Hansard: NA: Unrevised hansard

House: National Assembly

Date of Meeting: 03 Nov 2015

Summary

No summary available.

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Minutes

TUESDAY, 03 NOVEMBER 2015

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PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY

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The House met at 11:02.

 

The Deputy Speaker took the Chair and requested members to observe a moment of silence for prayers or meditation.

 

ANNOUNCEMENTS, TABLINGS AND COMMITTEE REPORTS – see col 000.

 

SEQUENCE OF PROCEEDINGS FOR 3, 10 AND 17 NOVEMBER 2015 NOTWITHSTANDING RULE 29, DETERMINED BY PROGRAMME COMMITTEE

 

(Draft Resolution)

 

The CHIEF WHIP OF THE MAJORITY PARTY: Hon Deputy Speaker, I hereby move the draft resolution printed in my name on the Order Paper, as follows:

 

That the House notwithstanding Rule 29 which provides for the sequence of proceedings, agrees that for today and for 10 and 17 November 2015, the sequence of proceedings will be reflected on the Order Paper as agreed to by the Programme Committee.

 

Agreed to.

 

SUSPENSION OF RULE 110(2)(b), RULE 110(6) AND RULE 110(1) FOR THE PURPOSE OF SCHEDULING QUESTIONS TO THE DEPUTY PRESIDENT

(Draft Resolution)

 

The CHIEF WHIP OF THE MAJORITY PARTY: Deputy Speaker, I hereby move the draft resolution printed in my name on the Order Paper as follows:

 

That the House —

 

1. suspends the following Rules for the purpose of scheduling questions to the Deputy President on 5 November 2015

 

1. Rule 110(2)(b) which provides that questions to the Deputy President may not be scheduled within the same week in which the Deputy President is scheduled to answer questions in the Council; and

 

1. Rule 110(6) which provides, inter alia, that questions to the Deputy President must be submitted before 12:00 on the Monday, 9 days before the Question day on which they are to be answered.

 

1. further suspends Rule 110(1) which provides that questions to the Deputy President must be scheduled for a Question day once every second week for the purpose of scheduling questions to the Deputy President on 12 November 2015.

 

Mr N S MATIASE: Deputy Speaker, may I have your attention please.

 

The DEPUTY SPEAKER: Yes, sir.

 

Mr N S MATIASE: The Rules of this House forbid the continuation of the plenary of the National Assembly whilst other portfolio committees are in session. There are various portfolio committees that are in session and that is forbidden in terms of the rules of this House. I want the Deputy Speaker to rule on the absence of the other members on the basis that they are attending portfolio committee meetings.

 

The DEPUTY SPEAKER: Which rule is that, sir? Which rule is that? [Interjections.]

 

Mr N S MATIASE: Deputy Speaker, the assumption is that you are the presiding officer and you should know such rules. [Interjections.]

 

The DEPUTY SPEAKER: I have served in this House for 20 years, but I am not aware of that. I need to consult about that.

 

Mr N SINGH: Thank you, hon Deputy Speaker. Notwithstanding whether there is a rule or not on that particular matter. There was an understanding at the Programming Committee on Thursday that all committees would suspend their business by 11 o’clock so that members could attend the House. Now, if that is not happening I think we have to refer that to the chair of committees to find out exactly why is that not happening. And I see hon members on that side of the House nodding their heads in agreement. Thank you.

 

The DEPUTY SPEAKER: Hon members, having there been an agreement in the Programming Committee, it explicitly explains why that should happen. So, we assume that if members are not here yet, then they are on their way coming here. Otherwise they will be notified to the contrary.

 

CONSIDERATION OF BUDGETARY REVIEW AND RECOMMENDATION REPORT OF PORTFOLIO COMMITTEE ON LABOUR

 

There was no debate.

 

The CHIEF WHIP OF THE MAJORITY PARTY: Moved that the Report be adopted.

 

Declarations of vote:

Mr I M OLLIS: Deputy Speaker, I must just say the DA does support this report because all of our concerns have been included in the report and so I think most parties agree to this report because our concerns have been addressed. There are just three things that I want to mention about the department in this matter.

 

Firstly, the Compensation Fund is in complete collapse. Just this morning, I got an email which saying, “Dear Mr Mafu - that is the person in the department – my nightmare continues. Denel from the Offices of the President now called me to try and resolve this matter.” The Office of the President now has to deal with individual people who have compensation complaints. It is in meltdown and it must be sorted out.

 

Secondly, the unemployment figures continue to rise. Over 8 million people are unemployed and the department was only able to place 2% of those people who came to report that they are unemployed and that they are workseekers. We cannot have only 2% being placed in jobs. That is a failure. We have got to create jobs in South Africa. There are several other administrative things in the department which we are highly concerned about. So, these things need to be dealt with but we do support the report because are concerns are noted in the report.

 

The final one is just in terms of the visas. The Department of Labour is only processing 53% of corporate visas and just over 60% of individual visas that people are applying for. Why are they not just doing their job and processing those visas? So, we need to deal with a lot of these things. Thank you, Deputy Speaker. [Applause.]

 

Mr P G MOTEKA: Hon Deputy Speaker, the EFF rejects the adoption of Budgetary Review and Recommendation Report tabled before this House. Since 2010 the Department of Labour was consistently and repeatedly been told by the National Treasury and the Portfolio Committee on Finance and other sectors that they have a high staff turnover and that they are taking too long to fill vacant inspector’s positions, and that there are no cars for inspectors in the provinces. As a result of these, Cabinet has approved the reduction of the department’s budget by more that R400 million. For this department to have a total budget of just over R2 billion is a clear signal that there is a crisis.

 

What is alarming about the state of the department - something that can only be described as a crisis without exaggerating - is that bridges that are build and mines continue to collapse during construction because of poor working conditions. Events that could have been prevented if only there was a functional Department of Labour with fully trained inspectors who have cars and other equipment to do their work.

 

It is no surprise that fight against labour brokers is now left in the hands of the students fighting for better working conditions for employees within the institutions, fighting against outsourcing and for descent salaries while the department is quiet. [Interjections.]

 

If not all, most entities, in particular the Unemployment Insurance Fund, UIF, and the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration, CCMA, are by and large failing our people in an unspeakable way. When you need UIF the most during hard times it takes them more than six months to make first payment. Thank you. [Time expired.] [Applause.]

 

Mr M A MNCWANGO: Hon Deputy Speaker, the IFP support the report. In doing so, we want to say that through it’s mandatory regulation of the labour market by policy and programmes, the Department of Labour aims to create decent employment, the promotion of labour standards and fundamental work place rights, sound labour relations and the elimination of inequality and discrimination in the work place, to name a few.

 

Of overriding importance is its alignment with the aims and objectives of the National Development Plan as its successes will largely influence the overall success of the NDP, where all will have access to jobs and services. In this respect, we want to see full alignment of the budget expenditure with programmes as articulated in the NDP. A department cannot function without co-committed personnel. Institutional capacity still requires strengthening, especially in relation to the inspectorate.

 

Material underspending of budget allocation remains a serious concern. A 5% of budget underspend is simply unacceptable. If this was principally due to a cost error on the side of Public Works, it should be fully investigated, so as not to occur again in future. I thank you.

 

Prof N M KHUBISA: The NFP is in agreement with the recommendations made by the Portfolio Committee on Labour and urges the department to speedily implement these recommendations for the benefit of workers in our country.

 

The Department of Labour has a very important function to ensure that a conducive environment is created, in which Labour Relations South Africa can flourish. Unfortunately, the high level of labour dispute and disruptions, which has become a hallmark of our labour relations in South Africa is testimony to the failure of the Department of Labour in executing it’s mandate.

 

When you look at the results of the overview of service delivery, a performance of the labour contained in the report, it’s obvious that the 42% per strategic goals of the planned indicators is true reflection of the department’s monumental failure. Of particular concern is the lower achievement rate of 29% of the plan indicators for labour policy and industrial relations programme. Such a dismal failure has serious consequences for labour policy, is the engine that drives labour relations. Neglecting this crucial mandate is bound to lead to uncertainty and upheaval as we are accustomed to by now.

 

The NFP believes that the failure of the Department of Labour to pay sufficient attention to the development of labour policy is detrimental to the right of workers in South Africa, and is a source of great concern to us. Having said that, we welcome the report.

 

The DEPUTY SPEAKER: Thank you hon member. The Chairperson of the Committee. Sorry, Ma’am! Hon Madisha. [Interjections.] No!

 

O tshwanetse ho dula moo o dulang teng, ntate. [You are supposed to sit at your allocated seat, Sir.]

 

Mr W MADISHA: A o nnyake. Ke a tseba nna. [I know that you don’t want me.]

 

Hon Deputy Speaker, although Cope will support the agreed to a programme, we believe that a number of things need to be looked into and agreed upon.

 

Firstly, the issue of the empirical evidence that the unemployment rate as we usually hear, is around 25%, 29%, etcetera. That has not been found. In actual fact, unemployment rate in South Africa goes beyond 40%. The people who are working in South Africa - most of them are actually non South Africans. Four out of 10 will be South Africans and the majority really, I emphasise, will be people from outside of the borders of our country. But even those people – what happens – who are working, who are South Africans, they are not getting a living wage and that’s a major problem that we are faced with.

 

And that is yet another issue that we need to look at. I am saying a living wage. If you, for instance, move around the restaurants, even here at Parliament, the people who are working here – they are actually not paid. They are getting peanuts. [Laughter.] Of course! Some of them are actually given tips so that they then can be able to survive. No salary, but they are given tips. Now, that’s major problem. And I hope those of us who own institutions such as mines, Deputy President and others will be able to look into that. Thank you. [Time expired.]

 

Ms H O HLOPHE: Deputy Speaker, it would have been good if the hon member who has just left the podium from Cope, if he was attending the meetings and raise the issues that we are hearing for the first time here as the committee. I think he must direct all the issues that he wants the committee to address to the committee, and not here.

 

It is also strange for hon member from the EFF because all the issues that he is raising here are issues that we have raised and discussed with the department, and we have asked collectively for the way forward and they are in that process. Thank you very much for IFP and NFP for their positive support, despite the fact that they are not always in the committee. [Interjections.]

 

Mr M Q NDLOZI: On a point of order, hon Deputy Speaker.

 

The DEPUTY SPEAKER: Yes, can you take your seat? Hon member, please take your seat!

 

Mr M Q NDLOZI: Hon Speaker, we can’t be told by members where to raise issues, whether here, in the taxi rank or elsewhere. We raise issues where we want. Whether we want to raise them in the plenary or in the committee, it’s our decision. So, the hon member must withdraw the patronising remarks that we should have raised them elsewhere; it’s supposed to be here.

 

This is Parliament. We have right to rise whatever issue we want. So, we decided to raise those issues here, and there is nothing she can do about it. And it’s our right. So, deal with the arguments. Don’t tell us where to raise the issues. What are those issues? Can you deal with them?

 

The DEPUTY SPEAKER: Hon member, proceed, proceed.

 

Ms H O HLOPHE: Thank you very much, hon Deputy Speaker. The Portfolio Committee on Labour has considered the performance and submission to the national treasury for the medium term period of the Department of Labour. As such, the committee has adopted the Budgetary Review and Recommendation Report.

 

The committee notes with serious concern the understanding by some programmes, which negatively impacts on service delivery. Furthermore, the committee noted underperformance of the inspection and enforcement service programme as a result of insufficient financial and human resources.

 

However, today we are happy to hear that Treasury has made budget adjustments and that additional funds of R8,36 million, will go to inspectorate services. We also note with concern the challenges faced by the Supported Employment Enterprises, SEE, formerly known as Sheltered Employment Factories, SEF. I thank you. [Time expired.]

 

Motion agreed to (EFF dissenting)

 

Report accordingly adopted.

 

CONSIDERATION OF BUDGETARY REVIEW AND RECOMMENDATION REPORT OF PORTFOLIO COMMITTEE ON ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

 

There was no debate.

 

The Deputy Chief Whip of the Majority Party moved: That the Report be adopted.

 

Declaration of vote:

Mr C H H HUNSINGER: Hon Deputy Speaker, the DA supports the Budgetary Review and Recommendation Report, BRRR, of the Economic Development Department. This is because technically the department is well run, has met its key performance indicators, KIPs, spent its budget, and has received an unqualified audit with a fewer findings than in the previous years.

 

However, we would like to raise some concerns. The department claims that the jobs have grown by 405 000 over the period under review, but we would like to point out that the majority of this job growth actually took place in the public sector and it is completely unsustainable going forward, as Minister Levin told us in his medium-term budget.

 

In fact, unless the public sector have waged in full force, this country face a very real prospect of the credit downgrade. Secondly, the broader measure whether this department is being successful and increasing economic development in this country has really been failing miserably if we look at our economic growth rate, recently downgraded to 1,5%, and particularly high levels of unemployment that don’t seem to move at the moment.

 

It is a contention of the DA that this department should be part of a single superfinance and economic Ministry encompassing DTI, Economic Development and Small Business Development. It is thought that the R700 000 of costs around this department could be better deployed on a high education budget that would actually provide tangible opportunities to young people wishing to enter the job market. Thank you very much.

 

Mr M S MBATHA: Hon Deputy Speaker, the EFF rejects the adoption of the budget review and recommendation. These are the reasons: We believe that this department still has no clear identity within the framework of the developmental goals of the state. We believe it still find itself hunting over tasks that are fairly spread around three of its sister departments. The most important part is that in the year 2008, there was 21,5% unemployment in South Africa and as we stand today, there is 25,5% unemployment in South Africa, which means increasingly is shedding jobs and there is no state intervention and there is no state-driven manner in which to sustain the economy of our country.

 

We have seen also the rise of the finance development institution, not being able to finance the small and medium-sized enterprises, in particular to revive the township economies as it were. We have also been told that the Competition Commission, in particular, the overall competition authorities, still lack the powers to make sure that a lot that happened in the competition arena is fair and it’s accessible, and it makes business sense to the small and medium players.

 

What we need to define a developmental state, is a state that is not relying on private sector to create jobs, but it is a state that is able to define itself inclusively within that and it is able to have developmental goals to jerk up the economy and make sure that it safeguard the interests of this population and the citizens. You cannot blame the unemployment of the citizens on the private sector; you have a role to play as the state. Thank you.

 

Mrs S J NKOMO: Hon Deputy Speaker, the IFP would like to state on record that we support this report. The department and the Minister must be congratulated on obtaining an unqualified audit opinion for the fourth consecutive time as well as for the fact that there were no material misstatement in the financial statement that were submitted for auditing in 2014-15.

 

However, of notable internal concern are the following: The department vacancy which increased from 22,6% to 26,2% in the current year under review, allowance must be made for unfunded posts, but this percentage is still too high and must be addressed by human resources. The second part is the appointment of employees without following proper verification processes as regard to qualifications, which was again noted by the Auditor-General, is still occurring.

 

Management must be held accountable for noncompliance with such legislation. This must not occur, going forward. The high rate of staff turnover, must also be investigated as The high rate of staff turnover must also be investigated as it is in most instances evident of a department that is not being managed properly.

 

In terms of the department’s performance, it must be congratulated on the steps it takes to promote the use of sustainable and renewable forms of energy which not only create employment but also alleviate pressure on the national energy grid.

 

The creation of employment should be complimented, generally in the country, although greater impetus must be placed on the creation of long-term employment. The issue of youth-held empowerments and entrepreneurial skills must also be upheld.

 

In conclusion, the department has performed well in meeting its goal and we hope to see this trend continue into the year 2016. The IFP support the report.

 

Ms D CARTER: Hon Deputy Speaker, Cope urges Parliament and all portfolio committees to extend the scope of the budget review. According to a brilliant article by Jabulani Sikhakhane in the Business Times on 1 November, New Zealand pioneered a concept called ‘whole of government accounts’. This approach allows the government to report annually on the total resources of government, including borrowed funds, each year and how it used these specifically to improve the standard of living of its citizens.

 

Cope strongly recommends our Parliament adding that innovation as a further measure. Then we will be able to see the picture in its departmental parts, as we are now doing, but very importantly also as a whole.

 

Meanwhile, what does this department have to do between now and budget time? Here is the list: Strengthen internal auditing; increase job creation substantially; look urgently at the European Commission’s Erasmus programmes to help our 18-25-year-olds to acquire marketable skills and become either self-employed or employable; commit fully and eagerly to renewable energy both to meet the country’s electricity challenges and the effects of climate change, consolidate the Corporate Social Investment contributions to achieve cohesion and optimal outcomes; meet urgently with all role-players in the ailing local steel industry in a major indaba to chart a way forward and to increase downstream and sidestream enterprises; improve infrastructure and take all steps possible to curb cable and metal theft using the Criminal Matters Amendment Bill, 2015 and co-ordinate and measure national, provincial and municipal economic development programmes.

 

We hope to see considerable progress in the coming six months. Cope supports the report. Thank you.

 

Mr M S MABIKA: Hon Deputy Speaker, the report tabled indicates that the Department of Economic Development had performed well during the past year and the NFP welcomes this finding. Economic Development is at the heart of the government effort to create decent work through meaningful economic transformation and inclusive growth and it should be a concern to each one of us that this department should function very well.

 

Despite the rose-coloured picture created by the various reports on which the Portfolio Committee on Economic development had relied on, statics gives us a different picture. We are still operating under the constraints of a slowdown in global economy. Uncertainty in our electricity supply and a labour market that is unsettled due to conflict.

 

Our unemployment figures of 25,2% remain a cause for great concern, particularly so when we talk of youth unemployment. Despite the Youth Accord and various other interventions by the state, youth unemployment remain unacceptably high and there seems to be no clear direction from the Department of Economic Development to address this ticking timebomb we have on our hands.

 

The NFP urges the department to make every possible effort to come up with innovative ways to ensure that decent and sustainable employment opportunities are created to employ our youth before we have the situation arising where the youth take to the streets and make the country ungovernable in protests against high unemployment within their ranks.

 

In conclusion, the NFP accept the BRRR of the Portfolio Committee on Economic Development and support the recommendation made therein. I thank you.

 

Mr N CAPA: Hon Deputy Speaker, the ANC supports the report, particularly with regard to the department’s initiatives aimed at co-ordinating for job creation. Furthermore, the committee appreciates the fact that the department obtained an unqualified audit report for the fifth consecutive years, yet, the department have achieved, in the period covered more than meeting all its KIP targets.

 

I wish to quote from the BRRR. Thank you.

 

Motion agreed to (Economic Freedom Fighters dissenting).

 

Report accordingly adopted

 

CONSIDERATION OF BUDGETARY REVIEW AND RECOMMENDATION REPORT OF PORTFOLIO COMMITTEE ON INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS AND CO-OPERATION

 

There was no debate.

 

The Deputy Chief Whip of the Majority Party moved: That the Report be adopted.

 

Declarations of vote:

Mr S MOKGALAPA: Deputy Speaker, the DA would like to support the recommendations, precisely because our concerns and inputs have been considered. I think the committee was frank and robust in its report.

 

However, we would like to place our concerns on record. We are quite concerned about the fact that the department has received a qualified audit opinion for two consecutive financial years, especially on serial issues of supply chain management, Information and communications technology, ICT, asset management, consequence management and non-compliance with rules and legislations.

 

We believe that three critical issues should be addressed. The first is the slow response by management in addressing the root cause of poor audit outcomes. The second issue concerns the key officials that lack appropriate competencies. The third issue concerns the lack of consequences for poor performances and transgressions.

 

These are also what the Auditor-General has indicated.

 

Finally, it is an issue of concern that the department lacks leadership, oversight responsibility, action plans, policies and procedures, and a culture of effective leadership. This is quite unacceptable indictment on senior management.

 

We would like to see the irregular expenditure of R102 million – incurred because of the contravention of key legislation and prescribed processes not being followed – reversed.

 

Finally, there is the issue of the unauthorised expenditure of R215 million.

 

We believe that if these issues of concern are addressed, the department will then be on a positive trajectory.

 

In conclusion, concerning the issue of foreign currency fluctuations, we believe that the department together with Treasury should implement adequate processes and programs to ensure that there is proper planning and pipeline planning so that these issues does not always recur because this department operates under that environment. The DA supports the report. I thank you. [Applause.] [Time expired.]

 

Ms H O HLOPHE: Deputy Speaker, the EFF rejects the adoption of the Budget Review and Recommendation Report from the International Relations and Co-operation Portfolio Committee.

 

If the ANC wants to use every process in Parliament — including those that are meant to objectively assess the performance of government departments and their incompetent Ministers — as ANC rallies and push propaganda through these reports, the EFF will not be part of it. We do not see why we must give this department any money; they have nothing to show for it.

 

The joint African Union and United Nations economic commission high level panel report showing illicit financial flows from Africa has been released for more than a year now. But, this department has not said a word to indicate its concern. This department is supposed to guide South African capital when it conducts its business in Africa, but it has failed to do so. Instead, South African companies continue to erode the tax bases of African countries. That money could have been used to build schools, hospitals and fight wars against terrorism.

 

Companies like MTN and Standard Bank go out and treat African countries as their own backyards by operating with total disregard for domestic legislation. When they are caught and fined, this department keeps quiet like a church mouse. When such companies are caught with their pants down, instead of commending the government of Nigeria for their progressive steps in dealing with the lawlessness of MTN, this department cannot even comment on it.

 

The FF ... the EFF rejects the adoption of the Budget Review ... [Laughter.] Oh! Let me repeat it so that you can hear. The Economic Freedom Fighters — government in waiting — rejects the adoption of the Budget Review and Recommendation Report because it clearly fails to recognise that this department is wasting money. We reject.

 

Mr M A MNCWANGO: Deputy Speaker, the IFP actually supports this report. But, in doing so we would like to say that, in order to ensure that South Africa’s international policy objectives are met, it is essential that the departmental strategic objectives are fully implemented and aligned with the priorities set out in the National Development Plan, NDP.

 

With our diplomatic missions now totalling 126 in 109 countries throughout the world, we need to ensure that the department functions at an optimal level and ensure that we are getting value for money from these missions in terms of trade spin-off benefits with the countries in which the missions are situated.

 

Whilst we acknowledge that foreign exchange volatility makes it difficult to budget correctly, allowance can and must be factored in for such fluctuations. In this regard, departmental net underspending cannot be viewed in too harsh a light, although a qualified audit opinion from the Auditor-General must be addressed and steps should be taken to turn this around in 2016.

 

In this regard, the need for dedicated training programmes for the officers responsible for financial statements, procurements, supply-chain management and asset management must be implemented urgently, as developing such departmental standards of uniformity will greatly assist with administrative compliance.

 

Replacement of outdated ICT infrastructure is important as delays caused by technical and logistical inadequacy can cause administrative delays. This must also be looked at. I thank you.

 

Ms D CARTER: Deputy Speaker, the long fight for the NA to have a bigger say in budget-making was worth the trouble. Because of that change, the committee can urge the department to implement its recommendations and request a report from the Minister within three months.

 

Here is what the committee wants: condonation from the Standing Committee on Public Accounts, Scopa, on unauthorised protocol service costs incurred during the state funeral of former President Mandela; remedial action regarding the Auditor-General’s concern regarding supply-chain, ICT and asset management including heritage assets in South Africa and missions abroad; appropriate and adequate training for all officials in charge of finances; the operationalisation of the South African Development Agency, SADPA, in order to address structural and operational challenges facing the African Renaissance Fund, ARF; quarterly meetings between the committee and the Internal Audit Committee to track progress on financial management; awareness-raising sessions with supervisors and employees on both the performance management and development systems and its processes as well as on disciplinary actions that need to be implemented; empowering the Office of the Chief Operations Officer to address serially occurring operational failures affecting the department; and meeting equity targets in respect of gender and people with disabilities.

 

Cope also supports the view that the department should focus on developing Southern Africa and Africa as trade and investment zones. Our foreign policy must indeed be aligned to the National Development Plan. We need value for money, expansion of real democracy, cessation of wars and conflict and enhanced trade from international relations. Cope will support the report. Thank you.

 

Mr M S A MASANGO: Deputy Speaker, the ANC supports the Budgetary Review and Recommendations Report of the Department of International Relations and Co-operation because, through this department, South Africa’s position has become that of being a respected member of the international community with a dynamic and independent foreign policy that speaks to the country’s domestic priorities.

 

At the time of reporting, as members are aware, South Africa’s diplomatic footprint has grown from 34 countries in 1994 to 126 diplomatic missions by 2014-15 which is situated in 104 countries.

 

But, most importantly, the overall service delivery performance of the department is commendable because the department has to carry out its mandate within an unpredictable and, at times, turbulent external environment in order to advance South Africa’s national priorities.

 

Yes, indeed, hon members, the Auditor-General’s audit findings for 2014-15 resulted in the expression of a qualified audit opinion with regard to the departments performance on asset management, ICT issues, etc. The department, however, most importantly, also facilitated an historic joint sitting of Parliament during the debate on African Agenda 2063, a requirement that was expected by the AU of all its member states’ parliaments.

 

The major highlights of the department’s activities were that during the reporting period South Africa assumed the chairmanship of the Group of 77 plus China.

 

Lastly, South Africa continued to play an important role in the pursuit of regional peace and stability and regional integration to bolster socio-economic development. A key milestone was its unanimous election as the Chair of the SADC Organ on Politics, Defence and Security.

 

The DEPUTY SPEAKER: Hon member, your time has expired.

 

Mr M S A MASANGO: In this regard, the department conducted successful elections observer missions in Malawi, Mozambique, Botswana, Namibia, ... [Inaudible.] [Interjection.]

 

The DEPUTY SPEAKER: Hon Chairperson, your time has expired.

 

Mr M S A MASANGO: ... Zambia and Lesotho. Thank you. [Time expired.]

Motion agreed to (Economic Freedom Fighters dissenting).

 

Report accordingly adopted.

 

CONSIDERATION OF BUDGETARY REVIEW AND RECOMMENDATION REPORT OF PORTFOLIO COMMITTEE ON SPORT AND RECREATION

 

The DEPUTY CHIEF WHIP OF THE MAJORITY PARTY: I move that the Report be adopted.

 

Declarations(s) of vote:

Mr M S MALATSI: Deputy Speaker, on behalf of the official opposition I would like to declare that the DA supports the report. However, we would like to highlight three critical issues that have not received sufficient report.

 

The first is Boxing SA. Boxing SA continues to fail the most basic test of good governance. Bouts are being sanctioned without proper procedures being followed. Promoters are still not paying purse money on time and, despite the presence of a new board, there still hasn’t been a full-time CEO appointed.

 

Secondly, we would like to highlight the issue of grants to provincial governments and federations. We believe that the allocation of grants to sports federations is disproportionate to their needs. Some of the bigger sports federations such as cricket, rugby and football are more commercially self sufficient. Yet, the poorest federations such as basketball, netball and hockey receive very miniscule support from the government. We believe that one of the most effective ways of enhancing transformation in sport is ensuring that there is genuine support to the smaller sports federation.

 

Lastly, the cold war between the Sports and Recreation Department and the Department of Basic Education is harming sports in schools. As a result, more than half of the schools in the country are not playing any form of sport, simply because there isn’t sufficient policy co-ordination and implementation between the two departments. We hope that that will receive the attention going forward. Thanks, Deputy Speaker.

 

Mr P G MOTEKA: Deputy Speaker, the EFF rejects this report. Amongst the ideal attributes of sports in this country are accessibility and equitability. The reality is that a sport is neither accessible nor equitable in South Africa and access to quality sports is determined by race or wealth.

 

After 21 years of democracy we still have a national rugby team which goes to the World Cup with only 5% of the players in their squad being black.

 

This department put aside only 0,8% of its budget for sports infrastructure development. We cannot compete with other countries in Africa and the world if we fail to build quality sports infrastructures in our townships, rural villages and poorest of the poor communities.

 

The problem with this department is Minister Mbalula himself, who only knows how to hijack parties! He forgets that he is a Minister now and no longer a child. We reject this report.

 

Mr K P SITHOLE: Hon Deputy Speaker, the IFP supports this report and we would like to congratulate the department for achieving a clean audit. However, we are concerned about other entities that fall within the department’s mandate, mostly notably Boxing SA.

 

Transformation is still a challenge in all the sporting codes, excluding athletics. Transformation is still worth receiving an [Inaudible.]. When is this going to change? Our rural areas remain underserviced with no development and this is true for all sporting codes.

Boxing SA has not yet fully developed especially in the township and rural communities, who suffer a greater lack of exposure to all these sports.

 

We call for an urgent implementation of school sports and we want to see a memorandum of understanding of the Department of Sports and Recreation and Department of Basic Education being implemented. The schools in rural areas and townships still require major support from the department. There are sports facilities where buildings are not maintained and little is being done by the department to assist schools that are interested in sporting activities.

 

If schools do not receiving adequate resourcing and equipment, or these do not arrive on time, the situation must be rectified.

 

We hear no development on Drug-Free Sport Amendment Bill. How far is the implementation of this Bill?

 

The IFP supports the report. I thank you.

 

Mr M S MABIKA: Deputy Speaker, the NFP is encouraged by the increased performance of the Department of Sports and Recreation on key indicators and commends the department for the improvement.

 

Yet, much more needs to be done. We firmly believe that the department should become actively involved in the creation of sport infrastructure at schools.

 

It is estimated that only 50% of schools are in some way involved in the development of sporting infrastructure and all indications are that rural schools are once again sadly neglected in this regard. If we wish to become a nation of champions, we have to make opportunities and facilities available to our school children so that their talents may be discovered and nurtured.

 

The ugly political furor that erupted on the eve of our national rugby team’s departure for the World Cup has forcefully brought to the fore the fact that our sporting codes have not transformed yet to the extent that they accurately reflect and represent the diversity and of our society. The Department of Sports and Recreation still has a long way to go to correct this imbalance.

 

The NFP also remains concerned about the lack of effective monitoring of funds allocated to sports clubs. The portfolio committee is over-reliant on reports which are taken at face value with not enough oversite visits to determine whether the funds are indeed applied for the improvements to sporting and recreation facilities for our citizens.

 

In conclusion, the NFP will accept and support the portfolio committee’s Budgetary Review and Recommendations Report on Sports and Recreation. I thank you.

 

Mr M L W FILTANE: Deputy Speaker, transformation of sport and in particular of rugby cannot be overemphasised and we must stop talking about this matter and force action. The fact that the rugby team went out there with a single black player like Siya Kolisi — who never touched the ball and who never played any match — is quite painful for the over 40 million Africans of this country.

 

There is absolutely no transformation taking place in that rugby. We have a coach who is stiff necked, who is not interested in transforming rugby and we have a president of SA Rugby who keeps on telling us that they are running a business. So, when we talk as citizens of this country, he says we are irrelevant; SA Rugby is just running their own private business.

 

If parliament, and in particular the ruling party, doesn’t tackle this, then they are running away from something. We must stop saying that this is our rugby because they do not think in those terms. They regard rugby as their personal property. They are making us totally irrelevant and we have to face that as a fact.

 

For as long as we remain indifferent to that fact, the country is losing out. On this one issue there should have been transformation. Rugby has just not moved.

 

The same is true of cricket. There is no movement at all. We need to take serious steps regarding that, because all the money that government is spending in support of sport has to translate into social cohesion. This will not take place if government is very relaxed on the issue of transformation.

 

That is what it means — economic transformation. We can sit here in our nice suits, but if there is no transformation taking place on the ground, we are just playing for time. It is as simple as all that.

We need to transform our rugby. We cannot negotiate any longer. We did that with Codesa, but now we need to move very fast and very effectively. We can no longer afford the luxury of just sitting here and accepting things as they were in the past.

 

Concerning the budget, the UDM supports, but we have got to transform our sport. That is the political will that is needed from the people in this House. I thank you, Deputy Speaker.

 

Ms D CARTER: Deputy Speaker, the department professes to achieve the following: increase access; provide mass participation; advocate transformation; develop talented athletes; and support high performance athletes.

 

Now, let’s take rugby, for example. Fresh in our memories. The South African national rugby team departed for the rugby World Cup under trying circumstances. The nation’s support for its national team was divided. The division was over transformation issues. The national turmoil surrounding the team has had an impact on the team as evinced in its historic loss to Japan.

 

A study has revealed a theory that South African rugby emulates the rest of South African society. That is, concentrating more and more resources on an ever-shrinking elite is a problem. For example, the study reveals that, over time, players representing the Springboks are increasingly coming from elite schools that have historically been associated with the production of Springbok rugby players and fewer players emerging from non-traditional Springbok-producing schools. While teams are slowly becoming more multiracial, they are also becoming more elitist, like South African society.

 

For South Africa to keep on performing at the highest level and to achieve our ideal of non-rationalism, state schools have an important role to play. It is evident from this study that government is failing in its responsibility regarding the promotion and transformation of all sports. The solution lies in state schools, inculcating and promoting a culture of sport from an early age.

 

Cope will be supporting this report, but it is now time for the department to compile an audit findings register, implement all the recommendations noted on the report, and establish partnerships with the Department of Education, the state broadcaster and the private sector. I thank you. [Time expired.]

 

Mr S M RALEGOMA: Deputy Speaker, the AIC supports this report. However, the budget that has been allocated to this department is, as always, not enough. As Parliament, we should recommend that Minister of Finance amends the budget for this department, as per the Money Bills Amendment Procedure and Related Matters Act, Act 9 of 2009.

 

Of course, this department is always doing well. It receives clean audits, not just unqualified audits. We therefore need a sort of motivation and encouragement.

 

South African sport has been operating without any defined sport system for many years. I can now proudly report that this department has developed the National Sport and Recreation Plan. Our department leads in the development and implementation of the United Nations policies related to sport for development and peace. It is therefore important to bring peace and security as a Sport and Recreation Department.

 

Of course now, if all criminals can be involved with sport there can be less crime.

 

Also schools should be encouraged or compelled to take sport seriously because that is where the development start. It seems as if now that schools are not taking sports seriously.

 

As a committee we do appreciate the transfer of 64% of the budget to provinces, but we have to see that these monies are being used efficiently and effectively.

 

We are always suspicious of the municipal infrastructure grant, MIG, fund that is always transferred to municipalities. These funds are not used for the intended purpose. This should be investigated and the culprits be brought to book.

 

Our committee is actually doing well. In the case of boxing, we are trying, as a community sport, how to make ends meet, then ...

 

We do support this report. [Time expired.]

 

CONSIDERATION OF BUDGETARY REVIEW AND RECOMMENDATION REPORT OF PORTFOLIO COMMITTEE ON JUSTICE AND CORRECTIONAL SERVICES ON DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE AND CORRECTIONAL SERVICES AND RELATED ENTITIES

 

There was no debate

 

DEPUTY CHIEF WHIP OF THE MAJORITY PARTY: The Deputy Chief Whip of the Majority Party moved that the Report be adopted.

Mr M WATERS: Yes Deputy Speaker, the DA would like to make a declaration.

 

Declaration(s) of Vote:

Adv G BREYTENBACH (DA): Deputy Speaker. Hon members, it is regrettable that while the committee hopes to increase its interaction with all the worthy institutions as falling under the justice vote. It remains an undeniable fact that correctional services, by virtue of being included in this portfolio committee, remain sorely neglected. The interaction with the committee remains minimal with only one oversight visit by the committee having been undertaken in two years. This department serves a vital function within the criminal justice cluster and simply does not get the attention it deserves due to it being joined with the Department of Justice and Constitutional Development.

 

The department needs and deserves a separate committee in order for the ... [Inaudible.] ... function to be properly dealt with. The DA notes with approval that the National Commissioner has been permanently appointed and congratulates Mr Modise on his appointment. Other key appointments have also now been filled and we look forward to more stability and direction in this department going forward. The department has in fact had its budget reduced largely due to an inability to fill vacant posts. It is hoped this reduction will not have a negative effect on the key aspects of rehabilitation and reintegration of the department. The DA supports the Budgetary Review and Recommendation Report, BRRR.

 

Ms N V MENTE (EFF): Deputy Speaker. The EFF rejects this Budgetary Report because this department is mandated by the Constitution as part of the criminal justice system to ensure that justice in South Africa is corrective, not punitive. It is a department that is supposed to ensure that offenders get rehabilitated back to society as better individuals. But the reality is that offenders come back to society from prisons worse off than they were before. Prisons are being the breeding grounds of hardened criminals who come back to haunt our society.

 

This is because the Department of Correctional Services has abdicated its constitutional responsibility to rehabilitate offenders and in some instances have given over this responsibility to private companies such as Group 4 Securicor, G4S who as in the case of Mangaung Prison, physically abused prisoners and used them as guinea pigs, testing some dangerous drugs on helpless prisoners. The G4S’s abuse of South African prisoners was first reported in 2013 and up to this day, this department has done nothing to investigate this issue, despite the promises of the former Minister that the privatisation of South African prisons would be rooted out. Why does the so- called developmental state privatise even such basic services as correctional services? Former Minister Sbu Ndebele admitted in the year 2013 that the privatisation of prisons was a horrible mistake. That it should never be repeated but the current Minister again gave back the management of Mangaung Prison to G4S.

 

The continuation of the privatising of prisons milks the very limited resources of this department. Private prisons take about 7% of the department’s budget. The Occupational Specific Dispensation, OSD of personnel is still owed and then the department does not use its budget. Thank you.

 

Prof C T MSIMANG (IFP): Hon House Chair. In terms of the department’s first strategy goal namely, that all offenders should be held in safe, secure and humane custody. We have reports that many of our correctional services centres and especially those in the province of KwaZulu-Natal are in a very poor state of disrepair, both structurally and in terms of basic humane standards of health and hygiene. We hear reports of correctional services centres not having access to basic services such as water and that because of the lack of funding could not employ professional services to rectify the ailing infrastructure and inmates were sent out to try and restore the problem.

 

Still not all correctional services employees have been issued with identification cards and badges. This recently resulted in an injured employee not receiving immediate and proper medical care as it could not be ascertained that he was in fact an employee of the department and had a valid medical aid or not. Social reintegration programmes must be available in all provinces. The recent presidential release of political prisoners, some of whom have been languishing in our jails for nearly 20 years, require assistance to reintegrate into society. Are there any social reintegration and employment programmes for these people? In terms of administration, leaves a very lot to be desired and we look forward to the department rolling up its sleeves and getting to work on restoring itself to itself to its former glory and full strategic compliance. The IFP supports the Report. I thank you.

 

Mr M L SHELEMBE (NFP): Chairperson. The Budgetary Review and Recommendation Report, BRR Report on Correctional Services dealing specifically with correctional services and tabled here today portrays a sad picture of the state department in perpetual crisis. The information tabled by the department has once again being insufficient and incorrect in many ways, making it difficult for the portfolio committee to assess the performance of the department with any relative degree of accuracy. The Auditor-General’s Report similarly highlighted the inaccurate and insufficient information as an obstacle to making a true and reflective assessment of the financial state of affairs of the department.

 

The NFP is particularly dismayed by the findings of the Auditor- General which points out serious weaknesses in assessing the incarceration and rehabilitation programmes of the department, which are two core aspects of the mandate given to the department. The NFP also firmly supports the recommendation of the portfolio committee that all senior level management vacancies be filled as a matter of priority to ensure leadership stability in the department and to overhaul the department’s organisational structure which is impeding on the ability of the department to adequately manage and control its performance programme. In conclusion, the NFP reluctantly accepts the portfolio committee BRRR on Correctional Services. I thank you.

 

Mr W MADISHA (COPE): Hon Chairperson. Once again the Auditor General observed a stagnation in respect of the audit outcomes for the department as there was little progress from 2013/2014. This is so disappointing in a climate of dwindling state resources. Cope urges the portfolio committee to ensure the following;

 

1. Implementation of a comprehensive financial reporting system on all third party funds to enable preparations for complete and accurate financial statements.

 

1. Resolving how to carry balances forward.

 

1. Correct daily recording of transactions and stringent management of records supporting disclosures in financial statements.

 

1. Stringent daily and monthly reconciliation to ensure the credibility of figures reported in the financial statement.

 

1. Upgrading of current information systems.

 

1. Improving records management at court level to ensure that all amounts disclosed on the financial statements are fully and authentically supported by credible audit evidence.

 

1. Ensuring 100% compliance with doing daily, weekly, monthly reconciliation of cash and banking etc.

 

Now with respect to the financial constraints experienced by the Public Protector of South Africa, we believe that urgent attention must be given to enable it to adequately discharge its mandate. Cope agrees with the committee as well as with the Public Protector of South Africa, Public Protector of South Africa, PPSA of the potential erosion public trust as a result of the resistance of the current government to implement the Public Protector’s findings. Thank you very much.

 

Dr M S MOTSHEKGA (ANC): Hon House Chairperson ... [Interjections.]

 

HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Mr C T Frolick): Hon Motshekga, will you just take your seat please, I want to address a matter. May I request hon members that once they have used the podium to make use of the passage immediately to the left and not to obstruct and use the middle floor and take seat back. Hon Madisha, I am specifically addressing you hon member and I say that may you please observe by making use of the passage immediately to the left hand instead of crossing the floor to the other side when you return to your seat please. Thank you.

 

Dr M S MOTSHEKGA: ... Hon Deputy President and hon members, the ANC support the Report with the following observation: firstly that we support the request by Legal Aid South Africa for additional funding because they have a heavy load and they have a plan that can reduce the burden that the department has on funding cases. Secondly, the portfolio committee is calling for the reintroduction of the Traditional Courts Act Bill during this term and also supports the introduction of paralegal legislation and advice centres so that justice can be made available to ordinary. And also the committee feels that the failure to use indigenous languages is denying access to justice to the majority of the people, so we are calling for that.

 

Lastly we think the Department of Correctional Services is not neglected as there are important improvements that are taking place and we support the new national director and the good work that he is doing. We also believe the office of the Public Protector has now a new Chief Executive Officer, CEO, and Chief Financial Officer and there are now visible improvements that are taking place. Thank you very much.

 

Motion agreed to (Economic Freedom Fighters dissenting)

 

CONSIDERATION OF BUDGETARY REVIEW AND RECOMMENDATION REPORT OF PORTFOLIO COMMITTEE ON JUSTICE AND CORRECTIONAL SERVICES ON DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE AND CONSTITUTIONAL DEVELOPMENT AND RELATED ENTITIES

 

There was no debate.

 

The Deputy Chief Whip of the Majority Party moved: That the Report be adopted.

 

Declarations of Vote:

Ms G BREYTENBACH (DA): Hon House Chair, the committee oversees the Departments of Justice and Constitutional Development, Correctional Services, the National Prosecuting Authority, Legal Aid SA, the Special Investigating Unit, the SA Human Rights Commission, the Public Protector of South Africa, as well as the newly independent Office of the Chief Justice.

 

It is easy to see that all of these institutions perform vital functions in our democracy and all are vital for its success, so it is not an easy task to determine which, if any, or all should receive support for the request for additional funds.

 

The committee was fortunate to be able to engage with the Office of the Auditor-General – whose very practical presentation helped enormously in understanding the various budgetary challenges.

 

A few stand out. Legal Aid SA – previously the ugly sister of the group – has experienced a miraculous turnaround under the leadership of Judge Mlambo and must be congratulated on an outstanding performance and constitution. An undertaking to try and pay more attention to civil matters in encouraging and Legal Aid SA continues to do excellent work in terms of its mandate.

 

The Office of the Chief Justice, while newly independent and still finding its feet, has been innovative and proactive in its approach and is doing very good work in a short space of time.

 

The DA welcomes the recommendation of the committee that there should be more regular interaction with Chapter 9 institutions.

 

Similarly, we welcome the recommendation of additional funding for Legal Aid SA to expand its work to include civil matter and also maintenance-related matters.

 

The DA also welcomes the fact that the Office of the Public Protector will receive similar support and receive assistance from the Auditor-General to address the challenges arising from an accumulated deficit.

 

The DA supports this Budgetary Review and Recommendation Report.

 

Mr M Q NDLOZI (EFF): Hon House Chairperson, the EFF rejects this Report. There are two critical things for our declaration in this regard.

 

The first has to do with the transformation question within the legal fraternity. The EFF supports the resolution by the Johannesburg Bar to force attorneys to brief black advocates. The plight of black lawyers in this country is one of the key indicators that the ANC-led government suffers from a slave mentality. The government is well known to brief white lawyers all the time, arguing that it is about experience. Yet, in cases related to fields of constitutional and competition law, the majority if not all of which involve the state, we continue to see government briefing white lawyers.

 

This is despite the fact that constitutional and competition law are post-1994 fields. Even Deputy Chief Justice has attested to the fact that, on cases related to those fields, government lawyers are mainly, if not all, white.

 

This is proof of the ANC’s crippled psyche and that it suffers from slave mentality. This can also be seen in the Speaker’s against the EFF. When we brief black lawyers, the Speaker briefs white lawyers, hoping that, because they are white, they will win against us. But our black lawyers have consistently embarrassed the Speakers’ white lawyers hands down.

 

It is also a well known fact that, at the Marikana commission, Deputy President Ramaphosa appeared with a human shield of white lawyers to protect him against the charge that he had participated in the mass murder of black workers.

 

If you want us to take you seriously, you must have confidence in black people. The tendency to always brief ... [Interjections.]

 

The DEPUTY CHIEF WHIP OF THE MAJORITY PARTY: Chair, the hon member is insinuating that the Deputy President killed people at Marikana, which is not true. He knows that.

 

The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Mr C T Frolick): Hon member, I will check the Hansard to determine what the hon member has said.

 

Mr M Q NDLOZI: Chair, you are very wise.

 

The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Mr C T Frolick): Then I will come back and make a ruling, if necessary. Continue, hon member.

 

Mr M Q NDLOZI: You are very wise, because I have just read about the Speaker’s cases against us here.

 

If you want us to take you seriously, you must have confidence in black people. The tendency to always brief white lawyers reflects on yourselves, that you actually do not think you as blacks are competent at your own jobs. If you did, you would believe that black lawyers are also competent.

 

As Adv Ntsebeza has suggested to you, Minister, we would like to repeat: Government must immediately put all black advocates on a roster. Use them, because if you do not, then you must tell us where you are going to get black judges for the transformation of the judiciary. The answer is simple: nowhere!

 

Slave mentality is not only a reflection of self-hate; it is also deeply short-sighted.

 

The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Mr C T Frolick): Hon member, your time has expired.

 

Mr M Q NDLOZI: Chair, I still have eight seconds, according to this clock!

 

The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Mr C T Frolick): You went eight seconds over the time allocated to you, hon member! [Interjections.]

 

Mr S N SWART (ACDP): Hon House Chairperson, the ACDP will support this Report.

 

I think it is important to note that, as far as briefing patterns are concerned, 76% of the briefs by the government go to black advocates. So it is not true to say that all briefs go to white lawyers.

 

What is also important to note is that one of the main disclaimers here is the Third Party Funds. This has remained a challenge over the number of years that I have served on this committee. It has always been a challenge and so we trust that progress will be made to remove this disclaimer, as it is a serious indictment on this department.

 

In this regard, the ACDP welcomes the Justice Administered Fund Bill which has been tabled and which we believe will go a long towards addressing the problems faced by the administration of Third Party Funds.

 

The next issue is the Special Investigating Unit, SIU, which is struggling to collect monies due to it from departments. When the SIU does work for departments, it charges a fee. Obviously, when those departments do not pay the SIU, its ability to do its work is affected.

 

We also support the work of Legal Aid SA, which is, again, an example to all departments.

 

Lastly, the issue of the Public Protector ... While we now know that the Supreme Court of Appeal has ruled that departments must abide by the Public Protector’s remedial actions, we also understand that further clarity can be obtained by the Constitutional Court in February. But, at this stage, there is no reason departments should not abide by the decisions of the Public Protector in view of a binding Supreme Court of Appeal decision.

 

The recommendations that we need to look at the timeframes ... I think this has impacted on the work of all portfolio committees, more particularly this portfolio committee, with Correctional Services having been joined to it. It has been very difficult to consider all the departments. However, we believe we should relook at the timeframes for this process. But, having said that, the ACDP will support this Report.

 

Prof C T MSIMANG (IFP): Hon House Chair, in accordance with goals enumerated in the National Development Plan, this department has the responsibility of ensuring that our communities are safe, corruption is effectively sanctioned and prosecuted, judicial government is strengthened and rule of law is maintained and upheld.

 

Corruption, being endemic in many of our public service departments, must be rooted out. In order to do so, effective legislation, including criminal sanctions for transgression thereof, must be in place.

 

We are here to see a stemming of the tide of corruption within public services and departments.

 

When is the line going to be drawn in the sand, hon Minister? When will corruption find zero tolerance within our legislative frameworks and criminal sanction judgments? Nation-building and social cohesion are foundational upon the ideals and values enshrined in our Constitution. As such, the supremacy of the Constitution must be safeguarded against those elements who would seek to undermine it for short-term political gains.

 

Regarding the jurisdictional competencies of our High Court, there remains a clear need for reform and, in fact, there is an express constitutional duty to do so. Financial provision must be made for this process.

 

Court facilities in and around the country remain in a poor state of disrepair. These must receive immediate allocation and repair. The IFP supports the Report. Thank you.

 

Dr M S MOTSHEKGA (ANC): Hon House Chairperson, the committee is happy with the progress being made by the Ministry with regard to the creation of the Office of the Chief Justice. We also observe that the attention given to accused persons is not balanced with the attention given to the victims of crime. That creates the impression that the law favours the criminals over the victims of crime. That matter is being addressed because it is a matter of interpretation and application of the Constitution.

 

With regard to the interaction between Parliament and Chapter 9 institutions, the Office of the Speaker has started that process. It is going very well.

 

With regard to the briefs, hon Swart is correct. The majority of the briefs – 76% – do go to black lawyers. But that matter is also being addressed in terms of the implementation of the Legal Practice Bill, which is going very well.

 

So we are happy with the transformative agenda led by the Ministry and we would like to encourage them to continue the good work. Thank you.

 

Motion agreed to (Economic Freedom Fighters dissenting).

Report accordingly adopted.

 

Business suspended at 12:28 and resumed at 14:00.

 

Mr T MAKONDO: I hereby move on behalf of the ANC that in its next sitting the House debates the danger of our national heritage in private hands.

 

Mr M H REDELINGHUIS: I hereby give notice that I shall move on behalf of the DA at the earliest opportunity:

 

That this House –

 

1. notes that the streets of Johannesburg hosted the 26th annual Johannesburg pride festival on Saturday, 31 October, focusing on coming out and being comfortable with your identity and that for the first time HIV and AIDS awareness became a key theme;

 

1. further notes that the first gay pride march in Johannesburg was organised by the gay and lesbian organisation of the Witwatersrand, led by anti-apartheid activist, Simon Nkoli;

 

1. also notes that Saturday’s Johannesburg pride coincided with Asia’s biggest gay pride in Taiwan with an estimated 78 000 people participating;

 

1. notes that serious and valid concerns have been raised about the inclusivity of the Johannesburg pride festival;

 

1. debates means to raise awareness about and measures to combat discrimination, in particular, racism, misogyny and homophobia in the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, questioning and intersex, LGBTQI, community and foster true inclusivity, nonracialism and nonsexism in the community.

 

Mr M S MASANGO: I hereby move on behalf of the ANC that in its next sitting the House debates the progress, successes, weaknesses and failures of the United Nation’s organs over the last 70 years of its existence as well as its reform as enunciated by President Zuma at the General Assembly in New York on 28 September 2015.

 

Ms L L VAN DER MERWE: I hereby give notice that I shall move on behalf of the IFP that in its next sitting the House debates the politics of broken promises that have come to characterise our democracy and the need for accountable leadership to keep our dream of a united and prosperous South Africa alive.

 

Ms V KHETHABAHLE: I hereby move on behalf of the EFF that in its next sitting the House debates the impending water crisis in the country and the potential of water shedding and the possible impact that it will have on the livelihood of the poor and the functioning of the economy.

 

Nksz Z B N BALINDLELA: Somlomo, ndenza isaziso sokuba, xa le Ndlu ihlala kwakhona, ndiza kwenza isiphakamiso sokuba le Ndlu ixoxe ngamandla ingxubakaxaka nengozi yamanzi amoshakalayo eNelson Mandela Bay nento eyenza okukuba imijelo yawo ibe midala kakhulu. (Translation of isiXhosa motion follows.)

 

[Ms Z B N BALINDLELA: Speaker, I hereby give notice that, in the next sitting of the House, I will move that the House debates the crisis and danger of water wastage in Nelson Mandela Bay which renders water pipes obsolete.]

 

Mr A MADELLA: I hereby move on behalf of the ANC that in its next sitting that the House debates intensifying the fight against crime and corruption.

 

Ms A MATSHOBENI: I hereby move on behalf of the EFF that in its next sitting the House debates the much needed transformation of the media in South Africa to afford emerging small players who focus on community driven issues.

 

Ms G N NOBANDA: I hereby move on behalf of the ANC that in its next sitting the House debates creation of decent work and sustainable livelihood.

 

Mr K R J MESHOE: I hereby move on behalf of the ACDP that in its next sitting the House debates the implications of the call to move South Africa from the Nelson Mandela era of reconciliation and nation building to economic justice.

 

Mr P G ATKINSON: I hereby move on behalf of the DA that in its next sitting the House debates the creation of an economic climate in South Africa that is conducive to encouraging local and foreign private investment into our economy as a means of alleviating the falling growth rate and unacceptably high levels of unemployment in South Africa.

 

Mr A M MATHLOKO: I hereby move on behalf of the EFF that in its next sitting the House debates the decolonisation of South African universities to ensure that the education provided is not exclusive and builds an African sense of pride in young South Africans.

 

Ms H H MALGAS: I hereby move on behalf of the ANC that in its next sitting the House debates the impact of substance and drug abuse within our communities.

 

Mr K J MILEHAM: I hereby give notice that on behalf of the DA I shall move at the earliest opportunity:

 

That the House –

 

1. notes that the DA, yesterday, laid criminal charges against the executive mayor of Tshwane, Kgosientso ‘Sputla’ Ramokgoba, the city manager of Tshwane, Jason Ngobeni, and the directors of PEU Capital Partners (Pty) Ltd and its wholly owned subsidiary, Total Utilities Management Services (Pty) Ltd;

 

1. further notes that such charges arise from the aborted PEU Capital Partners (Pty) Ltd smart metering contract between the City of Tshwane and PEU Capital Partners (Pty) Ltd;

 

1. recognises that this contract has, thus far, resulted in a loss of R1,84 billion to the city ... [Interjections.] ... and that further losses running into hundred million rand are anticipated;

 

1. acknowledges that the contract was entered into against the advice of National Treasury and the then Minister of Finance, Pravin Gordhan,

 

1. notes that the DA on 1 October 2015 wrote to Minister Gordhan in his capacity as Minister of Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs and Minister Nhlanhla Nene as Minister of Finance, requesting a joint investigation to determine inter alia (i) the procurement process followed by the municipality’ (ii) the feasibility studies conducted prior to the conclusion of the procurement process;(iii) detailed information on this project as presented to the City of Tshwane municipal council, (iv) whether any misconduct arose on the parts of the executive mayor, the municipal manager or any other senior officials (v) whether any parties, organisations or individuals benefitted unduly from this project, and (vi) whether the costs incurred on this project should be recovered from any individuals in terms of section 32 of the Municipal Finance Management Act, MFMA,

 

1. further notes that no response has been received from either Minister in this regard;

 

1. thus notes that Ministers Pravin Gordhan and Nhlanhla Nene are failing to comply with their obligations as Ministers and, specifically, with their oath to uphold the Constitution and the laws of the Republic of South Africa; and

 

1. resolves that this issue be referred to Parliament’s Ethics Committee. Thank you, Chair. [Applause.]

 

Mr D AMERICA: Hon Deputy Speaker, I hereby give notice that on the next sitting day of the House I shall move on behalf of the DA:

 

That the House —

 

1. notes that the highly successful MyCiti public transport service continues to go from strength to strength in the City of Cape Town;
2. also notes that this service continues to expand to new suburbs, making Cape Town a connected and integrated city;

 

1. further notes that the roll out of the second MyCiti route to Khayelitsha this past weekend;

 

1. acknowledges that this is the second milestone in the City of Cape Town’s endeavor to provide the communities of the Cape Flats with safe, affordable and reliable public transport, following the launch of the N2 Express Service last year;

 

1. further acknowledges that since July 2014 more than 1 million passenger journeys were recorded on this route; and

 

1. lastly thanks the DA-run City of Cape Town for not wasting taxpayers money and instead investing it in services such as these that benefits the majority of our people.

 

The DEPUTY SPEAKER: Hon member, that sounds like a not a notice of motion, but you chose it that way. That is okay.

DEATH OF MINISTER NQAKULA’S SON CHUMANI NQAKULA

 

(Draft Resolution)

 

Mr J L MAHLANGU: Hon Deputy Speaker, I move without notice:

 

That this House —

 

1. notes with sadness the death of Chumani Nqakula, the son of hon Charles and Minister Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula’s four children, on Saturday, 31 October 2015;

 

1. further notes that the 23-year-old was stabbed to death in a house in Bezuidenhout Valley, Johannesburg, allegedly by someone he knew;

 

1. acknowledges that a 24-year-old man was arrested at the scene of the assault, where Chumani was certified dead;

 

1. commends the friends of Chumani Nqakula, who held the suspect and handed him over to the police; and

 

1. conveys its condolences to the Minister of Defence and Military Veterans, Ms Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula, Mr Charles Nqakula and the entire Nqakula family, relatives and friends.

 

Agreed to.

 

ON SATURDAY, 31 OCTOBER 2015, A RUSSIAN COMMERCIAL PASSENGER PLANE CRASHED IN EGYPT

 

(Draft Resolution)

 

Prof N M KHUBISA: Hon Deputy Speaker, I move without notice:

 

That this House —

 

1. notes that on Saturday, 31 October 2015, a Russian commercial passenger plane crashed in the Sinai area of Egypt, 23 minutes after departing from Egypt’s Red Sea resort town of Sharm el-Sheik on its way to Saint Petersburg in Russia;

 

1. further notes that the passenger plane had 224 people on board, of which seven were crew members;

 

1. acknowledges that there were no survivors of the crash;
2. further acknowledges that the Egyptian government has launched investigations into the cause of the crash, assisted by officials from Russia and France; and

 

1. extends its condolences to the governments of Russia, Ukraine and Belarus who lost citizens in the crash.

 

Agreed to.

 

ERNST VAN DYK WON THE WHEELCHAIR DIVISION OF THE 2015 NEW YORK CITY MARATHON THIS PAST SUNDAY

 

(Draft Resolution)

 

Mr D BERGMAN: Hon Deputy Speaker, I move without notice:

 

That this House —

 

1. notes that the South African sporting giant, Ernst Van Dyk, won the wheelchair division of the 2015 New York City Marathon this past Sunday;

 

1. also notes that this is Van Dyk’s second New York City Marathon victory, after winning it in 2005;

 

1. further notes that he beat American, Josh George by just a second, winning the prestigious race in 1:30:54;

 

1. recalls that the 42-year-old Van Dyk also has 10 Boston Marathon wins under his belt;

 

1. acknowledges the fantastic sportsman that Ernst Van Dyk is;

 

1. congratulates him on yet another major victory in a sterling career; and

 

1. wishes him well on his journey ahead.

 

CASSPER NYOVEST FILL UP THE DOME CONCERT

 

(Draft Resolution)

 

Mr M HLENGWA: Hon Deputy Speaker, I move without notice:

 

That this House —

 

1. congratulates the South African hip hop artist, Cassper Nyovest for successfully seeing through his most ambitious undertaking yet and that is his “fill up the dome” concert held on Saturday, 31 October 2015 at the Ticketpro Dome in Johannesburg;

 

1. notes that he has made history as the very first local artist to fill up the venue which has a capacity of 20 000 and cost between R4 to 5 million to hire;

 

1. further notes that the North West born Gusheshe hit maker tweeted his wish to fill up the dome, the former Coca-Cola Dome just a few months ago;

 

1. wishes him all the best for his future endevours and

 

1. calls on South Africans to start supporting our own as Cassper has proven that it is indeed possible.

 

JOHN POMBE MAGUFULI WINS PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS IN TANZANIA

 

(Draft Resolution)

 

Mr J L MAHLANGU: Hon Deputy Speaker, I move without notice:

That this House —

 

1. congratulates John Pombe Magufuli, of the Tanzania’s ruling party for winning the presidential election held over the weekend of the 25 October 2015;

 

1. notes that the National Electoral Commission has declared that the election process had been free and fair;

 

1. recognises that Mr Magufuli, has become Tanzania’s fifth president, by garnering 58% of the vote against 39% of his main opponent, Edward Lowassa, who represented an opposition coalition;

 

1. recalls that Chama Cha Mapinduzi party has also secured an overall majority in parliament but the opposition managed to defeat some key Ministers;

 

1. further notes that his victory represents a further extension of Chama Cha Mapinduzi party’s 54-year-rule in East Africa’s second largest economy; and

 

1. wishes John Pombe Magufuli the best in his position of responsibility.

Mr N S MATIASE: Hon Deputy Speaker, the Tanzanians have the reason to celebrate their maturing democracy, unlike us here. I think this opportunism of the ANC must be rejected, so we reject.

 

The DEPUTY SPEAKER: Yes, NFP.

 

Mr A M SHAIK-EMAM: Hon Deputy Speaker, on a point of order. It was agreed in this House that we will apply the law equally. That when a member is objecting all that will be done will be to object and there would be no preamble but yet we are allowing it. So, can I please allow the hon Deputy Speaker to apply the law. Thank you. [Interjections.]

 

ON SUNDAY, 17 OCTOBER 2015, FOUR PEOPLE WERE ATTACKED BY A GANG OF 12 MEN IN RHODES PARK JOHANNESBURG

 

(Draft Resolution)

 

Mr A M SHAIK-EMAM: Hon Deputy Speaker, I move without notice:

 

That this House —

 

1. notes that on Sunday, 17 October 2015, four people were attacked by a gang of 12 men in Rhodes Park in Kensington, Johannesburg  where two men were drowned and a woman brutally gang-raped;

 

1. also notes that on Friday, 30 October 2015, a suspect was charged with murder, attempted murder and rape in connection with the incident;

 

1. finally notes that no other suspects have been arrested thus far, but police investigation continues;

 

1. congratulates the SA Police investigators on the breakthrough; and

 

1. encourages the investigative team to continue working nonstop to bring the other perpetrators of this heinous crime to face justice.

 

I so move.

 

CONDOLENCES TO TSHEPO NGWANE FAMILY

 

(Draft Resolution)

Ms J M MALULEKE: Hon Deputy Speaker, I move without notice on behalf of the ANC:

 

That the House -

 

1. notes with sadness the passing of the actor Tshepo Ngwane at the Jabulani Hospital on Tuesday October 2015, at the age of 39 years;

 

1. further notes that Tshepo Ngwane gained popularity when he appeared in the late 1990s hit Yizo Yizo TV drama as Thiza, which marked a turning point in South African television;

 

1. recalls that Ngwane also excelled in another popular TV series, Zone 14, as Doctor Mdu Sibiya;

 

1. believes that he dedicated his life to his acting career, demonstrating his ability at being successfully bringing to life his television acting;

 

1. recognises that his love for acting as a form of art speaks to society in profound and life-changing ways, and that his acting revealed the truths of the realities of our times and it captured the imagination of countless viewers;

 

1. further believes that his untimely death has robbed the country and in particular the TV industry;

 

1. further believes that Tshepo was one of the seasoned TV actors whose talent was still blossoming and could impact positively to upcoming generations of actors;

 

1. calls upon the upcoming actors to walk in his footsteps and carry forward his dreams in the TV industry; and

 

1. conveys its condolences to his family, friends and the television industry.

 

I thank you.

 

The DEPUTY SPEAKER: If there are no objections, I put the motion.

 

An HON MEMBER: Hon Deputy Speaker, we send our condolences but object to the motion.

 

The DEPUTY SPEAKER: Hon members, please follow the agreement reached by yourselves in the House.

 

UNSPEAKABLE BEHAVIOR BY THE RUSTENBURG LOCAL MUNICIPALITY TOWARDS STREET VENDORS

 

(Draft Resolution)

 

Ms N V MENTE: Hon Deputy Speaker, I move without notice on behalf of the EFF:

 

That the House -

 

1. notes the unbecoming and unspeakable behavior by the Rustenburg Local Municipality towards street vendors;

 

1. further notes that, municipal bylaw enforcement officers do not follow proper procedure when they enforce laws, breaking their own laws, and often seize goods to their houses instead of municipal offices;

 

1. acknowledges the March by EFF in the North West to the Rustenburg Local Municipality in solidarity with the marginalised, oppressed and destitute street vendors not only in North West but throughout the country, who continue to be subject of harassment by the same municipalities that are supposed to serve and protect them,

 

1. requests the Rustenburg Local Municipality to return all illegally confiscated goods from street vendors, as outlined on the memorandum of demand handed to the municipality on Monday as soon as possible;

 

1. calls on local government to build decent and suitable infrastructure to provide a place where they will conduct their trade with dignity;

 

1. further calls on all bylaw municipal officials to treat other fellow members of society in particular street vendors with dignity, respect and humility as they strive to make a livelihood under difficult circumstances.

 

The DEPUTY SPEAKER: If there are no objections, I put the motion.

 

An HON MEMBER: The ANC objects, Chair.

 

The DEPUTY SPEAKER: The motion falls away. Yes, hon member at the back?

 

CONDOLENCES TO THE PARENTS WHOSE CHILDREN DIED IN A TRAGIC ACCIDENT

 

(Draft Resolution)

 

Mr A MADELLA: Hon Deputy Speaker, I move without notice on behalf of the ANC:

 

That the House -

 

1. notes that the community of Hawston in the Overstrand Municipal area is in mourning following the tragic accident in which two children died and a third child sustained serious injuries;

 

1. further notes that on Saturday 24 October, the parents of Jamie-Lee Samuels, Chrismedine Seegels and Raldo Davids were called to a tragic scene at ruins of an old dilapidated house where a section caved in on top of the children whilst they were playing;

 

1. also notes that Jamie-Lee and Chrismedine were declared death on the scene whilst Raldo was rushed to the nearest hospital and has been transfered to the Tygerberg Hospital to recover;

 

1. acknowledges that all three children were between the ages of 10 and 11 years old at the prime of their young lives;

 

1. further acknowledges that in visiting the families of the two children who passed on in this tragic accident to express our condolences and to offer support, we were struck by the community’s solidarity and camaraderie;

 

1. notes that the Samuels family were struck a double blow by the fact that the two girls that died in this tragic accident are the children of two sisters;

 

1. finally, the ANC calls on this House to express its profound and heartfelt condolences to the parents and grandparents, as well as the community of Hawston for the deceased children and also wish Raldo Davids a speedy recovery.

 

Thank you.

 

An HON MEMBER: I object to anything that comes from the anti-black national congress.

 

CONGRATULATES THE SOUTH AFRICAN SWIMMING TEAM FOR WINNING MEDALSRAISING THE COUNTRY’S FLAG HIGH THE SOUTH AFRICAN SWIMMING TEAM

 

(Draft resolution)

 

Mr J MAHLANGU: Hon Deputy Speaker, I move without notice on behalf of the ANC:

 

That the House -

 

1. notes that on Monday 2 November 2015, the South African swimming team claimed six medals - four gold, one silver and one bronze during the opening day of the Fina/airweave Swimming World Cup in Doha;further notes that Chad le Clos was victorious on three occasions, bringing home the gold in the 200m butterfly;

 

1. also notes that in the 100m freestyle, Le Clos’ time of 48.96 won him the race title;

 

1. acknowledges Cameron van der Burgh was once again on point in the 50m breaststroke, winning the race while teammate Giulio Zorzi claimed the silver;

 

1. further acknowledges that Van der Burgh also made his way to the medal podium in the 200m breaststroke, scooping the bronze medal;

 

1. recalls that in other results, Jacques van Wyk ended eighth in the 100m backstroke final, while Michael Meyer and Ayrton Sweeney came fifth and sixth in the 400m individual medley respectively; and

 

1. finally congratulates the South African Swimming Team for raising the country’s flag high.

 

Thank you.

 

The DEPUTY SPEAKER: If there are no objections, I put the motion.

 

An HON MEMBER: Deputy Speaker, we object.

 

DEPARTMENT OF MINERAL RESOURCES

 

(Draft Resolution)

 

Ms M O MOKAUSE: Hon Deputy Speaker, I move without notice on behalf of the EFF:

 

That the House -

 

1. notes the progressive steps by the Nigerian government to impose R71,5 billion on MTN that was threatening to disinvest from South Africa two weeks ago for their lawlessness,

 

1. further notes that, the Johannesburg Stock Exchange temporarily closed trading on MTN Group shares on Monday morning due to sharp decline in the companies’ shares, as MTN rotten ethics and governance came under intense scrutiny;

 

1. also notes that, like majority of multinational corporations in particular mining companies such as Glencore and Lonmin who appoint politically connected individual to chair their boards, continue to treat Africa like their backyard where they can operate with complete disregard of domestic legislations;

 

1. acknowledges that MTN has not only disregard telecommunication legislation but also tax legislation as they continue to shift billions to countries with no tax or very low tax rateS as they aggressively avoid their tax obligation;

 

1. warns that South Africans must not allow companies like MTN to be law onto themselves;

 

1. further notes that, unlike South Africa, Nigeria must be commended for standing against threats from multinational corporations who operate as if they are immune to legislation;

 

1. acknowledges that, in South Africa, MTN could easily be breaking Independent Communications Authority of South Africa, Icasa, legislation because they have political protection in the form of their former chairman of the board now our Deputy President;
2. calls on all recipients entrusted with the legislation to including the Department of Mineral Resources, to start enforcing the legislation at their disposal to restore sense of order in the country.

 

The DEPUTY SPEAKER: If there are no objections, I put the motion.

 

An ANC MEMBER: The ANC objects, Chair.

 

The DEPUTY SPEAKER: The motion falls away.

 

MEDIA FREEDOM DAY

 

(Member’s Statement)

 

Ms N NDONGENI (ANC): Deputy Speaker, on Sunday 18 October 2015, South Africa Media Freedom Day was observed to encourage interaction and good relations between government and the media. President Jacob Zuma hosted editors and senior journalists in Pretoria for the commemoration of the National Press Freedom Day.

 

The event commemorated Black Wednesday, 19 October 1977, when the apartheid regime clamped down on the media, banning newspapers, The World and the Weekend World and jailed journalists. Scores of activists were harassed and others fled South Africa and opted for a life in exile. Many more lives were lost and destroyed over many decades because of an evil regime.

 

Today, we are proud of the fact that freedom of expression and freedom of the media are enshrined in the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa and we call on all not to take these freedoms for granted. I thank you.

 

SERVICE DELIVERY AT ABAQULUSI MUNICIPALITY

 

(Member’s Statement)

 

Mr Z T HADEBE (DA): Deputy Speaker, the DA recently conducted an oversight visit to the AbaQulusi Municipality in KwaZulu Natal. We were shocked to our cores, service deliveries nonexistent and basic human rights are violated. We found 400 families living on the dump site and children playing close to a heap of cow carcasses. This area is completely unsuitable for human habitation and yet this is where these kids play, live and sleep. The only relieve the ANC-run municipality has provided since 1994, is the water provision from a tanker once a month. This is simply not good enough. The negative impact on the community’s mental and physical wellbeing is a cause for great concern and a violation of their basic human rights.

 

The Minister of Human Settlement must be proactive and announce immediate intervention. She must start by launching a full enquiry into the AbaQulusi Municpality’s Reconstruction and Development Programme, RDP, housing allocations. The ANC ward councilor, the ANC-run municipality and the provincial MEC for Human Settlement are fully aware of this situation, but nothing is being done to fix it. Hopefully the Minister won’t ignore the gross violation of human rights by her party and will act. It is not acceptable for our communities to live like stray animals 22 years after the dawn of democracy. Minister, please, act now. Thank you, Mr Deputy Speaker.

 

STUDENTS MARCHES

 

(Member’s Statement)

 

Mr N M PAULSEN (EFF): Deputy Speaker, the EFF would like to applaud the courageous struggle of university students in South Africa where in a space of two weeks won struggles that the Congress of South African Trade Unions, Cosatu, has been unable to win in over 20 years. The students, who started fighting against financial exclusion from the still colonial universities in this country, were conscious enough to tie the struggles with those of struggling workers who are subjected to slave-like conditions by labour brokers in these universities. The demands of the students and the workers were clear. Universities must stop the repressive practice of outsourcing work that could easily be done by workers who are employed by the universities themselves.

 

At the beginning of this week most universities, including Wits University and the University of Cape Town, have agreed to do away with outsourcing and ensure that all outsourced workers currently working at these universities will be employed on a fulltime basis by the universities themselves. This is a lesson that the government and their lackeys in what used to be a trade union movement, Cosatu, should take heed of. But what else can you expect from the leadership of sister Sidumo. It is possible to rid our society of these abusive labour brokers.

 

As we speak, Parliament itself is outsourcing some of the very basic services such as cleaning and gardening exposing poor black workers to unscrupulous labour brokers. Ordinary cleaners in this Parliament are paid paltry salary of R2 500 a month, which is equivalent to the amount that some communist Ministers in this House spends on a bottle of whisky [Interjection.] [Time expired.]

 

The Deputy Speaker: Hon member, your time has expired.

 

Mr M N PAULSEN: We call on the ANC to ban the practice of labour brokers before society moves in just like the students force. The communist Minister must reconsider expelling poor students from universities. We call on all members of staff in Parliament to get inspiration from the struggle of university students and demand that all outsourced services in Parliament must be done by staff members employed by Parliament. [Time expired.] Thank you.

 

The DEPUTY SPEAKER: Hon member, it is appropriate that you always look at your watch and say whatever you want to say within that time otherwise you play as if you are an ability free rein. Don’t do that.

 

Mr M N PAULSEN: I am an African time, Deputy Speaker.

 

Mr M Q NDLOZI: Deputy Speaker, we would like to appeal that you should not switch off microphones of members. I’m calling for a point of order. It’s not parliamentary and it incites aggression. As a Deputy Speaker or a presiding officer, you must always rein in us with balance, maturity and be patient with us. Otherwise, the way in which you switch off the microphone incites aggression and is unnecessary. I’m appealing to your conscience and let’s not do this game of switching people’s microphones. We are not in a kindergarten. The microphone must be on until I finish speaking and I must be able to take an instruction and so forth. Let’s not switch off people’s microphones. We will experience serious problems. It incites aggression, and actually, it’s very violent - very violent.

 

The DEPUTY SPEAKER: Hon Ndlozi, I want to repeat it. You accepted the Rules that you will speak for a specified time frame, and that it is the business and the responsibility of the presiding officer to alert you when you are going overtime. Even after being warned that you have over stripped your time, you are inciting ungovernability in the House. That is unacceptable and we will keep switching off the microphone. You must understand that, sir. And I’m sure you are able to understand that. [Applause.] So, don’t try to make this appeal again. If you do that it is unacceptable to deliberately violate the Rules and then threaten with aggression. That is ungovernable, that is out of order.

 

Mr M Q NDLOZI: Bra Tsenoli!

 

The DEPUTY SPEAKER: What are you rising on, hon member?

 

Mr M Q NDLOZI: Bra Tsenoli, all I’m saying, and I’m not threatening you with aggression, but I am saying, is that it’s aggressive for you not to recognise the passion of the speech. Understand the passion of the speech... [Interjections.] Switching off the microphone is not the best way to address that.

 

The DEPUTY SPEAKER: Hon member, I don’t take your advice on what is the best way to stop you going across what you yourselves accepted as a Rule. It’s out of order. Please, take your seat.

 

Mr M Q NDLOZI: I will take it to the Rules committee.

 

SIXTY YEARS OF FREEDOM CHARTER CELEBRATION

 

(Member’s Statement)

 

Mr M S MASANGO (ANC): Hon Deputy Speaker, as part of celebrating the 60 years of the Freedom Charter’s principle that “There Shall be Peace and Friendship”, our Deputy President undertook a Three Nations Visit to Sweden from 19th to 20th October 2015 for a Bi-National Commission between the two countries and to Cuba on the 26th October 2015 to strengthen bilateral, political, economic and trade relations between South Africa and Cuba and lastly to Mexico from the 27th to the 28th October 2015 for the Open Government Partnership Global Summit. These watershed visits are an eloquent testament that the ANC-led government continues to be a significant global player. Thank you. [Applause.]

 

INKATHA FREEDOM PARTY CELEBRATED FOURTY YEARS OF ITS EXISTENCE

 

(Member’s Statement)

 

Ms S J NKOMO (IFP): Hon Deputy Speaker, the IFP’s rally in celebration of 40 years of its existence held in Soweto Gauteng this past weekend was a great success and is a good story to tell. Thousands of loyal IFP supporters gathered at Elka Stadium in Rockville to celebrate the party’s 40th anniversary of its existence over a two-day event. As the IFP we have a good reason to be proud and many reasons to celebrate.

During the magnificent celebration the IFP also welcomed three members from the DA. [Interjections.] This year’s celebration time were a good reflection for the party for we had an opportunity to remember the reasons we started the purpose for which we persevered and the significance for our continued presence on the political landscape.

 

For 40 years, education for liberation has been the clarion call of the IFP and we established this principle in the fight against Bantu education during the apartheid system which sought to keep the majority under educated. Education is the tool of liberation yet our education is still mired in crises.

 

Our youth are asking for the opportunity to create their own future and we believe it is the responsibility of the democratic government to empower this generation and to shape them for tomorrow. [Time expired.] Thank you.

 

PRICE INCREASE OF AGRICULTURAL INPUT PRODUCTS

 

(Member’s Statement)

 

Dr A P W MULDER (FFP): Hon Deputy Speaker, the South Africa’s agricultural sector is experiencing a very serious crisis and it appears as if government does not have any understanding of it. According to media reports they do not intend doing anything about it either.

 

To farm successfully today a farmer needs basic resources things like fertilizers, seeds, tractors diesel just to name but a few. In the last few years the prize of fertilizers increased by 92%, seeds by 88%, tractors by 105% and diesel by 86%. Over the same period maize prizes have only increased by 28%. A simple profit and loss sum shows why so many farmers go bankrupt and just stop farming.

 

You know the Bothaville District which falls in the productive maize triangle, 46 farms are current for sale at this moment. This gives an indication of the seriousness of the situation. Add to this financial crisis is the drought. In most provinces it is extremely dry for the second consecutive year.

 

KwaZulu-Natal has already declared a disaster area and provinces such as Limpopo, the Free State, North West and the Northern Cape are on the way there. If government does not act timeously, we will be faced with abnormally high food prices and famine for some.

 

Regardless of these facts through irresponsible comments, government continues to make farmers a scapegoat for many problems which have not been created by them but by the ANC. Please make a study of revolutions of other countries and discover in how many instances there was direct relation between food shortages, famine and uprisings. Thank you.

 

WATER STORAGE AND RETICULATION PROJECT IN KAMADAKWA-NDLOVU

 

(Member’s Statement)

 

Mr T MAKONDO (ANC): Hon Deputy Speaker, the community of KaMadakwa-Ndlovu, in Umjindi Local Municipality in Mpumalanga, will have their lives made easy by the water storage and reticulation project currently being implemented in their village by the Department of Water and Sanitation.

 

The reticulation will cover about 630 households when completed. A one megalitre concrete reservoir is being constructed as part of the project and is earmarked to be completed around December. The reticulation will ensure that the villagers have access to water right on their doorsteps meaning they would no longer have to carry containers to fetch water from the communal taps they currently use and the concrete reservoir will ensure reliable water supply as there will be enough storage.

 

The project has also benefitted the community in terms of job opportunities and so far it has created about 17 job opportunities for the local residents. The community members have committed to guard against illegal connections and any forms of vandalism of water infrastructure as this will affect the optimal operation of the system and leave some sections with difficulties in accessing the water supply. The community has appreciated the work the government of the ANC has done in meeting its commitment to the 2014 Election Manifesto. [Time Expired.] I thank you. [Applause.]

 

Electricity for Oskraal communities

 

(Member’s Statement)

 

Mr T GODI (APC) Deputy Speaker, the APC rejoice with the residents of plots 48, 75, 99, and 100 in Oskraal in the Madibeng Municipality on finally being able to access electricity. Despite the shenanigans of some dark forces that sort to divert the project. The APC is happy to see such critical development reach our people, especially the rural masses. The APC would like to see all our people have universal access to electricity. Electricity is a powerful tool for individual and societal emancipation from the strictious of ignorance and deprivation.

 

By mealy providing electricity, the masses are usually empowered; such is the importance of electricity in banishing backwardness that Vladimir Lenin on being asked what communism was said - in giving practical response - that communism is soviet power and electrification. Congratulations to APC provincial Commissar and local councillor comrade William Modiba for pursuing the mass line, thus ensuring that these residents of Oskraal are not passive recipients of public services but remain agents of their own development. Thank you.

 

Launching of the Mkondzo project

 

(Member’s Statement)

 

Ms H H MALGAS (ANC): Deputy Speaker, the ANC commends the Department of Social Development on the launch of Project Mkondzo. This important programme entails, among others, expediting the registration of Early Childhood Development Centres, Non-Profit Organisations and assisting our people to social grants and other basic services. This is done with the assistance of other government departments and local municipalities.

 

Through this programme, the department is now able to effect social challenges such as the abuse of elderly persons, and the unlawful deduction of their pension and other grants.

 

We, the ANC, would like to thank the Minister of Social Development and her department for their foresight and vision in the initiation of such a project that improves the lives of our people in a meaningful way. What a good story we as the ANC can tell as we move South Africa forward. I thank you.

 

RAPE OF AN EIGHT-YEAR-OLD GIRL CHILD AT MANKWENG

 

(Member’s Statement)

 

Ms E R WILSON (DA): Deputy Speaker, an eight-year-old girl child in Mankweng has been raped twice this year. In the first assault the perpetrator was a 16-year-old from the Mapudi-Thomo Primary School at Kgamadiba, Limpopo. The rape took place in January this year when the victim was lured to a hideout right next to the school by another child, who advised her that the perpetrator had special games just for girls.

 

The second assault took place on the school grounds by a group of 14-year-old boys who droved the victim from toilets to the overgrown grass in the school yard where she was raped. Dr’s reports confirming those instances that she was brutally raped and in both instances the victim was able to identify her attackers. Charges were laid at the Mankweng Police Station. Tragically, however, the police made no arrest or progress on either case.

 

The DA has been reliably informed that the police did go to the school but were denied entry by the headmaster because they were in uniform. When they returned the second time in plain cloths the headmaster again denied them access as they were not allowed to talk to school children while they in school uniform. It would appear that nothing has been done by SAPS. The DA had been informed that the 16-year-old accused had be sent to the Thomo primary school while the 13-year-olds continue in the Mapudi-Thomo Primary School. The severely traumatised victim has been withdrawn ... [Time expired.]

 

Selling of teaching postS by Sadtu leaders

(Member’s Statement)

 

Ms N GINA (ANC): Deputy Speaker, the ANC notes with sadness the continuous allegations of the selling of the teaching posts. A news report by the City Press newspapers alleges that some Sadtu leaders, particularly in KwaZulu-Natal, are selling jobs. This is bad and should not be tolerated. We condemn the selling of posts as it compromises the integrity of the education system and the professional stature of teaching.

 

The ANC welcomes the move by Minister Angie Motshekga to establish an investigation team led by Prof John Volmink to investigate these allegations. We further welcome that the Minister has roped in audit firm Deloitte and Touché and the Department of Justice to conduct forensic investigations into this matter. We have taken note that the investigation will not focus on the KwaZulu-Natal province only, but on all the nine provinces. We therefore call for the speedy completion of such investigations.

 

We also call upon any individuals, government officials, teachers, SGB associations who still have information on the selling of posts to swiftly approach the investigation team.

As the ANC we need urgent conclusion on this matter and we need to demonstrate that teaching jobs are not for sale and those doing so should face the might of the law. Thank you.

 

UNSATISFACTORY PERFORMANCE OF EASTERN CAPE DEPARTMENT OF BASIC EDUCATION

 

(Member’s Statement)

 

Mr L M NTSHAYISA (AIC): Deputy Speaker, as the AIC, we condemn the inconsiderate and unbecoming behaviour of the Eastern Cape government in general and the provincial Department of Basic Education in particular.

 

The MEC for this department and his officials seem not to care about teachers, and they seem not to be equal to the task. The teachers that were appointed to permanent positions midyear have not been paid yet. Those who were promoted to senior positions as principals and heads of department are still waiting for their salaries to be paid. The MEC made it worse by announcing a cut of 1 000 teaching posts in the department, even though an additional amount of R1 billion had been appropriated to the salary bill.

 

It is very disturbing that the department has run out of funds meant for the Learning and Teaching Support Material. This cannot be accepted. The human resources section in this department is problematic. We thought that, as a communist, the MEC for this department would be very willing to serve the people but, alas, nothing is happening.

 

Should the idea of reducing the provinces be realised, the Eastern Cape should be the first to be done away with. If financial and human resources are not available, this province will take time to move from the bottom in terms of Grade 12 results. Thank you very much.

 

HOUSING DEVELOPMENT PROJECT IN ZANDSPRUIT

 

(Member’s Statement)

 

Ms M T KUBAYI (ANC): Deputy Speaker, the ANC welcomes the decision of the City of Johannesburg to launch a massive development project in the informal settlement of Zandspruit, west of Johannesburg. This will see an estimated 15 000 shacks developed into a formal settlement to consist of more than 7 000 brick and mortar housing units.

 

This progressive decision was endorsed by the City of Johannesburg’s monthly council meeting last week. As the ANC, we commend this move because for too long the people of Zandspruit have been complaining about their squalid living conditions and have even embarked on protests to demonstrate their frustration. We applaud the ANC-led City of Johannesburg for showing that it is a government that listens and responds concretely to the concerns of its citizens. We are confident that this project will change the lives of the people of Zandspruit for the better.

 

However, we wish to bring it to the attention of the people of South Africa that the racist DA in the City of Johannesburg voted against this decision. We are disappointed but not surprised by this stance from the DA because it is a party that does not believe in providing decent and dignified facilities for the black and the poor. They tried with Cosmo City, they tried with Corridors of Freedom, and they failed dismally. They have even failed here.

 

Under the ANC’s watch, we will never have conditions elsewhere in South Africa similar to that experienced in the Cape Town townships. The people of Zandspruit and country at large are now beginning to see the DA for what it is. Thank you. [Interjections.]

 

CALL FOR RURAL SAFETY INITIATIVES TO CURB FARM ATTACKS AND MURDERS

 

(Member’s Statement)

 

Mr M H REDELINGHUYS (DA): Deputy Speaker, the DA condemns the brutal attack on Mr Moses Mangwedi, a farm worker in the Free State, who was attacked by three men recently.

 

Mnr Mangwedi se regterbeen is op verskeie plekke gebreek en sy linkerbeen is so hard geslaan dat sy kuit gebars is. Daar is ’n messteek aan sy borskas, ’n groot sny aan sy kop waar hy met ’n lem gekap is, omdat hy nie wou stilsit sodat hy doodgesteek kon word nie. Die hele palm van sy linkerhand is met steke toegewerk, omdat hy die mes aan die lem gegryp het in ’n poging om homself te verdedig. Die mans het sy hande agter sy rug vasgebind en sy mond met dik kleefband toegeplak. Die man met die mes wou sy keel afsny, maar die ander twee rowers het hom oorreed om dit nie te doen nie. (Translation of Afrikaans paragraph follows.)

 

[Mr Mangwedi’s right leg was broken in several places and he was beaten so badly on his left leg that it split open. He had been stabbed in his chest and his head was hacked open with a blade because he refused to keep still for them to kill him. The whole palm of his left hand was stitched because he gripped the knife’s blade in an attempt to defend himself. The men tied his hands behind his back and sealed his mouth with a thick sticking tape. The man with the knife wanted to slit his throat, but the other two robbers persuaded him not to do so.]

 

Thus far this year, 19 people have been murdered on farms in the Free State, 14 of which were farm workers or their family members. It is estimated that 46 attacks on Free State farms have occurred thus far this year. Attacks on farm workers, in particular, are on the rise, and 185 attacks and 47 murders have been recorded in 2015.

 

Plaasaanvalle en plaasmoorde is duidelik ’n krisis waarteen hierdie regering gewaarsku is, en dit word steeds geïgnoreer. [Farm attacks and farm murders are clearly a crises against which this government had been warned, but the warning is still being ignored.]

 

Violence affects every person in rural South Africa, and specific statistics on farm attacks and farm murders must be made available again. The DA reiterates its call for the establishment of a specialised rural safety unit within the police, including a rural safety intelligence division that is equipped, trained and resourced adequately to deal with increasing insecurity and violent attacks on farms in South Africa. Thank you very much.

 

CONGRATULATIONS TO HIP HOP ARTIST CASSPER NYOVEST

 

(Member’s Statement)

 

Ms G N NOBANDA (ANC): Deputy Speaker, the ANC congratulates our hip hop sensation Cassper Nyovest for being the first musician to fill the 20 000-seat Dome in Northgate, Johannesburg without the help of any international act or artist. Cassper Nyovest, whose real name is Refiloe Maele Phoolo, performed to a full capacity Dome arena over the weekend, fulfilling his dream and, in the process, achieving a feat that no other South African artist had ever achieved.

 

We applaud Cassper Nyovest for this tremendous success which has demonstrated the rich talent that exists within our country’s music industry especially amongst our youth. Cassper has also confirmed the enormous support for local music by our youth, which augurs well for the development of our arts, culture and heritage. I thank you. [Applause.]

 

Mr M Q NDLOZI: Deputy Speaker, is it parliamentary to plagiarise? The member just read some of the lines directly from a News24 report, and she did not reference it. [Interjections.] We cannot accept plagiarism. It is actually illegal to plagiarise at university. You will not get a degree. She just read a whole statement without any reference that she took everything she had read here from News24 because she did not buy a ticket to support Cassper Nyovest.

 

The DEPUTY SPEAKER: Hon member, that is not a point of order. Members are allowed to make any statement they wish, whatever their source.

 

STUDENT PROTESTS

 

(Minister’s Response)

 

The MINISTER OF HIGHER EDUCATION: Deputy Speaker, plagiarism has to be proven and not alleged. In relation to the statement raised by the hon member of the EFF, I want to say that as government we are very sympathetic and understanding on the legitimate concerns by the students on the course of university education. It was for those reasons – it’s not something that was raised that we are responding to it now – that we established the National Student Financial Aid Scheme which now stands at R9,5 billion.

 

It is also for this reason that the President, after meeting with the various stakeholders, decided that there shall be no fee increases in 2016. I also stand here to welcome the decision by the University of Cape Town, UCT, and Wits in committing to insourcing workers and doing away with outsourcing. I welcome that and it’s a very important step. [Applause.]

 

At a summit that I had convened on universities on 15-17 October, we agreed on a range of measures and conversations and discussions that we must have on transformation. We are all committed, all the stakeholders to continue with those discussions as per the agreement of the summit as well as those matters identified at the meeting between the President and the various stakeholders. We as this ANC government were the first to knew that poor students must be assisted and indeed we went ahead and assisted them. Thank you very much.

SERVICE DELIVERY AT ABAQULUSI MUNICIPALITY

 

(Minister’s Response)

 

The MINISTER OF RURAL DEVELOPMENT AND LAND REFORM: Deputy Speaker, I just want to respond to the hon member from the DA about the Abaqulusi Municipality. The hon member says there is no service delivery there. That is not correct -wards 5, 6 and 7. Get to Sikhame. Sikhame was only mud houses and so on. [Interjection.]

 

The DEPUTY SPEAKER: Hon members, give the Minister chance to speak.

 

The MINISTER OF RURAL DEVELOPMENT AND LAND REFORM: But if you get there now, there is a new township built by this government.

 

It is correct too that it is an ANC councillor, Thulani Ndlovu, who is today asking for electricity for 1250 houses there. In fact, if you get to Ward 7 you will find that there are toilets. There was a Member of Parliament here, Mma Ngcobo who said just focus on the [14:58:44] in rural areas. You will deal with health problems et cetera. That’s the one area where we went and constructed VIP toilets that helped change the attitude of the people.

 

Lastly, I will be unfair if I don’t say this. I know the Minister of Agriculture is going to respond. Omnia's Agriculture division will ask why did I keep quiet. Couple of months ago, which culminated into this last three months, Omnia's Agriculture division, said they have R44 million worth of fertilizer for the co-operative farmers. Just to give them tractors. We came together and bought 13 tractors for R27 million. They came up with R44 million. I just want to say that we have partnership with them. I just wanted to say that. Now we have more than 29 farmers including co-operatives in that partnership. Thank you, hon Minister. [Applause.]

 

GOVERNMENT’S STANCE ON DROUGHT

 

(Minister’s Response)

 

The MINISTER OF AGRICULTURE FORESTRY AND FISHERIES: Deputy Speaker, I am on the issue raised by the hon member from the FF Plus on the drought situation. I would be happy if we could not listen to everything because there has never been a decision that the department is not going to assist farmers. We are in discussions. Last week, we were discussing with the sugar growers and referred them to the relevant structures to deal with their plight.

 

We know that five provinces were declared drought affected areas and the department has, through provinces, used the law to make sure that they are assisted. The department has released R14 million to assist smallholder farmers to buy feed for their animals and get water in other areas. As I speak, we have already engaged the Industrial Development Corporation, IDC, as well as the Land Bank to look at soft loans. The aim is to make farmers ready to make sure that when the next season arrives they can produce.

 

This drought problem is not only about making funding available, but it’s about other means we can apply to make sure that we are more smarter in agriculture. We use water in a way that we can save it. Instead of using the sprinklers we are looking at other systems like the drip system. We are looking at harvesting more water. The debate is ongoing, sir. Recently, I addressed a meeting of farmers.

 

Laat ons nie luister na wat ander mense se nie. [Let us not listen to what other people are saying.]

Let’s talk about what is happening because we are committed.

 

There is no way we can ever [Interjections.] No, no, no, don’t tell me about who ever said what at that time. We are the department and I am not going to comment on what other people have said.

 

On the issue of attacks on farmers ... [Time expired.]

 

LEARNERS

 

NONPAYMENT OF CIVIL SERVANTS

 

(Minister’s Response)

 

The DEPUTY MINISTER OF BASIC EDUCATION: Deputy Speaker, I have three statements to respond to. The first comes from DA. Indeed, it is correct to say that our schools should be safe and caring environments for our learners where they ought to be protected. I am rather surprised, amazed and shocked at the fact that a principal of a school would deny access to a police officer whether in or without uniform.

 

The reality of the matter is that more than 15 000 of our schools are in collaboration with the SA Police Service in terms whereof they provide support to each one of those schools. Therefore the conduct of the principal, if indeed it is so, is totally inconsistent with this collaboration agreement and with the policy. If the information is provided to me I would take it upon myself to refer it to the Minister of Police to investigate immediately why the matter is not being investigated swiftly enough. Indeed, the Minister of Justice has indicated that if at all it is with the prosecution authority then he would take the appropriate steps. We are indeed shocked and dismayed at what had occurred there.

 

With regard to the issue of the Eastern Cape, it would be very very helpful if we had more and better information. The general sweep of the statement does not assist and the hon member can provide me with the information. For example, the reality in the Eastern Cape is that there are thousands of unqualified temporary teachers whereas at the same time there are many teachers who are in surplus who are in district offices. There is an arrangement with the labour unions and they have agreed to in terms of the Education Labour Relations Council that the first preference would be given to qualified competent additional staff thereafter to qualified temporary teachers.

The termination of those contracts might well be, and I don’t have the information, of those who are unqualified temporary teachers who are going to be replaced by teachers in surplus. This will affect the budget positively and indeed will make a difference. As indicated last week, there are enormous challenges in the Eastern Cape, but certainly we can celebrate progress that has been made in relation to nutrition, transportation and the provision of hygiene. Thank you very much. [Time expired.]

 

SECOND GLOBAL TUBERCULOSIS CAUCUS OF PARLIAMENTARIANS

 

(Minister’s Statement)

 

The MINISTER OF HEALTH: Hon Deputy Speaker, my colleagues, Ministers and Deputy Ministers, Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Health, hon members of the portfolio committee, hon members of the House, distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen, I welcome the opportunity granted to me by the Speaker to address this House on a matter of importance beyond borders, beyond boundaries, beyond countries, beyond ideologies and indeed, beyond party politics.

This matter of immense global importance that l am speaking about is a disease called tuberculosis, TB. I am sure that many of you here are surprised and maybe even confused about why this is suddenly a big issue that warrants a parliamentary discussion of this nature. This confusion is not surprising given the fact that TB has been around for ages, long before anyone of us in this House was born, unlike HIV/Aids which is only 30-years-old.

 

Robert Koch, a physician from the then Prussia, utilised a new staining method and applied it to the sputum of TB patients, revealing for the first time that the agent causing this disease was an organism called mycobacterium tuberculosis, hence the name TB. He made this result public on 24 March 1882 in a famous lecture entitled Uber Tuberculosis, which was published three weeks later.

 

Since 1882, 24 March has been known as World TB Day. I am told that the word uber means very big. Even though Koch diagnosed it in 1882, evidence of TB was identified in Egyptian mummies centuries before him. Since the late 19th century, diagnostics and treatment for TB has been available, putting everyone to rest and to relax.

However, in the past 200 years TB still killed more people than small pox, malaria, bubonic plague, cholera, influenza, Ebola and HIV/Aids all added together. The surprising thing is that despite all of this evidence TB has not brought in as much urgency among health activists, scientists, politicians and indeed even leaders around the world. In his book, lnfections and Inequalities, Prof Paul Farmer, the Presley Professor at Harvard Medical School, made the following astute observations:

 

In 1995, more people died of TB than any other year in history. At least 30 million people will die from tuberculosis in the next ten years if current trends continue. Millions more will watch helplessly as friends and family members waste away, racked with coughing and sweating with fever. They may wish that medical science could cure this terrible disease. The truth is medical science can. Since 1952, the world has had effective and powerful drugs that could make every TB patient well again.

 

Exactly 14 years later, Prof Farmer again lamented the state of TB in the world. He said:

 

The doctor in me insists that no one should die of tuberculosis today; it’s completely curable. Yet it is at the same time the world‘s leading infectious cause of death among young adults. An estimated three million people are dying each year from tuberculosis. This figure comes as a surprise to many who read more frequently in their newspapers about Ebola or flesh-eating bacteria than about tuberculosis. Exacting its toll among the world’s poor, tuberculosis has ceased to occasion much interest, either in scientific circles or in the popular press. Tuberculosis has been virtually ignored for 20 years and more.

 

When Prof Farmer said these words there was no Ebola in West Africa. He said it long before that. Yet, a decade ago, our own departed icon, Nelson Mandela, himself a former TB sufferer – remember that South Africa is the only country that had two Nobel Peace Prize laureates who suffered from TB; the other is Archbishop emeritus Desmond Tutu – said the following during the International Aids Conference held in Bangkok, Thailand in 2004:

The world has made defeating Aids a top priority. This is a blessing. But TB remains ignored. Today we are calling on the world to recognise that we can't fight Aids unless we do more to fight TB as well.

Bar some progress as reported in the World Health Organisation’s, WHO, TB report of 2015 which was released last week, the world today is still confronted with the challenges of combating TB. The global TB report estimates that 9,6 million people were infected with TB in that year, with 1,5 million having died due to its devastation in 2014. This situation is worsened by the world's inability to find about three million of those people infected with TB in order to provide them with life-saving treatment. Ladies and gentlemen and hon members, this means that at present there are nine million people around the world who are believed to have TB, but only six million are known and some are on treatment. A total of three million people don’t even know that they have TB and we have to start searching for these people around the whole world. Not finding these people and not successfully treating them has resulted in a new and scarier form of TB, that is multidrug-resistant TB, MDR TB, and also extreme drug-resistant TB.

In 1920, in Paris, France, a group of physicians and researchers from 31 countries came together to form the Union whose aim was to fight what they called the white plague – TB. The Union is now called the International Union Against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease and it meets annually in various countries. In their annual world conference held in Barcelona in Spain in 2014, I was invited in my capacity as the chairperson of the Stop TB Partnership Board to be a guest speaker. The executive director of the Union, Dr Jose Luiz Castro, emphasised the need to engage parliamentarians in the global effort to fight TB.

 

At the conference was the Rt Hon Nick Herbert, a Member of Parliament, MP, of the UK who cochairs the UK All Party Parliamentary Group on Global TB. Also at the conference were seven other MPs from France, India, Kenya and Tanzania. It is at this conference where the Global TB Caucus was launched on 27 October and I was requested to cochair the caucus together with the hon Nick Herbert. This caucus of parliamentarians has a vision, and the vision is simple – a world free of TB. To drive this vision a declaration called the Barcelona Declaration was adopted and is now in the form of a pledge. MPs who are interested to join the fight are encouraged to sign the pledge. Currently 610 parliamentarians from 97 countries have joined the caucus and signed its pledge and today I wish to urge every MP in our country to join the Global TB Caucus by signing the pledge. Due to the unavailability of time, I can’t read the pledge to you, but to summarise, it reads as follows:

We, the undersigned, as political representatives of various peoples of the world, recognising that every man, woman and child should be able to live their lives free from the tyranny of disease, hereby declare:

One, that tuberculosis has killed a greater number of people than any other infectious disease in human history and continues to be responsible for 1,5 million deaths a year, often affecting the most vulnerable, and that it should be a global political priority;Two, that the current rate of progress in combating TB is too slow, such that the disease will remain a threat to the social and economic wellbeing of millions of citizens around the world for centuries to come, and that accelerating progress against the disease should be recognised by all governments to be in the interests of all;

Four, that the current drugs for treatment are inadequate, that vaccines and diagnostics are insufficient, and that the commercial market for pharmaceutical development has failed TB patients;

Six, that TB coinfections such as HlV and diabetes compound the challenges faced by patients during treatment, hindering efforts to reduce rates of disease and increasing the mortality and morbidity associated with TB, and that health care systems should integrate programmes for key coinfections; and specifically,

Demand that every patient, regardless of who they are, where they live or their ability to pay, shall have access to quick, accurate diagnosis and high-quality treatment, and that TB diagnosis and treatment never result in the impoverishment of patients or their families.

To this effect, we hereby agree to establish a new global parliamentary caucus to press for a more effective response to the TB epidemic, working with official organisations including the World Health Organisation, UNlTAlD, the Global Fund to stop TB, HIV/Aids and malaria, the Stop TB Partnership, the Union and UNAIDS, and with nongovernmental organisations across the world, reaching across political and geographical divides and seeking to build commitment in our own countries and beyond, to secure an end to the TB epidemic within a generation.

Hon members, I humbly request that every member signs this pledge as our individual and collective commitment to ending the scourge of TB in our lifetime. Over the next few days my office will work with the Chief Whips to get the approval of members, in order to sign you up. Once signed up you will see your names on the Global TB Caucus website. The caucus will meet on 30 November 2015 here in Cape Town, just before the opening of the International Lung Conference which is coming to Cape Town, on our shores. About 40 parliamentarians from 20 countries have indicated that they plan to attend this caucus meeting. South Africa has been granted 10 places for South African parliamentarians to participate. We request that the Chief Whips help put together a delegation representative of our parliamentary institutions to participate in this important meeting.

 

Signing the pledge is just the beginning. Concrete action is needed. The WHO has established a global target for the elimination of TB. They say that by 2035 the incidence of TB must be 10 per 100 O00 of the population. Presently it is 250 per 100 000 of the population. Deputy Speaker, the Geneva – based Stop TB Partnership, which as I have already said I have the honour of chairing, estimated that if we continue fighting TB around the world at the rate at which we are doing we will only reach this 10 people per 100 O00 by the year 2180. It means that at the rate at which the world is going, it’s going to take us 180 years to eradicate TB. None of us needs to have this and no-one in the world wants to see this. We want to see something happening.

 

Coming back home, in March this year on World TB Day, the Deputy President uTata Cyril Ramaphosa launched a massive TB screening campaign because it is only through screening that we will find these missing three million people.

 

In our country we analyzed where the vulnerable groups are and we found three most vulnerable groups. They are people in Correctional Service facilities with 150 000 of them; people working in the mines with half a million of them, especially in gold mines given the high levels of silica dust; and people living in peri-mining communities.Furthermore, if you are HIV positive, your chances of contracting TB increases three times. If you have silicosis your chances increase six times and if you are both HIV positive and you have silicosis your chances increase 18 times. Hon members, for those of you who are diabetic in this House, please know that if you allow your diabetes to get out of control, your chances of getting TB increases five times. Other vulnerable groups are pregnant women, children, people living in informal settlements and health workers who are exposed daily to the infection.

 

We also analysed our 52 districts in the country and found that number one in the whole country with regard to the prevalence of TB is Lejweleputswa in the Free State; second is Dr Kenneth Kaunda in the North West; third is Waterberg in Limpopo, fourth is West Rand in Gauteng; fifth is Bojanala in North West; and sixth is Sekhukhune in Limpopo. If you look at this list it is all linked to mining activities.

 

We are screening using this priority list of people. On 24 March 2011 the then Deputy President Kgalema Motlanthe launched three interventions, one of them being GeneXpert Technology which has revolutionised the diagnosis of TB, reducing the period to diagnose from one week to two hours. In some countries it takes about 10 weeks to diagnose TB but GeneXpert has reduced that to only two hours.

 

It has also revolutionalised the diagnosis of MDR TB from three months to only two hours, and I wish to report that South Africa is one country with the most coverage of GeneXpert Technology and we are very happy about that. In addition, we have bought digital x-ray machines, appointed nine inspectors for the mines and also bought GeneXpert Technology machines.

 

Since this launch six months ago, we have done 517 000 screening tests in Correctional Service facilities. Correctional Service inmates are screened on arrival in the facility or during incarceration or when they are discharged.

 

Of the people in mining communities, we have already screened 600 000 of them in the past six months. Our nine inspectors who work in the mines tell us that 90% of mines are routinely screened for TB. We are very happy about that.

I call on every member of this House to undergo screening. Outside we have all the screening equipment you can ever need – a digital x-ray machine, GeneXpert, everything. Don’t leave this House today before you are screened. [Applause.] Everybody can suffer from TB.

 

I want to take this opportunity to introduce to you the people we call our TB ambassadors. There are 16 young people who agreed to be our ambassadors in South Africa. Today in this House there are six in attendance. I will call their name to introduce them and I hope they will stand up.

 

The first one is Ms Gerry Elsdon, a media personality who herself previously suffered from TB. [Applause.] Second is Dr Dalene von Delft, a medical doctor who also contracted TB [Applause.] Third is Ms Masasa Mbangeni, a TV actress. [Applause.] Fourth is Ms Thembi Seete, a musician and actress. [Applause] Then there is Prince Nhlanganiso Zulu, his majesty King Zwelithini’s son, who also suffered from TB and who agreed to be our ambassador.[Applause.] The sixth one is Ms Phumeza Tisile. [Applause.] That young lady should remain standing. She was one of the most ... I don’t know if I should say unfortunate and later fortunate South Africans. She is from Khayelitsha in the Western Cape. She contracted TB which continued on to extreme drug-resistant TB. She had to be treated for two years. To get her cured of TB she had to swallow 20 000 tablets ... in her small body. She had to swallow 20 000 tablets just to treat her. [Applause.] Unfortunately one of the treatments for drug-resistant TB is an injection called Streptomycin. It can cause you to lose your hearing. She went totally deaf. Fortunately, a few weeks ago we were able to insert a cochlear implant so today she can hear me. [Applause.] Only a few weeks ago she was unable to hear me.

 

Another person who is not necessarily an ambassador but who has been working with me is Dr Victor Ramathesele who is sitting there. Dr Ramathesele is the man you see ... [Applause] ... every Saturday on Bonitas House Call on TV. He himself suffered twice from TB. He has been hired by the Stop TB Partnership to be my technical assistant. So when you see him around with me it’s because he is working for this Stop TB Partnership in Geneva to help me in the work I am doing. [Applause.]

 

Let me conclude by reiterating what l said earlier on, and that is that Members of Parliament must be at the centre of challenges that face the citizens they represent. No other battle desperately requires the leadership, advocacy and guidance by parliamentarians than the battle against TB in the same way that we did against HIV and Aids. Ladies and gentlemen, in mentioning the names of Nelson Mandela, Bishop Tutu and all the luminaries up there, you can see that anybody can get TB. Only those who don’t breathe cannot get TB. As long as you are breathing and living on this planet you can get TB, so let’s get into the battle. Thank you very much. [Applause.]

Dr W G JAMES: Chair, last week, as Minister Motsoaledi pointed out, the World Health Organisation, WHO, released its 20th Global Tuberculosis Report. It showed that 1,5 million people died of tuberculosis, TB, in 2014. This means, on average, that more than 4 000 people died from the disease daily. South Africa is a high TB-burden country. The Department of Health’s annual report showed that only 60% of TB-related targets were met even though 99,8% of the expenditure target was met in Programme 3 under which TB falls.

 

The Global TB Caucus is a fabulous opportunity for the Department of Health to further up its game but, moreover, for public representatives to get on top of the tuberculosis crisis that afflicts the world. The entire DA parliamentary caucus, all 102 of us, has signed the Global TB Caucus Barcelona Declaration, and I join Minister Motsoaledi in urging every other member of this House to do the same. [Applause.] With signature comes an obligation. It is an obligation to team up with community leaders, with health professionals and citizens in our constituencies to prevent, to detect and to treat tuberculosis.

 

The research and development environment could not be better. The WHO reports that there are 15 vaccine candidates in clinical trials. Vaccine will prevent the TB infection, which as you know is caused by bacteria and is communicated by droplet spray from person to person in densely populated settlements, from taking hold. A diagnostic platform is under development to test at the point of care, including at home, using a device that is lighter, that is less expensive and that has much longer battery life. With much more efficient diagnosis comes much better surveillance.

 

Eight new or repurposed anti-TB drugs are in advanced phases of clinical development. For the first time in six years, an anti-TB drug candidate is in phase one testing. Several new TB treatment regimens for drug-susceptible and drug-resistant TB are in phase two and three trials, and at least two of those are scheduled to start towards the end of this year.

 

The WHO also has issued guidelines for the use of two key drugs known as Bedaquiline and Delamanid. By the end of 2014, 43 countries had used these treatments to treat patients with multidrug-resistant tuberculosis. Studies in Niger and the Cameroon found that a 12-month-long regimen works among patients who have not been exposed to second-line drugs.

 

To take advantage of these new developments requires, firstly, a functional primary healthcare system. Ours, as you know, is under construction, in some provinces working better than in others, and presently it is being driven centrally using the National Health Insurance grants to staff and build ideal clinics – something we support.

 

Secondly, infection-control measures must be in place at all hospitals and clinics. Most of our public hospitals do not meet minimum standards because they are largely in debt. Treasury must assess the scale of this debt, which is being made worse by misspending in those provincial governments, including the Eastern Cape, Free State, Limpopo, Mpumalanga and the North West.

 

Thirdly, there should be competent care at existing TB hospitals and the new ones and wards under construction, led by the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research on behalf of the Department Health, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria. This emerging infrastructure which is very impressive in scale must, in the first instance, deal with the 17 TB hotspots. There are three hotspots in the Eastern Cape, one in the Free State, two in Gauteng, one in KwaZulu-Natal, two in Limpopo, one in Mpumalanga, two in the North West, and two in the Western Cape.

 

Fourthly, effective interventions are required at affected prisons. As you know, TB thrives in overpopulated and confined quarters. Prison surveillance should be scaled up and infected patients should be moved into separate TB hospitals.

Fifthly, there should be care for miners who contracted TB because of the vulnerabilities silicosis and other lung diseases bring. In this respect, mining companies and mine trade unions have not done enough, as the current class action suit indicates.

 

Finally, surveillance detectives and infectious disease physicians and nurses should be trained on scale. The concept of a proactive surveillance detective is new. After the devastating Ebola epidemic in West Africa, the Global Health Security Agenda identified the training and employment of surveillance detectives as critical to effective management of pathogenic and other disease outbreaks.

 

South Africa has a shortage of infectious disease physicians. The last time I had checked, and I may be wrong, the Eastern Cape had only one, just one specialist, by the name of Dr John Black who works at Livingstone Hospital. Not enough medical doctors specialising in infectious disease are in training. Not enough medical doctors are being retained in their existing jobs. The Health Systems Trust reports that the Free State’s chaotic health system lost 177 medical doctors in 2014 and describes the exit as unprecedented. According to the Hospital Association of South Africa, we have about six doctors per 10 000 people, far below the global average of 15 per 10 000 and certainly not enough to turn the tide against TB. Our doctor-to-population ratio is 0,8, Brazil’s is 1,9, the United Kingdom’s is 2,8, the Ukraine’s is 3,5, and Argentina’s is 3,9.

 

We have to increase the capacity of our medical schools, loosen the cartel – and I use the word deliberately – that exists between professional associations and the medical schools, and partner more effectively with the private sector. New approaches, such as using satellite-training units to create rural registrar posts in internal medicine, infectious diseases and other specialties relevant to TB should be explored. Finally, we look forward to the contribution the first cohort of clinical assistants in training will make.

 

Tuberculosis is a disease of poverty. Eliminating poverty is compelling, therefore, as the TB scourge illustrates. It is our most important national imperative. Prosperity is built on a healthy and not a sick nation.

 

Finally, health should be a bipartisan issue. When there are good ideas on the table and good initiatives in the making, the governing ANC and the Official Opposition, the DA, should not hesitate to act together. We will not act together when the ideas are bad and the initiatives misguided. The Global TB Caucus is a very good idea and a welcome initiative, and the DA will therefore support it with enthusiasm. I thank you. [Applause.]

 

Dr H CHEWANE: Minister, I hope in your stalls outside there, the campaigns also include testing of HIV because you know very well that TB and HIV are intertwined, infact they are interwoven. They depend on each other. So, I hope that that initiative outside as well has HIV testing.

 

The second Global Tuberculosis Caucus of parliamentarians found at in 2014 has a platform for global responds to TB epidemic is long overdue to deal with the disease that more than any other has cause uncalled human suffering and death in the world for a very long prolong period of time.

 

TB localisation is worldwide and according to the World Health Organisation, WHO, about nine million people worldwide live with TB and out of this three million are found in Africa. The World Health Organisation has declared occupational TB also as a global emergency. International labour organization list TB amongst an occupational hazard since 1950.

 

TB in all its forms, including Multi Drug-Resistant, MDR, Extended Drug-Resistant XDR, remains the second deadliest killer in the world and in Africa. Although programmes have been put in place to commend this problem, the current government has not intensified programmes with regard to the primary, the secondary and the tertiary campaigns.

 

In 2013, the World TB Statistics were standing at 126 per 100 000 people while in South Africa statistics were sitting at 860 per 100 000 people. Health workers TB statistics were sitting at 1 113 per 100 000 people. Sixty two percent of the active TB cases are HIV positive people.

 

The relationship between TB and HIV has developed into impotent killing machine. It seems colder or odimer are wild ghost that seems not to be understood for their purpose and are also not enforced by the National Department of Health to perform their duties as expected.

 

Government should enforce policy and legislation compliance by industry where TB has proved to be a serious problem, especially in the mining communities and the mines themselves. The spread of TB in this country is linked to many facets, poor living conditions of overcrowding due to poverty that the ruling party is failing to alleviate. The lack of access to quality health care due to poor state of public health facility and Primary Health Care programme with regard to TB management. An X-ray machine is an essential immediate diagnostic tool in TB diagnosis, but almost all clinics in this country do not have X-ray facilities.

 

Even in you’re so called ideal clinics that you have packed in the National Health Insurance, NHI. The X-ray facility has not been included there, which has proved in many serious cases. Through just the X ray itself, we have been able to diagnose TB and treat. And infect, you know Minister that in your time, when you use to practice, you use to make a diagnosis of TB, solely on the basis of the Xx-ray, which is immediate. It does not waste time.

 

Public hospitals have become a death camps due to their poor state. Joseph’s Hospital here in Cape Town, Masana Hospital in a village I come from called Bushbuckridge is a death, is a hell whole. That’s what people referred to it. They don’t even go there. The commoditation of health remains one of the root causes of this problem. TB drugs remain exobited in such a huge demand. This goes against the gain of our constitutional democracy, which gives everyone the right to access to quality healthcare.

 

As things stand, only people with money are saved from this condition. In by any chance there are ... If there is any chance, they are able to acquire the ... Under this condition the country has no care insinuing in this epidemic.  Thank you very much. [Applause.] [Time expired.]

 

Ms S J NKOMO: The IFP congratulates the Minister of Health for being appointed as the Co-Chair of the Global TB Caucus and we applaud the Barcelona declaration. Tuberculosis remains one the leading causes of death in this country. And we have one of the highest incidences TB prevalence of any country in the world, with rapid increase of TB infections over the last 20 years.

 

Whilst it is very commendable that the hon Minister is taking a leading role at the Global Tuberculosis Caucus, we wish to remind him that charity begins at home and that his number one priority must be the people of South Africa.

 

Organisations such as SA National Tuberculosis association, Santa, are reporting that the war against TB is being lost in South Africa and this is mainly through poor nutrition of many of our people as well as within our vulnerable communities.

 

In this regard, Minister, feeding schemes require greater government support as well as creating works so that our unemployed can be taken on board. Government should also ensure that high risk communities are adequately educated in terms of proper nutrition and TB awareness and the prevention campaign.

 

We also need to ensure that initiatives such as those that are created or that are been orchestrated in partnerships with the private sector, especially in the screening of TB are actually promoted and we need to encourage as many people as possible in our country to know their TB health status.

 

Medical treatment of those infected must be immediately done and it should be done correctly. Many people are now acquiring drug resistant TB because of inadequate TB treatment. This can be for a number of reasons, including the following: It could also be an issue of improper treatment regime, the wrong drugs are prescribed, or sub-standard drugs that are used.

 

The IFP takes note of a particular area in the Barcelona Declaration, which promote the use of the vaccines as well as diagnostic procedures. We would like to encourage and also to request the Minister to look at this very strongly.

 

The combinations of the devastating health impact will need to be taken into consideration as well. There are three areas which I am going to address, which is the harsh burden of treatment and the often faced isolation of social exclusion which requires a holistic address by our National Health Programmes.

 

TB is mostly prevalent in South Africa, especially in the mining areas and the vulnerable communities. And I heard the Minister mentioning these groups, but we would like a lot to be put into these communities.

 

We can ill in afford to get it wrong in terms of both treatment and prevention of this dread disease as the current progress in combating it remains just too slow. The IFP supports this report and the present of the IFP and the IFP caucus will definitely be signing the declaration. I thank you. [Applause.]

 

The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Ms M G Boroto): Hon members, order! I just wish to convey to our guests and TB Ambassadors in the gallery that the Rules of the House, unfortunately bass you from participating in the processes of the House. So, I am very sorry to say that, but that is how the Rules are. The participation can be in form of clapping hands or using your cameras and all. But you are very welcome and we wish you a good stay in Parliament. Thank you very much.

 

Mr A M SHAIK-EMAM: Hon House Chair, Minister, other Ministers in the House today and our special guests, what an inspiration to those that have either suffered from TB or continuing to do so. Let me start of by commending the efforts of the Minister and also congratulating him on his appointment as the Co-Chair.

 

Colleagues, recent reports from the World Health Organisation indicate that South Africa is one of the countries with the highest burden of Tuberculosis. Approximately 1% of our population develops active TB annually, and the World Health Organisation estimates that up to 450 000 South Africans are currently suffering from Tuberculosis

 

What is most alarming about the statistics, is that South Africa is ranked third highest in the world as far as TB infections are concerned. The two leading countries, China and India, have populations of approximately 1,357 billion and 1,25 billion respectively. When viewed against these figures, it is obvious that South Africa’s TB infection is disproportionally high.

This disproportionate high prevalence might well be interlinked with the high prevalence rate of HIV we have in South Africa, and this is evident in the latest figures from the SA Department of Health, which shows that 73% of TB patients are also HIV positive. Medical statistics suggests that the high prevalence of HIV is fueling the TB epidemic which we are currently facing.

 

We take note of the sterling effect in treating TB patients in South Africa, and we also commend the Department of Health for additional funding allocated to fight against TB, in particular the expansion of the comprehensive HIV grants to include TB.

 

We further take note that whilst there was underspending in some programmes in health, the programme on HIV and TB has grown and must be welcomed without reservation. However, hon Minister, we would like to see the scope of this fight against TB expanded.

 

The health policy of the NFP places an emphasis on approaching health related issues and challenges in a holistic manner. We therefore argue that whilst expanding the medical care of people with TB, we should also look at issues of malnutrition and unsanitary living conditions as contributing factors in the relentless growth of the TB epidemic in South Africa.

 

Our submission is that addressing malnutrition and unsanitary living conditions, which largely affect the poorest and most vulnerable South African citizens, will go a long way in making current TB treatment programmes more effective and ultimately, eradicating the burden of Tuberculosis in South Africa. Thank you.

 

Ms C N MAJEKE: Hon Speaker hon Ministers and hon members, Tuberculosis represents a threat to both the lives and livelihoods of people in the world and no country can fight it alone. It is a global threat. In this regard, the Global TB Caucus as well as the 2nd summit, is fully supported as an essential step to foment a truly robust and sustainable global response to this global challenge.

 

South Africa has a high burden of diseases from Tuberculosis with a growing number of Multi-Drug Resistant TB cases, which is partially due to inadequate or incomplete treatment.

 

Tuberculosis disproportionately affects the poor, the individuals, who are already immunocompromised, marginalised, living in rural areas and informal settlements without adequate access to Directly Observed Therapy Short Course dispensing health facilities, and the poor with inadequate health infrastructure.

 

Its social impact is enormous due to the prolonged and debilitating nature of the disease, the large incidence of TB causes and the stigma associated with it.

 

Economically, TB impact includes loss of income among those who are sick, as well as their caretakers, it devastates individuals and their families, and it decreases gross domestic product. It is the cause as well a consequence of poverty.

 

In acknowledging and welcoming the department’s National Tuberculosis Management Guidelines, 2014 as well as the TB Directly Observed Treatment Short Course Strategy Coordination; the following programmatic areas should be high in the execution of the guidelines and strategy: The Directly Observed Treatment short Course, Dots, treatment strategy should be universally implemented and be expanded to cover the most rural areas; increase early diagnosis and treatment of TB to limit its spread ;invest in health infrastructure with well-equipped facilities and proper diagnostic tools and strengthening the HIV prevention.

 

Further, the Global Strategy and Targets for Tuberculosis Prevention Care and Control of the World Health Organisation should be supported, with its emphasis on integrated, patient-centered care and prevention; bold policies and supportive systems; and intensified research and innovation.

 

Other technical interventions that South Africa should consider include: Support and create an enabling environment, including social support packages; development of a patient-centered care and treatment approach; identification and elimination of barriers to accessing TB services by those most at risk; engagement of leaders, representatives of key population, both public and private health providers in encouraging and supportive early and active finding and care to enhance treatment completion.

 

Lastly, a vision of a South Africa world free TB is ambitious, but achievable. We support ...

 

Ms D CARTER: Chairperson, hon Minister, members in the House, Tuberculosis, TB, is a global concern and more so in South Africa particularly given the high prevalence of HIV/Aid and also the high prevalence of silicoses in the mining industry. We have to give credit where it is due. The Minister’s involvement in the Global TB Caucus of Parliamentarians and the Stop TB Partnership Board must be commended. On the global TB website I noted, and I quote:

 

The summit proposal began to gather momentum when Dr Aaron Motsoaledi, Health Minister of South Africa and chairman of the Stop TB Partnership Board added his support for the initiative and stated that he would attend.

 

Now, hon Minister, how do we turn good intentions into concrete outcomes? To a large extend this is the nexus of the dilemma that we face in the country. In many respects we have good intentions and good policies but we fail with implementation.

 

Over the last couple of months we regularly read about the shortage of treatment in our hospitals. Is the discontinuation, for example, of the IV Rifampicin used to treat critically ill TB patience as well as those with drug-resistant bacterial infections really leaving the medical profession on the back foot? How will this affect our patience as well as our already tide budget with hospitals being forced to use alternatives such as Linezolid?

 

According to Prof Guy Richards from Wits, the alternative drug, Linezolid, is dramatically more expensive and, secondly, it is also not well tested for treating TB as Rifampicin. A different source stated that Linezolid could cost around R8,500 per patient per month in the public sector. In the private sector and NGOs it could even be double that amount.

 

South Africa should pool demand with other countries to create a more stable and attractive market to keep drug suppliers in production, especially where there is smaller quantities like IVs. The rise of drug-resistant TB is also a major public health problem. New medicines such as Bedaquiline, which have shown promising results in phase two trials, can provide a potential chance of cure for select patients who have no other treatment options. Access to Bedaquiline is already available in a number of countries under compassionate use, but remains unavailable to patients in need in South Africa except for the few patients that are currently on the clinical trials.

 

The treatment has received conditional guidelines from the World Health Organisation, WHO. The Medical Control Council, through you, Minister, must approve use of the promising phase 111 drug for compassionate use.

 

Archbishop Tutu recently said that the fight against TB needs to be, and I quote, “our next liberation struggle”.

 

Hon Minister, we support the declaration, we will surely sign it and if invited we will also attend the summit. I thank you.

 

Ms C DUDLEY: Chair, the theme of this year’s World TB Day, “Reach the 3 Million: Reach, Treat, Cure Everyone” reflects the reality of a large proportion of tuberculosis patients going undetected each resulting in continued mortality, transmission and growing drug resistance. Clearly greater attention does need to be drawn to the need for a continued global commitment to finding, diagnosing, treating and curing tuberculosis and accelerating progress toward ending the epidemic by 2035.

 

New, potent strains of tuberculosis are emerging that are resistant to available antibiotics posing a major threat. Multidrug-resistant tuberculosis, we are told, requires a lengthier and more difficult treatment and can be 20 times more expensive than traditional treatment regiments and is a drain on any nation’s health budget.

 

Extensively drug-resistant tuberculosis - a severe form for multidrug-resistance - responds to even fewer available medicines. And ACDP hopes that new drugs will succeed in changing TB’s global trajectory noting that there are some exciting updates in drug development. Another critical challenge is the deadly combination of HIV and tuberculosis as we have heard fuels the progress of the other in infected patients, and is particularly common in South Africa.

 

Peter Mabalane, community services manager at SA National Tuberculosis Association, Santa, is concerned that in South Africa TB is being neglected and is in the shadow of HIV/Aids. The SA National Aids Council, Sanac, has been accused of excluding TB programmes while fighting HIV. This is, of course, highly concerning knowing TB is the number one killer in South Africa. Unlike HIV there is no direct funding for TB from the Department of Health as TB programmes are incorporated in HIV programmes. Concerns have been expressed that there is not enough information on TB out in the provinces; people don’t who to go to for information about it. They operate on all the information and do not know the difference between pulmonary TB and any other kind.

 

Today there is one pill a day for HIV, but when it comes to TB and vaccines like Bacillus Calmette–Guérin, BCG, we are told not every clinic even has the vaccine. We note, however, that yesterday it was reported that Cipla Medpro has sealed the deal to supply South Africans with a variety of vaccines including BCG, which is administered to new born infants to prevent tuberculosis, the only vaccine against TB.

 

The ACDP calls on government to ensure TB treatment is being prioritised and to directly focus on TB rather than linking it as a secondary issue within other programmes. Presently South Africa is unlikely to reach the millennium development goal target of reducing TB deaths by 50% in 2015.

 

Hon Minister, the ACDP does support the declaration and initiatives envisaged. Thank you.

 

Nks M A L DUNJWA: Sihlalo weNdlu yoWiso-mthetho yeSizwe ohloniphekileyo, mandibulise uMphathiswa weSebe lezeMpilo nesekela lakhe, abaPhathiswa abakhoyo, abantu bonke abakhoyo apha kule Ndlu kunye neendwendwe zethu. Namhlanje sime kule ndawo singumbutho wesizwe size kuxelela abantu baseMzantsi Afrika, ingakumbi iimpula zikalujaca, ngesifo sephepha. Size kuxelela abantu ukuba yintoni na ekufuneka yenziwe okanye yintoni na ekufuneka siyenzile siluluntu? Okona kubalulekileyo Mphathiswa, kukuba siyavuya singumbutho wesizwe ukuba uthe wonyulwa kwaye sime apha sikuxhasa. Kaloku kuyacaca ukuba uMzantsi Afrika unesakhono kwaye uzimisele ukuba impilo yabantu baseMzantsi Afrika ibe kwiqondo elilungileyo.

 

Yintoni ke ngoku ekufuneka yenziwe ngamalungu eNdlu yoWiso-mthetho yeSizwe? (Translation of isiXhosa paragraphs follows.)

 

[Ms M A L DUNJWA: Hon House Chairperson, let me extend my greetings to the Minister and Deputy Minister of Health, to Ministers present here and to all the people present in the House, including our guests. We stand here today as the ANC to tell the people of South Africa, especially the poorest of the poor, about TB. We have come to tell people about that which needs to be done or that which we need to do as society. However, most importantly, Minister, we are happy as the ANC that you were appointed to the position and we support you. Indeed it is clear that South Africa has capacity and that it is prepared to put the health of South Africans at the right level.

 

What then needs to be done by members in the National Assembly?]

 

Public representatives as it is said in English must take the lead. Is it only about signing a pledge? No. Is it only about blaming, games and politics? No. Is it only about standing here and saying big words? No. It is about ensuring that, that young child, old woman and that unemployed young man and woman understand that there are ABCs in ensuring that you prevent TB. And what do we mean by that? We mean washing hands; closing your mouth when you cough; opening windows when you are in a room so that people understand because the danger ...

 

... eyokuba sime apha Sihlalo ohloniphekileyo, sibize amagama amakhulu babe abantu phaya emakhaya bengayazi into ekufuneka yenziwe. [... is that we stand here, hon Chairperson, and use big words leaving people in the rural areas in the dark as to what needs to be done.]

 

Yes, we do understand and believe that TB knows no boundaries – irrespective of whether you are educated or you have money. It has no political affiliations. What is important is, what is it that we must do? We are standing here commending the ANC-government, led by Minister Motsoaledi for developing a programme which does not take too long to diagnose TB now. That is why South Africa is the first African country and the fourth in the world to provide a highly sophisticated instrument, known as the GeneXpert machine, to mitigate TB.

 

Given the significance of these machines, the Department of Health has provided and distributed about 287 of them to the National Health Laboratory Service centres and correctional facilities to diagnose TB within a reasonable period of time, compared to the past when the diagnosis of TB took a week to be confirmed.

 

Between March 2011 and June 2015, these tests were done at Correctional Services centres. According to a recent study, the GeneXpert has significantly improved in preventing, detecting, diagnosing and reducing the incidence of multidrug-resistant, MDR, TB cases.

 

In this screening being displayed in Parliament today, a number of members here from across the political spectrum have identified the treatment that needs to be used. But, I think, as the ANC, what is key to us is that people need to be empowered. They need to understand that it is important when you are diagnosed and put on treatment, you must complete your regime, because if you don’t complete your regime, you are likely to become drug-resistant. In that way, you are then a danger, not only to yourself but to the community at large.

 

The Department of Health has also embarked on a three-year mass TB screening campaign that seeks to reduce the number of new infections and related deaths. The campaign is largely focused largely on vulnerable communities – those that the Minister has already alluded to.

 

With regards to progress with TB interventions, the TB/HIV Care Association continues to be a challenge. However, there have been noticeable improvements that the Department of Health has made in the following areas: The department has improved the rate of treatment of new cases of TB from 75% in 2013-14 to 82,5% in 2014-15. It has improved on reducing the pulmonary TB default rate, from 6,2% in 2013-14 to 5,7% in 2014-15. The department has also reduced the TB death rate from a performance target of 6% to 4,8% in 2014-15. It has also succeeded in getting Correctional Services centres to conduct more routine TB screening from a rate of 50% to 78%. It has screened 140 000 community members in six districts, and has appointed nine inspectors to oversee the provision of TB services in the mines.

 

Hon Minister, educating and empowering community health workers is going to be very important in our communities. The state of staffing in TB institutions is quite a challenge and in ensuring that the scourge of TB is addressed. That is going to be important. It is not true, hon members, that TB treatment is being sold. If you are a medical aid member like me you will go to hospital, you will get treatment, you will go to a pharmacy to buy medication. Ordinary people, ...

 

... iimpula zikalujaca, ziyaya kwizibhedlele zikarhulumente zifumane amayeza okunyanga isifo sephepha. Into ebalulekileyo yeyokuba bayaxelelwa ukuba la mayeza kufuneka bawasele kangakanani na nokuba kufuneka batye phambi kokuba bawasele. (Translation of isiXhosa paragraph follows.)

 

[... the poorest of the poor, go to public hospitals and get medication for TB. What is important is that dosage is explained to them and they are told that they must not take their medication on empty stomachs.]

 

Nutrition is one of the challenges in our country owing to the high rate of unemployment. Also, when people stay in informal settlements we know very well that that also is a challenge. What is important is that all of us here, starting from today, ensure that our families are screened so that we understand and know what has to be done. These things do not start in the constituencies but in our families.

 

As the ANC, we are also pledging that we will go out and sign the pledge, but we want to stress that this is not only about signing the pledge but to lead by example in terms of the lifestyle. People’s lifestyles are also a challenge. People are consuming high amounts of liquor and, because of that, they default in their treatment - they are defaulters – and, at the end of the day, they become drug resistant. As the ANC, we support the pledge. I thank you. [Applause.]

 

CONSIDERATION OF BUDGETARY REVIEW AND RECOMMENDATION REPORT OF STANDING COMMITTEE ON FINANCE

 

There was no debate.

 

The Chief Whip of the Majority Party moved: That the Report be adopted.

 

The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Ms M G Boroto): Hon members, the motion is that the Report be adopted. Why are you on your feet, hon members? Please sit down. I have not even finished reading ... [Interjections.] What is happening? Hon members, the motion ... Could you sit down, hon Ndlozi? [Interjections.] No, you were standing just now. The motion is that the Report be adopted. Are there any objections?

 

An HON MEMBER: Yes.

Mr M Q NDLOZI: Hon House Chairperson, the EFF would like to make a declaration of vote as the number one speaker. [Interjections.] [Laughter.] Give us a chance, man. Eish!

 

Mr M WATERS: Chairperson, I think the EFF needs to realise that size does count in politics.

 

The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Ms M G Boroto): I couldn’t hear that, but anyway I will leave it at that. Hon members, I asked if there were any objections. Only the EFF said they objected, and they have also asked to make a declaration.

 

Declaration(s) of vote:

Mr R A LEES: Hon Chair, thank you for the opportunity ...

 

Angiwadli amazambane yingako ngizace kanjena. [Uhleko.] [I do not eat potatoes hence I am so thin. [Laughter.]]

 

Hon members, whilst the report that we have before us is not to be objected to in the strict sense of the word, it is incomplete. It is missing some very important aspects, and I will touch on only three of these. The first is the restructuring of the African Bank, which has not been dealt with and is not going as planned. On top of that, the Myburgh report needs to be released to the Standing Committee on Finance for its consideration. Most importantly, there is the low level of confidence in the National Treasury to be trusted as transparent, honest and fair when dealing with all taxpayers.

 

This report does not deal decisively with insisting that the Minister of Finance and SA Revenue Services Commissioner be obliged to bring South Africans into their confidence by making all information about the rogue spy unit available to the public. Indeed, there needs to be a full declaration about the corrective action that is going to be taken to restore the public confidence that has been so shattered by the reports of illegal activities. Whilst the DA does not object to the contents of the report, it is the omissions that determine that the report cannot be supported. Thank you, Madam Chair.

 

The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Ms M G Boroto): I now call the hon Matiase. Perhaps let me clarify, hon Matiase, and say it is true that the first person who asks to make a declaration is allowed to speak first. Unfortunately, the hon Mazambane was seated here ... [Laughter.] ... and I thought that I should just allow him to speak. Thank you very much.

 

Mr N S MATIASE: House Chairperson, we want to condemn the Ministry of Treasury and the entire ANC for showing no regard whatsoever to the legitimate demands of university students by steamrolling through the Medium-Term Budget Policy Statement in the middle of a crisis, which almost brought the universities to a complete shutdown. What was shocking was the level of indifference, the selfishness and the I-don’t-care attitude of the ruling elite.

 

Mr Y R CARRIM: Madam Speaker, on a point of order: We are not discussing the Medium-Term Budget Policy Statement; this is the budget report ... [Interjections.]

 

Mr M Q NDLOZI: How is that a point of order? You are a senior ANC member. You should know what is a point of order. Please, allow us to speak.

 

The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Ms MG Boroto): Hon Ndlozi, I did not allow you speak. Hon Matiase, please take your seat. Hon Ndlozi, you are not allowed to stand up without being recognised and start talking. Please don’t do that. Continue, hon Matiase.

 

Mr N S MATIASE: Madam Chair, my time is up.

 

The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Ms M G Boroto): No, look at your time. It was stopped. We know the process.

 

Mr N S MATIASE: This was elevating narrow, bureaucratic rules over showing a human face, particularly because, in the end, your budget said nothing about fees. ANC, you are ungodly. You have no shame. You go around saying, “Fees have fallen.” No, fees are still there and you only froze them to create the impression that you are doing something when you are not. The EFF rejects the adoption of the Report by the Standing Committee on Finance on the Budgetary Review.

 

The only programme that has expenditure closely linked with targets achieved is administration, and the service delivery programmes spent more than 95% of their budget but the target achieved is only 60%. So, South Africa has a serious problem. What is even more worrying is that the programme, which is supposed to ensure proper expenditure control through financial systems, spent the most money but achieved few targets.

 

This goes far beyond a matter of value for money as far as the National Treasury budget is concerned. This clearly shows that it must not be a surprise if all other departments’ financial administrations are in shambles. Even worse is the situation in local government. When one reads the Auditor-General’s reports on the majority of government departments and state-owned entities, such as the Post Office and SA Airways, they paint a depressing picture. To go and suggest that the overall performance of the National Treasury is usable is, well, misleading. The EFF rejects this report, and we will reject it until something is done for the benefit of the working class and the poor. [Time expired.] [Applause.]

 

Ms D CARTER: Chairperson, for the committee to have had just five working days to process the annual report of the National Treasury, Sars and the Accounting Standards Board and the Budgetary Review and Recommendation Report as a whole is certainly too little. Cope agrees with the committee that such limited time undermines the examination of financial performances of these entities.

 

The lack of a research and content adviser created a further dimension of difficulty. Cope agrees that the chairperson engage with the House Chairperson for oversight and ICT and other office bearers in the Speaker’s Office to address this issue.

 

After going through all the reports of all the committees, one is compelled to ask why no action is taken by government against those who routinely flout the Public Finance Management Act, PFMA, and other procurement policies. Likewise, what action will the Minister take in respect of National Treasury’s spending 96% of its budget, but achieving only 63% of its targets?

 

Cope urges government to introduce the concept of the “whole of government accounts” as pioneered in New Zealand. We need to see a government reporting not only on a department, but on a departmental basis, and reporting annually on its total resources inclusive of borrowed funds and how to spend these resources, specifically to improve the standard of living of its citizens. Cope agrees with the committee that National Treasury work with the Department of Public Works specifically and other relevant departments generally to address the perennial problem of effective asset management.

 

It is shocking that this problem remains unresolved. In fact, it is an indictment on government. We reserve our position on this report, which is also, as far as our research is concerned, incomplete. Thank you.

 

Ms S J NKOMO: House Chairperson, as the Minister alluded to in his foreword to the Medium-Term Budget Policy Statement, the state of the world economy has greatly constrained domestic growth and led to the downward revision of the growth forecast in many developing countries. In South Africa this has been amplified by the following structural factors: the energy crisis, weak business confidence and low household demand. This is the micro environment in which we find ourselves and this largely sets the parameters and narrow confines within which the Minister of Finance and Treasury have to navigate optimum value of fiscal spend.

 

Boosting economic growth and transformation of our society through protected spending and social and economic programmes, the stabilisation of debt, as well as value-for-money spending, must continue to guide policy on progressive fiscal management. With our debt gap widening through the recent and various shocks to our exchange rate brought about by certain internal socioeconomic instabilities, it is vital that steps be taken to restore stability in order to reduce the knock-on effect and opportunity cost of fiscal monies having to be used for debt financing instead of being channelled into growth-promotion avenues. It is paramount that economic growth be bolstered so that our National Development Plan goals may be realised. This will be done through alleviating structural constraints and having a more determined focus on the creation of jobs. The IFP supports this report. I thank you.

Prof N M KHUBISA: House Chairperson, hon members, the Budgetary Review and Recommendation Report of the Standing Committee on Finance on the National Treasury is, by its own definition, incomplete. The National Treasury is reported to have spent R12,4 billion, or 96,0%, of its finance appropriation of R12,9 billion for the 2014-15 financial year, and it achieved 144 or 63,0% of the 224 targets planned for the 2014-15 year.

 

We acknowledge that this does represent an increase of 8,6% in actual expenditure, compared to the R11,4 billion spent in the 2013-14 financial year. We do note that this is a marginal improvement of 1,3% in the targets achieved when compared to the overall 63,0% achieved in 2012-13.

 

We do, however, not believe that 63% is a satisfactory performance rate. National Treasury should be leading by example and we should be demanding a much higher performance rate. In a country like ours that has a high unemployment rate, especially among young people, Treasury should be leading by example.

 

The National Treasury, furthermore, received an unqualified audit opinion with findings for the 2014-15 financial year, which is the same as in the previous three years. The Auditor-General highlighted several findings in terms of matters of emphasis, such as predetermined objectives, noncompliance with legislation, internal controls and investigations under way, which we encourage the Treasury to pay attention to.

 

We acknowledge the continued good performance of Sars as reflected in the report and note the improved service delivery performance of the Financial and Fiscal Commission. The NFP is however concerned about the Auditor-General’s description of the overall ... [Inaudible.] ... environment for the Land Bank as requiring improvement. The NFP reluctantly supports this budget. Thank you, Chairperson. [Time expired.]

 

Mr N L S KWANKWA: Thank you very much House Chair, ...

 

... kuqala nazi izinto ekufuneka sizibale: uNondyebo uyakwazi ukusebenzisa malunga nama-96 ekhulwini ohlahlo-lwabiwo-mali kodwa aphumelele ngama-63 ekhulwini kwizinto ebekujoliswe kuzo. Loo nto ibangela ingxaki kuba nguye ekufuneka abengumzekelo kwizinto ezinxulumene nokusetyenziswa kwemali, ingakumbi xa kujoliswe phaya kumasebe karhulumente. Kufuneka siqwalasele ngakumbi thina siluluntu ukuba ingaba siyazifumana ngokwenene iinkonzo zoluntu ezisexabisweni kusini na. (Translation of isiXhosa paragraph follows.)

[... first of all, here are a few things we have to take note of: Treasury can spend about 96% of its budget but reach only 63% of its targets. That creates problems in that they have to set the example when it comes to spending the budget, especially where government departments are concerned. As society we have to consider whether we do get essential community services.]

 

The other important issue, I remember during the deliberations as the committee we emphasised the point that Treasury should continue supporting and even more support to municipalities...

 

... namanye amasebe ekufumaniseka ukuba ayaqhwalela ngokwasezimalini kuba ayasidinga esa sakhona bangenaso ukuze bakwazi ukuphucula indlela abalawula ngayo umcimbi wezezimali. [... and other departments that are found to be struggling financially because they lack the skill to manage their finances.]

 

That is important. The other issue which concerns us a great deal is that it seems SA Revenue Service, Sars, in particular,

 

... uyaqhuba ukwenza lula ... [... continues to make things easy ...]

 

... for people who can afford it. It is almost like the legal system or the justice system where ...

 

... umntu onemali uyakwazi ukuba awuthenge umthetho. Abantu abanemali bayakwazi ukusebenzisa abantu abaza kwenza ukuba kubelula ukubaleka irhafu (tax avoidance) nangona kubantu abafana nathi abangathathi ntweni nabahluphekileyo ... (Translation of isiXhosa paragraph follows.)

 

[... a person with money can buy justice. People with money are able to get people who will make it possible for them to avoid paying taxes although with people like us, the poorest of the poor, ...]

 

... Sars is extremely strict. But the business community in particular gets away with a lot of tax avoidance which is legal. It is not illegal currently, but this erodes the tax base in any event ...

... ifuna ukujongwa. Sifuna ukuphinda sithethe kumba ohamba nokuhlengahleniswa kweBhanki yezoPhuhliso yase-Afrika, African Development Bank,... [... it needs to be looked at. Regarding transformation in the African Development Bank, ...]

 

... we are hoping that over the next few months ...

... kuza kuba khona iinkcukacha ezibambekayo ukuze nathi sikwazi ukuziqwalasela siyijonge ngendlela eyiyo ukuba ihamba kanjani. Le nto yaleRouge Unit, ... (Translation of isiXhosa paragraph follows.)

 

[... more information will be available so that we can see whether or not it is going well. As far as the matter of the rogue unit is concerned, ...]

 

... Spy Unit of Sars,...

 

... asifuni kuphosisa siza kuyiqwalasela kwaye ukuba kufuneka sifake induku, siza kuyifaka ukuze nisebenze ngendlela efanelekileyo. [... we do not want to lie; we are going to take a good look at it and if we have to hit hard, we will do so, so that ultimately you do things the right way.]

 

We support the Budgetary Review and Recommendation Report. Thank you.

 

Mr Y I CARRIM: Chairperson, comrades, colleagues, yes to the DA. No problem. Restructure the African Bank. The Myburgh report, if Mr Lees is listening at all. We’ve agreed to that. There’s no reason why the DA didn’t raise it. We’d have put it in the report. So can the Whippery sort them out? We would have done it. They didn’t do their job. [Interjections.]

 

Secondly, I want to make this clear. On the rogue unit, we’ve covered this thing ad nauseam, which is to say that, basically, the intelligence issues fall under the Intelligence committee, and we’ve agreed on a division of labour. The intelligence issues fall under them. In fact, the issues that deal with productivity and outcomes, following the ructions within Sars, we deal with. In fact, interestingly, despite the ructions and despite the divisions, there was an outcome of 9,3% more than the previous year - over R7,3 billion beyond target. So it did achieve it.

 

On the issue of the EFF, there is a difference, Mr Matiase – the hon member – between the Medium-Term Budget Policy Statement and the BRRR. Today is Tuesday, not Wednesday. We deal with that tomorrow. This issue never arose in the BRRR. You’ve been here 15 months. Surely you know the difference? You can deal with the issue at the next sitting tomorrow where the matter will be discussed ... [Inaudible.] On the issue of appropriations ...

 

Mr N S MATIASE: Madam Chair, I arise on a point of order.

 

The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Ms M G Boroto): Hon Carrim, please sit. Hon Matiase?

 

Mr N S MATIASE: I want to know if it is parliamentary for the hon Junus Carrim to wear the same pair of shoes ...

 

The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Ms M G Boroto): Hon member, please sit down. That is not a point of order. [Laughter.] Sit down. Please sit. Continue, hon Carrim.

 

Mr Y I CARRIM: I would like to hear what you are saying but you have been ruled out, okay. [Interjections.] So, basically, this matter, moreover, is more about appropriations than finance, EFF.

 

Mr M Q NDLOZI: On a point of order ...

 

Mr Y I CARRIM: On the targets, yes, we agree on ... [Interjections.] If it’s a point of order.

 

The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Ms M G Boroto): Hon Ndlozi?

 

Mr M Q NDLOZI: Hon House Chairperson, you must give an instruction at least that the mic must be switched off. These bureaucrats must not decide ... wa bona [you see]. You see, you have not given an instruction. [Interjections.]

 

The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Ms M G Boroto): That is not a point of order. Please sit down. [Interjections.]

 

Mr M Q NDLOZI: But you must decide first. You must be given the opportunity to decide first. [Interjections.] Bureaucrats must not run us here. [Interjections.]

 

The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Ms M G Boroto): Hon Ndlozi, will you please take your seat. Continue, hon Carrim.

 

Mr Y I CARRIM: On the discrepancy between the use of money and targets, the committee agreed that every quarterly report we would be looking at that matter. In fact, on the matter of five days, Cope, we entirely agree. What we want to say, though, is that all the problems that we have around economic growth and job creation cannot be reduced to National Treasury. They are for government as a whole. They are for civil society, business, labour, this Parliament – all of us – to work together, despite our differences, on ensuring economic growth, job creation and reducing poverty.

 

So, in fact, many of the issues raised are covered in some form or another, and tomorrow’s report ... [Inaudible.] We support this report. Thank you. [Time expired.]

 

The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Ms M G Boroto): Hon members, I now want to put the question again. Those in favour of the report being adopted, say aye.

 

Hon MEMBERS: Aye.

 

The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Ms M G Boroto): Those against say no.

 

Hon MEMBERS: No.

 

The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Ms M G Boroto): Thank you very much.

 

Mr N S MATIASE: Madam ...

The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Ms M G Boroto): Oh, there are two. He stood first. He stood first.

 

Mr N S MATIASE: House Chairperson, could you please accord us human decency which the racist ...

 

The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Ms M G Boroto): On what point of order are you rising?

 

Mr N S MATIASE: I rise on a point of order: your continually switching off the mics. Could you please listen to me? Can you please listen to me?

 

The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Ms M G Boroto): I will do that. Hon members, could you please both take your seats. Could you please both take your seats? Hon members, when you rise on a point of order and it is on a point of procedure, you don’t just rise and start debating or telling the table what to do, because we know exactly what should be done. I can’t listen to a debate raised in pretence of a point of order. That is why I will keep on switching the mic, because you know what is supposed to happen, and you are not doing it. So, please, I beg you: please follow the procedures and Rules of this House. Hon Ndlozi?

 

Mr M Q NDLOZI: Thank you. You know, Chairperson, why the House always fails under your guidance is because you don’t listen.

 

The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Ms M G Boroto): I’m not going to listen to that either.

 

Mr M Q NDLOZI: That is the problem. [Interjections.] That is the problem with you.

 

The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Ms M G Boroto): I’m not going to listen to that either. That is not a point ...

 

Mr M Q NDLOZI: It’s the truth.

 

The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Ms M G Boroto): No, no, no.

 

Mr M Q NDLOZI: Because it’s the truth.

 

The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Ms M G Boroto): Hon member, please sit down.

 

Mr M Q NDLOZI: You are impatient. I think you must go to primary school or something. Go back to preschool, or the kindergarten or something. We always run into chaos when you preside.

The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Ms M G Boroto): Hon Ndlozi, are you aware that you are disruptive now?

 

Mr M Q NDLOZI: No.

 

The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Ms M G Boroto): You are. [Inaudible.]

 

Mr M Q NDLOZI: You are disruptive.

 

The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Ms M G Boroto): No, hon Ndlozi, you cannot do as you wish in this House.

 

Mr M Q NDLOZI: You also cannot do as you wish.

 

The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Ms M G Boroto): [Inaudible.] ... Rules in this House.

 

Mr M Q NDLOZI: You also cannot do as you wish.

 

The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Ms M G Boroto): Hon ... ? There was somebody standing. Hon Steenhuisen?

 

Mr M Q NDLOZI: You also can’t do as you wish. Who are you?

 

The CHIEF WHIP OF THE OPPOSITION: Thank you very much, Madam House Chair. Our Whippery is fine. Perhaps the ANC’s Whippery could get their members in the House to pass your legislation, hon Carrim. You’ve got to speak to them rather to me. The DA would like to record our objection to the report.

 

The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Ms M G Boroto): What is it? Can you say that again?

 

Mr M Q NDLOZI: Ya, because you are not listening. You see, this is the reason. Hah, this Chairperson! [Interjections.]

 

The CHIEF WHIP OF THE OPPOSITION: I said to you that the hon Carrim should perhaps give advice to the ANC Whippery.

 

The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Ms M G Boroto): No, no, no. What is your problem? Why are you standing? Don’t talk about the hon Carrim. He’s not here.

 

The CHIEF WHIP OF THE OPPOSITION: I’m objecting to the report as per the Rules of Parliament.

 

The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Ms M G Boroto): Okay. Thank you very much. Your objection is noted. Thank you. Hon Matiase?

Mr N S MATIASE: I rise to register the objection of the EFF. However, Madam Chair ...

 

The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Ms M G Boroto): Noted. [Interjections.]

 

Mr N S MATIASE: However ... However, Madam Chair ... [Interjections.]

 

Motion agreed to (Democratic Alliance and Economic Freedom Fighters dissenting).

 

Report accordingly adopted.

 

EMPOWERMENT OF YOUNG PEOPLE IN OUR COUNTRY

 

(Subject for Discussion)

 

Mr T MAKONDO: Hon Chairperson, this debate takes place just few days after the ANC celebrated the life and times of Reginald Oliver Tambo who was the selfless fighter for justice, freedom, human rights and equality. South Africans as a nation will always be indebted to him, for being brave and led the ANC at the most difficult times of our national liberation struggle, when Verwoerd’s apartheid policies were entrenched. Our people in township, especially young people, bared the brunt of this system. Hence the youth of 1976 as led by the progressive forces of the ANC undermined the inhumane laws of apartheid as designed by Verwoerd.

 

There are relatively similarities between the 1976 generation and the 2015 generation. The 2015 generation are tired of systematic exclusion from universities by universities to continue the apartheid patterns and indeed fees-must-fall and universities must take responsibility for their insensitive action.

 

The youth can be a creative force, a dynamic source of innovations and they have undoubtedly throughout history change political system. However, youth also face poverty, barriers to education, multiple forms of discrimination and unemployment which is increasingly at an alarming rate.

 

The youth is an important and a special component of society in driving their social change, and if their needs are slowly addressed they will be impatient.

 

Hon members, let me draw your attention on youth development progress thus far, which we, as the ANC, have done. The ANC has done the following in restoring the lost of identity of our youth towards nation building and social cohesion. The democratic victory of 1994 indeed was a concrete step towards restoration of nation building but acknowledge that there are many challenges affecting the youth and youth development has happened unco-ordinated manner and that has to come to an end.

 

Post 1994, the progressive youth alliance, under the leadership of the ANC engaged in a constructive debate to define a progressive path towards an integrated youth development approach. In its congress, the ANC Youth League has resolved that there is a need to institutionalise youth development in the country, a process that culminated to the establishment of the National Youth Commission which President Mandela launched in 1996, a first of its kind after more than 300 years of the youth condemnation. This is what President Nelson Mandela said, I quote:

 

The youth of our country are the valued possession of the nation. Without them there can be no future. Their needs are immense and urgent. They are a centre of reconstruction and development.

 

The immediate task of the Youth Commission was to co-ordinate youth development initiatives aiming at empowering the youth of our country. The pillar and the centrality to its mandate, was to lobby and advocacy for the mainstreaming of youth development across different stakeholders including government and private sector.

 

The National Youth Commission opened a new chapter in the evolution of youth development in this country which gave rise to the birth of South African National Youth Council and the establishment of Umsobomvu Youth Fund. In its endeavour to mainstream youth development in the country for the first time South Africa has adopted a youth development framework in 2002, a policy which gave birth to a government’s national youth service programme.

 

The national youth service programme aim at providing a long-term and effective ways of reconstructing South African society, by developing the abilities of young people through service and learning. Its main objectives was to: Inculcate a culture of service by supporting the youth to participate constructively in nation building and social cohesion; creating an understating in young people of their role in promoting civic awareness, patriotism and development, acknowledging that young people indeed needed skills and ability to enable them to make transition to adulthood, most importantly, to improve youth employability through work experience in a form of learnership and internship and skills development by the different Sector Education and Training Authority, Setas, and the national youth service, NYS, has done very well towards bringing the dignity of South African youth.

 

On skills development and education a lot has been done. Living up to the commitment of the Freedom Charter that “the doors of learning shall be open for all” the ANC-led government has open up opportunities for our young people from an early child development to an adulthood. It is only this government that has banned buying of learning materials by learners and introduce no-fees-school from Grade R to Grade 12. It is only the ANC-led government that today is replacing the Bantustan concept of education and we are moving towards a paperless classroom in some parts of our country. It is only the ANC-led government that has broadened access to higher education by providing bursaries and financial aids to poor students and opening National Student Financial Aid Scheme, NSFAS, to technical and vocational education and training, TVET, colleges and building two more universities within a period of 20 years of our democracy.

In 2006, the National Youth Commission convened a youth convention, a directive from the ANC Youth League to review youth development in the country. The convention emerged with an integrated youth development strategy to accelerate a single integrated youth development which gave birth to the establishment of the National Youth Development Agency, Nyda, in 2008 and the adoption of National Youth Policy by government in 2008 as well as the policy document that guides youth development trajectory in our country.

 

We therefore call on all stakeholders to support the National Youth Policy, NYP, 2020 and implement this policy because it is in line with the National Development Plan NDP and vision 2030. Government, labour and youth sector and business through the National Economic Development and Labour Council, Nedlac, have signed a youth employment accord. The youth employment accord ... Thank you very much, Chairperson. [Time expired.] [Applause.]

 

Mr D MAYNIER: Hon Chairperson, I was privileged to attend the inaugural address of the former President Nelson Mandela in this Parliament. He recognised on that day and I quote:

 

The youth of our country are the valued possession of the nation. Without them there can be no future. Their needs are immense and urgent.

 

The fees-must-fall campaign reminds us the 21 years later the youths’ needs remain immense and urgent. Yet, the Minister of Higher Education and Training, Dr Blade Nzimande, does not seem to understand the immense and urgent needs of students, especially poor students, who cannot afford to pay their fees. The R2,7 billion shortfall, arising from the 0% fees increase must be squeezed out of taxpayers and muscled out of the private sector all to avoid ministerial belt-tightening.

 

That is because the needs of Ministers are more important than the needs of poor students who cannot pay their fees. The needs of the Minister of International Relations and Co-operation, who plans to spend R720 million on foreign missions, are more important than the needs of poor students, who cannot pay their fees.

 

The needs of the Minister of Health, who plans to spend R1,25 million on new ministerial vehicles, are greater than the needs of poor students, who cannot afford to pay their fees. The needs of the Minister of Police, who plans to spend R69,7 million on bodyguards, are greater than the needs of poor students, who cannot afford to pay their fees.

 

The needs of the Minister of Human Settlements, who plans to spend R245 000 on her new ministerial office, are greater than the needs of poor students, who cannot afford to pay their fees. We cannot go on like this. We have to act now. We have to put students first. That’s why I’m appealing to the Minister of International Relations and Co-operation to put the needs of students first and sacrifice spending more money on foreign missions. I’m appealing to the Minister of Health to put students first and sacrifice spending more money on ministerial cars.

 

I’m appealing to the Minister of Police to put the needs of students first and sacrifice spending more money on bodyguards. I’m appealing to the Minister of Human Settlements, to put the needs of students first and sacrifice spending more money on ministerial office. We can find the money, but only if we put students first. We have to do this because as the former President Nelson Mandela reminded us 21 years ago: “Their needs are immense and their needs are urgent”. I thank you. [Time expired.] [Applause.]

 

Mr M Q NDLOZI: We take this opportunity to declare 2015 the year of radical and youth activism. From the statues must fall to the fees must fall movement. We salute these gallant fighters and affirm their determination, resilience and unity; which brought the ANC government kicking and screaming in that soprano voice of Bra Blade Nzimande to agree on 0% fee increment in 2016. But these fighters did not stop there, they also raised the bar higher and that 0% only means fees have been frozen for a year. The most sustainable solution is when fees fall, is when fees have fallen for the attainment of free education, quality education for all.

 

The ANC’s motion that we sit here today and debate youth empowerment reflects their slow pace in understanding the revolutionary time clock of social change. The Fees Must Fall movement is the answer to youth empowerment; because there is no better empowerment you can give to young people than quality education. Everything else you give will not be sustainable if it is not accompanied by quality education. Quality education is the foundation of any conception of human freedom. If you give me the right to life, why let me live without education. If you give me the right to freedom of speech, what will I ever say if I am not educated? I will suffer the humiliation of not being able to read numbers in front of the entire nation. This is why education must be free. It must be free for all. This is the greatest human demand of all time without which both our political freedoms and economic freedoms to come are at risk.

 

When people say we want to be educated; it is evil to send them to loan sharks like Eduloan. To send police to assault, shoot, arrest them; they seek empowerment, a noble need, the need to be educated. The idea of Fees Must Fall could indeed be interpreted in the three words of Dr King, Jr when he said: “All, here and now” The students are not saying they want part of the fees should fall like the increment, they are saying all fees must fall. They are saying all fees must fall right here in South Africa. Do not refer them to another country. They want fees to fall in University of Cape Town, UCT, University of Witwatersrand, Wits, University of Limpopo, UniLim, University of Venda, UniVend, University of KwaZulu-Natal, UKZN. Students do not want fees to fall in 20 years.

 

Do not tell them about Vision 2020 of some National Development Plan, NDP Vision 2030. They want fees to fall and they want fees to fall right here, right now. Now many of you have been saying this demand has been unreasonable and have had the audacity to question the students as to where the money will come from. Well in the same way you have planned to spend one trillion rand on nuclear build is the same way you should plan for free quality education. The Fees Must Fall’s historic demand is an absolutely quintessential argument, superior both in its ethical prose and logical power. It is the critique of the entire conception of youth in government policy. Above all it critiques the idea of commoditisation of schooling.

 

The fees must fall critique says National Student Financial Aid Scheme, NSFAS must fall. NSFAS has not changed the R122 000 household income for those who must qualify for the loan. The reality is even if I had R200 000, I could still not afford education. NSFAS is therefore trapped in the logic that Fees Must Fall is fighting against and that has to do with education being a commodity. It affirms it. No one must take a loan from anybody to be educated. All academically deserving young people must have free access to universities. In addition, if you took what we have been telling you since we got here in parliament about illicit financial flows you would have recovered lots of money to fund education.

 

Nigeria today is recovering 72 billion rand from one company because they listened. In South Africa an estimated R385 billion can be recovered annually by going hard on all those engaged in profit shifting. Only education is the real empowerment on our people. Free quality education now. Thank you very much. [Applause.] [Interjections.]

 

Mr M HLENGWA: Hon House Chairperson, youth development is a human right and youth rights are human rights. The IFP believes it is the responsibility of a democratic government to empower the youth generation to shape tomorrow. Today really should not be about rhetoric as we have heard. As we have been down this road of debates many times before. The youth of South Africa simply are no longer interested in statements of intent or fancy plans. This debate should be about the report back on tangible results to the youth of South Africa from the ANC. But we all know when it comes to youth development, there is very little you can report on.

 

Unemployment remains very high, now standing at a staggering 25% and under President Zuma the situation has gone from bad to worse and is now at its worst. The economy is on its knees. The promises of a better life for all have come to nought. Every promise has been a tale told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, signifying nothing. Prince Mangosuthu Buthelezi, speaking at the IFP 40th Anniversary Rally in Soweto over the past weekend, correctly captured the situation of South Africa and I quote when he said:

The present fight for free education is born out of the need for young South Africans to secure their future in a very uncertain economic climate. Our youth are asking for the opportunity to create their own future. Access to education cannot be barred to those with limited resources. We are shooting ourselves in the foot if we make education a preserve of the few, for we need skilled, empowered, educated citizens to build our economy. If we are to get through this time of economic crisis, we need the contribution of every South African, and that contribution must be optimised.

 

In 1994 the ANC promised South Africans free education; and in 2015 the electorate has came out to demand what was promised to them. It is time to deliver. The fees must fall. The 0% fee increment in 2016 does not address the real issues and does not solve the problem because education whilst being a constitutional, has became a commercialised commodity that the majority of our people cannot afford. The 0% fee increment is a knee-jerk reaction without a real without a plan as to where the money will come from. Free education must first and foremost benefit the poor whose lives on a daily basis is punctuated by struggle and inequality. Our democratic rights are not for sale to be sold to those with deep pockets, leaving the poor struggling and vulnerable, languishing in socioeconomic conditions and the wilderness without hope and progress in life and unable to contribute to South Africa’s economic growth and development, simply because they don’t have the money to buy education.

 

So if you really want to come and tell us about the empowerment of young people, maybe start with better access to healthcare and education. Create jobs and understand that National Student Financial Aid Scheme, NSFAS has collapsed because of corruption because of corruption and no longer serve its intended purposes and no longer ... [Time expired.] to the people and its intended recipients. I thank you.

 

Mr S C MNCWABE: Sihlalo, ngibingelele iNdlu yonke. [Let me greet the whole House, Chairperson.]

 

The recent Fees Must Fall protest which made the foundations of society shake is a clear signal which we can no longer ignore. Our youth are becoming increasingly dissatisfied with the lack of empowerment in the post-democratic era and it is now a matter of time before this discontent spills out into the streets as patience gives way to resentment. Swift and proactive action is called for if we are to avert a repeat of the Fees Must Fall protest, on a scale not seen in our country since the height of apartheid oppression. This time it will be of no use to government to treat protests as a policing matter and heavy- handed public order enforcement will tear the country apart into unprecedented chaos.

 

The NFP believes that we are standing at the edge of a political abyss in our country but that there is still time to guide the new order which is coming, as it must. Our youth have waited long enough now and their empowerment should be escalated to the highest government priority without delay. The policy guidelines of the NFP on youth and development are clear and consistent. We believe that youth empowerment through skills development is the key to unlock the potential of future generations today. Skills, once acquired, will equip our youth to face the future with confidence and with a realistic chance of finding employment or to embrace entrepreneurship.

 

The NFP thus calls on the government to take all the necessary steps to achieve free basic and further education for all deserving, young, South Africans. By investing in education, we invest in our future. The NFP also believes that at least 50% of black industrialists, which the government seeks to empower, must be young people and in particular those from historically disadvantaged communities. By including the youth in the generational mix in this sector, young people will have identifiable role models which will serve as inspiration and encourage them to develop entrepreneurial skills.

 

Above all we need to give our youth hope. We need to give them honest hope, not empty promises. Actions speak louder than words and the ball is now in the government’s court. The NFP therefore urges government to sit down and for once and listen seriously to the youth. Engage with them and find common solutions to the lack of empowerment, which is making our young people restless. The youth is our future. Let us take them seriously as equal citizens of the country, for it is they who will inherit the society we shape today.

 

Ngiyabonga Sihlalo. [Thank you, Chairperson.]

 

Ms C MATSIMBI: The quality of life for a black person under the colonial apartheid regime was poor and inferior. Blacks were grouped into homelands which were underdeveloped and dependent on the apartheid regime for survival. These homelands were characterized by challenges such as huge backlogs on basic services like quality clean water, sanitation, health and education. The impact of this is still felt today and characterizes the lives of many poor black South Africans.

The Freedom Charter as adopted at the Congress of the People in Kliptown, 26 June 1955 says and I quote, “The doors of learning and culture shall be opened”. The clause further says:

 

the government shall discover, develop and encourage national talent for the enhancement of our cultural life. All the cultural treasures of mankind shall be opened to all, by free exchange of books, ideas and contact with other lands. The aim of education shall be to teach the youth to love their people and their culture, to honour human brotherhood, liberty and peace.

 

Since the formation of the ANC Youth League in 1944, followed by the adoption of the Freedom Charter, the ANC has consciously strived to nurture and guide young people to love themselves, their people and their culture which includes: respect, discipline and humility. Not the rudeness and meanness that we lately experience. As we move forwards, busy correcting the evils and poor legacy left by the apartheid regime, departments are mandated to have youth developmental programmes. These developmental programmes take the form of bursaries, learnerships and internships.

 

As much as we are told that for 21 years there has been no improvement in our country’s education system - that is pure fallacy. The country has improved immensely. Hon Chair, allow me to take this House through the milestones achieved thus far by the democratic government.

 

Regarding early childhood development, the government supports the child from birth. Children are born free and pay no medical expenses. They get their medication like their parents for free. They get their birth certificate free of charge and they proceed to receive their social grant courtesy of our government. They proceed to enter the early childhood level of education and afterwards they are ready for primary education until Grade 7. They then proceed to get free education until Grade 12 courtesy of our government.

 

The strengthening of co-ordination of joint action between both basic and higher education with student formations, parliament and national democratic forces is critical to build an effective movement for education transformation. Through the process of struggle and progress the ANC had to reconstruct the education system in order to create an education system of quality accessible to all. An education system underpinned by policy objectives of the ANC and significantly the call by the Freedom Charter that, “The doors of learning and culture shall be opened”.

 

The budget allocated to the basic and higher education sector increases annually to reaffirm the ANC government’s undertaking to affirm education as an apex priority. This is evident in the programmes which the Department of Basic Education prioritised, the mathematics, science and technology grant which increases the number of learners taking mathematics, science and technology subjects, improves the success rate in the subjects, and improves teachers’ abilities in teaching these three gateway subjects, and will reinforce the Action Plan and National Development Plan.

 

The development and educator support has been prioritised, as is seen in the R3, 094 billion made available through Funza Lushaka bursaries over the Medium-Term Expenditure Framework. This is to ensure that every learner in every classroom is taught for the required number of hours by a qualified and competent educator.

 

The intake of students for post school education will be massively expanded over the next five years with the aim of enrolling the majority of the youth aged 18 to 23. At least 60% of jobs in new infrastructure projects have been set aside for young people. These will be combined with improved training by FET colleges to ensure that there are enough young people with necessary skills. Large industrial projects include work and training opportunities for artisans on a large scale. Further Education and Training colleges are providing industries with requisite artisan skills.

 

Alternative avenues have been established to develop skills. These include TVET colleges, artisan training programmes that are funded by bursaries, Setas and the National Skills Fund. This has led to artisans successfully completing their trade tests. Setas are intervening in communities in dire straits by skilling young people, to enable young people to be eligible for employment.

 

The historically disadvantaged institutions are being prioritised for infrastructure spending in all areas but mostly student housing and historic backlogs; a historically disadvantaged development fund has also been introduced to help these universities fund initiatives that can improve their financial sustainability and academic standing.

 

Major reviews of the National Student Financial Aid Scheme have taken place and should be seen in the context of a new plan on implementation of free tertiary education to the poor, including the provision for student accommodation all in the broader context of the funding of universities. In 2013/2014, a total number of 175 562 young people enrolled in learning programmes, of whom many are now in employment. A further 244 069 young people will be trained over the next year through the Setas. The national senior certificate for adults was registered to address the problem of unemployed and unskilled youth.

 

The National Skills Fund continues to provide loans and bursaries approximately R50 billion since 1994 to approximately 1,5 million students in South Africa. This has necessitated an increase in the allocation of National Skills Fund on an annual basis. The budget is further increased by recovered and donor allocations which increased the total budget of the National Skills Fund to R9,5 million. We are a responsive government and we will continue to press forward in the name of empowering our future leaders as said by the then President O R Tambo I quote:

 

A nation that does not care for its youth has no future and does not deserve one.

 

I-ANC ibusy njani shame, hashtag sikulento. [Poor ANC, they are so busy; hashtag we are involved with the matter.]

 

I thank you.

 

Dr P J GROENEWALD: Hon Chairperson, I want to refer to the hon member of the ANC who referred to apartheid. Let it be very clear, I don’t want to go back to apartheid. It is very surprising that, while we talk about that time, the President of Zimbabwe, President Mugabe, obtained his degree at the University of Fort Hare, in the Eastern Cape. How is it then that the hon member, Dr Buthelezi, obtained his PhD at the University of Cape Town? So, don’t blame everything on apartheid because it seems that is the only thing you can do when you cannot solve the problem. [Interjections.]

 

Dit is die kern van die probleem. [Tussenwerpsels.] Die ANC kom staan hier en wil eintlik spog oor watter geleenthede hulle vir die jeug wil gee en hoe hulle die jeug wil bemagtig. (Translation of Afrikaans paragraph follows.)

 

[This is the essence of the problem. [Interjections.] The ANC uses this forum and actually boasts about the opportunities they would like to present to the youth and the way in which they would like to empower the youth.]

 

The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Ms A T Didiza): Order! Hon members, can we please allow the member on the podium to finish his statement.

 

Dr P J GROENEWALD: Agb Voorsitter, u moet sê as ek harder moet praat. Ek kan harder praat as ek moet. Die werklikheid is, die ANC-regering bevorder niks anders as rassisme nie. U spog hier oor beurse wat beskikbaar gestel word aan die jeug van Suid-Afrika om hulle te bemagtig, maar die werklikheid is: As die ANC oor jeug praat, dink hulle net aan swart jeug. (Translation of Afrikaans paragraph follows.)

 

[Dr P J GROENEWALD: Hon Chair, you must indicate whether I should speak louder. I can speak louder should it be required. The reality is the ANC government promotes nothing else but racism. You boast here about bursaries being made available to the youth of South Africa in order to empower them, but the reality is: when the ANC speaks about the youth they only have the black youth in mind.]

Mr G S RADEBE: Chair, on a point of order: I want to check whether the hon Groenewald, as architecture of apartheid, can take a question.

 

The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Ms A T Didiza): Can you please wait to hear whether the member can take a question or not.

 

Dr P J GROENEWALD: Agb Voorsitter, ek vat net intelligente vrae. Die agb lid kan nie intelligente vrae vra nie. Ek neem geen vrae nie.

 

As ons gaan kyk na bemagtiging van die jeug, moet ons begin by die begin van die probleem. Die begin van die probleem is die basiese onderwysvlak. Hoe is dit moontlik dat die agb Minister van Basiese Onderwys nou al begin voorspraak maak deur te sê dat sy bietjie bekommerd is oor die uitslae van matrikulante, want dit gaan nou die eerste keer wees dat Graad 12-leerlinge wat twee keer in Graad 11 gedruip het, net eenvoudig deurgesit is om ’n matriekeksamen te skryf.

 

Dit is mos niks anders as die verlaging van standaarde nie. Indien u standaarde op basiese onderrigvlak verlaag, dan bemagtig u nie die jeug nie; u ontmagtig hulle.

 

U ontmagtig die wit jeug, want u diskrimineer teen hulle as gevolg van regstellende aksie. As u die jeug werklik wil bemagtig, word dan werklik kleurblind. Moenie dat ’n wit student aan hoër vereistes en standaarde moet voldoen om by ’n universiteit toegelaat te word nie. Moenie toelaat dat ’n wit student, as hy of sy aansoek doen vir ’n studiebeurs, moet hoor, jammer, jy kan dit nie kry nie, want jy is wit.

 

Kinders wat in 1994 gebore is en wat wit is, is vandag 21 jaar oud. Hoe lank wil u teen hulle diskrimineer? U bemagtig nie, u ontmagtig. [Tyd versterke.] (Translation of Afrikaans paragraphs follows.)

 

[Dr P J GROENEWALD: Hon Chair, I only allow intelligent questions. The hon member is not able to ask intelligent questions. I take no questions.

 

If we have a look at the empowerment of the youth we need to start with the problem first. The problem starts with the basic level of education. How is it possible that the hon Minister of Basic Education is already advocating slight concern about the results of matriculants because it will now happen for the first time that grade 12 scholars who failed grade 11 for the second time, were simply promoted in order to write their matric examinations.

 

Indeed, this is nothing else but lowering the standards. If you lower standards at the basic level of education, then you don’t empower the youth; you disempower them.

 

You disempower the white youth, because you discriminate against them on the grounds of affirmative action. If you really want to empower the youth, you should be totally colour-blind. Do not expect a white student to meet higher requirements and standards in order to enrol at a university. If a white student applies for a bursary don’t use the excuse that sadly he does not qualify because of his white skin.

 

White children who were born in 1994, are 21 years of age today. How long must they be discriminated against? You do not empower, you disempower the youth. [Time expired.]]

 

The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Ms A T Didiza): Hon members, I know sometimes interventions can be very heated, but can we please allow those on the podium to also be heard.

 

Mr W M MADISHA: Hon Chair, the transition from education to the labour market has become more difficult for the South African youth. Without doubt, the present generation of young people has been hit very hard by the economic crisis.

 

The European Commission’s report indicates that in Europe, one out of five young jobseekers under the age of 25 cannot find work. In South Africa, it is one out of seven. Many young people in Europe as well as in South Africa believe that their concerns are not taken up by politicians and they feel marginalised and excluded from the economic and social life. Social tensions are rising everywhere.

 

It is imperative that young people acquire the skills they need for today’s and tomorrow’s labour market. They must also have social, civic and intercultural competencies, as well as a strong capacity for critical thinking.

 

We must pay particular attention to the needs of the disadvantaged youth. There are two things that we will request President Zuma to do. Firstly, it has been said that we don’t have enough money for our children at universities and we need about R2,2 billion. Where is this money? There are many Ministers and Deputy Ministers. We talk about 73 people. We want to emphasize, in the biggest country in the world, China, 18 Ministers are serving 1,2 billion people. That is the first thing that President Zuma has to look into.

 

Secondly, we call on him to do what the working class requested President Mandela to do in 1998. We requested President Mandela to call government, business and labour together, so that we could come up with something that could take us forward. The workers, of course, were able to contribute R89 million. I was chairperson of that for 11 years. Indeed, that was able to create more than 100 000 jobs. Please, do what is correct. Thank you.

 

Ms C DUDLEY Chair, aperson's education and subsequent employment deeply affects their self-esteem and recent attention brought to not only those who drop out, but those graduates in South Africa who struggle through and leave university not competent within a business environment, is telling. Melo Magolego writing in the Mail and Guardian has also drawn attention to students lacking actual hands-on experience and not having anyone guiding them through potential potholes.

 

Most students in South Africa are young people for whom English is not their home or primary language and they arrive at varsity or college unaware of the requirements of the study culture of tertiary education. So, it’s not surprising that the average time taken in achieving a BA Degree today is 5 to 6 years for a three-year course.

 

This translates into climbing costs for students and educational institutes for each additional year. Even in the case of degrees like engineering, it is as bad, if not worse, with even higher costs.

 

In the opinion of some experts in education analysis and consultation, we need to help the bulk of students to pass in the correct amount of time. The root cause of extended degrees - we are told - is that even if students obtain an entrance pass into university, their level of academic literacy and mathematical thinking is not sufficient to enable them to cope with the high-level knowledge and skills that university programmes demand.

 

The proposed solution is a foundational bridging year. Students need a preparation year to remediate gaps and enhance their English and Mathematics knowledge and skills and critical thinking before they tackle all first-year courses.

 

This need is true for students at technical and vocational education and training, TVET, colleges as much as for students at universities. In recent years as the enrolments at TVET colleges have hugely expanded, so have the drop-out rates increased and graduation rates decreased - so much waste and despondency.

 

It is not enough to just think about access, as Minister Nzimande has, without considering how costs can be most effectively reduced through increasing throughput and graduation rates. A focus on improving student readiness for success in post-school education is critical to ensure fewer drop-outs, and more graduates sooner, especially in scarce skills areas.

 

Bridging programmes were common at universities and technikons in the 1980s, usually funded by corporations which provided bursaries to students in exchange for a number of years of work in their businesses. They had realised that the students needed this year to prepare them properly for successful study.

 

Important lessons were learnt from these programmes and they need to be re-examined. A number of models were used, but common components were year-long English and Mathematics and critical thinking courses, as well as other study skills and support that were needed.

 

The ACDP urges government to implement a bridging year across the board that would rapidly increase empowerment. Thank you. [Time expired.]

 

Mr CASSIM: Chairperson, President Nelson Mandela had a dream to give power to the preamble of our Constitution through a commitment to improve the quality of life of all citizens and free the potential of each person. President Zuma’s government has not honoured this commitment. Madiba once said:

 

... we are not yet free; we have merely achieved the freedom to be free.

 

The fact is the ANC government today is not free to empower the youth of our country. It remains shackled. It remains shackled by the need to defend the compromised President; shackled by rampant corruption and waste; shackled by the need to reward loyal but unskilled cadres with powerful jobs and gloated bureaucracies; shackled by alliance partners who compromise basic education; and shackled by ideological differences.

 

We will never be free as long as circumstances of our birth rather that our efforts and talent determine our future success. The state of our education 21 years into our democracy is considered to be among the very worst and unequal in the world.

 

Let me make this clear, hon Matsimbi, as you come here and boast about the no-fee schools. The call of our people is not for free education, but it is for a free quality education. History will show that the failure to provide our youth with quality education will be our government’s single biggest failure. Our youth are failed from the very early grades by teachers who can’t teach them to read. By the time they need to use the reading skills to learn they have a disadvantage that will never be erased. They are then expected to complete high school under teachers who can’t get the basic rights. In fact, many of these teachers can’t even pass the exams that they set.

 

As to the threats of drugs and violence getting into schools, the lack of text books, desks, toilets and we have an entire generation falling through the cracks. Only 55% of pupils who enter school end up writing matric examination, with only 12% achieving a bachelor pass. Poor South Africans who bit the odds to access higher education and training are further excluded or set up to fail through an inefficient and grossly underfunded financial aids scheme.

 

The hon Makondo came up here at the start of this debate and it was the biggest insult to the many young South Africans who are  being set up to fail and excluded to, first of all, say that fees must fall where actually the fee increases has been due to the underfunding of our universities by the ANC government. Furthermore, to go and praise the National Student Financial Aid Scheme, Progressive Youth Alliance, PYA, Skills Education Training Authorities, Setas, and National Youth Development Agency, NYDA. What it shows and what it indicates is how out of touch this government is from the realities on the ground.

 

Currently, as we speak, there are students at the technical and vocational education and training, Tvet, colleges who are supposed to be getting travel allowances to attend classes who do not receive these allowances. Therefore, they cannot attend classes and they are being set up to fail. There are students who have been made to pay entrance fees to Tvet colleges. I wrote to Minister Nzimande about this. He responded and said that there are no students being made to pay these fees. What it shows and tells us is that unless this government understands and knows what is happening on the ground it will never be able to deal with the issues affecting our people.

 

The future of our generation is hanging by a thread. It demands that we abandon the ANC politics as usual. Youth empowerment rather than nuclear empowerment must become the central focus of this government. It requires an entire mind set change - youth opportunity rather than cadre opportunity. We can salvage an entire generation if only our priorities are corrected. Fix basic education; fund our students and universities appropriately; improve our technical and vocational skills offering; prioritise internship and learnership opportunities; introduce a real youth wage subsidy and opportunity voucher scheme for those who want to start businesses; scrap redundant bureaucracies including the NYDA; and streamline government departments.

 

In order to build a truly inclusive society, we must ensure that a child born in Soweto is not faced with greater challenges to success than a child born in Sandton. This is the vision of the DA for South Africa and this is the vision that we need that it be focused on. Thank you, Chairperson. [Applause.]

 

Ms D CARTER: Chairperson, I did not want to interrupt any of the speakers, but I am just rising on a point of clarity. Where are the Ministers today? This is an important debate. [Interjections.]

 

The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Ms A T Didiza): Hon member, seating here I do not know where the members of the executive who are not here are. Some of them are here however, we can follow up on that question. For now we cannot give a conclusive answer.

 

Ms D CARTER: Hon Chairperson, thank you, but I think we have a right to stand up on a questions of prevalence. For members in the corner to threaten me and say we will take you out, is wrong.

 

The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Ms A T Didiza): Hon members, order! Hon members, at the corner there, I think we need to lessen our voices. I think we should because when we speak we also want what we say to be heard. I think we need to accord the same respect to other members in the House.

 

Hon Ndlozi, may you please not interjects.

 

Mr M A DIRKS: Chairperson, in the last 20 years, under the ANC-led government there are 1,7 million more young people working in this country. We have promoted entrepreneurship development and provided financial skills and mentorships. We have set aside R2,5 billion for youth entrepreneurship loans and support through the Industrial Development Corporation, IDC, Small Enterprise Finance Agency, Sefa, and National Youth Development Agency, NYDA, partnership.

 

Our policy environment to address youth development has improved drastically since 1994. Today, we have a decisive policy to address youth development in this country. The main intention of the National Youth Policy 2020, is to create an environment that will allow young people of South Africa to reach their full potential and develop their lives for the better. The National Youth Policy 2020, shares the vision of the National Development Plan that South Africa has the potential and capacity to eliminate the triple challenges of poverty, unemployment and inequalities facing our nation.

 

The NYDA has identified four priorities that are meant to drive decisive youth development in this country: first, economic participation of the youth of this country; second, education and skills development; third, national youth service; and fourth; social cohesion. The emphasis in the new growth path is on the need for the state to create jobs through direct employment schemes, targeted subsidies and expansionary macroeconomic package.

 

The Youth Employment Tax Incentive which was implemented at the beginning of 2014, has begun to improve job prospects for young workers. As of August 2014, about 23 500 employers in this country had claimed the incentive for at least 209 000 young employees. The employment tax incentive which was introduced last year and directed mainly at the youth is progressing very well. About R2 billion has been claimed to date by some 29 000 employers who have claimed for at least 270 000 young people who are working. We announced a target of six million work opportunities over five years. We have thus far created more than 850 000 work opportunities. This means that we are poised to meet the annual target of one million job opportunities.

 

In order to promote youth development, the ANC government through the National Treasury, established the Jobs Fund that aims at creating jobs by supporting initiatives that generate employment in innovative ways. The fund offers once off grants in the areas of enterprise development, infrastructure, support for workseekers and institutional capacity building. Since its inception, the Jobs Fund has approved 93 projects and allocated R5 billion in grant funding. This has leveraged a further R6,1 billion from project partners. Total employment in these projects amount to 167 847 jobs of which 56 356 are new placements in vacant positions. This number is set to rise over 185 000 beneficiaries who will receive work related training. The projects have already created 30 700 new permanent jobs, and 8 730 short-term jobs has also been created. In addition, 17 428 young people have been placed in jobs with 4 792 completing internships and 75 163 completing training.

 

Fellow young South Africans, these are the facts that I have presented to you today that the ANC government is serious about youth development, and are serious about developing youth. The people on my left hand side are the very same people who, in the committee when the portfolio committee try to approve more funding for the National Youth Development Agency to empower young people in this country, fight the ANC that no more money must be given to the youth. They stand here today and shout the loudest about youth development. We, in the ANC, tell no lies. We claim no easy victories. We know the challenges facing the young people in South Africa and we call upon young people of South Africa to hold their hands to the ANC government and move young people in this country forward. [Applause.]

We understand that the DA cannot discuss youth development because they have to deal with issues of the past. The future is not with them. They need to deal with issues of the past. You can expel and terminate the membership of Kohler-Barnard, but the problem and the dilemma you are facing is that you have thousands and thousands more Kohler-Barnard in your party. [Interjections.] When you terminate all who have membership you will be a party without members and without voters, and this is what the DA is all about.

 

The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Ms A T Didiza): Hon member, may you please stick to your speech.

 

Mr M A DIRKS: Fellow South Africans, the only thing that the opposition can do when we speak and present facts in this Parliament about the advances that the government has made on youth development, is to make noise. You must learn to keep quiet and listen - learn to keep quiet; learn to keep quiet.

 

Mr A M MATHLOKO: Hon Chair, on a point of order: The speaker must please, reduce his voice and not fight.

 

The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Ms A T Didiza): That is not a point of order. Order, hon members! Hon member, may you please proceed.

Mr M A DIRKS: The DA must learn to keep quiet when the ANC educates them. When we educate you try to keep quiet and you will learn something in the process. Thank you, Madam Chairperson. [Applause.]

 

Mr S M JAFTA: Hon Chairperson, when we talk about developing the youth of this country we should be referring mostly to moulding, capacitating, ... [Interjection.]

 

The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Ms A T Didiza): Order, hon member.

 

Mr S M JAFTA: ... and creating more opportunities for the young citizens of this country. We should be talking about developing the youth that will have a vision for South Africa as a nation; the youth that is willing to be developed and be prepared to take any risk to develop themselves and their country. We cannot develop our youth without looking back where this country comes from, where it is and where do we want it to be. That leaves us with no choice but to analyse the past and the present socio-economic and political conditions of our country. Which, then tells us about the most disadvantaged youth for prioritisation in any programmes that government puts in place for the purpose of youth development? [Interjections.]

 

The lack of skills is a general cry in all departments in this country. That is really a problem with the education which is still given to our children as many graduates remain frustrated at home with no work opportunities.

 

The government therefore, needs to improve education and invest more on education that will produce better citizens of this country.

 

Our system of education ... [Interjections.]

 

The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Ms A T Didiza): Order! Order, hon Jafta, can you take your seat.

 

Mr N SINGH: Madam Chairperson, I rise on a point of order, and I am sorry that the hon member is disturbed. There is just too much of noise from that corner there and we can’t hear the hon member.

 

The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Ms A T Didiza): Order! Hon members can you please lessen our voices so that we can hear the member on the podium.

 

Mr S M JAFTA: Our system of education must produce job creators than producing job seekers. We know that the youth has resorted to the use of drugs which most of the time lead them into committing serious crimes. Many social and economic factors contribute to that. It is the responsibility of the government to firstly restore the self confidence of such youth. That can be done by coming up with programmes for the youth which will restore their human dignity and regain self confidence. We want the youth that will have value and contribute constructively towards the political, social and economic growth of this country.

 

There is a saying that says I quote; “Personality can open doors, but only character can keep them open.”

 

In conclusion, when developing the youth of this country we must not exclude the youth in this Parliament. I thank you.

 

Ms D P MANANA: Angibonge Mgcinisihlalo longembili, ngibonge emalunga ePhalamende, ngibonge tivakashi tetfu e-galari. [Thank you Chairperson, Members of Parliament and our guests at the gallery.]

 

‘Diverse people Unite!’ is the counsel and imperative that the Saan people tell today’s generation through the coat arms, it is as if our destiny hinges on our unity — indeed unity in diversity is our lodestar oh yes it is our radar as our destination. The National Democratic Society beckons. This is further aptly articulated by the preamble of our Constitution, and I quote:

 

We the people of South Africa recognise the injustices of our past, honour those who suffered for the justice and freedom in our land. Respect those who worked to build and develop our country and believe that South Africa belongs to all who live in it, united in our diversity.

 

The South African nation is a proud product of many streams of history and culture, representing the origins, dispersal and re-integration of humanity over hundreds of thousands of years. What emerged in our country was Colonialism of a Special Type, with both the coloniser and the colonised located in a common territory and with a large European settler population. The deal between the descendants of Dutch settlers and the British imperial power at the end of the so-called Anglo-Boer War formalised in 1910, South Africa's statehood, premised on the political oppression and social subordination and exclusion of the majority of the people.

 

While the anti-colonial struggle could easily have been conducted as one against a racial group, it rose above these categories to embrace the principle of non-racialism; to see humanity as one and diversity as a source of strength.

 

While all communities, including the oppressors and the oppressed, evinced patriarchal relations of power, the struggle evolved to appreciate the real potential role of women, and that their liberation from patriarchy was and should be an integral part of the new democracy.

 

It is at this stage apt to take a leaf from the wise words of counsel from the Strategy and Tactics of the ANC, and I quote: “A nation’s success depends also on its ability to encourage, harness and incorporate into its endeavours that creativity, daring and energy of youth.”

 

South Africa’s success depends also on incorporating the efforts and contribution of its youth. Yes it is true that with so many of the young people in the townships and elsewhere being unemployed, the reality is that the system has marginalised them from the centre of economic activity.

 

However, I must hasten to say that the cries of the youth of our country have and will never fall on deaf ears. To the young people of my beloved country I want to say to you, your organisation the ANC has not only liberated us from apartheid, it is determined to liberate all of us from poverty, unemployment and inequality. I agree with you that the time has come and the time is now to enjoy the fruits of our freedom. I am in full agreement that we are the future of our nation. I fully agree that there can be nothing for us without us. Again I say that the ANC has listened to your voices and will listen to your cries for a better life for all regardless of race, ethnicity, culture and creed.

 

Our engagement with our government should be underpinned and yes even driven by patriotism. We need to protect what we have already achieved and the infrastructure we have already put in place. Indeed, we should be vigilant to defend the gains of our struggle. We should be responsible in our conduct because our nation needs us and needs us healthy and strong. We should form a wall against any force that seeks to divert us from our cause. We should be wary of demagogues who opportunistically promise a pie in the sky in order to advance their narrow political agendas. Our organization the ANC will walk even this difficult mile together with us. Yes, there are some other challenges along the way but they are not insurmountable. The Freedom Charter’s aspirations remain our blue print. We strive for the doors of learning and culture to be open to all and for the people to share in the country’s wealth. In other words free education is our ultimate goal while radical economic transformation is what drives us. The youth is prioritised for employment through youth employment incentives, there are youth set asides in procurement, there are other endeavours to ensure youth development and youth participation in the mainstream economy.

 

The President has recently told the youth of our country the following: "l have established the Presidential Youth Working Group to mainstream youth development and empowerment in the work of government. This group is also designed to enable young people to ... [Interjection.]

 

The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Ms A T Didiza): Order hon member, can you take seat. What is the point of order hon Shandu?

 

Mr M S MBATHA: I rise on a point of order Chair. I just want to know if we are still on the youth empowerment debate.

 

The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Ms A T Didiza): Order, hon Shandu we are

 

Mr M S MBATHA: I am a little bit lost here

 

The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Ms A T Didiza): You can take your seat.

 

Mr M S MBATHA: Can you bring me back Chairperson!

 

The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Ms A T Didiza): I’m bringing you back to take your seat. The member is on the subject. She maybe taking it from a different vantage point, but, she is on the ... [Interjections.] Hon member, you can proceed.

 

Ms D P MANANA: Let me continue with the quote.

 

shape government policy by sensitising us to the impact of policies on the youth and the future of the country. In this way we are saying that youth development is now everybody's business. It is not to be pushed aside. Every government department must ensure that its policies talk to youth development.”

 

This is a Parliament. It is not 161 channels for the Lokshin bioscope.

 

Let me conclude with the words ... Yes there are challenges en route the National Democratic Society our future dispensation, but together with the young people of our land we shall overcome the legacy of poverty; the legacy of unemployment; yes even the legacy of social inequality.

 

The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Ms A T Didiza): Order! Hon members, can we please lessen our voices. I will end up naming people who are making the noise.

 

Ms D P MANANA: We shall live in a country where all are equal and the fruits of production are equitably shared amongst the citizens. Yes, a South Africa united in its diversity. I thank you.

 

Prior to 1994, one cannot even think of what to attribute to empowerment for black youth. What we know is that empowerment was for whites only. Jobs and privileges were reserved for white youth while they were attending school. This is because viewed black life as cheap and not worthy to be empowered. They tried and concealed their history by changing their name and even tried to steal the history and heritage of the liberation movement; including trying to separate former President Nelson Mandela from the ANC.

Angisho kutsi ngale kwesekudla sami sinetinhlelo tekutfumela labasha betfu e-Cuba. [Let me say that at my right hand we have programmes to send our youth to Cuba.]

 

The eight provinces are sending our young ones to Cuba ... [Time expired.] [Thank you.]

 

Ms P T VAN DAMME: Hon Chairperson, it is indeed absolutely unacceptable that 21 years into our democracy, young people in South Africa continue to struggle. The ANC is simply not doing enough to provide young people in our country with the tools required to support themselves.

 

Not only do our young people have to contend with not being able to support themselves, they have to contend with so-called black tax, and the fact that when they work, they do not work for themselves, they work to support their families and entire communities.

 

Those of us who were lucky to enough to go to universities, graduate and find employment, are happy to use our salaries to support our gogos, mkhulus [pensioners], uncles and aunts and it is painful to see that our peers cannot.

 

There are those young people, who have been left behind with their families and communities and the blame must be laid firmly at the door of the ANC, but it simply does not care enough.

 

We are here discussing the important struggles of young people in our country and half of the ANC is not here and half of the Ministers are not here. You do not care about young people.

 

Instead of fielding young people to speak in this debate, the ANC gave us oomama nootata [women and men] and 34,9 to speak on issues of young people. You do not trust young people enough to lead and because you do not trust them to lead, you are completely out of touch with their needs. Because the ANC is out of touch with young people, hon Mkongi could say in this House last week that the Fees Must Fall movement was not legitimate and was funded by foreign forces.

 

This is clearly the ANC’s position because the Leader of the ANC Women’s League said on Twitter:

 

... ewe imali yeebhasi ivela e-London. [... yes, the money that paid for buses came from London.]

 

It is therefore no wonder that the ANC has not allocated additional funding to universities; it does not find the concerns of students legitimate.

 

Hon Makondo stood up here to read a speech that was clearly written for him. [Interjections.]

 

The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Mr C T Frolick): Order, hon members!

 

Ms P T VAN DAMME: Hon Makondo stood up here to read a speech that was clearly written for him by the ANC research office. He did not care enough to write his own speech and read it with energy and vigour. [Inaudible.] ... passionate and angry when it comes to young people. Don’t stand here and speak like a drone.

 

Hon Manana said the ANC listens to young people. Then how is it that when students were here during the tabling of the Medium Term Budget Policy Statement, MTBPS, you allowed the hon Nzimande to sit here and instead, allowed SAPS to teargas and stun grenade young people outside? You are not interested to listen to young people. [Interjections.]

 

Hon oom Dirks who stood here and sweated - I thought he was going to faint - talking about how horrible the DA is, when just last year, he was with the provincial leadership of the DA in KwaZulu-Natal, cap in hand, asking to join the DA. I would be very careful of ... [Interjections.] ... this man, ANC. That man is not loyal. [Interjections.]

 

Chairperson, it cannot be that 21 years into our democracy, 70% of black youth between the ...

 

The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Mr C T Frolick): Order, hon members! Hon members, it is not very clever to interrupt your own speaker.

 

Ms P T VAN DAMME: Chairperson, it cannot be that 20 years into our democracy, 70% of black youth between the ages of 15 and 24 are neither working nor in training. Eighty-five percent of those black people that moved to the middleclass will remain poor.

 

Mr M A DIRKS: Chairperson,

 

Ms P T VAN DAMME: Oom! Chairperson, can ...

 

The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Mr C T Frolick): Hon Van Damme, will you just take your seat. No, sit right there, hon member. [Interjections.] Hon members, I cannot hear the hon member.

Mr M A DIRKS: Chairperson, I would just like to know if the foreigner would like to answer a question.

 

The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Mr C T Frolick): No, hon member.

 

Ms P T VAN DAMME: ... [Interjections.]... membership form for you, if you would like to join. You hypocrite!

 

The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON: Hon Van Damme, will you take your seat, please?

 

The CHIEF WHIP OF THE OPPOSITION: Chairperson, ...

 

The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON: I will come to you, hon Chief Whip. Hon Dirks, will you withdraw that comment, please? We have previously, in this Parliament, dealt with the matter and I want you to withdraw that comment. [Interjections.]

 

Ms P T VAN DAMME: ... bloody idiot! [Interjections.]

Mr M A DIRKS: I withdraw.

 

The CHIEF WHIP OF THE OPPOSITION: House Chair, with respect, is he withdrawing his statement unconditionally or his membership application to the DA?

Ms P T VAN DAMME: The ANC government has failed to close the economic and social gap between the races in order to build a truly equal, nonracial South Africa. The ANC is failing the youth in South Africa and it is no wonder that 2015 has been marked as the year of the student. Those students and young people will with no doubt turn away from the ANC in droves to seek new political homes. The blue house will gladly accept them. I thank you.

 

The DEPUTY MINISTER IN THE PRESIDENCY: Hon Chairperson, from the engagements and contributions that have been made in this House, it is clear that the ANC remains the only political party that has committed itself to the ideal of youth development ... [Interjections.] ... and has put in place institutions and policies that are intended to take the development of young people forward.

 

Thus, the President has placed, in his office, youth development. He has also put in place the Presidential Youth Working Group, and has ensured that, within the space of a year, we adopt what we refer to as the National Youth Policy 2020. Over the course of the next few months, we will be integrating the objectives of the National Youth Policy 2020 into the Medium-Term Strategy Framework so that the whole of government is seized with the implementation of the National Youth Development Policy.

 

Not one of the speakers from this side of the House who spoke here has expressed any policy commitment, any policy intention or pay policy strategy whatsoever to advance the development of young people. Only the ANC did, and thus, the ANC remains the only political party that will take forward the needs, interests and aspirations of young people. [Interjections.]

 

In the past few weeks, we have also seen young people who went to protest at the universities. They also went to protest at the Union Buildings, here, in Parliament, and also at Luthuli House. The response of the leadership of the ANC and also, of government was most apt, very swift and was in meeting the demands of students. [Interjections.]

 

Of course, we know that there are those who wanted to hijack the students’ protests and turn them into some occupation of Parliament or of the Union Buildings with the hope that student action would lead to an illegitimate and illegal overthrow of government. [Interjections.] To their disappointment, when the ANC-led government engaged with the student leadership and also with university management and reached an agreement and students went back to write their exams, many of them were shouting on the pavements, hoping that students would continue with their action. Again, we have seen through the efforts of students that, through peaceful protest, through peaceful action, we will all realise quality, free public education, which remains the policy of the ANC. [Applause.]

 

What I think is very surprising are some of the interventions and proposals that the hon Maynier came here to dance about. Firstly, he says that the ANC’s proposals are intended to take money from the private sector. This is clearly an overall policy position of the DA – to protect private privilege, to protect white privilege, and to ensure that white privilege is perpetuated in this country. [Interjections.]

 

He speaks about austerity measures. He speaks about all sorts of things except things which will interfere with profit maximisation and accumulation. If we are to say that there must be a rise in corporate taxes to fund quality, free public education, the hon Maynier and his fellow choristers will shout, “No!” If we are to say that there must be an increase in the wages of workers who are being exploited on a daily basis and therefore cannot afford to pay the skyrocketing university fees, the hon Maynier and his fellow choristers will shout, “No!” because their agenda is to continue to perpetuate white privilege and private sector profit maximisation. [Applause.]

 

There is no difference between what the hon Groenewald came here to say and what the hon Maynier represents. I want to tell you today, hon Groenewald, that as long as the scars that were ingrained on the backs of our parents by apartheid are still visible on us, the current generation, we will never, ever stop blaming apartheid for the conditions which the young South Africans – all young South Africans – are faced with. [Interjections.] [Applause.] We will never! It does not matter what the quality of basic or higher education is today, it will never be the same as the ugly Bantu education that you shoved down the throats of our parents. [Interjections.] [Applause.]

 

We will never deny the reality that South Africa’s economy is still divided in terms of black and white. We will never be oblivious to the fact that when we speak about poverty, unemployment and inequality, we predominantly speak about the structural policies that apartheid supervised over many years. We will never be oblivious to that reality, and it is that reality that the ANC-led government will continue to fight and continue to expose. [Applause.] [Interjections.]

 

Dr P J GROENEWALD: Agb Voorsitter ... [Tussenwerpsels.] [Hon Chairperson ... [Interjections.]]

 

The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Mr C T Frolick): Order, hon members! Why are you rising, hon member?

 

Dr P J GROENEWALD: Is die agb Adjunkminister bereid om ’n vraag te beantwoord? [Tussenwerpsels.] [Is the hon Deputy Minister prepared to take a question? [Interjections.]]

 

The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Mr C T Frolick): Deputy Minister, are you prepared to take a question? [Interjections.]

 

The DEPUTY MINISTER IN THE PRESIDENCY: No.

 

The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Mr C T Frolick): Unfortunately not.

 

Dr P J GROENEWALD: Dit sou ’n maklike een gewees het. [It would have been an easy one.]

 

The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Mr C T Frolick): Thank you, hon member. Continue, Deputy Minister.

 

The DEPUTY MINISTER IN THE PRESIDENCY: The ANC recommits itself to the ideal of nonracism, nonsexism and a democratic and prosperous society. National reconciliation, the building of one nation remains on top of our agenda, as the ANC. We do not believe that national reconciliation has failed. Yes, it has been slow, but we are not going to be abdicating the ideals of Nelson Mandela and his generation who ensured that they are attained by evading a bloodbath in our country and ensuring that we are involved in a peaceful transition. We will never, 21 years down the line - because we want to be peacetime heroes, because we do not want to appreciate the conditions which our country at that time was faced with - want to say that Nelson Mandela and the others sold out the youth of this country.

 

Yes, we take responsibility. We take responsibility for the fact that we had a peaceful transition. However, we also take responsibility for the fact that that peaceful transition came at a particular cost. We are not going to be adventurous. We are not going to be peacetime heroes. We are not going to hide behind our political opportunism, behind our own newly found vanguardism in order to appease our own electoral intentions. We believe that a responsible transition of national reconciliation and building a better South Africa for all of us is possible.

 

Next year, with the 2016 local government elections, there are those who will be walking into RDP houses built by this government telling people that the ANC has not delivered. [Interjections.] What hypocrisy! There are those who will be going to newly built public schools telling children who go to those schools that this government has not delivered. There are those who have been to universities, who tried to hijack the strike by students - some of them, the Leader of the Opposition, the Chief Whip of the EFF, and many others – and who tried to go and address student rallies and were jeered and rejected ...

 

Mr M Q NDLOZI: Chairperson, on a point of order ...

 

The DEPUTY MINISTER IN THE PRESIDENCY: ... and because they want to project ...

 

The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Mr C T Frolick): Hon Deputy Minister ...

 

Mr M Q NDLOZI: Chairperson, on a point of order ...

 

The DEPUTY MINISTER IN THE PRESIDENCY: ... and say the ANC has failed, the ANC has ...

 

Mr M Q NDLOZI: On a point of order ...

The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Mr C T Frolick): Hon Deputy Minister ...

 

Mr M Q NDLOZI: Hon Deputy Minister, behave!

 

The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Mr C T Frolick): No! Hon Ndlozi, why are you rising?

 

Mr M Q NDLOZI: Chairperson, I want to raise a point of order: the Deputy Minister is reflecting on the reputation of the Chief Whip of the EFF by misleading the public. [Interjections.] He says the Chief Whip of the EFF went to universities to try and hijack a struggle. The Chief Whip of the EFF has never been to a single university!

 

The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Mr C T Frolick): Thank you, hon member.

 

Mr M Q NDLOZI: No! I’m getting to my point, Chair. [Interjections.]

 

The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Mr C T Frolick): Yes, you must ...

 

Mr M Q NDLOZI: He must withdraw.

 

The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Mr C T Frolick): You’ve made your point, hon member.

 

Mr M Q NDLOZI: He must withdraw. It is out of order. [Interjections.]

 

The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Mr C T Frolick): Order, hon members! [Interjections.]

 

Mr M Q NDLOZI: He has never been to any university to try and hijack a struggle. [Interjections.]

 

The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Mr C T Frolick): Hon Ndlozi, will you take your seat now, please? Hon Deputy Minister, will you conclude, please?

 

The DEPUTY MINISTER IN THE PRESIDENCY: There are those ...

 

Mr M Q NDLOZI: Hon Chairperson, can you rule on my point of order? [Interjections.]

 

The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Mr C T Frolick): It’s not a point of order. It’s a point for debate, hon member. Continue, Deputy Minister.

Mr M Q NDLOZI: No, he’s misleading the public! [Interjections.]

 

The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Mr C T Frolick): No, hon member.

Mr M Q NDLOZI: No. In the Rules, it’s wrong to lie.

 

The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Mr C T Frolick): I rule that it is not a point of order. It’s a point for debate. You can debate it with the Deputy Minister.

 

Mr M Q NDLOZI: Can I put it on record, hon Chairperson, through you? The hon Deputy Minister is lying.

 

The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Mr C T Frolick): Hon member, take your seat, please. Take your seat! Conclude, hon Deputy Minister.

 

The DEPUTY MINISTER IN THE PRESIDENCY: As I said, there are those who, in their hypocrisy, next year, during the local government elections, in this House, who are graduates ...

 

The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Mr C T Frolick): Hon Deputy Minister, your time is now expired. [Applause.]

 

The DEPUTY MINISTER IN THE PRESIDENCY: ... who had access to university education and can speak with the most eloquent of accents, courtesy of the Tertiary Education Fund of South Africa, Tefsa, and the National Student Financial Aid Scheme, NSFAS ...

 

The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Mr C T Frolick): Hon Deputy Minister, your time has expired. [Interjections.]

 

The DEPUTY MINISTER IN THE PRESIDENCY: [Inaudible.] [Interjections.]

 

The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Mr C T Frolick): Hon Deputy Minister, your time has expired! [Interjections.] [Applause.] Thank you. Order, hon members! Order!

 

Debate concluded.

 

The House adjourned at 17:56.

__________

 

ANNOUNCEMENTS, TABLINGS AND COMMITTEE REPORTS

 

FRIDAY, 30 OCTOBER 2015

 

TABLINGS

 

National Assembly and National Council of Provinces

 

1.    The Speaker and the Chairperson

 

1. Mid-Year Report of Parliament of the Republic of South Africa for 2015-16, tabled in terms of section 54(1) of the Financial Management of Parliament Act, 2009 (Act No 10 of 2009).

 

1. The Minister of Finance

 

1. Consolidated Financial Statements for the year ended 31 March 2015 [RP 296-2015].

 

1. Report and Financial Statements of the Reconstruction and Development Programme (RDP) Fund for 2014-15, including the Report of the Auditor-General on the Financial Statements and Performance Information for 2014-15 [RP 353-2015].

 

COMMITTEE REPORTS

 

National Assembly

 

Please see pages 5261-5327 of the ATCs.

MONDAY, 2 NOVEMBER 2015

 

TABLINGS

 

National Assembly and National Council of Provinces

 

1. The Minister of Finance

 

1. Erratum of the Report and Financial Statements of the South African Revenue Service (SARS) for 2014-15, including the Report of the Auditor-General on the Financial Statements and Performance Information for 2014-15 [RP 208-2015].

 

National Assembly

 

1. The Speaker

 

1. Reply from the Minister of Public Works to recommendations in Report of Portfolio Committee on Public Works on Report of Auditor-General on Annual Report and Financial Statements of Property Management Trading Entity for 2013‑14 Financial Year, as adopted by the House on 23 June 2015.

 

Referred to the Portfolio Committee on Public Works.

 

1. Petition from residents of Orlando East, calling on the Assembly to determine why Eskom failed to respond to a petition delivered to it by the said residents or to conduct a public education and participation drive before installing prepaid electricity meters in that area, submitted in terms of Rule 312 (Mr T W Mhlongo).

 

TUESDAY, 3 NOVEMBER 2015

 

ANNOUNCEMENTS

 

National Assembly

 

The Speaker

 

1.       Message from National Council of Provinces to National Assembly in respect of Bills passed by Council and returned to Assembly

 

1. Bills amended by Council and returned for concurrence on 3 November 2015:

 

1. Medicines and Related Matters Amendment Bill [B 6D – 2014] (National Assembly – sec 76).

 

The Bill has been referred to the Portfolio Committee on Health of the National Assembly.

1. Disaster Management Amendment Bill [B 10D – 2015] (National Assembly – sec 76).

 

The Bill has been referred to the Portfolio Committee on Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs of the National Assembly.

 

2.       Membership of Committees

 

1.       The following changes to Committee membership have been made by the Democratic Alliance:

 

Portfolio Committee on Public Service and Administration as well as Planning, Performance, Monitoring and Evaluation

 

Discharged:           van der Westhuizen, Mr AP

 

Appointed: Motau, Mr SC

 

Portfolio Committee on Trade and Industry

 

Appointed: Topham, Mr BR [Alternate]

 

Standing Committee on Finance

Appointed: Topham, Mr BR [Alternate]

 

Portfolio Committee on Rural Development and Land Reform

 

Appointed: Robertson, Mr KP [Alternate]

 

TABLINGS

 

National Assembly

 

1. The Speaker

 

1. Letter from the Minister of Public Works dated 23 October 2015, to the Speaker of the National Assembly explaining the delay in the submission of the Annual Report of Engineering Council of South Africa (ECSA) for 2014-15.

 

EXPLANATORY NOTE REGARDING NON SUBMISION OF THE ANNUAL REPORT OF THE ENGINEERING COUNCIL OF SOUTH AFRICA (ECSA) FOR THE PERIOD 2014-15 BY END OF SEPTEMBER 2015

 

In terms of section 65(2) (a) of the Public Finance Management Act, 1999 (Act no1 of 1999), kindly be advised that the annual report of the Engineering Council of South Africa was not submitted in Parliament as per prescribed requirements owing to the administrative glitches encountered by the council in processing their annual report and financial statements to the department. Measures are being taken in consultation with the entity to remedy the situation.

 

I therefore commit that the annual report of this professional body will be submitted in Parliament by not later than 30 October 2015.

 

Yours sincerely,

 

 

(signed)

 

MR TW NXESI, MP

MINISTER OF PUBLIC WORKS

 

COMMITTEE REPORTS

 

National Assembly

 

Please see pages 5339-5351 of the ATCs.

 

Please see pages 5352-5366 of the ATCs.

 

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