Hansard: NCOP: Unrevised Hansard

House: National Council of Provinces

Date of Meeting: 14 Jun 2018

Summary

No summary available.


Minutes


THURSDAY, 14 JUNE 2018


PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL COUNCIL OF PROVINCE


The Council met at 14:03.

The Chairperson took the Chair and requested members to observe a moment of silence for prayers or meditation.
DISORDERLY CONDUCT

(Ruling)

The CHAIRPERSON OF THE NCOP: Hon members, I have been informed that the Whippery has agreed that there will be no motions without notice or notices of motion. Before I proceed ... [Interjections.] ...
Order! I would like to make two rulings.


At the sitting on 19 April 2018, a session which I chaired, I received a complaint from the hon Hattingh alleging that the hon Mokwele had threatened his life. At this sitting ... [Interjections.] ... Order! At this sitting I indicated that I would

follow up on this matter. I also made a comment that as members in this House we should control ourselves when it comes to our own emotions and how we address one another.


I would like to assure the hon member and the House that I am still busy with this matter. I have requested the Table staff to furnish the hon Hattingh with a video clip of the proceedings of that day and the Hansard transcript. I will come back to this House and rule but will also be in discussion with the hon Hattingh as we ... [Inaudible.]
DISORDERLY CONDUCT

(Ruling)
The CHAIRPERSON OF THE NCOP: Hon members, my second ruling relates to the sitting on 6 June 2018 whilst the hon Dikgale was presiding.
The hon Labuschagne rose on a point of order, on the basis that members contravened Rule 32 of the Rules, in that they were conversing very loudly.
 

Furthermore, that hon Smit was drowned out by frivolous points of order that came from members of the EFF. Other than generally referring to the members of the EFF, no particular member is mentioned by name.


The hon Labuschagne, while addressing the presiding officer on a point of order as referred to above, submitted that such conduct constituted a grave disorder, thereby referring to Rule 41.


Hon Labuschagne also submitted that the presiding officer could have suspended the proceedings or adjourned the sitting in terms of Rule 41.


The presiding officer, however, dismissed the point of order. Hon Labuschagne objected to the ruling and remained standing, and several times persisted with the point of order. The presiding officer ordered the hon Labuschagne to leave the House, which she refused to do, arguing that the ruling was biased. The presiding officer ordered the Usher of the Black Rod to remove the hon Labuschagne. Hon Labuschagne continued to resist. The presiding officer then requested the Parliamentary Protection Services to assist in removing the hon member from the House. The hon Labuschagne submits that she was assaulted in the process.
 

Hon members, I received a letter on the 7 June 2018 from the hon Labuschagne, requesting that we meet, and indeed, we agreed. We have met with the hon Labuschagne. We held a meeting at 09:00am this morning.


In her letter, hon Labuschagne reaffirmed the sequence of events as followed; that at the plenary of the 7th, although it was on the 6th, she rose on a point of order based on the NCOP’s Rule 32 and Rule 33, to request that the presiding officer, hon Dikgale, address the decorum of the House as the EFF was disrupting hon C F Beyers Smit during his speech on the policy debate Vote 24.


Be ... that despite clear evidence from the hon Smit being drowned out by the racket of the EFF members, including the frivolous points of order aimed to disrupt the hon Smit, the presiding officer ruled that my point of order was void; that in objection to the presiding officer — I’m quoting the hon Labuschagne — I remained standing in order for the presiding officer to recognise and rule upon my point of order.


In response the presiding officer yelled at me to sit down; that I requested the presiding officer to restore the order of the Council which she could have done by applying Rule 41; that the microphone


was switched off and she was ordered to leave the Council; that she made a statement to the presiding officer’s ruling as biased; and that she did not want to leave the Council.


The presiding officer requested the Usher of the Black Rod and the Parliamentary security Protection Services to remove her from the Council. Upon this instruction from the presiding officer, the Parliamentary Protection Services physically forced her out of the Council, assaulting her ... [Inaudible.]


In this letter, hon Labuschagne also calls for hon Dikgale to tender an apology in Council on the grounds that her rights were violated, and furthermore, that hon Dikgale should not preside until the matter has been ... [Inaudible.]


I also had an opportunity to discuss the same matter with hon Dikgale on the other violations of the hon member’s rights and the assault.


In her report, hon Dikgale states that, “I then cautioned her that if she continues to speak without being recognised I would order her to leave the House. Having disregarded my authority, I then ordered


the member to withdraw from the Chamber for the remainder of the sitting”.


As I said, I have had an opportunity to have discussions with me Dikgale and the hon Labuschagne on two separate occasions. I have also had the opportunity to look at the recordings of the proceedings of that day. From the recordings it is quite apparent that:


Firstly, the record specifically confirms that hon Labuschagne rose and stated the following, “The decorum of this House for the past
15 minutes was terrible. We cannot continue in this way;”


Secondly, the presiding officer ruled her out of order;


Thirdly, the presiding officer ordered her to take her seat and failure to do so would result in her being removed from the House;


Fourthly, she refused to take her seat and persisted in speaking; and

Fifthly, she refused to leave the House when ordered to do so and she was ultimately removed with the assistance of two women from the Parliamentary Protection Services.


From the recording it is also noticeable that several members were standing at the time that the hon Labuschagne was speaking. There appeared to be an altercation between herself and the presiding officer.


From the recording it also appears that before she was removed, she resisted attempts to leave the House. It also appears that on her way out she attempted to hold onto desks. Except for the pushing and shoving, the recording does not reveal any signs of the hon member being assaulted.


One of the issues that we must also put on the record is that, as you step out of that door and that one, you do not appear on camera. Therefore, we are unable to tell whether, once you step out of the door, you are being assaulted or not ... [Inaudible.] That is something we need to remedy because we as presiding officers do not want to be seen to be unable to deal with ... [Inaudible.] ... as it confronts us.
 

 


I would like to bring the following matters to members because that

... It is correct that Rule 32 prohibits members from conversing aloud. We have, however, ruled in the past that while heckling is allowed, members must not drown out ... [Inaudible.] ... So you can converse; just don’t drown out each other. Rule 32 does not completely prohibit ... [Inaudible.] ... from conversing. It only says that you should not be heard above the one that is on the podium ... [Inaudible.] ... given the responsibility to ... [Inaudible.] It is also correct that Rule 33 authorises members to interrupt a member speaking by raising a point of order.


The decision whether members converse aloud lies with the presiding officer. Equally, when a point of order is valid it is for the presiding officer to decide. So, hon members, don’t help us when we
... [Inaudible.] Leave the decision to rule a member out of order or to do whatever to the person who is presiding.


So, of importance to note is that Rule 35, on the one hand, allows the presiding officer to be heard without interruption. This rule compels any member speaking to take his or her seat while the presiding officer addresses the House. An altercation with a presiding officer is therefore prohibited. For a member to persist

in speaking after having being ordered to take his or her seat, is therefore inconsistent with Rule 35.


Rule 37 authorises the presiding officer to order the member to leave immediately if the presiding officer is of the opinion that, that should happen; that the member is deliberately contravening a provision of ... [Inaudible.] ... or that the member is in contempt of or disregarding the authority of the Chair or the member’s conduct is grossly disorderly.


Hon Dikgale has informed me that she formed an opinion as required by Rule 37 and that her opinion is supported by the following words from the recording, “Having disregarded my authority, I then ordered the member to withdraw from the Chamber”.


It’s important to mention that in a democratic society members are allowed to exercise their right to speak. However, it is also critical that members respect the authority of the presiding officers. The impartiality of the presiding officer is one of the prime values that the integrity of the South African Parliament must be measured on. Presiding officers have the responsibility to preserve parliamentary integrity; to maintain the decorum of the House; to ensure the smooth running of the business of the House;
 

and to maintain law and order. Presiding officers should be civil; they should be courteous; and they should be reasonably patient towards all members of this House. Temperament is an important aspect of the role of the presiding officer. Important attributes in a presiding officer includes, but are not limited to, attentiveness, courtesy, open-mindedness, patience, absence of arrogance, listening skills, decisiveness, even-handedness in the treatment of all members, a fostering of a general sense of fairness and the absence of bias.


What is critical of a presiding officer is preparation ... [Inaudible.] ... attentiveness and control over the proceedings of the House. What I have observed from the recordings is that the presiding officer was a bit overwhelmed on that day as a result of the situation in the House. Hon members, at times in the midst of very tense and heated debates, presiding officers tend to be overwhelmed by such pressure of listening to and hearing you clearly, and responding in a particular manner without the intention of stifling the debate in the House. We are just human beings.
Sometimes we also get impatient; we lose track of what you are saying because we are trying to calm things down. But we must try to be one and all of the things that I enumerated ... [Inaudible.]
 

As a result of this overwhelming situation which the hon Dikgale found herself in, some members were not given sufficient opportunity to speak or were interrupted while attempting to ... [Inaudible.] It is critical that presiding officers should afford members an opportunity to raise their points of order without hindrance. Points of order should not be frivolous; should not be intended to stifle or frustrate debates. Presiding officers should apply the rules before arriving at a conclusion that a point of order is out of order.


So we are leaning, members. Members are also urged not to abuse the rule on points of order, as this abuse has the potential to cause the House to degenerate into chaos. A chaotic House is an antithesis to a robust debate. Hon members, I would like to highlight the following:


Firstly, the hon Labuschagne persisted in speaking when ordered to stop;


Secondly, she further refused to leave the House when she was ordered; {Inaudible.]

Thirdly, although she felt her rights were infringed, she should have left the House as ordered; and


Lastly, when all of us as presiding officers preside, we need to hear out a member starting a point of order to the finish before we rule.


I want to say that the allegation by the hon Labuschagne is serious. As I have indicated, there is no recording. Now, in no democratic society or any society at all must a public representative feel that they are under the threat of an assault from anybody, least of all when they walk in the corridors where they are representatives. So, we will make sure that it never happens that our members are subjected to any threats ... [Inaudible.] ... or actual assaults ... [Inaudible.]


I want to implore you ... [Inaudible.] ... to respect one another; to respect the Constitution; to respect the rules of this House and all South African laws; but also importantly, to respect all South Africans who look to us for leadership.


Although I have not formed any opinion yet on what took place in the House yesterday, I am going to ask that we remember who we are; why


we are here; what we are doing here; and how we come across to those people who have sent us here, when we behave the way we behave in the House.


Thank you for being patient in listening to this long ... [Inaudible.] I wish to proceed. Hon members, I want to take this opportunity to welcome the Minister and Deputy Minister, but also to our special delegates from across the provinces. You are very welcome. We must say that we apologise for letting you in on our [Inaudible.] ... housekeeping ... [Inaudible.] ... but it affords us all the opportunity to learn, and it does affect you as soon as you walk into this House. The secretary will read the First Order of the day.


APPROPRIATION BILL


(Policy debate)


Debate on Vote No 14 – Basic Education:


The MINISTER OF BASIC EDUCATION: Hon Chairperson of the NCOP, Chairperson and members of the Education Select Committee, the Deputy Minister, MECs present and I can see two of my colleagues
 

here, hon Members of the NCOP, distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen.


For the past three financial years, we have always been lamenting around the effects of violence, service delivery and protests in our schools. In the North West for instance, schooling was disrupted in three education districts, depriving learners from 171 schools their school days. Learners found themselves sitting at home, or loitering about the streets, or worst still, venturing into antisocial behaviours that could be detrimental to their lives and future and these are because of violent service delivery protests that have no direct bearing on schooling. The aggrieved community members continue to use schools as bargaining chips, or as sites to draw attention, especially when they decide to torch and gut schools down.


Most recently, we had a school torched in Limpopo. I think it is yesterday or this week, Mr Kgetjepe, as a result of service delivery protests. In Mpumalanga, a school was torched because of communities who were unhappy with the by-election results.


Also concerning, are the high levels of violent behaviour in our schools, where learners are physically attacking other learners;
 

learners physically attacking teachers; and teachers attacking learners and we seem to be gradually losing our moral compass as a nation. What is it that infuriates our children to such unprecedented levels? A child leaves home with a knife to stab another learner in class; a small Grade-R toddler holding a brick, which is larger than the palm of his hand, attempting to assault a teacher with the brick, girls fighting and I can go on and on.


Surely, we can all agree that such levels of vandalism and violence cannot be condoned. We must heed our President’s call on Thuma Mina, and collectively make it our business to protect our schools and our school communities, teachers and learners alike, so that we are able to deliver qualitatively so, and our children’s right to basic education, are not unhindered.


The NCOP again, is aware that we are now intervening in the North West Education Department in terms of section 100(1)(b) of the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa. We are among the five departments in which have invoked section 100(1)(b) and we want assure this House that we have developed an intervention plan, and have consulted with a wide range of stakeholders on the focus and extent of the intervention.
 

So, within the short space of time, we have been intervening. We have managed to engage the communities and working with the North West Department of Education, we will be running a catch-up programme to ensure and to protect the opportunities and the rights of children in North West.


So, coming to the debate, thank you very much for the 2018-19 Debate on Vote 14 and I thought NCOP Members being on the ground should lament first with them before getting to the Budget, to say please help us with the violence in our schools. It is delivered and debated in the year, in which we are marking the centenary celebrations of President Nelson Mandela and Mrs Nontsikelelo Albertina Sisulu. President Ramaphosa said during his inaugural state of the nation address that we honour President Mandela and Mrs Sisulu in a year of change, a year of renewal, a year of hope.
Through the centenary celebrations of their lives, we are not merely honouring the past, but we are building the future, yes, a new dawn for South Africa.


If you recall, during 2017-18 Budget, I did remind this House that in 2015, United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation, UNESCO, had adopted the global education agenda, Education 2030, which is part of the seventeen UNESCO’s Sustainable
 


Development Goals, SDGs, which make up the Agenda 2030 for sustainable development and SDG 4 in particularly, calls for an inclusive, quality and equitable education and lifelong opportunities for all.


I also reminded this House that in our local context, we have translated the UNESCO’s SDGs into our action plan. Therefore, the Constitution, the NDP, as well as the international conventions, do provide the moral imperative and a mandate to government to make access, redress, equity, efficiency, inclusivity and quality educational opportunities, widely available to all our citizens.


So, as we approach the end of the fifth administration of our democratic government, when we reflect on the work we have done so far, the following quintessential observations remain pertinent in the trajectory of our journey as a sector. As a sector, we can confirm that we have successfully created a single seamlessly integrated education sector, based on the values and principles enshrined in our Constitution, as well as the regional, continental and international protocols.


We have accelerating the implementation of the principles of social justice, namely: access, redress, equity, inclusivity, efficiency
 

and quality. We also can report that we have brought about stability in curriculum implementation. We have repositioned, realigned, and strengthened the basic education sector.


We have established a solid foundation for accountability, and provided strategic leadership in our efforts to provide quality education through monitoring, evaluation and reporting on key activities focusing on our core business of teaching and learning.


We are the first to acknowledge that, while we have made great progress in our journey towards a democratic South Africa and its basic education system we desire, we are still striving for the foundational skills of reading, writing and counting as well as having the basic necessities in place for quality teaching and learning to take place, especially in the early grades.


It is also important to report that during the 2016-17 audit cycle, the audit outcomes of our provincial education departments have improved admirably. There is no province for the first time that had adverse findings and can congratulate my colleague here from the Western Cape that they had a clean audit without any findings and five of our provinces had unqualified report. So, we think we are making progress as a sector.
 

The 2016-17 findings of the Auditor-General, were reinforced by the Management Performance Assessment Tool, MPAT, assessment report, compiled by the Department of Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation, DPME, which did show reciprocal improvements in the assessment standards based on the four key areas of strategic management, governance and accountability, human resource management and financial management.


So, going to the Budget, I must state upfront that budgetary constraints in the sector have attracted a lot of attention over the past year, largely because of the weak economic growth, the basic education sector, like most other service delivery areas, had to reduce what it purchases. This has occurred while enrolments in our schools have increased substantially, largely due to demographic factors and I would like assure this House that, as a sector, we are monitoring this dichotomy that of the Budget constraints versus increasing enrolments at our schools. We are working with the National Treasury and engaging with them to how we can manage this difficult situation.


So, let me quickly highlight the following in relation to the Budget Vote 14 of the Basic Education for the 2018 Medium Term Expenditure Framework, MTEF, period: the overall in 2018-19, a Budget allocation


for the Department of Basic Education, DBE, is R27,7 billion. In addition, the total Conditional Grant that are with DBE for provinces are R17,5 billion; and it includes transfers which amount to R2,6 billion.


I want to commend the National Treasury that despite all the difficulties, it has also allocated R29,2 million as a general budget support allocation for Rural Education Assistants Project, REAP, and this amount will increase with a total of R58,3 million, where matriculants are identified in three provinces which are: Eastern Cape, KwaZulu Natal and Limpopo.


I am also glad to report that the ruling party has really lived up to its commitment of making education its top priority. The 2018 MTEF allocations for provincial education departments which are where I think as a sector, we are all agreeing that it matters most in the sector. The Budget has increase from R240,7 billion in 2018-
19 to R253,6 billion for 2019-20; and R271 billion for 2020-21. This represents a net increase of 19,8% which is about twenty percent increase for provincial education departments. More importantly, none of our provincial education departments show any decrease in their 2018 MTEF Budget allocations.

In one of its reports, UNESCO illustrates the importance of ensuring that public spending is equitably distributed and that rural and poor communities are prioritised and credit must go to the ruling party for its strides in this respect. We need to make sure that, inspite of the current economic and fiscal climate; we continue to prioritise programmes and funding that will particularly have a direct and positive impact on our rural and poor communities.


We wish to highlight a few ongoing programmes that extend beyond the ongoing objectives of the basic education sector. The extension of these programmes goes much deeper into the content, substance, quality and relevance of our work, in the context of an ever changing world.


The first focus that we have is the review of our progression and promotion policies, especially in the lower grades. The overwhelming message from education specialists is that it does not make any educational sense to make young children between six and ten years to repeat a grade without any assistance. According to these experts, children who repeat, on the whole, gain absolutely nothing. On the contrary, for many affected children, repetition is a powerful early signal for failure, a signal that lasts through the individual’s life.
 

 


To improve the efficiency of the system, we are also focusing on other grades and work with the sector to see how we arrest repetitions and drop-outs even in higher grades.


Our second focus is around Early Childhood Development, ECD. One of the NDP directives states that there should be a policy and programme shift to ensure that the DBE takes over the core responsibility for the provision and monitoring of ECD.


Our third focus area is the reality we have repeatedly stated that the internal efficiency of the system and quality basic education outcomes can only be achieved through specific and deliberate interventions in the early grades, especially in our primary schools.


Our next area of focus is on strengthening the curriculum content, quality and relevance. We have already done some work around History; Mathematics, Science and Technology and Agriculture. We have convened a number of roundtables and are working with experts in this field to make sure that we can improve the quality content and the relevance of our offerings in the curriculum.
 

 


The fifth focus area is our response to the Fourth Industrial Revolution. Together with our provinces, we have begun to prepare the basic education sector to provide learners with the skills and competencies for the ever changing world.


The sixth focus area is that of improving the coordination and coherence of the sector.


The seventh area is on refocusing of the infrastructure planning and coordination delivery. The deficiencies found in this area, exacerbated by the inability of the sector to attract the build industry specialists required, and the challenges related to financial disbursements, are getting a special attention.


Our eighth area is the tightening human resource management in the basic education system, especially the recruitment, appointment and promotion of education specialists and teachers.


The last and not the least, is about social transformation and cohesion.


The CHAIRPERSON OF THE NCOP: You have three minutes left. You have three minutes left, Minister.
 

 


The MINISTER OF BASIC EDUCATION: Oh, let me just rush to conclusion and already, we want to we wish to conclude by saying that our argument as a sector is as if we want radical economic transformation, a progressive policy of the ruling party, it must be predicted on radical social transformation and we believe that our are sector is the key holder of that programme


I want to take this opportunity because I have run out of time to thank my colleague.


The CHAIRPERSON OF THE NCOP: You have two minutes.


The MINISTER OF BASIC EDUCATION: Okay. So, let met me thank the Deputy Minister, my Cabinet colleagues, my colleagues from the provinces, the MECs presence and those that are not here, the Heads of Departments that also helped us with planning in the sector and we want to really say that we continue to be immensely grateful to all our teachers, principals, parents and learners to our school governing bodies and individuals and also academics and professionals in this way, especially from universities who continue to help us to ensure that indeed we can improve our systems.
 

 


So, last, but not the least, I really want to thank as I say Members of Parliament, members of the select committees for their unwavering support, guidance and monitoring at all times. Thank you very much, Chairperson.


Ms L L ZWANE: Hon Chairperson of the Council, hon Minister of Basic Education and the Deputy Minister, hon members, MECs from provinces, as well as special delegates, guests in the gallery, it is indeed a pleasure and a privilege to participate in this very important policy debate on Vote 14 - the Department of Basic Education. During the state of the nation address, the President of the country directed that the year 2018 is a year where we need to honour the spirit of Tata Nelson Mandela and Mama Albertina Sisulu. They taught us the importance of service, humility, hard work, sacrifice and respect for the people. These icons were faced with much opposition, directed against them and their families yet remained close to the people and consciously and consistently listened to the people and responded to their needs. We all have to redouble our collective efforts to deliver quality services, particularly quality basic education to our nation guided by the legacy that they have left, the framework and the values that underpin the Freedom Charter as well as the Thuma Mina Campaign. [Interjections.]
 

 


Ms T J MOKWELE: Ye!


Ms L L ZWANE: Mama Nontsikelelo Albertina Sisulu, as we all know that she was an antiapartheid activist was arrested several times. At some instances with her young son Zwelakhe. She became the first woman to be arrested under the General Laws Amendment Act. The Act gave the police power to hold suspects in detention for 90 days without charging them. And Mama Albertina Sisulu during this period was placed under solitary confinement incommunicado for almost two months while the security branch looked for her husband.


It is also worth mentioning that it is significant that this debate takes place during the month of June. We all know the story of the Soweto uprisings where students took to the streets and died fighting against the injustices of the apartheid regime. According to the Afrikaans Medium Decree that was issued by the then oppressive government which was passed in 1974, certain subjects at secondary school level such as maths, arithmetic and social studies had to be taught in Afrikaans, while other subjects were taught in English and others in mother tongue.


The intention was to introduce this practice in schools around Soweto and the Northern Transvaal first, but this imposition of
 

 


Afrikaans was the impetus for Soweto uprisings of June 1976. We shall be forever indebted to the children that laid their lives in the fight for a better education for this country. Hector Pieterson, Hastings Ndlovu, Tsietsi Mashinini and many others, we shall always be indebted to them, because the estimation is that it is about 700 of them that were injured and some of them died.


The Department of Basic Education under outcome one of the government’s Medium-Term Strategic Framework is responsible for delivery of quality basic education. The priorities that inform the strategic objectives of the Department of Basic Education as outlined in the Annual Performance Plan, APP, includes the following areas: Improving curriculum delivery, increasing the number of learners completing Grade 12, supporting learners with intellectual disability - I observe that an amount of R30 million was allocated to assist in this regard to get specialist services for them - improving the quality and equity in education in rural areas, improving school infrastructure, ensuring adequate supply of quality teachers, assessing the quality of teaching and learning, school monitoring survey, school nutrition programme, school safety and school governance.
 

 


The Department of Basic Education in the engagement with the Select Committee on Education and Recreation outlined the priorities and the budget and the committee supported the budget for very valid reasons. The budget seeks to address the core mandate of the department and it is also pro-poor. We noted that there is an increasing number of no-fee schools. The budget is also aligned to their 2019 and 2030 vision. It is also aligned to the state of the nation address.


We are looking forward to a time when the country will have appositive economic climate. That will then culminate in the budget of the department being drastically improved in terms of the baseline allocation.


The kind of education that any nation seeks to have is one that prepares people for total human liberation, the one that helps people to be creative, the one that help the learners to be critical, the one that develops and analytical mind, the one that prepares people for full participation in the social, political and the cultural spheres of society. This is the kind of the education that we as South Africa are rolling out.
 

 


In the APP of the department, there was the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats, SWOT, analysis depicting the strengths of the department, the weaknesses, opportunities and the threats.
Accessibility has improved in terms of the strength to ensure that socioeconomic challenges in the country are addressed. Learners with special needs are taken care through inclusive education system to achieve inclusive economy.


Over the years the Early Childhood Development, ECD, programme has been expanded to all socioeconomic levels of the society. There is an ongoing programme to train the ECD practitioners to at least achieve level four to be adequately equipped to educate and train the toddlers at lower levels.


Another strength that we are picking up is the improvement of the results of Grade 12. We commend the department for this performance of actually improving the results up to more than 75%. We say so cognisant of the fact that not only is it that it is Grade 12 that is important, all grades are important and we seek to ensure or the department seeks to ensure that the curriculum is completely covered in all the grades and there are assessments that are conducted.
 

 


In terms of access, we appreciate the fact that there is an increase in the enrolment of the candidature that was presented for the Senior Certificate Examination. We presented a total of 803 431. We also presented a mark increase of candidature in the category of part-time enrolment. The increase was about the margin of 58 805 that is commended given the fact that the budget that is allocated is really not addressing the issues as we would like.


In terms of redress as I have indicated, we are increasing the number of no-fee schools and the performance of the no-fee schools is improving quite drastically. The 243 260 of the candidates that were presented were coming from the no-fee schools. The 1 626 of the no-fee schools achieved over 80% pass rate, 76 300 of the admission of bachelor studies come from no-fee schools, compared to the 67 867 of the fee-paying schools.


We also applaud the fact that the numbers of girls that are attending and are reaching the National Senior Certificate is increasing quite substantially. We have 296 201 girls, as compared to 238 283 boys and it is worth noting also that 62,6% of distinctions that were attained were by girls, including distinctions in critical subjects such as accounting, business studies, economics, maths and physical science. There has been a
 

 


drastic improvement also in so far as the strength of the department in so far as the performance in the gateway subjects. The average increase in performance is about 30%.


The hon Minister did make mention of the progressed learners and I know that there were qualms and issues in this regard, but it is worth mentioning that they managed at least to attain 55,1% and
1 956 of the distinctions were achieved by learners in this category with special education needs that is commendable.


If we were to move on to the weaknesses of the department, the use of the Information Communication and Technology, ICT, in teaching and learning continues to be a challenge in a few schools, because a few schools have been supplied with ICT resources. The advancement in ICT has assured the Fourth Industrial Revolution in which learners have to play a part. New technologies like robotics, virtual reality, cloud technology, artificial intelligence and the Internet have been the talk of the day. The use of technology is inevitable and it has blurred the lines between physical, digital and biological aspects of life and these have a significant effect in the lives of our learners.
 

 


However, in the most disadvantaged schools teachers are still stuck on old methods of teaching. In order to educate for the fourth and the future industrial revolutions, there is a need to embrace the technologies associated with them. Young people should be skilled to participate actively in the Fourth Industrial Revolution and become gainful employees and entrepreneurs.


The Department of Basic Education reported that they will develop and distribute content annually that is digitised to promote e- learning. In the current financial year 27 schools - three in each province will be monitored for the utilisation of ICT resources and the department will develop eight offline digital content.


In so far as the threats are concerned the Minister did made mention of the fact that it is a wary for all of us as communities, as parents and as leaders where people that are engaged in protests for municipal services actually use schools to fight their battles and deprive learners learning opportunities that are very, very vital for their future. We want to say that that is tantamount to a holocaust. Let us not be part in destroying the future of our own children. I thank you, Chairperson. [Applause.]
 

 


Mr C HATTINGH: Hon Chairperson, somewhere on the impressive bookshelves frequently used as a backdrop for TV interviews of so many of the leaders in whose hands the future of our nation have been put, a very valuable book, our future, make it work may be found. And I believe that in many instances this book, which is actually the National Development Plan, NDP, 2030 is still as crisp, fresh and unread as on the day when it was published in 2012; one- third on the time set for the implementation of the NDP, 18 years, has elapsed.


In the vision section, a caring leader would inter alia have read the following: Each community has, a school, teachers who love teaching and learning, a local library with a wealth of knowledge, a librarian.


In Chapter Nine, it is explicitly stated that the South African education system needs urgent action. Building national capabilities requires quality early childhood development, basic education, further and higher education.


And further, ensure that all schools meet the minimum standards for infrastructure and commit to progressively upgrading each scho0l’s infrastructure to meet optimum standards. Target no-fee schools when
 

 


planning infrastructure to compensate for resource deficits in communities. There should be well-equipped libraries, laboratories, computer and media centres to ensure that learners in no-fee schools have access to similar learning resources to their counterparts in less poor communities.


And very important, take learner safety into account when planning infrastructure.


It is however scary that the NDP exhaustively used as a tool to influence voters in the run-up to the 2014 elections, is now rarely mentioned.


The Department of Basic Education has revealed in a portfolio committee meeting that it has yet again failed to meet every single one of its Accelerated School Infrastructure Delivery Initiative, ASIDI, targets.


The department confirmed that out of a targeted 115 schools, only 22 were built, that’s 19,1% achieved, I think we should also measure the percentage achievement against our matric pass rate which is so eagerly chased by the department; out of 257 schools that needed to be provided with sanitation, only 45 were connected, that’s 17,5%
 

 


achieved; out of 344 that were to be provided with water, only 70 were connected, 20,3% pass rate here; and, out of 134 that were to be provided with electricity, only 66 were connected, this is much better, 49,2%.


The department attributed its poor performance to underperforming ‘Implementing Agents’ and a lack of consequence management. They also said construction delays were to blame for these appalling results. However, the Auditor-General has a different take on the failures and reported that as at 31 March 2017, ten projects were under investigation by the Special Investigation Unit, SIU.


The Auditor-General also stated that these investigations related mainly to allegations of procurement of, or contracting of goods and services by or on behalf of an implementing agent appointed by the department to build schools. In other words, these situations were created by itself and the department took full ownership of its failures and stop trying to shift the blame.


This is not a new thing, this thread running through every Auditor- General report for at least the past four years. The Auditor-General stated that the accounting officer did not take effective steps to prevent irregular expenditure amounting to R621 million in the
 

 


current financial year as result of supply chain processes not being followed and that, irregular expenditure to the amount of
R350 million that was incurred in the previous years was still under investigation. That is one billion Rand!


The Auditor-General further ... [Inaudible.] this is procurement stuff, this is the playground of those propagating radical economic transformation, the Guptas and the Zumas and the ilk of the world.


The Auditor-General further reported that the department has materially under spent the budget on programme 4 to the amount of R874 million. Programme 4 relates to planning, information and assessment, crucial elements required to achieve the ever diminishing goals set to be met by 2030.


The reckless attitude apparent in the department is further aggravated by fruitless and wasteful expenditure reported to be
R11 million in the current year with another R49,5 million incurred in the previous years; also allegedly still under investigation.


Oversight and monitoring over financial and performance reporting of infrastructure projects was inadequate, said the Auditor-General.
And as a result, areas of non-compliance by implementing agents were
 

 


not detected. Furthermore, there was ineffective oversight over performance reporting in the annual performance report resulting in performance reporting which is not reliable and credible. As a result, there were still a number of repeat findings on areas of financial reporting, performance reporting and compliance with laws and regulations.


The Auditor-General indicated that even the financial statements submitted for auditing were not prepared in accordance with the prescribed financial reporting framework and supported by full and proper records and that deficiencies in the control environment mainly in the area of oversight by leadership and, particularly in respect of the infrastructure programmed and performance reporting over the past four financial years, were not adequately addressed. This is being repeated year after year after year.


The lack of leadership, lack of responsibility, lack of planning and lack of governing the department efficiently and in line with legislation and treasury guidelines are some of the reasons why this department is our children and their future and therefore our country.
 

 


The DA can never support a budget that is retrogressive and which appears to only procrastinate the current sad state of basic education. And Chair, may I conclude by saying, like a colleague has said from this podium where we didn’t support water and sanitation budget, we don’t want people to have water; we want people to have water, we want people to have a proper education and we want the money to be spent exactly the way it should be and wasted through procedures and methods being implemented by the department such as these. Thank you.


Ms F BAYENI: (EASTERN CAPE: CHAIRPERSON - PUBLIC PARTICIPATION,

PETITIONS & PUBLIC EDUCATION): Hon Chairperson of the National Council of Provinces, hon Ministers present, hon MECs present, members of the NCOP, distinguished guests, education social partners present in this House, good afternoon. I stand here on behalf of MEC Makupula. I guess it’s in the spirit of ‘Thuma Mina’.


Hon Chairperson, the Department of Education in the Eastern Cape has done very well in terms of improving access to education for the majority of learners in the province. However, we note that in terms of efficiency, quality and inclusivity of the learning outcomes, we still have major challenges.
 

 


In response to the challenges that we are facing in the Eastern Cape in terms of efficiency, we have sought in 2016 to develop a turnaround plan that is meant to deal with these shortcomings. This turnaround plan is a three-year plan which lapses in this academic year 2018. It is interesting that it ends at the time our term of office is coming to an end. So, we are going to see a cohort of the learners that were from Grade 10 that will be writing in Grade 12 this year, who are a product of the turnaround plan that we developed in 2016.


Hon members, the Eastern Cape Department of Education in March was allocated a budget of R34,7 billion. The following assumptions were taken into place when that allocation was made to the department: The revision of CPIX, the personnel cost, and that include projected pay progression and improvements in terms of conditions of service of the employees of the Department of Education, funding of norms and standards at the national threshold as well as contractual obligations.


The department accepts and appreciates this allocation as announced by the MEC for Finance earlier this year. With regard to the learner’s performance, the matric of 2017 in the Eastern Cape really
 

 


showed us an improvement in terms of percentage by 5,7%, which is from 59,3% in 2016 to 65% in 2017.


We don’t only notice the improvement in terms of the quantities of learners that go through the matric or the National Curriculum Statement, NCS. We also note with appreciation the following as the improvement in terms of quality of the product of the learners: The number of Bachelor passes increased from 19% to 23%, which is a 4% increase. The number of candidates obtaining distinctions also improved from 2,1% to 2,7%. We also note that the district performance was equally commendable with 10 of the 12 districts performing above 60% and only two districts performing below 60%.


We remain hopeful that the turnaround strategy that we employed since 2016 will then yield much more improvements in relation to the figures that I have stated above.


It is not nice for us to always be number last in terms of the results of the Grade 12. Hence, we are making these plans to improve.


With regard to the priority for the financial year that we are looking into, 2018-19, we intend to improve in the administration of
 

 


education. This will be done by focussing on the quality of data and the capacity of the department to plan from a reliable and robust data source. The implementation, therefore, of SA School and Management System, SA – SAMS, to ensure proper learner tracking and credible data is an important flagship as we get into the financial year of 2018-19. Further deliveries to support this initiative would be the recapitalisation of the ICT software and hardware to drive the change through administration.


On early childhood development, we note that the future growth as envisaged in the National Development Plan, NDP, places early childhood development at the forefront of education transformation. The main focus for 2018-19 is on the professional development of ECD practitioners. We have since been given an allocation of
R785 million to look into the early childhood development working together with the Department of Social Development.


Currently, a closed bulletin has been issued for the recruitment of professional qualified Grade R educators, and it closed on 16 March 2018. We remain hopeful that by the end of June, the majority of educators in that respect would have been starting to work in those schools. Also, on enhancing performance of public schools ... If I am running a little bit too fast, Chair, pardon me, I am used to 18
 

 


minutes when I am debating in the province. So, now 10 minutes is proving to be challenging.


On enhancing performance of public schools, we have in the 2018-19 seen an increase of 4,6%, which translate into an allocation of R28 billion in terms of enhancing of performance of public schools


This allocation continues to show a stabilised growth over the Medium-Term Expenditure Framework and the outer years. Our main focus really is on improving primary schools in the province because we believe that we shouldn’t be looking into them as they exit Grade
12 only but there should be measures that we are doing in enhancing the foundation, which is the primary schools.


Part of the things that we are doing as a strategy to focus on improving primary education is partnership with Nal’ibali through reading clubs, early grade reading assessment, the reading method and assessment guidelines for isiXhosa as Home Language as well as NEC partnership on learning programme development with a specific focus on content, lesson plans, methodology and curriculum training. A great deal of energy has also gone into developing an advocacy of reading awareness and campaigns in the province.
 

 


On improving National Senior Certificate results, I have earlier on indicated that through the turnaround strategy that we are embarking on, we really are hoping to achieve the better results at the end of the financial year. But our key priorities in the strategies is ensuring that we have a teacher present in every class busy teaching, what we call time on task, every learner has a textbook for every subject and the curriculum is sufficiently covered.


We also note that Grade 12 has a limited time in terms of rolling out curriculum, but we will improve through the Tips for Success Booklet that we have issued to all learners.


Quickly, on infrastructure delivery, we are seriously embarking on infrastructure delivery, particularly focusing on refurbishing hostels, a case in point, the Healdtown and Thubalethu are some of the examples. In that respect, we have allocated R1,4 billion. On the integration of ICT in education, we are embarking on rolling out ICT tools to assist the educators to roll out ICT.


We truly appreciate the collaboration we have with our social partners in the education system. We would like to thank all the people of the province that are supporting the Department of Education in ensuring that our learners get the best education.
 

 


Just as a rundown in terms of the budget for 2018-19, for administration, we have allocated R3 billion, for public ordinary schools, R28 billion, independent schools subsidy is R131 million, public special schools, R805 million, early childhood development, R785 million, for infrastructure development, we have put aside R1,4 billion, examination and education related services, R490
million, with a total of R37,7 billion. With that we believe that we will improve the education in the Eastern Cape. Thank you so much. [Applause.]


Mr M KHAWULA: Hon Chairperson, hon Minister, the provision of education in South Africa has continued to be plagued by enormous challenges and struggles that hinder the route towards quality progress. From where we have started with the new dispensation, one has to acknowledge that satisfactory progress has been made in respect of access to education but the important aspect of the provision of quality education has totally dodged the system of our country.


The IFP has repeatedly stated that quality education in South Africa is a privilege, only available to the advantaged few who have means and can afford to pay for quality. The poorest of the poor citizens of our country, who comprise the majority, have to do with whatever
 

 


is available at their disposal at a given time irrespective of the level and standard.


The NCOP has been to the Eastern Cape on the Taking Parliament to the People programme. The majority of schools visited in the rural areas of that province are in appalling state. Schools with no toilets, no laboratories, no libraries, no Information Technology, IT, classrooms, shortage of teachers, no playing facilities, no kitchen in which to cook food for them, no electricity and no water, yet the Department of Basic Education has the courage to under spend on money budgeted for the year to improve the conditions of the schools.


The Umalusi Grade 12 standardisation of examination marks can be concluded as tantamount to inflating marks if carelessly handled. The process lacks transparency to give it some credibility. In 2017 a total of 58 subjects were written and in 16 of these subjects marks were adjusted upwards. In four only of these subjects, marks were adjusted downwards. The reason given for this upward standardisation is that the papers were of a higher difficulty level than the previous years and the marking was more stringent than the previous years.
 

 


One has to ask why does this difficulty is detected when the papers have already been written. What is the role of Moderators in the process of setting the examination papers? What is the impact of the progressed learners in the whole of this standardisation scenario?
While standardisation is warranted, the circumstances around the whole process and the rational behind it remain suspect. When standardisation gets implemented for reasons not related to cognitive assessment, the consequences is the obvious high dropout rate at tertiary level for failure to adjust to the demands of that level as it is the case right now.


The department uses the Quintile system for the allocation of resources to schools. Schools in areas which can afford get lesser resources and schools in areas which cannot afford are allocated a big slice. Why this system of allocation of resources was developed, it is because circumstances are not the same. One has to ask, why the same rational not is being applied for the allocation of Post Provisioning Norms, PPN, to schools. Seemingly, the current method of PPN is a disadvantage to rural schools. The one shoe fits all kind of PPN arrangement is causing poor performance to rural schools and even leads to closure of some of the other schools.
 

 


I have previously questioned why the department conduct an investigation in the post-for-sale inquiry. This is because when the department got the report nothing so far has been done in taking steps to bring the suspects to account. The problem is continuing and escalating.


In the Umlazi district in KwaZulu-Natal the District Manager, Mr Ntuli, endured harassment by the union until he decided to resign from his position. At one stage it was alleged that Mr Ntuli and his colleagues were held hostage by a union for close to 24 hours in the offices without even given time to release themselves. The situation got worse that Mr Ntuli’s family was receiving death threats if he does not appoint principals given to him by this union. The Deputy President of National Teachers Union, Natu, Mr Allan Thompson, has recently escaped death attacks. It is suspected that this could be linked to the union uncovering corruption relating to the tender to supply sanitary towels to the schools in the province.


In conclusion Chair, I have previously indicated to the Minister that the practice of ring fencing LTSM for the provincial office to procure on behalf of the schools is a big temptation to corruption. It must be attended to. I thank you Chair.
 

 


Ms D B NGWENYA: Chairperson of the NCOP, hon members, commissars and fighters, one of the greatest failures of the ANC government in the last 24 years that it has been in power is the failure to build an education system that services all our people and give them the much-needed tools to lift them out of poverty.


In South Africa, we have a private and semiprivate education system that is of an extremely high standard, but this is a privilege that a very few can afford. On the other side, we have the public education system and across all nine provinces of this country, the public education system is in trouble. It is our children that are suffering.


Every year, the committee on Basic Education goes on oversight visits to different provinces and every year, we make the same observations and recommendations, but still nothing changes. If you go to Limpopo, you will still find one teacher who is a principal, teaching Grade 3 and 4 at the same time. If you go to the Eastern Cape, you will find schools without toilets, hundreds of mud schools and schools without electricity. If you go to KwaZulu-Natal, you will find schools that are inaccessible when it rains. If you go to the Free State, you will find pit toilets at schools. If you go to the Western Cape, you will find schools still made of asbestos.
 

 


The department has developed the minimum norms and standards for school infrastructure to address these challenges, so that all schools have the basic infrastructure needed for students to learn. However, the department has not been able to meet its own goals and deadlines.


The President, in his state of the nation address, said that, by the end of the financial year, government plans to complete all outstanding projects of the Accelerated Schools Infrastructure Delivery Initiative, but looking at what it has achieved till this day and looking at the Budget, the President was either informed or was fooling us.


How is this going to be achieved when the department is cutting it Budget for everything but the administration? How is the ANC government going to speed up the delivery of school infrastructure when the Education Infrastructure Grant and the Accelerated Schools Infrastructure Delivery Initiative continue to see Budget cuts?


According to this very department, we have a backlog of 1 380 special needs schools in this country that still need to be built. If we want to provide proper education for those with special needs, where is the money to build them?
 

 


The lack of Budget is not the only problem in this country, because education systems on our continent have flourished with much less. Corruption, mismanagement and incompetence are serious challenges in our education system. The people deployed by the ANC have abused the resources of the Department of Basic Education in all our provinces. Therefore, simple delivery targets are not met and the infrastructure needed is neither built nor delivered.


How do we have to prepare our children for the fourth industrial revolution and the economy of the 21st century if our education system does not even meet the basic standards of the 20th century? How can you teach a child to use a computer if there is not even electricity, let alone a Wi-Fi system?


We know all this, but yet government act surprised by how badly our children perform in comparison to other children across the world and our beautiful continent. With an education system like this, how can one be surprised how poorly our children perform in various international benchmark tests, like the Global Information Technology Report 2016 by the World Economic Forum? The Global Information Technology Report 2016 by the World Economic Forum ranked South Africa 137th in the overall quality of its education, scoring especially low in Mathematics and Science rankings.
 

 


The lack of vision, coupled with corruption, mismanagement and incompetence has compromised the education of our children, particularly the poor and the black children. By compromising our children, we have compromised our future and, therefore, the Economic Freedom Fighters object this Budget Vote. Thank you. [Applause.]


The DEPUTY MINISTER OF BASIC EDUCATION: Hon Chairperson, hon Ministers who are present here, members of executive council, MECs, for education and esteemed members of this distinguished House, it is again a privilege to be here. We are here just on the cusp of celebrating Youth Day on June 16 - I see that Minister Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma is going to be addressing this House very soon - and certainly during the year that we celebrate the centenary of Nelson Mandela and Mama Albertina Sisulu.


Nelson Mandela said that, the best measure of a nation is the manner in which it treats its youth or its children. He also indicated that our children are the bedrock of the future and indeed our most precious national asset. We are almost at the end of this administration and one has to reflect on this journey and say where we have progressed and contributed significantly enough to the quality and access of education of our children.
 

 


We can celebrate that 99% of all our children in the country - that’s about 13 million children in our schools system - have had early childhood development opportunities and that is quite incredible.


We can celebrate the fact that 98% of our children between the ages of 17 and 15 are in schools. We can celebrate the fact that notwithstanding the bifurcation between private or independent schools in the one hand and public schools on the other hand, more than 95% of our learner population in our country attend public schools, which means that there is still credibility in the system of education.


I have listened attentively to the contributions of the esteemed members; we are indeed poised to deal with the challenge of the fourth industrial revolution. As I address you now, 60% of the content of our textbooks are owned by the Department of Basic Education, have been digitised and will be accessible to all learners, educators and the public at large. [Applause.]


That in itself means that we have 1050 content textbooks and readers available to all our learners. A number of 344 titles are available in terms of readers in all languages, which are owned intellectually
 

 


by the Department of Basic Education and can be accessed on all tablets, iPads and even on an unsophisticated cell phone.


We have produced 112 textbooks in the areas of Mathematics, Science, Technology, Accountancy and languages, and 76 textbooks are in the process.


In this regard we would like to thank Gauteng for making a contribution of R15 million towards the digitisation of our textbooks [Applause.] and the Eastern Cape for R5 million towards this digitisation. We have a clear indication of the leadership of the other provinces that they too would be interested so that by the end of this academic year we would have all textbooks in all subjects for all grades digitised. That means that we would have indeed bridged the digital divide.


The challenge that we have in terms of connectivity is huge particularly in our rural areas yet we have made enormous strides. As we speak to you right now, 64% of our schools have been connected for learning and teaching and quite incredibly our lurid system which is regarded as the best on the continent is able to track learners across the system. We work in close collaboration with the Department of Home Affairs to verify the details of our learners and
 

 


the Department of Social Developments to look at the needs of our indigent learners.


Already the Treasury relies on our system in order to determine the proportionate share that is allocated to everybody else and it is our intention, hopefully, that by the end of the financial year we will be web base which means that the Minister could basically locate any leaner in any school and determine what his or her past achievements have been or challenges of that particular learner.
That is quite remarkable in terms of the fourth industrial revolution.


To pretend that the system is not working or the system has not made progress is certainly unfair. We also recognise, and certainly agree with the hon Khawula, that teachers have a particular responsibility because they contribute very directly to the quality of education.


We have 145 teacher resource centres of which 126 have highly sophisticated connectivity. Teachers are already utilising these resources in order to access their ability and contributing directly to improvement.
 

 


Hon Deputy Chairperson, the story of education has been a difficult one in a sense that we had 19 education departments segregated racially. We now have one system of education where we work collaboratively with the nine provinces and the results of the input are quite remarkable. We have always said that we have not achieved excellence but we are moving in a structured way from mediocrity.


Last year for example, the [Inaudible.] which involves 15 countries;

12 from southern Africa and three from the east African countries have indicated that South Africa, across all provinces, for the first time, has achieved above the means in both literacy and numeracy. That is indeed a remarkable achievement.


When we talk about the global world economic report in term of our performance why don’t we take into account that it is not a scientific study but it is merely based on the opinion of business people and certainly to use that as a yard stick to measure our progress would be unfair. We should, with great pride, celebrate the fact that we are able to feed 9,2 million children on each day of school. That is quite remarkable and reflects a caring and humane society. [Applause.]
 

 


We do have a challenge with regard to literacy and numeracy and we have never pretended that we don’t. This country and this ANC-led government distributes, on time, to every child, black or white, in every public school, 58 million books from Grade R to Grade 12. A Grade R learner, whether black or white, male or female, receives four books delivered to him or her free of charge and on time. That in itself is a remarkable thing.


We certainly have challenges with regard to infrastructure and it is a challenge that we have to address but as I speak to you right now,
84 schools are under construction. We have already delivered 204 state of the art schools, we have eliminated the phenomenon of schools without electricity, there are only 15 schools now without water, 438 projects have been completed already in this financial year. That does not mean that we should not do more.


The department and the Ministry has taken it upon itself to engage with implementing agents and already we have removed work from entities that have not performed well enough, including public works and the Independent Development Trust, IDT. As I speak to you right now, 84 schools as I have indicated are under construction and we certainly could say with reasonable certainty that for this financial year there would be at least a school per week that is
 

 


being delivered. [Applause.] I am talking about a school with a laboratory, ICT, sports facilities and necessary ablution facilities. We could take pride in that.


The greatest achievement in my opinion is this: Twenty four years ago we had a huge disparity in terms of performance amongst boy learners and girl learners. Today, our girl learners outperform our boy learners, they are longer in school, 62% of the bachelor passes come from girl learners, they produce more distinctions. That in itself is an indication that our commitment to gender equality and equity is a reality. [Applause.]


What is equity? Hon Ngwenya should listen to this: Equity is about bringing about change where it matters most, in the environment where the African child was historically disadvantaged, oppressed and suppressed is able to benefit.


Today we can celebrate the fact that when we look at our bachelors passes or the production of distinctions, quintiles one, two and three, the poorer schools, produce more bachelors passes and more distinctions than quintile four and five. So, it is a myth that only the private school can achieve. The evidence is quite clear that we
 

 


are slowly moving towards the achievement of equality in our environment. That does not mean that we have to do much more.


If we look at the Free State that should be here, they should take pride in the fact that they perform above the best in all the areas. In fact they outperformed all provinces, including the Western Cape. [Applause.]


The only indicator where the Western Cape performs better than the other provinces in any subject is Mathematics. But here is something interesting: The Western Cape’s participation rate in Mathematics is 32, KwaZulu-Natal is 56, and Eastern Cape is 54. The participation of rate in Physical Science in the Western Cape is 22% compared to the 40% and the 50% of other provinces. It means that the reality is that the manner in which opportunities are offered is much distorted in this particular region ... [Time expired.] [Applause.]


Ms D SCHÄFER (Western Cape): Chairperson, I am very relieved that you are the one presiding after hearing your initial address.
Minister, Deputy Minister, colleagues, and members of the House, Minister Motshekga announced in her speech in the National Assembly last month the measures that her department is taking to improve quality and efficiency in education throughout the country, with a
 

 


renewed emphasis on curriculum coverage, improving assessment, and strengthening quality, efficiency, and accountability in our schools, districts and provinces.


All these are admirable goals. In fact, they are essential, and the Minister is to be commended for acknowledging that these need to be improved, but acknowledgment alone does not achieve anything.
Actions need to follow. A quality education for every child in every school in every classroom is essential to give our youth the best possible opportunities in life. However, we all know that the quality of education in our country has been sorely lacking, as admitted by the Minister – to her credit – for far too long, despite us spending a very large amount of money on it. Even though we have improved somewhat in international mathematics and language tests – and I share the Deputy Minister’s views on the world economic forum
– we remain shockingly low on the performance tables.


In the National Assembly, Minister Motshekga spoke of a “new dawn” under the leadership of President Cyril Ramaphosa, but I am afraid it is actually more like a mirage in the desert – an illusion far away that doesn’t actually exist. Our country is facing an economic crisis of epic proportions with the GDP declining by 2,2% in the first quarter of this year, the largest in nine years, owing to
 

 


unsustainable and excessive expenditure by ANC-led provinces and national government, corruption and maladministration, and policies that stifle economic growth.


Under the ANC-led government, according to their own Minister Pravin Gordhan, more than R100 billion – not million – has been lost to state capture. State-owned enterprises continue to swallow up billions of rand with no accountability whatsoever, one example being SAA, which has received almost R20 billion extra in the past
12 months alone. Of course, all this happened whilst Mr “New Dawn” Ramaphosa was still trying to rise in his capacity as Deputy President. Every year, education comes under more and more pressure, with us being told to make a plan and do more with less, whilst we watch these billions of rand disappear into the abyss of corruption and maladministration.


What is our children’s future worth to the ANC? Well, let’s take a look. Whilst all the shenanigans continue, the actual total amount allocated to Basic Education nationally has been quietly and consistently reducing. In a recent article by Nic Spaull, he highlighted how funding per learner has in fact declined by 8% in seven years, from R17 822 in 2010 to R16 435 per child in 2017. If we are to strengthen quality, efficiency and accountability in our
 

 


schools, districts and provinces, we need to invest in basic education, and these amounts should be increasing annually, not decreasing, this especially in the light of the population burst that occurred around 2003 to 2005, which is now affecting our high schools. Add to that the fact that we are trying to improve retention in our schools, which will obviously mean we need more resources.


As far as the Deputy Minister’s comments are concerned, on the Department of Basic Education’s own inclusive basket of criteria, which includes retention and performance, we are number one for the last two years, which they fail to publicise on a regular basis. So, on what possible logic can we be expected to carry on improving on a reducing budget? Every year, our class sizes are increasing, and we are coming under increasing pressure to maintain existing schools and keep up with the demand for new schools. As Suzelle would say, “Because why?” There is no money, we are told.


The President recently directed Minister Motshekga to perform an audit of schools sanitation and present a plan to eradicate pit toilets, given the tragic drowning of two learners in human faeces. The Western Cape has no pit toilets, but across the country there are still 4 358 schools that have plain pit latrines as toilets. A
 

 


total of 37 schools in the Eastern Cape had no ablution facilities whatsoever. To the EFF, asbestos is only dangerous if it is damaged.


I am afraid the President speaks with forked tongue. How does he expect provinces to eradicate all these toilets when he has just presided over the tabling of a Budget that reduces the education infrastructure grant by a whopping R7,3 billion over the Medium-Term Expenditure Framework, MTEF, period and R3,5 billion for the 2018-19 financial year? The national quintile system continues to disadvantage our poorer learners. I have been raising this since I came into office. The Department of Basic Education knows it but says they can’t change it – because why? There is no money.


School safety is an escalating crisis, with attacks becoming more and more violent. The Minister has also alluded to the violence in our schools, yet the SAPS remains underresourced, particularly in the Western Cape, and the criminal justice system is failing us.
Just this week, we again heard how the police-to-population ratio in the Western Cape has increased even further. We simply cannot get on with our primary mandate of educating our children, as we have to keep compensating for the failure of national government in almost every respect. That is exhausting and depressing in so many ways.
 

 


However, it is not all doom and gloom in South African education because despite all the difficulties we face, we in the Western Cape are resilient and committed to the future of our children. Our dedicated teachers and officials are working tirelessly to continue providing quality education, and we are managing to innovate as well. In the Western Cape, people have confidence in us, as we are a capable state.


In 2016, I published a draft Education Amendment Bill, which has now been tabled in the provincial legislature. [Interjections.] Yes. We have been piloting the new school evaluation authority for over a year now, with excellent feedback. A crucial part of this pilot is improving our use of data, and we are developing very useful tools for our officials to use to identify performance trends and more accurately determine areas of improvement and where accountability for these actions lies. I am particularly excited about this new innovation that will drive school improvement through accountability and support in this financial year.


The Minister spoke also about her commitment to the National Education Collaboration Trust, focusing on the importance of public- private partnerships. Another provision in the Bill is the provision made specifically for collaboration schools. The aim of this project
 

 


was to bring in additional education management skills and innovation into the public school system through nonprofit partnerships to improve the quality of teaching and learning in no- fee public schools, assisted by top-up funding from private donors. It is one of the ways I truly believe we can narrow the gap between richer and poorer communities, and it is yielding promising results. Our collaboration schools project now comprises 10 schools. In spite of resistance from certain quarters, we have had excellent responses from communities, and they are very happy with what they are seeing. The systemic tests last year showed some very promising improvements. Since the inception of the new model, the various funders have committed over R150 million to the project.


In the face of the crippling drought we are facing in the Western Cape – not today, fortunately, but we still are – we have partnered with private companies and the University of Stellenbosch to install
285 smart meters in our schools, which have saved over 84 million litres of water, and over R6,9 million. I am also proud that the Western Cape is leading the way in terms of e-learning. We recognise that a reliable internet connection is as critical as having access to water and electricity if we want to create the foundation for an effective learning environment in our schools in the 21st century.
 

 


By the end of this term of office, 350 schools will have a local area network connecting every instruction room to the internet. By the end of March, almost 900 schools will have connectivity coverage at selected points in the school. We will also have installed over
6 400 smart classrooms and upgraded technology in 910 ICT labs at schools. This is an increase of just over 2 400 smart classrooms and 705 labs over the past two years. I think that is something worth celebrating. I would love to go on for much longer about our successes but unfortunately don’t have the time.


However, I cannot end before touching on the matter of history. The Minister recently published the report of the ministerial task team, which is recommending making history a compulsory subject for all learners in Grades 10-12. The report states quite clearly – in the first few pages, in fact – that the Minister is under political pressure to do this. Jonathan Jansen wrote an excellent article on this subject last week in which he analysed that this proposal in fact originated at the lowest depths of the Zuma presidency. He then makes an important point:


Black nationalists are no different from white nationalists – their goal is to impress their version of history on the people
 

 


in the same way that they will not rest until every major airport is named after an African nationalist.


That is the real reason for this recommendation – not the interests of the learners who will have their choice of curriculum curtailed but the interests of the ANC and the ANC alone. There is no question that the history curriculum has been inadequate and did not portray our full history, but this can be corrected in the curriculum until Grade 9.


We do not need a nation of historians. We need a nation of mathematicians, of scientists, of artisans, of accountants, and of computer coders. People should be able to choose the curriculum that best meets their chosen career after school. [Interjections.] Taking history until matric will not serve our young people and will not help them to be productive members of the economy, which will further exacerbate the youth unemployment crisis we are facing.
Minister, do the right thing for our youth, not the ANC. If this proposal is carried through into policy, our economy will be history.
 

 


It is clear that we are living in very difficult financial times, and this is impacting on education, but a lot of the reasons for this are self-inflicted.


Mr S G MTHIMUNYE: Chairperson, I rise on a point of order: Is it factual on the part of the member to make a statement that says a Minister of a government is doing things in the interests of a political party – and she mentions the ANC? [Laughter.] That is misleading from where I am standing.


Ms D SCHÄFER (Western Cape): How?


The CHAIRPERSON OF THE NCOP: Can I rule, please? Hon Mthimunye, the member at the podium is debating. The truth of the matter is that every MEC or every Minister must carry on what their parties’ election manifestos say. So, in that way, it would be very difficult for me to say the MEC is out of order. So, I would allow the Minister or any other person who has different views on this, when they come to debate, to take up this matter. Ma’am, you have seven seconds.


Ms D SCHÄFER (Western Cape): Chair, I just want to end off by saying we need a capable state. There is money. It is just in the wrong
 

 


places. The President wanted us to send him when he encouraged us to #SendMe, so I think a good place to start is to send him to go and recover those stolen and wasted billions that should be used to improve the education of our children. Thank you.


Mr M I KGETJEPE: LIMPOPO - MEC EDUCATION: Hon Chair, the Ministers present here, Deputy Minister, chairperson of the select committee and hon members, we thank you for this opportunity and we are humbled to take part in this debate. It is an honour to be part of this debate in a year marking centenary celebrations of our struggle icons, former President Nelson Mandela and uMama Albertina Sisulu.
These icons have contributed so much in building a society where there is equal access to education and other opportunities. The right to basic education as enshrined in our Constitution imposes on us an obligation to ensure that components of basic education are adhered to in our delivery of quality education.


The National Development Plan states that education is a means to build an inclusive society and providing opportunities for South Africans to realise their full potential. It further says that education provides tools to people to solve their problems. We are doing all this because we are a government that believes that the right to education must never be compromised at any given time. We
 

 


have certainly made progress in more areas, yet much more still has to be done as we make educational opportunities widely available to all citizens. To address some of the challenges we have demonstrated as the Limpopo Department of Education our determination to manage effectively and efficiently the resources allocated to the department to run the programmes and to deliver the much needed services to the community of schools.


In this regard, we have made significant progress in stabilising the financial management, and we have moved from a history of being placed under administration at some point in the recent past. We have improved our audit opinion from a serial of disclaimers to a qualified audit opinion in the 2016-17. Strides are being made to maintain, if not better this outcome in the 2017-18 financial year. Our view is that every cent necessitates proper use and management towards the delivery of quality education. So far, indications are that we are improving on all issues that earned the department a qualification audit opinion and our focus therefore must be to invest much more in historical infrastructural challenges. The support we have received from our provincial Treasury has enabled us to do things that we were not able to do in the past. We endeavor to sustain these gains in stabilising the department in areas of
 

 


movable and immovable asset management, records management, supply chain management, risk management and overall financial management.


There is now 100% compliance to the norms and standards for funding of schools in our province as determined by the national education. This goes a long way in enhancing curriculum delivery and school functionality. The demand for infrastructure across the province is well documented. This is a matter that receives our undivided attention every financial year in order to ensure quality education at our schools. We know that it is impossible to satisfy all the infrastructure demands in one financial year, but we are happy that since 2014 we have been making progress in terms of ensuring that all the resources allocated for infrastructure is spend. This is the only way we can begin to reduce the backlogs and we shall do the same in this financial year so that we respond to the needs of our people as required, and also deal with dilapidated and ageing infrastructure.


The budget allocated remains inadequate to address all the challenges at once and we accordingly plead with communities for patience and for assistance in protecting our schools. The torching of schools during protests cannot be something that we condone. We
 

 


must all protect what we have so that we are able to move in communities where the infrastructures are need.


Our teacher development is yielding the required dividends and research indicates that investment in professional development is a critical factor in sustaining and enhancing the quality of educational outcomes in our system. As a result of this intervention, we have been gradually improving our matric results this year. In terms of the quality of passes, we have also improved. We are also delighted that we ran an incident free examination and we shall continue to take the necessary steps to ensure that the credibility and integrity of the administration of our examinations is protected.


The department is using all its mathematics, sciences and technology centres to develop teachers and provide more support to districts that are not performing as expected. This is certainly a step in the right direction and we shall keep on polishing our strategies because we have to move forward and do better every year. Linked to this aspect is the provision of leadership and management in schools, making classrooms a centre in all our interventions. We are also continuing to make sure that leadership in management positions in schools and district offices are filled so that we are able to
 

 


provide the support schools. Specials schools are also benefiting with the appointment of professionals such as therapists and psychologists that are required for learners with special education needs.


At some point, Limpopo was known for delivering learner-teacher support materials late. We have made sure that we are improving in this area. All our learners received their stationery in all schools before the opening of schools this year. We are doing this because we understand that teaching and learning is our core business in education and it entirely depends on tools of trade without which results will be compromised and this includes the learner-teacher support materials.


As I conclude, we therefore emphasise that an investment in education is a prerequisite for building a country that works and most importantly, that advances the ideals of our Constitution. We are moving forward because we cannot risk the future of our country and as such it cannot be business as usual in the delivery of quality education that excludes human dignity. All successful nations invest in education and we want young South Africans to have a strong foundation to compete with the best in the world. We remain on track and resilient in our mission to educate the nation by
 

 


promoting access to and equity in the provision of education. Together we will move South Africa forward. Thank you. [Applause.]


Ms T G MPAMBO-SIBHUKWANA: Hon Chairperson, currently the state of our Basic Education system is one which can be described as dysfunctional. If our government is misallocating funds by overspending, they are failing to fulfil their constitutional mandate and obligation through underspending.


Hon Chairperson, the department has returned a significant amount of money to National Treasury - this is a concern. Although we can commend the efficient use of money that decreases the chances of overspending and corruption, we cannot help but wonder why there is such a surplus. In the budget speech that was delivered this year, it was said that the government has allocated approximately R1 trillion for education for the next three years - let it be. At least 70% is planned to go to Basic Education in order to finance better quality service in schools, from educators to actual infrastructure, hon Chairperson.


I wish to say the return of some of the money to the National Treasury is a concern, considering that recently there has been an outcry of the state of sanitation in the Eastern Cape and abolition
 

 


services in schools. The Eastern Cape has been reported, the province with only the highest number of poor sanitation facilities, but also a province that has a considerable number of schools with no ablution facilities whatsoever. I want to remind the governing party that they always say and we agree that sanitation is dignity. The toilets in the Eastern Cape Province are so poorly built and in desperate need of maintenance. So, a young child died after falling in a pit latrine at Luna Primary School in Mbizana - may her soul rest in peace. Young children in schools are being deprived the quality basic essential services despite the government having funds to address this problem. Money is brought back to the National Treasury.


Another issue is general security, including the means of transportation for children that take an entry of various illegal substances to schools. The government has reported that it is providing school children with transport that take them to and from school; however, despite these efforts, thousands of children are still unable to access the resources due to slow its implementation across areas which need it most, especially in Lusikisiki, Chairperson. How exactly does a government allocate this transport services? Is there certain criteria that the school and area that has to meet ... [Iterjections.] ... can you protect me.
 

 


The CHAIRPERSON OF THE NCOP: You are protected, Ma’am. Please continue.


Ms T G MPAMBO-SIBHUKWANA: ... before being eligible to make use of this service? What criteria have been used? I repeat. It is most unfortunate that we have to be talking about the presence of substance in schools with such young children, but it is a reality due to lack of security and control in schools, substances are being snuck in, making children more vulnerable to their consumption and abuse. When we went to Taking Parliament to the People, it was discovered that the incident happened in Matatiele in Kwanyaniso High School where I have been.


Lastly, hon Chairperson, we need to address the issue of the destruction of schools. Two schools have been torched in Mpumalanga, Siyabusa, as well as schools in North West. This has brought a disruption to schools and student schedule. How are children expected to learn when there is no basic infrastructure for learning to occur?


Hon Surty, let me address you. When we went to the Eastern Cape, some of the learners were sharing the textbook, yet you said in this
 

 


podium one learner was allocated a textbook, but they were sharing...


IsiXhosa:

... kuba behlala kwilali enye.


English:

Hon Surty, don’t mislead this House. I am also concerned about the children that were hung in Stella High School in the North West province. Hon Minister, can you please protect the children that have been abused ... [Time expired.]


Ms L C DLAMINI: Greetings to you, hon Chairperson, hon Ministers in the House, Deputy Minister, special delegates, in particular, chairpersons of portfolio committees. I also noted chairpersons from Gauteng and the Eastern Cape. Greetings to hon members.


As usual, I prepare a speech but sometimes I get pushed by other people to start somewhere else. [Laughter.]


Siswati:

Mine angati kutsi kwakhala nyonini lapha ka-DA seriously.
 

 


English:

As we have gone around doing oversight as a committee with members from the DA, we have appreciated the beautiful schools that have been built by this government. The member who has just left the podium said the education system is dysfunctional. What a contradiction! I invite the public to carefully listen to what the DA says at the podium each and every year we debate the annual performance plan and budget of the Department of Basic Education and all sectors, in fact. It is true, hon Hattingh, that when you don’t approve a budget, you are saying we must close the gates of all the schools, all the teachers must be retrenched, children must stay at school, they must not get the nutrition programme we are providing. [Interjections.]


You are saying that if you were in power, they would not get this budget. So, there is nothing wrong with that. In fact, once you say you don’t support the budget that is exactly what you are saying. [Applause.] So, I say to the public out there, this is the DA that they elected to come to Parliament which is saying they must be stripped of powers of receiving education at this level of our democracy. [Interjections.]


An HON MEMBER: Nonsense!
 

 


Ms B A ENGELBRECHT: Hon Chair, the speaker is misleading the House. Can she inform us who said that and where it was said? As such, she is completely misleading the public. The DA has never said we would strip education from anybody.


The CHAIRPERSON OF THE NCOP: Hon Engelbrecht, please take your seat. Hon members, order! Can I rule? Hon members, I have been listening to you this whole week. Actually, I think what the hon Dlamini is doing is to paraphrase what the hon Beyers Smit said at the podium two days ago. So, it is a point in debate. Let it flow. Hon Dlamini, please continue. [Interjections.] [Applause.]


Ms L C DLAMINI: Hon Chair, it is just two days before June 16. I am tempted to use the term used by the hon Malema during the funeral of Mam’ uWinnie – the signal. [Laughter.]


Ms G G OLIPHANT: Chair, on a point of order: You must talk to the hon Hattingh because he said the hon Dlamini is a fool.


The CHAIRPERSON OF THE NCOP: Hon Hattingh, did you say the hon Dlamini is a fool? Order, members!
 

 


Mr C HATTINGH: Hon Chair, I didn’t say that. I asked her whether she would give her money to a fool. I didn’t say she is a fool. [Interjections.]


The CHAIRPERSON OF THE NCOP: Hon Hattingh, I do know that ... order! Hon Hattingh, in this case, who is the fool?


Mr C HATTINGH: No, no, I asked her whether she would give her money to a fool, in the context of my saying we are not supporting the budget. [Interjections.]


The CHAIRPERSON OF THE NCOP: Hon Hattingh, I think you do acknowledge - and that’s why you are making this assertion – that that remark is out of order and I am ruling it as such. It is out of order because you are suggesting that the department is, then, led by a fool. That is why I was giving you the chance to clarify yourself. However, that is out of order. Do you accept? Yes, sir, you are on your feet?


Mr C HATTINGH: Chair, I withdraw the question I put to the hon Dlamini but that was not the point of order. Thank you.
 

 


The CHAIRPERSON OF THE NCOP: It was the point of order. I sustained that point of order and I’m happy that the hon Hattingh has withdrawn. Hon Dlamini, please proceed.


Ms L C DLAMINI: Chairperson, the more they jumpa jumpa, the more they expose themselves.


The signal I was thinking about was, we will be celebrating June 16, when children were killed for refusing to use other people’s language, where they were forced to use Afrikaans, which was not their home language. Some of them are in the House. They were soldiers at the time. Some were the police. I am waiting for a signal. What do we do with them, those people? [Applause.]


All the DA speakers, and especially the MEC, have missed an opportunity to tell the public what they want to contribute to what the ANC has initiated for the people of South Africa. Instead, they criticise everything. The ANC doesn’t have a problem with constructive criticism because it can only build us up, but when you stand up at the podium and tell the public as if they don’t exist, they don’t live where we are doing the delivery, how bad the ANC is, I don’t think that is correct. To me, it means that, for them, people from the previously disadvantaged areas, the majority of whom
 

 


are black people, Coloureds, and Indians, don’t matter to the DA. I’ve said that so many times. That is why they are saying the ANC is not doing anything because most of the programmes we have address the inequalities that were created by them.
Through you, hon Chairperson, I had thought that the hon MEC – I don’t know whether it is /skeÓ™feÓ™/ or /ʃɔ:feÓ™/, whoever she is - was

going to clarify to the public the report on equality education, which addressed how bad the education infrastructure in the Western Cape is, especially in black areas. You missed an opportunity to clarify yourself. You should have told us why people were marching for you when you closed doors for them, instead of addressing them and trying to clarify and deal with issues.


Ms C LABUSCHAGNE: Chairperson, I would like to know if the hon Dlamini would like to take a question on the North West province and all the marches there.


The CHAIRPERSON OF THE NCOP: Hon Dlamini, will you take a question? [Interjections.] Will you take a question, ma’am?


Ms L C DLAMINI: When we’re finished, I will take it outside, hon Chair.
 

 


We are talking about people living in areas where we do this, where we deliver these services. We are not saying there are no challenges. The challenges are there but the important thing is that we have initiated a programme. We are building infrastructure. I will not go there. The Deputy Minister has mentioned so many things.


All we request from you is to contribute. Come up with some ideas. Perhaps it is because you don’t have a policy for education for everyone. It shows that if the DA were to take over tomorrow, we will go back to the apartheid system.


The CHAIRPERSON OF THE NCOP: Hon Dlamini, please take your seat. You are eliciting excitement. Hon Essack, you are on our feet?


Mr F ESSACK: Chairperson, through you, I would like to know if the learned member at the podium would take a simple question.


The CHAIRPERSON OF THE NCOP: Hon Dlamini, will you take a simple question?


Siswati:

Nks L C DLAMINI: Sihlalo, ngingawutsatsa umbuto wakho nasesiya ekhaya eMpumalanga.
 

 


English:

The CHAIRPERSON OF THE NCOP: Not in this House, sir. Please proceed, ma’am.


Ms L C DLAMINI: Thank you very much, hon Chair. Sometimes it helps to ask if you don’t understand something.


An HON MEMBER: There’s no one to ask!


Ms L C DLAMINI: It helps you. You can only be a better person, if you do so.


The hon Ngwenya from the EFF speaks about the ANC’s education system that is not working. However, when she elaborates, she speaks about the infrastructure backlog. We cannot reduce the education system to an infrastructure backlog. You say the education system is in a mess because the ANC lacks a vision. As I was sitting there, I asked myself whether you understood the meaning of “a vision”. Perhaps a bit of adult basic education and training, Abet, would assist. [Interjections.]


That is why I say to hon members that it will always assist, if they don’t understand things, to ask or go to Google. In the absence of
 

 


anyone else, you get everything on Google, and you will get a definition of a vision. To confuse vision with outputs and outcomes
– a vision is an accomplished dream, when you are there. That is a vision. So, if you say the ANC does not have a vision, go and look at the definition of a vision, then come back and tell me whether what you said here was true.


As regards the standard of education, the DA was also part of the committee. I gave myself time when the quality assurance entities came to the committee meetings last week. I asked elaborate questions because when people ...


Siswati:

Bantfu nabeva kutsi besutsi bema lapha kuPhodiyamu batsi imfundvo yaseNingizimu Afrika ...


English:

... South Africa is not up to standard. They clearly clarified that. In fact, democracy coming to us late assisted us because we bench- marked with the best in terms of the quality of education.
 

 


When they talk about the quality of education, again, they go back to infrastructure. You cannot confuse quality of education with infrastructure.


Mr F ESSACK: Chairperson, is it parliamentary for the hon member at the podium to say “basutsi” [they are full because they are constipated]? [Laughter.]


The CHAIRPERSON OF THE NCOP: “Basuse”, as in remove them? [Interjections.]


Ms L C DLAMINI: Basutsi [they are full because they are constipated].


The CHAIRPERSON OF THE NCOP: What exactly did you mean, ma’am? Can you ...


Ms L C DLAMINI: Ngikhuluma [I am speaking] ... I’m sure my time ... How much time do I have?


The CHAIRPERSON OF THE NCOP: No, no. I’ve stopped it. [Interjections.] You still have your time. The clock is not running. What is “basutsi”?
 

 


Siswati:

Nks L C DLAMINI: Kwesutsa kusho kutsi nawudle weneliseka. “Kwesutsa”

...


English:

... means when you are full. You eat and you are full. [Laughter.]


The CHAIRPERSON OF THE NCOP: Oh! [Laughter.] Hon Essack, does that give you clarity? [Interjections.] She is referring to food.


The CHAIRPERSON OF THE NCOP: Basuthi manje. You are full. Please proceed, ma’am, in that hour of fullness. [Interjections.] [Laughter.] Please proceed, hon Dlamini, the clock is running.


Ms L C DLAMINI: Chairperson, today it comes as a surprise, really, when bomafikizolo [newcomers] know, themselves, and those who were there when apartheid ...


The CHAIRPERSON OF THE NCOP: Hon Dlamini, my members are not abomafikizolo [newcomers], so I’m not sure who you are referring to. [Laughter.]


Hon MEMBERS: Withdraw! She must withdraw!
 

 


The CHAIRPERSON OF THE NCOP: Members of this House and special delegates are not abomafikizolo [newcomers]. They are hon members in this room. Please withdraw that one, and proceed.


Ms L C DLAMINI: I was referring to the party, Chair, not to members. [Interjections.] The EFF, umafikizolo [a newcomer].


Those who were there when apartheid was designed and implemented seem to claim that they care. You don’t care about our people. You can’t claim that today. Their voices were not audible. If they cared to denounce the system of apartheid, you were there - I said it – in the form of the Democratic Party. You were there. You did not say anything about the apartheid system and as I listened to what you were saying, for me, you are doing your best to take us back there. If you really cared, you had the all opportunity, at the time, to talk against the apartheid system ... [Interjections.]


They are among those who ridiculed the ANC and called it a terrorist organisation, when, in fact, it was and still is a liberation movement. We are, indeed, a liberation movement. We are not ashamed of that and will continue to do so for our people. Our people, who previously were not able to afford the cost of education, are now able to enjoy free basic education, with free nutrition, which was
 

 


not there before, transport, and boarding schools in some provinces for children from farms, as well as from the rural areas. This was something for the privileged few in the past, but under this ANC-led government, all the children of this country are benefiting from that.


When the ANC took over government, school infrastructure, for the majority of the people, was poor and reflected racial discrimination. Today, we are doing it for everyone - and they criticise because they still don’t agree. They wish they could do something just to make sure that we don’t advantage everyone.


The so-called mud schools, “plankie” schools, asbestos schools, and pit toilets were prevalent among some communities whose future was never to be bettered, since they were dedicated to be perpetual slaves whose education system would never allow them to be active citizens. We have to accept that everyone is equal, now. All our children are treated the same.


The CHAIRPERSON OF THE NCOP: Hon Dlamini, will you take your seat? You have 36 seconds left. Hon Essack?
 

 


Mr F ESSACK: Chairperson, thank you. Could you just ask the hon member, in her closing remarks, to add some value to her speech, please? [Interjections.] [Laughter.]


The CHAIRPERSON OF THE NCOP: Hon Essack, that point is not sustained. Hon Dlamini, please conclude.


Ms L C DLAMINI: I conclude with him. I was reading the speech. Hon Chair, I would have expected the hon Essack to join in and support what the ANC is doing, because he suffered, as we did. However, now that he has been appointed by the DA, he has changed his language and forgotten about his history. Thank you, Chairperson. [Applause.]


The CHAIRPERSON OF THE NCOP: Thank you, ma’am. The hon Minister of Basic Education, Ma’am Motshekga. [Applause.] [Interjections.]


Order, members! Order! Order! Hon Dlamini, if you please ... Thank you


The MINISTER OF BASIC EDUCATION: Chair, let me take this opportunity to thank the members of the NCOP who participated in the debate. I find it difficult to engage with Mr Hattingh and DA members, because it is very tiring to debate with people who, obviously, are out of
 

 


their depth when it comes to the facts of the subject they are talking about. You are just unable to deal with facts, and you repeat the same old irrelevant stories. [Interjections.]


There are indicators we use to assess education so that we can debate scientifically and systematically - educational indicators around quality, access, equity, redress and efficiency. It’s tiring to debate rumours, gossip and hearsay.


To my colleague here MaRhadi I also find it difficult to appreciate it when a colleague, who is in the sector with us who knows what the constraints and difficulties are, comes and postures as if she doesn’t know what is happening ... and then talks about education.
You should tell the nation, for instance, why, when we were doing a study on the schools that worked, we investigated the top 100 schools in the country that serviced the poor. The Western Cape couldn’t produce one, because it is unable to service the poor. [Interjections.] The Free State, in particular, is a leading province, not because of its Model C schools, but because it is a leading province from the poorest of district Metsimaholo ... your Qwaqwa area where they give us distinctions. [Applause.] So, they are able to service the poor.
 

 


The point I am making, colleague: There are problems in the Eastern Cape as there are problems in the Western Cape. Development in the Western Cape is also development. We can’t politick about education especially because education is too important for games. So that is the point I am making.


The stories that are being served up about the history now ... We have been in government for 20 years, and, because, I think, these difficulties with accepting the ANC, you are just not even able to understand. The ANC is too noble, too dignified and too big to reduce history for its own purposes. We are too smart for that. You should know the ANC. [Applause.] We are too smart for that.


We will never manipulate history for our purposes. We don’t need to. The ANC has its own history, and it doesn’t need anything more. We will teach history the way it’s supposed to be taught and we will not seek anything. You cannot talk about the history of this country without talking about the ANC. You can’t wish it away. So we don’t need that. [Applause.]


IsiXhosa:
 

 


MamMpondo, masiyeke ukuthetha ingathi kuthetha umama othengisa umbona othetha izinto azive phiphiphi, ove abantu begqitha ngendlela.


English:

Let’s talk about facts ...


IsiXhosa:

... siyeke le nto yokuthetha ukuba siye saya phi okanye sive kusithiwa. Thetha nje ukuba uthini na mama ngemfundo yabantwana bethu? Kufuneka sibonisane singabantu abadala ukuba abantwana bethu sibaphuhlisa kanjani na. Akufunekanga ukuba uthethe ngathi ungumama othengisa umbona, yena othetha izinto azive ngabantu abagqithayo.
Andikwazi tuu ukuthetha nawe. [Kwaqhwatywa.]


The CHAIRPERSON OF THE NCOP: Hon Minister, your time has expired.


The MINISTER OF BASIC EDUCATION: Oh, I’m sorry.


IsiXhosa:

Tata uKhawula, ndiza kuphendula ngaphandle ngokuthengiswa kwezithuba zemisebenzi. Nantsi indlelo. [Kwaqhwatywa.]
 

 


The CHAIRPERSON OF THE NCOP: Hon members, that concludes the debate on our First Order. I wish to thank you, Minister and Deputy Minister and all the MECs for Education. I see one of them has left. Thank you very much.


Debate concluded.


DEBATE ON YOUTH DAY: YOUTH ACTION FOR JOBS AND YOUTH DEVELOPMENT: ADVANCING THE HEROIC LEGACY OF THE 1976 GENERATION AND THE GREAT LEGACY OF NELSON MANDELA AND ALBERTINA SISULU


The MINISTER IN THE PRESIDENCY: PLANNING, MONITORING AND EVALUATION:

Chairperson of the NCOP hon Thandi Modise, hon member, ladies and gentlemen, it is indeed an honour and a privilege for me to address this House on the occasion of the debate on Youth Day because Youth Day is part of our history. We are gathered here today following a historic weekend in which South African youth made history in the sporting field. On Saturday we must remember that the new captain Siya Kolisi led the Springboks team to a historic victory against England. [Applause.] Bongumusa Mthembu also made us proud with a third victory in the Comrades Marathon and becoming the second South African to win in consecutive years. [Applause.] What is less talked about is that on Saturday afternoon our national women’s team
 

 


Banyana Banyana qualified for Women’s Cup of Nations ... [Applause.] with a 6-0 victory over Lesotho and I urge all South Africans to support Banyana Banyana as they fly our flag high in Ghana from 17 November to 1 December 2018. These achievements should be a source of inspiration to all of us, to noting that it would never had happened without the sacrifices of the generation of 1976 and all those before and after them. I want to appeal to all our young people to emulate these great sportsmen and sportswomen and take advantage of every opportunity to excel in their own fields.


We commemorate the 42nd anniversary of the heroism of our young people against the apartheid state which was intent on dehumanising black people, systematically excluding them from proper education, from the economy and treating them as hewers of wood and collectors of water in their country of birth. And we do so as we also celebrate the centenary of our great stalwarts, President Nelson Mandela and Mama Albertina Sisulu who themselves took the fight against apartheid and for the liberation in their prime years of their youth despite adversities and difficulties they faced. The apartheid government utilised all arms of the state; the legislature, executive, judiciary to legitimise their oppression of black South Africans. The youth and children did not escape the brutality of that regime but as we remember Ma Sisulu, a nurse by
 

 


profession, a revolutionary and a strong opponent of Bantu education, she herself opened her house for alternative education for young people and of course the government used legislation to shut that school and many other initiatives. Young people participated in the liberation struggle not just in the struggle against Afrikaans but they participated in the struggle to liberate the black majority from the yolk of oppression. At the launch of Youth month I was impressed with a group of young actors from Soweto who do street theatre who put together their own interpretation of those tragic moments in our history. They reminded us that freedom was delivered through decades of struggle, sacrifices and pain and they also reminded us that as we celebrate we must remember the pain and the separation of families from their loved ones through imprisonment, murder, exile and even reminded us about those whose whereabouts are unknown up until today.


National Youth Day pays homage to the youth of South Africa inspired by their heroism that led the 1976 students uprising. This also offers an opportunity to reflect on our own responsibilities as lawmakers and policymakers to ensure that the power of the state is being used to restore the dignity of our people and our young people in particular. We can say we have restored the dignity of our people but not fully because there is no dignity in poverty; there is no
 

 


dignity in unemployment. It is against this backdrop I suppose that we have our theme of today as: Youth Action for Jobs and Youth Development: Advancing the Heroic Legacy of Nelson Mandela and Albertina Sisulu. We must work together to deal with the triple challenge of poverty, unemployment and inequality. The ANC government has made lots of achievements especially in education which was the centre of the uprising of 1976 and I will not deal much with that because it coincided with the debate on education so a lot has been said. But of course we must also acknowledge that unemployment especially of the youth is currently standing at 38,2% and this remains one of the critical challenges we face as a society. As we formulate policies to fight this unemployment we must also not overlook the inequality as we deal with poverty and unemployment because inequality makes it very difficult to fight poverty. But the inequalities that we face come from our history that we were supposed not to talk about but this is one of the legacies of apartheid.


The inequality and in fact the World Bank report on Overcoming Poverty and Inequality in South Africa reminds us that we are the most unequal society in the world and it says that we are unequal in almost every area that you can look at. We are unequal in wealth, assets. We know that our people do not have assets, we know who have
 

 


assets. There is inequality in opportunities. There is in inequality in income and wages. Of course it follows that there will be inequality in consumption because if you do not have the money and you do not have wealth you cannot consume. And what is even more worrying, there is low intergenerational mobility. So you find that the grandfather and grandmother are poor, the mother and father are poor and their children are poor whereas in normal societies where there was no apartheid there was intergenerational mobility so that
...


IsiZulu:

... okuhluphe mina akuzihluphi izingane zami ... [Ihlombe.]


English:

... but in South Africa it is the reverse. Of course we have to look forward and say what are we doing and what are we going to do to resolve these problems that our young people sacrificed for. I want to say something about the National Youth Policy because our intervention strategies to address matters related to youth development are guided by the National Youth Policy which covers the period 2015-2020 and it recognises the importance of youth empowerment through education, skills development, research, innovation and entrepreneurship.
 

 


Our society must address the needs of young people and open up opportunities in the various sectors of our economy and society. The youth must be involved in every spectrum of our society including economic, political, cultural and social transformation of our country. South Africa needs skilled young people who will serve our nation as engineers, technicians, academics, professionals, artisans in a variety of fields. We must encourage young people to develop their skills and knowledge so that they can begin to explore new industrial areas and even learn best practices from the rest of the continent and the world. Our National Development Plan, NDP, and our Agenda 2063 of the continent are very much aligned. Agenda 2063, amongst the aspirations, it says, the first aspiration is, “A prosperous Africa based on inclusive growth and sustainable development,” which is very pertinent for South Africa. Aspiration 6 says, “We aspire to an Africa whose development is people-driven, relying on the potential offered by people especially its women and youth ... and caring for children.” So we must also align our development strategies so that our development and that of the continent is aligned because there is no country in Africa that can be an island of prosperity when the rest is poor.


In our efforts to address youth unemployment we must identify areas with potential for job creation and economic development. There are
 

 


a lot of programmes that government has already undertaken; I will not dwell on those because of time but I want to say, South Africa is surrounded by two oceans and it is clear that this offers great prospects for economic development. The oceans economy is one of the crucial areas that young people need to tap in to. In our endeavours as government to fully exploit the potential of this industry, we are implementing Operation Phakisa on the oceans economy precisely because it is a huge potential to be one of the fastest growing industries. The second area I want to talk about is tourism, South Africa, with no fear of contradiction, is one of the most beautiful countries and indeed it offers almost everything a tourist needs, so we need to grow this industry as much as we can because it has great potential for job creation. Another area I want to talk about is the area of the creative industry because the creative industry can indeed absorb a lot of our young people and they have skills in that area; music, writing, poetry, other art forms, film and the creative industry should not just be seen as an area of culture but it is an area of economic development. In many countries it contributes a lot to the gross domestic product, GDP, but it is also an area that we can use to brand South Africa not only in the continent but also globally and it can also contribute towards nation-building and cohesion. The National Youth Development Agency, NYDA, which also falls under our department, is entrusted with the crucial
 

 


responsibility of co-ordinating and mainstreaming youth development across sectors of society.


It is responsible for initiating programmes directed at poverty alleviation, combating crime, substance abuse and social decay amongst the youth. We are now repositioning the NYDA as a one-stop- shop for youth to access information on career services, skills development and training, innovation as well as entrepreneurship development. The NYDA is also increasing its footprint in the provinces because before it was mainly at national ... and in Gauteng but now it is going to all the provinces but it is also trying to increase its footprint in the rural areas as well. But I want to say that youth development should not be seen as a responsibility for the government alone, all of us, in every sector, and individually can contribute to youth development. You were speaking about education earlier; I just want to say that education has proven in the world that it is the single most important equaliser and an important stepping stone towards employment, addressing intergenerational poverty and inequality. This is one of the motivators to provide resources towards no-fee paying schools and free tertiary education. And of course the youth of 1976 who we celebrate on Youth Day and other youth are very happy and should celebrate that their sacrifices have made sure that future
 

 


generations will no longer have finance as a barrier to education. We also need to ensure that – the Ministers have been talking about this, improving quality – but for technical and vocational education and training colleges, TVETs, I think it is very important for young people that we link them with industry so that when they train, the curriculum is very relevant for the economy so that when they qualify they would have also had practicals.


We also need to accelerate the broadband wall to wall in our country as we prepare our young people for the Fourth Industrial Revolution. We also need to increase the STEM, Science, Technology, Engineering, Maths, also innovation, research so that we are indeed prepared as South Africa for the inevitable Fourth Industrial Revolution. South Africa is not an island. We are part of the international community and we are very happy that a Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa, Brics, summit is coming to South Africa and South Africa is going to be the chair of Brics and amongst the activities that will happen in this country will be a Brics Youth Summit which will take place and whatever outcomes come from that summit will be presented to the Brics Ministers of Youth so that those outcomes are integrated into government policy and are implemented. [Applause.] The other summit that we are going to host is the Southern African Development Community, SADC Youth Summit and it will give South
 

 


Africa youth an opportunity to not only network with other young people from SADC but to share experiences and to make sure that they take decisions for the region that will also again be handed over to the Youth Ministers of SADC. As I conclude, I want to say that the young of the past generations defined what their mandate was, which was to free South Africa from oppression and from apartheid and indeed they fulfilled their mission as Frantz Fanon says, “Each generation must, out of relative obscurity, discover its mission, fulfil it or betray it.”


So the present generation of young people have indeed defined their mission as economic emancipation and we have to do everything to support the young people so that they can take responsibility and fulfil that mission so that they can be economically liberated. The generation of 1976 made those sacrifices and this generation does not need to make many sacrifices but they need to take responsibility for their development and for the development of this country. I thank you. [Applause.]


Mr R J TAU: Thank you very much Chairperson. Ministers present, Deputy Minister and members of the Council, allow me the indulgence to express my gratitude for having been given the opportunity to
 

 


speak on this occasion. This year we are celebrating 100 years of the life of our icon Nelson Mandela.


Nelson Mandela was a cadre, and in describing a cadre Comrade Commandant Che Guevara had the following to say:


A cadre is an individual who has achieved sufficient political development to be able to interpret the larger directives emanating from central authority, make them his own, and convey them as an orientation to the masses; a person who at the same time also perceives the sings manifested by the masses of their own desires and their innermost motivations.


A cadre is someone of ideological and administrative discipline, who knows and practices democratic centralism and who knows to evaluate the contradictions in our current methods in order to make the best of them.


Former President Nelson Mandela always pointed out that his own achievements were part of a broader collective and that they certainly could not be understood outside of that context. The ANC was his home. It is relatively easy to trace the history of Former President Nelson Mandela’s status as a legend.
 

 


Similarly, it is virtually impossible to imagine what it must have been like to inhabit such space; to live as an individual and as legend and how much more difficult it must have been for an intensely private, self-disciplined man to be the focus of such public adulation. Madiba was very aware of the circumstances that conspired to make him a symbol of the struggle by the ANC.


We are also celebrating the 100 anniversary of the life of Mama Albertina Sisulu this year. She was an activist, a Mother to many, a fighter whose resilience outsmarted the apartheid harassment and dehumanisation.


The great legacy of Mama Albertina Sisulu and Tata Nelson Mandela was that they both were revolutionary professionals. They put the technical knowledge of their different professions at the service of the revolution and of the people of our country.


Without being seen as wondering off the mark, let me pay closer attention to the heroic legacy of the generation of 1976. The Generation of 1976 changed the terms of engagement with the struggle for freedom.
 

 


They recognised that the first act towards freedom was to define themselves within the process that ultimately gave rise to the reality of 1976 as we know it today. They rejected being constrained by racist notions of what it means to be black in a country, which was dominated by white supremacists.


In practice and in theory, they advanced what Ruth First, the Young Communist League Secretary, who wrote on the 3 August 1943, to the secretary of the Building Workers’ Industrial Union when she said:


We are not content to be handed our life on a plate by the older generation. We have seen what heritage of mass unemployment and misery they have passed on to us. We must be determined to go out and build our own new world, for we alone know what will satisfy us.


The 1976 generation punched beyond what was their estimated weight in the most frightening of circumstances. They exposed themselves to harassment, arrest, torture, exile, and even faced death in order to open the gates to the free society that we enjoy today. That generation discovered their mission and they fulfilled it.
 

 


Allow me hon members to remind you, in the words of the great revolutionary and theorist Karl Marx, in his Eighteenth Brumaire of Louis Bonaparte, Karl Marx said:


Men make their own history, but they do not make it as they please; they do not make it under self-selected circumstances, but under circumstances existing already, given and transmitted from the past.


The tradition of all dead generations weights like a nightmare on the brains of the living. And just as they seem to be occupied with revolutionising themselves and things, creating something that did not exist before, precisely in such epochs of revolution crisis they anxiously conjure up the spirit of the past to their service.


The youth of 1976 achieved this objective under circumstances, which already existed, given and transmitted from the past. Chairperson, let me draw your attention to the reality of the South African Youth as it pertains today 24 years after our democracy.


Many young people, and in particular young men and women find themselves without any anchor or role models. Many have physically
 

 


or emotionally absent fathers and growing up in communities where such absence has become a norm than an exception.


Our process of social transformation has been weakened in the area of gender relationships. Most of government programmes tend to focus a lot – of course, which is very much important - on the girl child but sometimes, we tend to forget the boy child.


Recent figures from Statistics South Africa indicate that more than three million young people between the ages 15 and 24 years are not in school, not in training and neither are they at work.


Many of these young people come from rural areas or poor urban peripheries where a significant proportion has grown up in families where there are no working adults. Young women are over-represented amongst the unemployed youth; 63% of women aged between 15 to 24 years are unemployed.


This represents wastage of human and intellectual resources that should be applied to enhance our ability to grow our economy and develop our social and cultural infrastructure to become the prosperous inclusive society we committed ourselves to be.
 

 


The above is borne of this concrete and historical reality, in which men do not make history as they please, which signifies both as historic and important advance and the definition of particular objective parameter within which the National Democratic Revolution, the NDR, would have to pursue in advancing its strategic objectives, which is the creation of a non-racial, non-sexist, democratic and prosperous society.


This entails the liberation of Africans in particular and blacks in general, from the political and economic bondage. It means uplifting the quality of life of all South Africans, especially the poor, the majority of whom are Africans, female and youth.


Hence, it is imperative for us to embark on the following – I would not go through them because the Minister touched on a number of them. But central to what I want to raise is the transformation of the gender relations and change the cultural framework of reference that shapes the relationship between young women and young men.


To improve the role and performance of our FET Colleges - the Minister alluded to that, in so far as skills development is concerned and the building and strengthening of our artisan capacity
 

 


within the country; and linking it with our economy and what our economy need.


As the legislative sector we have to accelerate and make sure we achieve outcome based Oversight over different Accords and sector Charters approved by Labour, government and communities. I’m raising this comrades, because, we know so many Accords have been signed, but, we, as Members of Parliament, to what extend have we been able to follow them through, through our oversight capacity? And, what is expected of us, and directed of course, by the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa in so far as oversight is concerned.


As the legislative sector, we welcome the Youth Employment Service, YES, initiative launched by President Cyril Ramaphosa. The initiative aims to have 1 million young South Africans between the ages of 18-35, to be offered paid work experience over the next coming 3 years.


As I conclude hon House Chairperson, it is true that Madiba called on all of us to respect and focus our energy and employ it in ensuring that education becomes strategic in whatever that we do.
 

 


He said that it is only through education that we will be able to compete in an equal footing with other countries in the fourth Industrial revolution.


A report from the World Economic Forum 2016 about the future of work states that, 65% of children entering primary school today will ultimately end up working in a complete new job type that don’t yet exist.


As we approach and appreciate the Fourth Industrial Revolution, let us ensure that we prepare ourselves as Members of Parliament. Let us prepare our constituencies. I thank you very much House Chairperson. [Applause.]


Ms B A ENGELBRECHT: Hon Chairperson and the youth of South Africa, this month of June marks the anniversary of that fateful day in Soweto, on June 16, 1976. The youth took to the streets in protest of the Bantu Education Act, which saw black pupils being offered an inferior and unequal education. Today we have the responsibility to listen to the voices of young people, ensuring that those dreams of ‘76 become a beacon of light and a priority to build that country of our dreams.
 

 


Yet, after 24 years, the voices are saying: We cannot continue with education; we cannot find work; if we do find work, it’s casual work without rights/security; we do not have an income; we cannot move forward with our lives, take a respected place in our communities and form our own families; and we are stuck.


What has really changed after 24 years? The time has come for us to work together to establish an education and training system that reignites the self-confidence and hopes of young South Africans. We should be outraged that this year, The Economist declared the South Africa education system as amongst the worst in the world, ranking 75th out of 76 countries.


We should be outraged that an estimated 71% of South Africans, between age 15 and 34, who make up 60% of our population, are not participating in the economy. These young people are invariably low skilled, have little to no experience of formal employment, making it exceedingly difficult for them to get a job. The primary cause for South Africa’s widespread unemployment is a structural mismatch between our modern economy demands for skills and the skills that our youth can provide. In the ‘70s, the need for unskilled workers was high, but now the demand is skilled labour.
 

 


Families and supporting communities play a critical role in protecting and empowering our children with self-esteem, a sense of values and purpose. We must instil that hope and self-worth, as we nurture and empower them to be the best person they can ever be.
Without that hope, many of them have descended into a black hole of drugs and substance abuse, with drugs like Nyaope eating away at their very souls.


Added to this, teenage pregnancies have radically risen and, according to the National Professional Teachers’ Organisation of South Africa, Naptosa, a Grade 5 girl was among the 1 000 schoolgirls who fell pregnant last year, just in Ekurhuleni. Sadly the cult of ‘blessers’ - older men preying on the young and the vulnerability of our youth – has caused bright young children dropping out of school and destroying their lives. When a young person has a job, they are able to provide for themselves and their families. They are able to contribute to the country’s economy, have dignity and feel valued. We can, and we must, change the future by giving young people access to jobs.


We have shown that where the DA governs, unemployment levels are lower than in the rest of the country as we develop small, medium and micro-sized enterprise hubs, SMME hubs, to train and empower,
 

 


such as the Youth Development Programme in Midvaal, the Khoebo Opportunity Centre in Johannesburg and the eKasiLab in Tshwane. In Tshwane we’ve launched the successful Hopeline while we are working at revitalising our economy through businesses FabLabs businesses run by the youth.


We don’t invest in white elephants, like the failed ANC’s

R10 million car wash and bakery. We assist our businesses to prosper and invest in ICTs and Wi-Fi centres, allowing our young innovators access to markets and other Africa cities through our African Capital Cities for Sustainability Forum. In Tshwane the EPWP programme has been radically changed, targeting the youth and excluding political manipulation. In addition, work seekers have free bus travel on Mondays and Fridays, and soon students will also have free bus transport.


Under a national DA-led government the youth would have: Access to a national civilian service programme, providing young school-leavers an opportunity to receive industry training in the fields of their choice; free higher education for poor qualifying students; and we would grow the economy to enable true access to job opportunities, such as Vukuzakhe programme, partnering school leavers and the private sector.
 

 


We must never forget our history. We must honour the past and commemorate those who lost their lives. We must make sure they did not die in vain. Amongst our youth, I see determination, I resilience and strength of character that needs to be nurtured and developed. For you — our youth — who are the future of this country: We must work together to uplift ourselves. We must stand together as communities to protect and empower you.


Ours must be a society in which every child matters and their talents are nurtured to enable them to become the best that they can be. Let us together change the direction of this country. Let us reignite the dreams. Let us build one South Africa for all. I thank you. [Applause.]


Ms F BAYENI: Hon House Chair, hon Ministers in the House, hon MECs, if they are still here, members of the NCOP, guests, leaders of the youth, ladies and gentlemen here and those that are watching, good afternoon. Good afternoon again, because I am coming back for the second time. I have prepared a speech but I just want to clarify something here, it can’t be that the beneficiaries of a cruel system can come up here and claim that 24 years down the line nothing has changed or nothing has been done.
 

 


Hon Engelbrecht here asked what has changed 24 years down the line. I’ll tell you what - I will just skim through a few things. There has been improvement of access to education and you may not see that here because probably the hon Minister has just told us that in terms of a study that was conducted in the Western Cape, no rural or poor school was found - not even one. Probably, you may not know that access to education has since changed. [Interjections.]


The funding opportunities for the youth who are entrepreneurs has changed, it is not the same as it was in 1994 where only white people benefited in the funds of government. The Expanded Public Works Programme, EPWP, that you just spoke about, sadly, in Kouga in the Eastern Cape, where the DA is governing, that programme has since been closed and if you ask yourself why. It is because the EPWP is contributing towards sustaining households. So, you can’t come here and tell us that nothing has changed. It can’t be right.
However, let me not be derailed by that.


IsiXhosa:

... abantu abalinde umhla saphatha. Sixakekile thina ngoku, sikhokele; siyaqhuba.


English:
 

 


Hon House Chair, the hon Minister Dlamini-Zuma here quoted Frantz Fanon and I want to quote him again. Frantz Fanon said that: “Each generation must, out of relative obscurity, discover its mission, fulfil it, or betray it.” This philosopher said this words many years ago but it proves to be relevant today and it will be relevant in many years to come. The generation of 1976 identified correctly its mission. Its mission was to destroy the apartheid system of education which rendered the majority of you here – isn’t this a beautiful debate - as it is represented by the generation of 1976, which is the majority of the speakers and we the generation that has just recently graduated from the youth - by the way its less than 24 month since I graduated from being a youth. [Laughter.]


So, I will be speaking on issues that I know relate to young people currently. As I said, the 1976 generation mission was to fight and defeat inferior education as part of the struggle for freedom. There is no doubt, absolutely no shadow of doubt that they fulfiled their mission because today, the majority of us sitting here and those watching at home and all the young people would attest to this fact that they are the beneficiaries of the outcome of those struggles.
The majority of them were exiled; they never had the comfort of staying at home as we have. Some died in order to pave a way for us to enjoy the democracy we are enjoying since 1994. These point
 

 


reminds me to look into the last words of Solomon Kalushi Mahlangu when he was about to be hanged, he said and I quote: “Tell my people that I love them and that they must continue the fight, my blood will nourish the tree that will bear the fruits of the freedom, Aluta Continua.”


The struggle did not die when Kalushi was hanged, it multiplied. It may not necessarily be the same struggle that they fought as the generation of 1976, but the youth of today still have a struggle to fight and they have identified their struggle as economic freedom fighters in our lifetime. As I said, it is not the same struggle that was fought by Kalushi and their generation, but the struggle that we are fighting today needs the same zeal and tenacity that they had in their own time.


Today we are gathered just two days before we commemorate 42 years since 1976 Uprising. This gives me great pleasure because as we are debating today, we are also looking back at the contribution that was made by the stalwarts of our movement, the greatest icons, uMama uAlbertina Ntsiki Sisulu and uTata uNelson Mandela. I want to appeal to the youth of South Africa that as we commemorate the contribution they have made in the liberation of our country, they made it in their prime years as young people. So, I want to implore young
 

 


people of this country to emulate the values that they lived by – the values of loving education as would have been the case with uTata uMandela as well as the values of humility and patience as espoused by uMama uSisulu.


Delivering a memorial lecture on MaSisulu in Tsomo, two months ago, I had to look at her history and do some research on her involvement in politics and on how she grew up, as I am not of her generation. I was startled by the fact that at the tender age of 22, she had to move from Tsomo to Johannesburg because she had a burden for fending for her family. If she lived in these days she would probably have been a slay queen because she was beautiful - trust me on this - however, she did not become a slay queen and decided that she cannot emulate that kind of a life. For the older generation, slay queens are those young ladies who do not work but they rely on blessers for support. So, she took it upon herself to go and find employment in Johannesburg and it is at that time that she really demonstrated her leadership skills.


Fast forward to 2018, 42 years later, the youth of today still faces challenges, and amongst those challenges are unemployment, poverty, inequality, lack of skills required by the economy as well as domestic violence. In the Eastern Cape province, we are making
 

 


strides in assisting young people to face challenges that are prevalent today. Chief among the things that we are doing through the Office of the Premier is that 97 young people have completed the maritime youth development programme that was launched last year in 2017. Thirty-four young people are undergoing training on green project through the department of rural development and agrarian reform. The provincial government is targeting to support 100 youth co-operatives by the end of 2018. We are ensuring that farming becomes fashionable amongst young people because we understand that young people must be involved in farming in order to avert the challenges of food security.


Furthermore, as the rural provinces show features of the legacy of the past, the province commenced with the intervention towards funding students from families having less than R350 000 per annum from the R120 scale, which has been there for a long time. It is against this important step that we are calling young people of our province and the country to make use of government opportunities and not stand on their laurels and wait for government to feed them instead of them achieving their aspirations.


As I am about to conclude, the Eastern Cape province commits ... and I want to believe that this is a commitment by the government of
 

 


South Africa to develop young people of this country. But as government we just can’t force development into young people, they have a responsibility to ensure that they take advantage of the new dawn - the opportunities that are coming with the current face in our struggle. I know that some people want to believe that there is no positive vibe since December last year since the new President of the country took over. There are also those that are so negative that they don’t even want to see that ... [Time expired.] But I want to call upon young people of this country – the youth of today, amongst other things, to use their talent to mobilise and campaign against crime, against femicide and against drug addition. Thank you so much.


Ms B T MATHEVULA: Chairperson, the youth of 1976 were part of the generation who became conscious of the reasons why they were oppressed and were willing to fight to bring an end to this oppression. We celebrate this generation but I think many here have forgotten or fail to understand this generation and their struggle. I say this because when the youth of today rose up, demanding free decolonised education the ANC government did not embrace this call. The material conditions of our society and the higher education system is why students stood up. Education has been one of the few ways black South Africans have had available to uplift themselves
 

 


and their families. However, it has always come at a financial cost that many cannot afford. This has excluded many of our young people from education all together or it is has made every step of their path to get their degree a struggle.


Today students are still struggling. National Student Financial Aid Scheme, NSFAS, is a mess with students not getting their loans on time, food vouchers come months too late and many are still excluded despite the progress that has been made since then. Students are forced to sleep in study areas, or squat four to a single room.
Students are forced to go hungry and without text books because there’s no money. At the same time universities have remained a strong hold of colonialism and apartheid, yet, in 2015 till 2017 when students finally had enough and demanded change, their call for change was not welcomed. Instead, we had a Minister of Higher Education, who is still a Minister today saying students must fall. Students immediately became enemies of the state and targets of campus security and the South African police. Students were shot at, tear-gassed, beaten, chased and arrested. Students were arrested in their hundreds with the South African government sending a message that they would not listen to students but would instead put down any protests.
 

 


The police and the National Prosecuting Authority, NPA, ensured that they would arrest as many as possible and once arrested would make their lives as difficult as possible. Many students were given made trumped up charges but despite this, the state made bail applications absurdly high or they simply did not allow bail to be granted. This has led to cases continuing to this day, students being expelled, in some cases to unjustified and undemocratic convictions like Khanya Cekeshe was. Both the cases being dragged out and the convictions must come to an end and it is an embarrassment to the government and to the ruling party that stands here today talking about the youth of 1976, that students are still sitting in jail, have cases pending, or unable to study again simply because they were involved in a true and honest struggle.


The struggle for free decolonised quality education qualifies education. As the EFF, we consistently call for the dropping of all charges. Today, we want to say to the ANC that if you want to bring about youth development and youth jobs in the spirit of the 1976 generation, and honour their legacy and all that they stood for, you must start by dropping all charges against students and implement free decolonised quality education.


Xitsonga:
 

 


Ha khensa vantshwa va hina eka leswi mi hi endleleke swona. Mimoya ya n’wina a yi etlele hi ku rhula.


English:

Salute!


Mr M KHAWULA: Hon Chairperson and hon Minister Sibalukhulu, on behalf of the Inkatha Freedom Party allow me to salute the bravery, dedication and selflessness of our youth leaders of the 1976 June protests. It is unfortunate that the human rights protests which were peaceful were met with such brutality by the apartheid government of the National Party. Young people of our country were voicing through protests their opposition to the imposition of Afrikaans as a medium of instruction. This gives reason for one to call upon government and the department of Arts and Culture in particular to speed up processes to give dignity to African languages in the country, lest we forget and conclude that the efforts in blood and sweat of the youth of 1976 was all in vain.


Whilst acknowledging the youth leaders of the protest in 1976, in the person of Tsietsi Mashinini and others, I also do want to applaud the founding leaders of the IFP youth brigade in 1978 onwards. Here I am acknowledging the likes of the late Mr Musa
 

 


Mkhize, from Soweto, who was the first national chairperson of the IFP youth brigade; comrade Ntwe Mafule, comrade Nonhlanhla Thula who was ubab’uGibson Thula’s daughter, Reverend Mr Musa Zondi, Reverend S S S Nxumalo, Mrs Khona Ndlovu, comrade Albert Mncwango, comrade Mandla Msomi, comrade Stompie Nchangase and many others.


On behalf of the IFP, I do also like to pay respect to all the IFP youth leaders of all times and all the IFP youth leaders who have passed away under different circumstances. We will always honour and value your contributions. I am standing in this platform today because of your contributions. The IFP has always valued education as one of the tools young people can utilise towards total liberation. As a result, during the days of the struggle our motto in the youth brigade was; education for liberation. We are quite sensitive to the new challenges facing our young people today. When the country speaks about the social enemies that are devastating our communities like Human Immunodeficiency Virus, HIV, and acquired immune deficiency syndrome, Aids, unemployment, substance abuse, increased crime levels, women and child abuse etc, more often than not it is the young people who are the victims of such evils.


It is this rationale that has caused the IFP to maintain that government will be in a better position to respond to the challenges
 

 


of young people if a dedicated ministry of youth affairs is established with a dedicated budget and a dedicated administration. This is not a contradiction to our previous calls for a bloated Cabinet to be overhauled but we are saying that there are ministries that have no reason to exist whilst youth affairs ministry is a necessity. The IFP youth brigade has always participated in the activities of the country and programmes to set up the youth agenda of our country.


At the turn of the late 1980s to the early 1990s when the National Youth Development Forum, NYDF, was established, we were there and became part of its executive through comrade Zenzele Phakade. When the SA Youth Council was established we were there and became part of its executive. At the youth Convention for a Democratic South Africa, Codesa, in Kempton Park, in 1996, we participated and gave our input for the establishment of youth ministry. When the Youth Commission was launched, we participated. In the IFP, we have always had the interest of young people at the centre of our party.


As young people prepare to celebrate freedom today in different activities, we wish them everything of the best, we say to them, they need not despair. Education still remains a top priority of every young South African even under these trying circumstances and
 

 


trying times. We also say to them that they must be responsible in the way that they celebrate liberation. The life of a young South African should not end with a celebration function there is still much more that is awaiting our young people in the long future ahead of them. This is what Doctor Mandela and Mma Sisulu would want them to do. This is what Prince Buthelezi wants them to do. Thank you, Chair.


Mr S C SEKOATI (LIMPOPO): House Chairperson, Members of the NCOP, hon Minister Dlamini-Zuma in the House, colleagues from various provinces who are here and distinguished guests, let me once again thank you for having afforded me the opportunity to be part of this occasion as we continue to celebrate the lives and times of our icons being Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela and the late stalwart of our struggle Mama Albertina Sisulu.


All South Africans and the world at large will seek to emulate the selfless servant leadership of Madiba. Throughout their lives, Madiba gave all his life to the course of freedom and democracy and Mama Albertina Sisulu, who is our unassuming martyr of our struggle for liberation. Mama Sisulu as she was known throughout her life had served everywhere with distinction and high standards worthy of emulation.
 

 


With history destined to be a compulsory school subject, the lives and times of these two icons and others before and after them, will find full and truthful expression for the benefit of posterity. Yes, I understand that there are those who are saying that we cannot learn history; however it is important that we also make sure that the history of our people is known. Those who are saying history is not important, we understand it because they would want us to continue to imbibe the history of the past, which had excluded others in the process.


As we celebrate the two icons, we are also marking the 42nd anniversary of the June 16 youth uprising. This is the month in which young South Africans stood up against the brutal apartheid system in our country.


The 1970s presented a very difficult era for all black South Africans, as this was a period which no political activity of any form was tolerated by the apartheid government. All liberation movements were banned, the political leadership was in prison, in exile and underground.
 

 


The South African people were yearning for leadership and very few had the courage to assume that responsibility. To do so, was an invite to pain, prison, exile or even death.


When history presented an opportunity for that single event that would ignite revolutionary fires amongst our people, when history demanded that someone assume a full responsibility of leading the nation against all odds, it was young people of our nation that availed themselves and carried the hopes of the entire nation.


On this eve of the 42nd anniversary of the 1976 uprising, we bow and salute the undying spirit of Hector Peterson, Solomon Mahlangu, Onkgopotse Tiro and many other young people who paid the ultimate sacrifice for us to enjoy our freedom.


We salute these young lions for their bravery and we cherish them for their contributions. It was as though these young people were listening to Moses Kotane, who spoke to young people in 1968 when he said: “At this hour of destiny, your country and your people need you. The future of South Africa is in your hands and it will be what you make of it”.
 

 


Chairperson, during the 2018 January 8th statement, President Cyril Ramaphosa said the following about the young people and I quote: “Over 50% of our young people are unemployed. This stark reality should be top of mind for all of us”. The President subsequently launched the Youth Employment Service, YES, initiative. Through this intervention, many young people are expected to be trained in the much needed skills that will capacitate and empower them to be attractive to the labour market.


Limpopo which is predominantly rural but also a youthful province with approximately 36% in the age category of between 15-34 years. According to Statistics SA, Limpopo has a total of 5,8 million people of which 2,9 million are females and 2 million are young people and we do so through that statistics and also recognising that young people carry the brunt of unemployment and poverty in the province.


In order to respond to the plight of youth unemployment, as Limpopo government, we have for the first time developed and finalised a Youth Development Strategy in February this year. The implementation of this strategy has commenced. This year alone, in advancing the legacy of those young people who have gone before us, we have for the first time developed a practical programme that is aimed at
 

 


empowering over 9 000 young people to create jobs or acquire formal employment.


Chairperson, let me take this opportunity to briefly outline the programmes which will breathe life into what Minister Dlamini-Zuma has already alluded to: Two thousand six hundred and three young people will be trained and incubated in entrepreneurship development through the Limpopo Economic Development Agency, LEDA; 3 916 young people are earmarked to be trained into becoming artisans. This programme requires learners with a minimum of Grade 12 and above and is focussed on areas such as diesel mechanics, aviation mechanics, welding, specialised welding, auto body building, and many others.


This will take into cognisance young people who are trained from TVETs and various institutions of higher learning but presently unemployed to ensure that they are able to be assisted to get work experience but also to make sure that they are able to be qualified as artisans and engineers.


Four hundred and ten young people will benefit from a Farmer Support Programme and others are going to be mentored in farming by established commercial farmers for a period of 2 years. These are young people who have graduates from agricultural colleges, who are
 

 


presently not doing anything. They are going to be placed in farms for two years. Some are going to be placed in factories that are doing agro-processing so that after two years, they are able to exit into either as commercial farmers or they will be able to also get involved in agro-processing. [Applause.]


Four hundred and ninety young people will also be exposed in the tourism industry. This will include the development of young people as specialised photographers, videographers, food safety monitors, tour guides and operators. These are some of the areas in which our previously disadvantaged people were never involved in with regard to making sure that they become photographers in the wild and they are able to sell their work to some of the bigger companies in the world. [Applause.] Also, knowing that Limpopo is actually a leading tourist destination with regard to domestic ... We will make sure that they also benefit in that.


Nine hundred and seventy six will be trained in environmental programmes focusing on bio-prospecting and bio-trading, waste management, as well as placement of those in provincial nature reserves to do other infrastructure development in those nature reserves. You are welcome. [Laughter.]
 

 


We have also 500 young people who will be trained and placed by established ICT companies with the aim of placing them in sectoral departments and municipalities. This is in line with the ICT plan, where we are rolling out broadband infrastructure and ensuring that there is connectivity in the rural province of Limpopo. [Applause.] Some of them will therefore be trained to become SMMEs within that field. All these young people are not trained for the sake of it; they are going to be placed. We will be working with the private sector to ensure that we indeed honour those who came before them. [Applause.] The executive council of the province is also monitoring the implementation of this programme.


Members of the NCOP, President Cyril Ramaphosa declared this year as a year of change, a year of renewal and a year of hope. Consistent with this declaration by the President, the province is determined to act with increased momentum to accelerate our efforts in empowering our young people. I thank you. [Applause.]


Mr D MITCHELL: Hon Chairperson, it is indeed a great honour and a privilege for me to take part in this debate. It’s also my first time in the House, so I’m very honoured. [Interjections.]
 

 


The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Mr A J Nyambi): Hon members, the convention is very clear. It’s his maiden speech. Let us not drown him. Let’s allow him the opportunity to enjoy the debate. [Interjections.] Order members! You are protected, hon Mitchell.


Mr D MITCHELL: Thank you, Mr Chairperson. The morning of

16 June 1976 led to the beginning of a series of demonstrations and protests initiated by students, otherwise known as the Soweto uprising. Students from numerous Soweto schools protested against the introduction of Afrikaans as the main language of instruction in their schools.


These brave children were met with fierce police brutality, resulting in the death of many. These are the children that ma Sisulu and tata Madiba fought for. The brave children of Soweto sacrificed their lives because they knew that if they could be taught in their home language or in a language that they were proficient in, they would have better learning outcomes. Hence, these children sacrificed their lives to fight against the many injustices that Bantu education imposed on them.


Yet, 24 years into our new democracy, the standard of education in this country remains abysmal. South Africa has been ranked 75th out
 

 


of 76 countries in a ranking table of education systems drawn up by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. A shocking 27% of pupils who have attended school for six years cannot read! What for the struggle of the brave children of Soweto?


Whilst the ANC attributes poor educational outcomes to the legacy of Bantu education alone, an independent study by researchers from the University of Stellenbosch found that undue trade union influence and critical educational factors, including weak institutional functionality and insufficient learning time, are major contributors to South Africa's failed education system.


As a result of the ANC's sheer apathy towards the struggle of the brave children of Soweto, towards the legacy of ma Sisulu and tata Madiba, and towards the youth today, learners are plagued with a poor quality of education. Once again, the ANC's apathy towards the youth is demonstrated by reducing the pass rate for matriculation qualification, meaning that it’s essentially meaningless. Poor pass rates are as low as 75,1% in a year for matriculants.


The high unemployment rate is at 52,7% for those between 15 and

24 years who are unemployed, whereas in the Western Cape the youth unemployment rate is over 10% lower than the national average.
 

 


High dropout rates, demonstrated by the fact that of one million students registered for Grade 2 in a single year, only 629 000 of them register for their matric final exams. This is a dropout rate of 38,49%. And shockingly to this, infrastructure at schools, including asbestos-lined roofs, mud schools and pit toilets ... How dare you?


The ANC's indifference towards the young people of this country is demonstrated by the poor delivery of infrastructure at schools, which resulted in the drowning of five-year-old Lumka in a pit toilet at Luna Primary School in Bizana, Eastern Cape. This tragic death was unnecessary and cruel. May her dear soul rest in peace.


Despite the fight and sacrifices of the brave children of Soweto, the ANC clearly didn’t care about the youth of this country.
Meanwhile, the DA in the Western Cape has ensured that there are no pit toilets in this entire province. Pit toilets are deathtraps that rob students of their dignity, but they are also at the centre of the ANC's corruption. I’ll tell you why.


It was just recently reported by the Organisation Undoing Tax Abuse, Outa, that in the 2014-15 financial year the department spent
R13 691 per bucket per pit toilet; in the 2015-16 financial year the
 

 


department spent R530 000 per pit toilet; and in the 2016-17 financial year the department spent R119 000 per pit toilet. How can the ANC justify these costs whilst so many of our children struggle to complete their studies in a dignified, safe and effective learning environment?


By treating the youth of this country with such disdain and apathy, the ANC is pushing our children towards a life of crime; reducing their likelihood of staying in school; ensuring that when they leave school they are illiterate and innumerate; preventing them from attending university and technical vocational education and training, TVET, colleges; increasing their likelihood to become — not in education, employment or training — NEETS; engaging them in a life of juvenile delinquency and criminality; and encouraging drug abuse and dependence. What for the legacy of ma Sisulu and tata Madiba? It cannot be that we as the young people of this country are only good at the ballot box. It cannot be, hon Chair! [Interjections.]


Perhaps the ANC national government should take a page from the DA— led Western Cape. Here in the Western Cape we work with our nongovernmental organisations, NGOs; the City of Cape Town's programme and recreational hubs; neighbourhood schools programmes;
 

 


Grade 4 remedial programmes; eLearning programmes; mass opportunity and development, MOD, Year Beyond programmes and centres; Department of Social Development, DSD, programmes and partial aftercare; peer education systems; youth cafes across this province; and low fees and upliftment ...


[Interjections.] ... I’m getting to rural areas. Wait!


The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Mr A J Nyambi): Hon members! Hon members! [Interjections.]


Mr D MITCHELL: ... and uplift youth at risk.


The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Mr A J Nyambi): Hon Mitchell! No, hon ... [Inaudible.] ... and hon Mitchell! Hon members, we can’t drown the speaker at the podium. Can you continue, hon Mitchell?


Mr D MITCHELL: Hon Chair ... [Interjections.] ... the MEC from Limpopo spoke about broadband and I’m very glad because
1 875 government sites in the Western Cape have already been connected to broadband; 1 235 schools have already been connected in this province; 200 libraries have already been connected; and
25 Cape Access centres across the province, including the rural
 

 


areas, have already been connected. [Interjections.] These initiatives ensure that the youth can build passion and resilience, broaden their socioeconomic networks, improve school retention and learner outcomes, encourage them to dream and explore their passions, close the ...


The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Mr A J Nyambi): Hon members! Hon Essack and hon Dlamini! Can you continue, hon Mitchell?


Mr D MITCHELL: ... opportunity gap between rich and poor, and provide them with opportunities to engage amongst young people. Unlike the ANC government, the DA clearly cares about the youth and embraces the legacy of the brave children of Soweto.


The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Mr A J Nyambi): Sorry, hon Mitchell. Hon Khawula?


Mr M KHAWULA: Hon Chairperson, when hon Dlamini was not here there was peace. Can she go back to where she was?


IsiZulu:

Akaphinde uMam’uDlamini bakithi aye lapho ebekade ekhona, besinokuthula nje.
 

 


English:

The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Mr A J Nyambi): Hon members, I’m sustaining the point of order by hon Khawula. Let us be orderly and allow hon Mitchell to conclude. Continue hon Mitchell.


Mr D MITCHELL: Lastly, on what’s already being done in the Western Cape, the Premier’s Advancement of Youth programme has already created those opportunities in government departments. [Interjections.]


The enormous sacrifices of the brave children of Soweto did not only shake South Africa. The uprising forced the UN Security Council to pass Resolution 392 which strongly condemned the incident ...


[Interjections.] I’ll talk about Patricia if you talk about Jacob Zuma.


... and the apartheid government. Yet, the ANC sitting before me and those at national Parliament seem to have forgotten this monumental part of history as they do not care for the youth of this country.
To quote utata Madiba: [Interjections.]
 

 


The time will come when our nation will honour the memory of all the sons, the daughters, the mothers, the fathers, the youth and the children who, by their thoughts and deeds, gave us the right to assert with pride that we are South Africans, that we are Africans, and that we are citizens of the world.


That time is now. I thank you, brave children of Soweto. In your honour the DA will continue to fight for the upliftment of the youth of our country and we will ensure that you live a life you value. I thank you. [Applause.]


The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Mr A J Nyambi): Hon members, let me remind you what was said by the Chairperson of the NCOP when we started earlier on. There was a ruling about the decorum of the House. The decorum of the House is entirely ... all of us. Make sure that anything that you do does not compromise the decorum of the House. I now call hon Essack.


The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Mr A J Nyambi): Hon members, let me remind you what was said by the Chairperson of the NCOP when we started earlier on. There was a ruling about the decorum of the House. The decorum of the House is entirely on all of us; in anything that you do, make sure that you do not compromise the decorum of the House.
 

 


Mr F ESSACK: Hon Chairperson, let me first thank you for the opportunity, I really thought that we are going to have a quality debate. But since hon Dlamini is back in the House, unfortunately I don’t know what to say. Fellow South Africans, as a nation, we honestly need to reflect on the current situation the South African youth found themselves in, and how much really needs more to be done to honour the young of 1976.


The struggle of 1976 was honestly about personal and political freedom. Today’s struggle remains a struggle for jobs and opportunities. Sadly, after 24 years of democracy, our young people are still provided with an inadequate education that destroys an opportunity for them to gain access to the job markets which a lot has been spoken about today. A quality independent future with security and peace, that all of us as a nation so aspired.


The youth of South Africa are the future of our country, and the future of our revenue income. Yet, half of the country’s most productive workforce is unemployed. Job creation remains, of course, the only sustainable way that we can empower our young people and bring pride in terms of a way of life.
 

 


I would say to you my fellow South Africans, without a growing and vibrant economy, we will fail dismally in addressing the injustices of our past, of which I too was a product. We will continue to fail in creating opportunities for our young people, including my and your children to pursue their own destiny as leaders, and I say this to you again that, as leaders, we cannot to endlessly talk about legislation and policies.


The policies are unable to reach a young person at a street corner day in and day out with a reality of not having a quality job; not having marketable skills and being faced with the realities of not being able to progress in life. Honestly and sincerely, we need to urgently as legislatures, create an environment within the state, the private sector and civil society organisations to be creative in empowering our youth.


I point out that it is of course a DA’s policy and priority to build a better tomorrow for all of South Africa’s youth. Our young people deserve to have a hope for a future where they will be able to achieve their dreams and ambitions. The scourge of drug dependency amongst out youth as so many of you have heard today, is clear enough indication of the desperateness and despair that has engulfed our future generation.
 

 


This sad situation cannot and must not continue, because in the DA we know that we have a workable solution, and I will tell you why, a workable solution to build a better future for our youth that have lost hope. Our vision is also to see our youth freed from the corrupt system that engulfs this beautiful country. Hon Minister, now listen, our vision is to inculcate values and aspirations.


My colleague has alluded to the fact that we have policies, and I will make it now very clear that a DA government will provide free higher education for all qualifying students who are unable to afford it. We will not make a mess of National Student Financial Aid Scheme, Nsfas, system that you are currently making a mess of, and you can digest that for an immediate reference.


But nevertheless, not only for the connected and corrupt, where the rich get richer and the poor get more poorer. Digest this one again! Our vision is to effectively grow the economy and enable true access for skills and jobs such as the Expanded Public Works Programme, EPWP, which is currently run by the current government under jobs for pearls system.


Nevertheless, as it may be, it is important that our youth register to vote. Change has never been needed so urgently for our youth.
 

 


Digest this one too! The fight for an alternative post ANC is in full swing. Have no delusions about that! As South Africans and the DA, we need to win trust of our voters. We are indeed forging ahead in creating a shared value for all South Africans, and I conclude by saying to you, one South Africa for all. Chairperson, I thank you.


But before I step off the podium, I would ask with your permission, Chairperson that, the Muslim society has come to the end of the holy Ramadan today. With your permission, I would like to pass them our sincere congratulations, where tomorrow the Muslim society will be celebrating Eid-al-Fitr, not only in South Africa, but internationally and throughout the world.


So, on behalf of the DA, I too would like to take this opportunity to wish the Muslim society a joyous and prosperous Eid-al-Fitr.
Thank you. [Applause.]


Mr I MOSALA (NORTH WEST): Hon Chairperson, ...


The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Mr.A J Nyambi): Sorry, hon Mosala. Hon Mthethwa.
 

 


Mr J M MTHETHWA: Chairperson, is it parliamentary what we have seen here?


The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Mr A J Nyambi): Come again.


Mr J M MTHETHWA: Is it parliamentary what we have seen here?


The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Mr A J Nyambi): Hon Mthethwa, I missed what happened. [Interjections.] No, let me make a ruling. Let me simplify it and make a ruling quickly. Hon members, I am not going to make it an issue in this House. What I will do is that we will consult the records and make the proper ruling in the future sitting. Now we will subject this thing to discuss what happened whilst I missed it. No, take your seat. I have made a ruling. Take your seat. Hon Mosala you can continue with the debate.


Mr I MOSALA: Hon Minister, our mother, Mme Dlamini-Zuma, Members of the NCOP, it is a great honour and privilege to be part of the debate on Youth Day 2018.            Hon Chair, the Youth Day signifies a very sad time in our country’s past. It stands as a painful reminder of the courage ...[Interjections.]


Mr F ESSACK: [Inaudible.]
 

 


The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Mr A J Nyambi): Sorry, hon Mosala. Hon Dikgale!


Ms M C DIKGALE: Hon Chairperson, I really want to place this on record that what we have seen today is totally out of order. The hon member cannot just move from the podium and kiss the hon Dlamini.


The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Mr A J Nyambi): Hon Dikgale, hon Dikgale! Hon Dikgale you are out of order.


Ms M C DIKGALE: He cannot do that. I am a woman and he kissed another woman in front of us. This is not right.


The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Mr A J Nyambi): Hon Dikgale, you are totally out of order. I have made a ruling and I said at an appropriate time, I will make my own ruling about what happened. So, you can’t take us back because I have made a ruling and on top of my ruling, hon Essack apologised, but we are still going to make a ruling. Take your seat. No, take your seat.


Mr F ESSACK: [In audible.]
 

 


Mr I MOSALA (NORTH WEST): The Youth Day signifies a very sad time in our country’s past. It stands as a painful reminder of the courage displayed by students who stood against the apartheid government by taking part in a rally to protest against the introduction of Afrikaans as a medium of instruction. We salute and honour the leadership of the Class of 76, who paid a great price for South Africa’s freedom.


Hon members, during this month of June, called Youth Month; we need a serious discourse on sustainable solutions to address the growing rate of unemployment, poverty, inequality amongst the youth, lack of business opportunities and lack of implementation of policies created for the development of young people.


Since 1994, the ANC-led government has introduced progressive policies and laws in order to reverse the socioeconomic imbalances that were brought about by the previous regime. The ANC-led government has achieved much over the past 23 years of our democracy to reverse the inequalities that existed for more than 300 years.


Hon Chair, according to Statistics SA 2015, mid-term year population estimates, that the proportion of youth in South Africa is accounted for 19,7 million in a total population of 54,9 million, an average
 

 


of more than 35% of the entire population. Young people are a major human resource for development, the participation of the youth in various sectors the economy is vital as they often stimulate social change, political change, economic expansion and advancement.
Opportunities for youth to engage in economy, including on land issues, governance and participate in political and decision-making processes are very limited.


The youth is often dissatisfied with the political leadership and political institution and the exclusion from policy development. In recent years, youth in South Africa has been participating in small political movement groups instead of engaging in political parties. The youth has been aggressively challenging the policy formulation and developments through movements and protests. It is apparent that the participation of youth is vital in private and public sector.
The participation of young people in formal, institutional, political processes is relatively low when compared to older citizens across the globe. This challenges the representativeness of the political system and leads to the marginalisation of young people. The integration of youth development into mainstream of the economy is critical and debate thereon would need to be held.
 

 


Hon Chair, the African National Congress’s 54th National Conference resolved to speed up land reform by pursuing expropriation without compensation, provided that it is sustainable and does not harm the agricultural sector or the economy. Land redistribution, therefore, is premised on section 25 (5) of the Constitution, which places an obligation on the state to take reasonable legislative and other measures, within its available resources, to foster conditions that enable citizens to gain access to land on an equitable basis.


In the period 1994 to 2006, land redistribution for settlement or agricultural productions was primarily implemented with the grant- based system, whereby beneficiaries could apply for government grant to assist them to co-finance land purchases. The period from 2006 to 2009 was considered by the High-Level Panel on the assessment of key legislation and the acceleration of fundamental change to be the height of land reform, because the amount of land acquired by the state for reform decreased steadily from 2009 onwards.


This decline, hon Chair, was furthermore exacerbated by a reluctance to implement our 2007 ANC Conference Resolutions to abandon the willing-buyer, willing-seller system of market-based transactions to acquire land in favour of expropriating land by paying just and equitable compensation, as provided for in the Constitution.
 

 


Therefore, hon Chair, the state must use its powers of expropriation contained in section 25 of the Constitution, which has drawn criticism from leading judicial figures, as the courts were never called according to them upon to give meaning to the concept of just and equitable. As a result of these failures, inequality has persisted and some amongst those historically excluded see property rights as a barrier to achieving equality.


The mounting pressure on property rights has likely come about as a result of the nation’s failure to broaden access to property rights as opposed to the principle of recognising property rights.
Therefore Chair, once more, I want to repeat that the mid-year population estimates, according to Statistics SA 2015, gives an average that more than 35% of the entire population of our country is the youth.


It is, therefore, in that context estimated that by 2045 the number will be doubled, this means South Africa will continue to be a youthful country. Consequently, young people will have to come to the table in terms of being active in the economy. From an agricultural perspective, they are needed even more, because the country’s mouth is getting bigger and bigger, but its agricultural productivity is not going very well; hence the opportunities for
 

 


youth to participate in the economy, governance and decision-making processes become very important.


Hon Chair, the South African government has repeatedly indicated that there will be dialogues and strategies which are required for Youth Renaissance in South Africa, because youth is said to be the future of the nation, the future generation, and the bearers of memory - therefore knowledge holders. However, very little has been done in this regard and as a result the country is confronted with escalating immorality and decaying youth in the society as a whole. The issue is therefore of profound political and moral concern for those involved in public life as leaders and representatives. Youth Renaissance involves recognition and application of universal values as found in section 1 of the Constitution.


These values include human dignity, equality and freedom, the most important of which is human dignity, accorded to all South Africans. The next is equality, which has both a legal and a social dimension. Therefore Chair, South Africa is confronted with difficult problems of a socioeconomic nature. The youth of today is dominated by the Western culture, especially American culture. Furthermore, there is a challenge of a shrinking globe that is quickly becoming a global village dominated by American influences. This global village is at
 

 


risk of operating under monoculture, mono knowledge and mono language, at the risk of alienating the majority of the world population. The challenge of the 21st century is how populations will coexist as equals within diverse contexts of the world with multiknowledge, multicultural and multilingual points of reference in the context of our beautiful continent Africa.


It is for this reason that today’s youth need to understand that they are integral to the process of development across all sectors and fields of interest. Chair, yet, we also acknowledge that there are so many challenges they face among themselves, for example HIV/ Aids, unemployment, poverty and dynamism of borrowed cultures which pose as a challenge in our venture to renew our country.


However, the youth need to be reminded that apart from all the challenges they face, they also have a unique responsibility of expanding the existing vision of South Africa’s rebirth and renewal and moral regeneration is essential in both the private and public sectors, if we are to succeed as a nation.


In conclusion, hon Chair, while being mindful of the endeavours of the Class of 1976, the youth of today should never forget the sacrifices that were made in order for us to be able to enjoy the
 

 


freedom that we have today. They can only do so by ensuring that they get the necessary skills and equip themselves with knowledge and education in order to uphold the principles and values of the Freedom Charter, so that we may never again experience the injustices, persecution and dominance of one race over the other. Thank you very much, Chair. [Applause.]


Mr B G NTHEBE: Hon Chair, thank you so much for the opportunity. Hon Minister, special delegates and hon members, I wanted to start by clarifying ... hon Engelbrecht. Unfortunately, she’s not in the House. We shall wait for her. Minister, let’s speak about ... probably structural and systematic issues that other members are missing here. Sitting here, I have been thinking, off the top of my head, that members are talking about creating jobs and employment, and opportunities and developmental issues of young people that are going to change issues of young people. However, let’s talk about reality.


In 2016 the report said that in sub-Sahara, which constitutes 11% of the global population, only 43% had access to electricity. If you compare that to the continent, the continent was sitting at 52%. If you want to compare that to the global average, the global average was sitting at 86%.
 

 


What do I mean? If you compare what the Sustainable Development Goals, SDGs, seek to achieve, electricity is linked to all the special economic drivers. Why do we link it? In order for us to be able to create an economy that is thriving and where young people will be able to get jobs and create ... we will need to have energy security. When we do that ... If you shift and also go to the issue of health. Take for instance sub-Sahara, which constitutes 11% of the global population, contributes 24% of the global health burden. But we can only afford one per cent of the global health contribution in the Global health Fund.


What does that mean? What hon Mosala had raised. Issues of HIV and Aids impact young people. We are not addressing that. We are addressing issues of corruption committed by our own people that we know ... on issues of the Expanded Public Works Programme, EPWP.


Hon Farhat Essack, my question is, in the City of Cape Town, Nelson Mandela, Johannesburg and Tshwane, who is committing corruption in the implementation of the EPWP because it’s not the ANC that is ruling? So when you want to talk about ... When we called you to say, if there are issues of corruption that are impacting on the implementation of the EPWP ... Let’s hold hands so that we sort out the issues. Don’t throw stones! There’s a Nigerian proverb that I
 

 


like, which says, in the midst of a crisis, wise men build bridges; foolish ones build dams. You are going to drown in your own waters because you can’t think out of the box.


It was the ANC that implemented the EPWP. You throw stones! Today it is you that are implementing it. It still has issues of corruption, and you are therefore seeking to relegate yourself out of the corrupt activities that are impacting on the EPWP. It is wrong!


The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Mr A J Nyambi): Sorry, hon Nthebe. Hon Labuschagne, why are you standing?


Ms C LABUSCHAGNE: I want to know if the hon Nthebe would like to take a question on the other departments ... of corruption.


Mr B G NTHEBE: Yes Chair.


The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Mr A J Nyambi): He’s ready. You can ask your question, hon Labuschagne.


Ms C LABUSCHAGNE: Hon Nthebe, would you please give us a detailed list of corruption in the EPWP in various other departments, and start with the Department of Environmental Affairs. Thank you.
 

 


Mr B G NTHEBE: I was deliberate. I knew there was no question. [Interjections.] However, hon Cathy, I can link your question to the answer that I was going to give to hon Engelbrecht in her absence.


Hon Engelbrecht came here and said that the ANC is creating casual work without rights for young people. Now, in the committee that I sit in, we are sitting with four Bills where the ANC wants to ensure that we empower legislation so that we continue to have job security, but also create employment for young people. All the time the DA comes to the podium and says that we are too legislative and therefore we are impacting on job creation; we are impacting on job creation because small businesses can’t create employment because workers in this country have too many rights. These are the same people who come to the podium and say we are creating casual jobs.
The hypocrisy of the DA!


The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Mr A J Nyambi): Hon Labuschagne, why are you standing?


Ms C LABUSCHAGNE: I would like to know if the hon member will take a question. [Interjections.]
 

 


The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Mr A J Nyambi): Order members! Hon Nthebe, are you ready to take a question?


Mr B G NTHEBE: Not this time, Chair. There’s no question.


The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Mr A J Nyambi): He’s not ready now. Can you take your seat hon ...? [Inaudible.] Continue hon Nthebe.


Mr B G NTHEBE: The DA comes to the podium and says they want to pay homage to the youth of 1976. One of the things that the 1976 youth were fighting against was the imposition of Afrikaans on them. Now, you can imagine how my son, who is a Tshwana boy, will behave at school if he can write a Mathematics exam in Tshwana. He will behave like a cracker at school because he will be writing in his own mother language.


Hon Engelbrecht, you stood here representing the DA and spoke against Rhodes Must Fall. When young people in universities were saying that these statues were an imposition of Afrikaans over their own mother languages and therefore they want them to change so that they can learn in their mother languages ... Indigenisation of languages ... of education will, in a way that is going to change
 

 


our economy, make sure that our young people learn in the direction that we want them to.


Participation in the economy tells us that ... If you want young people to participate in the economy and if you want young people to be able to have an impact, why are you against the labour legislation that we as the ANC are trying to implement? Why are you against the legislation that says the R3,500 must be a minimum wage given to young people that are entering the employment bracket so that they can be ... You are against that yet you are saying we are creating casual labour. The other thing ...


Ms C LABUSCHAGNE: Don’t worry about them ... [Inaudible.]


Mr B G NTHEBE: ... hon Mitchell came to the podium and said that the SA Democratic Teachers Union, Sadtu — I know he was referring to Sadtu — is impacting on the learning of young people at schools. Now we know, I know and everybody knows that critical areas of participation include political involvement in all areas. Teachers are not machines. We don’t leave them at school when schools close. They go home, and issues of politics that are at home and at work impact on them because social and economic issues impact on them.
You don’t want teachers to be given rights ... to become teachers
 

 


and be active in the political space because you want them to be oppressed. Why does the DA want to do that? [Interjections.]


We know ... This is a motion of no confidence in your leaders. Why do you always come to the podium and quote Nelson Mandela? Why don’t you quote Helen Zille and Tony Leon? [Interjections.]


The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Mr A J Nyambi): Sorry, hon Nthebe. Hon Essack, why are you standing?


Mr F ESSACK: Chairperson, with due respect, you will know as well as I that the speaker at the podium is grandstanding and he is misleading South Africa. He is not quoting facts and he is just purely grandstanding. Can you ask him to add some substance to his debate? [Interjections.]


The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Mr A J Nyambi): Hon Essack, refrain from doing what you are doing. You know what you are doing is out of order. You are debating with the speaker at the podium and it’s wrong. Let’s allow the debate to flow. Continue hon Nthebe.
 

 


Mr B G NTHEBE: Hon Essack, migration is a global phenomenon. Your premier here called people who were migrating from the rural areas to urban areas, refugees. Am I lying? [Interjections.]


You are not quoting them because they embarrass you. You come here and quote Nelson Mandela because to you he’s a currency. [Interjections.] We don’t quote ... No, you quote Nelson Mandela because he’s a currency. [Interjections.]


Hon Minister, today we celebrate the youth of 1996 who shared a common belief to construct a future ... [Interjections.] Its past is filled with emotions, from joy to despair. We want to celebrate them and today say to the youth of this country ... [Interjections.] ... that, “Youth offers the promise of happiness, but life offers the realities of grief”. That was said by Nicholas Sparks.


We are saying this to them so that we remind them that through the programmes that we are going to be implementing, young people must have confidence that we are coming. It is at a slow pace. Market penetration is not there for our young people that are trying to start businesses. Young people are not being given the ... development finance institutions, DFIs, that we have created, hon Minister. Lately they behave like your normal private institutions.
 

 


When you go to them and you want them to assist in terms of funding you as a young person so that you can begin to create more employment, they are becoming more like private institutions. Those are the things that we as the ANC must begin to change.


You also adequately addressed the issue of asset inequality. Two days ago the study came out which said that more people that are beginning to buy property are of the older generation as opposed to young people, and we know why. It is because young people are not in the employment brackets and this is something that we must begin to change.


We also know that you spoke about the issue of tourism. I know that South Africa, for instance, can only account for five per cent of the global tourism market compared to the Middle East. We can do more, hon Minister. Young people are there now. They are beginning to have space in the tourism market but we can give them the necessary speed so that we are able to do some of the things.


The last thing I want to cover is to say one thing to the opposition. [Interjections.] The opposition, at no other time, will ever have any opportunity to counter the policies that the ANC has. [Applause.] You will forever trail behind us and we will tell you
 

 


what young people of this country need. When we go to elections, young people of this country will vote for the ANC because they know what the ANC stands for. [Applause.] When they have done that, the ANC will ensure that their ambitions and aspirations are met. [Interjections.] We don’t do that by making sure that affluent young people in affluent areas are getting ... When Khayelitsha young people are using pota-potas; when young people in Khayelitsha can’t have access to land; [Interjections.] when young people in rural areas ... [Interjections.] In fact, hon Mitchell, you are drowning me out here but you have closed schools here in the Western Cape. [Interj.ections.] You have closed schools!


Mr D MITCHELL: But we’ve built more than you ... [Inaudible.]


Mr B G NTHEBE: No, you have closed schools here! [Interjections.]


The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Mr A J Nyambi): Order! Order! Order! Hon Mitchell and hon Nthebe, you are not allowed to debate. [Interjections.] Conclude hon Nthebe.


Mr B G NTHEBE: Thank you, Chair. [Applause.]
 

 


The MINISTER IN THE PRESIDENCY: PLANNING, MONITORING AND EVALUATION:

I thank you very much, Chair, and all the members who have taken part in the debate, and the members who have listened to the debate. I won’t respond to ANC members. I take note of the things you have said. I just want to say something to respond to some of the DA members. You know, the DA never votes for the education budget. It never votes for the Health budget. It doesn’t vote for Social Development or anything that is going to assist black people. They don’t support such budgets. [Applause.] [Interjections.] All the things they say ... [Interjections.]


The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Mr A J Nyambi): Sorry, hon Minister! Hon Mitchell, when you were at the podium, you have indicated that it is your first time being here: You are not allowed to do what you are doing: You can’t be simultaneously debating with the Minister while she is at the podium. It is not allowed in the House. [Interjections.] Order members; I was assisting hon Mitchell.
Continue, hon Minister.


The MINISTER IN THE PRESIDENCY: PLANNING, MONITORING AND EVALUATION:

So, if you don’t vote for the budget, it means you don’t want young people to be educated. You don’t want the mud schools to be replaced. You don’t want the asbestos schools that you build during
 

 


apartheid to be replaced. [Applause.] So, please don’t come here and say you care. You don’t care. [Applause.] [Interjections.]


Also, tell us about all these nice things you say you will do if you win elections, which would be a nightmare, and it’s not going to happen. Tell us about what you are doing in Gugulethu and in Khayelitsha. Why are you not practising all these grand plans there? In Cape flats: What are you doing about the gangs here. [Interjections.] What are you doing about it. [Interjections.]


About farmworkers here: What’s going on in the farms? What’s going on in the farms: Don’t tell me sex! What’s going on in the farms here concerning farmworkers? If you are so good, let’s see it with the farmworkers here. [Applause.]


The MEC for Education of the DA says we must not teach history. You cannot say we mustn’t teach history. You want our kids to believe what Zille says, that colonialism was an advantage. We are going to teach history. You want our kids not to know the tragedy of apartheid - the brutality of apartheid! You want to hide that by not teaching history. We are going to continue teaching history! [Applause.]
 

 


Furthermore, we are not going to have DA-led government, because if we have a DA-led government nationally, apartheid will come back again. [Applause.] [Interjections.] It will! [Interjections.] It will come back again. So, we want our kids to know their history. We are also revolutionaries, so revolutionaries must have a sense of history. Our kids must know the history of this country [Applause.]


More than 300 years of brutality, exclusion and dispossession! That is why our kids must have the land. If you say you care, our kids must have the land. It is the most valuable asset they can have. Why are you opposing? Why is the DA opposing the issues on land if the DA cares? It doesn’t care. So, don’t come here and tell us that you care more than we do. You can’t tell us you care more than we do for our people. It is wrong; you know it: You do not care.


That is why when we talk about education, you talk about other things. [Interjections.] The SA Social Security Service, Sassa. I will tell you about Sassa. It pays grants to people who are poor; who would otherwise not eat – 17 million of them. The DA doesn’t want Sassa, hence you are asking me about Sassa. [Interjections.]


No, Sassa pays and the World Bank report says actually that the grants that are paid our by the ANC-led government are cushioning
 

 


people who would otherwise ... [Interjections.] Yes, grants are taxpayers’ money. It is the ANC-led government ... [Interjections.] You had taxpayers’ money when you were apartheid ... [Interjections.]


You are speaking to me! Why do you speak to me; I will back to you! [Interjections.] So, it is the ANC-led government that is administering that because it cares. You had taxpayers’ money during apartheid. What did you do with it? You killed young people. You killed children. You imprisoned children. That is what you used the tax money for. That is what apartheid used the taxpayers’ money for. [Interjections.]


That is why today here we are celebrating and commemoration the young heroes who stood against your guns! [Applause.] [Interjections.] Apartheid guns; and you are a product – a successor! [Interjections.] You are successor of an apartheid party! [Interjections.] The DA, hon Chair, is a successor ... [Interjections. ] The DA is a successor of an apartheid party! [Applause.] [Interjections.]    Yes, I am concluding on that note that the DA is a successor of the apartheid party. So, apartheid and the DA is one and the same thing. Thank you. [Applause.]
 

 


Debate concluded.


Business of the day concluded.


The Council adjourned at 18:21.