Hansard: NCOP: Unrevised hansard

House: National Council of Provinces

Date of Meeting: 13 Oct 2015

Summary

No summary available.

Minutes

WEDNESDAY, 13 OCTOBER 2015

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PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL COUNCIL OF PROVINCES

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The Council met at 14:01.

The House Chairperson: Committees, Oversight, Co-operative Government and Intergovernmental Relations took the Chair and requested members to observe a moment of silence for prayers or meditation.

ANNOUNCEMENTS, TABLINGS AND COMMITTEE REPORTS – see col 000.

NOTICES OF MOTION

Ms E C VAN LINGEN: Hon Chairperson, I hereby give notice that on the next sitting day of the House I shall move on behalf of the DA:

That the House debates the National Treasury to provide this House with the copies of reports based on the studies of feasibility for nuclear energy, the financing of the nuclear energy project, as well as the assessments of alternative energy options including new clear energy as mentioned in the National Treasury’s Report in 2013-2014 and 2014-2015 Annual Reports and also the funding model for nuclear energy with the specific emphasis on these reports.

Mr M KHAWULA: Hon Chairperson, I hereby give notice that on the next sitting day of the House I shall move on behalf of the IFP:

That the House –

Debates –

the devastating robbery suffered by our artists and musicians through criminals who copy their music and their work illegally through piracy;

the inability and/or inefficiency of the security forces and justices system of our country to put an end to piracy in the streets, shops, taverns and everywhere else; and

the issue with the intention of focusing at what strong legislative measures can be effected to assist music and artistic industries from loosing what is due to them at the hands of the parasitic elements who continue to put our beloved musicians and artist in jeopardy.

Mr E MAKUE: Hon Chairperson, I hereby give notice that on the next sitting day of the House I shall move on behalf of the ANC:

That the House debates, the heavy handed approach by the DA controlled City of Cape Town in their plans to demolish houses of people and terminating lease agreements with residents as part of their plan to build a bus route. Judge Leslie Weinkove ruled in favour of the families to actively halt the City from continuing with plans to build a MyCiti bus route through Wynberg, therefore stopping the City from demolishing more houses and issuing termination of lease orders to residents. The judge also ruled that if the City is to proceed with its plan, a meaningful public participation process must be implemented to discuss alternative routes and that the City must pay costs for the application and for the applicants counsel.

Mr S J MOHAI: Hon Chairperson, I hereby give notice that on the next sitting day of the House I shall move on behalf of the ANC:

That the House debates, the shameless, racist and nostalgic endorsement of apartheid white minority rule by the DA as expressed by its senior member of Parliament, the Honourable Kohler Barnard. This outrageous and repulsive conduct by the honourable Kohler Barnard confirm our long held view of the DA as a refugee of the white supremacy in a new democratic South Africa and how the DA deals with this issue is a greatest test of its unity and cohesion and also more importantly on its often self proclaimed non-racial outlook in the public space.

Mr C F B SMIT: Hon Chairperson, I hereby give notice that on the next sitting day of the House I shall move on behalf of the DA:

That the House debates, the legislative constraints and red tape of the current permits system for the game trade industry.

Mr F ESSACK: Hon Chairperson, I hereby give notice that on the next sitting day of the House I shall move on behalf of the DA:

That the House debates, the International Monetary Fund’s downgrading of South Africa’s real GDP growth fiscal targets to 2.0% in 2015, 2.4% in 2016 and 3.0% in 2017 and how this downgrade combined with the suggested increase of taxes will amount to job losses and increase of poverty with huge social ramifications.

Mr H B GROENEWALD: Hon Chairperson, I hereby give notice that on the next sitting day of the House I shall move on behalf of the DA:

That the House debates, the powers of School Governing Bodies, SGBs, to recommend the appointment of Heads of Department, Deputy Principals and Principals as well as determining the school’s language policy and school’s admission policy.

Ms T G MPAMBO-SIBHUKWANA: Hon Chairperson, I hereby give notice that on the next sitting day of the House I shall move on behalf of the DA:

That the House debates, in light of the recent evacuation of Pollsmoor prison to prevent a massive outbreak of the Leptospirosis disease due to a rat infestation and the health conditions and the prisoner’s right to conditions of detention that are consistent with human dignity, including adequate accommodation and medical treatment.

MOTIONS WITHOUT NOTICE

ANC HOLDS SUCCESSFUL NATIONAL GENERAL COUNCIL

(Draft Resolution)

Mr B G NTHEBE: Hon Chair, I stand on behalf of the ANC to move the motion without notice:

That the Council -

notes and congratulates the ruling party, the ANC, for successfully convening its 4th National General Council in Gallagher Estate in Johannesburg last weekend;

further notes that the National General Council, NGC, gathered over 3 000 delegates from all corners of South Africa in the year of celebrating 60th anniversary of the Freedom Charter, the historic occasion of our history where the guiding document for our own government was launched;

also notes that the NGC is the culmination of the process of engagement by ANC structures, alliance partners and other sectors of society that reinforce the culture of debate and introspection, and consistent with the traditions of our movement, we have frankly and honestly within our established traditions of criticism and self-criticism, interrogated our strength and weaknesses, our achievement and shortcomings;

further notes that over the last three days the ANC undertook a critical review of its work towards the realisation of the vision of Freedom Charter, evaluated progress in implementing resolutions of the 53rd National Conference and how it gives effect to the commitments it made in 2014 manifesto, and took some different resolves on how it should advance the emancipation of our own people in all aspects; and

therefore commends the organisation of Madiba for taking South Africa forward. The ANC lives and leads.

The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Mr A J Nyambi): Is there any objection to the motion?

Hon MEMBERS: Yes.

The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Mr A J Nyambi): In the light of the objection, the motion may not be agreed with. The motion without notice will now become notice of a motion.

CONGRATULATIONS TO WESTERN CAPE ON SUCCESSFUL LAND RESTITUTION

(Draft Resolution)

Mr J J LONDT: Good day. On behalf of the DA I hereby wish to move a motion without notice:

That the Council -

congratulates the Western Cape for being the leading province when it comes to land restitution and the settling of land claims in South Africa;

notes that land restitution figures recently released by the Commission on Restitution of Land Rights in their annual report show that the Western Cape has the country’s highest number of settled land claims;

further notes that the DA’s success with land reform is in stark contrast to the ANC’s performance in other provinces as the national government’s failure rate of land reform projects is currently standing at 92%;
also notes that, although land reform is a highly complex process, the ANC has failed dismally after 21 years in power whereas, through effective government, the Western Cape has shown it is possible by processing a record amount of land claims; and

further notes that land restitution is an essential component to redressing the injustices of the past, that is why it is vital for the Western Cape’s efforts in settling claims to be acknowledged and thousands of South Africans in other parts of the country deserve to see similar results;

also notes that sound governance and a commitment to speed up land restitution is a focus of the DA-led Western Cape and should be acknowledged and congratulated.

The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Mr A J Nyambi): Is there any objection to the motion?

Hon MEMBERS: Yes.

The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Mr A J Nyambi): In the light of the objection, the motion may not be proceeded with. The motion without notice will now become notice of a motion.

EFF WINS SRC ELECTIONS IN TWO LIMPOPO UNIVERSITIES

(Draft Resolution)

Ms N P MOKGOSI: Hon House Chair, I rise on behalf of the EFF to move without notice:

That the Council -

notes the outcomes of the University of Venda Student Representative Council, SRC, election and not forget the University of Limpopo, as for the first time in 35 years the SA Students Congress, Sasco, has lost the SRC election, and the majority of students have elected the EFF Student Command as their number one for the SRC;

condemns unbecoming tactics by the university management who are devising formulas at the last minute to suit Sasco without consulting student bodies when they realise that Sasco is losing support base, a clear rejection of the ANC education approach;

further notes the increasing number of students at the University of Limpopo who also voted for the EFF Student Command, despite Sasco violently disrupting the election on the first voting day, when they realised that numbers are not on their side;

acknowledges that despite postponing the voting so that Sasco can wait for the members of the executive council, MECs, to bring t-shirts, Kentucky Fried Chicken, KFC, and SA Broadcasting Corporation, SABC, TV celebrities to convince students, the EFF remained students’ preferred first choice - ga ba rata ditlae [they didn’t prefer the egg yolk];

further acknowledges a clear indication of an inevitable future, that the EFF will win all of South Africa very soon at SRC, local government and national elections; and

expresses gratitude to all students, fighters and commissars for this victory.

The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Mr A J Nyambi): Is there any objection to the motion?

Hon MEMBERS: Yes.

The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Mr A J Nyambi): In the light of the objection, the motion may not be proceeded with. The motion without notice will now become notice of a motion.

The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Mr A J Nyambi): Order, members! Hon Mtileni, let’s start on a correct note. You are not even recognised, you can’t just stand up. Hon Faber, you are recognised.

ANC LOSES MEMBERS AND VOTERS

(Draft Resolution)

Mr W F FABER: Hon Chair, on behalf of the DA I hereby move:

That the Council -

notes that the ANC is mum on a report that it keeps losing voters for 2016;

further notes that at the ANC National General Council the main subject seemed to be the number of voters the ANC are losing day by day to the DA;

also notes that from over a million members the ANC membership dropped by over 200 000 voters and members; and

notes that this is a clear message that the ANC is not performing and that the people see the light of a prosperous South Africa when they will be voting for the DA in the local government elections next year;

also notes that people need and deserve good services as the DA shows in the Western Cape.

The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Mr A J Nyambi): Is there any objection to the motion?

Hon MEMBERS: Yes.

The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Mr A J Nyambi): In the light of the objection, the motion may not be proceeded with. The motion without notice will now become notice of a motion.

CONGRATULATIONS TO ZIMASA MABELA, SOUTH AFRICA’S FIRST BLACK FEMALE NAVY COMMANDER

(Draft Resolution)

Mr M RAYI: Hon House Chair, I hereby move without notice on behalf of the ANC:

That the Council –

notes and congratulates Zimasa Mabela, on being South Africa’s first black female navy commander;

also notes that as a girl in the village of Lady Frere, her life revolved around school, and fetching firewood and water from the river, and that the 38-year-old only saw the sea for the first time when she was 18;
further notes that she heard about the navy from her friends and attended the presentation while studying a Bachelor of Science, BSc, in Education at the university whereby she got influenced by the pictures of people sitting in front of the big radar screens and imagined herself being there;

also notes that she decided not to finish her degree and joined the navy in 1999, working her way up the ranks and that her appointment was about the ability to do the job rather than gender; and

therefore commends and wishes her all the best in her job.

The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Mr A J Nyambi): Is there any objection to the motion?

An HON MEMBER: Yes.

The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Mr A J Nyambi): In the light of the objection, the motion may not be proceeded with. The motion without notice will now become notice of a motion.

ILLEGAL TRADING BY SUPPLIERS IN BUFFALO CITY METRO

(Draft Resolution)

Ms E C VAN LINGEN: Hon Chairperson, on behalf of the DA I wish to move a motion without notice:

That the Council -

notes that it was reported that out of a roughly 1 000 suppliers, 40% of them, that is 400, were considered to be trading illegally with Buffalo City Metro because their directors included government employees;

further notes that the Auditor-General pointed out that this is prohibited by the supply chain management process and regulations and the Municipal Finance Management Act;

also notes that there is a conflict of interest and awards were made and granted to councillors, employees, their close family, members employed by the state which amounted to R800 million, scandal;

further notes that this happened in the 2013-14 financial year in the Eastern Cape, and this was made up of awards of 732 to employees, councillors and state officials and R66 million to close family members of councillors and employees; and

debates the fairness of transparency and the cost effectiveness of procurement of municipalities in the Eastern Cape which should guarantee the effective, efficient and economical use of state resources.

The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Mr A J Nyambi): Is there any objection to the motion?

HON MEMBERS: Yes.

The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Mr A J Nyambi): In the light of the objection, the motion may not be proceeded with. The motion without notice will now become notice of a motion.

IFP WINS BY-ELECTION IN BIG FIVE FALSE BAY MUNICIPALITY

(Draft Resolution)

Mr M KHAWULA: Hon Chairperson, on behalf of the IFP I move without notice:

That the Council -

congratulates the IFP on winning a by-election on Wednesday, 30 September 2015, at the Big Five False Bay Local Municipality in KwaZulu-Natal;

notes that IFP captured this ward from the hands of the ANC;
further notes that winning this ward means that the IFP has also rescued the people of Big Five False Bay from the unholy marriage of the ANC-NFP alliance, as the balance of power is now in favour of the IFP;

also notes that the IFP Mayor, Councillor Comfort Khumalo, sworn in on Friday, 8 October 2015, is what the people of Big Five False Bay need for the genuine service delivery;

further notes that this is merely the beginning of big things and big upset in 2016 local government elections;

also notes that the elephant is moving steady but surely ...

... ziyabuyiselwa izinto kubanikazi bazo, lukhulu luyeza luyanyelela ngowezi-2016. [Uhleko.] [... things are being returned back to their owners, there are big things coming slowly in the year 2016.[Laughter.]]

Motion agreed to in accordance with section 65 of the Constitution.

RADOVAN KREJCIR’S PLANS FOR PRISON BREAK THWARTED

(Draft Resolution)

Ms T MOTARA: House Chair, I hereby move without notice:

That the Council -

notes with concern that a Czech fugitive Radovan Krejcir was apparently plotting and planning a prison break at Zonderwater Correctional Centre, last Sunday;

further notes that the Department of Correctional Services thwarted apparent escape plans by inmates, that include Radovan Krejcir when the raid took place on Saturday, after police had received a hint that Krejcir was planning to escape before his next court appearance in October;

notes that amongst the items found in Krejcir’s cell were a pistol, ammunition, a knife, an item that looked like a Taser, a pepper spray gun, screwdriver steel blades, 10 cellphones, a memory stick and a diary which contained the names of witnesses and investigators in his cases; and

calls on all law enforcement agencies to investigate such kinds of cases as they undermine the intelligence and safety of our country, and that all involved should face the heavy might of the law.

Motion agreed to in accordance with section 65 of the Constitution.

INTERNATIONAL WEEK FOR PREVENTION OF INVASIVE ALIEN SPECIES

(Draft Resolution)

Ms C LABUSCHAGNE: Hon House Chair, on behalf of the DA I hereby wish to move a motion without notice:

That the Council -

notes that this week, 12 to 18 October 2015, is International Week for the prevention of invasive alien species to ensure biosecurity in South Africa; and

encourages South Africans to participate in environmental programmes in all provinces to destroy, remove and prevent invasive alien species such as famine weed and black wattle.

Motion agreed to in accordance with section 65 of the Constitution.

CONGRATULATIONS TO SPRINGBOK RUGBY TEAM ON FIRST POSITION IN POOL

(Draft Resolution)

Mr H B GROENEWALD: Hon House Chair, on behalf of the DA I hereby move the following motion without notice:

That the Council -

congratulates the Springbok Rugby Team at the World Cup event in England where they ended first in their pool of the play out matches;

notes that the Springbok’s next match will be in the Rugby World Cup quarter-finals against Wales;

further notes that we, as South Africans, stand behind them and wish them all the best for the rest of the tournament; and

finally requests the team to bring back the William Web Ellis World trophy to South Africa.

Motion agreed to in accordance with section 65 of the Constitution.

ORLAND PIRATES QUALIFIES FOR 2015 CAF CONFEDERATION CUP FINAL

(Draft Resolution)

Mr D STOCK: Hon House Chair, on behalf of the ANC I hereby move a motion without notice:

That the Council -

notes and commends Orland Pirates for having made it to the finals in the Confederation of African Football, Caf, Confederations Cup;

also notes that the Buccaneers have qualified to play in the 2015 CAF Confederation Cup final after beating Egyptians giants Al Ahly 5-3 on aggregate, following a 4-3 win in Suez on Sunday night;

further notes that they are now set to meet Tunisian side, which is called Etoile du Sahel over the two legs in the final, with the first leg at home on 21 November this year; and

wishes them well in their campaign to raise our South African flag very high in the continent.

Motion agreed to in accordance with section 65 of the Constitution.

An HON MEMBER: Can you send the motion on twitter?

CONSIDERATION OF REPORT OF SELECT COMMITTEE ON TRADE AND INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS - ADDITIONAL PROTOCOL TO THE TRADE, DEVELOPMENT AND CO-OPERATION AGREEMENT (TDCA) BETWEEN THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITY (EC) AND ITS MEMBER STATES OF THE ONE PART, AND THE REPUBLIC OF SOUTH AFRICA, OF THE OTHER PART, TO TAKE ACCOUNT OF THE ACCESSION OF THE REPUBLIC OF CROATIA TO THE EUROPEAN UNION AND THE EXPLANATORY MEMORANDUM THERETO

Mr E MAKUE: Hon House Chairperson and members, the Department of Trade and Industry, DTI, presented the Trade, Development and Co-operation agreement, TDCA, to include Croatia as a new member to the European Commission, to the Select Committee on Trade and International Relations, on 23 September 2015. The purpose of this statement is to seek the approval of this august House of the NCOP for the ratification of the Additional Protocol to the Trade, Development and Co-operation Agreement between the European Community and its member states of the one part, and the Republic of South Africa, of the other part, to take account of the accession of the Republic of Croatia to the European Union, EU.

The DTI continues to contribute to strengthening South Africa’s trade and investment relations with key countries in the North. The TDCA with the EU is 12 years into implementation and has contributed positively to bilateral economic relations, supported by the 2007 deal on automobiles. As it is South Africa’s largest trade and investment partner, relations with the EU remain important, and greater attention will be devoted to expanding trade and investment with the recently acceded members.

In its presentation to the select committee, the DTI drew attention to the following areas. They provided us with the background, scope and objectives of the TDCA; the benefits it holds for South Africa; and the EU enlargements – because it’s not only Croatia, but that’s the only one we’re presenting now. In addition, as we do in this government, it presented to us the opportunities and challenges; the consultations that were held; and how we intend implementing this new agreement. I will then present the conclusion to you.

After rigorous scrutiny and discussion, the select committee unanimously agreed on presenting the TDCA for approval by this House. Allow me to convey my sincere appreciation and thanks to all select committee members who participated in this decision. On behalf of the select committee, it is my privilege and pleasure to present this statement on the TDCA to this House for consideration and approval, in terms of section 231(2) of the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, 1996.

As regards the background, South Africa-EU trade relations are governed by the TDCA, which provides for the establishment of a free-trade agreement over a transitional period of 12 years. The TDCA is one of the most ambitious co-operation agreements ever concluded with a third country. It entered into force on 1 May 2004 and the full implementation of the TDCA has been effective since the end of 2012.

The agreement provides for the liberalisation of 95% of the EU’s imports from South Africa within 10 years, and 86% of South Africa’s imports from the EU in 12 years. This already came into effect in 2102. Tariff cuts, as set out in South Africa’s trade offer, are implemented by the SA Revenue Service, Sars. Agricultural quotas are administered by the Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries.

The scope of the agreement covers about 90% of current trade between South Africa and the EU. The select committee did question what was happening with the remaining 10%. However, the agreement does cover a wide field of co-operation, including trade-related issues, like competition and intellectual property; financial assistance and development co-operation; and economic co-operation, like facilitating the restructuring and modernisation of South African industry. Political dialogue is also very important, and, in that, we note, particularly, human rights and support for democracy.

The agreement is a legal instrument that binds South Africa’s trade relations with the EU. The TDCA has realised an improved market access for both sides, and was one of the first trade agreements signed with a developed economy since the birth of our democracy. Since the TDCA was signed, there have been three EU enlargements, with the last occurring on 1 July 2013, when Croatia joined the EU. The others are the Czech Republic, Cyprus, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Slovakia and Slovenia. In 2007, Bulgaria and Romania joined the EU.

The presentation today seeks ratification of the protocol to include the latest EU member. The Additional Protocol creates a legal basis for the extension of the TDCA to include Croatia. It will ensure that Croatia benefits from the TDCA and that South Africa’s exports gain preferential treatment into Croatia.

The opportunities and challenges are as follows. Currently, the EU accounts for 40% of South Africa’s total trade. With the current enlargement, the EU population will increase by more than 4 million, thus providing an even larger market for South African exports. Albeit from a very small base, it is expected that the TDCA will have a positive impact, overall, on trade between South Africa and Croatia.

South Africa’s main exports to Croatia include mineral products, base metals, prepared foodstuffs, beverages, cement, asbestos and vegetable products. Croatia exports textiles, machinery, mechanical appliances, vehicles and wood to South Africa. Further opportunities exist for South Africa in sectors such as agriculture, machinery, transport and electrical equipment, which South African exporters can exploit once South Africa’s preferential access into Croatia comes into force.

The accession of Croatia to the EU has the potential to create jobs in various sectors and to foster economic growth. In addition, it will spur growth in overseas markets for South African-made products and generate opportunities for South African workers by creating new jobs. It is anticipated that there will be more opportunities than threats for South Africa as a result of Croatia’s accession to the EU.

Consultations were held with Nedlac, industry representatives, the DTI, the Department of International Relations and Co-operation, the Department of Justice, the Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries and the SA Revenue Service. Presidential approval has been obtained for the Minister of Trade and Industry to sign the Additional Protocol to include Croatia.

Implementation will be done by Sars. The SA Revenue Service will implement the Additional Protocol within its current organisational framework. It will publish the date for implementation of the Additional Protocol, and we know that South African manufacturers are already waiting anxiously for this to happen. The DTI will inform the relevant stakeholders and economic operators.

There is no drastic change envisaged over the short and medium terms for South Africa’s trade and economic relations with the EU as a result of Croatia’s accession. As the EU is South Africa’s largest trading partner, there is a fair level of market penetration potential. The inclusion of Croatia in the TDCA creates a number of new opportunities for South African companies to expand their exports to Croatia or to establish a new export market.

I thank you, Chair, for the opportunity to present this for approval. [Applause.]

Debate concluded.

Question put: That the Report be adopted.

IN FAVOUR: Eastern Cape, Free State, Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal, Limpopo, Mpumalanga, North West, Northern Cape, Western Cape.

Report accordingly adopted in accordance of section 65 of the Constitution.

CONSIDERATION OF RATES AND MONETARY AMOUNTS AND AMENDMENT OF REVENUE LAWS BILL AND REPORT OF SELECT COMMITTEE ON FINANCE THEREON

Mr C J DE BEER: House Chair, tax revenue is an important contributor to national revenue; hence, its growth or contraction affects numerous economic and social factors. With increasing tax revenue, more funds are available to invest in the nation’s priorities such as infrastructure, education, health and many other socioeconomic programmes that stimulate people’s lives. Generating more revenue will require effective tax laws that manage the administrative aspect of tax revenue collection.

Tax revenue is divided into direct and indirect taxes and has the following revenue streams or categories: personal income tax, company tax, value-added tax, VAT, the fuel levy, customs duties, secondary income tax and customs tax.

The Rates and Monetary Amounts and Amendment of Revenue Laws Bill of 2015, also referred to as the Rates Bill, gives legislative effect to the proposed changes to the rates and monetary thresholds in terms of the tax proposals announced by the Minister of Finance in the Budget Review of 20l5, as well as in the speech of the Minister of Finance when he tabled the national Budget 2015. The Rates Bill specifically covers proposed changes to transfer duty, income tax, and customs and excise duties.

Clause 2 of the Rates Bill ensures that old threshold amounts are replaced with new threshold amounts in respect of the acquisition of property on or after 1 March 2015 under section 2 of the Transfer Duty Act.

Clause 3 deals with the annual fixing of rates of normal tax in terms of section 5(2) of the Income Tax Act and with the rate of tax for registered micro businesses to be set annually in terms of section 48b(1) of the Income Tax Act. Subclauses 3 and 4 specify the dates on which these rates are proposed to come into effect for individual taxpayers and special trusts, companies, trusts and registered micro businesses. There are specific dates.

Clause 4 ensures that old threshold amounts are replaced with the new threshold amounts in respect of primary, secondary and tertiary rebates under section 6(2) of the Income Tax Act.

Clause 5 raises the medical scheme fees tax credits for the first two members of a medical aid scheme from R257 to R270 each, and from R172 to R181 for each additional member.

Clause 6 raises the abatement amount in respect of the provision of residential accommodation from R70 700 to R73 650.

Clause 7 gives effect to the increased excise duties in terms of section 58(1) of the Customs and Excise Act.

The 2015 Rates Bill therefore ensures that the 2015 tax rate and thresholds are enacted. The Select Committee on Finance, having considered and examined the Rates and Monetary Amounts Amendment of Revenue Laws Bill B15B National Assembly section 77, as referred to it and classified by the joint tagging mechanism, JTM, as a Money Bill, has agreed to the Bill. I must mention that when we dealt with the report the DA reserved its position on the report. I table this report to be considered by the House. [Applause.]

Debate concluded.

Question put. That the Bill be agreed to.

Declaration of vote:

Mr F ESSACK: Hon House Chairperson, thank you again for the opportunity. On behalf of the DA I would like to make this declaration concerning the Rates and Monetary Amounts and Amendment of Revenue Laws Bill. The DA would like to formally table this declaration, and I ask that you pay attention and apply your minds.

The draft Rates and Monetary Amounts Bill as prepared by Treasury in the 2014-15 financial year showed huge uncertainty in tax revenue performance with gross tax revenue equalling R98,3 billion and nontax revenue equalling R15,7 billion.

Tax revenue to gross domestic product, GDP, ratio is still below the peak of revenue in 2008, and currently only stands at 25,5%. Our tax to GDP ratio is higher than most African countries, with only eight countries having a higher tax to GDP ratio. This indicates that our economy is not growing nearly fast enough to broaden the tax base in order to alleviate the pressure currently in place on a small pool of taxpayers.

Income tax rates will be raised by one percentage point for all taxpayers earning more than R181 900 per annum. Unavoidably, 3,5 million South Africans who fall within this bracket will be funding government's shortfall. Travelling costs also increased to over 80 cents per litre, including the fuel and Road Accident Fund levies.

The DA’s position is that higher tax increases will lead to people spending less money, which in turn of course lowers the demand for goods because you have less money. This impacts on services, it impacts directly on job losses and with the result, recessionary times.

Without broadening the tax base we will be unable to grow our economy. In conclusion therefore, the DA will not support this Bill as these increases will come at the expense of every South African who will have to pay for this government’s failures. The ANC government has continuously proven its failure of being able to steer our economy to a growth path that will one day take South Africans out of poverty and give breadwinners the opportunity to provide for their families. I thank you.

The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Mr A J Nyambi): we will now proceed to voting on the question. Members will vote by pressing the in favour, against or abstain buttons. If there is any member who experiences a problem his or her vote will be recorded manually. Have all members voted? Hon Essack?

Mr F ESSACK: They are experiencing a problem because they don’t really understand the Bill in the first place.

The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Mr A J Nyambi): No. Have all members voted? The Table will assist and deal with the issue regarding hon Gaehler because he is not in the House. Have all members voted? [Interjections.] You can be assisted and record your vote. Have all members voted? Voting is now closed and the Table will submit the results.

Whilst trying to sort out the calculations we want to ascertain if there is any other ... because it seems as if the issue that was experienced by hon Van Lingen with regard to hon Gaehler might not be the only one. There might be some members who pressed more than once. Hon Julius?

Mr J W W JULIUS: There is also the possibility that there are ANC members who voted against. You can’t just say that that is the issue. [Interjections.]

The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Mr A J Nyambi): No, take your seat so that I can address that. It’s not an issue of the results; it’s an issue of the numbers not tallying compared to the people who are here. [Interjections.] No, we know. I know from where I’m seated. [Interjections.] Order, members! Let me first explain hon Julius so that you understand correctly. We have a situation where the screen indicates the number of people who are here; so the numbers must tally with the number of people who are here. We have a practical example in the case of hon Van Lingen. Fortunately she was honest in indicating that they voted in the situation of hon Gaehler who is not here. There might be another situation but we are still tallying the numbers. They will get the results quickly.

Before I give you the results there are two people that ... No, I’ll come to you. The hon member next to hon Mokgosi, have you voted? Are you abstaining? Okay. The hon MEC from the Eastern Cape did not vote. So, in favour ... Hon Van Lingen?

Ms E C VAN LINGEN: I’m just checking whether the Deputy Minister voted because she is not part of the delegates from the provinces. So she mustn’t vote.

The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Mr A J Nyambi): She did not vote. In favour are 27; against are 16; and there are three abstentions. The majority of members voted in favour. [Applause.] Order members!

Bill accordingly agreed to in accordance with section 75 of the Constitution.

Mr V E MTILENI: House Chairperson, I thought that maybe if you were stuck we could rather go to sudden death and you would be the one to do the last one.

The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Mr A J Nyambi): That is not a point of order. Order, hon members!

DEBATE ON INTERNATIONAL RURAL WOMEN’S DAY: RURAL WOMEN AS AGENTS FOR ACHIEVING SUSTAINABLE SOCIOECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

The DEPUTY MINISTER OF RURAL DEVELOPMENT AND LAND REFORM: Hon Chairperson, my greetings to the hon members of the NCOP, representatives of women’s organisations and co-operatives who are present in the gallery, distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen. Thank you for affording me the opportunity to address you on this very important matter in this august House, this afternoon.

Today is one of the most significant days on our annual calendar on which we meet to commemorate rural women, internationally, and discuss the progress made by our governments in transforming the rural economy through the emancipation of women. We need to reflect on global treaties, policies and initiatives that assist in accelerating this rural women transformation agenda.

I believe that as much as it is imperative to highlight the good stories that the ruling party has achieved in women empowerment through agricultural programmes, poverty alleviation initiatives and food security activities across the nation, we need to reflect on the challenges that most rural women still face.

The Department of Rural Development and Land Reform’s mandate is to ensure that women equitably have access and control to land, in order to attain sustainable livelihoods, decent work and continued social and economic advancement in rural areas and farms. Last week, the ANC National General Council, NGC, put an emphasis on these matters, and resolved that women across the country must be prioritised in all government initiatives and programmes in achievement of their development and economic emancipation. The ANC NGC further resolved that there must be targets and allocations for women on land.

The mandate and the status quo with regard to rural women is that governments must take significant strides to ensure that women have access to land in their own right, to deal with the patriarchal challenges that they still face. This is an international clarion call made in various conferences and seminars, organised by women.

Article 14 of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women states that states parties should take into account the particular problems of women and the important role they play in the survival of their families, including their contribution to the economy and their participation in rural development.

The Beijing Platform for Action Critical Area 1 reiterates the need to address feminisation of poverty by ensuring that women access resources and services, whilst Critical Area 6 reiterates the considerable differences in women and men’s access to opportunities to exert power over economic structure. It also recommends redress through, amongst others, promoting women’s economic self-reliance, including access to employment, appropriate working conditions and control over economic resources, land capital and technology.

The idea of honouring rural women with a special day was put forward at the Fourth World Conference on Women in Beijing, China, in 1995. It was suggested that 15 October be celebrated as World Rural Women’s Day, which is on the eve of the World Food Day. I must also indicate that the World Congress of Rural Women is convened every four years. The 1st World Congress of Rural Women was held in Australia in 1994, followed by the 2nd and the 3rd World Congress of Rural Women in the United States, in 1998 and in Spain, in 2002. South Africa then hosted the fourth one in Durban, in 2007.

Therefore, it was firstly observed on 15 October 2008 and the role of rural women, including indigenous women, in enhancing agricultural and rural development, improving food security and eradicating rural poverty was recognised. Women were mobilised and constituted an organisation called Women in Agriculture and Rural Development, which is called Ward. A declaration emerged from this congress and this reflects that our country is committed to changing the lives of the most vulnerable namely, rural women.

Some of the resolutions were to ensure that governments have a special focus on women empowerment. Since then, the Department of Rural Development and Land Reform has been very instrumental in championing this resolution through vigorous policy developments such as the Extension of Security of Tenure, Esta, Act 62 of 1997, Land Redistribution, Land Restitution and Land Tenure Reform. The fifth Congress was then held in India, last year.

During the session of the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women in 2012, the main theme was the Empowerment of Rural Women. South Africa participated successfully in debates, showcasing how we transform the lives of rural women. Moreover, side events were held by South Africa and our women, through arts and crafts, displayed how their skills have managed to alleviate poverty and made them players in rural socioeconomic transformation and development.

The ruling party’s Polokwane Resolution of 2007 endorsed the extended mandate of the department to put special focus on rural areas.

Our President, hon J Zuma, during his recent visit to the United Nations, reaffirmed the South African government’s commitment in fostering and expediting a true economic transformation agenda. He further made reference to women empowerment and gender equality as a priority in realising our country’s economic transformation agenda.

One of our department’s mandates was further emphasised during the state of the nation address by the hon President of South Africa, which is to develop the Comprehensive Rural Development Programme, CRDP, in order to alleviate poverty, create jobs, transform the rural space, thus improving our country’s economic growth rate.

The department further implements this CRDP through a number of initiatives and in various branches such as the Rural Enterprise and Industry Development, Reid, Rural Infrastructure Development, RID, Land Reform and Restitution.

Our overall progress regarding the redistribution of agricultural land in South Africa - 82 million hectares - from 1994 to June 2015: 4,5 million hectares under land redistribution through 5 199 projects, benefiting 235 732 people of which 24% are women, 33 111 are youth and 678 are people with disability.

From 2009 to June 2015 there are 1,5 million hectares under land redistribution through 1 482 projects, benefiting 20 124 beneficiaries of which 8 300, 41%, are women, 6 149 are youth and 49 are people with disability.

These statistics suggest that there is 50% increase, from 24% to 41%, in women benefitting from this programme in the form of groups, individuals and black emergent farmers obtaining grants as well as land acquired under lease hold.

Regarding recapitalisation and development, from 1 496 projects in 2009 to 2015 and 1,4 million hectares, 28 497 beneficiaries benefitted from 5 473 jobs created. An amount of 2 523 were women and of the 2 202 farmers trained, 1 207 were women. The department is committed to have further vigorous interventions to ensure that women participate meaningfully across all of our programmes.

Our key responsibilities in the department is rural development, which has various projects such as Women in Design and programmes on arts and crafts, youth development, the creation of sustainable enterprises in Agri Parks, and others. All of these are designed to transform the rural space and ensure sustainable livelihoods.

The demon called gender-based violence is prevalent due to patriarchal and traditional stereotypes, particularly in rural areas, for example ukuthwala, which violates the socioeconomic development of young girls, stifles their education and violates the Children’s Act. The widows that are chased away from their land by chiefs once their husbands passes away also violates their rights as beneficiaries and deprives their children of the right to shelter, endorsed by legislative frameworks.

Let it be known that I am first and foremost a woman. Every woman was once a girl. These girls - many of whom I have seen in the most rural of areas - reassured me that their voices need to be carried through mountains and valleys for them to be heard. They are not statistics, but broken women in the making, who will carry the baton where we would have left off in this Parliament and all the sectors where we find ourselves.

These young women, incubators of our nation’s continuity, are bearers of hope that need to be engraved in our psyche when we gather to commemorate important days such as International Rural Women’s Day. The plight for justice and true emancipation should not lose ground, but be accelerated and reinforced today, more than ever before. This is why the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women, UNCSW, 2016 will again give priority to the agreed upon conclusions of 2013 on the elimination and prevention of all forms of violence against women and girls, to intensify the strides on commitments taken by member states, to address this scourge.

The department has also established the Women’s Forum for levels 2 to 12 and women in the senior managers’ forums. The department has institutionalised transformation at the workplace and in rendering services in rural areas, in line with sustainable development and women empowerment. In order to ensure dialogue on gender considerations, the Men’s Forum is being facilitated to enable the department to institutionalise gender equality, internally and in the communities it serves.

In keeping our eyes on the prize, we should remain mindful of the thematic areas we have chosen and committment to marking this centenary. The Women’s Day theme for this year was A Centenary of Working Together towards Sustainable Women Empowerment and Gender Equity. Another important theme I wish to highlight is the conference’s theme, which is Recognising the Role of Women in Agriculture, Food Security and Rural Development.

In our commitment to reversing the legacy of the 1913 Natives Land Act, the Department of Rural Development and Land Reform has positioned itself to soldier on in addressing the social, spatial and economic injustices of that abominable law of June 1913 and its adverse impact on the black majority, with specific reference to women and our spatial economy.

Colonial and apartheid geography created three spatial configurations across our country - the urban areas and commercial farming areas that were designated as white enclaves, the Bantustans or so-called Homelands that were designated for Africans and areas for Asians and coloureds that were established later. In the Department of Rural Development and Land Reform, we have policies to deal with all these injustices of the apartheid era.

Apartheid did set the basis for the alienation of the black majority from the land of their birth, denial of freedom of movement, pass laws, forced removals and land degradation. The impacts on the marginalised blacks are described by the National Planning Commissions Diagnostic Report of 2011 as a patchwork of mini-states created on the country’s most barren lands, with borders generally drawn to leave out any viable economic areas.

The effect of this racial segregation legislation was to “de-agrarianise” black people and create a rural periphery, a labour reserve, by forcing people off the land and into urban labour markets and until today, they rely on wages or remittances. Today, only 4% of the rural poorest of South Africa derive their income from agriculture, instead of over 20%, as is the case in other developing countries.

African women are known as the rocks. African folktales narrate how women are capable of holding blades on the sharp end and coming together in spite to geographical and racial divides, to march on towards a dispensation of hope.

This was evident during the march of 1956 where 20 000 women marched to the union building defying the apartheid pass laws. In South In Africa’s rural areas, women’s access to land was limited by their gender and social position in the community. Women worked on agricultural production in addition to being heads of households, caring for children and maintaining the household. Customary laws also prevented women from owning land. For many years, a woman was not able to get effective land rights without the permission of her husband or guardian.

Let us not forget. As we mark International Rural Women‘s Day, we remain mindful of the fact that we are not alone in this struggle for the rights of women, women empowerment and gender equality. These are experienced globally and are more pronounced in developing and emerging economies. Life on farms, reservations and marginalised urban and peri-urban areas remain a challenge, with land inaccessibility and tenure insecurity being key contributors to hardships experienced. This is the picture we intend changing with the resolutions of the 2015 NGC.

At the dawn of our democracy, during the 1995 Fourth World Conference on Women in Beijing, we declared, amongst others, to eradicate poverty through sustained economic growth, social development, environment protection and social justice. This was based on people-centred development, social and economic opportunities for women, in order to get both men and women involved as agents and beneficiaries of such development.

Furthermore, in 2010 the African Union Commission endorsed a Framework and Guidelines on Land Policy in Africa that sought to strengthen land rights, enhance productivity and secure livelihoods. The framework and policy guideline states that tenure reforms and land redistribution will improve access to land and confer security to vulnerable groups, especially women who constitute most of the urban and rural poor. This will break the cycle of dependency and institutionalised poverty among women and the vulnerable people of South Africa.

Give me a moment to touch on agriculture. Agriculture is a very important economic activity, as a substantial number of persons involved are women. The recent agricultural households study by Statistics South Africa that drew from the 2011 Census showed that almost 2,9 million South African households are engaged in agriculture. Of these households about 52% are male-headed families and approximately 47% are female-headed households.

Although the overall picture shows that most households engaged in agriculture are male-headed, it is important to note that in the four provinces with the most households engaged in agriculture, women-headed households that are in the majority. These provinces are KwaZulu—Natal, Eastern Cape, Mpumalanga and Limpopo, constituting 35% of all households engaged in agricultural activities in South Africa.

This is valuable information, as it begins to give an indication of where we should target our land reform and land development support programmes, whom among these we should target in the various provinces, and how women-headed households are equitably provided for.

Today should guide us in our resoluteness towards actively engaging the reversal of our brutal historic legacy and the critical developmental benefits that women’s liberation and the emancipation of men can bring for us. We need to ensure that the 50/50 representation is realised in all our programmes to ensure effective emancipation and empowerment of women in rural areas - 50/50 and more in favour of women! I thank you.

The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Mr A J Nyambi): Let me take this opportunity to tell those who are going to the podium for the first time that on your right you will find the time allocated to you. Therefore, you will see the time that has been allocated to you, while you are on the podium.

Nks V MVENYA: Enkosi, Sihlalo ohloniphekileyo. Nivile ke ukuba yintetho yam yokuqala le kule Ndlu, anisayi kuthetha nokuba ndithini na niza kunyamezela. Sihlalo ohloniphekileyo, ndivuya kakhulu ukuba ndithi xa ndiqala ukuza kuthetha apha, ndibe ndithetha ngoomama bakuthi, oomama basezilalini. Kaloku mna ndingowaseNgqamakhwe eMpuma Koloni kwaye ndisahlala phaya ezilalini. Into eza kundenza ndimke ndiye eBhayi ndifune indlu khona kuxa kuthe kwaphatha i-DA phaya kuMasipala oMbaxa iNelson Mandela.

Mna njengentombi yasezilalini ndandisikha amanzi okupheka, okuhlamba izitya kunye nokuhlamba abantwana emlanjeni. Kodwa nangoku njengokuba ndingumama wasezilalini ndisababona oomama besikha amanzi, abanye belayishe iimbombozi kwiikiriva besiya emlanjeni nokuba kushushu okanye kuyanetha. Kaloku bona abathamsanqelekanga njengabanye bethu thina bantu bakwaziyo ukuthenga amatanki kuba sinako ukuwathenga.

Umzekelo phaya eQonce kude kufuphi neNdlu yoWiso-Mthetho yephondo, eBhisho, kukho ukopolotyeni wokulima ekuthiwa yiSophakama Sonke eyasekwa ngowama-2004. Ngowama-2007 iye yafaka isicelo kwiSebe lezoPhuhliso loLuntu ukuba incediswe ngobuxhakaxhaka bokunkcenkceshela kuba amanzi akude asezantsi. Kunanamhlanje, loo nto ayikenzeki, kodwa imali bayifumana baze bayithoba ngomlenze ayayenza into ekwakufanele ukuba iyenze. Lwenziwa uphando kodwa ngelishwa abantu ababebandakanyeka ekuthotyweni kwemali ngomlenze zange kubekho manyathelo bawathathelwayo.

Aba mama basebenza phaya babheka ezantsi ukuya kukha amanzi ukuze bagcwalise itanki zonke iiveki benyuka iqhina. Ngelishwa, uMphathiswa weSebe lezoPhuhliso loLuntu kwiphondo, kamnandi okhoyo apha, ohloniphekileyo uSihlwayi uyayazi loo nto leyo kuba incwadi wayifumana kwekaCanzibe. Ngoku yinyanga yeDwarha akukabikho nto yenzekileyo, kodwa sithi sibakhathalele abafazi basezilalini; sithi siyabaphuhlisa abafazi basezilalini. Buphi ubulungisa xa kunjalo? Ukususela ngowama-2004 ukuza kuthi ga ngowama-2015 kusekho aba mama bakha amanzi ukuze bagcwalise amatanki. [Uwele-wele.]

Inye into esigqame ngayo yeyokuba sibizele omama kwimisitho yomama, sibakhwelise sibase kuyo, sifike sithethe; batye bakugqiba bahambe bagoduke. Ayonelanga loo nto ngokuphathelele kuphuhliso lukamama wasezilalini. Kwakhona ke mna njengomntu wasezilalini bendikade ndithatha ibhekile ndiye emasimini ndise kumama okanye kutata xa kulinywa. Amasimi ngoku alele ngoba ootata noomama bamkile baye kufuna imisebenzi kooMarikana. Sifuna iiteletele.

Sikhona isimanga esikhe senzeka sokufika kweeteletele. Zifike zothulwa ezi teletele kukho noonondaba bakamabonakude. Ziye zagqithiswa ezi teletele kwathiwa zezeprojekthi. Emva kokuba oonondaba bakamabonakude bemkile zaye zaphinda zalayishwa iiteletele zaphinda zemka zaya kubekwa kwenye indawo.

Ukuba ke awunayo iteletele loo nto ithetha ukuba awukwazi ukulima. Oyena mntu obethakalayo xa kungekho kutya ngumntu ongumama. Thina phaya eMpuma Koloni sixhomekeke kwezolimo ukuze kubekho ukutya. Kaloku umyeni, xa elambile, uthi “kutyiwa ntoni nkosikazi”, umntwana uthi “mama ndilambile” baze nabantu basemzini bathi, “molokazana akukho nto eshushu na?” Yiyo le nto uya kufika oomama bedwelile ezitalatweni bethengisa iziqhamo nemifuno ukuze bakwazi ukuba bafundise abantwana babo. Ngelishwa kufike umasipala athi bophula imithetho yedolophu abe engabalungiselelanga naloo ndawo athi mabathengise kuyo. Kuye kuchithwe nezo zinto zithengiswayo, phofu zibe zichithwa ngumntu okwafundiswe ngale mali yezi ziqhamo.

Kunzima kakhulu koomama abakwimimandla efana nooMbizana apho bathumela abantwana babo kwizikolo zodaka. Xa ephuma kwisikolo sodaka akukho apho aza kuwufumana khona umsebenzi uza phinda aphelele kwaphaya ezilalini. Intlungu yasezilalini yeyokuba uzalelwa kwizibonelelo zoluntu uphinde ukhulise abantwana bakho ngazo. Okokoko ujikeleza kobo bomi bezibonelelo zoluntu. Kanti ke sifuna ilizwe apho izibonelelo zoluntu ziza kusetyenziswa njengomnatha wokhuseleko kuphela ukuze nokuba umntu uzalelwe kumzi onjani, ondawoni, akwazi ukuba afumane amathuba khona ukuze umama lo wakhe usebenze nzima ukufundisa yena abe neqhayiya esithi uyazibona iziqhamo zokubethwa kwam yimimoya nezitshingitshane esitalatweni ndifundisa lo mntwana! Leyo yinkululeko onokuyisebenzisa.

Ngokuya ilekgotla ye-ANC yayipasisa into ethi kuza kubakho uphuhliso lwasemaphandleni kwade kwatshintsha igama lesebe layeka ukuba liSebe lezoLimo kwathiwa liSebe lezoPhuhliso lwamaPhandle noHlengahlengiso lwezoMhlaba, ndaye ndonwaba kakhulu. Loo nto yayithetha ukuba thina phaya ezilalini ubomi bethu buza kutshintsha bufane nobomi obuphilwa ezidolophini. Hayi, kwathi kanti amaqabane awayiqondi kakuhle le nto ithi uphuhliso lwamaphandle. [Uwele-wele.]

Kaloku ukuba siyaluqonda ukuba uphuhliso lwamaphandle luthetha ntoni, akufanelekanga ukuba kubekho amafama aza kusa iSebe lezeNdlela neleMisebenzi yoLuntu kwiinkundla zamatyala ngenxa yeendlela ezimbi. Xa ungenayo indlela ungumfama awukwazi ukuba ufikelele apho uthengisa khona. Ingxaki lunxibelelwano phakathi kwamasebe, (Inter-governmental Relations), IGR. Xa lungekho unxibelelwano nentsebenziswano alukho uphuhliso lwasemaphandleni. Ayisoze yenzeke loo nto leyo.

Kulo nyaka wama-2015, ngentsimbi yokuqala ekuseni, uya kufumana imiqodi yemigca emide yoomama nootata besiya kwamkela isibonelelo soluntu sabo. Loo nto bayenza ngentsimbi yokuqala ekuseni. Xa kukho uphuhliso lwamaphandle ayikwazi ukuba yenzeke loo nto. Aba bantu baqesha iimoto zokuya phaya beleqa ukuba ithi imali ifika babe sebe phaya ukuze ba bafike bathenge ukutya kwasekhaya baphinde bahlawulele ukuziselwa ukutya kwabo. Kanti ukuba sithi lukhona uphuhliso lwamaphandle kufuneka eza venkile zindala phaya zitshintshwe zifakelwe oomatshini abakhupha imali, zibe zivenkile zokutya ezifana nooSpar. Loo nto inganceda ekubeni uthenge kwalapha ungachithi imali uhlawulele ukuziselwa ukutya, koko ukwazi ukugcina imali, utsho nawe ubenemali. Yiyo le nto laa mali iphela ungakhange wenze nto.

Uphuhliso lwamaphandle aluthethi iiprojekthi nookopolotyeni. Sifuna ukuzibona sifana naba mama basezilokishini ngokwendlela esihleli ngayo phaya ezilalini. Sifuna ukubona iimpompo, sizivule ziphume amanzi; iiteletele zifumaneke, ziyeke ukufunyanwa ngamagosa amasebe nooceba kuphela. Sifuna ukuba sikwazi ukubelekela ekliniki ezilalini ungade uqeshe imoto ngama-R600 kuba ufuna ukuya kubelekela esibhedlele. Sifuna imfundo ekumgangatho ophezulu ezilalini ukuze sikwazi ukuba siphucuke, nabantwana basezilalini bafumane imisebenzi. Ngelishwa ke, bubomi obungcono kwabanye, ingebubo kubantu bonke.

Ezilalini kusentlango, akukho bulungisa, nkululeko namathuba. Ingxaki kukuba oomama sibazi kuphela xa kuza kuvotwa ukuba bazimbokotho. Xa kugaywa iivoti kuyiwa phaya kubo kushiywe izikipha neepasile zokutya kuba bayaziwa ukuba bazimbokotho. Oomama basezilalini banako ukukhulisa uqoqosho lwaseMzantsi Afrika kuba oomama basezilalini bayafuya, bayasenga, bathengise baze bafundise abantwana babo. Kaloku laa nto yenza ukuba isizukulwana esilandelayo sikwazi ukuba siphile. Inye into abayifunayo ngamathuba.

Thina ke siyi-DA siya kuzixhasa zonke iinzame ezenziwa ngurhulumente ezinokwenza ukuba oomama basezilalini bazive bengabalapha eMzantsi Afrika. Yiyo le nto sibhala iincwadi sizithumele kubaphathiswa bephondo, ooMama uSihlwayi abahloniphekileyo, kodwa zingabuyi iimpendulo; yinto yokuba sizama inkxaso kuba siyayazi ukuba omama bayintsika yesizwe.

Kutshanje i-National General Council, NGC, ye-ANC ingqinile ukuba amanani e-ANC ehlile. Loo nto ithetha ukuba siza kukhawuleza siye kuyisebenzisa le migaqo-nkqubo ye-DA emiliselwe kwiinqobo zobulungisa, inkululeko namathuba. I-NGC ingqinile ukuba imigaqo-nkqubo elungileyo ayisetyenziswa. Yile nto iza kusenza ukuba sikhawuleze sisondele size siyitshintshe le migaqo-nkqubo ukuze thina sikwazi ukuyisebenzisa. Enkosi, Sihlalo. [Kwaqhwatywa.] (Translation of isiXhosa speech follows.)

[Ms V MVENYA: Thank you, hon Chairperson. Hon members, you are aware that this is my maiden speech in this House, so whatever I say you will not respond, you will just have to bear with me. Hon Chairperson, I am very happy that the first time I come to deliver my speech here I get to talk about our women from the rural areas. Indeed I am from Ngqamakhwe in the Eastern Cape and I still stay there in the rural areas. What is going to make me move to Port Elizabeth and get a house there is when the DA takes over the reins in the Nelson Mandela Bay Metropolitan Municipality.

As a girl from the rural areas I used to fetch water for cooking, washing the dishes and the children from the river. Even now, as a mother based in the rural areas, I still see women fetching water, others using wheelbarrows to wheel large containers to fill them with water in the river in sunny or rainy conditions. Indeed they are not as lucky as some of us who can buy large tanks to fill with water because we can afford to.

For instance in King William’s Town, not far from the provincial legislature in Bhisho, there is an agricultural co-operative known as Sophakama Sonke which was established in 2004. In 2007, it submitted an application for assistance with an irrigation system to the Department of Social Development, because their source of water is too far. Up to today, nothing has happened in that regard, but they received the funding and embezzled it instead of using it for what it was required. An investigation was carried out but unfortunately no action was taken against the people involved.

The women who work there have to go down and then up a steep hill to fill their tanks every week. The MEC for Social Development in the province hon Sihlwayi, who fortunately is present here today, knows about this because she received the letter in May. It is now October and nothing has happened, yet we say we care about rural women; we say we develop them. Where is justice in that? From 2004 up to now, 2015, there are still women who fetch water in order to fill their tanks. [Interjections.]

We are famous for only one thing, inviting women to women’s events, transport them there and talk to them; and then they eat and go home. Well, insofar as the development of rural women is concerned, that is not enough. Furthermore, as a person from the rural areas I used to bring a beaker full of food to my mother or father in the fields during ploughing season. Now the fields lie fallow because mothers and fathers have gone to look for work in places such as Marikana. We want tractors.

Some tractors arrived under strange circumstances. These tractors were delivered in the presence of some TV journalists. They were handed over and it was said that they were part of a project. After the TV journalists had left, the tractors were loaded off and taken somewhere else.

Without a tractor you cannot plough. The person who is hit the hardest by the lack of food is the woman. In the Eastern Cape we depend on agriculture for food. Indeed, when a husband is hungry he asks, “is there anything to eat, honey; a child says, “mother, I am hungry”; and the in-laws say, “daughter-in-law, anything warm to eat or drink?” That is why you will find women lining the streets selling fruits and vegetables so that they can send their children to school. Unfortunately, local government came along and said that they are breaking by-laws without providing them with spaces for them to trade in. Often their fruit is destroyed, strangely enough at the hands of people who were put through school with the income from the sale of this fruit.

It is very difficult for women from areas such as Mbizana who send their children to mud schools. When these children finish school they cannot get any jobs and end up staying at home in the rural areas. What is painful about life in the rural areas is that one is born into public facilities and then raises one’s children around them. We want a situation where public facilities will be used as a security network only so that no matter what kind of a household one comes from or where it is situated, one can get opportunities to work so as to make one’s mother proud to see the fruits of her work. That is a freedom worth having.

When the ANC lekgotla came up with a policy to bring about rural development, as a result of which the department’s name changed from Agriculture to the Department of Rural Development and Land Reform, I was very happy. That meant that as people living in the rural areas we would live like people in urban areas. Nope, it turned out that the comrades did not fully understand the meaning of rural development. [Interjections.]

If indeed we understand what rural development means, we should not have a situation where farmers take the Departments of Transport and Public Works to court because of bad roads. When there are no roads, as a farmer you cannot reach the market. The problem is communication amongst departments, IGR (Intergovernmental relations). When there is no communication and no interaction there will not be any rural development. That cannot happen.

This year, 2015, at one o’clock in the morning, you will find long queues of women and men going to paypoints to get their grants. That could not happen if there was rural development. These people hire cars to take them there so that they can beat the queue. They then buy groceries and pay for its delivery. If there was rural development, ATMs would be installed in those old shops and they would also be turned into grocery shops in the mould of Spar, etc. That would help you buy locally and not spend money on delivery of groceries, and help you save money in the process. That is why the grant money is finished within no time at all.

Rural development does not mean projects and co-operatives only. As women in the rural areas we want to live like women in the urban areas. We want to have taps with running water; we should also get tractors, not only departmental officials and councillors. We want to be able to give birth at clinics and not have to hire cars for R600 to take us to hospital in order to give birth. We want a good quality education in the rural areas so as to improve our lot, and so that rural children can get jobs. Unfortunately, it is a good life for some, and not for everybody.

Rural areas have turned into deserts where there is no justice, freedom or opportunities. The problem is that we only remember that women are rocks just before elections. When canvassing for votes people go to women and leave behind T-shirts and food parcels because they know that they are rocks. Rural women are capable of growing the economy of South Africa because they keep livestock and milk the cows for commercial purposes in order to put their children through school. This makes it possible for the next generation to make a living. All they want are opportunities.

As the DA we will support all efforts by government that would make rural women feel a part of South Africa. The reason we often write letters to provincial MECs such as hon Ms Sihlwayi, which unfortunately elicit no response from them, is because we are trying to get support, because we know that women are pillars of the nation.

Recently the National General Council, NGC, of the ANC confirmed that ANC membership numbers have gone down. That means soon we are going to implement the policies of the DA that are based on the values of justice, freedom and opportunities. The NGC confirmed that good policies are not being implemented. That is why we are soon going to change these policies so that we can implement them. Thank you, Chairperson. [Applause.]]

Ms N SIHLWAYI (Eastern Cape): Hon Chairperson, hon members, hon Ministers and Deputy Ministers, colleagues, hon MECs, esteemed traditional leaders, ladies and gentlemen, good morning. It’s an afternoon. Good afternoon. When a woman is hungry, she says “roast something for the children that they might eat.” That is an Ashanti proverb trying to clarify the role of a woman in a family, society and a nation. We are here together to celebrate this day to reflect on the connectivity of the people of the world.

The month of October is both a social development and transport month. It is during this month that nationally and internationally the people of the world celebrate the milestones together. The former president of the ANC, Dr Alfred Bitini Xuma from Ngcobo, in the Eastern Cape, appeared on the BBC interview clarifying the role of South Africa within the continent and the world.

We are here to fight for the world democracy. We want the world to know. Those were the African claims which resemble our current Constitution of the Republic of South Africa in many ways which contain both political and socioeconomic rights which is a progressive trend that started in 1943 formulating the people’s programme, the Freedom Charter.

I just want to highlight a few issues which are the events where we have managed to come together with the global community. On 1 October 2015 is the International Day of Older Persons, 2 October is the International Day of Nonviolence, 5 October is World Teachers’ Day, 10 October is World Mental Health Day, 11 October is International Day of the Girl Child, 15 October is International Day of Rural Women, 16 October is World Food Day, 17 October is International Day for the Eradication of Poverty, 24 October is the World Development Information Day, to name but a few. We celebrate these days because we believe we are one.

In 1955 the congress of the people Freedom Charter was adopted by the people who came from all over our country’s towns, rural areas, farms and villages. They did that because the architect of apartheid was up in arms to defuse and divide the country which was a sad moment of our lives. The preamble of the Freedom Charter says “South Africa belongs to all who live in it, black and white.” It then clarifies who should own the land, who needs to be protected, that is the peasant, who needs to be freed and who needs to be liberated. The ANC is an architect of a better life for all and it continues to do so.

It is proper to clarify that in all our endeavours, as a country, government and the Eastern Cape, ours is to respect the supreme law which clarifies how we should heal the divisions which were caused by our former number ones, the National Party and the Democratic Party, which are the DA today. We aspire to the 2063 African agenda and we want to adhere to the democratic principles of our country and of the world. It is a people centred and caring agenda which puts children and women first and empowers them to play their role in all spheres of life. It has full gender equality in all spheres of our participation, contribution and beneficiaries of our land. It has engaged and empowered our youth. Rural women will have access to productive assets including land, credit inputs and financial services.

Ndithetha ngooNohombile nooNotamile, ndithetha ngabo bonke aba mama babesiphekela imingqusho nemifino, silumela xa sisiya esikolweni. [I am talking about the Nohombiles and Notamiles of this world; I am talking about all women who used to cook samp and wild spinach for us, which we washed down before going to school.]

Today, they are able to present their case within the banks because they are bankable because the government has freed them which is a human right and tradition of the ANC. They own farms and cattle. They are employers of many people. They are selling milk and have vegetables which they sell to big retail shops and many schools. They have bakeries and they take their bread to many schools to feed our children.

Oomama basezilalini bayaqhuba namhlanje. [Today, rural women are drivers.]

Today, a girl child, Siphosethu, is born in a farming community in Qumrha, the Great Kei, which falls under the Amathole District Municipality and she has opportunities.

Akanazo kwezinye iindawo. USiphosethu ukhululekile, kodwa uhamba ngeenyawo xa esiya esikolweni. Lo rhulumente wephondo ukwazile ukumnika imoto yokumsa esikolweni kwaye xa efika esikolweni umnika ukutya. Zisekhona iingxaki, kodwa urhulumente uzijongile. Akakho urhulumente owayejonge iingxaki zikaSiphosethu ngaphandle kokuba wayejonge inkululeko kaBenevictor ohlala eSummerstrand, kwindawo yabantu abaphucukileyo eBhayi, kumasipala ombaxa iNelson Mandela. (Translation of isiXhosa paragraph follows.)

[She does not have any in other areas. Siphosethu is free, but walks barefoot to school. The provincial government has managed to provide her with scholar transport and with food when she gets to school. There are still problems though, but government is dealing with them. No government ever took care of Siphosethu’s problems other than Benevictor’s before, who stays in Summerstrand, an area for the rich in Port Elizabeth, in the Nelson Mandela Bay Metropolitan Municipality.]

We are talking about the most affected girl in Ntabankulu, Tsholomnqa, Joe Gqabi, Lusikisiki, Mbizana, Port St Johns and Ngquza, the most rural areas in the Eastern Cape.

Siyatsho ke ukuba wohlukile loo mntwana kubantu abahlala kwimimandla e-peri urban. [Indeed we are saying that this child is different from people living in peri-urban areas.]

This year, the Eastern Cape has facilitated an African Women’s Conference. The world was in the Eastern Cape for a week clarifying the issues and role of women and the strength and weaknesses of a woman. The conference was instrumental in seeking to give insight on how the women of Africa characterise the current plight of women envisaged for the continent and pragmatic programmes which respond to the plight of women as characterised by delegates.

Studies showed in that conference that women are in majority in the African continent. More than 400 co-operatives which are a majority in the Department of Social Development in the Eastern Cape came together to map a way forward in the resolution of that conference and they clarified that they need a centre that will address skills development for women to participate in the procurement reforms of the country. At the beginning of November, six commodities will be starting training on skills development in that centre at Palmerton in Lusikisiki, the most rural area in our province. They will participate in agriculture, piggery, poultry, cleaning services, catering, ...

... bepheka imingqusho, iziqwashumbe kunye nezigwamba, besondla abantu beli lizwe ... [... serving samp, wild turnip and wild spinach ...]

... as one of the tourist areas in our motherland.

The Eastern Cape province is in partnership with other stakeholders and has championed the establishment of the centre which serves as a hub and a vehicle to ensure that women are marketable and bankable. One of the resolutions of the conference was the need for establishing the Developing Bank of Women which the Eastern Cape will take to other countries which have showed best practices in the conference.

In conclusion, the statistics clarifies who is the most affected in the country and women are mostly the victims. It then clarifies who is the strategic manager and builds the family. Again it says it’s a woman, a wife to the husband, a loved one to the boyfriend. Amongst other issues, there are very clear challenges that the country is confronted with such as the struggle that is experienced by widows, the stealing of their cattle, goats and sheep by farmers who are bosses, the killing of women because of the perception that they are witches because ...

... bebababi ebusweni kuba kuphele umgubo obizwa ngokuthi yi-pink petal ababewuthambisa ebusweni ... [... they had ugly faces because they had run out of pink petal, which they applied to the their faces, ...]

... the very clear gender-based violence which emanates from family conflicts at home. The president of the ANC, president Xuma is asking a question: What can an African do?

Charlotte Manye Makgomo Maxeke spoke about the social conditions of an African and a rural woman in 1930. She addressed a conference of European and Bantu Christian Student Association at Fort Hare in June/July of 1930 –

The woman, the wife, is the keystone of the household: She holds a position of supreme importance ...

because she is the –

“queen” of the home, the inspiration of her family.

She then clarifies why there is gender-based violence; because there is a clear family dysfunctionality and disintergration.

Amakhaya awakho; into ekhoyo yimizi. Abantu abadala baninzi; abantu abangekhoyo ngabazali. [There are no homes, only households. There are many adults, but no parents.]

Thank you very much, Chairperson, for the opportunity.

Mr O SEFAKO: Hon Chair, hon members, hon Deputy Ministers, MECs present here, members of the SA Local Government Association, Salga, distinguished guests, our viewers at home, it is indeed a great pleasure to be given this opportunity to participate in today’s debate.

This is the best time when the most important and greatest organisation, the ANC, has just emerged from its successful National General Council. It is equally an important time for celebrating the 60 years of our Freedom Charter. Allow me hon Chair to salute the women of the world, the women of Africa, the women of our beloved country, South Africa. Let me recognise those that are unknown.

Bomme kwa magaeng, ba ba sa tlhageleleng mo dipampiring, ba ba sa itsiweng mme karolo e ba e tshamekileng e le e e masisi, segolo bogolo e le bomme ba Aforika e leng Aforika Borwa. Bomme ba re reng mmangwana ke yo o tšhwarang thipa ka fa bogaleng. Ga ese o mongwe le yo mongwe fela o re ka mo bitsang mmangwana. Eseng yo e tla reng fa ngwana a lela a be a mo tlakisa ka mbamba gongwe a mo tlakisa ka biri.ya re ngwana fa a gola e be e le letagwa.

Ke gopole dikwankwetla tsa bomme ba ba kileng ba e tšhwara ka fa bogaleng mo malobeng. Diganka di tšhwana le bo Lilian Ngoyi, bo Ruth Segomotsi Mompati, bo mme ba tšhwana le Dorah Tamana. Seganka se e rileng se eme kopano ya bomme ka lefoko, gone mo Kapa mo, sare re lo buletse dikgoro. E ne e le seganka sa mme yo o neng a kgona gore a rulaganye. O tsere dikarolo mo megwantong ya go lwela gore dijo di nne teng morago ga ntwa ya bobedi ya lefatshe.

Bomme ba re ka bua ka bona ga tlala seatla, ba dirile maloba le jaanong re sentse re ba bona, mme jalo e leng maloko a ANC, ebile gape bangwe ba bona e le makomonisi, ka foo re a leboga. Fa re tsena mo Aforika Borwa re ka re ... (Translation of Setswana paragraphs follow.)

[Women in the rural areas, unknown, stalwarts in the community. It is not just anyone who can be called a mother. I am not referring to those women who when a child cries, she give alcohol to the child, turning that child into a drunkard as an adult.

I remember those heroines of the past. Heroines such as Lilian Ngoyi, Ruth Segomotsi Mompati; and women like Dorah Tamana. The same one who addressed us, women, here in Cape and told us that they have opened doors for us. She was very brave and an excellent organiser. She took part in the many protests after the World War II fighting for the availability of food.

We can say a mouthful about these women. They served in the past, and still do; they are members of the ANC, some are Communists. We are thankful for them. Coming back to South Africa, we can say ...]

The socioeconomic development of South Africa is indeed characterised by contradictions. We had a South Africa that was developed while the bulk of it was undeveloped. The undeveloped one is where the rural majorities have been forcefully removed and are crowded in those particular areas. The who suffered the most were none other than the women, but they fought their way out to ensure that, under such critical conditions, they were able to come up with plans. They utilised the space that is there for production. Production and not for profit, as the capitalists are doing, but production for survival.

They managed to send their sons and daughters to study, and some of them are today professors and doctors. That is the major role that they played in the socioeconomic development and we are indeed proud of them. They played an important role of course in crafting ... of course, also even prior to the people’s congress that was held in Kliptown, there was the Women’s Charter. Those women were led by the ANC. They were the women from the ANC we are proud of.

Today we see an individual coming from the organisations of the blue, who is dreaming that he can bring the Groot Krokodil from the grave to come and do anything better than what these women have been struggling for. That is an empty dream; it will never happen.

Let me touch, or maybe indicate that there is no way that we can discuss the socioeconomic separate from politics. We rather invite the politics and call it the politico-socioeconomic, bringing culture and art ...

Women of the world rose to the highest through the hardships of imperialism and colonialism, through the hardships of religion of course which played an enormous role in subjecting women to minors. Women managed to rise above all the factors and unchain themselves from the authorities of patriarchy. Today we are saying we are proud because of the ANC which, of course, under the new dispensations, women of Africa, women of South Africa are today able to own the properties. They were subjected to minors. When they go to the financial institutions they will have to go out and grab any man who can come and sign on their behalf because she was a minor.

The ANC leads, the ANC lives, and it is taking this democracy forward. [Applause.] We thank you very much. [Applause.]

Mr M KHAWULA: Hon Chairperson, hon Deputy Minister, Colleagues, on Sunday 11 October 2015, just last Sunday I had a community meeting with the people of KwaQiko in Mandlalathi, under iNkosi Phika Bele Nqasana at the banks of uMkhomazi River. I witnessed donkeys with 20litre water containers at the back from Umkhomazi River to the various homesteads in the area. To us in the IFP, rural plight of the people in rural areas is not just fantasy but it is what we live.

I personally come from uMgubo area in KwaHlongwa under uMzumbi Municipality where I was born and bred. That is where my children are growing up. My mother was a subsistence farmer of amadumbe, umbila, amathanga and namabhontshisi womzumbe. From the sale of these items she was able to send all my four brothers and my five sisters to school. By the way, all 10 of us were born at home in KwaHlongwa sometimes with little assistance of sister Gumbi from the clinic in Mzumbi.

Not a single one of my nine siblings including myself was born in hospital or clinic. This is a life typical of the struggles of rural women in South Africa. When fathers and husband had to go and be away for day, weeks, for months and for years in the big cities in Durban and Johannesburg. These woman had to and still have to remain strong and resolute as both the father figures and mother figures of the households. It is a pity that twenty-one years into our democracy in the country, very little yet has changed to give meaning to democracy for rural women. Of course the IFP acknowledges that moist of the sufferings of rural women that they have to endure is historical and an imposition of colonialism and later apartheid, but these women have started voting for a better non-sexist and non-racial government like everybody else from 1994 up to now. Still there is no piped water, no electricity, no black surface roads and schools have no computer rooms, no libraries and no laboratories. In some instances mud schools and schooling under a tree still remains the order of the day. Rivers continue to swallow their loved ones on rainy seasons as there are no bridges to go across. Long distances to schools for their children, no hope for a better life in their areas for their children as opportunities are only found in the cities. Town life continue to break their families when children migrate to the cities and getting introduced to new life styles they are not used to. The list is endless. This is the plight for rural women.

Why is the pace to change their life so slow? It is greed of those who are in power. A lot of government resources get pocketed and undue diligence serve the purpose and objectives of the manipulators of the system and programmes. Cronyism continues to undermine government programmes. Actually two weeks ago, the hon Minister of Communication was at uMzwabathu Kwamantu in Harding. She was taking through a tour of the area. She herself was appalled at the poor state of workmanship of the state of low cost housing that is provided to the people of Kwamantu by the municipality. Poor service delivery has become a norm. I appeal to this House to intensify our oversight efforts in monitoring government programmes. Hon Chairperson, as a ruling party, the ANC; the cancer that is in the ANC does not only affect the members of the ANC, but it affects South Africa in general. The ANC must learn to listen to the voices of reason. It is a pity that those who speak reason and justice are beginning to be silenced. There is too much power in the secretaries of the regions in the ANC. There is too much power in the secretaries of the provinces in the ANC. They control government tenders in municipalities and provinces. This is the cancer that is killing rural development.

Hon Chairperson, the people of KwaZulu-Natal still draw some pride in the solid foundation and solid backgrounds laid to that province of KwaZulu-Natal by the IFP. It was a government of integrity, shuns corruption, shuns nepotism, shuns cronyism, a government of the people for the people by the people. In conclusion, hon Chairperson, I do want to say hon Deputy Minister ...

... angiyazi mina inkosi KwaZulu-Natali eyake yaxosha, ngisho nakwezinye izifundazwe, umuntu wesifazane ofelwe yindoda ngoba kuthiwa akasenayo indoda. (Translation of isiZulu paragraph follows.)

[... I have never seen any chief chasing away any widow in KwaZulu-Natal or even in the other provinces, just because that woman has lost her man.]

I still have to see one.

Amakhosi ayabahlonipha abantu besifazane ... [Chiefs respect women ...]

... especially in KwaZulu where I come from. Lastly I do want to leave you Chairperson with the poem by Everett Standa:

I speak for the bush

You speak for the civilized

Will you hear me?

I thank you.

Ms M C DIKGALE: Thank you hon House Chairperson, hon Minister, hon Members, special delegates, ladies and gentlemen. Chairperson the day 13 October is a very significant day in as far as change of mind is concerned in the history of mankind. The notable change of mind that occurred on this day was in 1943 during the World War II when the new government of Italy under General Pietro Badoglio chastised to the Allie and declared war of Nazi Germany. This was the beginning of the end of the war as the excess powers were now disintegrating. As we are aware at the end of the World War II, victorious powers established the United Nations Organization that was to ensure that the world does not experience such a war never again.

Today the United Nations as we know it at the forefront of fighting and eradicating all kinds of wars including the socio economic ones. Just last month in September 2015 in the United Nations Summit of member states adopted the seventeen new sustainable development goals and South Africa was part and signatory to this. During this summit the UN Secretary-General Banki Moon had this to say and I quote, “ the new sustainable development have gender equality and women’s empowerment at their core and include a target to double agricultural productivity and incomes of small scale food producers, in particular women. In deed rural wo men are critical to the success of all seventeen SDG’s.”

As ANC and South Africa we could not agree with him more. This is so because as much as we believed in the millennium development goals, we are not oblivious to the fact that the eight MDG’s failed to consider the root causes of poverty and overlooked gender inequality as well as the holistic nature of development. The goals for an example did not specifically address economic development. Also well, the MDG’s in the theory applied to all countries, in reality they were considered targets for poor countries to achieve with finance from wealthy states, conversely every state is expected to work towards achieving their Sustainable Development Goals, the SDG’s. Within the SDG’s are 169 targets to put a bit of meat on the bones. Targets under goal 1, for an example include reducing by at least half the number of the people living in poverty by 2030, and eradicating extreme poverty on people living on less than one US dollar a day. Under goal 5, there is target of eliminating violence to women, when goal 16 has a target to promote the rule of law and equalizes to justice.

In all these a woman is a common denominator, hence Banki Moon’s assertion that the new sustainable development goals have gender equality and women’s empowerment at their core.

Rural women, the majority of whom depend on natural resources and agriculture for their livelihoods, make up over a quarter of the total world population. In developing countries, rural women represent approximately 43% of the agriculture labour force and they produce, process and prepare much of the food available, thereby giving them the primary responsibility for food security. However, the majority of these women, if not all do not own this land. On the farms where they work, they don’t even occupy senior positions like foremen despite being I n the majority. Those that do not work and remain at home are treated as entities. For an example, in most rural areas that follow traditional leadership, many men leave their wives and migrate to urban areas to work. They come back after some time having left their women as the ones looking after the households. However when there are meetings at some of the councils it is the men who are called despite their being absent from the area for a long time. Those who were there along, the women are excluded.

Kgosi Thobejane would agree with me that Limpopo is excluded in this practice because we honour the women. These are some of the traditional mind sets that we must change. We must empower these rural women so that they occupy their rightful place in their communities and their developments. The theme for this year International Rural Women’s Day which reads, Rural Women as Agents for Achieving Sustainable Socioeconomic Development, could therefore might have come at a better time. We must bear in mind that 76% of extreme poor people live in rural areas and the majority of these are women. Therefore ensure rural women success to productive agriculture resources contributes to decreasing hunger and poverty and make rural woman critical for the success of the new sustainable development agenda for 2030 as the SDG’s are formally called. Therefore there is no doubt that to achieve these SDG’s we must expand economic opportunities for and activities for rural women.

In order to do this we must first confront the facts, for an example where the scientific data show that girls develop quicker mentally and that they have potentially out space boys educationally. Women continue to be under represented in critical areas of the economy like maths, science and technology related fields, areas that are projected to grow at faster rates than other job sectors and that represent a great economic opportunity. Expanding economic opportunity begins with expanding educational opportunity. There is a need therefore to ensure that we start with educational empowerment of rural women especially in the fields of maths, science and technology and target the young girls in particular.

Re tla be re phethagatša se se bolelwago ke seema ge se re: “Lehlaka le obja e sa le le lenanana.” [We will be putting into practice a proverb with the following meaning: “Children must be empowered at an early age.”]

This would boost the confidence in this young girls and it can help them to become good women leaders in the future. It is a fact that confidence helps deal with challenges in life. If we are confident we believe in our abilities and feel hopeful that we can achieve our goals. We are also more willing to try new things and these help us to learn having confidence, also means that we are more likely to feel comfortable with ourselves and that we have something worthwhile to give. This is what rural woman needs. Confidence helps us interact with other people, which makes it easier for us to form relationships. We live in a social world so our relationships with other are of considerable importance to our wellbeing. Confidence is an essential part of building relationships. The more confident we are the stronger healthier relationships we would be able to build with others. Therefore the sooner we give these young girls confidence the better. In our language again we say ...

“Tlogatloga e tloga kgale, modiši wa kgomo o tšwa natšo šakeng.” [“Children must be empowered at an early age.”]

This is more critical in the fields of science, technology, engineering and mathematics because women in these fields make an average of 3% more than women in non science fields and the gender pay is smaller in such occupations. In this respects we can for an example opportunities for mentorships in these fields. Research shows that outstanding women mentors and role models can break down stereotypes and help girls believe by seeing that they too can succeed in same education and careers. Earning a tertiary education remains one of the surest pathways into the middle class. Women with a degree or a diploma earn 26% more than those with only a matric. Women with bachelor’s degree earn more than 80% more and these returns are growing. So there is no doubt that tertiary education is a way to go for a rural woman.

Another area that we must focus on is entrepreneurial empowerment for women. It is a fact that women in poor communities often face barriers that prevent them from participating in their countries economies and from any income to support themselves and their families. This is largely because they cannot access financing and loans from financing institutions such as banks. This is so because there is no doubt that women at the bottom of the world’s economic ladder can save and start income generating business if they were to gain access to financial services that will assist them with capital to start businesses. In many African countries, South Africa included, we still have a system where banks need sureties before they can lend prospective entrepreneur some money. Rural women bear the brunt of this system because they do not even own land that they can use as surety. They often lack rights to lend which tend to be held by men or key ship groups controlled by men. Women have access mainly through a male relative usually a father or a husband. In South Africa some inroads have been to achieve this noble role of advancing and empowering women thus eventually achieving an equal society as required by our Constitution, however this is not enough as the majority of rural women have not attained this equality. What it means in performance language is that is only the output. What we need is the outcome which is equality for women at all levels. We must all of us especially those women in higher positions, help empower to develop the ordinary woman at the ground level targeting more especially the rural women.

When you empower and advance women, you are not doing them a favour; neither are you doing yourself a favour. In fact if there is any favour being done, that is a favour you do South Africa as a whole. Women constitute a bigger percentage of the population of South Africa, so let us do South Africa a favour and take part in expansion of economic opportunities and activities for rural women. Remember, you empower a woman you empower the nation. Thank you Chairperson.

Ke a go leboga. [Thank you.]

Mr V E MTILENI: Inkomu Mutshamiwaxitulu, tatana Nyambi. Ndza mi xeweta hinkwenu. [Thank you Chairperson, Mister Nyambi. I greet you all.]

The first International Day of Rural Women was observed on 15 October 2008 by the UN General Assembly, and recognises the critical role the contribution of rural women, including indigenous women in enhancing agricultural and rural development, improving food security and eradicating rural poverty.

This was also in recognition of the struggles that women in general and rural women in particular, are facing.

The patriarchal society within which we live has condemned women to a life of perpetual suffering, required to give so much and yet receive so little. It has reduced women into slaves in the homes where they should be getting love and appreciation.

Rural women are the most excluded from economic participation, and as a result of outdated cultural practices, are even denied opportunities to study. The government is only happy to raise hollow voices about their commitment to improve the lives of rural women, but in reality, the oppression of women in rural areas is only gaining ground under the blind leadership and policies of the ANC, which continue to have women as spectators in a game they should be playing.

In areas under traditional leadership, most women are denied rights to own and use land, unless they are married or have grown up male children. Most women are not even given rights to speak, even in traditional courts or meetings, and need males as intermediaries to voice their concerns.

This patriarchy extends to institutions of governance in rural areas, the Traditional Leadership and Framework Act of 2003 requires that about 30% of the seats in traditional councils should be occupied by women, but up to this stage, government has done nothing to enforce this provision. Traditional councils are still occupied by men. I think you will agree with me on this one.

Rural women do not have access to the most basic of rights, such as access to clean and healthy water, access to quality medical care, and access to basic education for the girl child.

Those in rural areas are living with the fear of being raped, murdered, or abducted and forced into marriages. All this happen with impunity. There is neither will nor ability on the part of those who lead us to secure the lives of rural women.

There is no better demonstration of the sick nature our government views the rights of rural women than the case of MaNtuli, President Jacob Zuma’s wife, who was accused of having poisoned the President. MaNtuli was kicked out of her house by Minister Mahlobo, a man with whom she has no relations to.

If MaNtuli can be kicked out of her marital home like that, then you can imagine what ordinary women in rural South Africa have to go through. If a man of no lesser stature than a President ... [Interjections.]

The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Ms M C Dikgale): Hon Mtileni, please take your seat. The hon member, Zwane. Take your seat, hon Mtileni! [Interjections.]

Ms L L ZWANE: Chairperson, I am rising on a point of being irrelevant on the topic of the debate that has been given to members. Hon Mtileni has got no right to deviate from the debate and discuss the President’s personal or family affairs. That is unbecoming, and it is not acceptable. Go and prepare for your debate and come back if you aren’t prepared.

The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Ms M C Dikgale): The hon member Zwane, please take your seat. Hon Mtileni, you are secured. You are covered. Is your time for debate, continue.

Mr V E MTILENI: I know there would be members from other parties who will always haul at me.

The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Ms M C Dikgale): Continue with your debate.

Mr V E MTILENI: Thank you very much, Ma’am for protecting me.

The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Ms M C Dikgale): Yes.

Mr V E MTILENI: If MaNtuli can be kicked out of her marital home like that, then you can imagine what ordinary women in rural South Africa have to go through. If a man of no lesser stature than a President of the constitutional democracy such as ours can be so bold as to kick his wife out of her home, based on flimsy accusations, then how much more do ordinary men in rural South Africa can treat their wives?

What kind of example is the leadership of the country setting for other men in rural areas? That it is okay for men to kick out their wives whenever they feel like.

The case of MaNtuli is similar to the struggles of most rural women, whose role society limits only to being servants for men.

The EFF believes that the liberation of rural women is central to the project of liberating all people in this country.

As long as society views rural women as objects for satisfying sexual or other needs of men with no consciences such as the men who kick out their wives from their homes, the struggle for liberation continues.

The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Ms M C Dikgale): Sorry! Hon member, Mtileni. Hon Mtileni? Hon Mtileni?

Mr V E MTILENI: We must never rest ... [Interjections.]

The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Ms M C Dikgale): Hon Mtileni?

Mr V E MTILENI: ... until women in rural areas are given rights to learn with or without husbands ... [Interjections.]

The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Ms M C Dikgale): Hon Mtileni,you are out of order. You can’t do this.

Mr V E MTILENI: Thank you so much Chairperson ... [Interjections.]

The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Ms M C Dikgale): Hon Mtileni, you were out of order. You were not on the topic and I ignored you and now you don’t even listen. No, Hon Mtileni, respect is earned ... [Interjections.]

Mr V E MTILENI: Okay

The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Ms M C Dikgale): Okay. We continue.

Ms W G THUSI (KwaZulu-Natal): Hon Chairperson, Deputy Minister of Rural development and Land Reform, my colleagues, MECs, hon members, I thank the Chairperson for affording me an opportunity to participate in this important debate which takes place just a few days after the National General Council, NGC, of the ANC took many progressive resolutions aimed at, among other things, improving the lives of women in rural areas. True to the tradition of our gallant movement, the NGC delegates conducted a comprehensive assessment of what has been achieved in the empowerment of women, the challenges that they still face and also crafted concrete plans to address existing challenges.

Chairperson, allow me to paint a picture of conditions faced by rural women in South Africa. The apartheid economy was a gendered system of oppression. A pillar of this system was the creation of Bantustan areas as the basis for migrant labour. Currently the majority of African women live in the former so-called homelands. Women in particular were kept in these impoverished and often remote areas to bear the burden of caring for children and the elderly. This barbaric system was created and perfected by people such as PW Botha who is being glorified by some among us here today.

We want to warn the DA that South Africans will not allow you to create new P W Bothas because our people still remember vividly what the apartheid architects such as Botha did. While a lot has been achieved in terms of the provision of government services such as water, electricity, healthcare and education, rural women are still more likely to have inadequate electricity, clean water and sanitation. In recognition of these appalling conditions under which rural women exist, the ANC and its government have undertaken to continue making rural development and land reform an important policy priority. Recent statistics show that more and more rural women have access to healthcare and education. We are creating a new generation of women who are empowered academically. That is why we continue to intensify early childhood development, converting most of our schools to no fee schools and providing NSFAS funding to millions of tertiary students.

As we celebrate the International Rural Women’s Day, we must express our gratitude to women who have established and run community organisations helping vulnerable members of our society such as the disabled, the homeless and orphans. Just like what the ANC NGC delegates did when dealing with challenges facing our women. The International Rural Women’s Day presents all of us with the opportunity to do few things: firstly, to assess what government and other relevant social partners have achieved in relation to the empowerment of women in rural areas.

Singakhohlwa ukuthi siphuma kuphi kanye nokuthi kuthathe isikhathi esingakanani ukusicindezela. [Let us not forget where we come from and how long we were oppressed.]

Secondly, we must also examine the lack of progress in pursuing the goal of the emancipation of women in rural areas. Having assessed the efficacy of our efforts in this task, the third and last step is to recommit ourselves to continuing the acceleration of the struggle for the advancement of women in rural areas. In recommitting ourselves to increased efforts to eradicate the oppression of women, we do so fully aware that the scale of this challenge calls for broad mobilisation of society. In August we observed women's month and the theme for this year was: Women united in moving South Africa forward. This theme is in line with what the former President of the ruling party, OR Tambo, said in 1981:

The mobilisation of women is the task, not only of women alone, or of men alone, but of all of us, men and women alike, comrades in the struggle. The mobilisation of the people into active resistance and struggle for liberation demands the energies of women no less than that of men. A system based on the exploitation of man by man can in no way avoid the exploitation of women by the male member of society. There is no way in which women in general can liberate themselves without fighting to end the exploitation of man by man, both as a concept and as a social system.

The celebrations of the International Rural Women’s Day takes place when as the country we are also paying tribute to our former President OR Tambo who took it upon himself to champion the cause of the emancipation of women. Guided by his wise words, we must intensify efforts aimed at fast-tracking the entry of women from rural areas into the mainstream economy.

Hon Chairperson, the Premier’s office has been reconfigured to make sure that we have an institutional development and integrity management branch which has a responsibility to champion all efforts aimed at the protection and promotion of rights for the vulnerable members of our society, especially rural women and children, older persons and people with disabilities. Currently through this unit government is rolling out an antirape campaign and we have received positive feedback from members of the community and NGOs. Democracy support services, we want to unite the people of this province behind a common goal of ensuring the empowerment of women.

Key issues that must be discussed beyond this seating include: How to change the environment so that women in rural areas are in a position to access and exercise their rights; how to address the income gap between men and women, rich and poor where women are the poorest of the poor, especially those in rural areas; how to best address the increasing rate of maternal and infant deaths; what programmes can be put in place to deal with the growing feminisation of poverty; how to speed up economic empowerment and skills development initiatives for women in rural areas as these are key issues in the transformation of the lives of women who live in poverty.

South African women make up 52% of the entire population, and 57% of women are found in the informal trade sector where they operate their own businesses. Hon Chairperson, in August, the Premier addressed the procurement indaba attended by representatives from the International Labour Organisation, national Ministers and members of the Provincial Executive Council. During this gathering he emphasised the importance of ensuring that women owned cooperatives and that SMMEs benefit from government procurement. Women-only co-operatives account for a significant proportion of the co-operative landscape in South Africa.

Having said that, I wish to inform members of this House that the office of the Premier towards the end of August co-ordinated a Widows Summit. This Summit was attended by widows mostly from rural areas. We convened this summit because statistics show that almost half of women over the age of 60 years of age are widowed compared to less than 15% of men.

The dissolution of families often leads to the formation of female headed households with responsibility for children and other dependents or the integration of surviving females into extended family units. Either option increases the burden households have to contend with. Therefore, during the Widows Summit serious attention was given to the plight of widows especially those in rural areas. It was resolved that government departments and local municipalities must develop concrete projects to benefit widows and their children.

In conclusion, I want to say that let us all work together to make sure that we empower women in rural areas because all of us in this room know where we come from and the damage made by the apartheid system. I thank you. [Applause.]

Cllr S GOMBA (Salga): Hon Chairperson, hon Deputy Minister of Rural Development and Land Reform, hon MECs, hon members of the NCOP, ladies and gentlemen, good afternoon. The SA Local Government Association, Salga, appreciates to be part of this important debate of recognising the role of rural women, including indigenous women, in enhancing agricultural and rural development, improving food security and eradicating rural poverty. The theme ‘Rural women as agents for achieving sustainable socioeconomic development’ should inspire and motivate us towards more action and support for the advancement of rural women.

This day is not only an important occasion to salute rural women across the world but it also offers a critical window of opportunity to push the empowerment of rural women up the global, political and economic agenda. It also serves to remind us and society at large to give value and credit to rural women’s work. Rural women around the world play a major role in ensuring food security and in the development of the rural areas, yet they frequently lack the power to secure land rights and access to vital services necessary for their upliftment. Their vital contribution to society goes largely unnoticed.

Allow me to give an overview of rural women’s work. Rural women’s work is obviously not a simple one since it relates to a complete range of socioeconomic activities. Basically, it encompasses working on the farm, engaging in agricultural production, working in the house as well as maintenance of the household. In rural areas where electricity, sanitation and indoor water are usually lacking, the provision of these amenities is generally women’s work - this cannot be overemphasised, more speakers have spoken to that - this includes fetching water and firewood, usually over long distances. Hence it is maintained that rural women are bearers of a threefold role.

According to the International Fund for Agricultural Development, agricultural activities - whether as subsistence, as casual or permanent work - is one of the main sectors of employment particularly for rural women. Surprisingly, women’s agricultural work of food processing, preparation and storage which makes food crops to be saleable and edible is considered to be invisible. The above portrays that rural women’s contribution reaches beyond the frontier of the family to have a positive impact on the community and national welfare. Therefore, the essence of rural women’s contribution to sustainable socioeconomic development is their overwhelming share in agricultural production.

Finding ways of alleviating rural women’s workload should be the point of departure of every action that intends to make rural women full partners in the development process. Given women’s essential role in food production and the great amount of work they do, it would make sense that development programmes would be directed to women to help them improve their farming methods, reduce their workload and give them access to rural services such as water and fuel supplies, credit, training, land and markets.

The question is: what is it that needs to be done to release women’s potential as agents of sustainable socioeconomic development? We need initiatives designed with specific measures to empower women enabling them to acquire the means and the ability to participate in the main stream of socioeconomic development. The International Fund for Agricultural Development in 2003 addressed the theme ‘Women as agents of change’ which is still relevant even today. And these initiatives include, increasing women’s access to and control over income through entrepreneurial skills training, access to land, credit and improved market linkages, building women’s knowledge, skills and functional literacy, strengthening women’s organisation by promoting group formations such as co-operatives and associations, addressing women’s practical needs through the provision of water, health and sanitation services as well as time saving measures to help women manage their competing and demanding tasks more efficiently.

Investing to improve rural girls and rural women’s lives is a moral imperative and can reverse the poverty equation and generate multiple wins that can help solve some of the world’s most challenging problems and assist in enhancing agricultural and rural development, improving food security and eradicating rural poverty.

Based on their various roles, rural women constitute the bedrock of any development policy in the country. Promoting and ensuring the full enjoyment of the rights of rural women and expanding their access to opportunities, resources and services requires comprehensive action at different levels. Let us therefore seize the opportunity and act together now and acknowledge that rural women are the missing strong link to sustainable socioeconomic development.

The Salga Women’s Commission intends to be part of the solution to empower rural women as agents of sustainable socioeconomic development. It is therefore our resolve that as Salga Women’s Commission, in our Lekgotla that took place in KwaZulu-Natal from 29 September to 1 October, that we re-launch the call for more women representation - more than 50-50 if possible - at all levels of decision making. If you look at the campaign, it is at local level at municipalities but also looking at the content of today’s topic, for it to succeed it must be realised at a local level. Therefore we shall only succeed if we ground it at local level. Malibongwe! I thank you.

Ms Z B NCITHA: Hon Chairperson, let me first greet the Minister, the MECs that are present, my colleagues, the SA Local Government Association, Salga, officials and all those who are here to listen to our debate.

Let me start by saying that, for us to be able to address the challenges that are faced by women, children and people with disabilities, we need all of us ... rather than us coming here to compete or politic the whole thing rather than addressing it.

The ANC has always championed the idea that women’s rights are human rights and the rights of women include the right to bodily integrity, so that women can decide what to do with their own bodies and lives. The Women’s Charter for Effective Equality recognised that, for decades, patriarchy, colonialism, racism and apartheid have subordinated and oppressed women within capital, economic and social life in South Africa.

[Inaudible.] ... the pillars of the Freedom Charter that all national groups shall have equal rights. The Charter is inspired by equality. All our claims are informed by this Charter.

The values, gender-equality and non-sexism can be seen in the South African Constitution, through policies, legislation and institutions that give life to those. These have been influenced by the ANC, while the ANC has been influenced by the engendering of the national liberation movement through the struggles of women, as articulated in the ANC Women’s Charter of 1954.

Part of the challenges facing women, children, older persons and people with disabilities is accessing their legal rights to act against any and all forms of discrimination. Concerning access to police stations, rural police stations are often isolated and are responsible for policing vast areas. An inadequate response to the needs of rural communities as well as resources constrains and hampers the rendering of effective policing in many rural areas.

The presence of law enforcement in rural areas empowers women, older persons and people with disabilities to exercise their legal rights against violence. The challenge faced in being unable to access the police or courts, limits the exercise of rights and results in their infringement.

The National Rural Strategic Plan ought to ensure that there is adequate training for police officers in the Sexual Offenses First Responders course which aims at training first responders to sexual offenses.

On services provided to ensure that the safety of women, children, older persons and persons with disabilities ... the establishment of One-Stop Shop services in at least six provinces ... of abuse in South Africa ... and 109 shelters throughout the country accounting and rendering psychosocial support to women and their dependent children who are abused.

These facilities are driven through the Department of Social Development. During the year 2011 and 2013, the shelters were [Inaudible.] with services to host victims of human trafficking and trained persons to assist trafficking of victims.

Women and children in rural areas are at times more prone to human trafficking which directly violates the rights of persons as it is an activity that infringes on human dignity.

In putting stop to abuse, the South African government has made sure that there are legislations that are curbing such. The Domestic Violence Act of 1998 was enacted to provide survivors with protection from domestic violence and abuse.

Prevention and Combating of Trafficking in Persons Act, Act 7 of 2013, provides a single structure that tackles human trafficking holistically and comprehensively but providing for a maximum penalty of R100 million or life imprisonment on all those who are found to be guilty. If you are found with the conviction you will get both.

The Criminal Laws Sexual Offenses and Related Matters Act, Act 32 of 2007 serves the purpose of fighting sexual crimes against all persons, and especially sexual offenses that are committed against vulnerable groups, including women, children and mentally disable people as well.

The Children’s Act, Act 38 of 2005 empowers young girls to exercise their legal right to be protected by law and not to participate in any activities that are harmful or infringe on their basic human rights, without infringing on their rights to choose religious or cultural preferences as provided for in the Constitution in section 15(30) and (31), the protection of the right to culture.

The ANC’s gender discussion document is progressive in that it provides a solid foundation for advancing child protection in the country and furthermore, it has been progressive in fulfilling children’s rights to social security. However, there remains a challenge in accessing these rights. But, more concerning is the lack of knowledge of the instruments in place that will provide support and empowerment for young girls.

There are programs that are put in place, such as the 16 days of activism or no violence against women and children – programs that are driven by the offices of Social Development where they are trained and also made aware of their rights.

It is important to make sure that all those rights are known by everybody so that all those that get to be affected by ills of abuse, are protected.

It must be noted that all these things that we are doing as the ANC – we have just joined government in 1994 – is repairing the ills of 1948. Hence, there is a need for us to working collectively to change the situation of rural women, children and people with disabilities. Thank you. [Applause.]

Ms M WENGER (Western Cape): Chairperson, the idea of honouring women with a special day was put forward at the United Nations’ Fourth World Conference on Women in Beijing in 1995. This was in order to highlight the important role that women in rural communities play in food production and food security. It was suggested that 15 October be celebrated as World Rural Women’s Day to coincide with World Food Day.

For the last seven years, the United Nations International Day of Rural Women has been celebrated, honouring the role these women play, something that we are doing today. We recognise the significance rural women have in enhancing agricultural and rural development across the globe. It is probably then without coincidence that the Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries has adopted October as food security month to draw attention to food security and production.

The Secretary-General of the United Nations, Ban Ki-moon, said that the core of the new sustainable development goals is gender equality and women’s empowerment and includes a target to double the agricultural productivity and incomes of small-scale food producers, in particular women. He said that rural women are indeed critical to the success of almost all of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals. Across the world, rural women account for more than one quarter of the total world population. Of these, 500 million live below the poverty line. Therefore, ensuring women’s access to productive agricultural resources and land helps to decrease world hunger and poverty, making rural women critical for the success of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

In the developing world, rural women represent approximately 43% of the agricultural labour force and are responsible for not only growing and producing food but also for processing and preparing food. In many cases, women have the primary responsibility for food security. For example, women in sub-Saharan Africa and the Caribbean produce 60% to 80% of basic foodstuffs. Yet, with little or no status, they frequently lack the power to secure land rights or to access vital services such as credit, training and education. Rural women’s contribution to society goes largely unnoticed even though their contribution is critical, not only for their contribution but also because of the knock-on effects of women’s empowerment. A Chinese proverb says that women hold up half the sky, but sometimes it seems that we hold up much more than the sky. We carry the weight of the world on our shoulders; we hold within our hands the nourishment of our planet and our children’s futures on our backs.

The United Nations Development Programme states that women’s empowerment helps raise economic productivity and reduces infant mortality. It contributes to improved health and nutrition, and it increases the chance of education for the next generation. Women certainly carry our children’s futures on their backs. The UN Food and Agriculture Organisation tells us that when women farmers have the same kind of access to resources such as land, seed and fertiliser as men do, their crop yields can increase by 20% to 30%. Furthermore, the overall agricultural output can be improved as much as 4%. They estimate that by levelling and equalling the playing field, malnourishment in the world could be decreased by as much as 150 million people.

Increasing women’s participation and access to markets leads to greater productivity and consumption. This is because when women have more control and decision-making powers over household income, they tend to invest their money in education, in health, and in nutrition of their children. All of this results in better educated and healthier citizens. When women are given equal opportunities, the benefits are felt right across society. It is then fitting that, in June this year, the 25th African Union Summit discussed making finance accessible, affordable and timely for women in the agricultural sector.

The National Development Plan states that key priorities such as education and rural development will have the biggest impact on poor women. This is because when women are upskilled and can earn and control an income, the cycle of poverty can be broken. Improving the status of women is the highway to the development of our society.

In the Western Cape, top female entrepreneurs in the agricultural sector are honoured each year. The Western Cape Department of Agriculture, in partnership with the national Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, holds an annual competition to recognise women who are making a significant impact in the agricultural sector. All of the entrants make a valuable contribution to food security, job creation and economic growth. The Western Cape Department of Agriculture is committed to developing women in the sector and has set itself the goal of moving women from subsistence farming to smallholder farming and to the point where they are able to export their produce. Currently, the Western Cape produces half of all of South Africa’s agricultural exports.

Agriculture and land reform are top priorities in the Western Cape. The Western Cape Department of Agriculture increased its budget significantly to bolster the agriprocessing industry so that thousands of jobs could be created in rural areas. The very successful equity share schemes also deserve mention because rural communities benefit from better land reform. The Western Cape is the best performing province in land reform, as my colleague mentioned in a motion earlier today. It has a success rate that far exceeds every other province.

Land reform is key to the empowerment of rural women. The Western Cape is participating in the district land reform committees and, to assist farm workers and rural women, the Western Cape Department of Agriculture recently established a land reform advisory desk. This desk shows the Western Cape’s commitment to rural communities and provides planning support to farmers, businesses, municipalities, and land owners and supports emerging and existing farmers in the industry.

Today, it would have been important for this House to hear from the MECs about their governments’ programmes of action and how these programmes are supporting rural communities and especially rural women. Instead, we heard a lot of politics. We heard even more about the national general council, NGC, and a lot about talk shops – what a pity. Melinda Gates said that “a woman with a voice is, by definition, a strong woman. But the search to find that voice can be remarkably difficult.”

It is up to each and every one of us – every woman and every man – to take every possible step to empower rural women financially and instructionally so that our society can progress. After all, women do hold up half of the sky. Thank you. [Applause.]

Mr M SAMBATHA: (North West): Thank you, hon Chair. I’m privileged to be almost the last speaker. So I’m almost covered by most of the colleagues who spoke before me. I shall, however, proceed with the prepared speech. I’m only not going to do and repeat what I had prepared to quote what had been quoted by those who spoke before me, particularly hon Thusi on O R Tambo in 1981. The ANC members are informed; they know where to start and where to end.

Chair, it is not a rally. It is a speech. However, let me quote again uTata Nelson Mandela when he said:

Freedom cannot be achieved unless the women have been emancipated from all forms of oppression. Our endeavours must be about the liberation of the woman, the emancipation of the man and the liberty of the child.

As said by the previous speakers, the World Rural Women’s Day was launched by several international NGOs during the Fourth UN World Conference on Women in Beijing 1995, and a worldwide empowerment and educational campaign is annually organised since 1997 by the Women’s World Summit Foundation.

Celebrations and events take place in more than hundred countries around the world. This new international day established by the General Assembly in its resolution 62/136 of December 2007, recognises the critical role and contribution of rural women, including indigenous women in enhancing agriculture and rural development, food security and eradication of rural poverty.

Rural women in the world over play a major role in ensuring food security and in the development and stability of rural areas. Yet, with little or no status, they frequently lack the power to secure land rights or to access vital services such as credit, inputs, extension services, training and education. Their vital contribution to society goes largely unnoticed. The World Rural Women’s Day aims to change this by bringing rural women out of obscurity, at least, once a year, to remind society, how much they owe to rural women and to give value and credit to their work.

South Africa is ahead of the rest of Africa in giving support to women entrepreneurs under the ANC government. This is according to the recently released female Entrepreneurship Index of 2015, which looked at how 77 countries across the world are fostering women entrepreneurship, and evaluated them according to entrepreneurial, the environment, the ecosystem and aspirations. The top three countries are the United State, followed by Australia, with the UK coming to the third. South Africa ranked the highest at 36 worldwide, with a score of 44,2 out of 100.

Coming back to my province North West, which is predominantly 65% rural and 35% urban with a population of 3,5 million as according to Census 2011. The female population is higher than the male population in the province. The total of the economically active population is 57% of the total population. Of this 57%, 55% are males as opposed to 44% of females. Male active population is therefore more than that of the females in the province. The province celebrates the top women agricultural entrepreneur each year without fail. This is meant to encourage and support women involvement in the sector.

As a predominantly mining province, the plight of women mineworkers has to be raised sharply in the following areas: Employment, though the Mining Charter stipulations have improved the previous situations, but still today the mining industry lacks appetite on employment of women underground. Safety of underground women workers still a problem, the House must remember the case of Pinky Mosiane, who was brutally raped and killed whilst at work underground in the platinum mine in Rustenburg.

Again, on the beginning of what became known as Marikana Massacre or tragedy in our language, just in August 2012, four women workers were paraded naked in the stadium full of men as striking mineworkers. This public humiliation was done only for reasons that these workers went to work because they did not want to participate in the unprotected strike.

In conclusion, Chair, Thomas Sankara once said on women:

Women’s fate is bound up with that of an exploited male. However, this solidarity must not blind us in looking at the specific situation faced by womenfolk in our society. It is true that the woman worker and simple man are exploited economically, but the worker wife is also condemned further to silence by her worker husband. This is the same method used by men to dominate other men! The idea was crafted that certain men, by virtue of their family origin and birth, or by ‘divine rights’, were superior to others.

When I close Chair I must remind this House that in the last general elections, 18 million South Africans voted, 11 million South Africans voted for the ANC, and the majority of them were women, that is a fact; 7 million out of 18 million voted for 15 political parties. Now, rural women and women in general are happy with the ANC. They call the movement “ugweb’indlala” sisi waseMqanduli. [Applause.] They call the ANC “ugweb’indlala”. They call the movement “Indoda yabahlolokazi” this they do proudly because the ANC cares and only the ANC will resolve their challenges. Thank you. [Applause.]

Mr J W W JULIUS: Chairperson, hon members and the public, I think hon Sambatha, for a person that was covered you really said a mouthful here.

Chairperson, indeed, rural women form the backbone of the rural economy. It thus makes sense to focus on the development of our rural women, especially the economic development. Chair, I loved your lecture earlier, because you are agreeing with me that most rural women are still underdeveloped; and I agree with you. I wish the Deputy Minister would agree with us.

Just this weekend the Secretary General of the ANC admitted that the recapitalisation process of emerging farmers is taking far too long and that is not good for the economic development of these people involved here. Now, it is good to admit such a challenge, but it is another to acknowledge that it is the ANC that actually allowed this backlog for the past 21 years. What he also failed to admit was that the ANC policies and processes are preventing rural women from economic development. Actually, this tendency is the hallmark of the ANC National General Council, NGC of this past weekend.

Deputy Minister Mashego Dlamini, you know, the acknowledged high level of corruption in government, will always have a more devastating effect on rural women, and I’m sure you would agree with this. Unless you root out corruption in the ANC-led government, you really do not care about the lives of rural women in our society.

Now, whilst we are acknowledging challenges, please tell South Africans, why you could not spend money wisely for the past 21 years. Please, tell them why you have become so corrupt over these past 21 years that rural women are the ones who are losing out; that’s what characterize your NGC, failure of the past 21 years. That is why you came together. Why are they still so poor? Deputy Minister you said the 4% - it is your 4%. You must take the blame for the 4%, it is yours.

The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Mr A J Nyambi): Chairperson, I’m checking whether the hon member Julius is ready to take a question so that he can assist South Africans.

HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Ms. M C Dikgale): Okay, hon Julius are you ready to take a question?

Mr J W W JULIUS: Chairperson, I honestly don’t have time, next time hon Nyambi.

The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Ms. M C Dikgale): He is not ready hon House Chair.

Mr J W W JULIUS: Chairperson, if rural women are seen as the backbone of our economies, why they are not empowered like all other people in South Africa? Is this not a contradiction of the Freedom Charter that you refer to so often? Give the rural women title deeds so that they can develop their own land and acquire business loans to develop their own lives and that of their children.

Rural women cannot forever be dependent on grants and handouts, these handouts that you hold them ransom to, for a vote. Hon Sefako, I disagree with you, rural women can become capitalists just like the almost richest men in South Africa, the Deputy President.

Chairperson, the truth is that the land reform policies of the ANC will not allow rural women under the traditional leadership to prosper on their own because of electoral bondage with some traditional leaders. The ANC has simply continued colonial and apartheid homeland policies to keep the rural poor people under control and dependent. Rural women under the traditional leadership will thus never own the capital that rightfully belongs to them, “Kgosi”.

At the expense of the freedom, fairness and opportunity of our rural women, the ANC will continue to mollycoddle traditional leaders to secure votes. Rural women amongst other rural people are unashamedly being forced to stay disempowered and subordinate subjects of traditional leaders by the ANC. Votes are more important to the ANC

than the emancipation of our rural women in South Africa, this is not the former President Nelson Mandela, do you agree hon Sambatha? I thank you Chair. [Applause.]

Ms L L ZWANE: House Chairperson, hon members of the NCOP and special delegates, let me start off by saying it has been always on the agenda of the ANC to ensure that women are emancipated and developed. Women take their meaningful positions in the decision-making processes in the governance of this country. The ANC-led government has done precisely that. One needs to thank the United Nations, UN ...

... amazwe omhlaba ahlangene ukuthatha isinqumo sokuthi alube khona usuku la sihlangana khona njengosopolotiki sikhulume ngokubaluleka kokukhululwa kwabantu besifazane laphaya ezindaweni zasemakhaya. Bakhululwe ikakhulukazi ebuphofwini, nasekusweleni ulwazi kanye nasekucindezelweni ngaphakathi ezindaweni abahlala kuzona. (Translation of isiZulu paragraph follows.)

[... the United Nations has unanimously made a a decision for us as politicians to meet and talk about the importance of the emancipation of the women in the rural areas. They must be freed especially from poverty, lacking skills and from being oppressed in the areas that they live in.]

Women have been always at the forefront of transformation not only in South Africa in all the developing countries and also the world over. But the most unfortunate part of circumstances is that their contributions have never ever been adequately or properly captured. I think, it is time that as women living in this age and era, we correct the history going forward. The ANC-led government is doing precisely that. We are correcting the history that has not been captured.

In terms of the UN, rural women form the majority of women that are dependent on natural resources and agriculture for their lively hood. They make up a quarter of the total world population. In developing countries, rural women represent approximately 43% of the agricultural labour force. They produce food; they process food. They prepare food. If you were to remove them from the occasion, there can be a disaster because there isn’t anybody who is going to take the responsibility of ensuring that there is food security.

Therefore, ensuring that rural women have access to productive agricultural resources like land, then you are empowering women and you are making a vital contribution in addressing the world hunger and poverty.

Uma kuthuthukiswa abantu besifazane benikezwa umhlaba, siyazi ukuthi sizokwazi njengesizwe nanjengezwe ukulwa nendlala ngoba abantu abahlala belima besebenza umhlaba ikakhulukazi ngabantu besifazane. Okusho ukuthi abantu abenza ukuthi ibhodwe liye eziko abantu besifazane. Ngakho-ke yibona laba okufanele ukuba banikezwe umhlaba. (Translation of isiZulu paragraph follows.)

[If women were to be empowered and given land, we know as a nation and as a country that we would be able to fight poverty because the people that always plough are women. This means that they take the responsibility of ensuring that there is food security. Therefore they should be given land.]

When it comes to issues relating to governance or maybe before I go on. Let me address some of the issues that some of the members touched on and they need that record to be straightened. Hon Mvenya I am surprised by what you have said that there has been no rural development. Is there a member of any legislature that I can say that in South Africa in this era? To say that there is no rural development. [Interjections.] Women use the roads and the road infrastructure that has been developed by the ANC to go to clinics and deliver babies. There are clinics in the rural areas and that is where women go to get their babies. In fact, they prefer to go there rather than to go to hospitals because in hospitals there are too many patients. In clinics you get that attention that women deserve when there are coming to give birth. So, there is development in the rural areas - there are roads. The sole intention is to ensure that ...

... uma begula abantu besifazane beyobeletha bahamba emigwaqeni emihle. [... when the women are sick and when they’re going to give birth, they travel on roads that are in a good condition.]

There is a road in Port Shepstone in a place called uMzumbe that starts from St Faith’s going up to Phungashe. That road has been so bad ever since I was born. I never really thought ...

... ngisaphila ngizowubona lowo mgwaqo ufakwe itiyela uhamba izimoto, amatekisi nabo bonke abantu khona ngokukhululeka. [... I live to see this road tarred with cars, taxis and everyone travelling on it freely.]

Today that road has been tarred [Applause.]

Ngikhuluma ngengqalasizinda yasemakhaya elethwa nguhulumeni oholwa nguKhongolose ezindaweni zasemakhaya. Laphaya ezindaweni zasemakhaya kukhona amanzi Gabhise. (Translation of isiZulu paragraph follows.)

[I am talking about the rural infrastructure that is brought about by the ANC-led government in the rural areas. There’s water there in the rural areas, Gabhise (Clan name.)]

You have been a mayor of a district that has been a water services authority – you know exactly what I am talking about.

Laphaya ezindaweni zasemakhaya amanzi ayasatshalaliswa njengoba ngikhuluma nje. BesinoMnyango Wezamanzi Nokuthuthwa Kwendle ... [In the rural areas they are distributing water as we speak. We were there with the Department of Water and Sanitation ...]

... earlier this morning reading a report of what it has done in terms of ensuring that people in rural areas begin to get clean water. This is done by the ANC. In the districts, there are problems of the infrastructure that was laid by the apartheid government was not meant to ensure that people out in the rural areas are serviced. Therefore, districts have to spend a lot of money ensuring that appropriate infrastructure is put for people to continue receiving clean water in order for them to live and survive. [Interjections.] Apartheid has failed to do that. Don’t even start.

Besekuzothi ubaba uMtileni yena ... [And then the hon Mtileni ...]

Hon Mtileni, I am addressing you, listen to me. [Interjections.] No, I was born and bred by a woman in the rural area.

The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Ms M C Dikgale): Okay mama, hold it there. Please take your seat.

Ms E C VAN LINGEN: Hon Chairperson, on a point of order this member is now repeatedly addressing members directly instead of addressing them through you, as Chairperson.

The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Ms M C Dikgale): Okay, thank you, hon Van Lingen. Order, order, hon members! Hon Zwane, please address the Chair.

Ms L L ZWANE: I will refer to members hon members. They are honourable and I will refer to them as such. Hon Mtileni, I was born of a woman in the rural area – alright. This woman taught me that you don’t go and hang dirty linen of families in the public. [Interjections.]

Uyindoda unomuzi wakho. Awunalo ilungelo lokungena emzini wenye indoda ... [You are a man and you have your own house. You don’t have a right to meddle in the business of another man’s house ...]

... and talk about issues and deviate from your debate. You’ve got no right to do that.

The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Ms M C Dikgale): Hon Zwane, take your seat. Hon Mtileni

Mr V E MTILENI: I am posing a question.

The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Ms M C Dikgale): Order! Order, hon members I want to hear what the hon Mtileni is going to say.

Mr V E MTILENI: I am posing a question to hon Zwane.

The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Ms M C Dikgale): No, you cannot just pose a question. Hon Mtileni!

Mr V E MTILENI: I want to know the dirty linen she is referring to.

The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Ms M C Dikgale): Hon Mtileni! hon Mtileni, hon Mtileni.

Mr V E MTILENI: Which linen is she referring to?

The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Ms M C Dikgale): Hon Mtileni, please take your seat. We cannot continue, hon Mtileni to speak one thing every time. Before you ask the question to the member, you need to ask if ever she is ready to take a question. So, now you have wasted your time.

Ms L L ZWANE: Hon Chairperson, I just wanted to sound caution that the earlier you get out of the President’s private affairs, the better for you. Stick to the debate stick to what you have come here to do. Thank you. Hon Julius ... [Interjections.]

The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Ms M C Dikgale): Order, hon Zwane. Hon Mtileni, hon Mtileni.

Mr V E MTILENI: The President is a public figure and that story was well worth public consumption.

The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Ms M C Dikgale): Hon Mtileni, you are wasting your time. We cannot even hear what you are saying. You have to ask for permission to speak. If you repeat that hon Mtileni we will take you out of the House. We cannot tolerate that anymore.

Ms L L ZWANE: Okay, hon Julius you are a newcomer of issues relating to women’s rights and women emancipation.

The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Ms M C Dikgale): Hon Zwane, the hon member Smit why are you standing up.

Mr C F B SMIT: Hon House Chair, I am standing on a point of order, it seems like this member does not understand the rules of this House that she is supposed to speak to the House through the Chairperson and not direct anything directly to any member. She is repeatedly doing this and she is not reprimanded on that. So, can you please explain to the hon member that she must speak through you and not directly to members of this House? Thank you.

The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Ms M C Dikgale): Hon Zwane, more so that we have freedom of speech, hon member, whenever you please address the House address it through the Chairperson. Thank you.

Ms L L ZWANE: Chairperson, I will do precisely that. Hon Chairperson, hon Julius actually says the ANC has failed to emancipate women and the ANC has not done anything for women. I want to say that he is a newcomer on issues relating to women empowerment and emancipation.

The Cabinet of the Western Cape did not have women. It is the ANC who taught the DA that in the Cabinet you must have women. Therefore, you cannot tell us anything about the emancipation of women.

The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Ms M C Dikgale): Order, hon Zwane. There is a point of order, hon Zwane.

Ms E C VAN LINGEN: Hon Chairperson, this member must not mislead the House. The Western Cape had women. [Interjections.]

The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Ms M C Dikgale): Hon Van Lingen, hon Van Lingen that is a point of debate. Please take your seat.

Ms E C VAN LINGEN: No, no she must withdraw. She doesn’t speak the truth.

The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Ms M C Dikgale): Take your seat and we allow the hon Zwane to continue.

Ms L L ZWANE: Chairperson, I just want to say that the ANC-led government is the only government that will ever do anything for women in this country. [Applause.] There is machinery that is called gender machinery in the office of the Presidency. The function of this machinery is to ensure that all the government departments have got programmes that I meant to empower women. These programmes are effective and they are going on. There are assessments that are done periodically to ensure that the government departments comply with this regards.

The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Ms M C Dikgale): Hon Julius is on his feet. Take a seat, hon Zwane.

Mr J W W JULIUS: I just wanted to know whether the hon member will take a question on that she supports the female president.

The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Ms M C Dikgale): Hon Zwane, are you ready to take a question from the hon member Julius?

Ms L L ZWANE: No, I will not take a question.

The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Ms M C Dikgale): She is not ready, hon Julius.

Ms L L ZWANE: Chairperson, on issues relating to equality with respect to jobs the ANC-led government has done a lot of good work in ensuring that women are no longer subjected to that kind of oppression where males used to get more than women for the same job done. However, in rural areas we still have a lot of work to do in terms of ensuring that we educate women or we open opportunities for women in rural areas to receive education such that they can compete equally well in the job market. [Time expired.]

The DEPUTY MINISTER OF RURAL DEVELOPMENT AND LAND REFORM: Chairperson, I just want to appreciate all the members who have participated in the debate on behalf of rural women. I just want to indicate a few issues raised by several members who have debated, but have missed the point to convince their rural women.

Hon Chairperson, I am responding to hon Mvenya. I just want ... [Interjections.] ... I am responding. Listen! It is an opportunity for every woman who is deployed, whether by which party, in such a Parliament which is called the NCOP where everyone must represent his or her province.

Today, we are discussing issues of rural women. You had an opportunity as a young woman to represent your rural women in the Eastern Cape. But what you did was to come here... [Interjections.] Just listen! You came here... [Interjections.]

The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Ms M C Dikgale): Order! Order, hon members! Order!

The DEPUTY MINISTER OF RURAL DEVELOPMENT AND LAND REFORM: ... you came here and spoke about public information that, as the ANC, in our National General Council, NGC, we have given you. It is free of charge. It is a public issue. Whether the membership has grown or has been reduced, we don’t want to scare anybody. We were speaking about our own issues, but you take it as if when we say the number of our membership has gone down, therefore it has gone to the DA. No, it has not; it has not; it has not! [Interjections.] That is the recourse.

The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Ms M C Dikgale): Hon members! Hon members! Hon members! Hon members! Hon members!

The DEPUTY MINISTER OF RURAL DEVELOPMENT AND LAND REFORM: I just want to take ... [Interjections.]

The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Ms M C Dikgale): Hon Deputy Minister, please hold it there! Hon members, please respect the Rules of this House. You know very well that you cannot converse aloud. Allow the hon Deputy Minister to speak. Hon van Lingen, I would want you to, at least, help and caution the member next to you that there is a Rule in this House and we don’t have to converse aloud. Hon Julius.

Mr J W W JULIUS: Chair, on a point of order. I just want to know if it is parliamentary for hon Mohapi, Chairperson of Women in the Presidency to refer to the hon member as “this lady”?

The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Ms M C Dikgale): Okay, take your seat, hon Julius. Did you refer to the hon member as this woman? Ah, ah, ah, ah, hon members, I am asking the... [Interjections.]

The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Ms M C Dikgale): Hon Mohapi, please take your seat. Hon members, hon van Lingen, I requested you to help the hon member. I requested you to do that.

Ms E C VAN LINGEN: Hon Chairperson, may I ask you something?

The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Ms M C Dikgale): Please don’t. Don’t ask me anything. I requested you because you have been standing up on Rules of this House and now I am addressing ...

Ms E C VAN LINGEN: Chairperson, if you can’t cope with the hon members in this House, then I have a problem with you seating there.

The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Ms M C Dikgale): Okay, let us continue. Hon member, did you refer to the hon member as “this woman”?

Mr M J MOHAPI: Hon Chair, she is hon Mvenya.

The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Ms M C Dikgale): Thank you very much for that. Continue, Deputy Minister. Can we have order in the house? Hon van Lingen, can we have order in this House, please?

The DEPUTY MINISTER OF RURAL DEVELOPMENT AND LAND REFORM: Thank you very much Chairperson, I just want to give the hon member some test of what rural women are doing in the Eastern Cape. Go to Chris Hani District Municipality ... [Interjections.]

The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Ms M C Dikgale): There is another point of order. Hon member, why are you standing?

Mr F ESSACK: Hon Chairperson, you are allowed to address me by my name, it is fine. Will the Deputy Minister please take a question?

The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Ms M C Dikgale): Are you ready to take a question, hon Deputy Minister?

The DEPUTY MINISTER OF RURAL DEVELOPMENT AND LAND REFORM: I am responding; I am not taking questions now.

The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Ms M C Dikgale): She is not ready. Please take your seat. Take your seat. Take your seat!

The DEPUTY MINISTER OF RURAL DEVELOPMENT AND LAND REFORM: I want the hon member just to visit these areas that I will mention here. Go to Chris Hani District Municipality and look at the feed lot and see how many women are feeding their cattle there at Gxwalubomvu. Go to Cala, 7 000 community members have been given sheep and they are farming there. We have renovated the followings schemes: Calata, Qamata, Bilatye, and most of the co-operatives there comprise women. [Interjections] No, listen! Go to Ncera, we have spent 40 million there. We are supporting our farmers as most of them are women; they are planting macadamia in the Eastern Cape. I am not speaking about another country; I am referring to the Eastern Cape.

In Ngqamakwe area, we are supporting women on the value chain of chicken and there is a chicken broiler there and it is going to support the agripark. [Applause.]Go to Butterworth, that is where we are building our agripark. You must visit there. Go to Radway Green Farm, you must see the houses that we are building for the farm workers there. So, these are just a few, but we can give you more. [Applause.] So, we want Members of this Parliament, when it is their constituency period, to visit those areas and they must clap hands for these women who are benefiting. [Interjections.]

The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Ms M C Dikgale): Order, hon members! Order!

The DEPUTY MINISTER OF RURAL DEVELOPMENT AND LAND REFORM: ... Chairperson, I really want to appreciate whatever she said because she has been crying, but her responsibility is to support and take information to us as her government to support those people.

The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Ms M C Dikgale): Hon Deputy Minister, hon Mtileni is on his feet.

The DEPUTY MINISTER OF RURAL DEVELOPMENT AND LAND REFORM: I am not here to attend to him, he is just in a hurry ... [Interjections.]

The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Ms M C Dikgale): We have to check as to what is it that he has got to say. Hon Mtileni, are you rising on a point of order?

Mr V E MTILENI: Yes.

The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Ms M C Dikgale): What is your point of order?

Mr V E MTILENI: I want to know if the Deputy Minister is referring to the honourable member when she says that she was crying. I just want to check if she was indeed crying?

An HON MEMBER: Ask her that.

Mr V E MTILENI: Is she referring to you?

An HON MEMBER: Yes.

Mr V E MTILENI: As having been crying?

An HON MEMBER: Yes.

Mr V E MTILENI: Are you referring to her?

The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Ms M C Dikgale): Okay.

Mr V E MTILENI: Was she crying?

The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Ms M C Dikgale): We heard you, hon Mtileni. Take your seat! Take your seat, hon Mtileni. Take your seat!

Mr V E MTILENI: Was she crying?

The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Ms M C Dikgale): Take your seat.

Mr V E MTILENI: Here? [Laughter.]

Hon MEMBERS: Yes.

The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Ms M C Dikgale): Take your seat.

The DEPUTY MINISTER OF RURAL DEVELOPMENT AND LAND REFORM: She was. [Interjections.]

The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Ms M C Dikgale): Finish off, hon Deputy Minister.

The DEPUTY MINISTER OF RURAL DEVELOPMENT AND LAND REFORM: She was. If she was crying about the tractors - she was crying. Chairperson, we just want to appreciate what hon member Khawula has raised. But it has just indicated the manner in which they have lost that province as the IFP, because he does not understand the powers of the secretary. In fact, in the ANC, secretaries are chief executive officers, CEOs, of the party. [Interjections.]

The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Ms M C Dikgale): Hon Deputy Minister!

The DEPUTY MINISTER OF RURAL DEVELOPMENT AND LAND REFORM: Therefore, if you regard them as corrupt people it is yours ... [Interjections.]

The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Ms M C Dikgale): Hon Deputy Minister!

The DEPUTY MINISTER OF RURAL DEVELOPMENT AND LAND REFORM: You have lost power in that province just because of your mentality.

The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Ms M C Dikgale): Hon Deputy Minister, let us allow the hon Khawula to say whatever he wants to say. Why are you on your feet, hon Khawula?

Mr M KHAWULA: Hon Chairperson, I rise on a point of order.

The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Ms M C Dikgale): What is your point of order, hon member?

Mr M KHAWULA: Hon Deputy Minister is terribly, terribly misquoting and misleading. Terribly misquoting me! Actually, the fact of the matter is that she is twisting the words I said. You can go to Hansard and check.

The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Ms M C Dikgale): Hon Khawula, you will have your time to come to the podium and respond. Now it is the time for the hon Deputy Minister. I am going to give you two minutes to round off, hon Deputy Minister.

The DEPUTY MINISTER OF RURAL DEVELOPMENT AND LAND REFORM: Chairperson, I just want to speak Siswati when I say this one.

Angikeva kahle kutsi utsini Umnu. Mtileni. Umnumzane Mtileni, uma afuna kusoma inkhosikati yemnumzane ... [I did not hear well what you said Mr Mtileni. If Mr Mtileni wants to propose to another man’s wife ...]

... not on this podium.

Mnumnzane Mtileni, nakufanele umele bafati benhlangano ye-EFF ... [Mr Mtileni, if you have to represent the women of the EFF party ...]

... he is supposed to speak here about the women in the EFF not the wife of another man. [Interjections.]

The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON: INTERGOVERNMENTAL RELATIONS AND CO-OPERATIVE GOVERNMENT (Ms M C Dikgale): Continue, Deputy Minister. Hon Mtileni!

The DEPUTY MINISTER OF RURAL DEVELOPMENT AND LAND REFORM: ... this man cannot be rudely because he has been speaking about the wife of another man. Where is your wife?

Utsini umfati wakho nawukhuluma ngemfati walenye indvodza [What does your wife say when you talk about another man’s wife?]

The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Ms M C Dikgale): Hon Deputy Minister!

The DEPUTY MINISTER OF RURAL DEVELOPMENT AND LAND REFORM: If ever you didn’t have a speech, you were supposed to be saying how much you love your wife. That would be enough. Thank you very much, Chairperson. [Time expired.] [Applause.]

The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Ms M C Dikgale): Hon Mtileni, she has finished. Take your seat.

Mr V E MTILENI: So, I can’t talk?

The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Ms. M C Dikgale): Take your seat we want to continue with the list. Thank you very much for understanding. Take your seat, hon Mtileni; take your seat. Take your seat, hon Mtileni. You know that that is not accepted. We cannot allow you to debates from the floor; take your seat, please. Hon Mtileni, take your seat. Take your seat, hon Mtileni. Take your seat; take your seat. Order, order, hon members! Order, hon members! Hon members, do not behave like the hon member Mtileni.

Hon Mtileni, I gave you time to debate. The EFF does not have 10 minutes, but it has six minutes. Take your seat, hon. Can I request you to go out, hon Mtileni because you are not ready to listen to us. Hon Mtileni, get out. Get out, hon Mtileni. Hon Mtileni is not ready to listen. I have to take a ruling. There is a ruling which I have to read. Hon members, there is a ruling that I have to go through it now and I would like the hon Mtileni to take his seat. Take your seat, hon Mtileni.

Hon kgoši, don’t be tempted and act like hon Mtileni. Leave him alone. Would you please take your seat. It is for the last time, hon Mtileni if you are not ready to listen to me. May I ask the Serjeant-at-arms to take hon Mtileni out. Please, take hon Mtileni out we cannot allow him to act like this. You are totally out of order. You cannot respond from the floor; you can’t do that. Just get out and leave us alone. I want to conclude. Get out, hon Mitileni. Take him out. Hon Mtileni, leave the House. Please, ask for assistance from outside so that they can come and take hon Mtileni out. Serjeant-at-arms, he is wasting our time. At this moment we are waiting for the Serjeant-at-arms to do his work. Get out, hon Mtileni.

UNPARLIAMENTARY LANGUAGE

(Ruling)

The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Ms M C Dikgale): Hon members, I would like to make a ruling on a point of order raised on 13 August 2015 by the hon

Mpambo-Sibukwana alleging that the Minister of Women in the Presidency said that the hon Michalakis is sexist.

As I did not hear what was said, I have consulted Hansard and I would like to rule as follows.

During the sitting, the hon Mpambo-Sibukwana rose on a point of order alleging that, I quote:

It is unparliamentary for the Minister to call the hon Michalakis sexist. I find it very strange that in this month of August where we are talking about nonsexism the Minister could say, from a woman’s point of view, that he is sexist. She said it loudly and everybody might have heard it. At this point I would ask the Minister to withdraw.

This is what the Minister said:

We who think, who are matured, who understand and do not look at things from a sexist point of view need to say that the question refers to those who withdraw their cases.

This is what we have heard from Hansard.

According to the unrevised Hansard, there is no indication that the Minister referred to a specific member as sexist. If reference was made to a specific member of this House as sexist that would render the remarks as unparliamentary as ruled previously because they would reflect on the integrity and dignity of the hon member.

In terms of Rule 53 (b) of the NCOP Rules, a member may speak in the Council on a point of order. However, this Rule does not permit members to rise on spurious points of order and thus interrupt speakers on the floor. I have noticed that points of order were being raised as a response to what the speaker was saying or when members held a different view with the speaker.

In view of this, the statement in question does not cast aspersions on the character of a specific member of this House. It was just a statement that was made by the Minister in the context of responding to a supplementary question.

Hon members, I would also like to request members to go and check Rules 36 and 45. Next time when you come to this House you must make sure that you have gone through these Rules and acquaint yourself with them. Now we have come to the end of the business of the day. The House is adjourned. Members are requested to remain standing while the procession leaves the House.

The Council adjourned 17:29.

__________

ANNOUNCEMENTS, TABLINGS AND COMMITTEE REPORTS

WEDNESDAY, 23 SEPTEMBER 2015

ANNOUNCEMENTS

National Council of Provinces

The Chairperson

1. Referral to Committees of papers tabled

The following paper is referred to the Select Committee on Finance for consideration and report:

Agreement between the Government of the Republic of South Africa and the Government of the Turks and Caicos Islands for the Exchange of Information Relating to Tax Matters, tabled in terms of Section 231(2) of the Constitution, 1996.

Explanatory Memorandum on the Agreement between the Government of the Republic of South Africa and the Government of the Turks and Caicos Islands for the Exchange of Information Relating to Tax Matters.

Protocol Amending the Agreement between the Government of the Republic of South Africa and the Government of the Federative Republic of Brazil for the Avoidance of Double Taxation and Prevention of Fiscal Evasion with Respect to Taxes on Income, tabled in terms of Section 231(2) of the Constitution, 1996.

Explanatory Memorandum on the Protocol Amending the Agreement between the Government of the Republic of South Africa and the Government of the Federative Republic of Brazil for the Avoidance of Double Taxation and Prevention of Fiscal Evasion with Respect to Taxes on Income.

Agreement between the Government of the Republic of South Africa and the Government of Saint Christopher (Saint Kitts) and Nevis for the Exchange of Information Relating to Tax Matters, tabled in terms of Section 231(2) of the Constitution, 1996.

Explanatory Memorandum on the Agreement between the Government of the Republic of South Africa and the Government of Saint Christopher (Saint Kitts) and Nevis for the Exchange of Information Relating to Tax Matters.

Agreement between the Government of the Republic of South Africa and the Government of the Oriental Republic of Uruguay for the Exchange of Information Relating to Tax Matters, tabled in terms of Section 231(2) of the Constitution, 1996.

Explanatory Memorandum on the Agreement between the Government of the Republic of South Africa and the Government of the Oriental Republic of Uruguay for the Exchange of Information Relating to Tax Matters.

Agreement between the Government of the Republic of South Africa and the Government of the Republic of Zimbabwe for the Avoidance of Double Taxation and the Prevention of Fiscal Evasion with Respect to Taxes on Income, tabled in terms of Section 231(2) of the Constitution, 1996.

Explanatory Memorandum on the Agreement between the Government of the Republic of South Africa and the Government of the Republic of Zimbabwe for the Avoidance of Double Taxation and the Prevention of Fiscal Evasion with Respect to Taxes on Income.

TABLINGS

National Assembly and National Council of Provinces

1. The Speaker and the Chairperson

(a) Report and Financial Statements of the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) for 2014-15, including the Report of the Auditor-General on the Financial Statements and Performance Information for 2014-15 [RP 251-2015].

2. The Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries

Report and Financial Statements of the Perishable Products Export Control Board (PPECB) for 2014-15, including the Report of the Independent Auditors on the Financial Statements and Performance Information for 2014-15.
Report and Financial Statements of the South African Veterinary Council for 2014-15, including the Report of the Independent Auditors on the Financial Statements and Performance Information for 2014-15.

Report and Financial Statements of the Ncera Farms SOC Ltd for 2014-15, including the Report of the Independent Auditors on the Financial Statements and Performance Information for 2014-15.

(d) Report and Financial Statements of the Marine Living Resources Fund (MLRF) for 2014-15, including the Report of the Auditor-General on the Financial Statements and Performance Information for 2014-15.

(e) Report and Financial Statements of the National Agricultural Marketing Council (NAMC) for 2014-15, including the Report of the Auditor-General on the Financial Statements and Performance Information for 2014-15 [RP 290-2015].

(f) Report and Financial Statements of the Agricultural Research Council (ARC) for 2014-15, including the Report of the Auditor-General on the Financial Statements and Performance Information for 2014-15 [RP 169-2015].

3. The Minister of Finance

Report and Financial Statements of the Government Pensions Administration Agency for 2014-15, including the Report of the Auditor-General on the Financial Statements and Performance Information for 2014-15.

4. The Minister of Public Enterprises

(a) Report and Financial Statements of South African Express Airways SOC Limited for 2014-2015, including the Report of the Auditor-General on the Financial Statements and Performance Information for 2014-2015.

5. The Minister of Public Service and Administration

Report and Financial Statements of Vote 12 – Department of Public Service and Administration for 2014-15, including the Report of the Auditor-General on the Financial Statements and Performance Information of Vote 12 for 2014-15 [RP 296-2015].

Report and Financial Statements of the National School of Government (NSG) for 2014-15, including the Report of the Auditor-General on the Financial Statements and Performance Information for 2014-15 and the Report of the Auditor-General on the Financial Statements and Performance Information on the National School of Government (NSG) Training Trading Account for 2014-15.

Report and Financial Statements of the Centre for Public Service Innovation for 2014-15 [RP 171-2015].

The Minister of Telecommunications and Postal Services

Report and Financial Statements of Vote 27 – Department of Communications for 2014-15, including the Report of the Auditor-General on the Financial Statements and Performance Information of Vote 27 for 2014-15 [RP 265-2015].

Report and Financial Statements of the Universal Service Access Fund of South Africa (USAF) for 2014-15, including the Reports of the Auditor-General on the Financial Statements and Performance Information for 2014-15 [RP 281-2015].

Report and Financial Statements of the Universal Service and Access Agency (USAASA) for 2014-15,including the Reports of the Auditor-General on the Financial Statements for 2014-15 [RP 280-2015].

Report and Financial Statements of the State Information Technology Agency (SOC) Limited (SITA) for 2014-15, including the Report of the Auditor-General on the Financial Statements and Performance Information for 2014-15 [RP 151-2015].

Report and Financial Statements of Sentech SOC Limited for 2014-15, including the Report of the Independent Auditors on the Financial Statements and Performance Information for 2014-15 [RP 318-2015].

Report and Financial Statements of the National Electronic Media Institute of South Africa (NEMISA) for 2014-15, including the Report of the Auditor-General on the Financial Statements and Performance Information for 2014-15.

Report and Financial Statements of the ZA Domain Name Authority (ZADNA) for 2014-15, including the Report of the Independent Auditors on the Financial Statements and Performance Information for 2014-15.

National Council of Provinces

1. The Chairperson

Consolidated Annual Municipal Performance Reports 2013/2014: Department of Local Government – Western Cape Province.

Referred to the Select Committee on Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs for consideration and report.

COMMITTEE REPORTS

National Council of Provinces

Please see pages 3480-3517 of the ATCs.

FRIDAY, 25 SEPTEMBER 2015

ANNOUNCEMENTS

National Assembly and National Council of Provinces

The Speaker and the Chairperson

1. Assent by President in respect of Bills

Refugees Amendment Bill [B 19 – 2015] – Act No 10 of 2015 (assented to and signed by President on 23 September 2015).

TABLINGS

National Assembly and National Council of Provinces

The Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries

Report and Financial Statements of the Onderstepoort Biological Products SCO Ltd for 2014-15, including the Report of the Auditor-General on the Financial Statements for 2014-15.

The Minister of Home Affairs

Report and Financial Statements of the Government Printing Works for 2014-15, including the Report of the Auditor-General on the Financial Statements for 2014-15 [RP 279/2015].

MONDAY, 28 SEPTEMBER 2015

TABLINGS

National Assembly and National Council of Provinces

The Speaker and the Chairperson

The Minister of Finance

(a) Report and Financial Statements of the Co-operative Banks Development Agency for 2014-15, including the Report of the Auditor-General on the Financial Statements and Performance Information for 2014-15 [RP 359-2015].

(b) Report and Financial Statements of the South African Special Risk Insurance Association SOC Ltd (SASRIA) for 2014-15, including the Report of the Independent Auditors on the Financial Statements and Performance Information for 2014-15.

2. The Minister of Home Affairs

(a) Report and Financial Statements of Vote 4 – Department of Home Affairs for 2014-15, including the Report of the Auditor-General on the Financial Statements and Performance Information of Vote 4 for 2014-15 [RP 168-2015].

3. The Minister of Human Settlements

Report and Financial Statements of the National Home Builders Registration Council (NHBRC) for 2014-15, including the Report of the Auditor-General on the Financial Statements for 2014-15.

Report and Financial Statements of the Estate Agency Affairs Board for 2014-15, including the Report of the Independent Auditors on the Financial Statements and Performance Information for 2014-15.

Report and Financial Statements of the Housing Development Agency for 2014-15, including the Report of the Independent Auditors on the Financial Statements and Performance Information for 2014-15.

Report and Financial Statements of the National Urban Reconstruction and Housing Agency (NURCHA) for 2014-15, including the Report of the Independent Auditors on the Financial Statements and Performance Information for 2014-15.

Report and Financial Statements of the Social Housing Regulatory Authority for 2014-15, including the Report of the Independent Auditors on the Financial Statements and Performance Information for 2014-15.

Report and Financial Statements of the Rural Housing Loan Fund (RHLF) for 2014-15, including the Report of the Independent Auditors on the Financial Statements and Performance Information for 2014-15.

Report and Financial Statements of the National Housing Finance Corporation SOC Ltd (NHFC) for 2014-15, including the Report of the Independent Auditors on the Financial Statements for 2014-15.

Report and Financial Statements of the Community Scheme Ombud Services (CSOS) for 2014-15, including the Report of the Auditor-General on the Financial Statements and Performance Information for 2014-15 [RP 283-2015].

Report and Financial Statements of the Thubelisha Homes NPC (in Liquidation) for 2014-15, including the Report of the Independent Auditors on the Financial Statements and Performance Information for 2014-15.

4. The Minister of Public Service and Administration

Report and Financial Statements of the Government Employees Pension Scheme (GEMS) for 2014-15, including the Report of the Independent Auditors on the Financial Statements and Performance Information for 2014-15.

5. The Minister of Water and Sanitation

Report and Financial Statements of Vote 42 – Department of Water and Sanitation for 2014-15, including the Report of the Auditor-General on the Financial Statements and Performance Information of Vote 42 for 2014-15 [RP 291-2015].

Report and Financial Statements of the Trans-Caledon Tunnel Authority (TCTA) for 2014-15, including the Report of the Independent Auditors on the Financial Statements and Performance Information for 2014-15 [RP 280-2014].

Report and Financial Statements of the Water Research Commission for 2014-15, including the Report of the Auditor-General on the Financial Statements and Performance Information for 2014-15 [RP 155-2015].

Report and Financial Statements of Inkomati-Usuthu Catchment Management Agency for 2014-2015, including the Report of the Independent Auditors on the Financial Statements and Performance Information for 2014-2015 [RP 305-2015].

Report and Financial Statements of Breede-Gouritz Catchment Management Agency for 2014-2015, including the Report of the Independent Auditors on the Financial Statements and Performance Information for 2014-2015 [RP 211-2015].

TUESDAY, 29 SEPTEMBER 2015

TABLINGS

National Assembly and National Council of Provinces

The Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries

Report and Financial Statements of Vote 26 - Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries for 2014-15, including the Report of the Auditor-General on the Financial Statements and Performance Information of Vote 26 for 2014-15 [RP 345-2015].

The Minister of Arts and Culture

Report and Financial Statements of Vote 14 – Department of Arts and Culture for 2014-15, including the Report of the Auditor-General on the Financial Statements and Performance Information of Vote 14 for 2014-15.

Report and Financial Statements of the Afrikaans Language Museum and Language Monument for 2014-15, including the Report of the Auditor-General on the Financial Statements and Performance Information for 2014-15 [RP 68-2015].

Report and Financial Statements of the Iziko Museums of South Africa for 2014-15, including the Report of the Auditor-General on the Financial Statements and Performance Information for 2014-15 [RP 142-2015].

Report and Financial Statements of the National English Literary Museum for 2014-15, including the Report of the Auditor-General on the Financial Statements and Performance Information for 2014-15 [RP 295-2015].

Report and Financial Statements of the KwaZulu-Natal Museum for 2014-15, including the Report of the Auditor-General on the Financial Statements and Performance Information for 2014-15 [RP 284-2015].
Report and Financial Statements of the Msunduzi (Incorporating the Voortrekker Complex) Museum for 2014-15, including the Report of the Auditor-General on the Financial Statements and Performance Information for 2014-15 [RP 235-2015].

Report and Financial Statements of the National Museum - Bloemfontein for 2014-15, including the Report of the Auditor-General on the Financial Statements and Performance Information for 2014-15 [RP 243-2015].

Report and Financial Statements of the Ditsong Museums of South Africa for 2014-15, including the Report of the Auditor-General on the Financial Statements and Performance Information for 2014-15 [RP 230-2015].

Report and Financial Statements of the Robben Island Museum for 2014-15, including the Report of the Auditor-General on the Financial Statements and Performance Information for 2014-15 [RP 246-2015].

Report and Financial Statements of the War Museum of the Boer Republics for 2014-15, including the Report of the Auditor-General on the Financial Statements and Performance Information for 2014-15 [RP 301-2015].

Report and Financial Statements of the William Humphreys Art Gallery for 2014-15, including the Report of the Auditor-General on the Financial Statements and Performance Information for 2014-15.

Report and Financial Statements of the Freedom Park for 2014-15, including the Report of the Auditor-General on the Financial Statements and Performance Information for 2014-15 [RP 204-2015].

Report and Financial Statements of the National Heritage Council for 2014-15, including the Report of the Auditor-General on the Financial Statements and Performance Information for 2014-15 [RP 326-2015].

Report and Financial Statements of the National Film and Video Foundation for 2014-15, including the Report of the Auditor-General on the Financial Statements and Performance Information for 2014-15 [RP 258-2015].

Report and Financial Statements of the National Arts Council of South Africa for 2014-15, including the Report of the Auditor-General on the Financial Statements and Performance Information for 2014-14 [RP 254-2015].

Report and Financial Statements of the South African Heritage Resources Agency (SAHRA) for 2014-15, including the Report of the Auditor-General on the Financial Statements and Performance Information for 2014-15 [RP 176-2015].

Report and Financial Statements of the South African Library for the Blind for 2014-15, including the Report of the Auditor-General on the Financial Statements and Performance Information for 2014-15 [RP 222-2015].

Report and Financial Statements of the National Library of South Africa for 2014-15, including the Report of the Auditor-General on the Financial Statements and Performance Information for 2014-15 [RP 263-2015].

Report and Financial Statements of the Artscape for 2014-15, including the Report of the Auditor-General on the Financial Statements and Performance Information for 2014-15 [RP 320-2015].

Report and Financial Statements of the Market Theatre Foundation for 2014-15, including the Report of the Auditor-General on the Financial Statements and Performance Information for 2014-15 [RP 213-2015].

Report and Financial Statements of the Performing Arts Centre of the Free State for 2014-15, including the Report of the Auditor-General on the Financial Statements and Performance Information for 2014-15 [RP 275-2015].

Report and Financial Statements of the South African State Theatre for 2014-15, including the Report of the Auditor-General on the Financial Statements and Performance Information for 2014-15 [RP 64-2015].

Report and Financial Statements of The Playhouse Company for 2014-15, including the Report of the Auditor-General on the Financial Statements and Performance Information for 2014-15 [RP 203-2015].

Report and Financial Statements of the Windybrow Theatre for 2014-15, including the Report of the Auditor-General on the Financial Statements and Performance Information for 2014-15 [RP 214-2015].

Report and Financial Statements of the Luthuli Museum for 2014-15, including the Report of the Auditor-General on the Financial Statements and Performance Information for 2014-15.

Report and Financial Statements of the Nelson Mandela Museum for 2014-15, including the Report of the Auditor-General on the Financial Statements and Performance Information for 2014-15 [RP 282-2015].

Report and Financial Statements of the Pan South African Language Board (PanSALB) for 2014-15, including the Report of the Auditor-General on the Financial Statements and Performance Information for 2014-15 [RP 216-2015].

Report and Financial Statements of the Blind SA for 2014-15, including the Report of the Independent Auditors on the Financial Statements and Performance Information for 2014-15 [RP 226-2015].

Report and Financial Statements of Business and Arts South Africa for 2014-15, including the Report of the Independent Auditors on the Financial Statements and Performance Information for 2014-15.

The Minister of Communications

Report and Financial Statements of Vote 9 – Government Communication and Information System (GCIS) for 2014-15, including the Report of the Auditor-General on the Financial Statements and Performance Information of Vote 9 for 2014-15 [RP 322-2015].

Report and Financial Statements of the Media Development and Diversity Agency (MDDA) for 2014-15, including the Report of the Auditor-General on the Financial Statements and Performance Information for 2014-15.

The Minister of Defence and Military Veterans

Report and Financial Statements of Vote 22 – Department of Defence for 2014-15, including the Report of the Auditor-General on the Financial Statements and Performance Information of Vote 22 for 2014-15 [RP 309-2015].

(b) Report and Financial Statements of the Armaments Corporation of South Africa SOC Limited (ARMSCOR) for 2014-15, including the Report of the Auditor-General on the Group Financial Statements and Performance Information For 2014-15 [RP 158-2015].

(c) Report and Financial Statements of the Castle Control Board for 2014-15, including the Report of the Auditor-General on the Financial Statements and Performance Information for 2014-15 [RP 45-2015].

The Minister of Energy

Report and Financial Statements of Vote 29 – Department of Energy for 2014-15, including the Report of the Auditor-General on the Financial Statements and Performance Information of Vote 29 for 2014-15.

Report and Financial Statements of the Central Energy Fund (SOC) Limited Group of Companies (CEF) for 2014-15, including the Report of the Auditor-General on the Financial Statements and Performance Information of the Central Energy Fund (SOC) Limited Group of Companies for 2014-15 [RP 260-2015].

Annual Financial Statements of the Central Energy Fund (SOC) Limited Group of Companies (CEF) for 2014-15, including the Report of the Auditor-General and the Independent Auditors on the Financial Statements and Performance Information of the Central Energy Fund (SOC) Limited Group of Companies for 2014-15 [RP 260-2015] (Volumes 1 and 2).

Report and Financial Statements of the South African National Energy Development Institute (SANEDI) for 2014-15, including the Report of the Auditor-General on the Financial Statements and Performance Information for 2014-15 [RP 244-2015].

Report and Financial Statements of the National Energy Regulator of South Africa (NERSA) for 2014-15, including the Report of the Auditor-General on the Financial Statements and Performance Information for 2014-15 [RP 262-2015].

Report and Financial Statements of the National Nuclear Regulator (NNR) for 2014-15, including the Report of the Auditor-General on the Financial Statements and Performance Information for 2014-15 [RP 313-2015].

The Minister of Health

(a) Report and Financial Statements of Vote 16 – Department of Health for 2014-15, including the Report of the Auditor-General on the Financial Statements and Performance Information of Vote 16 for 2014-15 [RP 333-2015].

Report and Financial Statements of the South African Medical Research Council (MRC) for 2014-15, including the Report of the Auditor-General on the Financial Statements and Performance Information for 2014-15.

Report and Financial Statements of the Council for Medical Schemes for 2014-15, including the Report of the Auditor-General on the Financial Statements and Performance Information for 2014-15 [RP 91-2014].

(d) Report and Financial Statements of the National Health Laboratory Service (NHLS) for 2014-15, including the Report of the Independent Auditors on the Financial Statements and Performance Information for 2014-15 [RP 270-2015].

(e) Annual Review of the National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NCID) for 2014-2015 [RP 272-2015].

Annual Review of the National Institute for Occupational Health (NIOH) for 2014-2015.

Academic Review for 2014-15.

7. The Minister of Human Settlements

Report and Financial Statements of Vote 31 – National Department of Human Settlements for 2014-15, including the Report of the Auditor-General on the Financial Statements and Performance Information of Vote 31 for 2014-15 [RP 236-2015].

The Minister of International Relations and Cooperation

(a) Report and Financial Statements of Vote 5 – Department of International Relations and Cooperation for 2014-15, including the Report of the Auditor-General on the Financial Statements and Performance Information of Vote 5 for 2014-15.

Report and Financial Statements of the African Renaissance and International Cooperation Fund for 2014-15, including the Report of the Auditor-General on the Financial Statements and Performance Information for 2014-15.

9. The Minister of Justice and Correctional Services

Report and Financial Statements of Vote 24 – Department of Justice and Constitutional Development for 2014-15, including the Report of the Auditor-General on the Financial Statements and Performance Information of Vote 24 for 2014-15 [RP 341-2015].
Report and Financial Statements of the Guardian’s Fund for 2014-15, including the Report of the Auditor-General on the Financial Statements and Performance Information for 2014-15 [RP 342-2015].

Report and Financial Statements of the President’s Fund for 2014-15, including the Report of the Auditor-General on the Financial Statements and Performance Information for 2014-15 [RP 343-2015].

Report and Financial Statements of the Third Party Funds for 2014-15, including the Report of the Auditor-General on the Financial Statements and Performance Information for 2014-15 [RP 344-2015].

Report and Financial Statements of the Special Investigating Unit (SIU) for 2014-15, including the Report of the Auditor-General on the Financial Statements and Performance Information for 2014-15 [RP 164-2015].

Report and Financial Statements of the Legal Aid South Africa for 2014-15, including the Report of the Auditor-General on the Financial Statements and Performance Information for 2014-15 [RP 140-2015].

Inter-Departmental and Institutional Annual Reports for 2014-15 on the Implementation of the Criminal Law (Sexual Offences and Related Matters) Amendment Act, 2007 (Act No 32 of 2007).

Inter-Departmental and Institutional Annual Reports for 2014-15 on the Implementation of the Child Justice Act, 2008 (Act No 75 of 2008).

10. The Minister of Mineral Resources

Report and Financial Statements of Vote 32 – Department of Mineral Resources for 2014-15, including the Report of the Auditor-General on the Financial Statements and Performance Information of Vote 32 for 2014-15 [RP 297-2015].

Report and Financial Statements of the Council for Geoscience for 2014-15, including the Report of the Auditor-General on the Financial Statements and Performance Information for 2014-15 [RP 179-2015].

Report and Financial Statements of the Council for Mineral Technology (Mintek) for 2014-15, including the Report of the Auditor-General on the Financial Statements and Performance Information for 2014-15.

Report and Financial Statements of the South African Diamond and Precious Metals Regulator for 2014-15, including the Report of the Auditor-General on the Financial Statements and Performance Information for 2014-15 [RP 332-2015].

Report and Financial Statements of the State Diamond Trader for 2014-15, including the Report of the Auditor-General on the Financial Statements and Performance Information for 2014-15 [RP 225-2015].

Report and Financial Statements of the Mine Health and Safety Council (MHSC) for 2014-15, including the Report of the Auditor-General on the Financial Statements and Performance Information for 2014-15 [RP 12-2013].

Report of the Mine Health and Safety Inspectorate for 2014-15 [RP 335-2015].

The Minister of Police

Report and Financial Statements of Vote 25 – Department of Police for 2014-15, including the Report of the Auditor-General on the Financial Statements and Performance Information of Vote 25 for 2014-15 [RP 201-2015].

Report and Financial Statements of Vote 23 – Independent Police Investigative Directorate (IPID) for 2014-15, including the Report of the Auditor-General on the Financial Statements and Performance Information of Vote 23 for 2014-15 [RP 293-2015].

Report and Financial Statements of the Private Security Industry Regulatory Authority (PSIRA) for 2014-15, including the Report of the Auditor-General on the Financial Statements and Performance Information for 2014-15.

The Minister of Science and Technology

Report and Financial Statements of the National Advisory Council on Innovation for 2014-15.

13. The Minister of Sport and Recreation

Report and Financial Statements of Vote 20 – Department of Sport and Recreation South Africa for 2014-15, including the Report of the Auditor-General on the Financial Statements and Performance Information of Vote 20 for 2014-15 [RP 312-2015].

The Minister of Women in The Presidency

Report and Financial Statements of Vote 43 – Department of Women for 2014 – 15, including the Report of the Auditor-General on the Financial Statements and Performance Information of Vote 43 for 2014-15 [RP 139-2015].

WEDNESDAY, 30 SEPTEMBER 2015

TABLINGS

National Assembly and National Council of Provinces

1. The Speaker and the Chairperson

Report and Financial Statements of the South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) for 2014-15, including the Report of the Auditor-General on the Financial Statements and Performance Information for 2014-15 [RP 360-2015].

Annual Report of the South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) on the Promotion of Access to Information Act (PAIA) for 2014-15.

Report and Financial Statements of the Commission on Gender Equality (CGE) for 2014-15, including the Report of the Auditor-General on the Financial Statements and Performance Information for 2014-15.

The President of the Republic

Report and Financial Statements of Vote 1 – The Presidency for 2014-15, including the Report of the Auditor-General on the Financial Statements and Performance Information of Vote 1 for 2014-15 [RP 349-2015].

3. The Minister of Basic Education

Report and Financial Statements of Vote 15 – Department of Basic Education for 2014-15, including the Report of the Auditor-General on the Financial Statements and Performance Information of Vote 15 for 2014-15.

Report and Financial Statements of the Education Labour Relations Council (ELRA) for 2014-15, including the Report of the Auditor-General on the Financial Statements and Performance Information for 2014-15 [RP 159-2015].

Report and Financial Statements of the South African Council for Educators (SACE) for 2014-15, including the Report of the Independent Auditors on the Financial Statements and Performance Information for 2014-15 [RP 220-2015].

Report and Financial Statements of the Council for Quality Assurance in General and Further Education and Training - UMALUSI for 2014-15, including the Report of the Independent Auditors on the Financial Statements and Performance Information for 2014-15.

The Minister for Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs

Reports and Financial Statements of Vote 3 – Department of Cooperative Governance and Department of Traditional Affairs for 2014-15, including the Reports of the Auditor-General on the Financial Statements and Performance Information of Vote 3 for 2014-15.

Report and Financial Statements of the Commission for the Promotion and Protection of the Rights of Cultural, Religious and Linguistic Communities (CRL Rights Commission) for 2014-15, including the Report of the Auditor-General on the Financial Statements and Performance Information for 2014-15 [RP 334-2015].

Report of the National Disaster Management Centre for 2014-2015.

5. The Minister of Economic Development

Report and Financial Statements of Vote 28 – Department of Economic Development for 2014-15, including the Report of the Auditor-General on the Financial Statements and Performance Information of Vote 28 for 2014-15 [RP 279-2015].

Report and Financial Statements of the International Trade Administration Commission of South Africa (ITAC) for 2014-15, including the Report of the Auditor-General on the Financial Statements and Performance Information for 2014-15[RP 329-2015].

Report and Financial Statements of the Competition Commission for 2014-15, including the Report of the Auditor-General on the Financial Statements and Performance Information for 2014-15 [RP 300-2015].

Report and Financial Statements of the Competition Tribunal for 2014-15, including the Report of the Auditor-General on the Financial Statements and Performance information for 2014-15 [RP 302-2015].

Report and Financial Statements of the Industrial Development Corporation of South Africa Limited (IDC) for 2014-15, including the Report of the Independent Auditors on the Financial Statements and Performance Information for 2014-15.

6. The Minister of Justice and Correctional Services

Report and Financial Statements of Vote 21 – Department of Correctional Services for 2014-15, including the Report of the Auditor-General on the Financial Statements and Performance Information of Vote 21 for 2014-15[RP 331-2015].

(b) Report and Financial Statements of the Council for Debt Collectors for 2014-15, including the Report of the Independent Auditors on the Financial Statements and Performance Information for 2014-15.

(d) Report and Financial Statements of the Judicial Inspectorate for Correctional Services for 2014-15 [RP 211-2015].

Report and Financial Statements of the South African Board for Sheriffs for 2014-15, including the Report of the Independent Auditors on the Financial Statements and Performance Information for 2014-15.

The Minister of Police

An Analysis of the National Crime Statistics for 2014/2015: Addendum to the South African Police Service (SAPS) Annual Report [RP 202-2015].

Annual Report for the period 1 April 2014 to 31 March 2015 of the Office of the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (DPCI) Judge.

8. The Minister of Public Enterprises

Report and Financial Statements of Vote 11 – Department of Public Enterprises for 2014-15, including the Report of the Auditor-General on the Financial Statements and Performance Information of Vote 11 for 2014-15 [RP 259-2015].

9. The Minister of Public Works

Report and Financial Statements of the South African Council for the Architectural Profession (SACAP) for 2014-15, including the Report of the Independent Auditors on the Financial Statements and Performance Information for 2014-15.

Report and Financial Statements of the Council for the Built Environment (CBE) for 2014-15, including the Report of the Auditor-General on the Financial Statements and Performance Information for 2014-15.

Report and Financial Statements of the Construction Industry Development Board (CIDB) for 2014-15, including the Report of the Auditor-General on the Financial Statements and Performance Information for 2014-15 [RP 256-2015].

Report and Financial Statements of the Independent Development Trust (IDT) for 2014-15, including the Report of the Auditor-General on the Financial Statements and Performance Information for 2014-15 [RP 231-2015].

Report and Financial Statements of the South African Council for the Property Valuers Profession (SACPVP) for 2014-15, including the Report of the Independent Auditors on the Financial Statements and Performance Information for 2014-2015.
Report and Financial Statements of the South African Council for the Landscape Architectural Profession (SACLAP) for 2014-15, including the Report of the Independent Auditors on the Financial Statements and Performance Information for 2014-15.

Report and Financial Statements of the South African Council for the Quantity Surveying Profession (SACQSP) for 2014-15, including the Report of the Independent Auditors on the Financial Statements and Performance Information for 2014-15.

Report and Financial Statements of the South African Council for the Project and Construction Management Professions (SACPCMP) for 2014-15, including the Report of the Independent Auditors on the Financial Statements and Performance Information for 2014-2015.

Report and Financial Statements of Agrément South Africa (ASA) for 2014-15.

10. The Minister of Rural Development and Land Reform

Report and Financial Statements of Vote 33 – Department of Rural Development and Land Reform for 2014-15, including the Report of the Auditor-General on the Financial Statements and Performance Information of Vote 33 for 2014-15 [RP 357-2015].

Report and Financial Statements of the Ingonyama Trust Board for 2014-15, including the Report of the Auditor-General on the Financial Statements and Performance Information for 2014-15 [RP 148-2015].

Report of the Communal Property Associations for 2014-2015, tabled in terms of section 17 of the Communal Property Associations Act, 1996 (Act No 28 of 1996).

11. The Minister of Social Development

Report and Financial Statements of Vote 19 – Department of Social Development for 2014-15, including the Report of the Auditor-General on the Financial Statements and Performance Information of Vote 19 for 2014-15 [RP 323-2015].

Report and Financial Statements of the South African Social Security Agency (SASSA) for 2014-15, including the Report of the Auditor-General on the Financial Statements and Performance Information for 2014-15 [RP 252-2015].

Report and Financial Statements of the National Development Agency (NDA) for 2014-15, including the Report of the Auditor-General on the Financial Statements and Performance Information for 2014-15 [RP 38-2015].

12. The Minister of Sport and Recreation

Report and Financial Statements of Boxing South Africa for 2014-15, including the Report of the Auditor-General on the Financial Statements and Performance Information for 2014-15.

Report and Financial Statements of the South African Institute for Drug-Free Sport for 2014-15, including the Report of the Auditor-General on the Financial Statements for 2014-15.

13. The Minister of Trade and Industry

Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on Trade and Industrial Cooperation between the Government of the Republic of South Africa and the Government of the Republic of Botswana, tabled in terms of section 231(3) of the Constitution of South Africa, 1996.

Explanatory Memorandum on the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on Trade and Industrial Cooperation between the Government of the Republic of South Africa and the Government of the Republic of Botswana.

14. The Minister of Transport

Report and Financial Statements of Vote 37 – Department of Transport for 2014-15, including the Report of the Auditor-General on the Financial Statements and Performance Information of Vote 37 for 2014-15 [RP 303-2015].

Report and Financial Statements of the Driving Licence Card Account for 2014-15, including the Report of the Auditor-General on the Financial Statements for 2014-15.

Report and Financial Statements of the South African National Roads Agency Limited (SANRAL) SOC Limited for 2014-15, including the Report of the Auditor-General on the Financial Statements and Performance Information for 2014-15 [RP 253-2015].

Reports and Financial Statements of the Cross-Border Road Transport Agency (C-BRTA) for 2014-15, including the Reports of the Auditor-General on the Financial Statements and Performance Information for 2014-15.

Report and Financial Statements of the Road Accident Fund for 2014-15, including the Report of the Auditor-General on the Financial Statements and Performance Information for 2014-15 [RP 275-2015].

Report and Financial Statements of the Road Traffic Management Corporation (RTMC) for 2014-15, including the Report of the Auditor-General on the Financial Statements and Performance Information for 2014-15 [RP 166-2015].

Report and Financial Statements of the South African Search and Rescue Organisation for 2014-15.

Reports and Financial Statements of the Ports Regulator of South Africa for 2014-15, including the Reports of the Auditor-General on the Financial Statements and Performance Information for 2014-15 [RP 215-2015].

Report and Financial Statements of the South African Maritime Safety Authority (including the Report of the Auditor-General on the Maritime Fund) for 2014-15, including the Reports of the Auditor-General on the Financial Statements and Performance Information for 2014-15 [RP 315-2015].

Report and Financial Statements of the Railway Safety Regulator for 2014-15, including the Report of the Auditor-General on the Financial Statements and Performance Information for 2014-15 [RP 286-2015].

Report of the Railway Safety Regulator for 2014-15 on the State of Safety [RP 287-2015].

Report and Financial Statements of the Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (PRASA) for 2014-15, including the Report of the Auditor-General on the Financial Statements and Performance Information for 2014-15.

Annual Financial Statements of Autopax Passenger Services (SOC) Limited for 2014-15.

Report and Financial Statements of Intersite Asset Investments (SOC) Limited for 2014-15, including the Report of the Auditor-General on the Financial Statements and Performance Information for 2014-15.

Financial Report of the Air Traffic and Navigation Services Company Limited (ATNS) SOC Limited for 2014-2015, including the Report of the Independent Auditors on the Financial Statements and Performance Information for 2014-15.

Integrated Report and Financial Statements of the Air Traffic and Navigation Services Company Limited (ATNS) SOC Limited for 2014-2015.

Sustainability Report of the Air Traffic and Navigation Services Company Limited (ATNS) SOC Limited for 2014-2015.

Report and Financial Statements of the South African Civil Aviation Authority (SACAA) for 2014-15, including the Report of the Auditor-General on the Financial Statements and Performance Information for 2014-15 [RP 255-2015].

Integrated Report and Financial Statements of the Airports Company of South Africa SOC Limited and its subsidiaries for 2014-15.

Consolidated Annual Financial Statements of the Airports Company of South Africa SOC Limited and its subsidiaries for 2014-15, including the Report of the Independent Auditors on the Financial Statements and Performance Information for 2014-15.

National Council of Provinces

The Chairperson

(a) Consolidated Annual Municipalities’ Performance Report 2013/2014 – Gauteng Province.

WEDNESDAY, 7 OCTOBER 2015

ANNOUNCEMENTS

National Assembly and National Council of Provinces

The Speaker and the Chairperson

1. Draft Bills submitted in terms of Joint Rule 159

Financial Intelligence Centre Amendment Bill, submitted by the Minister of Finance.

Referred to the Standing Committee on Finance and the Select Committee on Finance.

Extension of Security of Tenure Amendment Bill, submitted by the Minister of Rural Development and Land Reform.

Referred to the Portfolio Committee on Rural Development and Land Reform and the Select Committee on Land and Mineral Resources.

National Council of Provinces

The Chairperson

1. Referral to Committees of papers tabled

The following papers are referred to the Select Committee on Trade and International Relations for consideration and report:

The Amendments to the Southern African Customs Union (SACU) Agreement of 2002 to Institutionalise the SACU Summit, tabled in terms of section 231(2) of the Constitution, 1996.

Explanatory Memorandum to the Amendments to the Southern African Customs Union (SACU) Agreement of 2002 to Institutionalise the SACU Summit.

Correction (incorrect Committee referral in ATC of 30 April 2015):

The following paper is referred to the Select Committee on Communications and Public Enterprises for consideration:

Report on the newly appointed Board of the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research.

TABLINGS

National Assembly and National Council of Provinces

1. The Minister of Defence and Military Veterans

(a) Report of the Defence Force Service Commission for 2014-15, tabled in terms of section 62H of the Defence Amendment Act, 2010 (Act No 22 of 2010).

The Minister of Public Works

Report and Financial Statements of Vote 7 – Department of Public Works for 2014-15, including the Report of the Auditor-General on the Financial Statements and Performance Information of Vote 7 and the Report of the Auditor-General on the Financial Statements of the Property Management Trading Entity for 2014-15.

The Minister of Trade and Industry

The Amendments to the Southern African Customs Union (SACU) Agreement of 2002 to Institutionalise the SACU Summit, tabled in terms of section 231(2) of the Constitution, 1996.

Explanatory Memorandum to the Amendments to the Southern African Customs Union (SACU) Agreement of 2002 to Institutionalise the SACU Summit.

General Notice No 733, published in Government Gazette No 39009, dated 22 July 2015: Notice of introduction of a Bill into Parliament: Promotion and Protection of Investment Bill, 2015.

THURSDAY, 8 OCTOBER 2015

ANNOUNCEMENTS

National Assembly and National Council of Provinces

The Speaker and the Chairperson

1. Draft Bills submitted in terms of Joint Rule 159

Refugees Amendment Bill, submitted by the Minister of Home Affairs.

Referred to the Portfolio Committee on Home Affairs and the Select Committee on Social Services.

Border Management Agency Bill, submitted by the Minister of Home Affairs.

Referred to the Portfolio Committee on Home Affairs and the Select Committee on Social Services.

TABLINGS

National Assembly and National Council of Provinces

1. The Minister of Justice and Correctional Services

Government Notice No R. 27, published in Government Gazette No 39005, dated 20 July 2015: Amendment of Proclamation No R. 38 of 2010, made under section 2(4) of the Special Investigating Units and Special Tribunals Act, 1996 (Act No 74 of 1996).

TUESDAY, 13 OCTOBER 2015

ANNOUNCEMENTS

National Assembly and National Council of Provinces

The Speaker and the Chairperson

1. Bills passed by Houses – to be submitted to President for assent

Bill passed by National Council of Provinces on 13 October 2015:

Rates and Monetary Amounts and Amendment of Revenue Laws Bill [B 15B – 2015] (National Assembly – sec 77).

TABLINGS

National Assembly and National Council of Provinces

The Speaker and the Chairperson

Report and Financial Statements of the Electoral Commission (IEC) on the Represented Political Parties Fund for 2014-15, including the Report of the Auditor-General on the Financial Statements for 2014-15 [RP 337-2015].

The Minister of Environmental Affairs

Government Notice No R. 635, published in Government Gazette No 39024, dated 24 July 2015: Regulations for Admission of Guilt Fines, in terms of the National Environmental Management Act, 1998 (Act No 107 of 1998).

Government Notice No R. 637, published in Government Gazette No 39024, dated 24 July 2015: Regulations relating to the procedure to be followed and criteria to be considered when determining an Appropriate Fine in terms of section 24G of the National Environmental Management Act, 1998 (Act No 107 of 1998).

Government Notice No R. 632, published in Government Gazette No 39020, dated 24 July 2015: Regulations regarding the Planning and Management of Residue Stockpiles and Residue Deposits from a prospecting, Mining, Exploration or Production Operation, in terms of the National Environmental Management: Waste Act, 2008 (Act No 59 of 2008).

Government Notice No R. 633, published in Government Gazette No 39020, dated 24 July 2015: Amendments to the List of Waste Management Activities that have, or are likely to have a Detrimental effect on the Environment, in terms of the National Environmental Management: Waste Act, 2008 (Act No 59 of 2008).

General Notice No 736, published in Government Gazette No 39018, dated 24 July 2015: Intention to require the Paper and Packaging Industry, Electrical and Electronic Industry and Lighting Industry to prepare and submit to the Minister Industry Waste Management Plans for approval, terms of the National Environmental Management: Waste Act, 2008 (Act No 59 of 2008).

General Notice No 869, published in Government Gazette No 39141, dated 28 August 2015: Intention to declare a management authority for the Fossil Hominid sites of Sterkfontein, Swartkrans, Kromdraai and Environs World Heritage Sites (Cradle of Humankind), in terms of the World Heritage Convention Act, 1999 (Act No 49 of 1999).

General Notice No 897, published in Government Gazette No 39185, dated 10 September 2015: Non-Detriment Findings, in terms of the National Environmental Management: Biodiversity Act, 2004 (Act No 10 of 2004).

Government Notice No 602, published in Government Gazette No 39220, dated 18 September 2015: Declaration of a Small-Scale Char and Small-Scale Charcoal Plants as controlled emitters and establishment of emission standards, in terms of the National Environmental Management: Air Quality Act, 2004 (Act No 39 of 2004).

General Notice No 943, published in Government Gazette No 39236, dated 25 September 2015: Draft regulations for the procedure and criteria to be followed in the determination of an administrative fine in terms of section 22A, in terms of the National Environmental Management: Air Quality Act, 2004 (Act No 39 of 2004).

(j) General Notice No 703, published in Government Gazette No 39216, dated 18 September 2015: Request for information on chemicals produced, used, imported or exported by South Africa.

COMMITTEE REPORTS

National Council of Provinces

Please see pages 3604-3656 of the ATCs.

Audio

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Bills

B15-2015 - Rates and Monetary Amounts and Amendment of Revenue Laws Bill

Hansard: NCOP: Unrevised hansard

House: National Council of Provinces

Date of Meeting: 13 Oct 2015

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