Hansard: NA: Unrevised hansard
House: National Assembly
Date of Meeting: 12 Apr 2011
Summary
No summary available.
Minutes
UNREVISED HANSARD
TUESDAY, 12 APRIL 2011
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PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY
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The House met at 14:05.
The Deputy Speaker took the Chair and requested members to observe a moment of silence for prayers or meditation.
NOTICES OF MOTION
The LEADER OF THE OPPOSITION: 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) debates the withdrawal by Treasury of R2,5 billion in unspent infrastructure grants from the eight ANC-run provinces;
(2) gives reasons why the only DA-run province, the Western Cape, managed to spend its R795 million grant; and
(3) comes up with recommendations on how to get all the provinces to spend their grants in the future.
Mr L RAMATLAKANE: Deputy Speaker, I hereby give notice that on the next sitting day of the House I shall move on behalf of Cope:
That the House debates the revelations about the alleged involvement of senior police officials in a serious crime and its implications for South Africa.
Mr K S MUBU: 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 debates the current state of affairs in Swaziland, and any actions that the South African government can take to encourage the transition to democracy in that country.
Mr T BOTHA: Deputy Speaker, I hereby give notice that on the next sitting day of the House I shall move on behalf of Cope:
That the House debates the scandalous wastage of approximately R1 million on personal luxuries, allegedly by the Minister for Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs, at a time when poor people in our country are facing the effects of rising food prices and travelling costs.
Ms D CARTER: Deputy Speaker, I hereby give notice that on the next sitting day of the House I shall move on behalf of Cope:
That the House debates the suffering of the families of workers whose salaries have not been paid while the Aurora mine co-owner, Mr Khulubuse Zuma, donates handsomely to the coffers of the ruling party’s election campaign.
Mrs C DUDLEY: Deputy Speaker, I hereby give notice that on the next sitting day of the House I shall move on behalf of the ACDP:
That the House debates the recent catastrophe at Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant where the limits of man-made nuclear engineering were clearly demonstrated; and the advisability of reconsidering the benefits of nuclear energy as a reliable and safe form of electricity production.
Mr L RAMATLAKANE: Deputy Speaker, I hereby give notice that on the next sitting day of the House I shall move on behalf of Cope:
That the House debates the negative impact on service delivery resulting from the alleged power struggle in the ranks of senior Ministers and government officials.
Mr P D DEXTER: Deputy Speaker, I hereby give notice that on the next sitting day of the House I shall move on behalf of Cope:
That the House debates the purchase of six aeroplanes for use by Cabinet members, while the five million jobs remain a pipe dream and the country is operating on a deficit budget.
Mrs M E PILUSA-MOSOANE: Hon Deputy Speaker, I hereby give notice that on the next sitting day of the House I shall move on behalf of the ANC:
That the House debates the growth of home, community and institutional food gardens, which will be supported as a means of promoting food production and enhancing sustainable livelihoods for the poorest of the poor.
Thank you. [Applause.]
DEATH OF STRUGGLE VETERAN COMRADE HENRY MAKGOTHI
(Draft Resolution)
The CHIEF WHIP OF THE MAJORITY PARTY: Hon Deputy Speaker, I move without notice:
That the House -
(1) notes with great shock and sadness the death of struggle veteran comrade Henry Makgothi, who suddenly passed away on 24 March 2011 at 4.20am in Johannesburg after suffering a stroke;
(2) further notes that he was born on 25 December 1928 to Walter Mokowa and Martha Makgothi and that he attended Pimville Government School and completed his secondary school education at the St Peters Secondary School in Rosettenville and then went on to Fort Hare University in the Eastern Cape, where he graduated with a Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree and a teacher’s diploma;
(3) remembers that in 1944 he joined the ANC Youth League at St Peters Secondary School, along with the late Joe Matthews who served as chairperson and Michael Tsoke (secretary), then taught at Pimville High School until the 1952 Defiance Campaign, when he was expelled, and thereafter found employment as records clerk at Isaacs and Kassel, an accounting and auditing firm;
(4) further remembers that on 5 December 1956 he was arrested on charges of treason at his home in Sophiatown and detained at the Fort, to be later released on bail, and after 1960 tried to leave South Africa, but was arrested in Botswana and charged with leaving the country without a passport, sentenced to 10 years in prison and then spent two years at Leeukop Prison, and eight years on Robben Island;
(5) recalls that, on his release from Robben Island in the 1970s, he was restricted to Mabopane outside Pretoria from where he escaped to Swaziland and joined the staff of the Solomon Mahlangu Freedom College at Mazimbu in Tanzania and, whilst in exile, was elected to the National Executive Committee (NEC) of the ANC and also served as the organisation’s Deputy Secretary General until his return home in 1990;
(6) further recalls that on his return to South Africa, he worked in the ANC’s Finance Office and later served as Chief Whip of the National Council of Provinces from 1997 to 1999 and, at the time of his death, was an active member of the ANC Mzala branch;
(7) believes that he has served the movement and the country with distinction; and
(8) conveys its heartfelt condolences to his family, friends and comrades in the ANC and Alliance.
Agreed to.
DEATH OF JUDGE HERBERT MSIMANG, JUDGE PRESIDENT OF KWAZULU-NATAL
(Draft Resolution)
THE CHIEF WHIP OF THE OPPOSITION PARTY: Madam Deputy Speaker, I move without notice:
That the House -
(1) notes with great sadness the passing of Judge Herbert Msimang, the Judge President of KwaZulu-Natal, on Friday, 8 April 2011;
(2) acknowledges that Judge Msimang, who contributed greatly to transformation, leaves behind not only a legacy of hard work to improve the judiciary, but an unparalleled commitment and dedication towards human rights and the promotion of peace and justice;
(3) extends its condolences to the family of Judge Msimang, especially to his wife and their four daughters; and
(4) together with the legal fraternity and the rest of the country, mourns the loss of a truly great South African.
Agreed to.
JAPAN’S NUCLEAR, TSUNAMI AND EARTHQUAKE CRISIS
(Draft Resolution)
Mr N SINGH: Deputy Speaker, I move without notice:
That the House -
(1) notes that Japan's nuclear regulators raised the severity level of the crisis at a stricken nuclear plant today to rank it on par with the 1986 Chernobyl disaster, while the Tokyo Electric Power Company has acknowledged that the amount of radioactivity released might even exceed the amount emitted by Chernobyl;
(2) further notes that the aftershocks have taken more lives, the disaster is believed to have killed more than 25 000 people, but many of those bodies were swept out to sea and more than half of those feared dead are still listed as missing;
(3) acknowledges that around 210 000 people have no running water and, following the aftershocks, more than 240 000 people are without electricity;
(4) expresses its grave concern about the escalating nuclear crisis and the human tragedy that is unfolding in that country;
(5) commends the efforts of the many international aid organizations that have been assisting with building shelters, while providing food and emotional support to victims of disaster;
(6) further commends the efforts of the Japanese government and the international community at large, especially South Africa’s own Rescue South Africa, for assisting with relief efforts; and
(7) offers its solidarity, support and prayers to those affected and afflicted.
Agreed to.
WORLD HEALTH DAY FOCUSES ON COMBATING DRUG RESISTANCE
(Draft Resolution)
The CHIEF WHIP OF THE MAJORITY PARTY: Deputy Speaker, I move without notice:
That the House -
(1) notes that World Health Day was celebrated on 7 April to mark the founding of the World Health Organisation and each year the organisation selects a key global health issue and organises international, regional and local events on the day and throughout the year to highlight the selected area;
(2) further notes that World Health Day 2011 focused on antimicrobial resistance and its global spread with the theme for this year being “Combat Drug Resistance: No action today, No cure tomorrow” and it emphasised the critical role that drug resistance monitoring plays in the successful treatment and outcome of the various infectious diseases; and
(3) urges member states to take advantage of this year’s World Health Day theme to awaken to the real threat of drug resistance in our region, to consolidate efforts to combat it and to raise the required resources.
Agreed to.
CHARL SCHWARTZEL WINS US MASTERS TOURNAMENT IN AUGUSTA, GEORGIA
(Draft Resolution)
THE CHIEF WHIP OF THE OPPOSITION PARTY: Deputy Speaker, I move without notice:
That the House -
(1) notes that South African golfer Charl Schwartzel on Sunday, 10 April 2011, won the 75th Masters Tournament in Augusta, Georgia, widely considered as golf’s most prestigious tournament;
(2) further notes that Schwartzel, who is only the third South African golfer to win this tournament, won the Masters 50 years to the day on which Gary Player first triumphed at Augusta in 1961;
(3) congratulates Schwartzel on his victory; and
(4) wishes him well with his future career.
Agreed to.
O R TAMBO INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT NAMED BEST AIRPORT IN AFRICA
(Draft Resolution)
The CHIEF WHIP OF THE MAJORITY PARTY: Deputy Speaker, I move without notice:
That the House -
(1) notes that the O R Tambo International Airport (ORTIA) has been named the best airport in Africa at this year's prestigious World Airport Awards event on 30 March 2011 in Copenhagen, Denmark, and that the awards are based on 11.38 million survey questionnaires completed by over 100 different nationalities of airline passengers in 2010/2011, covering more than 240 airports across the globe;
(2) further notes the awards showcased ORTIA as not merely South Africa's flagship airport but also the gateway to any major African event and also acknowledged amongst three airports of the most improved airports worldwide; and
(3) congratulates the Airports Company of South Africa for winning this prestigious award and for flying the South African flag high, and believes that this award confirms that South Africa’s airports can compete with the best facilities in the world.
Agreed to.
COMMISSION FOR GENDER EQUALITY FORENSIC INVESTIGATION
(Draft Resolution)
The CHIEF WHIP OF THE MAJORITY PARTY: Hon Deputy Speaker, hon Deputy President, I move without notice:
That the House -
(1) notes the resolution on the re-establishment of the Ad Hoc Committee on the Commission for Gender Equality Forensic Investigation adopted on 17 March 2011 (Minutes of Proceedings, 17 March 2011, p 853); and
(2) instructs the committee to incorporate in its work the proceedings and all the work done from 29 January 2011 up to and including 17 March 2011.
Agreed to.
LOCAL GOVERNMENT: MUNICIPAL SYSTEMS AMENDMENT BILL
(Decision of Question on Second Reading)
Bill read a second time.
CONSIDERATION OF REQUEST FOR APPROVAL OF CANDIDATE RECOMMENDED FOR APPOINTMENT TO COUNCIL OF INDEPENDENT COMMUNICATIONS AUTHORITY OF SOUTH AFRICA, ICASA
The DEPUTY SPEAKER: Order! The chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Communications, Mr S E Kholwane, will introduce the report.
Mr S E KHOLWANE: Deputy Speaker, Deputy President, colleagues, hon members and our guests, I am indeed honoured to present this report on behalf of the Portfolio Committee on Communications. The committee came before this House and presented two names which were recommended to the Minister for consideration for appointment. Indeed, in terms of the relevant legislation, the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa Act, the Icasa Act, the Minister has exercised his right to consider the appointment and has recommended one of those candidates to us so that we can consider that candidate for appointment.
The matter was dealt with this morning in the portfolio committee, and all the parties agreed with the Minister’s choice to appoint Dr Marcia Socikwa to continue to serve on the Icasa Council. Therefore, we want to request this House to approve the recommendation of the committee, so that Dr Marcia Socikwa can be appointed to serve on this council. I thank you. [Applause.]
There was no debate.
Question put: That Dr M Socikwa be recommended for appointment as councillor to fill a vacancy on the Council of the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa.
Question agreed to.
Dr M Socikwa accordingly recommended for appointment as councillor to fill a vacancy on the Council of the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa.
The House adjourned at 14:25.
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