr Speaker, after looking at the results, to us as the ANC the Annual National Assessments, ANA, initiative signals great vision, challenging trends and positive lessons towards a quality basic education system that responds to the developmental needs of our country.
We are pleased to note that the political and administrative leadership of the national department demonstrates a great vision for the department. From Action Plan to 2014: Towards the Realisation of Schooling 2025, to Outcome 1 in the delivery agreement of the Minister, we see a great build-up of concerted effort to take our education system to another, progressive level.
We therefore welcome the initiative by the department to administer the ANA to our Grade 3 and Grade 6 learners. We are mindful of the magnitude of the task, catering for some 6 million learners.
We believe what the hon Minister, Mrs Angie Motshekga, committed herself to, with the understanding that the effort of improving performance should be based on a proper understanding of what is wrong in the system. Therefore, the 2011 ANA results for us as the ANC should serve as a pointer to where the problem is; as an indicator of the direction we should take; and as a gauge of the interventions we should bring into the system. Good or bad, these results are benchmarks that should rekindle the great vision the department has. We, the ANC, congratulate the Minister and her department on this initiative.
Improving on subjects - literacy and numeracy - has a positive impact on the endeavours of realigning the country's Human Resources Development Strategy, and is commendable. We, the ANC, thank the department and wish them well in the huge task of bringing responsive solutions to these challenges. I thank you.
The MINISTER OF LABOUR
Mrs H H MALGAS
ABUSE OF FARMWORKERS IN WESTERN CAPE
NATIONAL YOUTH DEVELOPMENT AGENCY
(Minister's Response)
The MINISTER OF LABOUR: Speaker, I want to support hon member Sbu by saying that we welcome the report that deals with the living conditions of farmworkers. I also want to assure the House that as a department we have a programme to visit all provinces. The Western Cape is going to be one of them.
I also want to assure the House that we have proposed amendments before the National Economic Development and Labour Council, Nedlac. One of those amendments deals with the basic conditions of employment and the Labour Relations Act. The reason is that we want to combat the exploitation of farmworkers. I thank you, hon Speaker, on that one.
I also want to touch on the issue of the National Youth Development Agency, NYDA. I want to remind the hon member that the legislation to establish that particular structure was adopted by this House, and it's the responsibility of the same member to monitor whether the legislation is being implemented accordingly. We must not always point a finger while we are relaxing and not monitoring what is happening with the legislation that we as the House have passed. Thank you, hon Speaker. [Applause.]
The MINISTER OF BASIC EDUCATION
The MINISTER OF LABOUR
ANNUAL NATIONAL ASSESSMENT INITIATIVE IN EDUCATION
(Minister's Response)
The MINISTER OF BASIC EDUCATION: Thank you very much, hon Speaker. I also want to thank hon member Malgas for the support on the Annual National Assessments, ANA. As indicated, we needed to conduct these tests in order to establish a benchmark for our primary school phase, and also drill deep and identify areas of difficulty.
I can say, hon member, that the analysis of the results has given us more information than we had planned for. So, I agree with you, it's been a very useful exercise and we will use our experience and findings to improve the system. We will be testing again at the end of next year after we've intervened in terms of what we pick up from the ANA tests. But thank you very much, hon member.
The MINISTER OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
The MINISTER OF BASIC EDUCATION
ANC INTERNAL PROBLEMS CAUSING MAYHEM
DEVELOPMENT OF ASSISTED REPRODUCTIVE TECHNOLOGIES
TO ASSIST EMERGING CATTLE FARMERS
WOMEN IN SCIENCE AWARDS
(Minister's Response)
The MINISTER OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY: Speaker, unfortunately I was not in the House when you may have ruled on the point of order put by the Whip of Cope concerning whether members of the executive can reply to certain statements that are made. I am in somewhat of a quandary as to what to do, because when there are, ...
The SPEAKER: I can help you, hon member.
The MINISTER OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY: ... when there are statements on the secretary-general, if I as a member of the national executive committee of the ruling party respond, the hon member says that I don't belong to the cluster on security. So, I am a bit puzzled as to what we should do, and I seek your guidance on that.
The SPEAKER: Hon member, yes, you were not in the House when I made the ruling. The ruling was that you were indeed in order.
The MINISTER OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY: Can I then proceed?
The SPEAKER: Please proceed.
The MINISTER OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY: Thank you very much, Speaker. In fact, I see that there is a statement directed to you. I am sure you will respond to it in time! [Laughter.]
I wasn't sure which part of Cope the hon member of Cope was saying that the ANC should emulate, ... [Interjections.] ... but I want to assure him that there is actually nothing in Cope that we as the ANC would seek to emulate. We are quite certain that we are able to hold our own.
We are also certain that when the next election comes around he will probably be speaking from some other bench and asking people to emulate some other party that he might be referring to. [Interjections.] I would suggest that rather than focusing on the ANC he might focus on his own party, and cause it to spend less time in court and more time developing its political abilities. [Applause.]
Speaker, I would like to thank the hon member from the ANC, the Whip, Ms Dunjwa, who referred to the work being done with respect to improving animal husbandry and the economic contribution of agriculture to our country. We certainly welcome the research work being led through the Council for Science and Industrial Research, CSIR, in collaboration with the Agriculture Research Council. We believe that our agricultural productivity will increase from the work that is being done by colleagues.
I would like to join the hon member who referred to the Women in Science Awards and congratulate all those who were nominated, as well as the winners. We were very thrilled that from having 72 nominees in 2010, we had 129 women who were nominated this year. That just indicates the success being achieved through the work that is being done by colleagues in science councils and universities. [Time expired.] [Applause.]
The MINISTER OF CORRECTIONAL SERVICES
The MINISTER OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
DAMAGE CAUSED BY ANC YOUTH LEAGUE PROTEST OUTSIDE LUTHULI HOUSE
(Minister's Response)
The MINISTER OF CORRECTIONAL SERVICES: Hon Speaker, I would like to comment on the statement made by the hon member from Cope when he said that the ANC condones lawlessness. In a sense, that is effectively what you are saying.
For the record I want to say that, firstly, this morning the Secretary-General of the ANC condemned the occurrences and incidents which took place in Johannesburg this morning. [Interjections.]
The SPEAKER: Order! Order, hon members!
The MINISTER OF CORRECTIONAL SERVICES: Secondly, the ANC is on record as having condemned all incidents of anarchy and lawlessness. We have never at any point ever condoned anarchy in our ranks.
I also want to say that the incidents that occurred this morning were very unfortunate. They were, of course, as a result of the fact that the ANC decided to stand its ground in disciplining its own. With all the problems that you are having in Cope, I have never heard you actually coming out and condemning those of you who have brought the organisation into disrepute. In our case, we have done it. [Interjections.]
The SPEAKER: Order! Order!
The MINISTER OF CORRECTIONAL SERVICES: I think it is proper to say that one of the reasons why your organisation, in particular, exists is because the ANC does not allow people who tolerate anarchy to continue serving in its ranks. [Laughter.] [Applause.] Thank you.
The DEPUTY MINISTER OF TRANSPORT
The MINISTER OF CORRECTIONAL SERVICES
INVESTIGATION OF TOLL ROADS
(Minister' Response)
The DEPUTY MINISTER OF TRANSPORT: Speaker, I don't want to be part of a Cope bashing process, but the other hon member of Cope, who raised the matter around the GFIP, the Gauteng Freeway Improvement Project, was, of course, barking completely up the wrong tree.
The South African Roads Agency Limited, Sanral, is not seeking to downplay some of the structural problems that have now become apparent on a significant but small stretch of the 180 kilometres of Phase A1 of the GFIP programme. There are clearly problems, and these problems have almost certainly been caused by poor construction. Therefore, the costs will not be borne by the public or by Sanral, but by the construction company.
Secondly, it is absolutely wrong to suggest that these are shoddy roads. Anyone who has travelled on them will concede that they may be very expensive and maybe the problem is that there is too much of the First World in these roads, in a country in which we are suffering many other developmental challenges. The problem with them is not that they are shoddy or third class.
The hon member called for an independent investigation to check the tender. That has already been done. It has been done in the last two months by KPMG, which has said that not only has it been compliant with the Public Finance Management Act, PFMA, but it, in fact, surpasses best practice in the world. [Applause.]
None of this should detract from the important public discussion, which government has certainly undertaken to take forward, about whether we should proceed with the second phase, Phase A2, and Phases B and C of GFIP in a country in which there are many other strategic priorities, like public transport, getting our rail system working more effectively, and township and rural roads. So that is an important discussion.
The hon member from Cope is barking completely up the wrong tree. Those are the real debates and not this particular issue, as he has opportunistically tried to claim. [Applause.]
The MINISTER OF WATER AND ENVIRONMENTAL AFFAIRS
The DEPUTY MINISTER OF TRANSPORT
WOMEN'S BUILDING PROJECT TO COMMEMORATE 1956 WOMEN'S MARCH
RHINO POACHING
PUBLIC PROTECTOR FUNDING
(Minister's Response)
The MINISTER OF WATER AND ENVIRONMENTAL AFFAIRS: Hon Speaker, I would firstly like to express my appreciation for the motion on the housing project for women during this month of August. We really think that this is quite an important matter, and it is much appreciated.
The fact that Members of Parliament who are sitting on this side of the House actually recognise and also teach those who are on the other side the importance of addressing the plight of women is quite important.
It should also not be just in housing, but in representation. We really appreciate it very much. The hon member indicated that this was not enough and that a lot still had to happen. We appreciate and support that.
Secondly, I think that it is important to acknowledge what the hon member from the IFP was referring to in relation to the rhino killings, and fauna and flora, and so forth.
I do think, however, that it is important that the hon member should put the statement this way next time. We congratulate the ANC cluster of Ministers in security, who actually came up with a plan to combat the scourge of rhino poaching. This initiative was not thought through by policing just overnight. It was the cluster that sat and thought through the whole issue for weeks and months. Now it is showing results.
The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species, Cites, standing committee does acknowledge that South Africa is doing a lot. They are thankful for this and say that we should actually transfer this knowledge to other countries where such a scourge is also being experienced.
I also want to say that this is not the only area that we are dealing with in regard to the rhino killing response along the lines of security. We are looking at other related conservation issues, as well as veterinary services-related matters, and even trade-related matters. The whole issue of rhino poaching is being approached from all angles - regulations of our own, unscrupulous people who may be in the system, and so on. This is an initiative from this side. Thank you very much.
With regard to the public protector issue, it is important that all of us realise that the ANC is ... [Time expired.] [Applause.]
Mrs H H MALGAS
The MINISTER OF WATER AND ENVIRONMENTAL AFFAIRS
BASIC EDUCATION LAWS AMENDMENT BILL
(Consideration of Bill and of Report of
Portfolio Committee on Basic Education thereon)
Mrs H H MALGAS: Mr Speaker, the presentation today signals that the Portfolio Committee on Basic Education is concluding its task of responsibility for processing the Basic Education Laws Amendment Bill [B36D-2010] (Reprint). In the main, the Bill seeks to clarify certain existing provisions in the education laws and provides statutory authority for practices currently in existence in the classroom.
The process specifically affected the following Acts by way of aligning them. They are the National Education Policy Act, Act 27 of 1996; the South African Schools Act, Act 84 of 1996; the Employment of Educators Act, Act 76 of 1998; the South African Council for Educators Act, Act 31 of 2000; and the General and Further Education and Training Quality Assurance Act, Act 58 of 2001.
We are satisfied that the department, as well as the portfolio and select committees, consulted widely in February 2010, and March and May 2011 respectively. Comments were received from a variety of affected stakeholders and the public as a whole. The comments were factored into the Bill on merit. We therefore thank all stakeholders, entities and individuals who participated in the processing of the Bill.
After the Bill was passed by the National Assembly, it went to the NCOP, the National Council of Provinces. The NCOP effected the following changes.
Clause 7 changes section 9 of the South African Schools Act, to provide that in a case where a learner has been expelled from school and the MEC upholds such expulsion, the MEC now has 14 days to impose the suitable sanction. This is to avoid unnecessary delays that will disadvantage the learner.
Clause 19 of the Bill seeks to amend the South African Council for Educators Act of 2000 and to empower the South African Council for Educators, Sace, to manage a system for the promotion of continued professional development of all educators and to provide the council with funding from money appropriated by Parliament.
The above changes that were seconded by the NCOP were accepted as such by the portfolio committee. Therefore, there is no need for this Bill to go for mediation.
I also want to recognise the spirit of support that prevailed during the processing of the Bill. We in the Committee spoke with one voice, and that was encouraging. It showed that together we can do much more. We encourage the spirit of putting our learners first.
The passing of this Bill empowers the department to work harder in making sure that we attain quality education by 2014. As a committee we will continue with our oversight and support responsibility to the department.
The portfolio committee therefore requests the House to accept the report on the Basic Education Laws Amendment Bill, [B36D-2010] (Reprint) as adopted by the portfolio committee of the National Assembly. I thank you. [Applause.]
There was no debate.
The DEPUTY CHIEF WHIP OF THE MAJORITY PARTY: Speaker, I move:
That the Bill be passed.
Motion agreed to.
Bill accordingly passed.
The DEPUTY MINISTER OF POLICE
Mrs H H MALGAS
CONSIDERATION OF REPORT OF PARLIAMENTARY DELEGATION
TO 16TH CONFERENCE OF THE PARTIES' MEETING, COP 16, OF THE
UNITED NATIONS FRAMEWORK CONVENTION ON CLIMATE CHANGE, UNFCCC,
IN CANCUN, MEXICO, FROM 29 NOVEMBER TO 10 DECEMBER 2010
The DEPUTY MINISTER OF POLICE: Hon Speaker, I must say that I am taking part in this debate as a former chair of the Portfolio Committee on Water and Environmental Affairs, and as the person who led the process from the 15th Conference of Parties, COP 15, up to the eve of the 16th Conference of Parties, COP 16.
Speaker, Minister of Water and Environmental Affairs, Sisi Edna, and all other Ministers present here, Members of Parliament, my colleagues from the Portfolio Committee on Water and Environmental Affairs - from both sides - hon Morgan and the rest, we rise to support the report on COP 16 and its recommendation. We do so, not as matter of rhetoric or a fashion trend of talking about climate change. We support this report because, as the ruling party, we have played a leading role in influencing global debates and deliberations on climate change and its related challenges since 1994.
I wish to remind members in the House that the resolution on climate change adopted by the ruling party at Polokwane in 2007 was a critical resolve to urgently and effectively address climate change in the form of government policy. With this resolution, the ANC-led government has now been enabled to articulate principles and action plans to protect the environment and promote sustainable development.
South Africa's astonishing leadership on global issues was witnessed during COP 15, which proved to be the most challenging United Nations, UN, conference on climate change, and which was held in Denmark in December 2009. Again at COP 16 a challenge arose when parties could not agree on whether the developing countries should have binding emissions reductions or rich countries would have to reduce emissions first. But, still, South Africa has taken the leadership baton to host the 17th Conference of Parties, COP 17, in the quest to fulfil the nonbinding Cancun Agreement of COP 16 in its entirety.
Despite the setbacks of nonbinding agreements, at least COP 16 produced five critical elements that could serve as a starting point and foundation for positive talks in Durban later this year. These elements are the Green Climate Fund, which is financing climate change projects; reducing emissions from deforestation and forest degradation; increasing transparency through monitoring, reporting and verification; formalising the emissions reduction pledges made at COP 15 in Copenhagen in December 2009; and creating a new adaptation framework to assist least developed countries to create national adaptation plans and climate change strategies.
Importantly, though, as a host country South Africa must take cognisance that for COP 17 to be a success all parties of the conference must come with concrete strategies and time-framed plans to show how the global climate funds will be raised to realise the R100 billion per year in order to assist poorer countries in financing emissions reductions and adaptation.
COP 17 must also strive to plan for accountability, monitoring and sustainability, so that developing countries such as ours are enabled to implement the agreements on climate change effectively.
In these two instances, Recommendation 3 of the report becomes critical, where the Parliamentary Climate Change Forum will be expected to co-ordinate, synergise and manage parliamentary work on climate change.
In the words of the incoming COP President, Minister Maite Nkoana-Mashabane, she vows that "Durban is clearly the end of the line for the postponement of key political issues." With the Brazil, India and China, Brics, community South Africa calls on the industrialised nations such as the United States, US, and Western European countries to step up their commitment to reducing greenhouse gas emissions at COP 17. The establishment of a South African Globe International Chapter in the South African Parliament will help to bring the Brics parliamentarians together for an impactful, collective effort to strengthen legislative action on climate change going forward.
We support our ANC-led government when it says that there must be balanced and realistic negotiation when developing countries such as South Africa are required to shift their approach in addressing climate change towards building low-carbon cities. This is because convincing the least developed countries and other developing countries and their populations to shift towards building low-carbon societies will certainly not be an easy task. How do you justify a resolution that binds a poor country to not using more energy to develop their economy, when they know and have witnessed that already industrialised and developed countries are rich because of high emissions of pollution?
For instance, it is no coincidence to see that the developing countries' pollution emissions, such as those of South Africa, China, India, Indonesia and Brazil, have rocketed - we cannot eliminate poverty without increasing the use of energy. And then, how do you persuade a poor country and its population to pay for the reduction of carbon, when they know they still emit the least of the pollution?
The ANC-led government will make sure that it balances its mandate of delivering on our top five priorities of poverty reduction, creation of employment, quality education, access to health care, and safety and anticorruption measures, with that of addressing climate change.
Our communities must be shown that climate change, if not prioritised as well, could disturb the drive to eradicate poverty. One way of creating jobs in climate change projects is through renewable energy technologies. South Africa has an abundance of untapped renewable energies. This should be an industry that provides opportunities to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and at the same time create new jobs.
The other way of responding to climate change in our South African context is to explore, plan and implement concretely ways to assist our communities who rely on agriculture as a means of income and sustainability. Here we are specifically talking about the small-scale farmers, of whom most are poor women in the rural areas. The issues of climate change, poverty, environment and gender are intrinsically interwoven, and cannot be separated. As we are processing our national policy through the Department of Environmental Affairs, this ANC-led government is cognisant that women farmers are particularly affected by climate change; and we have to continuously drive gender equality and decrease women's vulnerability in the agriculture sector.
University of Cape Town, UCT, scientific research has already predicted that South Africa will experience increasing temperatures and less rainfall. The Western Cape is set to lose 35% of its current winter rainfall. This means then that there will be more frequent occurrences of drought, flooding, hurricanes, forest fires, rising sea levels, and damage to agricultural systems which will lead to famine and rises in diseases, as already seen during 2010, and especially recently in Japan. For instance, the world has already experienced severe weather-related events, such as the earthquake that I have just mentioned in Japan, severe drought in Somalia, mudslides in China and heat waves in Russia.
Climate change policy begins and ends with people. Therefore, visible advocacy on climate change matters must be strengthened to build a just and sustainable policy for South Africa.
We will always remind ourselves here that South African black townships and informal settlements in particular are the direct products of apartheid and the manifestation of urban desertification. These are the areas that offer the ultimate challenge in advocacy for greening the environment. We are encouraging Parliament to take to the streets of Khayelitsha, Soweto, Mitchell's Plain, Mangaung, Umlazi and Mdantsane, etc, to mobilise our communities regarding an awareness campaign on climate change and against hazardous climatic disasters.
As Members of Parliament we must rekindle the zealous and advocating spirit which was shown during the organisation of the Fifa World Cup in 2010. Particularly projects such as "One home, one garden" can go a long way. For instance, in my own Department of Police we have already embarked on a programme of "One police station, one garden". Linking greening with education, in particular with the school syllabus, to introduce our children to science and ecology, that is, food chains, adaptations and seasons, as well as mathematics, where we teach them about growth in terms ofgraphs, shapes and functions, is also fundamental.
Out of the experience of the nonbinding Copenhagen Accord in COP 15 and the mistrust between developing and developed countries at COP 16, South Africa is obligating all parties to discuss and deliberate positively, and in a collective spirit, for a successful climate change outcome in Durban.
It is fitting then, that South Africa as the host country has themed COP 17 "Working together: saving tomorrow today". Parliament must indeed lobby all relevant stakeholders to work together and to promote a common position for the upcoming COP 17 in Durban.
Furthermore, African countries like Tanzania and Kenya have established parliamentary forums dedicated to addressing climate change. These forums are not comprised of Members of Parliament alone. They are multisectoral forums, which are composed of diverse people with skills and expertise in the management of climate change. Perhaps our Parliament needs to seriously consider this approach, as already recommended in our COP 15 report in this House.
As the Deputy Minister of Police I can also say that safety and security operational plans are in place and being executed by our joint operational and intelligence structures at the national and provincial levels in preparation for COP 17 in Durban.
The KwaZulu-Natal, KZN, provincial government has already established priority committees to co-ordinate and finalise the planning process of safety and security-related issues in terms of article 9(1) of the Host Country Agreement.
It should come as no surprise to sceptics that we have been given the honour of hosting the United Nations 17th Conference of the Parties, COP 17, from 28 November to 9 December 2011. It comes on the heels of a very successful hosting of the Fifa World Cup in 2010.
Speaker, I must say that as Members of Parliament we need to go out there and sensitise people, and hold awareness campaigns about the issues of COP 17 and the importance of climate change. This is especially because it is being held here in Africa, and particularly in South Africa. It is too quiet for our liking - we are left with only three months before the hosting of COP 17 and we are not hearing much about what is being said outside there. What happened when we were about to host the soccer tournament in 2010 was that a year before then everybody, even children on the street, knew that we were about to host this big tournament. The same must happen with COP 17. It's a real honour for the country to be given the opportunity to host such a big event in our own country.
In conclusion I want to say, as all roads go to Durban on 29 November, that we as a country must strive and hope for a positive spirit and honest articulation of climate change, as the world seeks to negotiate for a globally agreed comprehensive deal on climate change. Thank you. [Applause.]
Mr G R MORGAN
The DEPUTY MINISTER OF POLICE
Mr G R MORGAN: House Chair, hon Ministers, hon members, in less than three months over 15 000 delegates will arrive in Durban for the next edition of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change negotiations, known as COP 17. We wait with anticipation to see if the Kyoto Protocol, first adopted in 1997, will survive the negotiations and, importantly, if a second commitment period will be agreed to. The burden of managing these highly complex negotiations now falls squarely on the shoulders of South Africa, which is president of the upcoming COP.
We need to examine what happened at COP 16 in Cancun, Mexico, last year and at COP 15 in Copenhagen, Denmark, in December 2009, to understand that prospects for extending the Kyoto Protocol in Durban are difficult. There were high hopes for a binding legal agreement and an extension of the Kyoto Protocol at Copenhagen. Instead, what emerged was a political agreement known as the Copenhagen Accord, which outlined various voluntary commitments by countries. South Africa, along with the other BASIC countries and the USA, was integral to the formation of this accord. It is important to note that the accord is not legally binding and does not commit countries to a binding successor to the Kyoto Protocol, whose present round ends in December 2012. The accord does, however, loosely endorse the continuation of the Kyoto Protocol.
Copenhagen ended in acrimony. Wen Jiabao of China said that the weak accord was due to mistrust between nations. Gordon Brown of the United Kingdom accused a small number of nations of holding the negotiations to ransom.
It is important to reaffirm why a binding global agreement on climate change is ultimately necessary. Because climate change will have consequences around the world, and because it is expected to have disproportionately high consequences for developing countries, whether it be decreased rainfall, rising average temperatures, or extreme events such as flooding and droughts, irrespective of the fact that developing countries are historically least responsible for the emissions of climate change-inducing greenhouse gases, climate change can be regarded as perhaps the largest example of the classic environmental problem known as the tragedy of the commons.
A well-crafted agreement would allow countries to exploit the most efficient opportunities to cut emissions. But climate change is not just a challenge of the environment; it is a challenge for the world economy. In fact, the solutions can have profound effects on specific industries and foreign trade, and hence it affects jobs. Climate change negotiations are thus very much about domestic politics, at least for the developed countries that fall in Annex 1 of the Kyoto Protocol.
The reason the USA has not ratified the Kyoto Protocol is its domestic politics. President Obama used his political capital on health reform, and has more recently been burnt by the debt crisis. At the federal level the USA is unlikely to sign up to any binding emissions reductions, at least to the degree that it should, for some time to come.
It is worth affirming though that the transition to a lower carbon future will also create new industries, particularly in the fields of energy, transport, and energy efficiency, and has the potential to be a major job creator. But, how do we get to a low carbon future? Determining how low, in terms of carbon, that future is, is what makes negotiations complex. Possible short-term economic shocks, increased costs of doing business in the interim, and further stresses for the consumer are of concern for negotiators from developing countries and the major emerging economies. Their terms of political office are far shorter than the time it will take to make a transition to a low carbon future.
In Cancun last year ambitions and hopes for the negotiations were considerably more tempered. The future of the Kyoto Protocol was hardly addressed, although some countries, including Japan, were openly hostile towards its continuation. The political landmine of the Kyoto Protocol was sidestepped. Cancun did offer some light and that is that progress does not have to be all or nothing. It does not have to be a binding treaty or bust. Notwithstanding that, a binding agreement remains the desired outcome.
Cancun also codified emissions reduction pledges made by approximately 80 countries at Copenhagen. What is interesting about the way that this happened is that the distinction between Annex 1 and non-Annex 1 countries is somewhat blurred, which is a step in the right direction. Cancun also officially, in terms of the UN document, agreed that the average temperature rise needs to be kept below 2°C.
The Copenhagen Accord at the Cancun negotiations essentially became part of what is known as the Long-term Co-operative Action track, LCA track. So, now there are only two tracks to the negotiations, the LCA track and Kyoto Protocol track. If the Kyoto Protocol track had been more actively engaged upon in Cancun, then the negotiations may have ended in acrimony.
Was Cancun a success? The outcomes will not satisfy everyone, but in general the fact that the negotiations are still alive is probably the greatest success. The US and China engaged with each other with civility. There were incremental steps in the right direction, and realism triumphed over idealism.
At COP 17 in Durban there will need to be progress on operational issues that came out of the Cancun negotiations, in particular on measures to set up the Green Climate Fund, as well as on measures to strengthen procedures related to measurement, reporting and verification practices.
But in Durban the issue of the Kyoto Protocol cannot be sidestepped as it was in Cancun. It will be difficult to engage on the Protocol with so many major emitters growing increasingly hostile to it. If there cannot be a binding agreement, then some kind of political agreement is what the South African Presidency of the COP needs to achieve. It may have to be that Kyoto is kept on life support to salvage its key elements, and that they then be built into a new response at future negotiations that bring the USA and major emerging economies on board.
Whatever happens in Durban, there is a greater realisation now that many of the most important initiatives for addressing climate change will occur outside of the UN process, despite how important that process is. Countries, states and cities around the world are taking action. Businesses have identified climate change both as a risk to and an opportunity for their operations, and are engaging with governments. So, while there may be despair in some quarters, there is also plenty of hope.
South Africa made various commitments in the Copenhagen Accord to reducing emissions against a business as usual trajectory. There has been a Green Paper on Climate Change this year, and in October the White Paper on Climate Change will be released. There has also been discussion on a Treasury proposal for a carbon tax.
No doubt South Africa wants to show, as the President of the upcoming negotiations, that it is prepared to play its part in securing a low carbon future. South Africa is a bridge between the developed and developing world when it comes to these negotiations. Our commitments thus far are admirable.
However, we must be cautious that we do not take on voluntary commitments and the associated instruments that place us in a position that affects our efforts at economic growth and job creation. We must remember that it is the developed world that owes the rest of the world the greatest commitment to action.
South Africa must act, but we must also be cautious. The South African negotiating team is ultimately accountable to the South African public at large. Its mandate is not without limits, and it must be sure that what it argues for is possible, reasonable, and to its best ability, in our own national interest. Thank you. [Applause.]
Mrs H N NDUDE
Mr G R MORGAN
Mrs H N NDUDE: Chairperson, members of the House, Cope welcomes this debate on the report arising from the parties' meeting in Cancun at the end of last year. We are in full agreement with the recommendations in the report that MPs have a critical and active role to play in averting climate change. The major issue today is whether we as legislators can devise policies and legislation which will ensure that as a country we do our bit to keep global warming to less than 2ºC above pre-industrial nations.
As legislators, we should actively support the creation of a green climate fund as floods and drought ravage country after country. A large pool of funds will be necessary to deal with the disasters caused by climate change. There is still no certainty how the R100 billion per year by 2020 will be raised, but this is something that has to be fully settled in Durban.
The new policy that we as a Parliament evolve must give consideration to the international community's setting up a climate-risk insurance facility, so that there is support for any country that experiences the impacts of extreme weather as a result of climate change.
Climate change is no longer an academic question; it is now mainly an economic issue, an issue of such magnitude that it touches the very survival of people, as we can see in Somalia. There are major cost implications for countries as a result of the increasing number of droughts and floods. No country in the world is immune to the natural disasters resulting from climate change. We are all equally vulnerable and challenged.
It was agreed at Cancun that a technology executive committee should be established to oversee the transfer of clean energy technologies to the developing nations. Cope urges this House to invite this committee to come before the relevant committees of Parliament to share its knowledge and help our Parliament refine its policies. We need to secure the transfer of clean energy technologies because nothing else will be sustainable.
We also have an interest in seeing COP 17 succeeding. As with the World Cup, we should be setting the scene to get the whole nation solidly behind us. Regrettably, we have not done enough in this regard and we should therefore address this matter urgently.
The report before us raises the important question of whether developing countries should agree to emission reduction that is legally binding. Cope believes that the government should fully involve Parliament in determining to what extent South Africa will agree to bind itself to the reduction of gas emissions. As the Kyoto Protocol will be collapsing soon, the world may not have an instrument to enforce global compliance with regard to carbon emission. COP 17 therefore comes at a critical juncture.
Now that South Africa has the opportunity to host COP 17in Durban this year, we have a major opportunity to represent the plight of the developing nations, which are the worst affected. We certainly need to get the whole continent behind us, because many African countries, which are responsible for minimal emissions, will unfortunately be major casualties of global warming. Keeping this in mind, we have a tough task ahead of us to secure a legally binding agreement and to address pressing climate issues on the basis of a binding agreement. If we can speak as a continent, united in our concerns about climate change, we will be able to achieve better results.
While is unlikely that developed nations will commit to reducing carbon emissions further, it is of the utmost importance that we nevertheless push for a firm deadline regarding a legally binding treaty on emission reductions.
Cope supports the establishment of a South African Globe International chapter in Parliament. Globe International will supply Parliament with crucial information on environmental matters. Furthermore, it will provide Members of Parliament with official non-negotiation status at COP 17 meetings. Thank you. [Time expired.]
Mrs C N Z ZIKALALA
Mrs H N NDUDE
Mrs C N Z ZIKALALA: Chairperson, global warming and climate change are a fact and upon us. Global temperatures are expected to increase by between 1,8ºC and 4ºC by the year 2100. This, we are advised, will cause both rapid and profound changes in our global climate if measures are not immediately implemented to reduce and eliminate the causes thereof.
It is within this context that the UN Climate Change Conference and Conference of the Parties were established for the global community to unite to take cognisance of this and to work together towards a solution in respect of global warming and climate change.
COP 16 sought to draw a line in the sand and, in fact, gave the parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change an ultimatum that unless immediate effective and co-ordinated action was taken against climate change, the world, its people, its ecosystems and, in fact, all life upon earth would face irreversible and irreparable harm.
COP 16 realised the need for a co-ordinated, global, political and policy-driven approach in order to address these problems effectively, and this was one of its main priorities. Delegates from 196 member countries were joined by private companies, NGOs and other interested stakeholders in finding a realisable solution to global warming.
From a South African perspective, we as the IFP wish to see a firm resolve from government in this regard, by way of an unwavering commitment to the reduction of carbon emissions, the adoption of and transition towards a green and sustainable energy future, and the development of full implementation of the green economy strategy.
In conclusion, we understand that the challenges facing such a transition to a greener energy future are many and varied, but these must be confronted and overcome if we are to leave a habitable and sustainably resourced planet to future generations. Thank you.
Mr S J NJIKELANA
Mrs C N Z ZIKALALA
IsiXhosa:
Mnu S J NJIKELANA: Somlomo obekekileyo, Malungu ePhalamente kunye nabasemzini ...
English:
... as we approach the African Conference of the Parties, COP, otherwise known as the 17th Conference of the Parties, COP 17, let me share what I deem to be the expected leadership role of Parliament on climate change. It is a national duty, which is even captured in its current theme: "Parliament as a champion for action on climate change".
The road map from Copenhagen through Cancun to eThekwini is full of memories worth sharing, especially the turnaround from Copenhagen to Cancun, thanks to the good work by the Mexican government. Prospects of success in COP 17 are supposed to be buttressed by our Parliament as well.
Undoubtedly the framework for Parliament's contributions derives mainly from the ANC, which has played a leading role in shaping global debates on environmental justice, including in our participation in the Rio Earth Summit, followed by South Africa's hosting of the World Summit on Sustainable Development in 2002.
Whilst there may have been limited success in Cancun, let me be quick to caution that entrenched economic interests are strong enough to limit the breakthrough we so much yearn for. As an analogy, let me take the global trade negotiations, whose prospects are threatened by the looming demise of the Doha Round. Once again entrenched economic interests have taken precedence and ascendancy, which compels me to make a clarion call that we need to avoid a repeat of such in the climate change negotiations.
COP 15 was supposed to adopt a new international agreement to replace certain aspects of the Kyoto Protocol, which is set to expire in 2012, but that was unsuccessful.
What lessons can we draw from the historical paradigm shift that took place in Cancun? A lot of persuasive exercises were central to the preparations by the Mexican government during its presidency. Beyond the plethora of consultations driven by the Mexican government, the Mexican parliament also played a crucial role in building consensus, which eventuated in the Cancun Agreement.
Our South African parliamentary delegation was also involved in attending the various meetings, such as the Globe Climate Change Legislators' Forum, and the joint session between the Inter-Parliamentary Union, IPU, and the Mexican Parliament on the role of parliamentarians in climate change, which was another landmark in advancing the much needed consensus-building efforts. It was evident from the discussions that Members of Parliament, MPs, have a critical role to play in averting climate change.
What then do we expect from Parliament? Whilst appearing as nascent in character, events highlight the leadership role parliaments have to play in the efforts to address climate change, and such leadership goes beyond merely preparing for events.
Ratification of international instruments, including any agreements emanating from climate change negotiations, is done by parliaments. The dilemma is that parliaments have to ratify instruments to which they have neither had input, albeit remote, nor been adequately exposed in regard to the intricacies of such negotiations. This is a sore point that needs intensive interrogation and debate - how and why Parliaments ratify instruments they hardly have any input on.
Oversight is undoubtedly another role that has to be aptly articulated. Reference has been made to one of the resolutions of the Pan‑African Parliament, which recommended in 2010 that African parliaments, in consultation with the civil societies in each country, be afforded opportunities to influence budgets on integrating issues regarding climate change. Such oversight should also extend to monitoring the utilisation of funds from the Green Climate Fund.
Facilitation of public participation, especially through constituency work, as well as engaging in various international activities related to climate change, will go a long way toward providing the expected leadership. If a sizeable number of parliaments can integrate climate change issues into committee programmes, the impact of their contribution on climate change will definitely be felt.
As a strategic approach, there is a need to save climate change negotiations, so that they do not to slide towards their demise, like the Doha Round. Hon members, eThekwini should not be the graveyard of the Kyoto Protocol. This means that we have a duty and responsibility to mobilise all our allies and networks locally, continentally and globally, as requested by the African Group of Negotiators, to achieve this goal.
Focus on the second commitment on the Kyoto Protocol is essential and needs a display of the broadest support, both locally and globally. Parliaments can also play a crucial role in this regard. Internally, within Parliament, the parliamentary programme on climate change must be driven intensively, with the passion it deserves, together with the requisite political management by parliamentarians, and co-operation and co-ordination of the programme's activities with staff.
As we may all agree, development has inter alia to be anchored in sustainability, and therefore we are also obliged to integrate climate change issues with the Millennium Development Goals, MDGs. Achievement of the MDGs by 2014 and the hosting of COP 17 later this year are amongst the key major events on this Parliament's calendar.
One of the five priority areas identified in the ANC 2009 election manifesto is the "creation of decent work and sustainable livelihoods". The ANC is committed to action leading to the meeting of 2014 MDG targets, that is, developing and investing in programmes to create large numbers of green jobs.
What about progress towards COP 17? There is a very clear intention that, from now onwards, we will be greening Parliament. And, please, watch this space - that is definitely going to take place!
Furthermore, there are four core pillars in Parliament's programme on climate change. The first is enhanced oversight, including the need to assess and monitor negotiations and facilitate public participation.
This is followed by the promotion of a campaign on climate change, as well as promotion of South Africa's position and particularly the African common position on this. The promotion of the common position of Africa is fundamental, because thus far we have managed to a great extent to integrate our national interests with those of the continent.
The next core pillar is constituency work focusing on climate change, as well as tool kits currently developed for MPs.
I would like to share with members that towards the end of October we will be hosting a national consultative forum with different sectors involved in climate change, with the aim of striving for broad consensus amongst various stakeholders, as well as of promoting the African common position.
There will be a multiparty delegation of MPs attending the African COP, as well as the regular IPU meeting cohosted by our Parliament. At this meeting a resolution containing the position of parliaments globally on the expected outcomes of COP 17 will be adopted.
In conclusion, it is evident that there are expectations that Parliament should provide leadership as part of the leadership collective effort by the state, leadership that goes beyond what Mexico achieved, whether expressed through the voices of the ordinary people, the media, the various sectors of society or Parliament itself.
Our noble efforts on climate change offer a lifetime opportunity for humanity to introduce paradigm shifts in development generally, through addressing challenges on climate change. I say this because climate change is inter alia a symptom of a larger phenomenon, distortions of production and consumption, particularly by developed countries. Should we change these distortions fundamentally, there is definitely a more than bright future for us.
Provision of leadership, as a legislature institutionally, and as public representatives individually, must be a dream cherished by all of us, irrespective of political affiliation. I therefore say that leading by example - promoting a Parliament which is a champion for action on climate change - must also be a dream come true in the not so distant future. The journey from COP 1 to African COP is loaded with both inspiration and challenges regarding what leadership parliaments should provide in conjunction with other components of the state.
IsiXhosa:
Maz' enethole, uKhongolose uyayixhasa lengxelo ye-COP 16.
English:
I thank you for your attention. [Applause.]
Mr L W GREYLING
Mr S J NJIKELANA
Mr L W GREYLING: Hon Chairperson, the meeting that took place in Cancun over December last year was a continuation of the international climate change negotiations that have been going for over 15 years. During this period emissions in the world have actually increased, as the planet moves perilously closer to a 2º warmer world, the point at which scientists predict the climate will become dangerously destabilised.
Already we are starting to see the devastating effects of a warmer world, with natural disasters affecting the livelihoods of millions of people around the globe. It is therefore imperative that the international community finally finds the moral courage to face up to this challenge of our generation. And it is moral courage that is required, because at its heart climate change represents a massive global injustice in which the poor are being made to suffer because of the excesses of the rich.
Instead of their rising to this challenge, all I have seen at each of the COPs that I have attended is more sophisticated negotiating tactics being employed by powerful countries and interests, who are intent on evading their responsibilities. Our negotiators have done a sterling job at fighting these tactics, but unfortunately we seem to have spent all of our time on simply preventing the process from going backwards, rather than being able to push it to any kind of a progressive outcome.
After the failure of Copenhagen, the Cancun meeting was seen as a muted success. But let us be under no illusion - with the current state of negotiations, we are heading for a 3º to 4º warmer world and all the devastation that that will bring. These negotiations are also seriously eroding trust in the multilateral process, as some countries are going back on the agreement that was made in terms of the Bali Road Map in 2007.
I believe that the time has now come to draw a line in the sand. Progressive countries in both the industrialised and developing worlds need to unite and craft an agreement that is not held to ransom by lowest common denominator negotiations. We need to reach sufficient consensus on actions that are tangibly going to prevent the dangerous destabilisation of the world's climate. Those countries who do not wish to become part of the so-called "coalition of the willing" need to move out of the way and be exposed for their actions. The costs of not becoming part of this progressive coalition also need to be increased in various ways so as to pressure them into joining at a later stage.
As the hosts of an African COP, we need to ensure that COP 17 in Durban finally delivers a modicum of justice for Africa, which will continue to suffer the worst effects of a warmer world. Let us do all in our power to break this deadly global stalemate in the negotiations and restore moral courage to the world. I thank you.
Mrs C DUDLEY
Mr L W GREYLING
Mrs C DUDLEY: Chair, this report sets the stage for COP 17, bringing climate change issues closer to home. In a meeting of the BASIC countries, of which South Africa is a member, the Ministers, including ours, called for a transparent and inclusive preparatory process in order to ensure that Durban takes a major step forward in working towards a comprehensive, ambitious, fair and effective outcome. Yet, in South Africa, the run-up to COP 17 has been marked by a process that is less than transparent and shows a lack of genuine commitment to climate mitigation. Let me explain.
Stakeholders agree that mitigation will best be served by a strong renewable energy agenda. Yet, after two years of an inclusive process endorsed by all parties aimed at speeding up the uptake of renewable energy through the adoption of the Renewable Feed in Tariff, REFIT, the Minister of Energy has ditched that entire process for a tender on price, the complete opposite of a tariff. The REFIT has proved itself around the world as the most transparent and inclusive way to stimulate a changeover to renewable energy, in order to create jobs and foster investment. Tenders by contrast, particularly in South Africa, have shown themselves to be subject to corruption, false pricing, delays, and any anything but transparency and certainty for investors.
This about-turn follows thousands of hours of hearings by the National Energy Regulator of South Africa, Nersa, and government, and thousands of written pages of submissions based on the regulations for REFIT introduced by the Minister of Energy. The Minister's decision to reverse the way in which the country mitigates climate change makes a mockery of democratic processes. Why do we consult? Where is due process?
The ACDP is concerned that climate change negotiations in Durban will be little more than political posturing to get money into coffers. The danger of short-term and individual interests being placed above those of future generations is real and will inhibit the long-term interests of our country and the planet.
Government's failure to observe the democratic process and their decision to experiment with yet another process in working with independent power producers could also result in a series of legal challenges. Our country and our children deserve better. Thank you.
Mr R B BHOOLA
Mrs C DUDLEY
Mr R B BHOOLA: Hon Chairperson, it is undoubtedly unarguable that global warming and climate change are two of the greatest challenges of our time. Whilst we continue to intensify the campaign and to build carbon-free cities, it is of vital importance that the Greening the Nation Programme implementation be crucial to all provinces. Whilst it addresses the issues of job opportunities and poverty alleviation, it equally plays a crucial role in protecting our environment.
South Africa can be proud of the fact that we are playing a very important role in protecting our environment. However, we still have to deal with polluting the atmosphere with our coal and it is absolutely imperative to look for alternatives.
Durban is going to be the venue for the international conference, and hopefully the conference will bring about changes for the betterment of eThekwini and Africa as a whole.
It is very important that the world takes a very strong stand against the unpredictable weather. The recent cold spell and the possible melting of glaciers are going to have a very serious effect, not only on world climate, but on the world economy, where they are going to create turbulence and disturbances throughout the world, and emerging countries like South Africa will suffer tremendously.
Therefore the MF urges South Africa to provide effective, strong and great leadership, so that nature here and the natural environment as a whole can be protected. Let's look to the future. Stop, think, and go green. Thank you.
Mr G J SELAU
Mr R B BHOOLA
Mr G J SELAU: Hon Chairperson, firstly, on behalf of the ANC, we are delighted to realise that this House speaks with one voice in so far as climate change is concerned.
On 26 May 2011, the ANC requested me to participate in the debate on Budget Vote No 29 on Energy for the 2011-12 financial year. My focus was on climate change, COP 17 and the green economy.
In order for people to understand what climate change is, I described it as a phenomenon that takes place when carbon dioxide accumulates in the atmosphere, forming a blanket around the earth and altering the climate. It alters the normal functioning of the earth systems, for example by causing shifts in rainfall, as well as in the amounts of rain that fall. Instead of rain falling throughout summer, climate change could cause the entire amount of rain that falls in a season to fall in just one month, causing flooding and eventually draughts in the same area, as that rain does not spread out.
I further explained that these floods and draughts affect poor people negatively, as they have no resources to adapt to the impacts. The consequences of this, if not attended to, can lead to very serious challenges, such as diminished natural resources; reduced agricultural production, thereby worsening food security; increased flooding and draughts, thereby spreading various diseases; and increased risk of conflict over scarce land and water resources.
This is the understanding of climate change and its negative impacts on society.
I went further, to give a summary of the history of discussions on this matter dating back to 1979, when a scientific gathering called on the world's governments to foresee and prevent potential manmade change in climate that might be adverse to the wellbeing of humanity. This led to processes, which led to a framework, as has been mentioned by the speakers before me. Subsequently conventions, which are being followed to date, have mitigated greenhouse gases and adapted to conditions of energy efficiency and green climate.
South Africa, as a country with a high greenhouse gas emissions profile, took the necessary measures with the aim of addressing both mitigation and adaptation. These included, among others, the release of the Climate Change Response Strategy for South Africa in 2004; a mitigation scenario study and its release in 2008; hosting a Climate Change Response Policy conference for South Africa in March 2009; convening the Green Economy Summit in May 2010; the release of the National Climate Change Response Green Paper in 2010; and public hearings by the Portfolio Committee on Water and Environmental Affairs here in Parliament in March 2011. We are also looking forward to hosting COP 17 in December 2011.
What should be very clear though is that hosting COP 17 is not going to do away with the challenges resulting from climate change. There are many areas that both government and communities should adapt to and include in our way of life. These include, among others, renewable energies, green buildings, clean transportation, water management, and land management, to name but a few.
The ANC welcomes Parliament's approach to climate change, which includes reducing the carbon footprint within Parliament and the residential villages; recycling; greening; energy-saving mechanisms; paperless committees, plenaries and meetings; and the increased use of ICT.
I wish to mention that the public awareness campaign cannot be overemphasised. It is my view that this campaign should take the form of the campaigns against apartheid and HIV/Aids. These two campaigns have been very effective in South Africa.
In conclusion, the world is coming to South Africa, and we have the responsibility to: maintain the integrity of the multilateral process; operationalise the Cancun institutions; determine the second commitment period of the Kyoto protocol and a comparable emissions reduction regime for non-Kyoto parties; afford a central place to adaptation; and focus on finance discussions, particularly of the Green Climate Fund.
It would be proper to mention that I sat there and listened very carefully to the debate, with thought that we were going to do what we normally do. I was not surprised, and more than delighted that we did something different. The difference was that we all spoke with one voice. We were all saying: "Away with global warming!" And the way to do it is to find a legally binding agreement. Thank you. [Applause.]
Debate concluded.
The DEPUTY CHIEF WHIP OF THE MAJORITY PARTY: Mr Chairperson, I move:
That the Report be adopted.
Motion agreed to.
Report accordingly adopted.
Mr M I MALALE
Mr G J Selau
CONSIDERATION OF REPORT OF PORTFOLIO COMMITTEE ON HIGHER EDUCATION AND TRAINING ON OVERSIGHT VISIT TO UNIVERSITY OF LIMPOPO AND INDLELA, DATED 17 AUGUST 2011
Mr M I MALALE: Hon Chair and Members of Parliament, on 29 June and 1 July the committee went to the Medical University of South Africa, Medunsa, campus of the University of Limpopo, and an institution that falls under the auspices of the Department of Higher Education and Training called the Institute for the National Development of Learnerships, Employment Skills and Labour Assessments, Indlela.
We noted a few things at the University of Limpopo. Since the merger of Medunsa and Turfloop there has been no harmonisation of the conditions of employment of the workers of Medunsa and those of the University of Limpopo.
I think we have all noted that now, in the next 12 months, there is going to be a demerger of Medunsa and the main campus.
During our oversight visit, it emerged that there are inadequate facilities in that institution, despite the fact that they've got a very wonderful library. When we looked at their residences, we saw that they were in serious disrepair. We want to recommend to management of the university that, within their current pecuniary resources, they should upgrade and refurbish those facilities. They even use a sports complex for exam purposes! We think that that environment is not warranted.
We also noted that the university had committed itself to ensuring that they fast-tracked the demerger process within the next 12 months. However, we felt it was very important for them to look at the concerns that had been raised by workers, particularly from the Medunsa side. We met organised labour, but not the entire union. The only component that we met was the workers at Medunsa. They said they were very happy with the demerger process, because apparently they had not initially been upbeat about the merger, and so on.
The other issue that we dealt with was Indlela. This is the only state-owned institute that deals with moderation and quality assurance for artisans. We have 600 private trade centres in the country.
Now, in this institution we noted that the department instituted investigations in which about 30 officials were implicated in corrupt activities and maladministration. We recommend that the department expedite disciplinary action against those implicated officials, and they must also go beyond disciplinary action. They must, in fact, institute criminal charges against those officials in accordance with the Public Finance Management Act, PFMA. We are not happy with only the disciplinary process that they mentioned to us.
The other element which we also recommend in the report is that two institutions, the National Artisan Moderation Body and the Quality Council for Trades and Occupations, which are under the auspices of the department, have been in an incubator for too long. We want to recommend that we expedite their operationalisation so that they can do their work of moderation and quality assurance in our quest for increased production of artisans and technicians in the country.
Other details will be found in the report. We as a portfolio committee would like to urge Parliament to adopt these recommendations so that we can allow an opportunity for improvements. I thank you. [Applause]
There was no debate.
The DEPUTY CHIEF WHIP OF THE MAJORITY PARTY: House Chairperson, I move:
That the report be adopted.
Motion agreed to.
Report accordingly adopted.
Mrs L S CHIKUNGA
The DEPUTY CHIEF WHIP OF THE MAJORITY PARTY
CONSIDERATION OF REPORT OF PORTFOLIO COMMITTEE ON POLICE
ON OVERSIGHT VISIT TO BISHOP LAVIS TRAINING ACADEMY,
STELLENBOSCH POLICE STATION, CLOETESVILLE POLICE STATION,
ROBERTSON POLICE STATION AND ATLANTIS POLICE STATION
FROM 25 TO 28 JANUARY 2011
Mrs L S CHIKUNGA: Chairperson, and hon members, the Portfolio Committee on Police conducted an oversight visit to the Bishop Lavis Training Academy and four police stations in the Western Cape, including the Stellenbosch, Cloetesville, Robertson and Atlantis police stations, from 25 to 28 January 2011.
The key objectives of the visits were to: assess the readiness of the academy to implement the recently revised basic training curriculum and determine challenges faced at the academy following negative media reports; and assess service delivery at police station level and the implementation of the policy and legislation passed by Parliament, as well as the implementation of the budget, as approved by Parliament.
Key observations noted by the committee at the Bishop Lavis Training Academy include the following. Firstly, the committee acknowledged the passion and dedication to good conduct that was articulated by the management, particularly the head of training, at the time of the committee's arrival.
Secondly, there still does not seem to be a direct enough link between the theoretical training received at the academy and the field training that trainees receive at police stations. However, the fact that they are now required to return to the academy after their 12 months' field training may assist in addressing this concern.
Thirdly, the barracks were relatively tidy, but a concern was voiced by female trainees about a lack of privacy, in that they are housed in dormitories holding 38 trainees, while the male trainees are housed in double rooms. The ablution facilities were in a poor state of repair and many of the toilets were not in working order. Basic maintenance issues were not identified and addressed before the beginning of a new year and a new intake of trainees. Inspections were not conducted regularly, and the committee felt that staff of the academy were not setting a good example to the trainees.
Lastly, a concern noted by the committee was the fact that both the tuck shop and the mess are run as semi-official institutions, thus generating their own funds which are kept in a separate bank account. Permission may be granted for those funds to be used to buy other things for the institutions, such as a sound system, or general maintenance requirements. The committee was concerned that this arrangement opened the academy up to the possibility of abuse and corruption, especially as the mess had an amount of over R1,5 million in its account, and the books were not properly kept and audited.
However, the key concern lay in the interaction of the committee with the unions. The committee met with the Police and Prisons Civil Rights Union, Popcru, and the South African Police Union, Sapu, who expressed a number of concerns, including: allegations of nepotism and victimisation of union members by management; ill-discipline among staff members, including the high levels of absenteeism and lack of disciplinary action taken by management; lack of communication between union members and management; and training staff representing trainees during disciplinary hearings.
The committee recommended that intervention by the national office is required. This is to ensure the resolution of the breakdown in the relationship between management and staff at the academy, as it has the potential to undermine the integrity of the training.
In its visits to the four police stations, the following overarching observations were made. It was noted that there was inadequate control over the firearms safes containing the firearms of SAPS members. This poses a risk in regard to opportunities for loss and theft. Ensuring effective control over SAPS firearms should be prioritised at national level. Lack of effective control was noted at the Stellenbosch and Atlantis police stations. In addition, it was a concern that the Robertson police station had a real surplus of service firearms, many of which are not needed at the station and are kept in storage.
The committee is still concerned about the lack of proper implementation of legislation such as the Domestic Violence Act, the Child Justice Act, and others. The committee has recommended that the best practice in police stations should be shared and, where required, additional training on the implementation of legislation should be provided.
A number of serious concerns were also apparent amongst the detectives in all the stations. They are not using statistics as a management tool and many of them have not undergone any training.
It was noted that many firearms which were handed in during the amnesty period were still in the police stations. In many cases, these amnesty firearms were kept together with exhibit firearms, which may lead to the contamination of evidence. This is a problem.
Ill-discipline amongst staff members in the SAPS was apparent, both at the academy and at many of the police stations visited by the committee. There is a level of insolence towards management and even towards committee members that is not acceptable in a disciplined organisation. I thank you very much. [Time expired.]
The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Mr M B Skosana): I now recognise the Deputy Chief Whip of the Majority Party.
The DEPUTY CHIEF WHIP OF THE MAJORITY PARTY: House Chairperson, I move:
That the Report be adopted.
The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Mr M B Skosana): The motion is that the Report be adopted. Are there any objections?
Mr M J ELLIS: Mr Chairman, I wonder if the Deputy Chief Whip, before the opposition parties agree to adopt this Report, would like to give us a few more reasons as to why we should adopt the Report. [Interjections.] He is recommending that we adopt it, and maybe he would like to give us further reasons as to why we should. [Interjections.]
The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Mr M B Skosana): You could be the only one who is looking for reasons at this point. [Laughter.]
Mr M J ELLIS: I stand up on behalf of my entire party, I can assure you.
The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Mr M B Skosana): Are you sure they want to listen to more debate on this?
Mr M J ELLIS: Well, we might have to go to a division then, Sir. I do not know ... [Laughter.] ... but, all right, I withdraw it, Sir.
The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Mr M B Skosana): I see the Chief Whip of the Opposition shaking his head there, you know.
Mr M J ELLIS: But he shakes his head at everything, Sir! [Laughter.]
There was no debate.
The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Mr M B Skosana): The motion is that the Report be adopted. Are there any objections?
Motion agreed to.
Report accordingly adopted.
Ms B N DAMBUZA
The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Mr M B Skosana)
CONSIDERATION OF REPORT OF PORTFOLIO COMMITTEE ON HUMAN SETTLEMENTS
ON RURAL HOUSEHOLD INFRASTRUCTURE PROGRAMME
CONSIDERATION OF REPORT OF PORTFOLIO COMMITTEE ON HUMAN SETTLEMENTS
ON OVERSIGHT VISIT TO KWAZULU-NATAL, 15 APRIL 2011
Ms B N DAMBUZA: Hon Chairperson, hon Ministers, hon Deputy Ministers, hon members and distinguished guests, on behalf of the Portfolio Committee on Human Settlements it is my great honour to present the Rural Household Infrastructure Programme to the House.
Basically the report is about the work done by the portfolio committee in overseeing departmental performance in regard to accelerating service delivery and managing state resources in a cost-effective and efficient manner. The portfolio committee embarked on various interactions and briefing sessions with the department in respect of the above programme.
The main task of the report is to sensitise and seek interventions of the Executive Authority to ensure compliance and adherence to policy legislative aspects. It is also important to inform the House that the report has been discussed with the Executive Authority and the National Treasury in respect of the issues that have been reported on.
Let me give some background to the matter. The National Sanitation Programme Unit, NSPU, was established in 2002, and administered by the former Department of Water Affairs and Forestry, Dwaf. The strategic objectives of the programme were to ensure the provision of universal access to sustainable sanitation services; the promotion of effective sanitation practices; health and hygiene; and the improvement of livelihoods.
In May 2009 the President announced that the responsibility for the provision of sanitation would be transferred from the Department of Water Affairs and Forestry, Dwaf, to the Department of Human Settlements. In response to the prioritisation of rural development, the National Treasury established the Rural Housing Infrastructure Grant, Rhig, over the Medium-Term Expenditure Framework, MTEF, period. The grant is gazetted under Schedule 7 of the Division of Revenue Act, and is administered by the Department of Human Settlements.
In the provision of on-site sanitation and water facilities to rural communities, a total amount of R1,2 billion has been allocated over the MTEF period. For 2010-11, R100 million was allocated for the provinces. In accordance with this, the department identified 26 municipalities in 7 provinces of the country to implement sanitation services.
Observations made by the committee on the implementation of the programme were that the implementation had made slow progress during the 2010-11 financial year.
The concern was also that having one service provider servicing a total of 18 government departments could lead to inefficiencies and incapability in future.
Under expenditure, the department spent 47% of the total allocated budget. The performance target was approximately 12 000. They delivered approximately 5 000 by the end of the financial year. Alarming projections that the programme will suddenly record a high expenditure of 63% by the end of March 2011, when it initially indicated a low expenditure of 10% by the end of February 2011, bring questions that could warrant the institution of proper audits. Therefore, the Minister was requested to commission an audit of the Rhig expenditure programme.
There was a lack of monitoring and evaluation mechanisms of the programme.
There was also a lack of a risk management plan in the management of the programme, and appropriate measures were not taken to assess whether there would be any risk of an inability to perform on the part of the service provider when the department decided to award the tender to them. Similarly, no appropriate measures were taken prior to agreeing to pay in advance to ensure that the service provider would meet its obligations as agreed. The portfolio committee raised a concern about the lack of system integration on management of sanitation, including procurement processes.
The portfolio committee wishes to express its confidence in the Minister, that he will act diligently and decisively, and use his wisdom. Therefore, the committee recommends the following. The Minister is requested to commission an audit by the Auditor-General on the expenditure of this programme for the 2010-11 financial year, in order to evaluate value for money and if most of the money has been translated into the final product.
The department must expand the delivery capacity by appointing more service providers to roll out the sanitation programme, as it is one of the Millennium Development Goal, MDG, targets. The Department of Human Settlements should present a broader perspective of the total backlog in provision of sanitation, as well as what has actually been delivered.
The Department of Human Settlements should present a framework and plan to manage the R1,2 billion budget allocated for the programme. Co-operatives should also be seriously considered in the implementation of the programme.
Lastly, in future the department must ensure that the programme is introduced appropriately to provinces. In the developing of business plans, service providers must consult with the relevant provinces for compliance purposes.
The committee requests that the report be considered.
The second report is in connection with Kwazulu-Natal oversight by the portfolio committee, to fulfil its strategic objective from Parliament to oversee the work of any executive organ of the state that falls under its portfolio.
The Portfolio Committee on Human Settlements conducted this oversight during the second term of the parliamentary programme. The delegation held a number of briefings with the provincial department and other stakeholders in relation to the roll-out and implementation of Human Settlements strategic plans, projects and programmes, and conducted site visits in the province.
The province indicated that it had threats and opportunities, and these were expressed to the committee. The province further indicated that programmes and projects were confronted by a number of challenges. These were, amongst others, the budget allocation formula, which could be seen as being disadvantageous to rural municipalities.
The province raised the issue of sanitation challenges. They indicated that there were 14 water services authorities and sanitation was part of a cycle. The progress on sanitation was very slow, with very little chance of achieving the targets to meet the Millennium Development Goals.
The cost of infrastructure was also cited as being very expensive. It cost R18 000 per household to connect water pipes, but this varied, depending on the slope on which the house was situated. In some areas, water connection cost up to R42 000.
The following observations were made. The incomplete houses and the rectification programme have been implemented three times without their being completed. The province reported that rectification was taking place, whereas there was no indication of this and the contractors were not on site.
At Imbali Phase 1 hostels, the committee reported the illegal sale of houses. During the interaction with the community, the portfolio committee resolved that the matter was very complex and would require special investigation by the department.
At Impumelelo, sanitation required urgent attention from the department, as the sewerage connections were not appropriate.
There is a lack of adherence to intergovernmental relations, IGR, and co-operative governance.
No new projects were reported in relation to all the areas that the portfolio committee visited. Most of the implemented projects were due for rectification.
The management of the beneficiary list is still a major challenge in many municipalities.
Public participation is still a challenge.
The relocation of families from one site to the other, and people's being neglected for many years before their housing needs can be attended to, are also problematic.
There is poor quality housing.
It was observed that the province was still using corrugated iron temporary relocation units in some areas.
The portfolio committee also requests that this report be considered. Thank you. [Time expired.] [Applause.]
There was no debate.
The DEPUTY CHIEF WHIP OF THE MAJORITY PARTY: House Chairperson, I move:
That the reports be adopted.
Motion agreed to.
Report on Rural Household Infrastructure Programme accordingly adopted.
Report on Oversight Visit to KwaZulu-Natal, 15 April 2011 accordingly adopted.
Mr S G THOBEJANE
The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Mr M B Skosana)
CONSIDERATION OF REPORT OF COMMITTEE ON
PRIVATE MEMBERS' LEGISLATIVE PROPOSALS AND SPECIAL PETITIONS
ON PETITION FROM MR AMICHAND MUNASUR, PRAYING FOR A PENSION
(MR L T LANDERS)
Sepedi:
Mna S G THOBEJANE: Modulasetulo, ke tlo bolela ka pego ya go tšwa go Committee on Private Members' Legislative Proposals and Special Petitions ye e bego e lebeletše kgopelo ye e ikgethilego ya go dirwa ke Munasur ka mohl Landers.
Mokgopedi o be a šupa gore mosadi wa gagwe yo a kilego a ba mošomedi wa mmušo o ile a tlogela mošomo ka tsela yeo e lego gore ka yona ga a dumelelwa go fiwa phenšene go ya ka Sephetho sa 7 sa 1998 le Sephetho sa 12 sa 2002. Mna Munasur o šupa gore ge nkabe mosadi wa gagwe a sa kgaotšwa go ba setho sa bašomedi ba mmušo, seo a thomilego go ba sona ka 17 Agostose 1977 go fihlela ka 20 Febereware 1985 - moo a bego a tšewa bjalo ka motho yo a sa dumelelwago go fiwa phenšene - gomme a boa a tšwela pele a šomela mmušo go tloga ka 21 Febereware go fihlela ka 18 Agosetose 1989, nkabe a hweditše tšhelete ya gagwe ya phenšene. Ntate Munasur o bontšha fa gore ge nkabe molao wa kgethollo o se huetše molao wo re o šomišago gona bjale, mosadi wa gagwe nkabe a hweditše tšhelete ya phenšene yeo e thomilego go tsentšhwa tirišong ka 2 Setemere 1998.
Ka gona, re rile ge re lebelela dintlha ka moka le dikeletšo tše re di hweditšego go boramelao ba Palamente re le komiti, ra hwetša tšhupo ya gore ga a dumelelwa go fiwa phenšene yeo ga bjale. Lebaka ke gore re dumela gore Munasur ga a šomiša ditsela ka moka tše di lego gona, ye nngwe ya tšona e lego go ya kgorong ya tsheko. Ka gona, komiti e kgopela gore kgopelo ye e se ke ya dumelelwa go tšwetšwa pele go fihlela ge mong wa yona a ka latela ditsela ka moka tšeo di lego gona, go akaretša le go ya kgorong ya tsheko. Re kgopela gore pego ye e amogelwe bjalo ka pego ya Palamente. Ke a leboga, Modulasetulo.
There was no debate.
The DEPUTY CHIEF WHIP OF THE MAJORITY PARTY: Chairperson, I move:
That the Report be adopted.
The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Mr M B Skosana): The motion is that the report be adopted. Are the any objections?
Mr M J ELLIS: Chairperson, I wonder if the hon Deputy Chief Whip would like to give us a better translation than the one we have just heard on the translation service. That is because we are not sure that we can actually give a considered opinion on this without his direct input on this matter.
The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Mr M B Skosana): Are you saying that there was no translation?
Mr M J ELLIS: There was a translation but it was not particularly good. I thought that the Deputy Chief Whip might be able to help us out on this one.
The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Mr M B Skosana): I am not sure what you mean when you say it was not good enough. Did you not understand? [Interjections.]
Mr M J ELLIS: Chairperson, jokes aside.
The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Mr M B Skosana): Do you think that the Deputy Chief Whip would give you a better one?
Mr M ELLIS: Chairperson, I have no doubt that he would because that would not be very difficult.
The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Mr M B Skosana): I am going to honour that. Is it possible to paraphrase that?
The DEPUTY CHIEF WHIP OF THE MAJORITY PARTY: Chairperson, Mr Landers, on behalf of Mr Munasur, made an application in terms of private members' legislation and petitions, but the committee feels that he has not exhausted every avenue possible. Therefore, the committee recommends that the application be not agreed to.
The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Mr M B Skosana): That is the gist of it.
Mr M J ELLIS: Chairperson, we will certainly go along with that. Thank you.
Motion agreed to.
Report accordingly adopted.
The DEPUTY CHIEF WHIP OF THE MAJORITY PARTY
Mr M J ELLIS
CONSIDERATION OF SECOND REPORT OF COMMITTEE ON PUBLIC ACCOUNTS
ON REPORT OF AUDITOR-GENERAL ON 2009-10 FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
OF SOUTH AFRICAN BROADCASTING CORPORATION
AND REPORT OF AUDITOR-GENERAL ON INVESTIGATION
AT SOUTH AFRICAN BROADCASTING CORPORATION
There was no debate.
The DEPUTY CHIEF WHIP OF THE MAJORITY PARTY: Chairperson, I move:
That the report be adopted.
The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Mr M B Skosana): The motion is that the report be adopted, are there any objections?
Mr M J ELLIS: Mr Chairperson, there are no objections from the DA. [Laughter.]
Motion agreed to.
Report accordingly adopted.
Mrs J C MOLOI-MOROPA
Mr M J ELLIS
CONSIDERATION OF REPORT OF PORTFOLIO COMMITTEE ON
PUBLIC SERVICE AND ADMINISTRATION ON OVERSIGHT VISIT TO
PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT ACADEMY (PALAMA) AND STATE INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY AGENCY (SITA) ON 3-4 AUGUST 2010
Mrs J C MOLOI-MOROPA: Thank you, Chairperson. Ministers and Deputy Ministers, and Members of Parliament, the Portfolio Committee on Public Service and Administration undertook an oversight visit to the Public Administration Leadership and Management Academy, Palama, and the State Information Technology Agency, Sita, on 3 to 4 August 2010. The purpose of the oversight visit was to observe the operations of Sita and Palama practically, and to receive a response to outstanding matters raised in the committee's previous engagements. The committee intended to get a sense of the operations of these entities and see how they conducted their business of delivering services to government departments.
I must indicate that this happened immediately after the committee undertook a study tour to Ghana and Indonesia and interacted with some institutions that are like Palama. The Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration, Gimpa, operates the same way as Palama. The committee realised that in Ghana most of the work that Gimpa was doing was taken from Palama. We therefore realised that Palama had realigned its objectives and started to gear itself to the correct direction.
Palama has the following objectives. Firstly, there is operating as a government training institution to provide capacity building interventions aimed at developing a Public Service cadre who cares, who belongs, and who serves and delivers in a developmental manner.
Secondly, there is managing and offering training and development opportunities to public servants at the national, provincial and local spheres of government.
Thirdly, there is expanding its reach to support legislatures and Parliament with the design and delivery of training in governance, leadership and management.
Finally there is designing specific courses, tailor-made to enhance competencies in human resources, monitoring and evaluation, and supply chain and finance management functions across all departments and local authorities.
In this instance we want to report to the House that the visit to Palama's operations convinced us that the institution would be able to deliver on the facilitation of training programmes in the Public Service, given space and time. We know that at this point they are still battling and it is unclear what they want to do.
We are also of the view that the institution can improve and do more than is expected in regard to in-house training, rather than largely outsourcing. We believe that after they have done their indaba, where they will coordinate all the stakeholders in the country in terms of the vision they have created, they will definitely be able to map out a clearer way, which we are all envisaging in the country.
On Sita, we are happy to report that it undertook to devise a turnaround strategy in order to address its previously tainted image concerning the way it handled its operations, both financially and operationally.
It was our observation that Sita, too, has ample capacity to deliver on its mandate, again financially and even operationally, since every entity requiring a Sita service in terms of the Sita Act is obliged to pay for such service. It means that all the entities that utilise services of Sita are paying, and therefore it can be self-sustainable. We are of the firm belief that Sita is not fully utilised by all state departments, some opting for Sita competitors instead of using this readily available state resource.
There is a common belief, and it is not wrong of course, that Sita services are expensive and that Sita is perceived as both a referee and a player, and thus self-regulating.
Of course, there were a lot of witnesses that we were following up as a committee, and we believe that there is quite a lot of progress. We are therefore encouraging state departments to utilise Sita, after they are satisfied, of course, with the results of their turnaround strategy.
The connectivity project that Sita is progressively undertaking at this point at the Thusong service centres appears a progressive move and it's being applauded.
Hon Chairperson, the Portfolio Committee on Public Service and Administration is tabling the Palama and Sita oversight report to this House and I have outlined the detailed report. I thank you.
There was no debate.
The DEPUTY CHIEF WHIP OF THE MAJORITY PARTY: Chairperson, I move:
That the report be adopted.
Motion agreed to.
Report accordingly adopted.
Mr E M SOGONI
The DEPUTY CHIEF WHIP OF THE MAJORITY PARTY
CONSIDERATION OF REPORT OF STANDING COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS ON
2010-11 FIRST QUARTER EXPENDITURE REPORT
CONSIDERATION OF REPORT OF STANDING COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS ON
THIRD QUARTER EXPENDITURE FOR 2010-11 FINANCIAL YEAR
Mr E M SOGONI: Hon Chairperson, hon members and colleagues, the first quarter report for the financial year, in this case 2010–11, is always a difficult report to deal with, because the expenditure is usually slow. The 2010-11 First Quarter Expenditure Report is no different.
The committee chose 11 departments that had either a very high expenditure or a low expenditure. The reason for calling departments with a too high expenditure was the threat of overspending at the end of the financial year, while slow-spending departments were likely to underspend, though departments tended to pick up once their pattern of expenditure had been brought to their attention.
The expenditure of the first quarter makes a good assessment. However, the expenditure of some departments, such as the Departments of Basic Education, of Higher Education and Training, and of Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs, is seasonal. In the case of Cogta, transfers to municipalities are made only at the beginning of July, as the financial year for local government commences at that time.
The 2010–11 first quarter reports reflect that there were challenges in some of the departments, especially the Department of Communications. This department seemed to be experiencing more challenges, as it had spent only about 10% at the end of the first quarter.
Other departments also had their fair share of underspending, as they spent less than 15%. Those departments included, amongst others, the Departments of International Relations and Co-operation, of Energy, and of Rural Development and Land Reform. These departments spent less than 15%, instead of the expected benchmark of 25%. However, this pattern changed as the financial year moved towards its end.
Many departments attributed their low expenditure to high vacancy rates, delays in procurement and the late submission of invoices by the service providers. The departments undertook to improve the situation in the following financial quarters.
The committee proposes that this report be considered. Thank you.
I will now move on to the second report. The third-quarter report is also a good assessment tool, as it precedes the last quarter of the financial year, where expenditure is in many cases abnormal because of the spikes that take place at that time.
This quarterly report will also assist the departments by providing red lights to warn them if any department is underspending or overspending. At the end of the third quarter the expenditure is expected to average 75%, and therefore any department that has spent less than that draws the attention of the committee. Some departments spent even less than 70%, which is a cause for concern to the committee. This kind of expenditure impacts on service delivery as hon members know.
Once again, the Department of Communication did not do well, as it managed to spend only 45% of its budget. This means that many programmes or projects were not implemented due to various challenges, including unfilled funded vacancies.
The other department that underspent was the Department of Public Works, which has the responsibility for creating job opportunities for the country, though it does this through the provincial departments and local government. This programme continues to experience challenges, as the expenditure is very slow. At the end of the third quarter, the municipalities had been able to spend only 44%, and the provinces had spent 27%. The Department of Public Works and the National Treasury have undertaken to look at a model that could result in improving the expenditure. The Portfolio Committee on Public Works and the Standing Committee on Appropriations will be meeting the two departments on Friday in order to resolve this challenge.
The committee also noticed that the Department of Rural Development and Land Reform was experiencing a high rate of shifting of funds between Land Reform and Restitution, because of the nature of their spending, which is skewed towards Restitution. National Treasury and the Department of Rural Development and Land Reform are addressing this matter, as they are also supposed to appear before both the Portfolio Committee on Rural Development and Land Reform and the Portfolio Committee on Appropriations soon.
The committee also invited the Department of Women, Children and People with Disabilities, which has been housed under the Presidency most of the time. The committee is really experiencing some challenges in setting up the department in order to make it fully functional. However, at the end of the fourth quarter, we heard that the department had employed a chief financial officer, and that the National Treasury was assisting it.
The department could not compile their section 32 report. Section 32 reports are these quarterly reports that we are referring to. However, after the discussions we are convinced that because of the steps that the department has taken, it will be able to produce subsequent reports.
The committee proposes the adoption of these reports. I thank you, Chairperson. [Applause.]
There was no debate.
The DEPUTY CHIEF WHIP OF THE MAJORITY PARTY: Chairperson, I move:
That the Reports be adopted.
Motion agreed to.
Report on 2010-2011 First Quarter Expenditure Report accordingly adopted.
Report on Third Quarter Expenditure for 2010-2011 financial year accordingly adopted.
The House adjourned at 16:37.
Audio
No related
Documents
No related documents