Hansard: Members' Statements: The declaration made at the recent United Nations high-level Aids meeting
House: National Assembly
Date of Meeting: 24 Aug 2011
Summary
No summary available.
Minutes
UNREVISED HANSARD
NATIONAL ASSEMBLY
Thursday, 25 August 2011 Take: 484
THURSDAY, 25 AUGUST 2011
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY
The House met at 14:04.
The Speaker took the Chair and requested members to observe a moment of silence for prayers or meditation.
NOTICES OF MOTION
Start of Day
NOTICES OF MOTION
Mr A C STEYN: Speaker, I hereby give notice on behalf of the DA that on the next sitting day of the House I shall move:
That the House debates the impact of the poor quality of housing to date, which led to the diversion of much-needed resources and the so-called rectification programme, and the proposed plans for the implementation of this programme.
Ms P MADUNA
Mr A C STEYN
Ms P MADUNA: Speaker, I hereby give notice that on the next sitting day of the House I shall move:
That the House debates minimising the high rate of shack fires during winter.
Mrs G M BORMAN
Ms P MADUNA
Mrs G M BORMAN: Speaker, I hereby give notice on behalf of the ANC that on the next sitting day of the House I shall move:
That the House debates the future of informal settlements in South Africa with a view to finding solutions to the problem of housing the ever-increasing number of people migrating to our cities.
Mr N J J van R KOORNHOF
Mrs G M BORMAN
Mr N J J van R KOORNHOF: Speaker, I hereby give notice on behalf of Cope that on the next sitting day of the House I shall move:
That the House debates the proposed Malelane Hotel development in the Kruger National Park, which, if not carefully considered, has the potential to jeopardise the reputation and standing of the Kruger National Park in particular and SANParks in general.
Dr J C KLOPPERS-LOURENS
Dr N J J van R KOORNHOF
Dr J C KLOPPERS-LOURENS: Speaker, I hereby give notice on behalf of the DA that on the next sitting day of the House I shall move:
That the House-
(1) debates the importance of the verification of qualifications, in particular of people who apply for posts in the senior management of government departments and state entities; and
(2) comes up with solutions to improve the situation.
Mr L L BOSMAN
Dr J C KLOPPERS-LOURENS
Mr L L BOSMAN: Speaker, I hereby give notice on behalf of the DA that on the next sitting day of the House I shall move:
That the House–
(1) debates the court verdict in the North Gauteng High Court this week on the transfer of water rights in the case of Goede Wellington Farming and the Department of Water and Environmental Affairs;
(2) further debates the implications of the verdict; and
(3) comes up with mechanisms to improve the allocation of water rights in the best interest of economic growth, redress and the maintenance of food security.
Mr S MOKGALAPA
Mr L L BOSMAN
Mr S MOKGALAPA: Speaker, I hereby give notice on behalf of the DA that on the next sitting day of the House I shall move:
That the House debates South Africa's role in the resolution of political conflict in Syria and looks at possible solutions to this political conflict.
Mr L MAX
Mr S MOKGALAPA
Mr L MAX: Speaker, I hereby give notice on behalf of the DA that on the next sitting day of the House I shall move:
That the House debates the progress made by the Department of Correctional Services with regards to the Jali Commission recommendations to improve service delivery.
Mr A P VAN DER WESTHUIZEN
Mr L MAX
Mr A P VAN DER WESTHUIZEN: Speaker, I hereby give notice on behalf of the DA that on the next sitting day of the House I shall move:
The House debates ways and means of lowering the cost of training under the Seta system, in order to open opportunities and access to real jobs for more young South Africans.
MOTIONS WITHOUT NOTICE
NOTICES OF MOTION - Mr A P VAN DER WESTHUIZEN
CONDOLENCES ON DEATH OF GWEN GILL
(Draft Resolution)
The CHIEF WHIP OF THE MAJORITY PARTY: Speaker, I move without notice:
That the House-
(1) notes with great sadness the death of Gwen Gill, who passed away on Wednesday evening at the age of 75;
(2) further notes that she was well known for her Social Scene column in the Sunday Times, where she had been since 1971; and
(3) expresses its heartfelt condolences to her family, friends and her colleagues in the media fraternity.
Agreed to.
The CHIEF WHIP OF THE MAJORITY PARTY
The CHIEF WHIP OF THE MAJORITY PARTY
INCLUSION OF FEMALES IN SAFA NATIONAL PANEL OF REFEREES
(Draft Resolution)
The CHIEF WHIP OF THE MAJORITY PARTY: Speaker, I move without notice:
That the House–
(1) welcomes the inclusion of two female referees, Sebabatso Malope and Noeleen Daniels, in the South African Football Association National Panel of Referees;
(2) notes that this brings to five the total number of females in the National Panel of Referees;
(3) believes that the latest appointment to the National Panel is an achievement that will go a long way in encouraging growth and acceleration in producing quality female referees;
(4) wishes the new referees success in their future endeavours and is proud of their progress; and
(5) hopes that this will pave the way for more women to join this male-dominated career.
Agreed to.
Mr M J ELLIS
The CHIEF WHIP OF THE MAJORITY PARTY
SOUTH AFRICA TO HOST 2013 AFRICAN CUP OF NATIONS AND 2014 AFRICAN NATIONS CUP
(Draft Resolution)
Mr M J ELLIS: Mr Speaker, I move without notice:
That the House–
(1) notes that South Africa will host the 2013 African Cup of Nations and the 2014 African Nations Cup;
(2) further notes that South Africa has taken over the privilege to host the continent's biggest football showpiece from Libya, as a result of the latter's current political situation;
(3) acknowledges South Africa's readiness to host these tournaments following our successes in hosting the 2010 Fifa World Cup; and
(4) gives support to SA Football Association, Safa, in their preparations for these tournaments.
Agreed to.
The CHIEF WHIP OF THE MAJORITY PARTY
Mr M J ELLIS
ACCESS TO JUSTICE WEEK
(Draft Resolution)
The CHIEF WHIP OF THE MAJORITY PARTY: Speaker, I move without notice:
That the House-
(1) notes that 22 to 26 August is regarded as Access to Justice Week, which is an annual project initiated by the South African Women Lawyers' Association in partnership with the Department of Justice and Constitutional Development to ensure that poor, previously marginalised and rural women receive free legal advice, which will assist them to enhance their lives;
(2) further notes that during this week free legal assistance will be provided at all the courts and Legal Aid centres, where experts will educate the public on various legal issues, including drafting of wills, maintenance applications, reporting of domestic violence, divorce, foster-parenting and guardianship, and customary marriages;
(3) believes that this project will go a long way in mitigating the violent circumstances that have a direct impact on women and children and effectively contribute towards the restoration of their dignity and improved quality of life; and
(4) urges South Africans to take advantage of the free legal assistance being offered at the country's courts and Legal Aid centres during the course of this week.
Agreed to.
The CHIEF WHIP OF THE MAJORITY PARTY
The CHIEF WHIP OF THE MAJORITY PARTY
TEAM SOUTH AFRICA TO COMPETE AT WORLD GOLD PANNING CHAMPIONSHIPS
(Draft Resolution)
The CHIEF WHIP OF THE MAJORITY PARTY: Speaker, I move without notice:
That the House–
(1) notes that Team South Africa flew out on 19 August to compete in the five-day 2011 World Gold Panning Championship, which started in Zlotoryja, Poland, on Tuesday, 23 August 2011;
(2) believes that South Africa will do well in the competition as Team South Africa includes two previous world gold-panning champions, Surprise Thulelo, Sonja Vermaak and Sendra Mthuke, a 47-year-old single mother of three children, who won the ladies' proficient category in the South African Open Gold Panning Championship in Pilgrim's Rest last year; and
(3) wishes the team success and has full confidence that they do South Africa proud.
Agreed to.
Mr M J ELLIS: Mr Speaker, on a point of order, sir, we certainly have no objection to the last two motions put forward by the Chief Whip of the ANC, but I do need to let the ANC know that we have not had copies of these motions sent to us in the normal way, and certainly we have very concise records kept of these things. I would just urge the ANC Chief Whip to make sure that these are sent to all parties as the arrangement stands.
The SPEAKER: Point of order sustained.
The SPEAKER – RULING
MOTIONS WITHOUT NOTICE – CHIEF WHIP OF MAJORITY PARTY
APPLICATION OF RULE 105 PERTAINING TO RESPONSES TO MEMBER STATEMENTS
(Ruling)
The SPEAKER: Order! Hon members, before we come to the next item I would like to give a ruling. In the course of members' statements on Thursday last week, hon J D Kilian of Cope asked for clarity on the application of Rule 105 regarding who may respond to particular members' statements. I undertook to look into the matter and return to the House with a ruling. Having done so, I now wish to rule as follows: Rule 105, which governs members' statements and Ministers' responses, is in actual fact quite clear, lucid and very detailed. The Rule initially sets out the manner and time of members' statements and then proceeds to set out, with the same attention to detail, the manner and time of Ministers' responses. It also makes provision for instances where a Minister may not be present to respond. It even determines in which order of preference a colleague may respond on behalf of an absent Minister.
Rule 105(6) says that if a particular Minister was present in the House and the member's statement was directed at that Minister, he or she may respond to that statement. The Minister may also respond if the statement was made in respect of his or her portfolio. If the Minister at whom the statement is directed, or in respect of whose portfolio the statement was made, is not in the House, then, in terms of the Rules, the relevant Deputy Minister or another Minister, in that order, may respond to the statement.
Prior to 2005, the guidelines for members' statements and Ministers' responses determined that only a Minister from a particular Cabinet cluster could respond on behalf of his or her absent colleague from the same cluster. However, the Rules were then adjusted to provide that any Minister may now respond on behalf of an absent colleague, provided that the relevant Deputy Minister is not in the House. That was the case when Minister Manuel and Minister Pandor responded on behalf of their absent colleagues last week. Their responses were therefore in order.
Rule 105 also ensures that a member's statement dealing with a single matter is not responded to twice, as it would either had been directed at a particular Minister or it would have been made in respect of a particular Minister's portfolio. I also want to appeal to hon members of the Cabinet to assist the Chair by adhering to the prescripts of the Rule and to respond only to those statements directed at you or the ones made in respect of your specific portfolio.
While we are discussing this Rule, I want to appeal to members of the House and members of the executive alike to adhere to the time limits set by the Rules, namely one-and-a-half minutes for a statement and two minutes for a response. If Ministers wish to respond to more than one statement and consequently speak for more than two minutes, they should seek the advice of the Chair first, as the Presiding Officer may want to give other Ministers an opportunity too. A maximum of six Ministers' responses are allowed by this Rule. I thank you.
Mrs J D KILIAN: Speaker, can I just kindly ask the NA Table that since the electronic copy of the Rules is outdated - it was captured on 16 April 2003 - it would be helpful if we could have the new sections so that everybody could also see it on their screens. Thank you.
The SPEAKER: Yes, certainly, we will ensure that that happens. We agree with you.
MEMBERS' STATEMENTS
Mrs J D KILIAN
DA USES BLACK FACES TO GARNER VOTES
(Member's Statement)
Mr K B MANAMELA (ANC): Hon Speaker, during the local government elections the DA went all out to portray an image of a multiracial party with the black faces of Patricia de Lille and Lindiwe Mazibuko being paraded when Madam Helen Zille was canvassing. But, again, the DA has been exposed for their double standards and hypocrisy. The ink on the ballot paper is barely dry and they have gone back to their old ways. Helen Zille has become synonymous with employing any white person for the job instead of the best person for the job, irrespective of race and gender. [Interjections.]
The DA has yet again applied the white-only rule by appointing an all-white team of executive directors to run its day-to-day affairs at its head office, showing South Africa exactly what they think of transformation and the capabilities of black people in general. [Interjections.]
The SPEAKER: Order, hon members!
Mr K B MANAMELA: We are good enough during elections, but not good enough to work for them. [Interjections.]
An HON MEMBER: Why are you lying?
Mr K B MANAMELA: The picture looks the same at the provincial level, with most of the directors being white. How can we forget the predominantly white, male Cabinet that has been forced down the throats of the Western Cape community? However, this does not ...
Mr M J ELLIS: Mr Speaker, on a point of order: Sir, you have personally ruled in this House before that generally Motions or Statements or Declarations of this nature, which are deeply divisive, are not in the best interest of this particular House. [Interjections.] I urge you to consider the ruling that you have made and make this member realise that what he is saying is out of order.
The SPEAKER: Order, hon members! Let the speaker be heard. Continue, hon member.
Mr M J ELLIS: Sir, do you want me to repeat the whole thing?
The SPEAKER: No, don't repeat. Just say what you have not said before.
Mr M J ELLIS: The point is that you personally have said that statements of a deeply divisive nature are not in the best interest of this House. What this particular member is saying now in his statement is deeply divisive. In fact, it borders on racism. I urge you to rule against him for making this particular statement.
The SPEAKER: Hon member, I really plead with the House and ask that we really, really desist from making such statements. But please complete the two seconds you have left.
Mr K B MANAMELA: The only divisive people in this House are the DA. However, to us this does not come as a surprise, given the anti-transformation and at times racially divisive posture the party has taken since 1994.
The SPEAKER: Hon member, your time has expired. Statements should not exceed one minute and yours has exceeded that.
Mr M J ELLIS: Mr Speaker, there is another point of order, and it's not just the question of one-and-a-half minutes per statement. I urge you to rule at some stage on the quality of what this man has been saying. I believe that in terms of your own ruling what he has been saying now is unparliamentary.
The SPEAKER: I will come to the ruling on that matter. Hon member, what's your point?
Mr K B MANAMELA: Speaker, I rise on a point of order: I'm not "this man"; I am an hon member. My status is equal to that of the speaker, the hon member. He cannot just refer to me as "this man". He must withdraw that. [Interjections.]
The SPEAKER: Hon Ellis, you also know the Rules.
Mr M J ELLIS: I meant to refer to him as "the hon member this man". You are quite right, sir, I'm sorry. [Interjections.]
Mr K B MANAMELA: I am not "the hon this man".
The SPEAKER: No, refer to him properly, and not as "the hon this man".
Mr K B MANAMELA: He wouldn't like it if I referred to him as "the hon this old man"! [Laughter.]
The SPEAKER: Order! Hon member, give me a chance to speak.
Mr P S SIZANI: Hon Speaker, I rise on a point of order: We don't make the rules as we go. We make rules for decorum of the House. If the hon member was using unparliamentary language, he would have been ruled out of order.
The SPEAKER: Hon member, I said I'm going to come back with a ruling on that. I don't want to open a debate on this matter. I will give the ruling, not you. [Laughter.] [Applause.]
Mr S C MOTAU (DA)
The SPEAKER
TRAGIC SCHOOL BUS ACCIDENT IN KNYSNA
(Member's Statement)
Mr S C MOTAU (DA): Mr Speaker, the DA was deeply shocked and saddened to hear about the tragic accident involving ...
The SPEAKER: Hon member, bring the mike closer to your mouth or your mouth to the mike - whichever is easier and faster. [Laughter.]
Mr S C MOTAU (DA): Thank you, Mr Speaker. I'm speaking as loudly as I can. The DA was deeply shocked and saddened to hear about the tragic accident involving learners from Rheenendal Primary School near Knysna yesterday morning, in which at least 14 learners died. In one family three people died and in another two lives were lost. On behalf of the DA, I would like to extend our condolences to the families who have lost their loved ones and say that they are all in our thoughts and prayers.
Officials of the Eden and Central Karoo Education District of the Western Cape Education Department arrived on the scene soon after hearing of the accident. Both the MEC for Education, Mr Donald Grant, and the MEC for Transport, Mr Robin Carlisle, rushed to the scene to set up the investigation and comfort those who had lost their young ones. While we cannot speculate on the reasons for the crash at this stage, we welcome fully the investigation by the Western Cape Education Department into the cause of the accident.
We also welcome the commitment by the Western Cape Department of Transport to look at ways to strengthen the related transport regulations. It is important that vehicles providing the service must carry only the prescribed and licensed number of passengers. The operator, the school, the parents and the children should all know these limitations and refuse to travel on any vehicle exceeding the limits. There should be no compromises. The DA deeply laments this loss of lives.
Mrs J D KILIAN (Cope)
Mr S C MOTAU (DA)
SABC AS MOUTHPIECE OF RULING PARTY
(Member's Statement)
Mrs J D KILIAN (Cope): The SABC, like this Parliament, is a creature of statute and its independence as public broadcaster was one of the critical pillars of the new constitutional democracy. In fact, long before the 1994 elections, the management and control of the SABC was placed in the hands of people who could be trusted to no longer allow the SABC to be the voice of the apartheid government. However, the sad reality today is that the SABC is steadily slipping into muddy waters. It has done so during the past three to four years as some elements in the ruling alliance wanted to strengthen their political grip on the public broadcaster, often to settle internal fights.
It is a pity that answers to important questions could not be answered by the Minister of Communications yesterday, perhaps deliberately. These questions relate to matters that will have an impact on the finances of the SABC. The question related to procedures for the appointment of the group chief executive officer, CEO, Mr Phil Molefe. If his appointment is found to be irregular, which we as Cope believe, the SABC will again be embroiled in a protracted legal battle, which will necessitate a further bail out from tax coffers.
Cope calls on the Minister of Communications to come clean. Inform this House that the SABC general meeting called in July was irregularly called and held in the absence of a duly appointed deputy chairperson for the SABC board, which nullifies decisions taken during that meeting. If not, South Africa will hold the Minister and the ruling party responsible for wasteful expenditure in these legal battles.
Ms L N MOSS (ANC)
Mrs J D KILIAN
THE PUBLIC PROTECTOR'S INVESTIGATION OF THE WESTERN CAPE COMMUNICATION TENDER
(Member's Statement)
Afrikaans:
Mev L N MOSS (ANC): Speaker, die ANC verwelkom die ondersoek deur die Openbare Beskermer na die toekenning van 'n voormalige kommunikasietender deur die kantoor van die Weskaapse Premier, Helen Zille.
Bykomend tot die bevindinge van die Weskaap se provinsiële tesourier - dat die verkrygingsproses 'n gebrek aan beheermaatreëls en goeie bestuursbeginsels openbaar - het dit ook aan die lig gekom dat die premier se spesiale raadgewer, Ryan Coetzee, 'n lid was van die tenderbeoordelingskomitee en sodoende ingemeng het met die administrasie van die departement. Sy rol in die komitee is teen die reëls wat vervat is in die ministeriële handboek en verklaar dat die spesiale raadgewer sy of haar insette aan die uitvoerende owerheid moet rig, en hom of haar moet weerhou van inmenging in die administrasie en die bestuur van die departement.
Die kansellering van tenders op drie vorige geleenthede voor die toekenning daarvan, toon nouliks omsigtigheid – soos aangedui deur die premier – maar toon eerder wat die provinsiële tesourier beskryf as 'n duidelike aanduiding van onvoldoende aanvragingbeplanningsprosedures, asook 'n gebrek aan kennis en vaardighede ten opsigte van voorsieningskettingsbestuur, wat nodig is om die proses te verwesenlik.
In sy geheel gelees onthul die verslag van die Weskaap se provinsiële tesourier die baie gebreke wat sigbaar is binne die Weskaap se provinsiale regering. Die ANC dring aan op 'n volledige en omvattende ondersoek na die toekenning van hierdie tender. [Applous.]
Mrs C N Z ZIKALALA
Mev L N MOSS
ANNUAL E-TOURISM AFRICA SUMMIT IN SOUTH AFRICA
(Member's Statement)
Mrs C N Z ZIKALALA (IFP): Hon Speaker, the month of September marks yet another feather in the cap for South Africa, when it once again plays host to the annual e-Tourism Africa Summit, which will take place at the Cape Town International Convention Centre on 15, 16 and 17 September 2011.
Cape Tourism is one of the leading e-marketing operations in the world and is currently ranked the world's 13th most-influential tourist board by influencers in travel.
A line-up of top international speakers is expected to participate in the summit. This can only bode well for South African tourism. The IFP looks forward to seeing more initiatives of this nature and congratulates both South African and Cape Town tourism on this achievement.
Chairperson, people should not move about when I am speaking. They disturb me. [Laughter.] I am inviting members to support domestic tourism. We have a wonderful country. [Time expired.] [Laughter.] [Applause.]
Adv A de W ALBERTS
Mrs C N Z ZIKALALA
TRANSNET DRAGS HEELS WITH PENSION PAYOUTS
(Member's Statement)
Afrikaans:
Adv A de W ALBERTS (VF Plus): Speaker, die VF Plus het met dank kennis geneem van die Minister van Finansies, Mnr Pravin Gordhan, se sentiment dat daar reeds te lank gesloer word met die uitbetaling van beloofde verhogings van pensioene en bonusse aan Transnet pensioenarise.
Die VF Plus wil egter graag sien dat die volgende sal gebeur. Die Minister van Finansies moet, saam met die Minister van Openbare Ondernemings, Mnr Malusi Gigaba, ferm druk op Transnet plaas om op te hou sloer met die uitbetaling van pensioene aan Transnet pensioenarise.
Transnet moet hul verpligting nakom en, soos onderneem aan die Parlement, die Transnet Tweede Vaste Voordele Fonds met R1,9 miljard aanvul.
Die Minister van Openbare Ondernemings moet druk op die trustees van Transnet se pensioenvonds plaas om so spoedig moontlik veranderinge aan die reëls van die Tweede Vaste Voordele Pensioenfonds te maak, sodat die uitbetalings van pensioene kan voortgaan.
Die VF Plus sal graag wil sien dat die Minister van Openbare Ondernemings sal sorg dat die proses om die reëls te verander, versnel word, sodat die uitbetaling van verhogings op pensioene nog hierdie jaar sal plaasvind.
Die situasie raak nou onhoudbaar en daar vind geen kommunikasie met die pensioenarise plaas nie. Hierdie voetslepery deur Transnet is soveel erger as dit beskou word teen die agtergrond van die betaling van aansporingsbonuse van R63,6 miljoen aan die Transnetbestuur vir die 2010-11 boekjaar. Dit is 'n skande dat pensioenarise krepeer terwyl Transnet bonusse aan sy bestuur betaal ten spyte van klaarblyklike gebreke aan die prestasie van die bestuurslede.
Mrs B TINTO
ADV A DE W ALBERTS
MURDER OF MRS WOLANI MAYIHLOME AND HER GRAND CHILDREN IN LUSIKISIKI
(Member's Statement)
IsiXhosa:
Nkskz B TINTO (ANC): I-ANC ikhwankqisiwe sisihelegu sokugetyengwa kalusizi kukamama uWolani Mayihlome ominyaka ingama-67 kunye nabazululwana bakhe ababini uNompucuko ominyaka ili-19 kunye noVusumzi ominyaka ingama-24 ngolwesine umhla we-11 ku-Agasti, eMayalweni Village eluSikisiki, besolwa ngobugqwirha. Eyona nto ibuhlungu kakhulu, esi senzo senzeka kanye emva kosuku lokubhiyozela usuku loomama. Kwaye ngale nyanga yoomama sisoloko siqwalasela ukuba liyenyuka izinga lokuhlukunyezwa nokubulawa koomama nabantwana.
Ngoko ke, siyi-ANC sivakalisa uvelwano olungazenzisiyo kusapho oluthe lwahlelwe yile ntlekele imbi kangaka, nakwizalamane zabo Sicela uluntu ngokubanzi ukuba luyixhase kwaye luzinikezele, ingakumbi iinkokheli zemveli kunye nooceba, ekusebenzisaneni namaqumrhu oomama ekuzameni ukulwa lo mkhwa wokuxhatshazwa kwabantu abadala ngezityholo zobugqwirha. Sikwacela kananjalo amapolisa ukuba adlale indima yawo ekuqinisekiseni ukuba abenzi bobubi bayavalelwa. Ndiyabulela. [Kwaqhwatywa]
Mrs M N MATLADI (UCDP)
Mrs B TINTO (ANC)
NOMINATION OF JUSTICE MOGOENG MOGOENG AS CHIEF JUSTICE
(Member's Statement)
Setswana:
Mrs M N MATLADI (UCDP): Motlotlegi Mmusakgotla.
English
The UCDP welcomes and supports the President's choice of Justice Mogoeng Mogoeng as Chief Justice. We have observed with dismay and disappointment the controversial remarks from different sources, political and otherwise. Some went as far as alleging that the President did not follow constitutional precepts in his nomination of Justice Mogoeng.
We have an opinion on the matter and shall state it unequivocally: section 174(3) of the Constitution grants the power to appoint a chief justice solely and exclusively to the President. [Applause.]
The President is further required to consult with leaders of opposition parties represented in the National Assembly and also with the Judicial Service Commission. But the consultation is exactly that - a consultation, not a negotiation, not a mediation, not an interview and not a cross-examination of the President's choice. [Applause.] Constitution is purely a formal exchange between the parties, with the intention of ensuring that essentials have been met. Yes, Judge Mogoeng is young and some add that he is inexperienced, but this is not an issue unheard of. Our very own Justice Arthur Chaskalson had no judicial experience of judgments whatsoever when he was appointed chief justice. [Time expired.] [Applause.]
Mrs H LAMOELA
Mrs M N MATLADI
CHILD PROTECTION REGISTER
(Member's Statement)
Mrs H LAMOELA (DA): Mr Speaker, in a recent reply to a DA parliamentary question, the Minister of Social Development revealed that the Child Protection Register lists only one individual deemed unsuitable to work with children as a result of previous convictions for child abuse. How is this possible?
Last year, there were 4 000 reported cases of ill-treatment of children. We know that South Africa is the world capital for baby rape and the sexual abuse of minors. It is estimated that around 30 000 children per year are victims of sexual abuse. In this context, it is difficult to believe that only one person in the entire country is prohibited from working with children. The Minister of Social Development, the hon Bathabile Dlamini, has some explaining to do.
The DA wants to know why only one name is on the Child Protection Register when child abuse is so prevalent in our country; and why it cost over R1,7 million to develop and maintain a Child Protection Register that records a single name. It is essential that we have a child protection register to safeguard our children from those who prey on them. However, it is impossible to do so if the register is in shambles. [Applause.]
Ms M C MOHALE (ANC)
Mrs H LAMOELA
PROGRESS MADE IN THE FIGHT AGAINST HIV AND AIDS
(Member's Statement)
Ms M C MOHALE (ANC): Speaker, the ANC-led government has made significant progress in the fight against HIV and Aids. Given the government's renewed focus on the campaign, about 1 million more people are expected to be added to the government's HIV treatment programme, bringing the number of those receiving such medication to at least 2,5 million.
The programme will now include those with a CD4 count of 350 and below. Until last week the country's treatment guideline allowed only those with a CD4 count of 200 or less to receive treatment. The new measure is in line with the World Health Organisation's recommendation that all HIV-positive people should be initiated into ARV treatment when their CD4 count is 350 or less.
AS the ANC-led government we shall continue to support the treatment of those who present themselves to the public health system for any conditions as best we can and within the resource constraints we face, regardless of their HIV/Aids status. [Applause.]
Mr A M MPONTSHANE (IFP)
Ms M C MOHALE (ANC)
PROBLEMS IN THE EASTERN CAPE EDUCATION SYSTEM
(Member's Statement)
Mr A M MPONTSHANE (IFP): Hon Speaker, the former head of education, Professor Harry Nengwekhulu, once described the Eastern Cape Department of Education as "rotten to the core". This sentiment was shared by the Minister of Basic Education, Angie Motshekga, this week. "The rot goes deep", she said, referring to what government's intervention has revealed in the Eastern Cape.
The IFP welcomes the frank admission by the Minister that the Eastern Cape education system is on the brink of collapse. It is shocking, however, to learn that after President Zuma had assembled a high-level task team comprising of senior Ministers to assist in a turnaround strategy for the province, government has encountered resistance from the education leadership in the Eastern Cape with regard to the implementation of this turnaround strategy.
Minister Motshekga is on record as saying that the leadership has "created a state of paralysis by just not co-operating with the national department". This situation is a national disgrace, to say the least. It is the learners of the Eastern Cape who are bearing the brunt of this stalemate.
The problems in the Eastern Cape, such as the suspension of school transport and the nutrition programme, and the non-delivery of textbooks and stationery as a direct result of corruption and maladministration directly impact on the education and the future of the children in Eastern Cape. This is the same province where learners ... [Time expired.]
Mr D A KGANARE (COPE)
Mr A M MPONTSHANE (IFP)
STATE OF AFFAIRS IN FREE STATE MUNICIPALITIES
(Member's Statement)
Mr D A KGANARE (COPE): Speaker, in the first two months of this financial year, the Free State Department of Co-operative Governance, Traditional Affairs and Human Settlements had already spent more than half of its yearly budget to bail out struggling municipalities in the Free State. Bail-outs have become an annual occurrence in that province.
In 2010, bail-outs cost the department there R76,4 million. As poor financial management and incompetence lies at the heart of this issue, the problems will persist. Once again, R18,2 million in grants had to be given to five municipalities that could not pay their councillors' salaries.
The people that suffer the most as a result of such ineptitude are the indigent who are denied basic services. The fact that the National Treasury was not aware of these transfers is extremely worrisome. This is deplorable state of affairs. This issue requires urgent investigation. Poor financial management threatens the very functioning of local government.
In spite of government's much-trumpeted turnaround strategy, the situation at local government level is in a state of deep and continuous crisis. The fact that municipalities are floundering just three months after the recent local government elections indicates that serious trouble lies ahead. Surely the payments of councillors cannot be the main focus of any local government. Its core function is to supply essential services to the community it serves.
As the situation in the Free State is so dire, Cope calls for a thorough and immediate investigation into the state of affairs of the Free State municipalities, including the so-called "Operation Hlasela". [Applause.]
Mrs J M MALULEKE
Mr D A KGANARE
RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN SA AND BURUNDI
(Member's Statement)
Mrs J M MALULEKE (ANC): Speaker, the ANC welcomes the cordial relationship forged between SA and Burundi. It is seen as part of the ANC government mandate to contribute to post-conflict reconstruction and development efforts on the continent. This comes after the two countries signed several co-operation deals in defence, education and agriculture during President Jacob Zuma's visit to that central African country.
The visit served to promote trade and investment between the two countries and to kick-start and improve economic co-operation in areas such as infrastructure development, agri-processing, higher education, defence, mining, tourism and private sector development. The ANC views this initiative as a bold step in our endeavour to continue working for peace and stability, for the promotion of democracy, for development and co-operation, for a better life, and for regional integration through the African Union and the regional economic communities. [Applause.]
Ms L D MAZIBUKO
Mrs J M MALULEKE
TENDER ALLEGATION IN THE WESTERN CAPE
(Member's Statement)
Ms L D MAZIBUKO (DA): Speaker, this House should congratulate the openness and speed with which the Western Cape Provincial Government responded to the spurious tender allegations ... [Interjections.]
The SPEAKER: Order! Hon members, order!
Ms L D MAZIBUKO: ... surrounding a communications tender which were made in the Sunday Times two weeks ago. The provincial government has nothing to hide, which is why the director-general has requested the Auditor-General to conduct a tender process audit.
That is the difference between the DA in government and the ANC in government. We respond to allegations on time and we hold ourselves to account. The ANC does everything it can to hide the truth, including subverting Chapter 9 institutions and Parliament.
Let us be very clear: The provincial government is confident that the bidding process was transparent, fair, equitable, competitive and cost-effective. There is absolutely no truth in the suggestion that there was anything improper or unprocedural in awarding the communications tender.
Questions do need to be asked about the manner in which the story was presented in the Sunday Times,by whom and for what purpose. Who came up with the R1 billion price tag - a complete fabrication? The tender was advertised in two major newspapers and the process was entirely above board. Why was this information ignored? There is not even a whiff of corruption about this tender.
The Western Cape government will continue to ensure that the truth comes out and will give the Auditor-General full access to any documentation or officials required for his investigation. The ANC should certainly learn from the DA's approach to accountability in government. [Applause.]
Ms A F MUTHAMBI
Ms L D MAZIBUKO
OFFICIAL OPENING OF THE VUWANI VICTIM EMPOWERMENT CENTRE IN LIMPOPO
(Member's Statement)
Ms A F MUTHAMBI: Speaker, the ANC welcomes the official opening by the Deputy Minister of Police of the Vuwani Victim Empowerment Centre at Vuwani township outside Thohoyandou in Limpopo.
The centre was built because there were many cases of gender-based violence in the area and its surrounding villages. The centre will oversee about 80 villages around the Vuwani policing area, which covers about 750 000 people. The programme ran without a centre since its start in 2003 with the aim of tackling sexual assault, human trafficking, and drug and alcohol abuse, among others.
The Vuwani Victim Empowerment Centre aims to address the negative effects of victimisation by providing counselling and support services at local level. It aims to empower victims of crime and violence by making the criminal justice system more accessible.
The ANC, especially during the month celebrating women empowerment, supports this initiative and encourages other communities to emulate it, as it will go a long way to help restore dignity and ensure that the right of victims are protected. We also extend our sincerest gratitude and appreciation to the Good Samaritan, the donor, who opened his heart for the most vulnerable. [Applause.]
MINISTER'S RESPONSE - The MINISTER OF PUBLIC ENTERPRISES
MEMBER'S STATEMENT - Ms A F MUTHAMBI
CLARITY REGARDING TRANSNET ISSUE
SOUTH AFRICA'S HIV/AIDS PROGRAMME
(Minister's Response)
The MINISTER OF PUBLIC ENTERPRISES (Mr K M N Gigaba): Hon Speaker, yesterday the hon Alberts asked two questions. One was directed to the Minister of Finance and the other was directed to me. Basically, those two questions were one question. The Minister of Finance responded to his question and he was not here. Today, without having had the benefit of the response to the question he asked yesterday, he reads a statement which raises exactly the same ... [Interjections.]
Dr C P MULDER: Hon Speaker, on a point of order: Yesterday, during question time, it was clearly stated that the hon member was not here and was absent for specific reasons. The fact that he was not present yesterday has nothing to do with the statement made today. We expect the hon Minister to reply to that statement. The member made sure that he got the information about the question that was asked yesterday. We expect the hon Minister to reply to that statement.
Adv T M MASUTHA: Speaker, on a point of order: That was clearly not a point of order. I argue that we ignore it and allow the Minister to continue. [Interjections.]
The SPEAKER: That is exactly what he is intending to do, hon member. [Laughter.]
The MINISTER OF PUBLIC ENTERPRISES: Thank you. The statement that the hon member made today had been adequately responded to yesterday by the Minister of Finance. Regardless of the reason he was not here, had he been present, he would have had the benefit of a response to the question that he had asked. That notwithstanding, the matter is before the board of Transnet and the board of trustees of the Transnet Second Defined Benefit Fund, TSDBF, and is being attended to. Any other issue that was raised by him was done totally for opportunistic reasons. The matter is being attended to by the board of Transnet and there is nothing else that we can do to try and exert pressure so that a response is provided by the board of trustees.
With regard to the second question, which was the statement made about the HIV/Aids programme, South Africa is a shining example internationally for its HIV/Aids programme. The leadership provided both by government and by the Minister of Health must be applauded and commended by every South African.
We further support the Minister of Health's initiatives about breastfeeding because it is going to provide a lot of assistance to many children and mothers. Government will do everything in its power to provide the necessary support to women, mothers and children so that this programme becomes a success. [Applause.]
The DEPUTY MINISTER OF TRANSPORT
The MINISTER OF PUBLIC ENTERPRISES
CONDOLENCES TO PARENTS OF 15 LEARNERS WHO DIED IN BUS CRASH AT RHEENENDAL IN KNYSNA
(Minister's Response)
The DEPUTY MINISTER OF TRANSPORT: On behalf of the Department of Transport and also the South African government, we associate ourselves with the sadness that was expressed by the hon member from the DA at the very tragic loss of 15 learners yesterday and of one driver, whom he didn't mention, in this awful accident that happened at Rheenendal in the Knysna district yesterday.
We would also like to express our condolences to the families, friends and school mates of those who died – indeed, to a school community, which has lost 15 learners. It must be an incredibly tragic event for them. I just want to note that yesterday, as soon as the news became available, President Zuma, on behalf of the South African government and the ANC, expressed our deep sense of sadness over this.
I agree with the hon member from the DA that at this stage we should not speculate about the causes of the accident. Certainly, based on the evidence at hand, reports in newspapers and other evidence, there is a strong suggestion that there was very serious overloading in this case. It was a 35-seater bus but the number of children who were rescued - thankfully - and who died is more than 35. It also appears that the brakes on the bus were nonexistent. At this stage, these seem to be the core reasons for this dreadful accident.
I would also like to agree with the gist of what the member was saying when he said that we need to empower schools, passengers and, in this case, learners and parents to all take responsibility for the conditions in which they travel and to have the ability to say no. We have been talking about having a commuter charter, which would enable people to stop a bus and get off. In this case, of course, that would not have been possible because this was a bus that was picking up children from stops near their homes. It would have filled up gradually and wouldn't have been apparent to those getting on board and to their parents helping them that the bus would become overloaded.
Questions arise around the driver. Again, I don't want to speculate as he is now deceased, but very often drivers are put under massive pressure to drive under unsafe conditions. Very often, operators do this and I think we shouldn't necessarily entirely blame the driver in this case - although he should also have refused to drive if our speculations are right. Finally, ... [Time expired.]
The DEPUTY MINISTER OF BASIC EDUCATION
The DEPUTY MINISTER OF TRANSPORT
CONDOLENCES TO PARENTS OF 15 LEARNERS WHO DIED IN BUS CRASH AT RHEENENDAL IN KNYSNA
GOVERNMENT'S INTERVENTION IN THE EASTERN CAPE PROVINCE
(Minister's Response)
The DEPUTY MINISTER OF BASIC EDUCATION: I would like to endorse the sentiments expressed by the hon Deputy Minister and support the member in conveying the condolences of the Ministry as well as the Department of Basic Education on the sad loss experienced by the school community. I certainly do appeal that as the Department of Basic Education and the Department of Transport we should be much more vigilant, particularly in regard to the transportation of learners.
With regard to the Eastern Cape intervention, it is being done precisely to deal with the issues of corruption, deviation from norms and inefficiencies within the system. As a result of the intervention at least transport has been restored, textbooks have been delivered and nutrition is being provided at schools. Indeed, the Department of Basic Education, Department of Public Services and Administration and the Treasury are hard at work in ensuring that the appropriate systems are put in place.
What we certainly have to do is ensure that we do not sacrifice the interests of our learners at the altar of political opportunism. In terms of our commitment to ensure that we provide quality education to our children, we are going to be resilient and relentless in our endeavour to ensure that all our children, wherever they might be, receive the best education.
The President himself has committed to accompany the Minister of Basic Education and a team of four other Ministers to ensure that we are able to address issues that have been raised in relation to this intervention. Section 101(b) is a complex and unprecedented intervention to occur in our democratic dispensation and clearly there may be certain difficulties in terms of interpretation. But that should not detract from our responsibility to ensure that we provide quality education.
We can inform the House that during the winter school vacation 22 out of 23 districts held classes to assist Grade 12 learners. We are doing everything possible on the basis of weekend classes to ensure that as we try to unravel the difficulties ... [Time expired.]
The DEPUTY MINISTER OF POLICE
The DEPUTY MINISTER OF BASIC EDUCATION
VUWANI EMPOWERMENT VICTIM CENTRE
(Minister's Response)
The DEPUTY MINISTER OF POLICE: Mama uThintwa, thank you very much for raising this topic.
IsiXhosa:
...malunga ngokugetytengwa kosapho lwaseLusisiki eTranskei. Akukho mntu unelungelo lokugetyengwa kuba etyholwa ngokuthakatha okanye ngobugqwirha. Sizakuzama ukuthetha noluntu ngokubanzi ukuba luncedisane namapolisa kuzanywe ukuphelisa obu bundlobongela bukhoyo kwaye iyanda indaba yokutyholwa nokubulawa kwabantu eMpumakoloni nase Limpopo. Siyaqinisekisa ukuba olu daba sizakululwa singamapolisa kodwa asoze sikwazi ukuloyisa singakhange sincediswa luluntu kwaye siyaqinisekise nokuba bayabanjwa bavalelwe. Ndiyaphinda ndithi uluntu maluzame ukuncedisana nathi.
English:
On the issue raised by the ANC member of the victim centre that was opened in Vuwani, the Police indeed prioritises the safety and security of victims of crime at all costs. We must give credit to the community of Vuwani who, together with the SAPS Women's Network, members of the church and the chiefs in that area, were the people who initiated the whole programme. Indeed, the Police played its part in trying to protect such victims.
SUBJECT FOR DISCUSSION - MRS S V KALYAN
MINISTER'S RESPONSE – DEPUTY MINISTER OF POLICE
THE DECLARATION MADE AT THE RECENT UNITED NATIONS HIGH-LEVEL AIDS MEETING TO UNITE FOR UNIVERSAL ACCESS TOWARDS ZERO NEW HIV INFECTIONS, ZERO CASES OF DISCRIMINATION AND ZERO AIDS-RELATED DEATHS
(Subject for Discussion)
Mrs S V KALYAN: Mr Speaker, I was privileged to represent the Pan African Parliament and the Parliament of South Africa when more than 3 000 people came together at the United Nations General Assembly High Level Meeting on Aids from 8 to 10 of July 2011 in New York. The meeting provided an opportunity for countries to take stock of progress and challenges on HIV and Aids and to adopt the declaration entitled "United for Universal Access towards Zero New Infections, Zero Stigma and Zero Aids-Related Deaths", which we are debating here today.
South Africa has made great strides since we all agreed that HIV did indeed cause Aids and the roll-out of antiretrovirals, ARVs, has seen a decline in the infection rate. The recent announcement by the Deputy President of access to ARVs to persons with a CD4 count of 350 is indeed most welcomed and perhaps in time we may see a roll-out of ARVs for a CD4 count of 500.
The downside is that our maternal mortality and infant mortality rates are not improving. Current statistics for infant mortality sits at 104 per 1 000 life births and maternal mortality is at 150 per 10 000. The latest news from Statistics SA is that South Africa will in all probability not realise these critical Millennium Development Goals, MDGs, by 2015.
South Africa has largely adopted a traditional market approach in treating HIV and Aids and the target market initially was only pregnant woman. This will not be adequate for the next phase of the Aids response as per the declaration. In order to realise this, we need to have a comprehensive and sustainable approach to the pandemic.
Now I ask: What about other vulnerable groups like drug users, men who have sex with men, sex workers, migrants and prisoners? Reaching zero infections in these so-called unconventional groups will be difficult as they fall outside the social protection net. Resources allocated for prevention services to these groups are either minimal or nonexistent.
South Africa has neither a programme of opiate substitution therapy for drug users who are HIV positive nor a comprehensive programme of treatment, testing and counselling for sex workers. We could learn serious lessons from both India and Thailand's models instead of the current "ostrich approach" which prevails.
Dr Motsoaledi, South Africa's Minister of Health, reported at the United Nations, UN, meeting that HIV in South Africa is now a gender-based disease - meaning that it is spread by men but suffered by women. A speaker from Indonesia went further to say that the 4M group – that is, millions of mobile men with money living in a macho environment - urgently needs to be targeted. These men don't only ignore the calls for actions against HIV but our education programmes also ignore them.
It was the generally agreed opinion that unless gender-based power relations shift, we will not be able to win the battle. The year 2011 marks 30 years of Aids. In this time more than 25 million lives have been lost and more than 60 million people worldwide have been infected by HIV. Each day more than 7 000 people including 1 000 children, are infected. For every one person on treatment, two new infections occur.
One can see from the depressing statistics that the epidemic continues to outpace the response. In view of these alarming statistics, it is very necessary to shape our country's HIV response if we are to reach the declaration's target of zero new HIV infections, zero discrimination and zero Aids-related deaths.
We can take the first steps towards a world of zero, zero and zero by, firstly, putting people living with HIV at the centre of the response; secondly, protecting the human rights, security and dignity of woman and girls; thirdly, by eliminating gender inequality; fourthly, by helping young people get access to life-saving information, such as how to negotiate safe sex and using condoms, by using social networking systems, which they seem more inclined to listen to; and fifthly, by aggressively promoting the merits of treatment 2.0. This is an invaluable United Nations, UN, initiative which simplifies HIV treatment to an easy-to-use pill and at-home monitoring, which also serves as a prevention tool.
Finally, we need all partners to come together in global solidarity as never before. With these few steps we can get to zero new infections, zero stigma and zero Aids-related deaths. [Applause.]
Mr M B GOQWANA
Mrs S V KALYAN
Mr M B GOQWANA: Deputy Madam Speaker, the Ministers who are here, and Members of Parliament, using all our five senses - hearing, seeing and the rest - it would seem that everybody is lambasting the ANC. However, I know one thing: It is this ANC that took me out of bondage. I had no dignity. My future was not in my hands. To some I was not a doctor; I was a pseudo doctor, despite my qualifications. But the ANC brought back my dignity. [Applause.]
We will never not have problems - they will always be there. But we must learn to manage them. We don't pray that we will not falter but that we will learn from our mistakes, because as human beings we will always falter. Our future is in our hands, and I want to be mathematical and say that the future, or tomorrow, is a function of today, times yesterday, minus lack of forgiveness.
We are dealing with a virus that is very clever when compared to other viruses. If you look at it, though, it cannot defeat us for it is unicellular and we are multicellular. It is clever in the sense that it first attacks our protectors, which are our white blood cells and our CD4 cells. It actually resides inside the cell, so if you want to kill it, you have to kill the whole cell before you can get into the virus. That is being clever. It uses the nucleus of the human cell to propagate itself; to multiply and survive. That is why I am calling it a very clever virus but I don't think we'll be defeated by it. I am convinced that we won't be defeated by it but we need to fight it together, undivided. I do not think that HIV and Aids is something we can use as a political game, trying to fight each other. United, we will definitely defeat it. If not, we will not be able to reach a zero infection rate.
I have seen people in this country being discriminated against because they are HIV positive. They are discriminated against by people who do not understand how HIV attacks an individual, how it causes disease and how it moves from one person to another. People who are discriminated against become depressed. They ultimately succumb, and not just to the virus itself, even though they're infected by the virus. They succumb because when you are depressed, your CD4 count actually goes down. I am sure all of us have noticed that when you are stressed and depressed, you quickly develop a flu-like syndrome. This is what happens when you are immunodeficient too. You find that people succumb and die because you add another stress onto the lowered CD4 count.
Some people die because they develop stress, which emerges in other diseases like high-blood pressure, diabetes mellitus, etc. Others actually kill themselves because of discrimination. They commit suicide.
I would like to urge that we all learn more about the disease and understand it and know how you get HIV and Aids, so that we do not discriminate against people. We need to work hard here. I know there has been talk that people are not testing for HIV and Aids. People are not testing because they are afraid of the stigma that you get labelled with if you are HIV positive. If we do away with the stigma, we would definitely get to zero deaths.
I commend the ANC, the government and the Department of Health for the decision they took to treat people with a CD4 count of 350 and below with antiretrovirals. Whatever the situation - whether it is men having sex with men or whatever - if you get antiretrovirals, your viral load goes to zero. If your viral load goes to zero, then you are not going to infect the other person. Definitely, this strategy is a very important step. They will not infect others and the prevalence will actually go down. We might get a situation where we will have a zero infection rate after this ARV treatment strategy. Opportunistic infections will not set in and obviously you will not have death after that. What kills people are the opportunistic infections.
Good as it is, this decision and the intentions of government, led by the ANC, will fall flat if we are not going to correct the inequities and asymmetries that we have in South Africa, such as the two health systems. We have health for the moneyed and health for the poor. We have to achieve universal coverage for everybody in South Africa. If we do not do that, we are not going to achieve what we want to achieve.
Let me give an example. You might find a person who is working in one of the better-resourced provinces or the richer provinces, has medical aid and is going to receive treatment because of that. When that person goes home for the holidays in December, there is not going to be a place where he can get proper treatment. Guess what is going to happen. That person is not going to take his treatment because facilities there are not as good as where he comes from. The next thing is that he will develop resistance.
I think South Africa is one of the countries with extreme resistant TB solely because of these inequities and asymmetries. Some people take their treatment when they are in the big towns. Sometimes, when you take treatment, you are told that your medical aid is exhausted. So you have to go to a public institution. When that happens, there can be no doubt that resistance will follow because somebody might actually change the treatment.
A third reason would be that some people might not accept that they are HIV positive and start looking for other doctors who are going to tell them that they are HIV negative, despite the treatment that has already been given. Obviously, that person is going to stop the treatment that he has already gotten.
What I am trying to say here is that we might have viruses that develop resistance. We need to make sure that we work around universal medical coverage so that, whether I live in Johannesburg or Cape Town, it would be easy for anybody to know what treatment I have been getting, and even what my diagnosis is, when I go to the Eastern Cape, for example.
Without the IT connections of a medical system that offers universal coverage, we might as well forget about this succeeding. The NHI that we are talking about is something that should have been done yesterday. It should not be something that we are still talking about. We should have done it. [Interjections.] The reason we are so unhealthy in South Africa is because of the asymmetries and inequities that we have.
There is something I mentioned earlier, when I said the future is about today, times yesterday, minus lack of forgiveness. Even when we work on giving therapy to all, it is only going to be preventive. I am convinced that with the passion that has been shown by the leadership of the ANC, the SA National Aids Council, Sanac, and the Department of Health, we are going to be able to reach zero infections, especially if we work towards universal coverage. Deaths are not going to occur from HIV Aids but from something else.
If only we can unite against this unicellular organism and improve our primary health care through universal coverage for everybody. We need to understand the disease, how it occurs and how to prevent it on the primary health care level. In that way we will not continue discriminating against people unnecessarily, sending them into depression. When people become depressed, they lower their immunity, and when that happens they die. The future is in our hands. It depends on us. The bondage that we had is a thing of the past because of the ANC.
Mr D A KGANARE
Mr M B GOQWANA
Mr D A KGANARE: Hon Deputy Speaker, hon members, I hope you understand, hon Mike, that the ANC is asking for forgiveness. [Laughter.] The aim of the declaration we are debating today was to recommit the member states of the United Nation, UN, to redouble their efforts to achieve universal access to HIV prevention, treatment, care and support as a critical step towards ending the global HIV epidemic by 2015. The other objective is to achieve Millennium Development Goal 6, which is to halt and begin to reverse the spread of HIV. For all these to be achieved, we require a renewed political will and ability for those in government to work together with other stakeholders in order to implement bold and decisive actions.
We must start by first recognising that HIV and Aids constitute a global emergency and consequently pose one of the most formidable challenges to the development, progress and stability of any society. This can only be handled through the development and implementation of a comprehensive response, which takes into consideration that the spread of HIV is often a consequence of poverty. Therefore we cannot wage war against HIV and Aids without waging war against poverty and hunger. The solution should be multipronged.
Food security and job creation can play an important role in the fight against HIV and Aids. This is vital because people die prematurely from Aids because, among others, poor nutrition exacerbates the impact of HIV on the immune system and consequently compromises its ability to respond to opportunistic infections and diseases. That's why HIV treatment, including antiretroviral treatment, needs to be complemented with adequate food and nutrition.
The other area which requires attention in the fight against HIV and Aids is the issue of gender inequality and empowerment of women. It is a well-known fact that women and girls are still the most affected by the epidemic, and they bear a disproportionate share of the care-giving burden. The ability of women and girls to protect themselves from being infected is compromised by physiological factors and gender inequalities. These are generally caused by certain backward cultural attitudes, unequal legal, economic and social statuses, including sexually and reproductive health. That is why prevention and the empowerment of women must be the cornerstone of our response to HIV and Aids. We have to assess whether our national HIV prevention programmes and expenditure reflect this commitment.
I am saying this because the Centre for the Aids Programme of Research in South Africa, Caprisa, unveiled the Caprisa 2004 Tenofovir gel trial results some time ago. The results showed a 39% reduction in new HIV infections and are a critical first step to getting an effective HIV prevention method for women. The most important thing is that women will be able to use the gel without a man's consent.
The most important step required is getting the Tenofovir gel to the public. The role of government is vital in supporting the necessary confirmatory trials and implementation studies. Sufficient funding is required, and for these trials to proceed, Caprisa needs approximately $100 million. Luckily $58 million has been committed. Since the government owns these patent rights, I don't understand why it cannot produce the required funds. I hope that the SA National Aids Council, Sanac, will take this issue up or provide a comprehensive response to the need.
All of us, as members of this august House, need to be concerned that funding devoted to HIV and Aids response is still not commensurate with the magnitude of the epidemic. It seems that this practice is global and domestic. This has been exacerbated by the global financial and economic crisis. That is why there is a need to ensure that prevention, treatment, care and support programmes are adequately targeted or made accessible across the board.
We must also ensure that the health system gets strengthened, particularly primary health care. This will require the integration of our HIV response into it and the speeding up of training and retention of health-care workers. [Applause.]
Mrs H S MSWELI
Mr D A KGANARE
Mrs H S MSWELI: Hon Deputy Speaker, the recent declaration by the United Nations, UN, titled "Uniting for universal access: towards zero new HIV infections" is critical for us in South Africa, especially those of us from KZN, which is the centre of the Aids pandemic. I think this is long overdue. The prevention revolution should have been implemented a long time ago, with self-empowerment being the key to its success. We believe that the HIV response faces a moment of truth. Currently, the HIV epidemic by far outpaces the response.
We need to unleash this revolution. The UN chief, Ban Ki-moon, also recommended working with countries to make HIV programmes more cost effective, efficient and sustainable; promoting the health, human rights and dignity of women and girls; and ensuring mutual accountability in the Aids response to translate commitment into action. The IFP is in support of all this, but we want targets that are realisable and urgent health priorities to be met. Too many children are orphaned by HIV and Aids. We are 30 years into the pandemic and need a renewed and energised response.
The report, based on data from 182 countries, highlighted that the global rate of new HIV infections is declining, treatment access is expanding and the world has made significant strides in reducing HIV transmission from mother to child. In some parts of the world, particularly parts of sub-Saharan Africa, Aids remains an overriding emergency.
As we debate this issue, we need to realise that many cannot take treatment simply because of lack of access. We need to be innovative to set realisable and responsible goals. We must remain clear that prevention is the cornerstone of any effective and sustainable response.
There is no reason for children to be born with HIV, because we know how treatment for the prevention of mother-to-child transmission works. However, before the roll-out of nevirapine could become a reality for the women of KZN, the former premier, Dr L P H Mtshali, had to successfully challenge the government in the Constitutional Court. And we need to continue the investment in research and development to develop new products such as microbicides.
Now, more than ever, we must do all we can to rein in this terrible disease. This will only be possible with committed political will, leadership and access to treatment. [Applause.]
Mr M WATERS
Ms H S MSWELI
Mr M WATERS: Deputy Speaker, the fact that we are having this debate today on the UN resolution with regard to universal access towards zero new HIV infections, zero cases of discrimination and zero Aids-related deaths clearly highlights how far we have come as a country in the fight against HIV/Aids. Ten years ago, a debate such as this one would not have happened in Parliament.
We have come a long way since the Western Cape first rolled out the availability of life-saving antiretroviral, ARVs, and set a platform for the rest of the country. The expansion of ARV treatment to people infected with HIV is welcomed by the DA.
If we are to achieve the three zeros we are, however, going to need to do much more. Despite the hard efforts of many in our country, the sexual behaviour of most people has unfortunately not changed. Many men still believe that having unprotected sex is the norm - in fact, their right - and the scourge of the rape of women and children continues at sickening levels, resulting in women and children bearing the brunt of the HIV/Aids pandemic.
If we are to achieve the three zeros, we as a country have to push the platform of our ARV programme to the next frontier by ensuring that all those who are infected have access to ARVs. Many of you will be asking how we can afford universal cover. My answer to you, with regard to the ARVs, is how can we continue not to do so.
A recent study conducted by the HIV Prevention Trials Network has revealed that by initiating treatment of HIV-positive people, it reduces the risk of transmission to their partners by 96%. We have roughly 1 700 new infections per day in South Africa, which relates to about 620 000 infections per annum. We are simply not breaking the stranglehold that the pandemic has on our country. If we take the findings of the research and extrapolate it to the annual number of new infections, we would be able to reduce this number by a staggering 595 000 new infections per year.
The study known as HTPN 052 was designed to evaluate whether or not immediate versus delayed use of ARVs by HIV-infected individuals would reduce the transmission of HIV to the HIV-uninfected partner and benefit the HIV-infected individual. Findings from the study were reviewed by the independent Data of Safety Monitoring Board. The board concluded that the initiation of ARVs to HIV-infected individuals substantially protects their HIV-uninfected sexual partners, with a 96% reduction in risk. The study is the first randomised clinical trial to show that treating an HIV-infected individual with ARVs can reduce the risk of sexually transmitted HIV. The study began in 2005 and was conducted in 13 sites across Africa, Asia and the Americas. HIV-infected persons were required to have a CD4 count of between 350 and 550 and therefore did not require HIV treatment for their own health.
In addition, a year ago South African medical scientists received world-wide acclaim for their successful field trials of the vaginal gel that can protect women against HIV infection. This gel, developed by the Centre for Aids Programmes of Research in South Africa, Caprisa, was used in the field trial of among 890 uninfected women in KwaZulu-Natal. The trial found that a cut in the rate of HIV of between 39% and 54% was recorded.
The gel was viewed internationally as a breakthrough because for the first time it gave women an unobtrusive way to take control of their own sexual health, instead of relying on their male partners. But after the standing ovations and publications in prestigious science journals, the expansion of the research project has halted, thanks to the bureaucratic inertia of the Medicines Controls Council.
Seventeen month ago, in March 2010, Caprisa applied for a new clinical trial. The Medicine Control Council, MCC, has still not responded. It is unacceptable that the MCC should hold up the progress of the significant breakthrough in HIV infection and the DA appeals to the Minister of Health, who is not here today, and to his colleagues in Cabinet to put pressure on the MCC to approve this trial and the subsequent licensing of the gel with appropriate speed.
These exciting breakthroughs need to be taken seriously. We need to lead the way and take the initiative so that we do not miss these golden opportunities. We need to determine the costs of the initial outlay of providing universal ARVs and what the future savings would be as a result of drastically reduced infections and health costs. We failed 10 years ago to take decisive action against HIV. We dare not fail again.
The DEPUTY SPEAKER: I call the next speaker, the hon Motsepe. This is her maiden speech.
Ms R M MOTSEPE
Mr M WATERS
Ms R M MOTSEPE: Hon Deputy Speaker, hon Members of Parliament, gender inequality and violations of women's rights put women and girls at risk, leaving them with less control over their bodies and lives than men. Women and girls often have less information about HIV and Aids, as well as fewer resources to take preventive measures. They face barriers in the negotiation of safer sex, which is reflected in economic dependency and unequal power relations. Sexual violence, a widespread and brutal violation of women's rights, intensifies the risk of transmission.
While it is assumed that marriage provides protection from HIV and Aids, evidence suggests that it can be a major HIV factor, especially for young women and girls. The imbalance reflects not only the heightened physiological liability of girls and young women, but also the high prevalence of intergenerational partnerships.
The lack of woman-initiated prevention methods and broader social inequality impedes the ability of young women to reduce their sexual risk. More than 30 million people are living with HIV. Globally, women account for half of all infections.
Women increasingly make up the majority of HIV/Aids-infected persons in sub-Saharan Africa, where the epidemic has reached its highest levels. In parts of Africa and the Caribbean, young women aged 15 to 25 are up to six times more likely to be HIV positive than men of the same age.
Despite the epidemic's vast toll on women and girls, fewer than half of countries provide a specific budget for HIV-related programmes for women and girls. Millennium Development Goal 6 calls for the reversal of the spread of HIV by 2015. To that end, more resources are needed, and strategies and programmes must be targeted to women in particular.
In a United Nations, UN, General Assembly's special session in 2001, more than 180 countries agreed that gender equality and women's empowerment are fundamental in reducing girls' and women's vulnerability to HIV and Aids. This can be achieved only with a collective sense of shared responsibility and accountability. Middle-income countries accounted for 52% of HIV and Aids expenditure. However, low-income countries remained almost wholly dependent on external support.
Women are bringing a gender-equality and human-rights perspective to all spheres, spearheading strategies that make clear links to underlying factors such as violence against women, the feminisation of poverty and women's limited voice in decision-making.
According to the 2008 World Health Organisation and United Nation's Aids global estimates, women comprise 50% of people living with HIV and Aids. In sub-Saharan Africa, women constitute 60% of people living with HIV and Aids. In other regions, men having sex with men, injecting drug users, sex workers and their clients are among those most at risk.
Many countries, including some with severe and growing epidemics, have not given the response that the pandemic deserves. Middle-income countries, in particular, should cover their own HIV and Aids costs, with the possible exception of a few hyper-endemic countries that will need continued assistance.
Low-income countries will remain largely dependent on international HIV and Aids assistance in the coming years, highlighting the need for the more effective use of resources, streamlining donor reporting requirements, alignment with national strategies and institutions and more predictable funding. Low-income countries have an important role to play in funding and taking ownership of their response. Long-term financing for the response highlights the urgent need for sustained support for the Global Fund.
Lack of education and economic security affects millions of women and girls, whose literacy levels are generally lower than that of men and boys. Educating girls makes them more equipped to make safer sexual decisions.
Working together, taking extraordinary and unified steps towards building a world free of HIV and Aids, and the correct use of medicine turn HIV and Aids from a death sentence into a chronic illness and reduces mother-to-child transmission. [Applause.]
Mrs C DUDLEY
Ms R M MOTSEPE
Mrs C DUDLEY: Deputy Speaker, the ACDP welcomes this opportunity presented by the UN to take stock of progress and assess the barriers that prevent us from overcoming the Aids epidemic. At first sight, the declaration by the UNAids meeting to unite for zero new Aids infections, discrimination and deaths sounds like a wish list, but it is one that we desperately need to become a reality.
In 1851, tuberculosis, or "consumption", was totally out of control in Europe and America, with one in four people dying from the disease. The best practice then was a healthy diet and fresh air in all weather. One hundred years later, in 1953, BCG vaccines used on 50 000 children showed an 80% reduction in infection. All-out war was then declared on TB, with magnificent results. Then, for 30 years in the west, TB was a rare disease - until Aids. We have been at war against HIV for many years, but, in the words of Madiba in 2004, "We can't fight Aids unless we do much more to fight TB."
About 70% of HIV-infected people have TB, and South Africa is said to have the highest TB burden on the planet. The SA National Aids Council, Sanac, CEO, Dr Nono Simelela, says South Africa should consider itself to be having a TB-HIV epidemic, instead of just Aids. She believes Aids is being managed, but we can expect higher levels of co-infection with TB.
HIV and TB now both fall under the oversight of Sanac, the body co-ordinating policy and practice in dealing with the dual epidemic. The current policy is that the HIV-infected people without TB are given six months of prophylactic treatment to prevent them from getting TB. But Simelela is concerned that the distribution and uptake has been very slow.
The ACDP believes that the UN declaration of zero new Aids infections, discrimination and deaths is in danger of falling short - considering the enormity of co-infection levels - if insufficient focus is placed on TB and the follow-up of patients on treatment.
Ms B T NGCOBO
Mrs C DUDLEY
IsiZulu:
Ms B T NGCOBO: Somlomo namalungu ahloniphekile, masincome loyo owenza isiphakamiso sokuthi sixoxe ngalesi simo samagungqu amathathu. Sincome futhi ukuthi lesi sihloko esikhuluma ngaso sifike ngenyanga yabantu besifazane, ngoba yibona babashaywa kakhulu isifo sengqulazi, babe abagulayo, babe izinzala, futhi kube yibo abanesayo. Ngakho-ke bathwele kanzima.
Ngiphendule umfowethu, u-Comrade Waters, okhuluma ngokuthi iMedical Countrol Council, MCC, ayivumi ukubhalisa itenofevir. Mhlawumbe njengeKomidi Likazwelonke leZempilo, asixoxe nawe mhlonishwa Walters ukuthi siyimeme i-MCC ukuze sibhekane nalesi simo.
Engizokhuluma ngakho namhlanje yinqubekela phambili eseyenzekile ngesimo sokubhekana neNgculazi kanye nesandulela ngculazi. Ingculazi ayihambi yodwa, ihamba nomngane wayo oyi-TB. Njengamanje-nje siyancoma kakhulu ukuthi uMnyango Wezempilo sonke lesi sikhathi kade ukhipha ijuphe lama-femidom. I-femidom ikhondomu yabesifazane. Ukukhipha nje isigidi ngonyaka wemali, kodwa manje usitshele ukuthi kulo nyaka wezimali uzokhipha izigidi eziyisithupha. Siyakuncoma lokho ngoba izinga selithe ukukhula. [Ihlombe.]
Kubalulekile ukuthi abantu uma ngabe bewasebenzisa bawasebenzise kahle, ngendlela abafundiswe ngayo. Abesilisa siyabakhuthaza ukuthi abangathi phela uswidi umnandi uma ukhishwe ikhasi. Abawufake ikhasi [Ihlombe.] ukuze bakwazi ukuvikela lesi simo sengqulazi.
Bese ngiphinda futhi ukuthi siyancoma ukuthi uMnyango Wezempilo usuqalile ukuthi uhambe wenza ukusoka. Usoke abantu besilisa, ikakhulukazi labo abasebancane. Okwesibili, sincome abaholi bendabuko abakhuthaza lokhu, ngoba nokho izinga labantu abahambe baya kosoka selikhulile. Makuthi uma besoka bangakhohlwa ukuthi bangadli uswidi uvuliwe, mabawuvale. [Ihlombe.]
Ngisho ukuthi ngamanye amazwi, basebenzise ijazi likamkhwenyana. Bangayi ocansini bengafakanga ijazi. I-Lancet Laboratoriesyenze uphenyo, sase sithola imiphumela yalolu phenyo ukuthi isimo sensandulela ngculazi kanye nengculazi simbi ezweni. Isimanga ukuthi iMpumalanga Koloni yona ayihambisani namawele ayo, iKwaZulu Natali neLimpopo ngokuphakama kwesimo sengqulazi. Kubo siphansi.
Abahamba phambili, iKwaZulu Natali, Mpumalanga, iFree State, bayeza-ke nabanye. Inkinga ukuthi yenziwa yini iMpumalanga Koloni ukuthi ibe nezinga elincane. Malungu ahloniphekile, lo mbuzo nginishiyela wona ukuze nani nizame ukuthola ukuthi lokhu kubangwa yini. Umphakathi njengamanje ubambe iqhaza.
Uke wakhuluma omunye uzakwethu nge-Caprisa, kulenyanga endlule ikomidi lezempilo kanye nekomidi lesayensi kanye nobuchwepheshe avakashele endaweni yasemakhaya Emafakatini,e-New Hanover, KwaZulu Natali okuyiyona ndawo eyisizinda lapho i-Caprisa yenza khona lolu cwaningo lwe-Tenofevir noma i-gel.
Bonke abantu bakuleyo ndawo babambisene, amakhosi, abezenkolo kanye nomphakathi wonkana ubambisene kulesi simo ngoba amavolontiya aphume khona. Ukwenziwa kwalolu phando kusizile ngoba kuphume amavolontiya kanye nomphakathi batshala ivangeli lokuthi akusetshenzelwe ukuthi isimo sengqulazi sibe ngcono. Uyazama nokuthi wenze izinga lemfundo libencono ngoba liphansi ngendlela ephakeme.
Esakuthola ukuthi abantu babenomndlandla futhi bezimisele. Bayakwazi nokuthi uma kusetshenziswa i-Tenofevir isetshenziswa kanjani. Siyakuncoma lokhu, nokho noma kwenzeka ezindaweni ezisemakhaya kodwa abantu bakhombisile ukuthi kuneqhaza abanokulibamba. Siyamcoma no-Caprisa ngomsebenzi awenzayo njengoba sebeshilo abakhuluma ngaphambi kwami ukuthi lolu cwaningo lwanconywa ezweni lonke.
Bese ngiyalapha kumama nabantwana, ngikhuluma njalo ngengqubekela phambili esiyenzile. Ayikho into eyenza ukuthi umntwana aphile kangcono ngaphandle kokuthi incele ibele lika mama. Kuyakhuthazwa-ke ukuthi umama ancelese umntwana. Kunemibono ehlukene, bathi kuze kuphele iminyaka emibili kodwa okusemqoka ukuthi kumele ziphele izinyanga eziyisithupha ingane ancela ibele.
Kulabo abavele bene ngculazi, ingane kumele incele ibele lodwa, ingaphuziswa ngisho amanzi. Kusho ukuthi ayiphuzi lutho. Asimuphi ngisho amanzi, uncela ibele likama. Ngakho-ke kubalulekile ukuthi uma siphuma la siyobaluleka ukuthi abanengculazi kumele bancelise izingane ibele lodwa.
Njengamanje uNgqongqoshe kulezi nsukwana ezindlule uthe ifomula izokhwisha yiziphathimandla zezempilo, abantu ngeke basakwazi ukuyoyithenga nanoma yikuphi. Sifuna ukuthi omama kube yibona abazoncelisa abantwana. Kusho ukuthi akekho umuntu ozoteta bese eba yintombi angancelisi. [Ihlombe.] Phela izintombi azicelisi.
Sikhathazekile njengoba kuthiwa sonke asize sizohlola, sizazi ukuthi simi kuphi. uNgqongqoshe, ngoNhlangulana ngaloyo nyaka wayethe, ufisa kubekhona abantu abayizigidi eziyi-15 abahlole isimo sabo, kodwa kube manje abantu abavelile ukuzohlola bayizigidi eziyi-13.
Sikhathazekile ngoba ngokwezibalo zabezempilo, abantu besilisa abezi ukuzohlola. Sicela bonke abantu besilisa abala ukuba bahambe bayokhuthaza abantu ezindaweni zabo ukuthi bahambe bayohlola. [Ihlombe.] iyona ndlela ezosisiza ukuthi sibone ukuthi sikhona yini isidingo sokuthi sizame ukuvimba.
Bese ngiza kulama-ARV esikhuluma ngawo nsuku zonke. Sonke siyawazi umyalelo owathi umuntu one-CD4 Countikakhulukazi okhulelwe uzonikezwa ama-ARV ngo-350 CD4 Count.Kulabo abaphethe ezekubelethisa nokukhulelwa sithi umama okhulelwe kusuka emavikini ayi-11 kuya kwi-14 kumele aqale ukuya emtholampilo ukuze ahlolwe. Uma ngabe udinga ama-ARV kumele awathole ngaleso sikhathi. Siyanikhuthaza ukuthi uma nifika emakhaya.
Kusuka evikini le-11 kuya kwele-14 kumele baqale baye emitholampilo wabazithwele ukuze bakwazi ukuhlolwa nokuqala ukwamukela ama-ARV, kuze kufike isikhathi sokuteta bese ingane ithola i-nevirapine. Uma umuntu esetetile kuphoqelekile ukuthi aye emtholampilo wabantu abatetile, ngoba sifuna izingane ezingazi kuba nengculazi.
Siyancoma ukuthi eNingizimu Afrika intengo yemishanguzo yengculazi yehlile, ngemuva kokukhulumisana nabayidayisayo. Ingculazi esikhathini esiningi ihamba newele layo, elibizwa nge-TB. Esikhathini esiningi abantu baya emitholampilo ngoba becabanga ukuthi bane-TB. I-TB iyahlolwa ngemuva kwalokho bahlola nengculazi ngaphandle kokubuza isiguli. Sinenhlanhla-ke ngoba ngokukhuphuka kwezinga lwempucuko sekukhona nama-gene expect machine. Umuntu uyakhwehlela isikhwehlela, ngalo lolo suku athole imiphumela. Imishanguzo iqalwa ngaso leso sikhathi ukuthi umuntu makalashelwe ingculazi kanye ne-TB.
UMnyango Wezempilo usuwenze ukuthi abantu bathole imithi yabo eduze emitholampilo, kuqalwe izinhlelo lapho onesi balolongwe ukuthi uma umuntu efika efuna usizo akwazi ukuthola imishanguzo yengculazi. Sithi . . .
English:
These are the initiation programmes, where the nursing staff can provide this treatment.
IsiZulu:
Lokhu kwenza ukuthi abantu bangayi ezindaweni ezikude, beze ezindaweni abahlala kuzo bathole izeluleko, banikezwe imithi yabo. Sizokhumbula ukuthi abanye bethu babengakazalwa, kwakukhona isifo sochoko saphela, kwabakhona i-influenza bathi yango-1918 cishe sonke njengoba sila eNdlini sasingakazalwa, nayo yaphela.
Kwakukhona i-TB bafika omame bamaFulentshi bathola umjovo we-TB, iyaphela i-TB. Kwafika ikhensa, uma umuntu enekhensa kwakuthiwa nali ithikithi lakho lokufa, lokuya esihogweni noma ezulwini. Ikhensa nayo isiyazameka.
Ngineqiniso ukuthi la e-Afrika siyogcina siyitholile indlela yokwenza ukuthi ingculazi ingabhebhetheki. Uma ngabe singakwazi ukuyilapha kodwa siyoyithola indlela yokuthi ingabhebhetheki. Ngiyancoma-ke ukuthi le nkulumo yanamhlanje yenze ukuthi sibambisane sonke, sisebenzisane sonke, saba munye.
Siyethemba ukuthi noma singeke sikwazi ukufinyelela amaqanda amathathu woMgomo wesithupha wenThuthuko yeMileniyamu ngo-2015, kodwa ngelinye ilanga siyobe sesiwatholile, mhlawumbe eminyakeni yethu yokuphila noma yesizukulwane esizayo. Ngiyabonga. [Ihlombe.]
Mrs S V KALYAN
Ms B T NGCOBO
Mrs S V KALYAN: Deputy Speaker, there is no doubt in any of our minds that HIV is one of the greatest challenges of our time. Several times today we have heard it echoed that dedicated leadership is vital to reaching universal access goals towards HIV prevention, treatment, care and support.
We are mindful that traditional donors are cutting back funding for HIV and Aids and, therefore, innovative approaches like the pharmaceutical manufacturing plan for Africa and drug-harmonisation regulations need to be explored.
The declaration is quite ambitious, but it urges vigorous action to end mother-to-child transmission of HIV, to reduce by half the number of deaths from tuberculosis among people living with HIV, and to boost campaigns to prevent HIV transmission among the most vulnerable.
Colleagues, thank you for the collegial and constructive manner in which the declaration was debated. It is indeed a major milestone, as my colleagues said earlier, that all of us are in agreement on the challenge of HIV and Aids and are speaking in one voice.
In conclusion, I would like to quote the United Nations General Assembly President, Joseph Deiss of Switzerland, who said, "This declaration is strong, the targets are time bound and set a clear and workable road map, not only for the next five years, but beyond." I thank you. [Applause.]
Debate concluded.
FIRST TO THIRTY-SIXTH ORDERS
SUBJECT FOR DISCUSSION - Mrs S V KALYAN
CONSIDERATION OF REPORT OF PORTFOLIO COMMITTEE ON CO-OPERATIVE GOVERNANCE AND TRADITIONAL AFFAIRS ON BUDGET VOTE NO 3: CO-OPERATIVE GOVERNANCE AND TRADITIONAL AFFAIRS
CONSIDERATION OF REPORT OF PORTFOLIO COMMITTEE ON JUSTICE AND CONSTITUTIONAL DEVELOPMENT ON BUDGET VOTE NO 24: JUSTICE AND CONSTITUTIONAL DEVELOPMENT
CONSIDERATION OF REPORT OF STANDING COMMITTEE ON FINANCE ON STRATEGIC PLANS AND BUDGET VOTE NO 10: NATIONAL TREASURY AND SOUTH AFRICAN REVENUE SERVICE
CONSIDERATION OF REPORT OF STANDING COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS ON STRATEGIC PLAN AND BUDGET VOTE NO 6: DEPARTMENT OF PERFORMANCE MONITORING AND EVALUATION
CONSIDERATION OF REPORT OF PORTFOLIO COMMITTEE ON WOMEN, YOUTH, CHILDREN AND PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES ON STRATEGIC PLAN OF DEPARTMENT OF WOMEN, YOUTH, CHILDREN AND PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES 2011-2015 AND BUDGET VOTE FOR THE FINANCIAL YEAR 2011-12
CONSIDERATION OF REPORT OF PORTFOLIO COMMITTEE ON CO-OPERATIVE GOVERNANCE AND TRADITIONAL AFFAIRS ON BUDGET VOTE NO 3: CO-OPERATIVE GOVERNANCE AND TRADITIONAL AFFAIRS
CONSIDERATION OF REPORT OF THE PORTFOLIO COMMITTEE ON TRANSPORT ON BUDGET VOTE AND STRATEGIC PLAN OF DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORT
CONSIDERATION OF REPORT OF THE PORTFOLIO COMMITTEE ON PUBLIC WORKS ON BUDGET VOTE NO 7: PUBLIC WORKS AND ON STRATEGIC PLANS OF DEPARTMENT AND ITS ENTITIES
CONSIDERATION OF REPORT OF PORTFOLIO COMMITTEE ON INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS AND CO-OPERATION ON STRATEGIC PLAN AND BUDGET VOTE OF DEPARTMENT OF INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS AND CO-OPERATION
CONSIDERATION OF REPORT OF PORTFOLIO COMMITTEE ON MINERAL RESOURCES ON STRATEGIC PLAN AND BUDGET VOTE OF DEPARTMENT OF MINERAL RESOURCES FOR 2011-12 FINANCIAL YEAR
CONSIDERATION OF REPORT OF PORTFOLIO COMMITTEE ON RURAL DEVELOPMENT AND LAND REFORM ON BUDGET VOTE NO 33: RURAL DEVELOPMENT AND LAND REFORM
CONSIDERATION OF REPORT OF PORTFOLIO COMMITTEE ON HEALTH ON BUDGET VOTE NO 16 AND STRATEGIC PLAN FOR 2011-12 TO 2013-14
CONSIDERATION OF REPORT OF PORTFOLIO COMMITTEE ON ARTS AND CULTURE ON BUDGET OF DEPARTMENT OF ARTS AND CULTURE, VOTE NO 14
CONSIDERATION OF REPORT OF THE PORTFOLIO COMMITTEE ON ENERGY ON VOTE NO 29: ENERGY, ON BUDGET OF DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY AND STRATEGIC PLAN FOR 2011-12 TO 2015-16
CONSIDERATION OF REPORT OF PORTFOLIO COMMITTEE ON COMMUNICATIONS ON BUDGET VOTE NO 27: DEPARTMENT OF COMMUNICATIONS AND ITS ENTITIES
CONSIDERATION OF REPORT OF PORTFOLIO COMMITTEE ON COMMUNICATIONS ON ITS DELIBERATIONS ON BUDGET VOTE NO 8: GOVERNMENT COMMUNICATION AND INFORMATION SYSTEM, GCIS, AND ITS ENTITIES, MEDIA DEVELOPMENT AND DIVERSITY AGENCY, MDDA, AND INTERNATIONAL MARKETING COUNCIL, IMC
CONSIDERATION OF REPORT OF PORTFOLIO COMMITTEE ON HIGHER EDUCATION AND TRAINING ON BUDGET AND STRATEGIC PLANS FOR 2011-12 OF DEPARTMENT OF HIGHER EDUCATION AND TRAINING, DHET, SOUTH AFRICAN QUALIFICATIONS AUTHORITY, SAQA, COUNCIL ON HIGHER EDUCATION, CHE, AND NATIONAL STUDENT FINANCIAL AID SCHEME, NSFAS
CONSIDERATION OF REPORT OF PORTFOLIO COMMITTEE ON HUMAN SETTLEMENTS ON BUDGET VOTE NO 31: HUMAN SETTLEMENTS
CONSIDERATION OF REPORT OF PORTFOLIO COMMITTEE ON SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY ON BUDGET VOTE NO 34: SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY, AND STRATEGIC PLAN FOR FISCAL YEARS 2011-2016
CONSIDERATION OF REPORT OF PORTFOLIO COMMITTEE ON PUBLIC SERVICE AND ADMINISTRATION ON BUDGET VOTE NO 12 FOR 2011-12
CONSIDERATION OF REPORT OF PORTFOLIO COMMITTEE ON AGRICULTURE, FORESTRY AND FISHERIES ON BUDGET VOTE NO 26: AGRICULTURE, FORESTRY AND FISHERIES, AND STRATEGIC PLAN OF THE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, FORESTRY AND FISHERIES AND ITS ENTITIES
CONSIDERATION OF REPORT OF STANDING COMMITTEE ON FINANCE ON BUDGET VOTE NO 13: STATISTICS SOUTH AFRICA, FOR 2011-12 FINANCIAL YEAR
CONSIDERATION OF REPORT OF PORTFOLIO COMMITTEE ON LABOUR ON BUDGET VOTE NO 18: LABOUR, AND STRATEGIC PLAN OF DEPARTMENT OF LABOUR FOR 2011-2016 AND ITS ENTITIES
CONSIDERATION OF REPORT OF PORTFOLIO COMMITTEE ON TRADE AND INDUSTRY ON BUDGET VOTE NO 36: TRADE AND INDUSTRY
CONSIDERATION OF REPORT OF PORTFOLIO COMMITTEE ON SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT ON BUDGET VOTE NO 19 AND STRATEGIC AND OPERATIONAL PLAN OF DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT FOR 2011-12 TO 2013-14 AND ITS ENTITIES
CONSIDERATION OF REPORT OF PORTFOLIO COMMITTEE ON PUBLIC ENTERPRISES ON BUDGET VOTE NO 11 AND STRATEGIC PLAN 2011–2014 OF DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC ENTERPRISES
CONSIDERATION OF REPORT OF PORTFOLIO COMMITTEE ON TOURISM ON BUDGET VOTE NO 35: TOURISM
CONSIDERATION OF REPORT OF PORTFOLIO COMMITTEE ON WATER AND ENVIRONMENTAL AFFAIRS ON BUDGET VOTE NO 38: WATER AFFAIRS
CONSIDERATION OF REPORT OF PORTFOLIO COMMITTEE ON BASIC EDUCATION ON BUDGET VOTE NO 15: BASIC EDUCATION AND STRATEGIC PLAN FOR 2011-2014 OF DEPARTMENT OF BASIC EDUCATION AND ITS STATUTORY BODIES
CONSIDERATION OF REPORT OF PORTFOLIO COMMITTEE ON POLICE ON BUDGET VOTE NO 23: INDEPENDENT COMPLAINTS DIRECTORATE, ICD, FOR 2010-11 AND STRATEGIC PLAN
CONSIDERATION OF REPORT OF PORTFOLIO COMMITTEE ON POLICE ON BUDGET VOTE NO 25: POLICE, FOR 2011-12 FINANCIAL YEAR
CONSIDERATION OF REPORT OF PORTFOLIO COMMITTEE ON DEFENCE AND MILITARY VETERANS ON BUDGET VOTE NO 22: DEFENCE AND MILITARY VETERANS
CONSIDERATION OF REPORT OF PORTFOLIO COMMITTEE ON ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ON STRATEGIC PLAN 2011-12 TO 2015-16 AND BUDGET VOTE NO 28: DEPARTMENT OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
CONSIDERATION OF REPORT OF PORTFOLIO COMMITTEE ON SPORT AND RECREATION ON 2011-12 BUDGET VOTE NO 20 AND STRATEGIC PLAN FOR 2011-2015 OF DEPARTMENT OF SPORT AND RECREATION
CONSIDERATION OF REPORT OF PORTFOLIO COMMITTEE ON HOME AFFAIRS ON STRATEGIC PLAN AND BUDGET VOTE NO 4: DEPARTMENT OF HOME AFFAIRS AND ENTITIES
CONSIDERATION OF REPORT OF PORTFOLIO COMMITTEE ON CORRECTIONAL SERVICES ON BUDGET VOTE NO 21: CORRECTIONAL SERVICES
There was no debate.
The Deputy Chief Whip of the Majority Party: I move that the reports be adopted.
Motion agreed to.
Report of Portfolio Committee on Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs on Budget Vote No 3: Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs accordingly adopted.
Report of Portfolio Committee on Justice and Constitutional Development on Budget Vote No 24: Justice and Constitutional Development accordingly adopted.
Report of Standing Committee on Finance on Strategic Plans and Budget Vote No 10: National Treasury, and South African Revenue Service accordingly adopted.
Report of Standing Committee on Appropriations on Strategic Plan and Budget Vote No 6 of Department of Performance Monitoring and Evaluation accordingly adopted.
Report of Portfolio Committee on Women, Children, Youth and People with Disabilities on Strategic Plan of Department of Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities (2011-2015) and Budget Vote for financial year 2011-12 accordingly adopted.
Report of Portfolio Committee on Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs on Budget Vote No 3: Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs accordingly adopted.
Report of the Portfolio Committee on Transport on Budget Vote and Strategic Plan of Department of Transport accordingly adopted.
Report of the Portfolio Committee on Public Works on Budget Vote 7: Public Works and on Strategic Plans of Department and its entities accordingly adopted.
Portfolio Committee on International Relations and Cooperation on Strategic Plan and Budget Vote of Department of International Relations and Cooperation accordingly adopted.
Report of Portfolio Committee on Mineral Resources on Strategic Plan and Budget Vote of Department of Mineral Resources for 2011/12 Financial Year accordingly adopted.
Report of Portfolio Committee on Rural Development and Land Reform on Budget Vote No 33: Rural Development and Land Reform accordingly adopted.
Report of Portfolio Committee on Health on Budget Vote No 16 and Strategic Plan for 2011/12-2013/14 accordingly adopted.
Report of Portfolio Committee on Arts and Culture on Budget of Department of Arts and Culture, Vote No 14 accordingly adopted.
Report of the Portfolio Committee on Energy on Vote No 29: Energy, on Budget of Department of Energy and Strategic Plan for 2011/12–2015/16 accordingly adopted.
Report of Portfolio Committee on Communications on Budget Vote No 27: Department of Communications and its entities accordingly adopted.
Report of Portfolio Committee on Communications on its deliberations on Budget Vote No 8: Government Communication and Information System (GCIS) and its entities, Media Development and Diversity Agency (MDDA) and International Marketing Council (IMC) accordingly adopted.
Report of Portfolio Committee on Higher Education and Training on Budget and Strategic Plans for 2011/12 of Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET), South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA), Council on Higher Education (CHE) and National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) accordingly adopted.
Report of Portfolio Committee on Human Settlements on Budget Vote No 31: Human Settlements accordingly adopted.
Report of Portfolio Committee on Science and Technology on Budget Vote No 34: Science and Technology, and Strategic Plan for Fiscal Years 2011-2016 accordingly adopted.
Report of Portfolio Committee on Public Service and Administration on Budget Vote No 12 for 2011-12 accordingly adopted.
Report of Portfolio Committee on Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries on Budget Vote No 26 - Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, and strategic plan of the Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries and its entities accordingly adopted.
Report of Standing Committee on Finance on Budget Vote No 13: Statistics South Africa, for 2011/12 financial year accordingly adopted.
Report of Portfolio Committee on Labour on Budget Vote No 18 – Labour, and Strategic Plan of Department of Labour for 2011-2016 and its entities accordingly adopted.
Report of Portfolio Committee on Trade and Industry on Budget Vote No 36 - Trade and Industry accordingly adopted.
Report of Portfolio Committee on Social Development on Budget Vote No 19 and Strategic and Operational Plan of Department of Social Development for 2011/12 – 2013/14 and its Entities accordingly adopted.
Report of Portfolio Committee on Public Enterprises on Budget Vote No 11 and Strategic Plan 2011–2014 of Department of Public Enterprises accordingly adopted.
Report of Portfolio Committee on Tourism on Budget Vote No 35 – Tourism accordingly adopted.
Consideration of Report of Portfolio Committee on Water and Environmental Affairs on Budget Vote No 38 – Water Affairs accordingly adopted.
Report of Portfolio Committee on Basic Education on Budget Vote No 15: Basic Education and Strategic Plan for 2011-2014 of Department of Basic Education and its Statutory Bodies accordingly adopted.
Report of Portfolio Committee on Police on Budget Vote No 23: Independent Complaints Directorate (ICD), for 2010/11 and Strategic Plan accordingly adopted.
Report of Portfolio Committee on Police on Budget Vote No 25: Police, for 2011/12 financial year accordingly adopted.
Report of Portfolio Committee on Defence and Military Veterans on Budget Vote No 22: Defence and Military Veterans accordingly adopted.
Report of Portfolio Committee on Economic Development on Strategic Plan 2011/12 – 2015/16 and Budget Vote No 28 of Department of Economic Development accordingly adopted.
Report of Portfolio Committee on Sport and Recreation on 2011/12 Budget Vote No 20 and Strategic Plan for 2011-2015 of Department of Sport and Recreation accordingly adopted.
Report of Portfolio Committee on Home Affairs on Strategic Plan and Budget Vote No 4 of Department of Home Affairs and Entities accordingly adopted.
Report of Portfolio Committee on Correctional Services on Budget Vote No 21: Correctional Services accordingly adopted.
The House adjourned at 15:51.
END
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