Hansard: NA: Unrevised Hansard
House: National Assembly
Date of Meeting: 23 Feb 2017
Summary
No summary available.
Minutes
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PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY
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The House met at 14:00.
The Speaker took the Chair and requested members to observe a
moment of silence for prayers or meditation.
NEW MEMBER SWORN IN
(Announcement)
The SPEAKER: Hon members, I wish to announce that the vacancy
which occurred in the National Assembly ... [Interjections.] ...
owing to the resignation of Mr A M Mudau ... [Interjections.]
... has been filled with effect from 14 February 2017 by the
nomination of Mr B Molefe. [Interjections.] The hon member was
sworn in in the Speaker’s Office earlier today.
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Ms D CARTER: Hon Speaker ...
Mr M S MBATHA: Point of order, Speaker. Where is that corrupt
bastard? [Interjections.]
Ms D CARTER: Hon Speaker ...
The SPEAKER: I would like to welcome the hon member to the
House. [Interjections.] Yes, hon Whip?
Mr P J MNGUNI: Speaker, we would like to rise on a point of
order.
The SPEAKER: What is the point of order, hon member?
Mr P J MNGUNI: It is regarding the language used by the hon
member, to call someone in that insulting way. He must
definitely withdraw or face the might of this House. He’s in the
House here. Thank you.
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The SPEAKER: Who was the hon member? [Interjections.] Hon
Mbatha, would you like to withdraw? [Interjections.] Hon Mbatha?
Mr M F SHIVAMBU: Speaker ...
The SPEAKER: Hon Mbatha? [Interjections.] Hon Mbatha?
[Interjections.]
Ms M S KHAWULA: Akekho! [He is not here.]
The SPEAKER: I will recognise your voice in the Hansard
recording. [Interjections.] What is the issue, hon Shivambu? I
see you are on your feet.
Mr M F SHIVAMBU: Speaker, last week, we wrote you a letter about
Parliament communications announcing a Brian Molefe who was
going to be sworn in. Then you questioned a principle issue of
... Since when does Parliament do party-political communications
about an issue? So I hear a Brian Molefe is being sworn in ...
[Inaudible.]
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The SPEAKER: Hon Shivambu, that is not a point of order. The
letter which you are referring to has not yet been dealt with by
my Office. I will see it and only then will I deal with the
issue.
Mr M F SHIVAMBU: Because it must not be that when Guptas deploy
people to Parliament, then ... [Inaudible.]
The SPEAKER: Hon Shivambu, please take your seat.
Mr M F SHIVAMBU: We cannot be abused by Guptas ... [Inaudible.]
The SPEAKER: Hon members, the first item on the Order Paper is a
motion ... [Interjections.]
Ms D CARTER: Hon Speaker ...
The SPEAKER: ... in the name of the Chief Whip of the Majority
Party.
Ms D CARTER: Hon Speaker, I have had my hand up.
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The SPEAKER: Yes, hon Carter?
Ms D CARTER: Hon Speaker, mine is just a point of clarity. I
would like to find out if true North has changed direction in
this House because my immorality compass is showing directly to
the hon Molefe now!
The SPEAKER: Hon member, that is not a point of order. Hon Chief
Whip, will you please proceed with the motion in your name?
EXTENSION OF DEADLINE
(Draft Resolution)
The CHIEF WHIP OF THE MAJORITY PARTY: Hon Speaker, I move the
draft resolution printed on the Order Paper in the name of the
Chief Whip of the Majority Party, that the House extends the
deadline by which the Ad Hoc Committee on the Filling of
Vacancies in the Commission for Gender Equality has to report,
to 31 March 2017.
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Agreed to.
COMPLIANCE WITH REQUEST FROM THE COMMISSION OF ENQUIRY INTO
HIGHER EDUCATION AND TRAINING
(Draft Resolution)
The CHIEF WHIP OF THE MAJORITY PARTY: Hon Speaker, I move the
draft resolution printed on the Order Paper in the name of the
Chief Whip of the Majority Party:
That the House —
(1) notes a request from the Commission of Enquiry into
Higher Education and Training that representatives of
the Portfolio Committee on Higher Education and
Training, Standing Committee on Finance, and Standing
Committee on Appropriations appear before it to provide
testimony under oath on a number of key policy and
factual issues; and
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(2) resolves in terms of section 10(1) of the Powers,
Privileges and Immunities of Parliament and Provincial
Legislatures Act, Act 4 of 2004, that Ms C September,
Mr Y I Carrim and Ms Y N Phosa, as chairpersons of the
respective committees, be granted leave to provide
testimony before the commission on key policy and
factual issues as identified by the commission.
I so move.
Agreed to.
STATEMENT BY THE MINISTER OF HEALTH ON THE CIRCUMSTANCES
SURROUNDING THE DEATH OF MENTALLY ILL PATIENTS
The MINISTER OF HEALTH: Hon Speaker, colleagues, Ministers and
Deputy Ministers, hon members of the House, let me start by
acknowledging the presence in the gallery of representatives of
members of the families affected by this tragedy. There are Mr
Andrew Pietersen, Ms Nomvula Nonjabe and Ms Agnes Mlotshwa. I am
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sure they may stand up. [Applause.] Needless to say, we are
deeply distressed and angered by ... [Interjections.]
IsiXhosa:
SOMLOMO: Namkelekile. 14:07:54
English:
Thank you very much for your coming. [Applause.]
IsiZulu:
Siyabonga.
English:
The MINISTER OF HEALTH: Needless to say, we are deeply
distressed and angered by the death of mentally ill patients
that were transferred from Life Esidimeni Mental Health Facility
in Gauteng. This constitutes one of the periods of darkness in
the history of our country and dare I say it was also a moment
of madness in the provincial Health Department. Our anguish is
exacerbated by the fact that the disease constitutes some of the
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most vulnerable members of society who are in need of even more
protection than the rest of society.
That the idea behind Gauteng Mental Health Marathon Project, as
it came to be known, was to save money at another dimension to
our disappointment and pain. I wish to put it in record that at
no stage it did emerge directly or indirectly, implicitly or
explicitly that the Department of Health national or in any
province has run out of money to take care of mentally ill
patients. There was, hence, no reason for so many vulnerable
people to perish on account of money.
I interrogated this issue with the Premier of Gauteng province
because I wanted to understand what actually the executive
council in the province discussed and approved. He told me that
the issue never featured on the agenda of the executive council,
but that he as the premier was told that the Department of
Health has 4 000 beds in public health institutions, which they
would like to use and that there was absolutely no reason to
continue contracting private service providers when the public
sector can provide that number of beds.
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This august House must please note that the Esidimeni contract
was for 2 000 patients. Hence the statement from the department
to the premier was to the effect that they can accommodate them
twice. The premier assures me that at no time was the issue of
nongovernment organisations, NGOs, ever raised until that
fateful day in September when the member of the executive
council, MEC, made an announcement of 36 deaths in the
provincial legislature.
At the national level we have got the Ministers and Members of
Executive Councils Meeting, Minmec. Like all the Minmecs, it
consists of the Minister and MECs. In addition, the Minmec at
the national level has the Surgeon General of SA Military Health
Services and SA Local Government Association, Salga. It is
therefore a statutory body. When there are huge undertakings in
health or elsewhere that may affect health, the Minmec usually
sits and even go into a recess. We did so with the Fédération
Internationale de Football Association, Fifa, World Cup; we did
so before the President launched the huge human immunodeficiency
virus, HIV, Counseling and Testing, HCT, campaign to test
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15 million South Africans; and we did so in the advent of Ebola
in 2014.
I want to state here today that the issue of moving mental
health patients in Gauteng which clearly falls within this
category have never been mentioned even once in the National
Health Council to be dealt with like all the other major events.
We take the death of so many citizens in a very serious light
and would therefore like justice not only to prevail but also be
seen to be done. I believe by now, Parliament more or less knows
what has happened. Hence I wish to spend time explaining what we
have done.
As we come to understand it, the Department of Health wanted to
move mentally ill patients out of Life Esidimeni. When families
were informed of this they objected because they were satisfied
about Life Esidimeni. Together with the SA Depression and
Anxiety Group and the SA Federation of Mental Health, they
approached section 27 to take up the matter with them at the
provincial level. When section 27 realised that they are going
anywhere with the provincial department, they prepared to go to
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court. While the court case was set, they contacted the
director-general in the national Department of Health and
informed her of this problem and the court case and that the
Minister and the Premier of Gauteng will be cited even though no
relief is being sought against them. The matter was set for the
22 December 2015. However, on 21 December 2015, a day before the
court case, the parties decided to enter into a settlement
agreement and not go to court. The settlement agreement was very
clear and simple, among others, it stated:
One, that the parties shall henceforth engage in discussions
aimed at resolving the dispute between them by no later than 31
January 2016; two, for avoidance of doubt, the Gauteng
Department of Health shall maintain the status quo by not
placing users from Life Esidimeni facilities in any other
facility pending the conclusion of the settlement; three, that
the outcome of the settlement discussions is intended to inter
alia address the plan for the placement of users following the
termination of the contract between the Gauteng Department of
Health and Life Esidimeni; and four, all stakeholders shall
endeavour to reach an agreed plan by no later than 31 January
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guided by the constitutional imperative on the Gauteng
Department of Health and shall at the very least endeavour that
users receive health and other services of no lesser quality to
the services that they are currently receiving at Life Esidimeni
in order to protect and promote their constitutional rights.
This hon members, is what the parties signed for and agreed
upon, and they said that there was no need to make it an order
of court because they are all in agreement. These, hon members,
please note that the agreement says nothing about NGOs. It just
emphasises that wherever they are taken to, it must be a place
of no lesser quality than Life Esidimeni.
I interrogated this issue with section 27 and they said that
they had no reason to suspect that anybody was planning any foul
play and hence did not insist on the agreement being made an
order of court and they had informed the director-general of
Health to this effect immediately after signing. Unfortunately,
as it is Gauteng Department of Health did not honour the
agreement at all and in March 2016 section 27 rushed to court
when they heard that they are about to start moving patients
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contrary to the agreement. This time they did not inform the
national director-general of this development, because they
wanted an urgent court interdict.
Unfortunately, the Gauteng Department of Health was able to
convince the court that they are honouring the plan that they
will not deviate from the agreement and that wherever they move
patients to, it will be in line with the agreement, that the
services will be of no lesser than quality that is at Life
Esidimeni. Hence the court dismissed the section 27 interdict.
Armed with this court case, the Gauteng Department of Health
fobbed off any attempts by the national director-general and the
National Chief Director of Mental Health, who was supposed to
have been invited to all the meetings in Gauteng where the plan
was to be tabled and executed. They said that the court of law
was agreeing with them on every issue. However, what happened
next is completely against what they told the court.
Firstly, the NGOs were issued invalid licences as the Health
Ombud discovered later. The licences were issued by the director
of Mental Health instead of the head of the department, HOD.
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Secondly, the NGOs went to Life Esidimeni to pick up patients on
their own and brought them to their homes without files, without
diagnosis and without all the necessary ingredients. It was
difficult for relatives to know where they were.
It was in September 2016, when the MEC announced in the
provincial legislature that we realised that something has gone
dangerously wrong and hence I appointed the Health Ombud to
investigate what actually happened and who did what. The Health
Ombud made a finding that this project was indeed neglected,
chaotic and hurried, but also violated the rights of the
mentally ill patients and went totally against the principle of
health, which is the preservation of life and not the opposite.
They were in all 18 recommendations. In carrying them
religiously, we want to correct anomalies that happened.
The first serious anomaly we picked up in Gauteng provincial
department was that the Mental Health Act and the National
Mental Health Policy Framework were not followed. One of the
findings of the ombud was that this national plan was
selectively interpreted, misinterpreted and contravened. All the
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checks and balances which were strenuously cobbled together were
left.
To protect mental health users and ensure their safety and
security, the Mental Health Act provides for the formation of
Mental Health Review Boards in each province. Unfortunately, in
Gauteng the ombud found that the Mental Health Review Board is
moribund, ineffective and without authority. That is why the
chairperson of that is also being charged. I appointed a team of
60 expects who for three days last week visited all the NGOs,
seven of them have been closed, 600 patients have been moved to
government facilities and we are left with 700.
I want to emphasise that we have now open an operation centre
which by next week will work on the 24 hour basis. No stone will
be unturned. There will have to be court cases in this case
where the National Prosecuting Authority will decide who to
prosecute and who not to prosecute. There will definitely be
inquest for each and every death which will be conducted by the
magistrate. There is no where that anything will be swept under
the carpet because it is not possible to do so. We are taking
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this opportunity to apologise deeply to the families affected.
At every corner we are working with them and we are not taking
any deficiency alone. Thank you very much. [Applause.]
Dr W G JAMES: Madame Speaker, let us take a moment to think of
the Esidimeni victims and their families who have suffered a
terrible and unnecessary loss. Today we must commit to confront
this tragedy head on, to face up to the suffering of the most
marginalised and vulnerable members of our society, we must face
up to the 102 South Africans and counting who are beyond hearing
apologies and hearing our lamentations of regret.
We must do this because we cannot allow this to happen again. We
must do this and demand justice. Speaker, the quality of a
Minister may be measured by how he or she responds to a crisis.
As soon as he learnt about the Esidimeni deaths, Minister
Motsoaledi responded immediately and he appointed the Health
Ombudsman Dr Malegapuru Makgoba to investigate and to report,
which is released recently, and this report is a model of
exactitude.
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However, Speaker, it was too late and as a result of which there
are 102 preventable deaths of the most vulnerable citizens of
our land. Dr Makgoba rightly fingered Gauteng Health as
primarily responsible for frontline management failure, but
there is a deeper chronic failure of surveillance, communication
and of emergency response capability that afflicts the health
system from the bottom, right to the top of Minister Aaron
Motsoaledi himself, which is why the DA called on President
Jacob Zuma to appoint a judicial enquiry to get to the bottom of
it.
The question to the Minister is this: why were you, one of the
most powerful, influential and alert individuals in the land,
not aware of this unfolding tragedy when it happened? It took
the DA’s Jack Bloom to extract the mortality figures from MEC
Qedani Mahlangu, as if they were state secrets. The DirectorGeneral of Health Precious Matsoso knew there was a serious
problem in January 2016, but after the court order in favour of
Gauteng Health she actually let the issue go, when she should
not have. Why is it that D G Matsoso or you did not make your
business to find out what was going on?
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Speaker, I would like to remind the House about the gravity of
this tragedy. Listen to the testimonies taken from the Ombud’s
Report: Some NGOs were like concentration camps, overcrowded
with unkempt and hungry patients suffering from severe weight
loss. There was no food to feed patients because Gauteng Health
department took three months to pay.
At Mosego people had no clothes. Patients were left dirty and
poorly groomed. Corpses had unexplained bruises on their bodies.
Some relatives did not know where their relatives were and some
do not know to this day. Post-mortems were not done. Where most
deaths occurred, facilities lacked appropriate health
professionals. Madam Speaker, what is to be done?
The Ombudsperson made 24 recommendations of which the Minister
has completed a few and, as we have heard today, he is busy with
more in what is a work in progress. But our efforts must radiate
wider than the Ombud’s recommendations, critical as they are.
More must be done to ensure that the vulnerable are protected in
our country.
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First, our country needs a responsible and alert health
leadership across all spheres of society and of government
resting on – what is known as a real-time disease surveillance
system. As soon as there is a problem and as soon as there is a
death, it must show up in an objective national system of
surveillance. This requires the rapid establishment – as the
Minister knows - of the National Public Health Institute of
South Africa, NAPHISA, which is being delayed for much too long
and is still being delayed.
Second, legislation must be changed so that the Office of the
Health Standards Compliance, OHSC, may pro-actively inspect all
health facilities as well as all parahealth facilities provided
for health service use. Third, Minister Motsoaledi complains
about the lack of timeous legislation – amending the arcane
Inquest Act of 1959 for example – but his own Ministry is the
laggard in pushing forward new an amendment to legislation.
Fourth, the position and responsibilities and lines of
accountabilities of members of executive councils, provincial
MECs should be made more strictly and clearly in terms of its
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subject matter: Firstly, there must be explicit performance
requirements; secondly, there must be transparency of operation;
You cannot have an MEC saying, this is the number of deaths
only; and operating like she is sitting in a dentistry where it
takes the extraction of teeth to get out numbers. It cannot be
so. It must be transparent. Together with reporting systems
aligned to performance requirements. Thirdly, there must be unconflicted compliance on MEC’s part to the law. Fourthly, there
must be un-conflicted accountability to the job at hand.
Fifth, the Health Director-General Precious Matsoso recommended
rightly that a Chief Medical Officer position be created in the
National Department of Health. Sixth, the human resource
qualifications architecture must be reviewed to ensure that
health professionals and not amateurs run all of our health
facilities.
Seventh, Minister Motsoaledi must use the power he has of
legally withholding conditional grants more effectively to exact
compliance with provinces that honour our national health laws,
as long as they do not compromise access to health. Minister
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Motsoaledi pussyfoots too much around ANC intra-party
sensitivities in the provinces. He must stop pussyfoots around
that. Minister Motsoaledi’s default reaction to provincial
problems is to pull issues back into an overburdened national
health department. He should remember that mental health was
under the national department till 1999 and it was not a good
story.
Provinces absorbed the mentally infirm at a time of what is
known as de-institutionalisation. How, may we ask, will the
national department run mental health services at the primary
healthcare level, at a community level, at a step down and
hospital level? Remember, the human resource portfolio for
health sits in the province not in the national department. The
DA believes that mental health should be integrated with general
healthcare and catered for all spheres of care.
Speaker, I asked Minister Motsoaledi in committee when he first
learnt of the unfolding Esidimeni tragedy when others below him
as well as section 27 already knew? He did not say. So I ask him
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that question again. Tell me, when did you first learn about the
unfolding tragedy?
However, I ask two more questions today: Tell me, why it was so
late in the process, what is your diagnosis and how would you
suggest we, as well as you, live as a nation with this tragedy.
For today those who died bare on our conscious and we stand
before you, the dead in your silence with your families and
relatives in shame. I thank you.
Ms S S THEMBEKWAYO: Thank you, Madam Speaker. The death of over
hundred mental patients at the hands of the ANC government in
Gauteng is the single most indicator post 1994 of the
astoundingly shallow pit levels to which the former liberation
movement has sunk.
We can all stand here and speak from a detached position, play
politics and try to escape responsibility but the reality of the
matter is that more than hundred South Africans who had the
misfortune of being mentally diseased perished at the hands of
the democratic state.
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More astounding leader, the ANC government as was the case when
it murdered workers in Marikana refuses to take responsibility.
It is not enough that Qedani Mahlangu resigned. It is also not
enough, Speaker, that the ANC government comes here and offers
half-cooked apology. It is not enough that Mr Zuma comes here
and half-heartedly offers his condolences to the families of
mental patients his government killed.
We need a government that takes responsibility. What happened in
Gauteng is demonstrative of the state of neglect of mental
health generally in this country. Despite legislative frameworks
available for the protection of mental health patients, the ANC
has not prioritised their wellbeing in all respects.
When the Mental Health Care Act of 2002 was implemented in 2004
it was hailed as one of the most progressive pieces of mental
health legislation in the world. An entire chapter was dedicated
to human rights for those with mental disabilities.
Furthermore, the Mental Health Care Act, MHCA contained articles
addressing compulsory admission, a protection of patient
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property; rights to appeal; the reporting of abuses and the
formation of independent review boards with Ombudsmen functions.
It also highlighted several important principles, including the
use of the minimum possible compulsion; the importance of not
just treatment but also rehabilitation and re-integration.
So, what we found in Gauteng isn’t it just a complete disregard
for the wellbeing of other human beings, which the ANC-led
government has carefully built its reputation on recently; but
the conduct bothers on rabid illegality perpetrated with sheer
impunity by people who think they are hold on political power
grants them license to maltreat South Africans.
We have here, a government that has no respect for its own laws,
nor respect for the people who put it on power, nor respect for
anything but their stomachs. Of course, Speaker, what is left
unsaid here is that Qedani Mahlangu moved patients who had been
at Life Esidimeni for all most all their lives to the NGOs with
close links to her ANC comrades. In their unbridled corruption
even the lives of those who are differently-abled is
dispensable.
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We need to stop this rot. We need to have all those responsible
behind bars. We need, Speaker, to have those NGOs, the Gauteng
department officials and the politicians who instructed them to
be arrested. It cannot be business as usual when more than 100
of our country man and women died from starvation, dehydration
and other preventable causes.
As the EFF we pass our heartfelt condolences to the families of
the deceased and promise that we will leave no stone unturned
until the murderers responsible for the death of your loved ones
are brought to book. Madam Speaker, we also promise all those
frustrated by the government in action in dealing
comprehensively with the mental health challenges that we will
hold the Department of Health accountable for its inaction. I
thank you. [Applause.]
Prof C T MSIMANG: Thank you, hon Speaker. It speaks volumes
about a government that through its reckless carelessness
consigned its mentally ill to nongovernmental organisations,
NGOs, which were not properly vetted, accredited or properly
equipped and resourced to treat such patients.
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More than 100 souls unnecessarily lost their lives in this
continuing tragedy. Such negligence and culpability is
tantamount to murder and government, through its delegation of
responsibility to ill-suited and ill-equipped entities, is a
party to this horrific crime. Officials of the Gauteng Health
Department involved in the irregular issuing of licences to such
unvetted, ill-equipped and under-resourced NGOs must be held
criminally accountable. A full forensic audit must be conducted
with a two-fold intent:
Firstly, to identify and hold to account all individuals
involved in allowing such a tragedy to occur; and
Secondly, to identify processes that must be put in place to
ensure that such a tragedy never occurs again.
Minister, your ill-fated policy to deinstitutionalise while not
having the requisite outsourcing checks and balances in place
has now cost the lives of over 100 South Africans. How is it
possible that patients were allowed to be transferred from
licenced to illegitimate institutions? The Office of Health
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Standards Compliance is just as much to blame. Where were they?
Why was there no vetting of these NGOs?
It is unconscionable that vulnerable citizens — citizens who had
placed their faith and trust in government to look after their
wellbeing — have had their trust betrayed in such a demonic,
reckless, careless and negligent manner. Basic human rights were
trampled underfoot by the state and these NGOs. This will
forever be a shame on this government. Let us ensure that such
diabolical maltreatment never occurs again.
The IFP sends its heartfelt condolences to the families and
friends of those who lost their lives in this terrible tragedy.
I thank you.
Mr A M SHAIK EMAM: Thank you, hon Speaker. Hon Deputy President,
hon Ministers and distinguished guests in the House, on behalf
of the NFP let me start off by extending our condolences to all
those that have lost loved ones in this tragic incident.
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When one looks into the investigation which was initiated by the
Minister of Health — and he must be commended for doing that —
one would identify and find a whole lot of reasons and
challenges. However, I want to reiterate what the NFP has said
before.
An HON MEMBER: Nothing.
Mr A M SHAIK EMAM: It is simply as a result of the Ministers or
national departments having very little say or it’s not within
their mandates to either appoint members of executive councils,
MECs, of heads of departments, HODs, in the provinces, that you
find a situation like this.
Now, I am not saying that as a result of that, that this is
acceptable. Let me also go on to say that it’s easy to sit here
and blame each other. What has happened in the province of
Gauteng is totally unacceptable. However, let me add the
following. What about all the oversight from the provincial
members of the legislature, of the health committees in Gauteng
together with the department’s officials? What did they do to
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ensure that this did not happen? [Interjections.] We all have an
equal responsibility.
Now, let me also tell you that we talk about going to court.
Yes, this matter went to court. So why did we stop? Why? Because
poor lives don’t matter. Is that why we stopped? Why didn’t we
continue fighting the Department of Health in Gauteng and ensure
that these patients were not transferred and never allowed it to
have happened? We did not do that but we are going to come here
and we are going to grandstand at the expense of those people’s
lives that we have lost. That is what is happening here.
[Interjections.]
When you read the report of how these patients were transferred
from one place to the other it gives you an impression that they
were sent to die; simply sent to die because they were tied up.
Like some of our apartheid people did when our people tied them
to the back of bakkies [trucks] these patients were tied up, put
into the back of those bakkies [trucks] and transported to NGOs
which were not registered.
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Now, what the NFP is saying is that all those that are
responsible — members of the provincial legislature, part of the
health committee in the province, the NGOs, those officials, and
the MEC must all be held accountable, and whoever is responsible
must be criminally charged and civil claims instituted against
them to benefit the next of kin of those people that have
passed. [Applause.]
Ms C N MAJEKE: Hon Speaker and hon members, the strategic
question that we need to ask is whether ours is indeed a caring
government. [Interjections.]
IsiXhosa:
Mnu N L S KWANKWA: Somlomo, hayi khawuncede.
English:
The SPEAKER: Order hon members. [Interjections.] Who has a point
of order?
IsiXhosa:
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Mnu N L S KWANKWA: Somlomo, ndiphakamela ukwenza isiphakamiso
sonqwanqwado: Bendisithi ndiyacela ukuba ubathulise kuba
bayangxola.
English:
The SPEAKER: Order hon members.
An HON MEMBER: A point of order, Madam Speaker.
The SPEAKER: What’s the point of order, hon member?
An HON MEMBER: Madam Speaker, I just wanted to give the member
some cold water because he’s very hot about this matter.
The SPEAKER: That’s not a point of order. Hon Majeke, please
proceed.
Ms C N MAJEKE: Thank you, hon Speaker and hon members. The
strategic question that we need to ask is whether ours is indeed
a caring government and to what extent are we building a truly
caring society.
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I make this point because it is my view ... to the tragedy of
Esidemeni ... are the values and ethics that define our
government and society in general. I repeatedly heard through
government statements and officials that we have a caring and
pro-poor government. My question is the following. What does
that mean and what makes a government a caring one?
I remember a biblical parable of a good Samaritan that
illustrated who is your neighbour. Let us take the following
example to examine this question. One father says to his
children, ―I love you, I cherish you and I care about you.‖ Yet,
every week he squanders his salary on gambling and an
extravagant life, so much so that there is not enough left for
his children to have adequate food, proper shelter or clothing.
Another father says to his children, ―I love you, I cherish you
and I care about you.‖ However, this father is careful with his
salary, making sure that his children are firstly provided for
before he spends anything on himself. If there is not enough to
go around he will go without in order that he’s family is
provided for.
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Now if we were to apply that to our government today, which
father would our government be in the context of the current
debate? We are told that what drove the Gauteng government was
the need to save at all cost, including at the cost of losing
precious lives.
A government that really cares about its people is one that puts
its people first and one that is careful about the people’s
money it is managing on behalf of the people, not its leaders. A
successful government is one that establishes a pattern of
behaviour which enables it to deliver the care when it really
matters.
So, the claims that you are a caring government are clangs of a
hollow vessel because unlike a good Samaritan you have failed to
deliver sufficient ... [Inaudible] ... when it really mattered
in Esidemeni.
The SPEAKER: Order! Hon member! Hon Mbatha, can you please ...
Excuse me, hon Majeke. Hon Mbatha, please respect the House.
[Interjections.] Please proceed, ma.
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Ms C N MAJEKE: As I close ... [Interjections.] ... as I close, a
caring government must value high fairness and social justice
for all. Indeed, the struggle for liberation will never be over
until a caring society is built, at the helm of which is a
caring government.
Mr A D ALBERTS: Thank you, Speaker.
Afrikaans:
Die enigste wyse om te reageer op die Minister se verklaring is
om die volgende te vra. Hoeveel mense gaan nog sterf onder die
heerskappy van die ANC?
English:
What happened to those poor mentally-ill patients, who truly
represent the weakest of the weak, under the watch of the ANC
government is not only tragic; it is not only a gross violation
of human dignity and the sanctity of life; it is not only in
violation of the Constitution and every human rights treaty
imaginable; it is not only against the laws of natural justice;
and it is not only an offence against God himself, but it shines
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a light deep into the dark deep soul of the ANC and confronts us
with a truth that few dared to speak before, and that is that
the ANC government and its deployed cadres are not merely
negligent in their intent and actions, but that the ANC is
intentionally indifferent to human suffering while professing to
be a beacon for humanity and civilization. This indifference is
built on the quicksand of dishonesty and political expediency.
You see, it works like this. While one would expect that when
people and men like al-Bashir and Mugabe get hold of you they
would treat you indifferently, the ANC on the other hand creates
an expectation of hope and humaneness but instead people get
slaughtered, and when the going gets tough for the ANC it very
quickly descends into political expediency by playing the race
card to deflect attention away from its own indifference.
Its indifference is magnificently reflected in its denial of an
opportunity by the members of this House to show its respect to
the mentally-ill patients who passed away. Not only did they die
under your watch; they are ignored even in death.
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Afrikaans:
Daar is talle voorbeelde van mense wat slagoffers is van die
houding van die ANC. In Suid-Afrika gaan mense na
staatshospitale toe om te sterf en nie om gesond te word nie
omdat hulle blote nommers en skape oppad na die slagpale toe is.
In Suid-Afrika kom boere van die kerk af terug by die huis net
om gemartel en soos skape keelaf gesny te word want hulle het
mos die grond gesteel. In Suid-Afrika word vroue verkrag want
hulle is mos bloot objekte. In Suid-Afrika word kinders verniel
want hulle sou nie dieselfde regte as volwassens hê nie. Hoekom
mooet hulle dit hê? In Suid-Afrika sterf soveel mense op ons
paaie omdat die owerhede meer belangstel in geldmaak en
geldinvordering as padveiligheid. In Suid-Afrika sterf
heeltemaal teveel mense ...
English:
... and those people die under the watch of the ANC while they
are eating our taxes and while they are gorging themselves on
tenders while they profess human rights and use poetic words in
their speeches but act like leeches. How much more can we as a
society tolerate until something breaks? How much?
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Afrikaans:
Hoeveel keer moet mense sterf?
English:
Ms M C C PILANE-MAJAKE: On a point of order, Speaker.
The SPEAKER: Order hon member. Hon Alberts, can you take your
seat please? Yes hon member, what is your point of order?
Ms M C C PILANE-MAJAKE: Hon Speaker, I’m rising on Rule 85 to
ask if it’s parliamentary for the member to say that the ANC is
actually slaughtering people like sheep. [Interjections.] We
take the matter seriously. We know that a big mistake has
happened but nobody has slaughtered anybody, unless he has
evidence to the effect.
The SPEAKER: The question of referring to a party is not usually
seen as unparliamentary but we will look at the context after
studying the Hansard. Please proceed, hon Alberts.
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Mr A D ALBERTS: I’m saying that the ANC is indifferent to what
is happening.
Afrikaans:
Hierdie slagting moet stop want die vraag is, wat gaan julle
doen as die vernielde hond eendag omdraai en begin byt? Watter
gevleuelde woorde en rassekaart gaan julle dan red? Dink ’n
bietjie daaroor na.
Mr W M MADISHA: Hon Speaker ...
Sepedi:
Sebata, o lekile le ge e le gore ga e kwagale gabotse.
English:
Cope is saying to the families and relatives of the deceased,
you deserve more than an apology and not only an apology but
action. I say this because what happened contradict section 11
of our Constitution which says that everyone has a right to
life. We say to the nation that your government has failed you;
the entire system has failed you, be it the political executive
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of government that initiates actions and oversees its
implementation or the administration that is tasked with the
implementation of political decisions. And yes, us too - some of
us here in Parliament, be it at national and/or provincial
level, are tasked with exercising oversight over the executive
and holding them to account.
Even the Human Rights Commission is complicit. Its ability to
preside over an investigation into this matter is questionable
given the inaction of certain commissioners as the tragedy
unfolded. Some of these remain commissioners in the newly
constituted commission.
A tragedy is defined as an event causing great suffering,
destruction, and distress, such as a serious accident, crime, or
natural catastrophe. Esidimeni was neither an accident nor a
natural catastrophe. Its genesis was criminal. There must be
consequences. There must be criminal prosecutions.
The Esidimeni tragedy points to the failure in the morality of
those entrusted with our governance and as hon Groenewald, for
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example, pointed out, we know who is the middle of our moral
compass. The words of Mathews Phosa, and I agree with him when
he said:
I refuse, as a disciplined cadre of this movement, to have
my coffin buried in the same graveyard as leaders who have
made the choice to place their own corrupt interests above
that of those that we swore, yes swore, to serve. .... The
party that we all revered, loved, served, and some died for
only exists in name today ....
By movement he was referring to that former movement. That party
has failed and it must be removed.
Sepedi:
Fela o a leka, kgoši.
Ms C DUDLEY: Hon Madam Speaker, the death of more than 100
mentally ill patients in Gauteng province last year has deeply
shocked the nation. The ACDP joins people across the country in
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expressing sincere and heartfelt condolences to the families and
friends of the deceased.
This exposure of the department’s lack of monitoring, capacity
and budget, societal neglect and Parliament’s inadequate
oversight is devastating and we stand collectively responsible
even as we interrogate the situation to make sure nothing like
this ever happens again.
The decision to terminate a contract between the Department of
Health and Life Esidimeni - a service provider that had been
delivering health care services to indigent patients under
contract to government for over 50 years - we are told, has had
horrendous consequences and forced us to take stock once again.
So many life and death decisions are taken at a policy,
financial and admin level without enough awareness and
consideration for the sanctity of human life.
Around 2 000 people who were receiving highly-specialised
chronic psychiatric care had to be moved to families, NGOs and
psychiatric hospitals and the way in which they were hurriedly
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discharged en masse has resulted not only in a breach of their
rights under the Constitution and the Mental Health Care Act,
but also a death sentence.
The bottom line was money of course – it is a lack of budget.
But there was also a policy imperative to de-institutionalise –
these are two factors that place Treasury and the ANC’s policymaking body in the mix of those responsible. This is a national
tragedy and we are all implicated in some way.
Yes, there must be political, civil and criminal accountability,
and inquests into all deaths to establish the causes and the
appropriate steps that should follow. And the removal of all
surviving residents from unlicensed and incapable NGOs is nonnegotiable and must take place immediately but it must be to
safe, dignified facilities and this will cost us.
The ACDP calls on government to urgently investigate how
patients went from a licensed institution to unlicensed ones and
to review and amend licensing policy and practices where
necessary - as they apply across the country. The ACDP also
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calls for a review of policy on institutions, on plans for
mental health care services countrywide and an increased focus
on monitoring and compliance. This may have happened in one
province, but our eyes must be on all provinces.
The ACDP has for the past few years been pleading with
government to respond adequately to the plight of vulnerable
people with regard to special housing needs. This includes
mentally ill people. We again call on government and Minister
Sisulu to prioritise the approval and implementation of the
Special Needs Housing Policy programme that has been waiting 15
years for approval before some other avoidable major disaster
also ends in tragedy. Thank you.
Mr S M JAFTA: Hon Speaker, the Life Healthcare Esidimeni
shenanigans have reminded us of our painful history of neglect,
maltreatment of the vulnerable and human rights violation. To
our credit, the national Department of Health is on course to
salvage this crisis.
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The Portfolio Committee on Health received a well-established,
detailed and comprehensive report surrounding the death of
mentally ill patients in Gauteng, from the Health Ombudsman and
the Department of Health. It is clear from the findings of the
ombudsman that the province was irresponsible in transferring
mentally ill patients to unlicensed NGOs without consulting
national department.
The powers given to Health MEC’s in provinces should be
reviewed, especially section 43 of subsections (1) and (2) of
the Mental Health Act of 2002, which empowers the head of
provincial health departments and the relevant review board in
the department, to order state patients to be transferred to
another designated health establishment, despite any
determination made by the head of the national government.
Section 25 of subsection (1) of the National Health Act 2003,
should also be reviewed to confer the Minister of Health,
provincial Health jurisdiction. We therefore support the
department’s plan of action to implement the 18 recommendations
issued by the Health Ombudsman and that corrective measures be
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undertaken to bring to task the identified health officials in
the province.
The AIC conveys its heartfelt condolences to the families of the
deceased and their immediate relatives. This tragedy should have
been avoided. I thank you.
Mr A PLOUAMMA: Hon Speaker and hon members, Esidimeni is the
first ANC Nazi camp. The Premier David Makhura has the graves of
these South Africans dug while they were still alive. We are all
humiliated by this act of barbarism. It was a policy of
extermination against mentally ill patients. This is a gross
betrayal. What is painful is when the premier declared that he
knew nothing. This premier must be suffering from amnesia and
ignorant. Gauteng province is not in safe hands, such
incompetence and poverty of leadership.
It was embarrassing and shameful when the premier wore a
sackcloth and flagellates himself like the Pharisees. This was
indeed a Nazi-like camp characterised by sorrowful
circumstances. Even Adolph Hitler would have given the premier a
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pat at the back. Our glorious purge of people with ubuntu would
forever remain tainted.
On behalf of AgangSA and myself, we mourn with the families who
lost their loved ones. As the former MEC of Health in the
province of Gauteng, may you search your soul and clean your
conscience. You and the premier are guilty of this madness. Our
people are no longer safe under this government. Their
ruthlessness, lack of decency and humanness make a mockery of
our hardly fought human rights. It is suicidal to think that the
ANC will redeem itself. We should not wait until our country is
reduced to a rotten carcass.
Hon Minister of Health, we sympathise with you. We can see you
are running like a headless chicken. That provincial department
is in an advanced stage of decay. Your conscience is heavy on
you. It doesn’t help to apologise on behalf of people whose
hearts are dark as hell. AgangSA supports your endeavour and
wishes you the best in this difficult task.
Mr L R MBINDA: Chairperson of the session ...
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IsiXhosa:
...mandibulele. [let me thank you.]
English:
As the PAC, once again we forward our heartfelt condolences to
the bereaved families of the deceased and we say the passing of
your loved ones came to us and the entire nation as a shock.
This is a shock that leaves many questions unanswered. May God
be with you in these trying times to help you heal.
IsiXhosa:
INkosi ke ize iniphe amandla. [May the Lord give you strength.]
English:
Once again, the ANC government is exposed as to how low they
think of our people and their wellbeing.
Hon Motsoaledi, we will not go quiet when you want to use this
House to advance your own internal organisational battles by
trying to clean your name and better position yourself from what
one scholar named it as a dog eat dog syndrome in the ruling
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party. We know very well that you are one of those who are not
in good terms. This Parliament should not be turned into a tool
for people to come and campaign for their internal party
leadership differences. No amount of fancy words can reverse the
damage you and your government has done to the affected
families. I kept on asking my fellow comrades what the recorded
cause of death of these patients is. All what we are getting is
that they were admitted as patients who were mentally ill, which
to my understanding is not what caused their passing away. I
hope that the recommendations of the ombudsman will be
implemented immediately.
There are pressing issues in Tshwane. Once again our people are
up in arms against their fellow African brothers and sisters
from across Africa. As the PAC we condemn these violent attacks
that are afrophobic in nature. The ANC government must be held
accountable as the real frustration of our people is that their
levels of poverty are still in place while white foreign
nationals, who are in charge of our economy, are staying in
luxury peace while our people are deliberately made to fight
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against themselves. We call upon all of them to refrain from
this barbaric act that they are busy with. Thank you.
Mr N T GODI: Hon House Chairperson, comrades and hon members,
the APC joins this House and fellow South Africans in pledging
solidarity and heartfelt condolences to the families of the
deceased in what is now the infamous Esidimeni debacle. Our
sacred duty as society and government is to take care of the
most vulnerable society. In the case of the Esidimeni victims we
have dropped the ball with horrible consequences.
The APC condemns in the strongest terms the Health department in
Gauteng for failing to do due diligence. People dying simple
because of neglect clearly reflects that the said
nongovernmental organisations, NGOs, did not know what they were
doing and they were in it for the money. This is criminal.
But there is a fundamental ideological question here. Government
must take charge and deliver social services. The capitalists’
idea of commodifying everything and its accompanying greed is
the root cause of this tragedy. Shoddy governance is merely an
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enabler and the fundamental problem is privatisation of social
services.
Currently, supported by the national department, all the
provincial departments of health are using NGOs to hire homebased carers and HIV counsellors. This leads to greed, the super
exploitation of the workers and government shaking its
responsibility. The APC condemns this practice. If there is
anything to come out of this tragedy, it is for policies to
change in favour of government directly providing critical
social services.
The APC wish to applaud Dr Malegapuru Makgoba, the health ombud
person for the good work he has done. Esidimeni, the place of
dignity, how ironic that the deceased suffered and died in
indignity.
Xitsonga:
Etlelani hi ku rhula.
English:
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Thank you.
Mr A F MAHLALELA: Hon Chairperson, Deputy President, hon
Minister, Deputy Ministers and hon members, the ANC as a
people’s movement and a caring organisation ... [Interjections.]
[Applause.] ... wants to take this opportunity during these
trying times and difficult period in the history of our country
to extend its deepest sympathy and condolences to the families
of the than 100 most vulnerable people who died under the care
of the Gauteng Department of Health. In doing so, we equally
want to thank the Health Ombudsman for his excellent work of
producing this impeccable report that has far reaching
recommendations.
We believe that the full implementation of the recommendations
as was supported and directed by the President during the state
of the nation address, will go a long way in addressing
weaknesses in the mental health system of our country. As the
ANC, hon Chair, we are in full support of all the
recommendations of the Health Ombudsman and we shall do all in
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our power to ensure its full implementation, both by Gauteng
government and the national Department of Health.
The Minister together with his department and the office of the
Health Standard Compliance have already appeared before the
portfolio committee with a detailed implementation plan as well
as progress made since the release of the report 22 days ago, of
which the Minister has already shared with this House in his
speech earlier on. We are therefore convinced that the report of
the ombudsman is comprehensive enough, covers all aspects and
therefore do not see any necessity for the appointment of a
judicial commission of enquiry by the President to conduct
further investigation. This view is first and foremost informed
by the believe that the Health Ombud is independent, impartial
and therefore convinced that he convinced this work in good
faith without fear, favour, bias or prejudice.
Section 88(a) of the National Health Act as amended provides
that anybody or any person aggrieved by any decision of the
office or any findings and recommendation of the Ombud may lodge
a written appeal with the Minister. The Minister must upon
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receipt of such a written appeal, appoint an independent
tribunal which must be chaired by a retired judge of the High
Court or a retired Magistrate. It is therefore our view that
anyone who is not satisfied with this report of the Ombud into
the circumstances surrounding the deaths of mentally ill
patients should accordingly use this provision as provided by
the legislation instead of rushing to the President for a
judicial commission of inquiry.
We therefore call upon all of us as hon members as stated in the
statement released by the families today that we should not
claim to do things in their interest without consulting them.
[Applause.] This is what they have said in the statement, and I
quote:
We have already endured painful months of waiting and
interviews during the Health Ombud’s investigation. We
urge political parties not to make us repeat that pain
or make it in vain. [Applause.]
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Hon Chair, as we do all of these, we should as respected hon
members and responsible leaders, respect and honour the wishes
of the families. During the healing ceremony which took place
last week on Saturday which was attended by both the Premier of
Gauteng and the Minister of Health, these families made a
special plea that they have reiterated in a statement today,
that as we mourn this tragic death of their loved ones, as
politicians and political parties, we must at all times avoid
using this tragedy as a political football. [Applause.] Let’s
give these families space and allow them to peaceful undergo the
healing process.
The ANC as a discipline force of the left organised to conduct
consistent struggle in pursuit of a caring society, we commit
ourselves to respect and
honour the wishes of the families but
we shall at the same time continue to paying special focus to
these most vulnerable people in our society while ensuring that
the recommendations made by the Ombud are implemented so that
restorative justice is achieved and by so doing, assist the
families to find a sense of closure into the matter.
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We shall continue to ensure that critical elements of our value
system which is based on human solidarity and the spirit of
ubuntu shall at all times include our pride in social activism
and respect as well as serve these most vulnerable people in our
society with honesty and humility. As part of our agenda of
social cohesion towards the construction of our national
democratic society, we shall continue to ensure the protection
and advancement of those who are vulnerable in our society
especially mentally ill patients. As we continue to advance this
noble idea of a caring society, we are highly encouraged by the
announcement made by the Minister of Finance yesterday during
his budget speech that an NHI fund will be established this year
and will focus initially, among others, the improvement of
services for people with disability, the elderly and more
importantly mentally ill Patients.
As part of our support to the Health Ombudsman recommendations,
we would like to make a special plea to the SA Police Service to
fast-track their forensic investigations which is currently
underway so that actions were deemed appropriate and justifiable
can be taken so as to ensure that those found to have grossly
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violated the rights of these most weakest members of our society
are held accountable. We further appeal to the SA Human Rights
Commission to ensure that it undertake those systematic and
systemic review of human rights compliance and possible
violations nationally related to mental health as recommended by
the Ombudsman.
As part of our pursuit for a national democratic society, we
shall ensure the protection and continuous care of people with
mental illness and recognise the right of individual dignity and
proper care. We need to decisively deal with all the current
fault-lines that still persist in our public health system that
threaten our social stability.
Hon Chairperson, let me conclude by saying to the hon Minister,
never and never again must such a tragic incident ever happen to
so many of our vulnerable people under our public health system.
Never again must cost considerations be used as means to
override the imperative of quality of care and therefore put the
lives of our people in danger like this so called Gauteng Mental
Health Marathon Project has done.
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It is regrettable, hon Chair, that some political parties have
decided to use this opportunity as a political grandstanding ...
[Interjections.]
Ms E N LOUW: Hon Chairperson, I rise on a point of order.
The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Ms M G Boroto): Hon Mahlalela, please
take your seat. Hon member, what is your point of order and you
are rising on which Rule?
Ms E N LOUW: Actually I want to ask the hon member a question
because I want to check he said the same way Marikana happened
... [Interjections.]
The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Ms M G Boroto): Hon member, don’t ask a
question. Let me ask first ...
Ms E N LOUW: ... that never again will people be killed under
the ANC government and it happened.
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The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Ms M G Boroto): Hon members, let us
remind one another that when you want to ask a question you
should get permission. Hon Mahlalela, do you want to take a
question?
Mr A F MAHLALELA: Unfortunately Chairperson, I do not take
questions from political parties that do not have direction.
[Laughter.]
The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Ms M G Boroto): Hon Mahlalela, you can
continue. He does not want to take the question. Thank you.
Mr A F MAHLALELA: Eh! ... [Interjections.]
Mr N F SHIVAMBU: House Chair, on a point of order.
The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Ms M G Boroto): Hon Mahlalela, take your
seat. On which Rule are you rising?
Mr N F SHIVAMBU: On a point of order in the rule book that you
have there
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The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Ms M G Boroto): Yes, which Rule?
Mr N F SHIVAMBU: You must know what the rule book number is; a
point of order is permissible in terms of the rules of this
House ...
The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Ms M G Boroto): No, no, no, I know that a
point of order appears in Rule 92 ... [Interjections.]
Mr N F SHIVAMBU: ... so why don’t you ... [Interjections.]
The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Ms M G BOROTO): I just want to know on
which Rule or whatever principle you want to talk on.
Mr N F SHIVAMBU: The principle is that ...
The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Ms M G BOROTO): Okay, thank you.
Mr N F SHIVAMBU: ... this member must not come here and mislead
the House and speak about never, never that the ANC ...
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The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Ms M G BOROTO): Okay, that is not a point
of order.
Mr N F SHIVAMBU: ... because after they killed people in
Marikana they said the same thing that you will not kill people
...
The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Ms M G BOROTO): Hon member, that is not a
point of order. Thank you very much.
Mr N F SHIVAMBU: ... you have killed people in Gauteng now and
that is your ... [Inaudible.] ...
The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Ms M G BOROTO): I am going to switch of
your mic.
Mr N F SHIVAMBU: ... the EFF is the only political party with
direction.
The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Ms M G BOROTO): I am going to switch of
your mic, that’s not a point of order.
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Mr N F SHIVAMBU: He must not speak confusion here.
The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Ms M G BOROTO): Continue, hon Mahlalela.
Mr A F MAHLALELA: Hon Chairperson, I am saying that it is very
unfortunate that some Mickey Mouse political parties ...
[Interjections.] ... have decided to use this opportunity and
use this tragic incident for political grandstanding instead of
addressing the issue that is currently bewildering the nation.
We therefore call upon all of us as hon members to truly respect
the wishes of the families and I would like to appeal to all of
you, just go and read the media statement that I quoted
substantively which was released today.
We are saying that there will be justice because the SA Police
Service is currently undergoing forensic investigation and once
they have completed, everybody that would have been found to
have violated the rights of those individuals must face the
might of the law and let justice be done. We can’t be judges
ourselves here. We do not have that responsibility. Let us be
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responsible and not behave like children. I thank you.
[Applause.]
The MINISTER OF HEALTH: House Chair, hon members, I want to take
off where hon Mahlalela has left. Our apologies to the families
are not informed by what we as politicians in this House think.
It is not a public relations exercise. That is why we do it when
we meet them – even in the absence of yourselves and the media.
We have already met these families many times.
We had a meeting with the on 5 February and we apologised and
discussed the matters. The statement they release today is
because on 5 January when we met them; they said we must appeal
to political parties and lawyers to stop harassing them and to
stop them making their pain a political football. [Applause.]
That is why there were calls for national days of prayers or
days of national mourning.
They stopped us and said that we should please don’t do it,
until they say so. They also said that we should only
concentrate on their pain because they are still in trouble, and
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they said that the moment we do all those things they we would
forget about them; and that we would then go and shine on the
stages; stadiums, halls and churches. They begged us in that
that must not happen.
On Saturday, last week when we met them, they again asked so,
and because we don’t seem to be stopping that is why they issued
a statement today, again stating that we should please stop this
thing and concentrate on them. Even for the lawyers who keep on
phoning them when the ombudsman has clearly outlined the legal
processes in this document. In this document, they also said the
must please stop.
I agree with the hon James that we need to hasten the
establishment of the national system of surveillance. I can
assure you that on Tuesday this week the National Ballistics
Intelligence Services, NPHISA appeal that you are talking about,
National Public Health Institute of South Africa has gone
through the Cabinet Committee. It is going to go to Cabinet next
week and it will pass through this House. And that surveillance
system will be in the country. [Applause.]
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The second thing I wish to advise you about, hon James is that
whether we change the manner in which the national and
provincial relate to each other and works, it is also one of the
recommendations that we must review the Mental Health Care Act
of 2002 and the National Health Act of 2003.
I have already selected a review panel and the matter will come
here. The parties will debate, and it will be debated like any
other Act. But firstly it is being reviewed. It is not just
going to be changed unilaterally because ombudsman said so. That
is why he did not say that the Minister must change. He is
ordering a review because during the course of the investigation
he has realised certain weaknesses in what is happening in the
Acts; both the Mental Health Care Act and the National Health
Act.
The EFF is claiming that we are not taking responsibility. We
are definitely taking responsibility. Recommendation 17 is clear
about how government must take responsibility and we have
already started. In recommendation 17 it says that the national
Minister of Health must lead and facilitate a process jointly
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with the Premier of the province to conduct all affected
individuals and families and enter into alternative dispute
resolution process. This recommendation is based on the lowtrust, anger-frustration and the loss of confidence in the
current leadership of the Gauteng department of health by many
stakeholders.
The national Department of Health must respond humanely and in
the best interest of the affected individuals, families,
relatives and the nation. The process must incorporate and
respect the diverse cultures and tradition of those concerned.
The response must include an unconditional apology to the
family’s relatives of the deceased and those patients who are
still alive.
So, this apology is also inside this recommendation. And it goes
on to say that the outcome of such a process should determine
the way forward, of such a mechanism to redraw and compensate.
It goes on to say a credible prominent South African with an
established track record should lead such a process. And this
weekend rather on Friday the Premier has just phoned to inform
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me that we are meeting with the families, section 27 and their
representatives to decide on who is this credible South Africa
who will carry this mission and the process.
I agree with the EFF that there were too many illegalities we
have never hidden them and there are definitely illegality in
what has happened and I quoted some of them when I was talking
in my speech. The manner in which the patients were moved had a
lot of illegalities; the manner in which the mental health
review board who should have signed off whether patients should
be moved or not – there are lots of illegalities. The manner in
which the licenses were issued, the manner in which the NGOs
took the patients there were lots of illegalities, we accept
that. And that is why the ombudsman here spoke about them and
what we need to do.
As for the NGOs, whether they must go to jail or not –
Chairperson, I have been the health sphere for 34 years now, and
I haven’t seen human beings acting this way. Even if they are
NGOs, we can’t accept the situation. Where an adult member of
the public goes to a well established institution with a license
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valid or invalid takes a human being whom they don’t even know
and have never met without records, without knowing the
diagnosis, without knowing the treatment take them and put them
into their house and try to take care of them and end up not
giving them food! You don’t need to go to any medical school for
that, it is just common sense. [Applause.] Only a person with
courage that is misplaced can do that! So, there is no way that
the NGOs can be left off. Any human being cannot be allowed to
do that!
The first thing is that you would be scared. Who is that person
in my house? What are they suffering from and where are their
relatives? What am I going to do with them in my house, because
mental health is a lifelong thing? It is not something that will
eventually go. It is not like taking somebody who you find
drowning and put them in your house to help them; you are going
to live with them for ever. So, they are going to have to
account. They can’t be left behind.
That is why there is going to be an inquest. And inquest is
headed by a magistrate. Each and every death is going to be
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accounted for. How it occurred, who should have done what? The
other thing is that even if he is a politician like myself or
the MEC writing a letter and say that they are terminating this
project as they did. Every patient who is admitted in an
institution is controlled by a doctor. You can’t leave an
institution until the doctor discharges you. If there is an
insistence from anybody that say you must be discharged then you
must sign a refuse hospital treatment, RHT, form. So, one of the
thing that we are investigating is whether indeed these patients
were discharged or they were stolen, which is now a legal
possibility in the manner in which they were taken.
The issue of whether the ANC is indifferent won’t be judged in
this House by politicians with agendas. The judgement of whether
we are indifferent or we are caring will come from the families
themselves as they meet with us. [Applause.] They are the only
ones who can make that judgement call.
I agree with Cope that they don’t deserve apology only but
actions and I have already shown you. Action is in this
document, that there might be criminal prosecution but it is not
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you who must decide who must be criminally prosecuted. It is the
NPA as you know, and it says here that all the investigation by
forensic investigators and other law enforcement agencies must
be given to NPA. It must decide who must be criminally liable
and who must be charged.
From the ACDP the process of institutionalisation, which you
thought it is imperative, is clearly outlined by both the World
Health Organisation and the national mental health policy
framework as strategic plan it is clearly outline line by line.
I can confirm to you as I am standing here that what the
officials in Gauteng department of health did was not the
institutionalisation. Even in the agreement documentation they
signed they never mentioned anything about what they eventually
did and that is why legal processes must be undertaken to see
what has happened
To the PAC, that there are many questions that are not answered;
no question will go unanswered. That is why there is going to be
an inquest. No question will be unanswered because it is clearly
written what we have to do.
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Finally, when the Minister of Finance stood up yesterday and
mentioned that a national health insurance fund will be
implemented he said something that is going to be litmus test to
this House. He said to establish this finances we are going to
review the tax credits. Tax credits that are going to the rich,
which amount to R20 billing to do this fund! You are receiving
those tax credits and if you put your money where your mouth is,
you will support that we do away with the tax credits for those
people who are on medical aid.
We will take that money and help poor patients including the
mentally ill patients then I will say you are talking; not what
you are doing here by shouting and all that. Thank you.
IsiZulu:
Nk R M M LESOMA: Sihlalo ngamphili weNdlu ehloniphekile,
oNgqongqoshe, amaSekela Ngqongqoshe, malungu ahloniphekile
aleNdlu, namalungu eNingizimu Afrika umuzi wonke uphelele,
sifisa ukunibingelela. Sizokuthula lombiko wethu wekomidi
lesikhashana [ad hoc committee] le-National Youth Development
Agency, NYDA lokuqokwa kwebhodi. [appointment of the board]
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Umbiko wethu uzoba ngalolu hlobo, sizokubeka inhlosongqangi
yalomzimba, izindlela esizihambile, izincomo namazwi okuvala
English:
Our democratic government established the National Youth
Development Agency, NYDA ... [Interjections.]
Mr N F SHIVAMBU: House Chair, on a point of order: Can we get
clarity quickly.
The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Ms M G Boroto): What is the point of
order hon member?
Mr N F SHIVAMBU: What are the time allocations for this process?
How long is she going to speak? And how long are other members
who are going to speak there because there is no Speaker’s List
provided for here? Can we get clarity on that please?
The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Ms M G Boroto): Okay, I will ...
[Inaudible.] here. Thank you very much. The member who is
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introducing the report is given 10 minutes and the parties are
allowed to make declarations. Thank you, continue.
IsiZulu:
Nk R M M LESOMA: Sihlalo ngaphambili waleNdlu ehloniphekile ...
Mr N F SHIVAMBU: House Chairperson, on a point of order: Which
Rule gives you that what you have just said now? Which Rule in
the Rule book? Which Rule?
The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Ms M G Boroto): I can not ... No, we
always have reports. That is how it works. ... [Interjections.]
Mr N F SHIVAMBU: With everything else that happens here operates
according to standard time and ... [Inaudible.] [Interjections.]
The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Ms M G Boroto): No, no. Okay, thank you.
Let me respond to you.
Mr N F SHIVAMBU: Yes, and can you give us then the Rules that
then ... [Interjections.] [Inaudible.]
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The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Ms M G Boroto): Let me respond to you.
Take your seat. Let me respond to you. Hon Shivambu, we always
have reports in the House and all the time we have reports, the
person who introduces the report is given the 10 minutes and
then we have declarations, proportionally so. And if you want to
make a declaration, you know your minutes according to the
Rules. Those are in the Rules, those ones of the ... they ... I
am assisted here, it says it is 166(3), check that one but we
have it here, we have the guide here. It tells us which party
has to speak for how many minutes. Thank you very much.
Ms R M M LESOMA: ... governed by the Act 54 of 2008.
IsiZulu:
Inhloso yakhona ukulekelela nokusiza abasha bethu balelizwe
ekuqinisekeni ukuthi bayalekelelwa ekukhuliseni
nasekuthuthukisweni amathalente abo nokuba babe ...
English:
... self financially sustainable and with appropriate
qualifications to support and contribute to the economy of our
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country as recently articulated last week by the hon, His
Excellency the President in his state of the nation address,
SONA, and the hon Minister in his Budget Speech yesterday. Our
democratic government, the NYDA, governed by Act 54, it tries
also to ensure that it does deliver on its predetermined
objectives which are outlined in the NYDA Act and its policy.
Not withstanding limited resources, it has been able to deliver
but also with the limited resources to reach out in the rural
areas in particular. The Act stipulates that the board consists
of seven members, two of whom are the executive directors and
would hold office for three years, in line with the Joint Rule
142 and an ad hoc committee was appointed by the both Houses to
appoint and guide the processes of the board members. The
committee went through a vigorous process to interpret the
legislation framework which is articulated in the Act to ensure
that all its deliberations are in line with parliamentary
requirements. In all its deliberations, the parliamentary legal
services were actively providing legal guidance.
[Interjections.]
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The committee received 487 applications, which we agreed and
with a developed agreed criteria to screen and shortlist the
candidates with capabilities and experience. Having deliberated
on the number of candidates to be shortlisted, the committee
resolved to shortlist 14 candidates. All members of political
parties present, I must repeat this one, hon members, all
political party’s members present during the short listing
meeting nominated their preferred, agreed criteria candidates to
be interviewed. Curriculum Vitae of all shortlisted candidates
were published in the parliamentary website for transparency
purposes. In line with section 10 of the NYDA Act of fit and
proper, all candidates were subjected to security vetting and
the outcome report was presented before the Joint Ad Hoc
Committee by the parliamentary legal services which was also
requested to provide legal opinion on the interpretation of
section 10 of the NYDA Act. Based on this, all shortlisted
candidates were eligible to be interviewed ...
Mr N F SHIVAMBU: House Chairperson, on a point of order: The
member who is speaking there says that the parliamentary legal
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services provided vetting of the members, yet ... [Inaudible.]
that was there ... [Interjections.]
The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Ms M G Boroto): Hon member, I think that
is a matter ... [Interjections.]
Mr N F SHIVAMBU: ... were written State Security Agency, SSA.
The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Ms M G Boroto): ... hon member that is
not a point of order.
Mr N F SHIVAMBU: But if you deliberately mislead the House, you
must deal with it now.
The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Ms M G Boroto): No, hon member that is a
political point and that is a point of debate.
Mr N F SHIVAMBU: It is not political point. If a person says
that the parliamentary legal office was involved when the State
Security Agency, SSA, was involved ... [Interjections.]
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The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Ms M G Boroto): Please take your seat or
I will switch off your microphone. That is not a point of order.
Mr N F SHIVAMBU: What is wrong with clarifying that?
[Interjections.]
The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Ms M G Boroto): Continue hon Lesoma. That
is not a point of order.
IsiZulu:
Nk R M M LESOMA: Njengoba ngike ngasho ekuqaleni ukuthi wumbiko
wekomidi elibekiwe elididiyelwe yiNdlu yesiShayamthetho
kaZwelonke [National Assembly] noMkhandlu Kazwelonke
Wezifundazwe. [National Council of Provinces] Amalungu
ezinhlangano ezazikhona, ezazingekho angikwazi ukuzikhulumela.
Ngicela ukuqhubeka.
English:
... And be recommended to the NYDA board, based on performance
during the interviews. On the 25th of January 2017, the
committee interviewed 13 candidates; one withdrew at the last
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minute. The committee resolved to recommend the following
candidates, which I present before on behalf of the ad hoc
committee for the House for recommendation to be adopted by the
House and be recommended to the hon President. The following
names; Mr Ndumiso Thokozani Mokako from Mpualanga, Mr Itiseng
Kenneth Morolong, North West Province, Mr Yershen Pillay from
KwaZulu-Natal / Gauteng, Mr Sifiso John Mtsweni, Western Cape
Province, Ms Zandile Majozi, Gauteng Province, Ms Bavelile
Gloria Hlongwa, KwaZulu-Natal, Ms Khomotjo Joy Maimela, Limpopo
Province.
I must say this on this part that why I am reading the provinces
also is that we have got seven board members and we got 9
provinces. The committee did also deal with the issue of
geographical spread. The committee further recommends that the
Department of Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation should after
consultation, with the new structures in the country, together
with the NYDA, simply propose amendments to the NYDA Act. The
process of amending the NYDA Act should consider changing the
Act to be a section 76 rather than a section 75 Bill.
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The committee further recommends to this parliament that through
its Joint Committee on Ethics and Members’ Interest to
investigate hon Cassim regarding his conduct during the meeting
of the 24th of January 2017 of posting tweets on his twitter
account while the committee was in session, where he attacked
the co-chairperson. I request on behalf of the joint ad hoc
committee that the House approves and recommends to the
President to approve the recommended names as stipulated. Thank
you. [Applause.]
The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Ms M G Boroto): I see there is a proposal
for declarations, the DA! [Applause.] Before you speak, I just
want to remind parties of their time. The ANC has seven, the DA
has five, the EFF has four, and all other parties have three.
Thank you. Continue, hon member.
Declarations of vote:
Mr Y CASSIM: Chairperson, I just want to say that we will never
be apologetic for speaking to the public. I know the ANC is not
a very transparent party and they will report members to the
Ethics Committee for reporting back to the public.
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The National Youth Development Agency, NYDA, remains exactly
what it has been created to be - an employment agency for the
elite within the ANC youth league and its alliance partners.
This is precisely why more than half of its budget is used not
for the development of the lost generation, but on
administration and employment costs.
The ANC loves bloated bureaucracy like the NYDA. They love them
because they gives them additional vehicles to do what this new
ANC holds as its argument mandate, which is to distribute
patronage. To do that you must make sure that your cadres are
deployed to be the abettors of this patronage.
That is why there are such fearce battles between ANC factions
to get their grubby paws on these positions. It’s not to rescue
the lost generation nor to care about the future of our youth,
it is for the express purpose of buying allergens with patronage
for the next elective conference. [Applause.] Cry the beloved
country, grieve the lost generation.
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Perfectly, according to script, it is exactly what has happened
with disappointment process. The time and money of Parliament
was wasted as the factional battles played out. The first ad hoc
committee, the one before this, rightly included the requirement
of a post-secondary qualification as criteria in order to be
shortlisted. But they did this not because they believe as we
believe that those on a board managing a budget of close to half
a billion rand should be skilled to do so, but rather with
express purpose to exclude a certain Kenny Morolong, who doesn’t
have a tertiary qualification.
Now, why would they be so desperate to exclude poor old Kenny?
They were afraid that Mr Zuma will appoint Kenny as the board’s
chair rather than Yershen Pillay, who is the young communist
league’s chairperson and Minister Blade Nzimande’s chosen son.
They were afraid that Mr Zuma will do this due to his lost
fondness for the communist league. This had to be corrected and
so the process which was flawed to begin with, was restarted,
now without the criteria of a tertiary education so that we can
include Kenny Morolong.
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So, the process was geared to their new mandate of who must be
on the board, never mind the 487 applicants, many of whom are
young and incredibly talented and qualified South Africans, who
they did not even give a second look at, but rather each member
of the committee was told that they must just shortlist and pick
one applicant. So, basically you sit there and you say who you
want. Each politician picks their politically connected
applicant. It is no wonder that the only two shortlisted
candidates without a political membership card were those
nominated by the DA.
Essentially, what they have told the lost generation through
this process is that just like you need to know an ANC ward
councillor to get an Expanded Public Works Programme, EPWP, job
or be moved up a housing list. To get ahead, you must have a
political sponsor here in Parliament rather than a
qualification.
Today, we are asked to consider these deployed cadres, all of
whom holds senior political office and two of whom have no
tertiary qualification. In fact, the most qualified shortlisted
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candidate, Siyaduma Biniza, with two bachelor degrees, an
honours degree and a master’s degree, was excluded because
according to hon Mkongi, he doesn’t go to rallies. Of the seven
politically sponsored candidates recommended today, four are ANC
youth league National Executive Committee, NEC, members, one a
former ANC youth league regional leader and one the chairperson
of the young communist league.
These recommendations are a slap in the face to the lost
generation of South Africa. It is an insult to the millions of
unemployed and hopeless young South Africans.
The DA believes that in a fair society ... [Interjections.]
Ms N R MOKOTO: Order, Chairperson. Order! Chairperson, is it
parliamentary for hon Cassim to call the youth of this country
the lost generation?
The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Ms M G Boroto): Let’s take that as a
point ...
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Ms N R MOKOTO: I think you must rule on that one. Thank you.
The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Ms M G Boroto): ... of debate. Continue
Mr Cassim.
Mr Y CASSIM: ... the DA believes in a fair society, where our
youth must be skilled, empowered and employed, based on their
talent and hard work and not on who they know and what
circumstances they are born into.
The DA will never support this report and calls upon other
parties to do the right thing and reject this blatant cadre
deployment. Thank you very much. [Applause.]
Mr N F SHIVAMBU: House Chair, no, look, the EFF withdrew from
the process of appointment because we did not want to legitimise
a patently illegal process, which the ad hoc committee was
engaging in. The member who spoke now illustrates a simple fact
that out of the seven, six are affiliated to the congress
movement youth formations, including the toy youth league, which
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has happened since the dissolution of the real youth league,
which we served then.
What is a context of this thing like? We want that to caution
the ad hoc committee that don’t make the mistake that we made
ourselves as the leadership of the youth league that time.
The 22nd national congress of the ANC youth league in Nasrec,
which elected the hon Mbalula, took a resolution on the
formation of the National Youth Development Agency, and then in
2006, we called the National Youth Convention, the YCL resolved
in its conference to endorse the process of formation of the
NYDA and then our leadership of the youth league started the
process legislatively in terms of conceptual foundation of how
the NYDA should look like.
We said at the time that we must collapse the Umsobomvu Youth
Fund and the National Youth Commission and all Provincial Youth
Commissions to constitute a structurally independent entity
called the NYDA that is going to cover the length and breadth of
South Africa, which is going to be organic, going to be
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efficient and effective, going to be responsive, and that is
going to have the flexibility to deal with all of those issues.
We said that, key amongst the programmes that the NYDA must look
into should be the national youth service and cohesion, economic
participation, youth advisory information set up and a National
Youth Fund.
We are talking today, that the NYDA, which we had conceptualised
did not happen. It was stillborn because it was not given the
necessary support. Actually, the functions that happened in the
Provincial Youth Commissions, PYCs, the National Youth
Commission, NYC, and Umsobomvu have been reduced in terms of
their impact as well in terms of the extent of work that they
could do because there is no proper focus on the NYDA.
We make the first mistake of deploying Andile lungisa as the
first chair with no clarity of what should happen, including in
the administration; we did the same thing of deploying political
connected individuals. When we noticed that this same process,
which we are engaging in now, is repeating the same mistake, we
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caution these comrades that don’t do that Mkongi, don’t do that
Philly, it’s going to lead to disaster. The NYDA will not be
saved from the mediocrity that it currently is. It doesn’t
provide any hope for the future.
Out of the 487 nominations which Parliament received, there were
very capable chartered accountants there. There were very
capable advocates and lawyers there, but because they are don’t
belonging to any of the sitting structures of the youth league
or the young communist league, they were not shortlisted. Young
capable people, who have gained practical governance experience
who would have given some life and credibility to the NYDA were
excluded on the face of partisanship of wanting to associate
with the parties that you belong to.
Outside of all these things of nonpartisanship, we must care
about the interest of young people. They must, ultimately, Mr
Manamela, be a NYF, an agency that is fully functional, an
agency which all of us in the youth movement when it was still
in existence had envisage, had said must be the instrument that
must drive about impact through youth development not the games
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that are playing now in terms of all the instances. As the EFF,
we vote against the names proposed because we do not want to
legitimise ...
The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Ms M G Boroto) Thank you hon Shivambu,
your time has expired.
Mr N F SHIVAMBU ... a partisan narrow process that has been
brought forward here by the ad hoc committee of the ANC. Thank
you very much. [Time expired.] [Applause.]
Xitsonga:
MUTSHAMAXITULU WA HUVO (Manana M G Boroto): Ha khensa, tatana.
IsiZulu:
Mr M HLENGWA: Sihlalo, ngiyathokoza ngokucosha ithuba, ...
English:
... hon Chair, one of the biggest challenges confronting young
people, is that their only hope in terms of representation in
the developmental agenda is the National Youth Development
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Agency, NYDA, and therefore, for as long as they exist it needs
the support of all of us to ensure that it delivers on its
mandate and it has been pointed out that it came from the ashes
and now they have received clean audit with at least the out
gone board.
One of the things is to say that at least the finances have been
sorted out, but we have persistently raised the matter of a
national footprint for the NYDA and for it to be able to be
readily available particularly in your rural areas, townships,
semi-urban areas where the most vulnerable of our youth are
found. And moving forward that needs to be the chief priority in
which the NYDA operates.
But, let’s go to the interviews, because from this podium, we
warned against a situation whereby we set the process up for
failure if we conduct it in a manner which doesn’t inspire
confidence and the committee had to redo its job and the ad hoc
committee was reconstituted.
IsiZulu:
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Sayiciciyela-ke impandla siqoqa silungisa.
English:
Whilst they don’t doubt the capacity of the seven people that
have been nominated, but we feel it was an injustice, because in
the interview process, one candidate, Andile Biyela, who
performed very well, much to the agreement of everybody in the
committee but because he shared the different view on the
interpretation of the National Development Plan, NDP, which was
in fact, one of the pettiest issues that ever came across, they
said, no, he doesn’t qualify. Now, that is when we begin setting
up ourselves for failure.
There is agreement that he did well, and he is well versed on
the issues, but simply because you don’t want to be challenged
in terms of the issues then you choose to be petty about it.
The other one is the one that has been cited by hon Cassim, who
is Mr Biniza. That as well, a qualified person who did well in
the interviews and then you close the door on that person. So, I
think those are the lessons which we need to draw, that let us
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conduct this interviews in a manner that is fair and in a manner
which, if people do well then they get appointed. To not do that
is an indictment to out own credibility and an indictment on the
processes which Parliament engage in and this cause all of us to
enter into a moment of reflection moving forward about how we
conduct these things. Thank you.
Mr S C MNCWABE: Chair, and hon members, 40 years ago, our youth
rallied and high school learners from all over Soweto decided to
march against Afrikaans as a medium of instruction. However, our
youth in South Africa are faced with a multitude of vastly
different social political and economic challenges today. Among
the challenges are the two most important issues that have to be
addressed in our view, is the twin social evils of unemployment
and drug use.
These two social evils are interrelated and have to be addressed
simultaneously and in tandem if our youth are to be given a
rightful chance. The unemployment rate of our youth currently
stand at 54,2%, which if compared to national rate of 25,6%
clearly shows that unemployment is disproportionately prevalent
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amongst the youth. Any society that condones such blatant
exclusion of its youth from the mainstream economy is bound to
heed for civil strives and social upheavals.
This trend is not only unacceptable, it is dangerous. South
Africa is sitting on a ticking time bomb of social discontent
and drastic intervention is required if we are to have a chance
of building a strong nation.
The NYDA has a very important function to ensure that
government, the private sector and civil society, all
contributes towards identifying and addressing youth development
challenges.
In the past the NYDA has been beset with problems, which
prevented it from executing its core mandate, but we have seen
an improvement of late. The new board members will have to
continue with this upward trend in performance, making sure they
continue to attain clean audits. Most importantly however, the
new board members should give firm direction and tackle the twin
evils of youth unemployment and drug abuse with determination
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and ensure that they are more visible in our townships and rural
areas where they can and must make a huge contribution. Thank
you.
Mr S M JAFTA: Chair, let me say it from the start that the AIC
can’t support the names of the seven candidates recommended to
the board of the NYDA. That is because a high risk associated
with biasness, inequality and unfair treatment of candidates
exists in the whole process of recruitment and selection.
The seven recommended candidates were not selected from the best
suitable applicants, but from those who were so lucky enough to
be nominated for interviews. I am saying that, because after
attracting a pool of more than 480 applicants, the ad hoc
committee failed to come up with a clear criterion for short
listing. Remember, short listing is to exclude as many
unsuitable candidates as possible and move forward those
considered to be suitable, not to nominate those you want.
We feel as the AIC, all the candidates should have been given
equal opportunity; therefore, the ad hoc committee should have
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screened and scrutinised each and every application and
curriculum vitae, CVs, as collective and find the reasons to
eliminate or move forward each candidate. As the situation
stands, not one reason can be given by this committee for all
those candidates who were not shortlisted for the interviews.
The reason being that members were given CVs to peruse as
individuals and then come to the meeting to nominate and
motivate the names they want.
The committee should have found a criterion to select the best
candidate to be interviewed, while on the one hand eliminating
those found unsuitable.
It normally takes a smaller institution the whole day to short
list and come up with the best candidates to be interviewed from
a pool of at least 40 applicants. In our case, at this level, it
took hardly two hours to get 14 candidates out of more than 480
applications. One can see what was really happening. The AIC,
therefore has no reason to support all the recommended seven
names. I thank you.
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Mr B M MKONGI: Chairperson, the fact is that hon Shivambu ran away.
The issue here is that ... [Interjections.]
Mr N F SHIVAMBU: On a point of order.
Mr B M MKONGI: ... the Act is clear.
Mr N F SHIVAMBU: On a point of order.
The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Ms M G Boroto): Hon Mkongi, please sit. Hon
Shivambu, what is your point of order?
Mr N F SHIVAMBU: Chairperson ... [Interjections.]
The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Ms M G Boroto): What is the point of order?
Mr N F SHIVAMBU: ... in terms of the processes of this Parliament,
when we realise as parties that this is an illegal person ...
[Interjections.]
The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Ms M G Boroto): Oh! Honourable, that is not a
point of order.
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Mr N F SHIVAMBU: You can work out, that is what we are saying there.
So, the alcohol ... [Interjections.]
The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Ms M G Boroto): I am going to switch off your
mic again.
Mr N F SHIVAMBU: ... of Mkongi must not make him to come and lie here.
Don’t bring your alcohol problems here, chief, please.
The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Ms M G Boroto): Let us separate a point of
debate from a point of order, please; we are asking you. Not
everything that is being said here is palatable to all of us. So, let
us just listen and follow the process. Continue, hon member.
Mr B M MKONGI: Chairperson, the Act of the NYDA is clear; it does not
speak about qualifications; it does not speak about age. If you want
to change it come to Parliament and propose an amendment to that Act.
You cannot smuggle your friend through a particular process; it is
wrong and illegal. The matter of Cassim talking about issues ...
[Interjections.]
The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Ms M G Boroto): Hon member, please ...
[Interjections.]
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Mr B M MKONGI: Hon Cassim, yes, ... [Interjections.]
The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Ms M G Boroto): Yes, let’s respect one another,
please.
Mr B M MKONGI: ... speaking about patronage.
The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Ms M G Boroto): Please take your seat. Is that
a point order, hon member?
Mr C H H HUNSINGER: It is a point of order, House Chairperson.
The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Ms M G Boroto): What is the point of order, hon
member?
Mr C H H HUNSINGER: As the member well knows, we do not refer to other
hon members by their surnames.
The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Ms M G Boroto): I have already ...
Mr C H H HUNSINGER: Thank you, Chair.
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Mr B M MKONGI: Hon Cassim is a real product of political patronage and
ideological dwarfism; he is here in this Parliament because of the
patronage of the white supremacy. So he cannot come here and say our
young people are patronage by the ANC. He knows that well. The issue
of transparency: The nomination of candidates was done by the people
of South Africa. The Members of Parliament had short listed and then
the committee of Parliament nominated.
The ANC therefore supports this nomination and call on the President
to appoint those people. These people have a history in the struggle
for youth development in this country. They have been in the battle
trenches to make sure that there is youth policy in this country. They
were there when we drafted this policy. You come here and lie.
The idea of youth development agency did not come with you here. It
was conceived ... [Interjections.]
Mr N F SHIVAMBU: On a point of order. [Interjections.]
The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Ms M G Boroto): Hon Mkongi, take your seat.
Yes, hon member.
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Mr N F SHIVAMBU: We said we have noted his alcohol problems, but he
can’t say people are lying in the House here.
The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Ms M G Boroto): I can’t hear?
Mr N F SHIVAMBU: He said people are lying. He said I am lying.
The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Ms M G Boroto): Oh! [Interjections.]
Mr N F SHIVAMBU: And it not allowed. We know his alcohol addiction,
... [Interjections.]
The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Ms M G Boroto): Oh, no, I heard your point.
[Interjections.]
Mr N F SHIVAMBU: ... but he must not illustrate it here.
[Interjections.]
The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Ms M G Boroto): Okay. Now that is a debate.
[Interjections.]
Mr N F SHIVAMBU: We know that Mkongi we have to finance you everyday
for your alcohol problem. [Interjections.]
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The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Ms M G Boroto): Let me rule on the matter, hon
member. [Interjections.]
Mr N F SHIVAMBU: Don’t come and talk about it here because ...
[Interjections.]
The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Ms M G Boroto): Let me rule on the matter. I am
going to switch off your mic. [Interjections.]
Mr N F SHIVAMBU: ... we will reveal your secret of going around
borrowing money for alcohol purposes.
The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Ms M G Boroto): Hon Mkongi ...
Mr B M MKONGI: Honourable.
The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Ms M G Boroto): It is unparliamentary to say
any member of this House is lying. Could you please withdraw that?
Mr B M MKONGI: I withdraw, yes, Chairperson ... [Interjections.]
The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Ms M G Boroto): Thank you. Thank you.
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Mr B M MKONGI: They must never come here again and say other people
are lying. [Interjections.]
Mr P J MNGUNI: Order, House Chair.
Mr B M MKONGI: Because they do not have skills of debating ...
The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Ms M G Boroto): Hon Mkongi, please take your
seat. Yes, what is the point of order, hon member?
Mr P J MNGUNI: House Chair, we welcome your ruling on the matter, but
... [Interjections.]
The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Ms M G Boroto): What is your point of order,
hon ... [Interjections.]
Mr P J MNGUNI: The mic, House Chair, the sound.
The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Ms M G Boroto): No, it is on.
Mr P J MNGUNI: Thank you. The sound system ...
The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Ms M G Boroto): It’s on.
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Mr P J MNGUNI: It wasn’t, House Chair. I can assure.
The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Ms M G Boroto): Okay, I apologise for that.
Mr P J MNGUNI: Thank you. In deciding about the matter, however, the
appeal from the EFF, hon Shivambu, imbued on the dignity of hon
Mkhongi by making all the inferences to alcohol and all those other
things. Those are unparliamentary; he must withdraw. Thank you.
The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Ms M G Boroto): Unfortunately there was a lot
of noise. Can I look into the Hansard with regard to what you have
just said and come back to that? Continue, hon Mkongi.
Mr B M MKONGI: Thank you, Chairperson, by the way personal attacks do
not deter me, do not demoralise me. The previous board cleansed out
the mess done by hon Shivambu and his friends when he was in the youth
league. The chawed a lot of money of the NYDA and they think that this
NYDA is going to do the very same mess they have done previously.
[Interjections.]
Mr N F SHIVAMBU: On a point of order, Chairperson.
Mr B M MKONGI: So, this is not what has happened before.
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The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Ms M G Boroto): Hon Mkongi, please take your
seat.
Mr N F SHIVAMBU: On a point of order ... [Interjections.]
The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Ms M G Boroto): On a point of order, hon
member. What is your point of ... ?
Mr N F SHIVAMBU: The issue is that despite ... [Interjections.]
The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Ms M G Boroto): Hon member ... [Interjections.]
Mr N F SHIVAMBU: ... I am going to be brief. [Interjections.]
The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Ms M G Boroto): No, I do not want any debate.
Can you come with you point of order?
Mr N F SHIVAMBU: The rule says that if you want raise an issue against
a member, an allegation like he is saying - I have never worked in the
NYDA – you can only do that through a substantive motion.
The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Ms M G Boroto): Thank you.
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Mr N F SHIVAMBU: So, you must tell him to withdraw.
The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Ms M G Boroto): Thank you.
Mr N F SHIVAMBU: We know the problem of going around borrowing money
from people to buy alcohol. [Interjections.]
The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Ms M G Boroto): Hon member, I think it is
taken. Thank you very much. [Interjections.]
Mr N F SHIVAMBU: Do not expose yourself here, Mkhongi, please.
The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Ms M G Boroto): Continue, hon Mkongi.
Mr B M MKONGI: Thank you very much, Chairperson. Therefore the
leadership that we have, hon Shivambu, for the NYDA is the leadership
that is capable and that have a history in the battle for youth
development in this country.
Mr M KHAWULA: Order, order, Chair.
The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Ms M G Boroto): What is the point of order, hon
Khawula, and under which rule?
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Mr M KHAWULA: Chair, the point of order is under Rule 92.
The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Ms M G Boroto): Yes, Rule 92, but what is the
point of order?
Mr M KHAWULA: The point of order is: The Rules of this House provide
that one must bring a substantive motion, and in the absence of that
he must withdraw the statement. Because he is saying that hon Shivambu
chawed money from the NYDA, and hon Shivambu has just recorded that he
has never worked for NYDA. Please rule, hon Chair. He is misleading
the House.
The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Ms M G Boroto): No, if he said that I am going
to ask ... Hon Mkongi, can you stand? Did you say that hon Shivambu
chawed the money?
Mr B M MKONGI: No, I did not say that. [Interjections.] I said the
allegations. [Interjections.]
IsiZulu:
Nks S M KHAWULA: Sihlalo! Sihlalo! Sihlalo!
English:
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The CHAIRPERSON (Ms M G Boroto): No, no, no.
Mr B M MKONGI: I said the allegations.
IsiZulu:
Nks S M KHAWULA: Sihlalo!
English:
The CHAIRPERSON (Ms M G Boroto): Hon member ... [Interjections.]
IsiZulu:
Nks S M KHAWULA: Sihlalo!
The CHAIRPERSON (Ms M G Boroto): ... please take your seat. I must
finish my ruling and I will recognise you when I am done.
Ms S M KHAWULA: Okay.
The CHAIRPERSON (Ms M G Boroto): And then if you still feel you want
to raise a point of order, you can do that. Hon Mkongi, since you say
that you have not said that, we have got recordings on Hansard, we
will look into that also. Thank you.
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Mr N F SHIVAMBU: House Chair.
The CHAIRPERSON (Ms M G Boroto): No, there is honourable, unless he is
giving it. Is the hand still up? Oh.
Mr N F SHIVAMBU: House Chair ... [Interjections.]
The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Ms M G Boroto): Hon member.
Mr N F SHIVAMBU: You must make the mister who is talking there aware
that if you deliberate ... [Inaudible.]
The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Ms M G Boroto): No, no, that is not a point of
order, hon member.
Mr N F SHIVAMBU: ... is a chargeable offense. We are going to charge
you. [Interjections.]
The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Ms M G Boroto): No, no, that is not a point of
order. Please sit down or I switch off your mic. [Interjections.]
Mr N F SHIVAMBU: [Inaudible.]
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The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Ms M G Boroto): Thank you.
Mr N F SHIVAMBU: I think my reference to alcohol is correct because he
says something ... [Inaudible.]
The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Ms M G Boroto): Continue, hon Mkongi, that is
not a point of order.
Mr B M MKONGI: Thank you, hon Chairperson.
The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Ms M G Boroto): I think your point of order was
taken, Ma Khawula. Is that on a different matter?
Ms S M KHAWULA: Ja.
IsiZulu:
USIHLALO WENDLU (Nk M G Boroto): Ithi ngikhulume ngoba ngenye indaba
leyo.
Nk S M KHAWULA: Yebo.
USIHLALO WENDLU (Nk M G Boroto): Ngiyabonga mama, asizwe ke.
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Nk S M KHAWULA: Ngiyabonga Sihlalo, awuthi kulabantu bathule.
USIHLALO WENDLU (Nk M G Boroto): Uthini?
Nk S M KHAWULA: Awuthi abathule.
USIHLALO WENDLU (Nk M G Boroto): Cha mama!
Nk S M KHAWULA: Lalela-ke uyabona le lungu lakho elihloniphekile
elihleli lapho likushilo lokhu.[Ubuwelewele.] Kusho ukuthi amanga
avumelekile. Akaxolise.
English:
Ms S M KHAWULA: You must withdraw now, not tomorrow.
The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Ms M G Boroto): Thank, ma’m. I have already
ruled on that matter, please. Thank you very much, take you seat.
Ms S M KHAWULA: Now!
The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Ms M G Boroto): Take you seat.
IsiNdebele:
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Sengirulile. Ngithini?
English:
The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Ms M G Boroto): Continue, hon Mkongi, please.
Mr B M MKONGI: Thank you.
The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Ms M G Boroto): Order, hon members.
Mr B M MKONGI: Thank you, hon Chairperson. [Interjections.]
The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Ms M G Boroto): Can we please use the
appropriate language in the House. Continue, hon Mkongi.
Mr B M MKONGI: Ah, no, I am aware that the EFF took a month to caucus
on how to deal with Bongi. That is why they behave like this. They
took an entire month to plan about me.
Mrs N V MENTE: Order, Chair.
Mr B M MKONGI: So, Chairperson, the issue that I want to raise here is
one ... [Interjections.]
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The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Ms M G Boroto): There is an order on the floor,
can you please sit. Hon member, what is your point of order? Which
rule?
Mrs N V MENTE: Rule 92. Chair ... [Interjections.]
The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Ms M G Boroto): No, members. Okay, today I will
leave it but I will tell you why.
Mrs N V MENTE: As the EFF we have a lot in our hands; we do not sit
around and discuss nonentities.
The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Ms M G Boroto): Thank you.
Mrs N V MENTE: He is a nonentity, nobody knows him.
The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Ms M G Boroto): I think what are saying is a
political point and not a point of order. Continue, hon Mkongi.
Mr B M MKONGI: I like the concept of nonentity. [Laughter.] The issue
here is that the DA is crying fowl here today ... [Interjections.]
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The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Ms M G Boroto): Order! Hon members ... Order!
Order! Order, hon Mkongi, sit down please!
IsiZulu:
Nk S M KHAWULA: Uxolo, uxolo.
English:
The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Ms M G Boroto): No, I am talking now please.
Hon members, there will be things that are said that I cannot here.
And I do not like this thing of always postponing rulings because I
could not hear. Please allow the speakers to speak. Sit, hon Mkhongi.
Hon Mama Khawula, what is you point of order?
IsiZulu:
Nk S M KHAWULA: Ngiyabonga Sihlala, bengothi mina ake lo mfana
ongaphambili ...[Ubuwelewele.]
USIHLALO WENDU (Nk M G Boroto): Lungu elihloniphekeile mam’uKhawula.
Nk S M KHAWULA: Ilungu elihloniphekile -ke leli elingaphambili
akacabange ukuthi njengoba kula abantu bafuna ukuzwa ukuthi i-NYDA
ithini. Hhayi le nto yokuthi azongibela ... [Akuzwakali.]
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IsiNdebele
USIHLALO WENDLU (Nkz M G Boroto): Ngiyawuvala u-mic, akusilo iphuzo
lokulungisa lelo.[point of order.]
IsiZulu:
Uyadelela lo mfana.
IsiXhosa:
Mnu B M MKONGI: Mama uKhawula, umsebenzi wam endiwenzayo ngoku apha
kukutshayelela.
English:
Mr B M MKONGI: The DA is crying fowl here. They said our youth is a
lost generation. They want to hang on the structure of the lost
generation. You want to hang there and your people who are lost have
lost out in the NYDA. So, we in the ANC take this opportunity today to
accept that the President must announce the appointment of this NYDA
boy. Thank you very much. [Applause.]
USIHLALO WENDLU (Nkz M G Boroto): Sithokoze, baba.
There was no debate.
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Declarations of vote made on behalf of the Democratic Alliance,
Economic Freedom Fighters, Inkatha Freedom Party, National Freedom
Party, African Independent Congress and African National Congress.
Question put: That the following candidates be recommended for
appointment to the National Youth Development Agency Board:
Mr Ndumiso Thokozani Mokako;
Mr Itiseng Kenneth Morolong;
Mr Yershen Pillay;
Mr Sifiso John Mtsweni;
Ms Zandile Majozi;
Ms Bavelile Gloria Hlongwa; and
Ms Khomotjo Joy Maimela.
Division demanded.
House divided.
[TAKE IN FROM MINUTES]
Question agreed to.
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Mr Ndumiso Thokozani Mokako, Mr Itiseng Kenneth Morolong, Mr Yershen
Pillay, Mr Sifiso John Mtsweni, Ms Zandile Majozi, Ms Bavelile Gloria
Hlongwa and Ms Khomotjo Joy Maimela accordingly recommended for
appointment.
The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Ms M G Boroto): Yes, madam.
Ms M V MENTE: Chairperson, on a point of order. We cannot vote
the wrong into a right ... [Interjections.]
The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Ms M G Boroto): What is that? Is that ...
[Interjections.]
Ms M V MENTE Therefore, this is just reactionary. You have
flushed our votes and it’s all wrong.
The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Ms M G Boroto): Phonetics my sister.
[Laughter.] Eh, let’s continue. We now come to the motions
without notice. Does any member of the ANC wish to give a motion
without notice?
Motions without notice
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The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Ms M G Boroto): There is too much
movement. Can you please take your seats and allow those people
who want to move to do so. Please take your seat for a while.
There is too much movement. I’m just waiting for the people to
move so that we are settled. Thank you, continue hon member.
COLLISION OF TRAINS AT THE ROSSLYN RAILWAY STATION, NORTH OF
PRETORIA
(Draft Resolution)
Ms N R MOKOTO: I move without notice:
That the House —
(1)
notes with shock the unfortunate accident of two trains
collided at the Rosslyn railway station, north of
Pretoria, on Monday, 20 February 2017;
(2)
further notes that more than 100 passengers were
injured;
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(3)
understands that the trains were believed to be
travelling in opposite directions but were on the same
track when the accident happened;
(4)
recognises the effect, difficulties and disruption of
commuters are going to experience due to train
suspensions in the affected train route;
(5)
believes that the provision of reliable and safe public
transport is a requirement standard for public
transport service providers;
(6)
welcomes the proposed investigation to ascertain the
cause of the accident and to improve the train service
to better standards; and
(7)
wishes those injured passengers a speedy recovery.
Agreed to.
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MORE THAN 17 000 FIRES HAVE BEEN RECORDED THIS YEAR
(Draft Resolution)
Mr T R MAJOLA: Chairperson I move without notice:
That the House —
(1)
notes that during this year’s fire season in the Western
Cape, residents were hard hit by runaway fires across the
province;
(2)
further notes that so far during this season alone, more
than 17000 fires have been recorded, 5000 more than last
year;
(3)
understands that there have been reports of fires being
set deliberately by ill-intentioned people;
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(4)
recognises that authorities are investigating these cases
and that anyone found guilty of these crimes must face
the full might of the law;
(5)
acknowledges that on the bright side, 97% of fires in the
province are brought under control within one hour of
being reported;
(6)
further acknowledges that this is due to the excellent
work and rapid response of the firefighters and
volunteers of fire stations and nonprofit organisations
operating in the province; and
(7)
expresses its profound appreciation to Working on Fire,
the Volunteer Wildfire Services and the firefighters of
the municipal fire brigades that have been dedicated to
keeping residents and properties safe.
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The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Ms M G Boroto): I allowed him to finish
because I think we shouldn’t remind one another of the one
minute. Thank you.
Agreed to.
UNEMPLOYED GRADUATES TOOK TO THE STREETS IN THE EASTERN CAPE
(Draft Resolution)
Mr T RAWULA: Chairperson, I move without notice:
That the House —
(1)
notes that the proven wild silent protest by unemployed
graduates in the Eastern Cape who after years of
frustration due to unemployment decided to go to the
streets to show the whole world of their frustration;
(2)
further notes that young people aged between 15 to 34
years are the most vulnerable in the labour market with
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unemployment rate of 37,1% which is 10,1% age point above
the national average;
(3)
acknowledges that as a nation we have not done as well as
we should have to advance the interest of young people to
industrialise our economy to ensure that no trained young
person stays without a job;
(4)
further acknowledges that the struggle that unemployed
graduates are going through having to sell sweets on the
streets while holding their higher qualifications such as
masters degree;
(5)
calls on the public protector to hold hands in attempt to
root out corruption unemployment in the country, promote
industrialisation and to be constantly aware of the kind
of learning that universities provide to ensure that
there is no gap between what industry wants and what
universities can offer;
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(6)
send our deepest appreciation to the thousands of brave
young people who took to the streets yesterday assuring
them that the struggle will not be in vain.
The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Ms M G Boroto): Thank you. The
Chairperson has also been reminded of the mistake that you made.
We are on motions without notice and the question must be put. I
apologise, I just want us to go back to the motion of the ANC.
Are there any objections?
Mr P J MNGUNI: The one that has just been read is not that one?
The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Ms M G Boroto): No. I’m still coming
there.
Mr P J MNGUNI: We object, House Chair.
The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Ms M G Boroto): No, it’s not me who must
tell people to ... [Interjections.]
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Ms E N LOUW: Chairperson, on a point of order, it’s just very
sad that the ANC will object to a motion of graduates in need
for jobs. It’s shameful and you should be ashamed of yourself.
The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Ms M G Boroto): Hon member, that is not a
point of order. I will switch off your mike. Everybody can
object, you have got a write to do that.
Agreed to.
TRAGIC CAR-BOMB BLAST AT A MARKET IN MOGADISHU
(Draft Resolution)
Mr P J MNGUNI: House Chairperson, I move without notice:
That the House —
(1)
the ANC moves without notice that notes with great shock
that 30 people were killed in a car-bomb blast at a
market on Sunday, 19 February 2017, in Mogadishu;
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(2)
further notes that more than 50 people were injured, some
critically;
(3)
recognises that those injured were mostly traders and
customers at the market and amongst the dead people
include soldiers;
(4)
deplores the acts of terrorism or massacre of the
innocent and unarmed civilians for selfish sectarian
interest;
(5)
believes that parties or organisations should rather use
the space and opportunities to contest their views in a
free and fair democratic elections;
(6)
conveys its condolences to the Government of Somalia and
Somalians at large; and
(7)
wishes those people who are injured a speedy recovery.
Agreed to.
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CONDOLENCES TO FAMILIES OF SIX SANDF MEMBERS WHO DIED AT THE
DURBAN HARBOUR
(Draft Resolution)
Mr M HLENGWA: House Chairperson, I move without notice:
That the House –
(1)
extends its deepest condolences for the deaths of six
people at a military facility at the Durban harbour;
(2)
further notes that three of the deceased are South
African National Defence Force, SANDF, members who died
in their attempt to rescue the other three deceased who
were Public Works employees;
(3)
acknowledges that all six were overcome by gas fumes that
are reported to have resulted from a leak in the sewer
pit, where the three employees had been working;
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(4)
further acknowledges that several other patients
were
also found at the scene with minor injuries and were
treated on the scene and later transported to various
hospitals for further medical management; and
(5)
calls for more effort to be put in the investigations
to uncover the cause of the leak and for preventative
measures to be put in place to prevent more such
incidences from occurring in the future.
Agreed to.
8000 SACHETS OF “NYAOPE” SEIZED BY INTELLIGENCE UNIT IN BELABELA
(Draft Resolution)
Mr S C MNCWABE: Chairperson, I move without notice:
That the House —
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(1) notes that the Crime Intelligence Unit in Bela-Bela seized
8 000 sachets of Nyaope with an estimated value of R 40 000
during a sting operation on Sunday, 19 February 2017;
(2) further notes that a 42-year-old man, believed to be the
main supplier of Nyaope to the drug dealers in and around
the Bela-Bela and Polokwane areas, was arrested and
charged with possession of drugs;
(3) acknowledges that drug abuse is rising in South Africa and
that regional drug trafficking is on the increase with the
United Nations recognising South Africa as the regional
hub for drug trafficking, and for being the largest
transit zone for illicit drugs in Southern Africa;
(4) congratulates the South African Police Service (SAPS), and
in particular the Crime Intelligence Unit in Bela-Bela for
their sterling performance in the fight against drug
trafficking and abuse; and
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(5) encourage all members of the SAPS and other law
enforcement agencies to intensify their efforts in
fighting the scourge of drug trafficking and abuse which
is creating havoc amongst our vulnerable children and
young people, not only in South Africa, but in the entire
southern African region.
Agreed to.
SWEARING IN OF NEW GAMBIAN PRESIDENT, ADAMA BARROW
(Draft Resolution)
Ms N R MOKOTO: Chairperson, the ANC moves without notice:
That the House —
(1) notes with enthusiasm the swearing in of the new Gambian
President Adama Barrow, in his home country at
Independence Stadium in Bakau, west of the capital
Banjul, on Saturday, 18 February 2017;
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(2) further notes that his inauguration took place a month
after he was sworn in across the border in the
neighbouring country, Senegal, during a tense power
struggle;
(3) recognise that the event was attended by several African
heads of state as well as high-ranking diplomats, with
the guest of honour being the Senegalese President Macky
Sall;
(4) recalls that 18 February is also the anniversary of the
Gambia’s independence from Britain;
(5) believes and hopes that the swearing in of President
Adama Barrow will mark the rebirth of democracy, the
rule of law and prosperity for the Gambian nation; and
(6) wishes President Adama Barrow a success in his new
office.
Agreed to.
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WOMAN DIES IN A PHELOPHEPHA HEALTH TRAIN
(Draft Resolution)
Mr S L N KWANKWA: Chairperson, I move without notice:
That the House —
(1) notes that on Tuesday, at approximately 9AM, an elderly
woman in her 60s died in a queue in a health train,
Phelophepa;
(2) further notes that at the time of her death, she was
queuing with hundreds of other patients waiting to
access basic healthcare;
(3) notes with concern that she one of many people around
the country, over the past few years died while waiting
in long queues to access basic healthcare;
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(4) calls on the Department of Health to work harder to
improve basic healthcare for the poor and vulnerable;
(5) conveys its condolences to the family and friends of the
affected people
Agreed to.
MIRRIAM MAKAMU NAMED BUSINESS WOMAN OF THE YEAR
(Draft Resolution)
Ms T STANDER: House Chairperson, I move without notice:
That the House —
(1) notes that Mirriam Makamu was named Business Woman of
the Year at the annual Clover Mama Afrika award
ceremony;
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(2) also notes that Mirriam Makamu opened a small bakery in
Tembisa in 2008, which today employs over 48 community
members;
(3) further notes that she was nominated for her ability to
continuously find new ways to increase sales and has
increased them by 63% in just one year;
(4) acknowledges that the Clover Mama Afrika initiative is
Clover’s flagship corporate social investment project;
(5) also acknowledges that over the past 13 years, the
project has appointed 43 Mamas across South Africa
collectively caring for 15 500 children and 2 500
elderly;
(6) congratulates Mama Makamu on being chosen as this year’s
Mama Afrika Business Woman of the Year; and
(7) wishes her well in her future endeavours.
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Agreed to.
AFROPHOBIC VIOLENCE IN GAUTENG
(Draft Resolution)
Mr M N PAULSEN: House Chair, I move without notice:
That the House—
(1) notes the rising tensions between South Africans and
other African nationals in Gauteng, precipitated by
perceptions, real or imagined, of foreign national
involvement in the spate of crimes and drug use
bedevilling our country;
(2) further notes that this is not the first time our
country has been held ransom by these despicable acts of
violence against our African brothers and sisters;
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(3) acknowledges that as a country, we may not have done
enough and not have learnt enough from previous
experiences to ensure that we deal decisively with
violence against our own kith and kin from the rest of
the African continent;
(4) further acknowledges that Africa is one, from Cape to
Cairo, Morocco to Madagascar, and we should not, under
any circumstances, seek to entrench in our minds and in
our actions the divisions brought by our colonial past
which are essentially inimical to our development as a
continent;
(5) encourages all political parties, government
departments, municipalities, churches and other civil
society organisations to use their proximity to the
people to educate them about the need for brotherly and
sisterly love between ourselves and our African brothers
and sisters; and
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(6) further encourages all levels of government to think
more clearly about how we can prevent this afrophobic
violence from flaring up again.
Agreed to.
THE PASSING OF LEGENDARY MUSICIAN, MR AL JARREU
(Draft Resolution)
Mr P J MNGUNI: House Chair, the ANC moves without notice:
That the House —
(1) notes with sadness the passing of Mr Al Jarreu,
legendary jazz and R&B singer and seven-time Grammy
Award winner, on Sunday, 12 February 2017, at the age
76;
(2) recalls that he embarked on a musical journey in the
1960s, releasing an album in 1965, and his major big
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break through in the music industry when he was signed
by Warner Records and released an album, “We Got By” in
1975, which brought him national status and attention;
(3) believes that his music crossed barriers and was loved
by a range of different audiences;
(4) further believes that his music will continue to inspire
us for generations to come; and
(5) conveys its condolences to his wife Susan, his family
and his legends of fans.
Agreed to.
Mr T RAWULA: House Chair, we don’t object to [imiphanga.]
bereavements. Thanks.
The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Ms M G Boroto): I couldn’t hear you, but
anyway, whatever you said, it is fine.
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SOUTH AFRICAN AIRWAYS – A NATIONAL LIABILITY
(Draft Resolution)
Mr L M NTSHAYISA: House Chair, I move without notice:
That this House —
(1) notes that South Africa Airway, which is in a coma
inducing state and has become a national liability;
(2) also notes that this state owned entity has become a
shadow of its former self and a burden to the state;
(3) further notes that the SAA has been ordered by the South
Gauteng High Court to pay Comair a whipping
R554 million, after it had engaged in an anticompetitive
conduct for a period not less than 14 years;
(4) acknowledges that the National Treasury bailout of
R5 billion to SAA in the previous year demonstrated the
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extent to which this airline has tilted towards a debt
spiral;
(5) also acknowledges that flocking a dead horse is an
exercise in futility; and
(6) encourages the government to have proper management and
oversight over SAA in order to produce maximum outputs
and become efficient and productive.
SIX PEOPLE DIED AT A MILITARY FACILITY AT THE DURBAN HARBOUR
(Draft Resolution)
Ms N R MOKOTO: House Chair, I move without notice:
That the House —
(1) notes with sadness the passing of three members of the
SANDF and three public works employees after inhaling
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toxic gas fumes inside a sewer pit at a military
facility in Durban harbour on Friday, 17 February 2017;
(2) also notes that more people were taken to hospital after
inhaling the dangerous fumes;
(3) regrets the unfortunate accidents that have taken lives
of our fellow South Africans;
(4) supports the purported investigations to determine how
the six people died and where the dangerous came from so
as to avoid similar occurrence;
(5) conveys its condolences to the families of the deceased
and wish those whe are injured a speedy recovery;
The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Ms M G Boroto): Are there any objections?
Ms E N LOUW: Hon House Chair, I do not wan to object to it but I
just want to check with you because that was the motion that hon
Hlengwa read. We object to the laziness of the ANC for not doing
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their work because that motion hon Hlengwa has read already.
[Interjections.]
The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (MS M G BOROTO): Thank you very much,
thank you. So, are you objecting to this or...?
Ms E N LOUW: It has already been read hence in that we object to
it because it has already been read by Hlengwa. So they must get
something else from the ... [Interjections.]
The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Ms M G Boroto): Okay, let me be advised
on what happens if a motion has been read.
I am informed that if a motion has been read before then it is
overriding this one. No problem, we continue and I am not going
to put a question. Hon Paulsen, what is your point? Why are you
raising your hand?
Mr M N PAULSEN: It is not a question House Chairperson, but if
they are not asleep on ... [Inaudible.][Interjections.]
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The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Ms M G Boroto): No, no no! That is not a
point of order. I am switching off your mic.
Mr M N PAULSEN: ... but they are fast asleep, they are sleeping
here, they are statues.
The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Ms M G Boroto): No, sit down. I am not
putting a question, I continue.
DISRUPTION OF LEARNING BY SADTU MEMBERS IN MPUMALANGA
(Draft Resolution)
Mrs H S BOSHOFF: Chairperson, I move without notice:
That the House –
(1)
notes with concern that the SA Democratic Teacher’s
Union, Sadtu, in Mpumalanga, has once again held learners
to ransom when they led teachers away from their
classrooms during school time to participate in a march;
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(2)
further notes that as a result of Sadtu’s actions,
learners at Kanyamazane lost valuable class time after
some teachers failed to show up for class;
(3)
acknowledges that there is absolutely no justification to
interrupt our children’s education for matters they do
not positively contribute to learning;
(4)
further acknowledges that Sadtu’s actions completely
contradict the notion that children should be in class,
on time, everyday, learning and that their teachers
should be teaching;
(5)
believes that for as long as Sadtu is allowed to maintain
its grip on the department, the Mpumalanga learners will
continue to suffer;
(6)
condemns the actions of Sadtu; and
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(7)
expresses the appreciation to those teachers from schools
in Kanyamazane who were not intimidated and still showed
up to their work to teach.
The HOUSECHAIRPERSON (Ms M G Boroto): Are there any objection s
to the motion.?
Mr P J MNGUNI: The ANC vehemently objects to this unfounded
motion.
The HOUSECHAIRPERSON (Ms M G Boroto): Yes. In light of the
objection, the motion may not be proceeded with. The motion
without notice will now become notice of a motion.
Does any member of the ANC wish to make a statement? Hon
Khawula, just relax, your time will come! It’s guaranteed!
EDUCATION FOR MILIARITY VETERANS AND FAMILIES
(Member’s Statement)
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Ms N A MNISI (ANC): Chairperson, the ANC government has made
significant strides in ensuring that the military veterans and
their dependants receive quality education as a basic
constitutional right. The provision of education to military
veterans and their dependants continues as a major priority for
the Department of Military Veterans.
The department has supported approximately 5 800 beneficiaries,
to the amount of R142 million against the initial budget of
R26,4 million in both basic and tertiary education. Despite
financial challenges, the significant achievements in the past
two years have brought about empowerment and a positive change
of life to military veterans.
The Department of Defence and Military Veterans led by the
Minister, Ms Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula, with the Advisory Council
on Military Veterans and the SA National Military Veterans
Association, Sanmva, resolved to continue to provide military
veterans and their dependants with support on both basic and
tertiary institution, for the 2017 academic year, including
access to private institutions.
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The HOUSECHAIRPERSON (Ms M G Boroto): Hon member, I just want to
give a reminder, again, that there is only one and half minutes
for statements. Thank you.
JUDGEMENT AT NORTH HIGH COURT
(Member’s Statement)
Ms G BRYTENBACHT (DA): Chairperson, the judgment handed down
yesterday by the North Gauteng High Court confirmed that the
ANC-led government’s withdrawal from the International Criminal
Court, ICC, was unconstitutional, irrational and procedurally
flawed. This is a victory for the rule of law the and indeed for
our country’s human rights-based foreign policy that Zuma and
his cronies have trampled on.
The ANC-led government now has an opportunity to reconsider the
wisdom of withdrawing from the ICC and we urge them to do so.
South Africa is currently out of step with other progressive and
democratic African countries that have reaffirmed their
commitment to the ICC. South Africa does not want to be lumped
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together with pariah states who have no respect for human rights
and who do not subscribe to accountability for those guilty of
the most heinous human rights violations.
The judgment also confirms yet another breach of the
Constitution, this time Section 231, and illustrates the ANC’s
willingness to steamroll over the founding principles of our
country. The DA will be investigating avenues to hold those
responsible for this breach, to account. [Applause.] Thank you.
GOVERNANCE DETORIATION IN THE EASTERN CAPE
(Member’s Statement)
Mr Z R XALISA (EFF): The EFF is disgusted by the continuing
degeneration of proper governance in the Eastern Cape, done with
impunity by the ANC deployees in that province. The EMC for Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs, Fikile Xasa, has
continuously overstepped his authority, encroaching on powers
that should belong to the Premier. He appointed his girlfriend,
Nomphelo Roboji, firstly, as the Deputy Director General of the
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department, despite her having no experience and having
spectacularly failed her competency based assessment.
He then elevated her to the position of the acting Head of the
Department, HOD, after they forced the previous HOD out. Ms
Roboji then went on to employ various acting senior managers and
advertised 200 positions without the knowledge of the Provincial
Treasury. The competency based assessment specifically mentioned
that she does not have the strategic capabilities required for
the DDG and her personality prevented her from working in the
constructive manner with the juniors. She is paranoid, and
thinks that people are out to get her all the time.
It is the duty of the Premier to hire and suspend HODs, and yet,
in this case, Mr Xasa went ahead to hire Ms Roboji without Mr
Masualle’s knowledge. Despite all what happened, the Premier, Mr
Masualle has not taken any steps against Mr Xasa. The Eastern
Cape therefore, will continue to be a skunk of this country
until we remove the ANC and its corrupt leaders from power.
INVESTMENT IN INFRASTRUCTURE IN GAUTENG
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((Member’s Statement)
Ms V P MOGOTSI (ANC): House Chairperson, the ANC has committed
itself to invest in the infrastructure that will unlock the
mineral wealth of this country, creating jobs and support the
local beneficiation of the mineral deposits for the benefit of
the South Africans. We therefore welcome the initiative that
comes from the ANC government in Gauteng to launch a R50 million
road rehabilitation project between Meyerton, Alberton and
Katlehong in Sedibeng.
This old road provides a link between Meyerton, and Katlehong
and serves as an alternative route to the R59, which is an
extremely busy road. That is why the provincial government has
prioritised it to be rehabilitated, and is scheduled to be
completed by August 2017.
The spin-off of this project is that the road under construction
has two rivers that criss-cross it and which can help to
stimulate industrial development in an area that is largely
rural and agricultural in nature. The other important aspect of
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the project includes the component of the local subcontracting
and labour employment, which particularly will benefit women,
youth and the disabled.
This project demonstrates that the ANC government in Gauteng is
on course in delivering on infrastructure that will assist in
expanding the basic needs of the region as well as making rapid
strides in eradicating poverty and joblessness. That is the ANC
government in Gauteng for you! Thank you. [Applause.]
The CHIEF WHIP OF THE OPPOSITION: House Chairperson, I would
like to address you in terms of Appendix A subsection 6 of the
Rules if I may? What the subsection essentially says ...
[Interjections.]
The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Ms M G BOROTO): Can you please repeat
what you’ve just said?
The CHIEF WHIP OF THE OPPOSITION: It’s of Appendix A to the
Rules subsection 6.
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The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Ms M G Boroto): Okay!
The CHIEF WHIP OF THE OPPOSITION: It says here that, it is
essentially the priority of members to attend plenary sittings
in committee meetings. I am therefore seeking guidance from you
because I can see that the hon Mr Molefe has done a runner
already. This is inappropriate on your first day in the House to
put in for a half day.
The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Ms M G Boroto): Hon member, that’s not a
point of order!
The DEPUTY CHIEF WHIP OF THE MAJORITY PARTY: I think that the
hon Steenhuisen is grandstanding, hon Molefe is busy filling in
forms here in Parliament.
The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Ms M G Boroto): Hon member, I hear you. I
have already ruled that it is not a point of order. Please!
Where am I? The IFP! ... [Interjections.] It’s coming, mom ...
IsiZulu:
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Ngizokubiza ngegama manje, angizukubiza iqembu ngoba
bayakuthathela isikhathi.
RHINOS MURDER IN KZN AND THE ILLEGAL POACHING
(Member’s Statement)
Mr J A ESTERHUIZEN (IFP): House Chair, the horror attacks at
Thula Thula Rhino Orphanage in KwaZulu-Natal that took place
earlier this week, in which a young woman was raped; caregivers
severely beaten and two baby rhinos killed must send a strong
message to the government that we are at war for our rhinos. The
poachers are brutal, savage and have no conscience. They will
not stop to kill the rhinos until the last rhino in South Africa
is dead. This brutish and careless attach at Thula Thula Rhino
Orphanage is an evidence of a situation that is beyond control.
When will the government wake up? How many more rhinos must die?
How many more antipoaching officers must be killed, and how many
more caregivers must be sexually assaulted and be bitten up? Our
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justice system is failing; our courts are not prosecuting
poaching cases quickly enough as the legal technicalities in the
system are exploited by poacher’s legal representatives.
The IFP calls for the police to act swiftly in apprehending
these miscreants and for them to face a full might of our law.
Our thoughts and prayers are with the caregivers and the rhinos
of Thula Thula. Thank you.
PROBLEMS OF HEALTH IN EASTERN CAPE PROVINCE
(Member’s Statement)
Mr M L W FILTANE (UDM): Hon House Chair and hon members, in his
foreword to the national Department of Health Annual Performance
Plan 2016-17, the Minister of Health said and I quote:
I look forward to continue to progress our agenda as
government for 2016-17 and I remain committed to develop a
health system in South Africa that is based on the
principle of social solidarity, equity health care as a
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public good, affordability, efficiency, effectiveness and
appropriateness.
This was a good statement of commitment that should have
motivated all public heath practitioners and public health
institutions to discharge their duties with experience
expertise, patience, empathy, dependability, compassion and
absolute care.
However, Frere Hospital in the Eastern Cape looks like it does
not subscribe to the Minister’s position. An ailing 65-year-old
Toto Kontyo is sitting at home waiting to die allegedly after he
was turned away from this hospital whose chief executive
officer, CEO, could only say and I quote, ―...it is deeply
regretted that because of an underlying medical condition, he is
not able to access the renal transplant programme...‖. The
provincial spokes person is allegedly to have said, ―Because of
the exorbitant costs of the dialyses therapy, the departmental
policy prioritised young persons, over the elderly.‖
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This is unconstitutional, since it is discriminatory. We implore
the Minister to check if this is not being replicated
countrywide. All of this happened whilst the East London court
found out, two days ago, that the gross negligence of this
hospital resulted in the death of another patient, Bonke
Nogqane. This matter has since being referred to the Director of
Public Prosecutions, DPP, for possible criminal charges against
the staff. Thank you. [Time expired.]
The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Ms M G Boroto): Thank you very much, hon
member. I gave you extra seconds, but unfortunately your time
has expired.
COMBATING CRIME AND SCOURGE OF WOMEN AND CHILDREN ABUSE
(Member’s Statement)
Mrs E K M MASEHELA (ANC): Hon Chair, the ANC reiterates that
combating crime and the scourge of women and children abuse
remains its priority, and therefore welcomes the multiple
sentences handed down recently to convicted paedophile, Warren
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Knoop. He was sentenced to 32 life sentences and 170 years in
prison, on 870 charges of rape and possession of child
pornography by the Johannesburg High Court.
The ANC is pleased with the sentencing, which it believes is
indicative that the wheel of justice is turning, and also
commends the law-enforcement agencies and the justice system for
their dedicated work in bringing the perpetrator to book.
The ANC calls upon all communities not to tolerate atrocious
crime acts especially against children in our country, but to
work with their local police stations to report any crime. Our
children are the future leaders of this country; it is every
citizen’s duty to do more to protect them.
The ANC also calls on parents, communities and children to
encourage conversations that promote the rights of children, and
educate them on reporting any suspicious acts of the violation
of their rights.
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Government has put in place child protection mechanisms such as
legislation and international instruments that the country has
ratified as a commitment to the protection of children’s rights.
Thank you, Chairperson. [Applause.] [Time expired.]
NEGLECT AND ABUSE OF SENIOR CITIZENS IN OLD AGE HOMES
(Member’s Statement)
Mrs C DUDLEY (ACDP): Hon Chair, at a Catholic Parliamentary
Liaison Office round-table discussion on older persons and
accommodation, in Cape Town this week, many spoke of old people
having no voice of substance standing for them in their neglect
and concluded that resorting to the courts may now be their only
option.
Participants presented a litany of neglect and abuse telling of
an old age home where the custodian locks the establishment at
night and goes home leaving the elderly and frail people to fend
for themselves, with no emergency call and no escape, should
there be a fire. Many so-called homes for the elderly are
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established purely for access to the subsidies or pensions of
old people who are then neglected and abused.
The ACDP calls on parliamentary portfolio committees to exercise
greater oversight in improving conditions of old people and
holding departments accountable. We need to restore society’s
lost compassion and respect for the elderly and the vulnerable.
While legislation is in place, monitoring and compliance is
grossly inadequate.
The ACDP has been pressing for approval of the special housing
needs policy and calls on Minister Sisulu to once again urgently
approve the much needed policy. In 1990, there were 53 000 beds
and today only 27 000, with many more beds being lost due to
insufficient funds to maintain homes. Thank you.
BULLYING IN SCHOOLS
(Member’s Statement)
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Mr T Z M KHOZA (ANC): The ANC believes that bullying in schools
should be taken seriously following the latest incident where a
video involving pupils in acts of bullying from the prestigious
boys’ school in Johannesburg, went viral. Bullying is outlawed
and schools should adopt a zero tolerance approach in accordance
with the Bill of Rights to protect children from such abuse or
degradation.
In the latest video, four learners were involved in an
altercation after one learner allegedly posted a nude photo of a
cousin of one of the other learners. The ANC urges teachers and
parents to make an effort to address this matter as
constructively as possible. Our schools should be places of
learning and teaching and not the centers of bullying.
It is also the responsibility of parents to regularly speak to
their children about bullying and to question if they are not
victims of bullying or if they know anyone who is bullied. We
urge pupils to treat each other with respect and refrain from
acts of victimisation and bullying. I thank you. [Applause.]
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JOHANNESBURG COUNCIL CHAMBER DISRUPTIONS
(Member’s Statement)
Mr K J MILEHAM (DA): Hon Chairperson, earlier today, ANC
councillors co-operated with a violent invasion of the
Johannesburg Council Chamber and disrupted the adoption of the
Adjustment Budget. [Interjections.] In what was obviously a
preplanned move, the ANC asked for a caucus meeting and then led
a group of violent protesters into the Council Chamber, smashing
the front doors and the Speaker’s desk and hurling bricks and
shards of broken glasses at other councillors. They threatened
to kill councillors and city employees. [Interjections.]
One councillor was injured and another pregnant councillor
collapsed at the scene. Now notably, many ANC councillors
arrived today in yellow jackets, for the first time, similar to
those worn by the protesters and could clearly be used to
distinguish between the ANC councillors and those others in the
Chamber.
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Today’s incident is an assault to our democracy and it is clear
that the ANC does not accept the outcomes of the last year’s
free and fair elections. The ANC is the shadow of its former
self and it is no wonder that they were rejected by the voters
of this city.
I have a message for the ANC: You will not intimidate us; you
will not stop us from fulfilling the mandate for change that the
residents of Johannesburg have given us. This was a blatant
attempt to prevent the DA-led council from passing the
Adjustment Budget and bringing real change to the residents of
Joburg, an attempt which failed by the way. The DA will not be
deterred and the people’s business will be done. [Applause.]
An HON DA MALE MEMBER: Shame on you!
USOMLOMO: Mhlonishwa umama uKhawula we-EFF. Ngiqale ngegama
ukuthi kungasukumi omunye.
An HON DA MALE MEMBER
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HEALTH SERVICE CRISIS IN MNQUME MUNICIPALITY
(Member’s Statement)
IsiZulu:
Nk M S KHAWULA (EFF): Sihlalo, hayi wena, namba wani. [number
one][Uhleko.] Ngithi angizwakalise okukhulu ubuhlungu kwabantu
basemakhaya ngaphansi koMnyango Wezempilo. Laphayana eMehlobo
ngaphansi koMasipala uMnqume. Abantu bakhona bayahlupheka.
Imitholampilo [clinics] ayikho. Bahamba amabanga amade behamba
beya emitholampilo. Akukho ngisho omahambanendlwana
bemitholampilo [mobile clinics] uqobo. Noma sekwenzekile kukhona
oshaya ucingo ethinta imoto yeziguli [ambulance] ifika emuva
kwesikhathi [late] mhlawumbe umuntu eseze washona ngani, inkinga
yakona imoto yeziguli iyodwa ayikwazi ukuthatha umuntu oyedwa.
Abantu abakhulelwe basemakhaya kwabona abanaso ngisho isikhathi
lesi esisitholayo emadolobheni zokuxukuza nokuthi uma ezobeletha
akwazi, baze begcina bebelethele emakhaya. Izingane uthole
ukuthi kwazona azisekho. Okubuhlungu kunakhokonke, noma befika
esibhedlela lapho ekuthiwa ise-Gcuwa, e-Butterworth Hospital,
nakhona uthole ukuthi bazohlala kuze kube yingakusasa ngoba
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udokotela munye. Futhi okubuhlungu kunakhokonke, kutholakale
ukuthi nabakhona balaliswa phansi, akukho mbhede akukho lutho.
Ngiyacela ngokukhulu ukuhlonipha ukuthi nabo labantu basemakhaya
akuke babhekelelwe ngoba ekugcineni bangabakhokhi bentela.
Ngiyabonga.
ANC WELCOMES THE SEPARATION OF CONJOINED TWIN GIRLS
Ms C N NCUBE NDABA (ANC): House Chairperson, the ANC
congratulates the medical team and the management of Unitas
Hospital in Pretoria for their successful operation in
separating the conjoined twin girls on 2nd January this year, to
19-year-old Bongekile Simelane and her husband Mbongeni
Sihlongonyane. The twin girls, Uwenzile and Uyihlelile
Shilongonyane, who together weighed 4,21 kilograms at birth,
were born joined at the abdomen. The Shilongonyane girls are the
second set of conjoined twins that Dr De Villiers and Dr Stevens
have separated, and are the first to have their separation
surgery done at the Netcare Unitas Hospital.
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The ANC wishes to acknowledge and take pride in the excellent
work and high level of competence by the Unitas Hospital doctors
and their medical team during the critical six-hour operation of
separating the twins.
We congratulate the hospital management and the entire medical
team and support staff who participated in this operation. They
have done the country proud. We further extend good wishes to
the Shilongonyane family and wish the twins long and healthy
lives. I thank you
RULING PARTY BETRAYS SOUTH AFRICA
Mr M A PLOUAMMA (AGANG): Hon Chairperson, allow me to remind
members how the ruling party betrayed South Africa.
[Interjections.] They gave us a man who was seduced by the
Shabir Shaik; a man who is now under the spell of the Guptas.
Our country is sold to the highest bidder.
It is now clear that the agenda of the ANC it is the agenda of
the Guptas. They are now ravaging our state coffers in
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partnership with the Zuma family. Our nation is defeated by
these choices and betrayed by the ANC. It is an insult and lack
of criticism for the ANC to still associate itself with heroes
like O R Tambo, Nelson Mandela. Above all, they are suffering
from an intellectual starvation to recognise what is bad
leadership to good leadership.
The biggest strategy is leaders like our Deputy President and
others, who have chosen to behave, like ―armskepsels‖ and they
call it a strategy ... Interjections.] ... while it is a
cowardice at its best. However, for them to remain quiet to this
mess, betrays Steve Biko, Robert Sobukwe, Jafta Masemola,
Dorothy Nyembe and Moses Kotane. Furthermore, Parliament is
compromised with a cry baby hon Brian Molefe, who is allegedly
swallowed by the Guptas. [Interjections.] This betrayal runs
deep. [Time expired.]
NSFAS FUNDS NEARLY 300 000 EXPECTS TO ADMIT MORE FOR THE CLASS
OF 2017
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Ms S MCHUNU (ANC): Chairperson, the ANC welcomes the commitment
by the Department of Higher Education to offer funding through
National Student Financial Aid Scheme, NSFAS, to more than
400 000 students at universities and Tvet colleges in 2017
academic year. More than 500 000 school leavers are expected to
take up opportunities at tertiary education institutions this
year. According to the department, NSFAS will be funding 205 000
the first time entrants and continuing to support eligible
students at universities and 200 000 students at Tvet colleges,
will be funded this year, totaling R15, 2 billion.
The NSFAS funding will benefit about three quarters of tertiary
education students this year. In the year 2016, a significant
number of NSFAS qualifying students were financed. The ANC notes
the delays in communicating the outcome of the results to some
of the students due to a number of challenges, such as the
changes in last year’s academic calendars at some institutions
and missing supporting documents in a significant number of
applications, amongst others. Thank you.
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PRESIDENT ZUMA’S STATUE TO BE BUILT IN POVERTY STRICKEN
RAMOTSHERE MOILOA LOCAL MUNICIPALITY
Ms J F TERBLANCHE (DA): House Chairperson, the North West
government proposal to build a statue of President Zuma takes
political crawling to a new level. The stated reason is that the
multimillion rand statue build with taxpayers’ money will
promote social cohesion. If you’ve never heard hogwash before,
you’ve heard it now.
The statue is planned for the poverty stricken Ramotshere Moiloa
Local Municipality where thousands of residents do not have
access to clean drinkable water and where the promises of proper
sanitation remains dispromises year after year. There has been
no consultation, only the ANC could think this would promote
social cohesion. This divisive project should be seen for what
it exactly is. A bid by Premier Supra Mahumapelo, a staunch
supporter of President Zuma, to pay homage to Mahumapelo’s main
benefactor in the run-up to this ANC Conference later this year.
If Mahumapelo wishes to solicit favours to advance his political
and business careers, he should fund it out of his own pocket
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and not use taxpayers funds intended for several impoverished
communities. [Applause.]
DEVELOPMENT OF SMALL BUSINESSES AND CO-OPERATIVES
Ms N T NOVEMBER (ANC): House Chairperson, he ANC believes that
the development of small businesses and co-operatives are
critical in empowering our people, drawing new entrants ...
The ANC believes that such an initiative builds on its
commitments in society to bring black-owned small companies and
businesses ... [Interjections.]
IsiZulu:
Hhayi suka! [Uhleko.]
English:
The new Preferential Procurement Regulations have been signed
into law and will take effect from April 2017. [Interjections.]
The legislation empowers state departments and agencies to
restrict certain designated tenders by stipulating minimum
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Broad-Based Black Economic, BBBEE, requirements or stipulating
that tenders agree to establish a minimum of 30% of categories
of exempted micro enterprises and qualifying ... [Time expired.]
I thank you
IsiZulu:
Nk M S KHAWULA: Ngiyabonga Sihlalo khona kubuhlungu nje uma
ngabe sithula bese kuyahlekwa. Le nto iyalimaza ikhombisa ukuthi
abantu abayi emphakathini bayozibonela, bayabhalelwa izinto
abazozikhuluma lapha ngaphakathi eNdlini. Ngiyabonga.[Uhleko.]
USIHLALO WENDLU (Nk M G BOROTO): Angazi ukuthi umama ubekhuluma
ngani uma ngabe ...
English:
... point of order, anyway it is not. [Interjections.] Hon
member! Hon members, order! Hon Khawula, hon members, please!
[Interjections.] Order! Hon Zulu, please! No, hon members can we
continue! [Interjections.] That concludes member statements. Are
there any Ministerial responses?
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IsiXhosa:
Mnu L M NTSHAYISA: Kutheni ma-Afrika.
IsiZulu:
USIHLALO WENDLU (Nk M G BOROTO): Hhawu baba! Uyazi baba
azikufanele lezi ...
English:
Are there any Ministerial Responses? Can I just remind you that
we have six Ministerial Responses that are allowed and each
response takes two minutes and not more?
Mr I OLLIS: Chairperson, can I just clarify something with you.
Are there, in fact, six Ministers in the House? [Interjections.]
The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Ms M G BOROTO): I don’t think it’s for me
to count. I am doing what is my job. Continue, hon Nqakula. Wait
man! What is happening?
EDUCATIONAL SUPPORT TO MILITARY VETERANS AND THEIR DEPENDANTS
FOR 2017
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(Minister’s Response)
The MINISTER OF DEFENCE AND MILITARY VETERANS: Am I protected,
Chair?
The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Ms M G Boroto): I don’t understand what
the noise is about. Can we continue with the business of the
day?
The MINISTER OF DEFENCE AND MILITARY VETERANS: Comrade Chair ...
An HON MEMBER: Comrade?
The MINISTER OF DEFENCE AND MILITARY VETERANS: Of course she is
a comrade. [Interjections.] One hon member raised a matter of
support for education provided to military veterans – in fact,
mainly their dependants.
She mentioned that, currently, we are at 5 800 at a cost of
R14,2 million. In fact, that number has increased. We currently
have a total of 8 700 dependants of military veterans. We had
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budgeted R26 million but currently stand at R142 million. We
have experienced an increase in the number of dependants of
military veterans. However, our responsibility is to provide
whatever support as long as we can prove that they are
dependants of military veterans.
What we have done is to create a ceiling. We currently provide
R42 500 to each dependant at basic education level. At the
higher education and training level, we have capped it at
R72 000. Of course, we do encourage particularly those at the
higher education level to apply to the National Student
Financial Aid Scheme as well for assistance.
All of this happens as a result of policy challenges. We are in
the process of developing a new policy. The biggest challenge is
that we established a department before we could pass
legislation and determine which of the services we would like to
provide in assisting our military veterans. We have also decided
that, from next year, we would have a means test so that we
agree who, even though they are all military veterans, gets what
amount of money. Capping it at R42 500 for basic education and
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R72 000 for higher education still is rather too much. For
instance, for a person like me who is employed and who earns a
good salary, there is no way that I can expect to get the same
amount as a person who is destitute. Thank you.
The second response ... it is time for one statement.
[Interjections.]
The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Ms M G Boroto): Please take your seat.
May I allow the others to speak, and then you can come back for
the other response?
BULLYING IN SCHOOLS
NEGLECT AND ABUSE OF SENIOR CITIZENS IN OLD-AGE HOMES
(Minister’s Response)
The DEPUTY MINISTER OF HOME AFFAIRS: Chairperson, several of the
statements made by members touched on the theme of good
citizenship.
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Whether it is the statement on bullying and cyberbullying at
schools and amongst teenagers or whether it is, in fact, the
abuse of our senior citizens at our old-age homes, I do think it
is cause for us to reflect, as leaders in our society. Our
Constitution does, after all, require us to build a caring and
tolerant society. Whether one is a councillor or whether one is
a Member of Parliament, we are enjoined to behave in a manner
that contributes to nation-building and building a South Africa
that is both caring and tolerant.
We, as South Africans, I think are capable of being formidable.
We are capable of good things. We are capable of being bigger
people and the kind of people envisaged in our Constitution, not
bullies – not bullies – and certainly not people who abuse
senior members in this House. Thank you very much. [Applause.]
[Interjections.]
Mr N PAULSEN: On a point of order, Chairperson: The executive
personal assistant of Home Affairs has said she ...
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The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Ms M G Boroto): No! That is not a point
of order. To start with, we don’t have such a person. Please
take your seat!
Mr N PAULSEN: No, Chairperson ...
The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Ms M G Boroto): No, no, no! We don’t have
such a person.
Mr N PAULSEN: She accuses us of bullying here. She must know
that this isn’t a schoolyard.
The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Ms M G Boroto): Hon member, that is not a
point of order, and we don’t have such a person, so that is as
good as not said. Hon Zulu?
DEVELOPMENT OF SMALL BUSINESSES AND CO-OPERATIVES
(Minister’s Response)
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The MINISTER OF SMALL BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT: Chair, first and
foremost I would like to say to hon November – and apologise to
her – that we have people in the House who are political
vagabonds and get up to insult others. [Interjections.] So, hon
November is not a political vagabond. Therefore, I will read for
you because I know why you were struggling.
The ANC believes that the development of small business and cooperatives are critical in the empowerment of our people,
drawing new entrants into the economy, strengthening inclusive
growth ...
Ms N V MENTE: On a point of order, Chair: The duty of the
Minister or the Deputy Minister at this time is to give us
responses, not to read statements of members. She is not allowed
to do what she is doing. She is abusing this House.
[Interjections.]
The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Ms M G Boroto): Continue, hon Minister.
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The MINISTER OF SMALL BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT: The ANC believes
that such an initiative builds on its commitments in society to
bring black-owned businesses and co-operatives ...
Ms S V KALYAN: On a point order, House Chairperson: As you have
heard from the previous speaker, it is the responsibility of the
Minister to respond to a statement. Minister Zulu is now
rereading a statement from a member who was rather incompetent.
[Interjections.] I would suggest that you would rule on this
because the time allocated to statements has expired.
[Interjections.]
The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Ms M G Boroto): Hon members, perhaps I
missed that part. I hear what you are saying. Hon Minister, can
you please respond to the statements made in the House?
The MINISTER OF SMALL BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT: I can, Chairperson.
The fact of the matter is that it is not correct either for
political vagabonds to insult our own. [Interjections.]
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The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Ms M G Boroto): Thank you. Continue with
the response.
The MINISTER OF SMALL BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT: The fact of the
matter is that, as the statement was read, it is true that this
government led by the ANC and my department, in particular, have
signed transversal agreements with the relevant departments to
make sure that small and medium enterprises are empowered,
especially those owned by the youth, women, and black people.
The 30% procurement that hon November referred to has been in
the pipeline for a very long time. The Department of Small
Business Development is happy that, finally, this will be
implemented.
Thirdly, we would also like to say to all members of the ANC,
the executive in particular, as well as the private sector that
it is time for them to open up this space. When we speak of
Operation Vula in the economy of the country, we speak about
opening space for small and medium enterprises. I thank you.
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Mr M L W FILTANE: Chair, on a point: It is not acceptable for
the ANC to be so uncaring towards some of its members.
The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Ms M G Boroto): That is not a point of
order, hon Filtane. We do have points of debate. I think the
point was raised, and the Minister was advised to respond to the
statements. Thank you.
Ms S V KALYAN: Madam House Chair, I wish to ask you to rule on
the term ―political vagabond‖. Is that parliamentary or
unparliamentary? If it is parliamentary, I would submit that it
takes one political vagabond to know another. [Interjections.]
The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Ms M G Boroto): No, now you are also
saying it, which means if I have to make a ruling, I will be
ruling on you and on the person who said it. [Interjections.]
Thank you very much. I will look into the matter. I will look
into that. I am not sure of the word, but we have conventions,
and then we will look into whether the word had been used before
and whether it had been ruled unparliamentary.
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Mr P J MNGUNI: House Chair, here next you, please.
The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Ms M G Boroto): Thank you very much. I
think we are done with this part. I will look into it, and then
we will rule on it.
Mr P J MNGUNI: I don’t refer to this part, House Chair. I refer
to earlier on in the proceedings, but I didn’t want to disturb
the hon Minister. Hon Paulsen of the EFF referred to the Deputy
Minister of Home Affairs as a personal assistant. That impugns
on her dignity and deployment. I ask that you rule on hon
Paulsen’s unfounded and undesirable pronouncement. We cannot
accept it. He must withdraw it.
The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Ms M G Boroto): The thing is that I did
rule on the matter and indicated there had been no point of
order, so it is not taken. Thank you. [Interjections.] Hon
members!
Ms N V MENTE: Chairperson, May I address you and request you to
apologise because when you do not hear what a member is asking
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you, you should say so. I told you that the Minister was
rereading the statement. You dismissed me. Then, when the DA
member tells you the same thing, you overrule it. So, you need
to apologise when you have not heard what was said. Do not just
dismiss us.
The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Ms M G Boroto): Thank you. It is done.
Yes, hon member?
IsiXhosa:
Mnu Z R XALISA: Ndicela ukuba ndilungise le ndawana. Ingathi
nguwe lo owenza ukuba le Ndlu ingalawuleki. Okokuqala, xa
kuphakama ilungu le-ANC awulibuzi ukuba liphakama ngowuphi
uMthetho.
English:
The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Ms M G Boroto): Hon member, that is not a
point of order.
IsiXhosa:
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Mnu Z R XALISA: Xa kuphakama ilungu elisuka kwimibutho
ephikisayo ...
English:
The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Ms M G Boroto): I’ve stopped doing that
with your members. Please take your seat!
IsiXhosa:
Mnu Z R XALISA: Ndicela usiphathe ngendlela enye nefanayo apha
kule Ndlu.
USIHLALO WENDLU (Nks M G Boroto): Hayi, nawe awukatsho nje ukuba
uphakama ngowuphi na uMthetho, kodwa ndikuvumele. Uthetha njani
kuba kudala ndiyiyekile le nto ... [Uwelewele.]
English:
... because I think you need to remind us. I said so. I said I
was going to leave it because you need to be reminded. I have
not been doing it all along. Thank you very much.
[Interjections.] We now have hon Masuku to respond.
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INVESTMENT IN INFRASTRUCTURE IN GAUTENG
(Minister’s Response)
The DEPUTY MINISTER OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT: I am coming from
Mpumalanga.
IsiZulu:
Ukulungiswa komgwaqo u-P46/1 osuka e-Meyerton udlule laphaya eAlberton uye e-Katlehong usifaka esigabeni esilandelayo sethu
zokulethwa [delivery] kwezingqalasizinda, [infrastructure]
esikhuluma ngokuxhumanisa [link] ukulethwa kwezingqalasizinda
kwethu kube ngehlanganise ngokuphelele [integrated] ukuxhumanisa
izindawo [areas] zasemakhaya [rural] nezisemadolobheni, [urban]
nokuxhumanisa umnotho [economy] wasezindaweni zasemakhaya nowase
madolobheni. Lomgwaqo lona uxhuma [connects] izimboni
[industries] zase-Sedibeng nezase-Ekurhuleni okusho ukuthi
kuwukuvumelana [recognition] nalento leya eyayikhulunywa
uMongameli nale esiyikhulumayo yokuthi izindawo zasemadolobheni
ziqale ukukhula ngamakhaya [households] angu-400 ngonyaka. [per
year] Okusho ukuthi uma sixhuma lomgwaqo lo wenza ukuthi kube
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noxhumano [connection] phakathi [between] kwemisebenzi
yezomnotho [economic activities] ezindaweni zasemakhaya nezase
madolobheni.
Into futhi esijabulisayo ehambisana nalenqubo yokuthuthukisa
izingqalasizinda [infrastructure development] ukuthi i-Gauteng
iphinde yabeka ilanga lokuthi umgwaqo uzophela nini.
Kubalulekile kakhulu lokho yikhona ukuhlala kwezingqalasizinda
isikhathi eside esisidla [costs us] imali eningi ngakho [so]
lokhu ukuthi i-Gauteng ibeke uAgasti walonyaka [this year]
kuyasijabulisa thina ngoba imali kusho ukuthi izokongeka
siphinde sakhe ezinye izingqalasizinda. Siyabonga.
The MINISTER OF DEFENCE AND MILITARY VETERANS: Chairperson, hon
members, I thought we all know that if you are a voter, you have
a right to be voted for. All of us are here because South
Africans voted. It is not only that but parties also have a
right to amend their lists. In my understanding - in this case the ANC has a right to amend its list to Parliament too,
irrespective of what you may believe. [Interjections.] It is
such, whether you believe that he person who has come in should
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have been here or not. I think it is proper that you do not ...
[Interjections.]
IsiXhosa:
Mama, khawume! Yima!
English:
It is the right of an individual to choose whether he or she
wants to serve in Parliament or not. I think here we made
choices, and that is the reason why he too has made a choice to
be deployed to Parliament. Thank you very much.
NOTICES OF MOTION
Sepedi:
Mr E K MASEHELA: Mohl Modulasetulo, legatong la ANC, ke šišinya
gore tulong ye e latelago:
Gore Ntlo e boledišane ka mekgwanakgwana ye e ka šomišwago
gore re fokotše ditlamorago tše dimpe ka lebaka la madimo a
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šoro gammogo le dipula tša maatla ditšhabeng tša ba
dikobodimagetleng.
Mr M S F DE FREITAS: Chair, I hereby move on behalf of the DA
that at its next sitting:
That the House debates the fact that the last festive
season road crash statistics increased by over 1 700
compared to the previous festive season, the reasons for
this and what should be done to improve this situation.
IsiXhosa:
Mnu T RAWULA: Sihlalo weNdlu ohloniphekileyo, ndenza isaziso
sokuba, xa le Ndlu ihlala kwakhona, ndiza kwenza isiphakamiso
egameni le-EFF:
Sokuba le Ndlu-
ixoxe ngomba oshushu kaMasipala weNgingqi waseMbizana
owaziwa ngorhwaphilizo, ubuqhetseba nobusela bemali
yerhafu;
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emva kweminyaka e-15 lo masipala wohlulekile ukufaka
umbane kwilali ekuWadi 16 nto leyo ekhokelele ekubeni
abahlali baqhankqalaze ngokuthi bavale indlela iveki
yonke benyanzelisa ukuba bafakelwe umbane;
uMasipala weNgingqi waseMbizana ufanisa abantu
nezilwanyane ezingafanelwanga ngumbane; kwaye
lo masipala uyahluleka ukuzisa iinkonzo eluntwini
ezifana namanzi nezindlu zangasese ezinesidima.
Mr T Z M KHOZA: Chairperson, I hereby move on behalf of the ANC
that in its next sitting:
The House debates radical economic transformation in order
to ensure that the people become more prosperous.
Mr M HLENGWA: Chairperson, on behalf of the IFP, I shall move at
the next sitting of this House:
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That the House debates the lack of funding for sport
development and infrastructure in the townships and rural
areas for youth to thrive in sport and recreation.
Mr M L SHELEMBE: Chairperson, I shall move on behalf of the NFP,
that at the next sitting of this honourable House:
The House debates the general lack of transparency in
government’s continued failure to release statistics on
rhino poaching in South Africa and its implications for
nature conservation and the fight against rhino poaching.
Ms H B KEKANA: Chairperson, I hereby move on behalf of the ANC
that at its next sitting:
The House debates tackling discrimination and oppression in
whatever forms it takes, whether in the home, in the
workplace, in the institutions of state, or on social
media.
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Mr M L W FILTANE: Chair, I hereby move on behalf of the UDM,
that in its next sitting:
The House debates the consequences of the lack of funding
and the lack of employment opportunities for agriculture
students and graduates in the economy. In the Eastern Cape,
500 graduates wrote an aptitude test for five posts.
Ms B S MASANGO: Chairperson, I hereby give notice that on the
next sitting day of the House I shall move on behalf of the DA:
That the House —
debates how the Minister of Social Development has
broken the social grant system.
I so move.
Sesotho:
Mong N S MATIASE: Modulasetulo ke ema lebitsong la mokgatlo wa
EFF, hore kopanong e latelang:
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Ntlo -
e tle e qoqe ka tlaleho ya manyofonyofo a tjhelete e
kalo ka R570 ya dimilione ya deri ya dikgomo mane
profenseng ya Foreisetata, e kentseng tshenyokako le
tshebediso e mpe ya ditjhelete; le ho hlatsuwa ha
tjhelete ―money laundering‖ ke lelapa la ha diGuptas,
la ha Mosebenzi Zwane le la Ace Magashule.
Ke sisinya jwalo.
English:
Ms S MCHUNU: Chairperson, I hereby give notice that on the next
sitting day of the House I shall move on behalf of the ANC:
That the House —
debates celebrating the extraordinary life and supreme
contribution of Oliver Reginald Tambo towards the
attainment of our freedom in South Africa.
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I so move.
Ms N A MNISI: Chairperson, I hereby give notice that on the next
sitting day of the House I shall move on behalf of the ANC:
That the House -
debates expanding access to quality higher education
for more South Africans from poor communities.
I thank you.
Mr L M NTSHAYISA: Chairperson, I hereby give notice that on the
next sitting day of the House I shall move on behalf of the AIC:
That the House —
debates the ways and means of preparing people to take
centre stage in governance.
I so move.
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Mr K J MASWANGANYI: House Chairperson, I hereby give notice that
on the next sitting day of the House I shall move on behalf of
the ANC:
That the House —
debates promoting local economic development,
particularly in centres where there is great potential
for localising and empowerment.
Thank you.
Dr M J FIGG: House Chairperson, I hereby give notice that on the
next sitting day of the House I shall move on behalf of the DA:
That the House —
debates ways to reduce the national debt from
R2,2 trillion — which constitutes 50,7% of GDP — so
that the cost of servicing this debt can rather be
used for the benefit of the lost generation.
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I thank you.
Ms M P MOOLA: Chairperson, I hereby give notice that on the next
sitting day of the House I shall move on behalf of the ANC:
That the House —
debates intensifying industrial incentive programmes,
establishing special economic zones and investing in
infrastructure in order to create more jobs for the
people of South Africa.
Thank you.
Debate concluded.
The House adjourned at 17:43.
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