Hansard: NA: Unrevised hansard

House: National Assembly

Date of Meeting: 26 Aug 2021

Summary

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Minutes

UNREVISED HANSARD 

NATIONAL ASSEMBLY 

THURSDAY, 26 AUGUST 2021

 

PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY

 

Watch video here: PLENARY(HYBRID)

 

 

 

The House met at 14:07.

 

 

The ACTING CHAIRPERSON (MS R M M Lesoma): Hon members, there will now be an opportunity for silent prayers and meditation.

 

 

ANNOUNCEMENTS

 

 

The ACTING CHAIRPERSON (MS R M M Lesoma): Hon members, in the interest for all safety in the House, please keep your masks on and sit in your designated areas. The first item from the Order Paper, is the Motion in the name of the Chief Whip of the Majority Party. I know recognise the Chief Whip of the Majority Party.

 

 

EXTENDING OF DEADLINE

 

 

(Draft Resolution)

 

 

The CHIEF WHIP OF THE MAJORITY PARTY: Hon Chair and the members of this House, I move that the House extends the deadline by which the Ad Hoc Committee to initiate and introduce legislation amending section 25 of the Constitution has to complete its task to 10 September 2021 as against the earlier deadline of 31 August 2021. This extension is two weeks to finish up their work. Thank you.

 

 

Question Put.

 

 

The CHIEF WHIP OF THE OPPOSITION: Hon Chairperson, I rise in support of exactly what the Chief Whip of the Majority Party has just proposed, unanimous support in actual fact. Thank you very much.

 

 

The Motion agreed to.

 

 

The ACTING CHAIRPERSON (MS R M M Lesoma): Hon members, the next item on the Order Paper is the Members Statements.

 

 

VIOLENCE AND DAMAGE IN KWAZULU-NATAL AND GAUTENG

 

 

(Member’s Statement.)

 

 

Prince Z BURNS-NCAMASHE (ANC): Hon Chair and hon members, the ANC commends our government for taking decisive action to secure the livelihoods of millions of people who have been threatened by both the coronavirus pandemic and looting, damage to socioeconomic structure in both KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng. Measures announced by government include reinstating the social relief of the Distress Grant to provide a monthly payment of R350 until the end of March 2022. The unemployed caregivers who are receiving a Child Support Grant can also apply. An amount of R400 million has been set aside for the humanitarian relief fund to assist with the immediate needs of the affected communities. Another R2,3 billion has been put aside to support small businesses that are not covered by SA Special Risk Insurance Association, Sasria to ensure that they reopen as quickly as possible.

 

 

We are pleased that our government has also reprioritised funding for small, medium and micro-sized enterprises affected by the pandemic through a once-off business survival mechanism. This will go a long way in creating jobs and reducing hunger and poverty. I thank you.

 

 

DA FIELDING CANDIDATES IN ALL THE WARDS

 

 

(Member’s Statement.)

 

 

Mr C BRINK (DA): Hon Chairperson, ...

 

 

The ACTING CHAIRPERSON (Ms R M M Lesoma): Hon member, I would suggest that you switch off your video so that you can be audible. Hon member, you may proceed with your video off.

 

 

Mr C BRINK (DA): Thank you Chair, I am proceeding with my video off if that is in order?

 

 

The ACTING CHAIRPERSON (Ms R M M Lesoma): You may proceed hon member.

 

 

Mr C BRINK (DA): For the first time in the history of the Local Government Elections the DA has fielded a candidate in every ward in the country. This follows a rigorous selection process aimed at identifying local leaders who are rooted in their communities, who understands the workings of local government and who can get things done.

 

 

Most of the country’s municipalities are urging from service delivery crisis to a constitutional crisis. People elected to lead their communities are instead destroying them. The only

 

 

way South Africans can reverse the decline and secure a steady sustainable supply of water, electricity and other basic services is to vote for change. We need councillors and mayors selected not for their personality or the identity but the ability to get things done and that is the DA’s offer.

 

 

On Monday, the DA announced our candidates for the five major metropolitan municipalities where we are already the biggest party or have a fighting chance of becoming the biggest party. Dr Mpho Phalatse in the City of Johannesburg, Williams at Tshwane Metropolitan Municipality, Nqaba Bhanga at Nelson Mandela Bay Metropolitan Municipality, Refiloe Ntsekhe at Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Municipality and Geordin Hill-Lewis in City of Cape Town Metropolitan Municipality. These are the men and women whom the DA believes have what it takes to secure the future of South Africa cities.

 

We challenge the ANC to do the same, to show us the men and women they intend to nominate to lead the metros so that communities can make an informed choice. I thank you.

 

 

UNEMPLOYMENT RATE HIGH IN SOUTH AFRICA

 

 

(Member’s Statement)

 

 

Ms Y N YAKO (EFF): Hon Chairperson, today South Africa’s unemployment rate is the highest in the world. However, more than 11 million capable people willing to work who will work today and make a difference in the economy are sitting at home with no jobs. These people are discriminated against and are faced with neoliberal austerities and the incompetent administration of the ruling party.

 

 

There is no clear, practical or even a rational plan on the table to show where jobs will come. The Minister of Trade and Industry continues with some imaginary industrial strategy that only he understands and can see the results. Covid-19 has destroyed very little manufacturing remained hanging by a thread. As we speak today, there is no manufacturing to talk about.

 

 

Factories that used to produce goods are now ghost towns. Anyone manufacturing goods in South Africa is doing it at a very high risk with little return and no sustainable jobs. They are in fight alone and the fight also continues against government’s failure to support them. What is even more painful is that women and black women in particular suffer the most exploitation and discrimination.

 

 

The unemployment rate of black women stands at 41%. Black women in this country continue to work as hard as the backbone of the capitalist economy but receives nothing but gender- based violence. The Minister Trade and Industry with Mr Cyril Ramaphosa have gone around since 2018 telling people that there are investors in this country. We are told that there is a Presidential Envoy led by Mr Trevor Manuel which goes around the world selling ... [Time expired.]

 

 

NEW MINISTER OF FINANCE WELCOME

 

 

(Member’s Statement)

 

 

Ms N E MOTAUNG (ANC): Hon Chair, we have noted the changes in the national Executive of our democratic government by His Excellency President Cyril Ramaphosa and the appointment of Minister Enoch Godongwana as the new Minister of Finance with appreciation. We also wish former Minister of Finance, Tito Mboweni well and we know he will continue to serve the country in various capacities. We further note that the strategic role that Minister Godongwana has played as the ANC’s Economic Transformation Subcommittee Chairperson and providing leadership and guidance to the organisation and the economic sector.

 

 

He is knowledgeable on matters of economy. In affirming confidence in Minister Godongwana we call upon all sector organs and institutions of our society to support all measures that seek to stabilise our fiscus especially those that are pro-poor and aimed at creating better conditions of service in the working class as well as affording conducive environment for the business sector to strive in the ways that create sustainable jobs where there is relative political stability and policy certainty. I thank you Chair.

 

 

WOMAN’S MONTH, FEMICIDE AND GENDER-BASED VIOLENCE

 

 

(Member’s Statement)

 

 

Ms L L VAN DER MERWE (IFP): Hon chairperson, another Woman’s Month is drawing to a close and tomorrow the NA will host yet another Woman’s Parliament. Sadly, each year as Woman’s Parliament approaches we mourn the many women we have lost due to our gender-based violence pandemic. Reeva Steenkamp, Uyinene Mrwetyana, Amin Booyseen and tragically tomorrow many will remember the life of the late Nosicelo Mtibeni. Two years ago, President Ramaphosa came to this House and pledged that government will allocate R21 billion for the fight against gender-based violence and the implementation of the National

 

 

Strategic Plan, NSP. However, gender-based violence continues to ravage our communities while the recent horrific crimes statistics indicate that there is increase in gender-based violence.

 

 

It is clear that the NSP is not working. To make matters worse our country now has a high unemployment rate in the world.

According to the Statistics SA women remain the most likely to be unemployed and do unpaid work. We must also ask ourselves why is it that nothing being done to address the gender pay gap in South Africa which sees women earning much less than men for doing the exact same job? Women are tired of empty promises contained in the annual reports and mere pledges of intent. The statistics belie the facts. Yes, tomorrow we will host another Woman’s Parliament but the question we must our government and our Ministers, especially the Ministers of Labour and in the Presidency, Justice and others, just how much has real change in the lives of South Africa’s woman since we hosted the Woman’s Parliament. I thank you.

 

 

Afrikaans:

 

Mnr A P VAN STADEN: Voorsitter, die VF Plus het met skok kennis geneem van die onvermoë van die regering en die Departement van Gesondheid om 500 Suid-Afrikaanse mediese

 

 

studente van Kuba na Suid-Afrika te laat terugkeer. Die studente was deur hierdie regering in die vreemde wees gelaat en die regering het ook versuim om sedert Mei vanjaar die studente se toelae van $20 per maand aan hulle oor te betaal, wat hulle sonder kos en water gelaat het. Wat ’n skande! Sies man!

 

 

Die VF Plus dring daarop aan dat die program om mediese studente na Kuba te stuur vir opleiding dadelik gestaak moet word, om rede dit duidelik is dat die ANC-regering nie meer in staat is om hierdie program te finansier nie en om rede hierdie ’n nuttelose uitgawe is wat aan die Kubaanse regering betaal word. Dit is ’n vermorsing van die belastingbetaler se geld en kan eerder vir bestaande programme by bestaande Suid- Afrikaanse universiteite aangewend word.

 

 

Die VF Plus sal graag verder hieroor met die Minister van Gesondheid in gesprek wil tree. Daar mag nie toegelaat word dat ons land se toekomstige medici so sleg behandel word nie. Ek wonder hoeveel van u sal kla en huil as hulle in die toekoms aan u slegte mediese behandeling verskaf. Dink gerus daaroor. Dankie.

 

 

SA COMPANY GETS THE GREEN LIGHT TO MANUFACTURE COVID-19 RAPID TEST KITS

 

 

(Member’s Statement)

 

 

Ms N T MKHATSHWA (ANC): The ANC welcomes the approval of biotechnology company, CapeBio, by the regulators to manufacture COVID–19 rapid test kits. We believe the test kits, co-developed by CapeBio and CSIR, will help to reduce the country’s reliance on imports, making it easier for the country and the rest of the continent to gain speedy access to test kits. This is a massive achievement in the national response to the pandemic and a significant milestone for our country.

 

 

As the highly infectious Delta variant continues to drive South Africa’s third wave of COVID-19 infections, testing has become increasingly important. The more testing is done, the easier it is for a country to track the virus, identify clusters, and act accordingly. This latest development is part of a concerted effort by the Department of Science and Innovation and its partners to build local capabilities to respond to viruses like COVID-19.

 

 

We understand that the first batches will be available for local market uptake before the end of August 2021. The ANC believes that this is a significant breakthrough that confirms the importance of collaborative work between the public and private sectors to fast-track the rollout and uptake of South African technologies. Forward with social compacting, forward. Thank you so much, Chair.

 

 

THEMBISA SASSA OFFICE SUPER SPREADER FOR COVID-19

 

 

(Member’s Statement)

 

 

Ms B S MASANGO (DA): Thank you, House Chair. The residents of Thembisa are forced to queue in freezing cold conditions while accessing social services at the SA Social Security Agency, SASSA, offices, at Rabasotho in Thembisa. They are also cramped in a small room like sardines when it is raining. The building that is used by social services is not conducive to render such services for a large area as Thembisa 1.

 

 

The office in its current state has a potential of becoming a super spreader of the COVID-19 pandemic due to overcrowding and lack of social distancing. In response to a question that was asked by Ms S E Kopane in the National Assembly six years

 

 

ago, the department stated the following: The Thembisa Office will not be upgraded by SASSA as the Ekurhuleni Municipality has confirmed that the building is earmarked for upgrade within the Urban Renewal Programme.

 

 

Six years later, no such upgrading has happened, and SASSA clients and employees had to expose themselves to a risk of contracting COVID-19 on a daily basis. This is one of many incidents that the supposed to be caring ANC government is subjecting South Africans to. The DA will exhaust all oversight mechanisms to fight for the rights of the residents of Thembisa until they are treated with the dignity they deserve. Thank you, House Chair.

 

 

COVID-19 EXPOSES DISPARITY BETWEEN RICH AND POOR IN EDUCATION

 

 

(Member’s Statement)

 

 

Mr N L S NKWANKWA (UDM): Thank you very much, House Chair. The UDM is concerned about the masses gap which the Coronavirus pandemic has exposed and worsened between the rich and poor learners in South Africa. COVID-19 has had a long lasting effect in the country’s education system, more especially those on low quantum schools which have been severely affected

 

 

due to lack of access to digital resources. In on lower quantum schools, learners attend only about two to three days a week, due to shortage of classrooms which make it impossible for them to maintain social distance.

 

 

This affects, obviously ability to attend schools physically as they do not have online resources to be able to attend classes at home. In the 2019 state of the nation address, President Cyril Ramaphosa announced that government would provide every school child with digital workbooks and textbooks on a tablet devise, but to date, out of three phases to provide five quantum schools, not even phase 1 has been completed, and this obviously affects a number of schools around the country. During this pandemic, lack of access for digital resources is worsening the ever existing challenge of shortage of study material in many government schools, especially schools that are situated in rural provinces.

 

 

The challenge is that, these very students are expected to apply for the same opportunities and be subjected at a point systems and institutions of higher learning, while they have not been given a fair opportunity to be able to prepare themselves adequately for that. [Interjections.] [Time expired.] Thank you.

 

 

SA UNIVERSITIES AND INTERNATIONAL INSTITUTIONS PARTNER ON PROJECT TO PRESERVE AFRICAN LANGUAGES

 

 

(Member’s Statement)

 

 

Ms J S MANANISO (ANC): Thank you, House Chair. The ANC believes in promoting African languages that were degraded and marginalised by apartheid and colonialism. We therefore commend the partnership of South African universities and international institutions on a project to preserve African languages. The use of African languages as a medium of instruction in higher education institutions in the Eastern Cape and countrywide, took a giant step forward recently when Rhodes University joined a consortium of national and international universities in the Baqonde project.

 

 

This collaboration is an effort to revive and preserve indigenous African languages. The project is called Baqonde and is funded by the European Union. Its aim is to facilitate and promote the use of indigenous African languages as mediums of instruction at higher education institutions in South Africa, and advance the objectives of the Language Policy Framework for Public Higher Education Institutions. The

 

 

literal meaning of the word Baqonde is, ‘let them understand’

 

in the Nguni languages.

 

 

Other South African universities involved in the project are North West University, University of KwaZulu-Natal and University of the Western Cape, Salamanca University in Spain, Trinity College in Ireland and University of the Netherlands are the three European institutions taking part in the initiative. We believe that projects like this one are a step towards to the restoration of dignity and parity of esteem for indigenous languages, and it should be commended. I thank you, Chair.

 

 

CRIME STATISTIS RELEASED

 

 

(Member’s Statement)

 

 

Mr S N AUGUST (GOOD): Thank you, House Chair. On behalf of GOOD I would like to take note that crime statistics released by the hon Minister of Police, Bheki Cele, to point out the high crime rate regarding gender-based violence. The Minister needs to start addressing the root course of crime, by ensuring professional policing work, have the effective social services and social development.

 

 

... [Inaudible.] ... communities live in fear and recently, a young South African lady, Nosicelo Mtebeni, is proof of this, when her body was found mutilated in a suitcase in East London. A society cannot thrive if we are plagued by crime, where children, women and youth fear for their own safety.

Women and children are both the future of a good South Africa, where its citizens can enjoy the freedom enshrined in the Constitution of our country.

 

 

We call on the hon Minister to act urgently to ensure effective relationship between social services and social development in all spheres of government. Thank you.

 

 

85 YEARS OF THE SABC

 

 

(Member’s Statement)

 

 

Ms A H MTHEMBU (ANC): Thank you, hon House Chair. On 1 August 1936, the SA Broadcasting Corporation, SABC, was established through an Act of Parliament. The SABC was a radio service until the introduction of television in South Africa in 1976. The SABC has served South Africans as the primary news and information provider through its radio and television channels

 

 

for 85 years. Many of those years, the SABC served as a state than a public broadcaster for the apartheid government.

 

 

On 4 February 1996, two years after the first democratic elections, the SABC reorganised its three TV channels, to be more representative of different language and cultural communities in our country. After 1994 the SABC started to play a key role in promoting democracy and social cohesion. With the many TV channels and radio stations the broadcaster has, it provides listeners and viewers access to compelling content in their preferred language. The public broadcaster has transformed significantly since it was established.

 

 

Today, the public broadcaster, which currently boosts 19 radio stations and six television channels, ... [Interjections.] [Time expired.] ... Thank you.

 

 

EKURULENI POWER OUTAGES

 

 

(Member’s Statement)

 

 

Ms M O CLARKE (DA): Thank you, Chairperson. The DA is deeply concerned around the ongoing energy crisis within the Ekurhuleni. The Metro’s electricity department is facing days

 

 

of energy outages with absolutely no commitment of Ekurhuleni Mayor to deal with these serious matter. Crippling staff shortages and inadequate maintenance budget which forms part of the contributing factors of the increased electricity outages.

 

 

Since the establishment of the Metro, the energy department has operated with a staff establishment of 1 170 positions, but currently, only have 890 staff members employed. This structure is still in place, despite the growth and development of the city. In terms of the ... [Inaudible.] ... specifications, the Ekurhuleni should have 1 600 positions on their current structure. It is currently 60% short-staffed.

This situation has caused the ongoing illegal strikes amongst the energy department, placing more burden on the already strained electricity infrastructure.

 

 

It has become critical that all vacant posts within Ekurhuleni energy department be filled to comply with the necessary specifications, that the budget and the expenditure of the repairs and maintenance should be adhered to the 6% Nersa tariff guard, and that the urgent consequence performance management system is put in place to keep the Mayor of Ekurhuleni, the City Manager and the ... [Inaudible.] ...

 

 

accountable for the failures within the Ekurhuleni energy department. I thank you, Chairperson.

 

 

INCACARATED PEOPLE

 

 

(Member’s Statement)

 

 

Ms H O MKHALIPHI (EFF): Thank you very much, Chairperson. We are sitting with the crisis in correctional facilities of people who are incarcerated and are waiting for trial for a long time without a fair trial. Our correctional facilities have more than 48 000 incarcerated people waiting for trial. The majority of these people who are waiting for a long time incarcerated without a fair trial because they are poor and black, people who are voiceless without anyone to speak for them.

 

 

Some of them will not be found guilty, and those found guilty for minor offences would have been incarcerated for all enough to serve the sentence of a serious crime, even when they did not commit any serious crimes. Some of them are incarcerated because they cannot afford bail, sometimes a bail as little as

... [Inaudible.] ... by the Minister of Justice and

 

Correctional Services don’t have the capacity and willingness

 

 

to deal with these crises. Sibusiso Michael Ndimande was arrested in March 2012, Case No 11-960-11. He last appeared in court on 11 August 2021 and at a Johannesburg Regional Court. He is being held at Sun City Correctional Services.

 

 

To this day, there is no conviction or any indication of the finality of Mr Ndimande. Therefore, we will write to the Minister of Justice and Correctional Services and the National Prosecuting Authority, NPA, to demand an explanation because this is not acceptable. Mr Ndimande is not alone, there are many other people that are incarcerated awaiting trial for a long unreasonable time. ... [Interjections.] [Time expired.]

... Thank you, Chair.

 

 

TRIBUTE TO DANIEL MOLAPO

 

 

(Member’s Statement)

 

 

Ms N J KUBHEKA (ANC): Hon House Chair, Daniel Mogapi Molapo, son to Mr and Mrs Robert and Cecilia Molapo, was born on

15 November 1985 in Ga-Rankuwa in the City of Tshwane and grew up in Hebron village. At an early age, Daniel was always passionate about soccer, but as he went through his post- school education at the Rosebank college, he was recruited

 

 

into the ANC. He worked as an intern in the Brits Parliamentary Constituency Office in the year 2004.

 

 

In 2006, he joined the ANC Parliamentary caucus first as an administrative assistant. As the ANC caucus recognized his talent in IT related work, he was promoted to IT officer and later IT Network Technician until 11 August when we received the devastating news of his untimely passing on. He was buried on Friday, 13 August 2021.

 

 

When we entered the COVID-19 lockdown period, comrade Dan, as he was affectionately known, worked day and night assisting ANC Members of Parliament and support staff to adapt to work on virtual platforms. He executed his work ... Thank you. [Time expired.]

 

 

CRISIS SOUTH AFRICA FACES TODAY WORSENS

 

 

(Member’s Statement)

 

 

Mr W M MADISHA (Cope): House Chair, the crisis that South Africa faces today is the worst since 1994. That includes, socio-economic crisis, corrupted leadership in government, and bad governance policies. A crisis I sighted had not only

 

 

contributed, but also promoted healthcare decay and ... [Inaudible.] ... a proven collapsed education system; which today sees less than 25% of pupils registered in their first years of learning; making it to any level of post-matric education and a zero economic growth that has today contributed to the highest levels of unemployment, poverty and welfare dependency.

 

 

It already has been proven, via the Zondo Commission, that state capture has, and continues to contribute to non-delivery of basic services to poor South Africans. It has already also been proven that those who are responsible are men and women from the ruling party, particularly those who occupy the highest level of political power. The ruling party continues to daily downgrade our Constitution and promote racism and ethnicity. Without a doubt, the ANC has failed the people of South Africa.

 

 

HOUT BAY FIRE

 

 

(Member’s Statement)

 

 

Mr M R MASHEGO (ANC): House Chair, Hout Bay residents were displaced by a fire in the informal settlement of Imizamo

 

 

Yethu which left them scrambling for shelter due to COVID-19 regulations closing the City of Cape Town facilities. Around

80 homes were destroyed and 300 people were displaced.

 

 

Due to COVID-19 protocols and policy, no city facility can be utilised for immediate shelter, but the city frequently used to temporarily accommodate those affected by a disaster in community halls while they rebuilt their homes.

 

 

However, this has halted due to COVID-19 regulations and had not been allowed since the National State of Disaster related to the COVID-19 pandemic. Many of those who lost their homes in the fire were left with nowhere to go. There appears to be no plan of when they will be able to rebuild those houses. The city no longer supplies starter kits, and while some will get donations to rebuild, others are unemployed. The better part of those affected do not have anything to support themselves.

 

 

We thank the Gift of the Givers for their support and for providing hot meals to these victims following the blaze, and

300 blankets to help the affected people. We also want to recommend that these voters of Western Cape that are struggling under the DA, vote for the ANC in the local government incoming ... [Time expired.]

 

 

DEMOCRATIC ALLIENCE ANNOUNCEMENT OF ITS CANDIDATES FOR UP COMMING ELECTIONS

 

 

(Minister’s Response)

 

 

The MINISTER OF CO-OPERATIVE GOVERNANCE AND TRADITIONAL

 

AFFAIRS: Hon Chairperson, I just want to respond to the DA that the ANC will not be instructed by the DA when to announce its mayoral candidates for the metros. Thank you.

 

 

THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND MEDICAL STUDENTS FROM CUBA

 

 

(Minister’s Response)

 

 

The DEPUTY MINISTER OF HEALTH: Hon Chair, our response is that in 1994, there were discussions that took place in our country that were championed by President Nelson Mandela and President Fidel Castro. Among other resolutions that they concluded was that Cuba was going to send us doctors, to support us in this country.

 

 

However, and secondly, they were saying they are willing to train our students to become doctors. Fast-forward to 2021, we should not forget that history because, in 1994, our medical

 

 

schools in the country were not willing and they were not available to train and improve their intake of medical students, hence Cuba became a very good alternative.

 

 

However, to this point that is raised by the hon Van Staden, is that five years ago the department decided that the final year students who are doing the fifth year in Cuba, would be taken straight from Cuba coming home, not via Spain or France as it used to happen, but get a direct flight.

 

 

However, in the beginning of August, students showed reluctance to come back home having not received their stipends because they said they have been there in Cuba, there are certain things they want to buy and take home and please can you pay us our stipends. The government did accordingly and send the money.

 

 

However, there were countries in this world who blocked the money to reach them in Cuba. The government had to send the money again via the Department of International Relations and Co-operation. Part of that money was received by students, but they were anxious as they were late to come back into the country to continue with their final year training.

 

 

That matter has been resolved. Half of our students did receive their stipend while in Cuba. However, as soon as they landed into our country, yes they were then given the stipends.

 

 

The 424 students have since returned with a chartered aircraft. The last group arrived on 9 August. They are now supposed to be getting to the various universities and getting their orientations to then receive the final year teaching.

 

 

So the Cuban programme, will continue by our government, because this was the only country available ever to assist us, when we needed doctors to be send into the far-flunged areas of our country. Thank you, Chair.

 

 

Mr N SINGH: Chairperson, on a point of order.

 

 

The ACTING CHAIRPERSON (Ms R M M Lesoma): Yes, hon member. What is the point of order? Hon Singh.

 

 

Mr N SINGH: Yes, Chairperson. I am not a Minister yet. My point of order is: Hon Chairperson, we want you to note Chairperson that ...

 

 

The ACTING CHAIRPERSON (Ms R M M Lesoma): Hon Singh, just hold on.

 

 

Mr N SINGH: Alright.

 

 

The ACTING CHAIRPERSON (Ms R M M Lesoma): Hon Singh, you must rise on a point of order or you must indicate that you would like to speak.

 

 

Mr N SINGH: Alright. Hon Chairperson, on a point of order.

 

 

The ACTING CHAIRPERSON (Ms R M M Lesoma): Then you will follow other members who have already raised their hands.

 

 

Mr N SINGH: Alright. I cannot see hands here.

 

 

The CHIEF WHIP OF THE OPPOSITION: Alright. You can see as I am standing and you can see my whole body, hon Singh.

 

 

Hon Chairperson, I would like to please note and this have to be brought up in the Rules Committee and in the Chief Whips Forum that once again we have had a lack of Ministers or Deputy Ministers answering questions.

 

 

We have discussed this amongst us that this is a universal problem. I know that my colleagues in the ANC are equally as embarrassed as we when there are no Ministers to answer. I do not think is fair of us to blame the ANC members who are in fact at work today doing their job, however, I do think it must now be reported to the Speaker. It must be investigated and Ministers must report back as to why, they have yet again been absent from their call of duty which is not a regular occurrence, but they have to be when we make Member Statements.

 

 

The CHIEF WHIP OF THE MAJORITY PARTY: Hon Chairperson, I stand to further make commitment. However, in making that commitment, in an embarrassed way, that members of the executive have the parliamentary programme. They know when is the date scheduled for questions and statements like today.

They are expected to respond from wherever they are. We are going to take up this matter in seconding what the Chip Whip of the Opposition have said.

 

 

We cannot at any point allow Parliament to be undermined in this way. All of us have a responsibility to adhere to the rules of this House and the rules that are Joint Rules of Parliament.

 

 

Therefore, only two Ministers out of the members of Cabinet responded as against the minimum of seven. We really on behalf of the party that I am leading here, which is the ANC, we want to apologise to all members including the members of the party who have also made statements that are not responded to.

However, we are going to take this matter up. Thank you very much.

 

 

THE ACTING CHAIRPERSON (Ms R M M Lesoma): Thank you very much. Hon Singh, do you still want to come back?

 

 

Mr N SINGH: No. Hon Chairperson, I just want to thank the two colleagues. Particularly the hon Chief Whip of the Majority Party of expressing her concerns and I echo her concerns. We will leave it at that for today. Thank you.

 

 

Mr A M SHAIK EMAM: Hon Chairperson, I have raised my hand.

 

 

The ACTING CHAIRPERSON (Ms R M M Lesoma): I have just concluded the item. You will come back next time, hon member. We are moving to the first order of the day.

 

 

Mr A M SHAIK EMAM: However, Chairperson my hand was raised long before you concluded on the matter, but I accept that it

 

 

is fine. Maybe there is a problem in terms of the process of raising hands if they are not going to be seen. Then there is no point in raising the hand, but thank you.

 

 

The ACTING CHAIRPERSON (Ms R M M Lesoma): Thank you very much.

 

 

CONSIDERATION OF REPORT OF PORTFOLIO COMMITTEE ON HIGHER EDUCATION, SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY ON OVERSIGHT VISIT TO NATIONAL STUDENT FINANCIAL AID SCHEME

 

 

Ms N T MKHATSHWA: Hon House Chairperson, members, fellow South Africans, before we table this report before the House, we pass our condolences to the family and friends of Fort Hare student, Nosicelo Mtebeni, who was murdered by her boyfriend in East London. We also pass our condolences to the family and friends of the Fort Hare law student who died after falling the 12th floor of the residence building. Law enforcement agencies must ensure that justice prevails for Nosicelo. To the family and friends of these two young souls ...

 

 

IsiZulu:

 

... sithi dudu akwehlanga lungehlanga.

 

 

English:

 

 

Hon members, education is an essential pillar of our fight against the triple challenge of poverty, inequality and unemployment as outlined in the National Development Plan, NDP, remains an apex priority of the government’s pro-poor policies. Failure to accelerate inclusive access to higher education and training directly threatens the achievement of this key objective.

 

 

We must continue to strengthen measures that will improve access to higher education. Entities such as National Student Financial Aid Scheme, NSFAS, are quintessential and must function optimally. This committee has prioritised playing an oversight role on NSFAS considering the ongoing challenges of delivery by the entity. The entity was underadministration from 2018 to 2020. Though there was a glimpse of hope under administration. The light was soon to be dimmed as briefings by the entity will take members on a roller-coaster ride. Due to COVID-19, the intended physical oversight visit by the committee was delayed resulting in the committee only visiting the entity under the leadership of the new board and CEO.

 

 

The committee visited the NSFAS Head Offices on the 18th May 2021, received presentations and was taken on an exhibition walk through of a live application live cycle demonstration. A

 

 

learner literally demonstrated how they would apply on the portal. Members were taken through the cycle of the application, from the application to Sassa and Home Affairs processing, Sars and credit bureau validation, internal evaluation, financial and academic eligibility screening, registration and disbursement of allowance processing, appeals processing and the call centre. Towards the end of the administration period, the committee considered placing the entity under inquiry. However, the new leadership pleaded with the committee to allow it to identify key challenges in the entity that could have informed the committee to consider an inquiry and thereafter, propose a remediation strategic plan. The visit noted the demand for increase funding thus recommending engagement between NSFAS, D Head and National Treasury. Since then, we welcome the ongoing engagements between these various stakeholders and planning for the academic year 2022.

 

 

The visit noted that NSFAS communication strategy, turnover time with regard to the application outcomes, appeals, funding allocations, stipend disbursements, queries and others. All have weak systems, which informs the many NSFAS related queries that many of us across the various benches experience on a daily basis. We thus propose procurement of a new digital

 

 

integrated ICT system, the development of an effective and efficient query resolution strategy, a fit for purpose organisational structure, including the finalisation of new staff, a review of a call centre and a strategy to ensure applications are made accessible to young people in the rural South Africa.

 

 

The disbursement of laptops remains of concern to the committee. We note that 51976 laptops that have been disbursed to date and call for an immediate acceleration of this process. The once off application window period for the period 2021 academic year is noted. We urge all registered NSFAS eligible students, who are not funded to make use of this opportunity that will close on the 3rd of September 2021.

Noting the GBV pandemic, the COVID-19 pandemic, the unemployment pandemic and the recent unrests. Higher education remains essential. So once all these systems have been reviewed, systems procured, budgets increased. What remains pivotal is for people, for human beings, to have the conscious conviction to ensure that NSFAS functions and that no student studies hungry because someone failed to press a button that will disburse allowance.

 

 

Essentially, we want to say to members, we went to NSFAS, we saw, we made recommendations and we will monitor and evaluate and hold to account the entity. If it means hon Chief Whip, we must camp at the NSFAS Offices because we refuse to find ourselves in a who’s fooling who scenario once again. If it means, we must camp because we refuse to normalise annual student protest on funding, as if we do not know that students need to go to school every year. It means, we will do so and least we be accused of mandate creep encroachment. Perhaps, we must be accompanied by the Deputy Minister Siweya of the DPME. The next time we table a report on the NSFAS oversight visit, we must talk about a clean audit. We must have 100% laptop disbursement. We must have a timeously functioning funding disbursement model.

 

 

IsiZulu:

 

Abantu abangafuni ukusebenza mabaqhele. Mabasidedele siqhube thina ngalo mshini.

 

 

English:

 

This report is tabled before this House for consideration and adoption.

 

 

IsiZulu:

 

 

Siyabonga, Sihlalo.

 

 

Declarations of vote:

 

Ms C V KING: House Chairperson, after a tumultuous administration period ... Can you hear me now House Chair?

 

 

The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Ms R M M Lesoma): Yes, I can hear you.

 

 

Ms C V KING: After a tumultuous administration period, the National Student Financial Aid Scheme, Nsfas Board was appointed in January 2021. The oversight attended by the DA and ANC members were to hear the plan and to observe the systems operation of Nsfas application processes. A walkthrough exhibition was set up for the committee to evaluate applications, appeal process, TVET and registration update as well as how queries are being handled.

 

 

From a glance on processing and flawless administration processing, the new board vowed to address the dismal outcome of the audit report that was presented Nsfas. From experience, we all know that when something is too good to be true, it usually is. One would be wowed by the flawless process, but the reality is that, students do not feel it on the ground.

Fifty-two thousand nine hundred and ninety-two university

 

 

students and 93 532 TVET college students did not receive Nsfas funding this year.

 

 

Nosicelo Mtebeni, may her soul rest in peace as alluded to by the University of Fort Hare students, who was one of such students who waited on Nsfas accommodation and meal allowance payouts. As we march to the East London courts in protest of her murder, Lovedale TVET College students in Qonce, out of desperation protested for Nsfas accommodation and meal allowances. Delays in funding decisions and disbursements, not only robs students in accessing institutions of higher learning, but also subjects students to ...[Inaudible] ... living conditions at the mercy of others when they are evicted from accommodation facilities.

 

 

At the University of Free State, 64,5% of students are food insecure and at University of KwaZulu-Natal, 55% of students from low income families are food insecure. Research suggested that, 30% of university students might be food insecure as compared to 26% of the population.

 

 

Chairperson, at 8am this morning I was alerted to the plight of a University of Fort Hare student who desperately needs sanitary pads and food to eat. As I address you here today, we

 

 

managed to assist her and a few other students, their Nsfas funding is still pending. Uncomfortable truth yes, but these are the realities when Nsfas and institutions play the blame game with submission of rule. The number of funded students was 768 898 at the value of thirty-five billion six hundred and twenty million, three hundred and eighty thousand nine hundred and twelve rand. This was inclusive of the R7 billion shortfall from universities and TVET college budget.

 

 

The last time I addressed this House on Nsfas, I raised concern on the financial sustainability of the fund. Given the unquenchable demand for funding at a time when our economic broad prospects are not good. This is also the major concern of the board who labelled it as a ticking time bomb waiting to happen. Echoing the words of Malcom X:

 

 

Education is the passport to the future, tomorrow belongs to those who prepare for it today.

 

 

The preparation for the sustainability of the entity can only be realised when the funding method is completely overall by: Setting up a national student fund, a contingency loan system that will provide assistance for the poor and working class and also incorporate the missing middle. Directing funding to

 

 

those qualifications in high demand in the job market, a knock on effect to lower the extended unemployment rate which stands at 44%.

 

 

The Minster and the Nsfas Board knows this is the only viable option and as we await the task team’s report which was due in June this year to the Cabinet, the unrealistic policy of fee free education will be kept alight just for election votes.

This board presented itself as capable and as a political with the focus of turning this entity around. If it is anything to go by, then Mr Khoza and his team have limited time to play by the tunes of the Minister and putting the needs of students first. As the saying goes, seeing is believing if this will be the reality. We support this report of the Portfolio Committee on Higher Education, Science and Technology.

 

 

Mr S TAMBO: Thank you very much. The EFF notes the report on the oversight visit as nothing but a ticking of administrative boxes that has yielded no verifiable results for poor students in the university and TVET sector. The only progressive aspect of the status of the entity is that it attempted of establishing an application system that has integrated the SA Social Security database and that of Home Affairs and Social Development to alleviate the humiliation that comes with

 

 

submitting proof for poverty when applying for Nsfas. This is something that the EFF has longed called for.

 

 

The entity made guarantees of an integrated information and communications technology, ICT system that will fast track appeals, applications and funds disbursement processes, but to date none of these have come to ... [Inaudible.] The hope that has come with the appointment of the new boars has fizzled away with the same pace that the sight of the new dawn in this country has. Students remain at the brunt of financial exclusion which has crippling effect on their education.

Students continue to drop out in high numbers due to lack of food and they are evicted by exploitative service providers from their accommodation because Nsfas fails to meet its obligations for paying student fees and accommodation.

 

 

Most recently, Yonwabo Manyanya’s lifeless body was found after she had spent three days on the streets because Nsfas has failed to disburse her accommodation funding. Young women are left vulnerable and subject to dependency because this government fails to give adequate support when necessary.

 

 

The EFF will therefore not form part of rubberstamping mediocrity and failure, while students protest for their

 

 

funding at a point when they should be focusing on completing their academic year. The EFF therefore rejects this report as it is not worth the paper that it is written on, because the entity has not met any of the commitments it has made to improve the funding situation for students. Thank you very much.

 

 

Mr S L NGCOBO: Than you hon Chair. The stability and optimal functioning of National Student Financial Aid Scheme, Nsfas is critical for the realising of the constitutional right to access higher education. This scheme is instrumental for the government to ensure that it gives effect to its constitutional obligations to progressively realise access to higher education, especially to those desperately in need who wish to further their education. This scheme has been subjected to misery with government’s failures which have inevitably has impacted to higher education by disadvantaged youth.

 

 

The Auditor-General in its briefing too the committee in February 2021, highlighted that a half a billion rand in irregular expenditure should have been disclosed in the 2019-

20 financial statements of the entity, and eligibility criteria conditions must be published as a matter of urgency.

 

 

On the oversight visit to the entity, the committee was told that, the new leadership will address these challenges and that external capability has been sought to address the negative audit outcomes. The IFP wishes to emphasise that, it will closely monitor these intervention strategies by the new leadership and will also closely monitor the use of consultants to assist with financial statements. The IFP agrees with the committee’s recommendations that, the entity should improve its outreach programmes in rural areas in particular, and work with its commitment with students and institutions.

 

 

Furthermore, it was clear during the oversight visit that the call centres are under high pressures and we agree with the committee’s recommendation that, this aspect should urgently be addressed and the entity should consider outsourcing this function.

 

 

In conclusion, the IFP accepts the committee’s report and wishes to express the absolute urgency of ensuring the critical institution function optimally. The skills development and further education of our youth is a key priority and our commitment through ensuring sustainable

 

 

funding for higher education must remain a key priority.

 

Sethembe (let’s hope). Thank you Chair.

 

 

Declarations of Vote cont.

 

Dr W J BOSHOFF: Hon House Chair, the SA school system is not designed to prepare school leavers for the labour market. This is a problem as school is the only preparation so many young people have available, inter, the National Student Financial Aid Scheme, NSFAS, as we know it. When free post school education was announced as the loving parting gift from the previous President Zuma to current President Ramaphosa, NSFAS had to make them offers from a relatively modest bursary scheme to a large-scale distributor of grants to literally millions of recipients.

 

 

What was needed and promised was administrative medical funds as well as systems and staff had to learning had to be felt. It is in this respect that NSFAS became one prolonged crisis. The visit of this report was an attempt by the portfolio committee to visualise the whole system. It is important that of course, in the ease at which fraction experience problems, but for students for whom it doesn’t work out. That is the whole experience. For instance, a party member phoned me after giving up on reaching NSFAS through the normal channels.

 

 

I am following two executive escalations, the address provided by the committee secretariat; Dear Sir/Madam. Below is the letter in connection with UFS student, student name and surname with student number indicated. The summary of the letter is that she successful studied in 2020 with a NSFAS bursary but in 2021, she was informed that the NSFAS bursary was discontinued as she has accepted the Funza Lushaka Bursary. Which she has not done and she informed NSFAS accordingly.

 

 

However, today the inquiries had been nowhere and she still has not received any payments of stipends, tuition fees or anything else. Fortunately, she found lodging with a friendly family as she is not from Bloemfontein. There’s a doctor family brought the situation under my attention. I hope it will be possible to look into the matter and then the problem can be resolved, yours sincerely. I received an answer, one word in small letters “wrap up” My response was; good day. I’m not exactly sure what this email means. Could you perhaps assist. Yours sincerely and my name. This evening, the answer “wrap up” and that’s it for more than a month.

 

 

These brings one of the basic problems of a state which attempts too much. It creates an expectation that one should

 

 

not worry because the state, the ... [Inaudible.] ... will take care of everything and then it can’t quite do so. So, when that happens to be the case, other options are not accessible anymore. NSFAS should be commended for assisting resource-poor school-leavers to access public school education, but students would be well advised to have a safety net for when this safety net doesn’t provide safety. I thank you.

 

 

Ms M E SUKERS: Thank you, Chairperson. The ACDP in considering the report by the committee notes the following: The National Student Financial Aid Scheme, NSFAS, has a budget of

R43 billion, a significant investment made by ordinary hard working tax paying South Africans to the transformation of our country, from the cleaner on the factory floor to the nurse in a hospital. The failure to honour their commitments is the biggest indictment against not only the executive but the officials who manages these funds, the operational challenges in protocols and policies as presented in the report.

 

 

I evidently see where some communities needed to house and feed students with lost accommodation due to late payments. The last couple of years have been a transparent roadshow on how not to manage public funds. It effectively contributed to

 

 

the disgust and the negative lights in which the general public use the government and its entities. We therefore, welcome the expressed commitment to turn around the culture of poor performance, poor financial management controls and remedial action to address operational deficiencies. We look at it with cautious optimism and hope.

 

 

The ACDP further encourages that physical oversight by committees be increased in order to see the presented reports of entities and departments in real time. The oversight function of Parliament must be strengthened, Chair, by regular physical oversight visits and clarity in reporting. The death by PowerPoint modus Operandi and just-in-time presentations, must be a challenge. The real time consequences of poor contract management by government departments and entities in how it sustains the inefficiencies to meet critical targets and deadlines are the horrors we must leave in the past. South Africa can no longer afford it.

 

 

The hour we find ourselves in, demands that we do things with speed especially in this entity. We also have to find consensus with the observation that emphasises that funding should be on programs that speak to the need of our economy. The unemployment rate, Chair, of over 34% has to do with

 

 

funding for skills development and training in critical sectors of the economy, not being prioritised. We must also emphasise the need to fund adults who are often more committed to complete their education. More and more, we are faced with people of employment age becoming unemployable. Chairperson, The ACDP believes that if grants were to be coupled with skills programs and training programs, we would be developing and empowering our people while at the same time chopping away in the significantly high unemployment rates. We thank you.

 

 

Mr M G E HENDRICKS: Thank you very much, hon House Chair. We have listened to the presentations of many of the hon members. This is certainly a very important matter and all we want to add is that we need to look at the bigger picture in that the world work will require those with digital education. While university education is very important and especially for other matters relating to society, employers look at what skills you have when it comes to artificial intelligence, when it comes to the infinite of things when it comes to ... [Inaudible.] ... programming.

 

 

My view to the budgeting process going forward is that there must be less reliance on university students. We need to put more emphasis on students at high schools and maybe extend

 

 

their 12 years to 14 years and provide them with the skills that employers want in the future. Also, online learning must become a feature in South Africa is the pandemic is here to stay for the next decade. So it looks like, you know, our policy had some fallacies in which basic education and higher education they still have blinkers on that. They are not catching up to developments in other parts of the world. They have to refocus and re-budget. I would imagine that there should be a plan to reduce the reliance on having university graduates, but to have more learner graduates with the skills that the economy and employers need.

 

 

I know that, that will cost us a lot of votes from university students but we’re not debunking university education. Going forward with a COVID-19 pandemic or the needs of the cyber civilisation, university education will become less and less important and education at high schools have become more and more important. Thank you very much, hon Chair.

 

 

Declaration of Votes: Continued.

 

The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Mr C T Frolick): Thank you very much, hon member. I will now recognise the hon Madisha. He used to be my president in a very progressive organisation. However, things changed. The hon Madisha.

 

 

Mr W M MADISHA: Alright. Thank you very much. We will talk about that during the break. [Laughter.]

 

 

It is Cope’s position that during the middle of poverty and unemployment, faced by millions of the South African people, it has become literally impossible for hundreds of thousands of students to access practical skills and education from institutions of higher learning.

 

 

It is against that background that Cope remains convinced that the allocation and proper management of loans and bursaries must continue.

 

 

I must say yes, we have received the report, but I am not finding from the report an authentic evidence that there is proper management. For proper management, firstly, there must be an annual review of the identified criteria.

 

 

Secondly, the review must be audited to assess total transparency and accountability by those who have been allocated the duties to perform. Now, I fail to find from the report that authentic and consistent audits are followed as required.

 

 

The absence of constant and quality audits is here to refer a daily see thousands of students from poverty stricken families dropping out because they cannot pay for accommodation, buy food and cannot pay academic fees in some institutions of higher learning where they are learning. Although promises were made that it would be priceless for them to access education at those institutions.

 

 

Now given what I have raised, my question is: What next? Of course there is a lot, but I would say for instance the committee as it goes out to check and look into for example, the introduction of a free technical university education vice versa, the lengthening of the existence of the sector education and training, Seta, for example, look at the role of Umalusi Council, look at the auxiliary and associated services and a whole lot of the very many other areas which can be able or will be to take the poor forward. Thank you, Chair.

 

 

Mr W T LETSIE: Hon House Chairperson, the ANC rises in support of the report by the Portfolio Committee on Higher Education, Science and Innovation and its oversight visit to National Student Financial Aid Scheme, NSFAS.

 

 

In its 54th elective conference, the ANC resolved that both

 

...

 

 

The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Mr C T Frolick): Hon member, you have some background support. Can you please assist the hon member to mute the mic? If the hon member cannot mute the mic, then the hon member must be removed from the virtual platform.

Please continue, hon member.

 

 

May I ask the Information Technology, IT, to remove that member from the platform. It is quite obvious that the hon member is not in the meeting. Please continue, hon member.

 

 

Mr W T LETSIE: Thank you very much, hon House Chair.

 

 

The ANC in its 54th elective conference, resolved that it must and I open quotes:

 

 

Continue to strengthen measures that would improve access to higher education with the ultimate goal of achieving fee-free higher education for the poor and children of the working class students.

 

 

In line with this resolution, the committee undertook an oversight visit to NSFAS head office to have an in-depth insight and deliberations regarding the state of the entity.

 

 

The ANC wishes to commend the Chairperson and the board for their honesty in pointing so far that the institution has challenges. Acknowledging that some of which preceded the administration period and that these challenges would require sustained firmness and decisiveness on the part of the board and the chief executive officer, CEO.

 

 

The ANC having noted that NSFAS had pre-ordered some 120 000 laptops, and only 51 976 have been delivered to date. We are concerned that the slow pace at which NSFAS has disbursed laptops to the poor and deserving students as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, that has forced institutions to resort to multimodal blended learning.

 

 

This will have a dire impact on the poor students not being able to comply with the academic requirements due to them not having the necessary tools to complete their course work.

 

 

We urge the entity to expedite the disbursement of these laptops and take serious actions against companies that are not meeting their laptop delivery targets.

 

 

Another area of concern, was the high-level of queries received by NSFAS from students complaining about the outstanding allowances owed to them.

 

 

It is known that the pandemic has severely predominantly impacted the poor and the working class families. So, a delay of this nature by NSFAS, further exacerbates the situation and further plunges students who come from these families into impoverishment.

 

 

We implore the entity to speedily develop effective query resolution strategies as a matter of urgency.

 

 

With the recent unemployment statistics in the country that have hit a record high of 34,4% as per the report released by Statistics SA Quarterly Labour Force Survey, the entity needs to review the funding of courses or programmes that are not relevant to the needs of the labour market. Programmes that are funded by the entity ought to respond to the skills needs

 

 

and assist in alleviating the triple challenges of poverty, inequality and unemployment.

 

 

Moving closer to conclusion, we wish to call upon the entity to ensure that the recommendations brought forward in this report are adequately and timeously responded to. Failing to do so, will be a failure on the millions of young people who look to NSFAS as a means to an end in changing their material conditions.

 

 

Chair, I think I will take this time to just try and clarify some of the wrong things that have been said in this sitting.

 

 

I think to the DA, we well expected that is why you heard them try and disturb us with their music. We expected nothing positive from the DA as far as NSFAS is concerned because they are clear. They do not want government to assist the poor and the working class children. They want poor people to remain poor and to be without education.

 

 

They prefer universities to be filled by children of the rich, who happen to be white and their constituencies. So, as you can hear, the DA does not want the black poor children. [Nani abantu abamnyama, yekani ukuzifaka kulaba. Niyazibona ukuthi

 

 

abanifuni.] You, black people, leave to be part of these. You can see that they do not want you. If you do not believe me, you can ask Mmusi Maimane amongst others, who are many by the way, who will verify this information.

 

 

The Office of the Chief Whip of the Majority Party, with other ANC Members of Parliament, MPs and NGOs like the Gift of the Givers, we continue to assist the students from less fortunate families, who are awaiting NSFAS funding decisions like we have done recently at Cape Peninsula University of Technology, yesterday and Walter Sisulu University amongst other universities that we have done. [Nina nenzani?] What are you doing?

 

 

To the EFF, well, you were not there. We do not even expect you to understand what kind of things we went through there. So, that thing was not a boxing exercise, but because you are EFF, we understand that you will come here and grandstand, but next time please attend so that you are able to debate from an informed position.

 

 

To the FFPlus also, please attend papa because lewena, you also do the same. You just sit at home there in that place in

 

 

the Northern Cape, in Orania and you do not attend and you come here and you just want to fight everything.

 

 

To the ACDP, IFP, Aljama-ah, Cope and yourself as the DA we want to thank you for supporting this report, for at the end of the day you know that we are doing a good job there. The NSFAS is on the upward trajectory. Well they are changing and we are giving them enough time because during the process of administration we had a lot of problems. That is why this year a lot of tender systems have been done. They are now in the process of appointing, so that from administration, we are able to resolve issues quickly.

 

 

Thank you, hon Mazzone, we will do so. You are lucky that your skin tone is a little bit light, but if it was not, you will be not saying that because you will be fired from that bench and you know yourself. You must ask people like Phumzile Van Damme. No, no, I am saying your skin tone agrees, but if you were Van Damme or if you were Mmusi and you know Mmusi would be seated here today if he was not a little bit dark tone. So, you can continue to make noise DA. We do not suffer from peer pressure. We are not going to follow what you are doing, because you are not leading anywhere. You can do as much as you want. You can bring us all your candidates they will

 

 

remain there, as candidates as we are going to elections. By- elections ... [Interjections.]

 

 

Ms M E SUKERS: Hon House Chairperson, on a point of order please.

 

 

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

 

 

The Chief Whip of the Majority Party moved: I move that the House adopt this report, thank you.

 

 

CONSIDERATION OF REPORT OF JOINT STANDING COMMITTEE ON THE FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT OF PARLIAMENT ON PARLIAMENT OF REPUBLIC OF SOUTH AFRICA’S 2019/20 ANNUAL REPORT

 

 

Ms B P MABE: Hon Chairperson, the Joint Standing Committee On Financial Management of Parliament in fulfilling its mandate by considering the annual report of Parliament for 2019-20 financial year reports as follows: Let me start to welcome the unqualified outcomes with no material findings which this Parliament has sustained for the past six years since 2013-14 financial year. These clean audits are accompanied by a non-

 

 

incurring of material irregularities which are irregular expenditure and unauthorised expenditure.

 

 

In essence, for the entire fifth Parliament, finances of Parliament were managed prudently. The sixth Parliament is still continuing with the sterling performance thus far. I hope this Parliament continues with this excellent performance throughout this term. I say this being mindful of the fact that this is the last report whereby the performance of Parliament is based on the fifth Parliament strategic plan.

 

 

For the 2019-20 financial year, this Parliament held discussion debates and initiatives on the proposed reforms, National Health Insurance, land redress, as well as domestic and gender-based violence. Further, despite the COVID-19 restrictions which were imposed to regulate the spread of COVID-19, this Parliament has managed to hold the executives accountable as required by the Constitution.

 

 

In this regard, a total of 1000 written questions were put to the executives, of which 437 oral questions were put to the executives, including questions to the President and the Deputy President. Moreover, about 756 meetings were held by the committees of Parliament and they were accompanied by 31

 

 

oversight visits conducted throughout the 2019-20 financial year.

 

 

To achieve its constitutional mandate of passing laws for the 2019-20 financial year, a total of 24 out of 43 Bills that were before Parliament were passed. Further eight section 19 interventions were made in total.

 

 

House Chairperson, there are challenges that we picked up as far as the performance of Parliament is concerned. Those challenges include, amongst others, an unfavourable position in the medical aid contributions of Members of Parliament and the provincial legislatures, which is a liability carried by Parliament. This responsibility distorts Parliament’s baseline and negatively impact on future allocations.

 

 

Further perpetual decline of the budget of Parliament has led to reprioritised spending and targets. This has left the important activities and programmes without an inadequate budgeting and as such could not be implemented. If this is not addressed sooner, it has the potential of threatening the ability of Parliament to execute its constitutional mandate. I move for the adoption of the Annual Report of 2019-20 of the

 

 

Joint Standing Committee on the Financial Management of Parliament.

 

 

Setswana:

 

Ere ke leboge, ke be ke lakaletse Mme Modise yo e neng ele Mmusakgotla wa Palamente, katlego le masego mo thomong ya gagwe e ntšhwa. Re be re boe rele komiti re amogele Mme wa rona, Mme Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula. Re lebeletse tse dintsi mo go wena go tsweletsa tiro ya go isa ditirelo ko bathong ba rona ba Aforikaborwa. Ke a leboga Modulasetulo.

 

 

Declarations of Vote:

 

Mr J W W JULIUS: House Chair, I would like to start by thanking our parliamentary staff, especially during COVID-19, they have really done a tremendous job. Turnaround time in dealing with our claims and other urgent matters that members had. I think they have dealt perfectly well with it.

 

 

There are other things though, that I think needs attention in Parliament. If you think about last week’s vote where members could not vote from the virtual platform. I think it is something that Parliament really needs to look at.

Chairperson, I know this morning you said that Parliament is

 

looking at it, but I think it is something that’s way too

 

 

late. Parliament can really do something. We must anticipate problems and not be reactionary. We were caught with our pants down, as the Speaker would say.

 

 

Chairperson, Parliament can do too much more. I think that the fact that members study and it’s still not on this, based on what we spend on members, and it’s still not reflected on our programme. I think we are not down by targets still in the annual performance if we look at it. We are now away from the previous term, the targets of the previous term and, I would urge the Chairperson of the committee and the co-Chairpersons, let us go out and do our own thing now.

 

 

Let’s get targets that are really based on something that we can really be proud of that says, as a committee, we have done this and this so that Parliament can really become a place that people expect us to be. Where people can really feel proud of Parliament. In the eyes of our people out there, Parliament is not really a proud place for them. People speak really ill of Parliament and I think we need to do something.

 

 

Lastly, on questions, I heard the Chairperson of the committee say that questions were answered, but the questions are not answered on time. It is good to say that how many questions

 

 

are answered, but what is the quality of these questions?

 

That’s another thing.

 

 

Now, I welcome the interventions of the previous Speaker to hold Ministers accountable when it comes to answering questions in this House. I think that our new Speaker should actually take this up and as the committee, we will hold the Speaker accountable if this is not done. We do have a new Speaker that must be held accountable by this committee and Parliament as a whole. This will be a very difficult task because the Speaker doesn’t come here to Parliament on a clean slate. There are some things that we need to sort out with the Speaker and it will be difficult at times for the Speaker to hold Ministers accountable, while herself as a former Minister, was not the best pencil in the bag.

 

 

So, I think we will hold them accountable. Chairperson of the committee, let’s do our own things and let’s do what we are supposed to do for South Africans. I think they deserve better. I think Parliament should be a better place, and in the eyes of our people, it should be the best place where they see the things happen for them. Thank you.

 

 

The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Mr C T Frolick): Thank you, hon member. I have noticed that you have referred to me in terms of what I said in the meeting earlier today in the National Assembly programming committee. But since I am chairing the session, I will resist the temptation to respond to you. I will use the appropriate forum to deal with the matter that you have raised in terms of your input.

 

 

Ms O M C MAOTWE: House Chair, the EFF rejects the Joint Standing Committee on the Financial Management of Parliament. Unfortunately, the position of the Speaker of the National Assembly has been reduced to a position in Mr Cyril Ramaphosa’s national executive. When there’s a Cabinet shake- up, they also shake up Parliament executive like we some department of performance and evaluation.

 

 

As the EFF we maintain that there’s no need to stick to some colonial arrangement of racists who decided that Parliament must be in Cape Town, instead we must move Parliament to Pretoria to ensure that our people from Limpopo Province, from KwaZulu-Natal Province, Free State Province, North West Province, Gauteng Province and possible some in the Northern Cape Province can participate meaningfully.

 

 

We should have used the COVID-19 pandemic to investigate this matter seriously, House Chairperson.

 

 

House Chair, Parliament continues to exploit workers who clean our corridors, offices and our chambers, yet we were told that in 2019-2020 Parliament will restore the dignity of the workers and they will be employed on a full time basis.

Instead workers came to our offices crying that their contracts are ending. They don’t even know the truth, because between the Department of Public Works and Parliament, worker’s dignity is secondary and contracts to friends and families is a priority.

 

 

We raised the matter of the deteriorating quality of Language Support Services in Parliament, House Chair. We cannot continue to prioritise English and Afrikaans as some special languages when the Constitution mandates us to ensure that indigenous languages are developed for all practical purposes. Instead of building capacity we have seen delivered ... [Inaudible.] ... of Language Services Support as a result, when our members ask for translation and other language related services, they never receive support.

 

 

But, this is not shocking, the fact that the work of Parliament continues to suffer because of administrative challenges should not surprise us. When we have been acting a strategic position for more than you should, these are the consequences, why does it take so long to fill the position of Secretary to Parliament? Why are we subjected to the ruling party’s factional uncertainties, when we need Parliament proper administrative management? We will be told that people are appointed from Luthuli House to Parliament to manage the cash flow crisis that are currently happening in the ruling party.

 

 

Lastly, House Chair, why do we continue to behave as a department ourselves under government. We are law makers we pass Appropriation Bill and essentially are responsible for the allocation of South African resources. We must not complain about allocation and cry to National Treasury. The National Treasury only bring a proposal of the Divisional Revenue Bill and the Appropriation Bill. We finalise the Bills as Parliament. We cannot continue to use the lack of resources as an excuse for not executing our mandate. We must not impose National Treasury misguided austerities on ourselves, instead let’s allocate sufficient resources for Parliament to carry out its mandate in a cost efficient manner, including

 

 

appropriate and cost serving ways to accommodate members of Parliament, affordable medical aid for Members of Parliament and affordable accommodation. I thank you, House Chair.

 

 

Mr N SINGH: House Chairperson, firstly we have to note that this report that we are dealing with now in the House. Is the period ended 16 months ago, and for 12 months preceding that, it’s a 2019-20 report. But however, I’m gonna speak to contemporary issues. And firstly, we would like to thank and welcome the new Speaker of Parliament and urge that she attends meetings of the Joint Standing committee and Financial Management of Parliament, because her input together with the input of Chairperson of the NCOP will be invaluable in those meetings. And I think one of the things we need to give attention to on an urgent basis, is the appointment of a permanent Secretary to Parliament. I think we had Shakespeare and Hollywood for too long, in the Chamber and Ms Tyawa has been doing good work but I think we have to complete the process that started with the interview of the former Speaker.

 

 

House Chairperson, the role of Parliament cannot be overemphasised and the shortcomings of Parliament and the way we function. We were exposed at the Zondo State Capture Commission recently, wherein they spoke about its

 

 

effectiveness of the oversight. And, for Parliament to be effective tools are required. And the tools of trade have to include additional research capacity for Members of Parliament. Ensuring that constituency offices are well resourced, both financially and human resources. And, to that end, you know the amount that’s allocated to constituency offices has not been increased for a long, long, long time.

And, now in the modern days, more MPs are spending time there.

 

 

House Chairperson, we want to welcome the unqualified audit outcome for the year under review and for the past six years and our report highlight some areas that require attention and I hope that will be attended to. We also wanna welcome the appointment of person in Treasury Office in Parliament and we hope that this will ensure that there’s better communication and consultation between Parliament as an institution and the executive. And, I want to agree with hon Maotwe that, you know we must not complain about underfunding. We control the budget as Parliament. We can reject, we can increase, we can do whatever and I think we must not allow the executive within reason to just tell us how much money we should have. We need to hold them responsible.

 

 

With regard to public participation, I think we can do a lot more with public participation and use more community radio stations and free to air Television, tv advertisement access to the public out there, know what doing but perception could change. I agree with the Parmed issue, it’s been long on the table. A number of members complain about, you know having access to just one medical aid, that ‘something we need to attend to.

 

 

And, I think the other issue we really need to attend to, is to deal with remuneration for the public office bear. The Commission for Remuneration. I think they are a bit tidy in their responses and in dealing with remuneration for Parliamentarians and this is something that we need to look at, the entire package that we have. So all in all we support the report. As I say it’s very, very dated report but let’s hope that in the new circumstances that we find ourselves, Parliament can live up to standard and I also wanna thank all the officials of Parliament for the great work that they do, in supporting us as Parliament, including the presiding officers and yourself hon House Chairperson. Thank you.

 

 

Mr W W WESSELS: House Chairperson, I want to reemphasize what other members have said. And, the fact that the role of

 

 

Parliament is at this stage extremely important. We know that a lot that has happened transpired in the recent past, is due to the fact that there has been ... [Inaudible.] ... that they are a lack effective oversight over the executive and that all of us collectively should take responsibility of.

 

 

And, I want to reemphasize that questions are not answered and when they are answered by the executive, it’s usually out of the prescribed timeframe and the quality of those answers are also lacking. We should address that House Chair. We should also note the importance of oversight visits and that currently we are failing. Where oversight visits are really not effective. Where people go to a certain place but there was actually there was no reason for everybody to travel there, because was an effective oversight visit.

 

 

House Chairperson, I also want to emphasize the fact that there should be action with regards to the number of vacancies, the acting positions and that should be filled. I also want on behalf of the FF Plus thank the Parliamentary staff who does a lot with little, to actually assist us and to ensure that there is effectiveness in many ways. Also I want to thank the presiding officers, including yourself. Thank you, hon House Chairperson.

 

 

Declarations of vote continued:

 

Mr S N SWART: Thank you House Chair. House Chair, the ACDP would like to start by thanking the Speaker and congratulating the new Speaker, the Presiding Officers and of course staff, all staff of Parliament for their very hard work particularly during this difficult time of COVID-19, with all the virtual sittings and the committee staff as well for going beyond the call of duty in providing the committees with necessary information and setting up the virtual platforms.

 

 

We welcome the unqualified audit outcome for this period with no material findings and of course, we as Parliament can be correctly proud of this achievement which has been for the past six financial years.

 

 

Now, this report as the previous speakers have indicated goes to a certain period 18 months ago, but what is of importance is to note that in the report, there is reference to underachievement in respect of a percentage of people aware of Parliament’s business. This must surely be a matter of concern for all of us as parliamentarians, only 23% of those who participated in the survey were satisfactory to the way what Parliament does. This is especially important as referred to

 

 

in the report given the Sixth Parliament Strategic Plan which is about to be implemented.

 

 

Chairperson, there are also only three parliamentary democracy officers across the country and this was also at the stage of the report impedes awareness to delivering awareness raising campaigns. If you then bring us up to date, further evidence of some of the concerns of the public about Parliament’s oversight was expressed in a recent hard written letter addressed by the Co-operative and Policy Alternative Centre to the Acting Speaker at that stage, demanding action from Parliament following the recent unrest in Gauteng and KwaZulu- Natal.

 

 

Now, all political parties received that letter and it is important to note what was said in that letter. It said:

 

 

We believe that Parliament is failing to play its nation building role and provide leadership in this moment of worsening crisis.

 

 

Obviously referring to the unrest in Gauteng and Kwazulu- Natal. In addition to the July violence, the country is facing multiple crisis’, the COVID-19 pandemic, economic crisis and

 

 

climate shocks. Not a single party by itself can address these challenges. It is a time for nonpartisan and united leadership that takes the country forward.

 

 

Whilst those sentiments were expressed at that stage and committees have engaged with the unrest and other debates, this is clearly an issue which we need to take to heart and that is the perception of Parliament to the citizens of South Africa.

 

 

Lastly Chair, I also share the concerns about the budget of Parliament as well as what speakers have said that, we pass the budget, Parliament passes the budget and must we support what the report says about the executive authority engaging with the Minister of Finance. Should there not be progress in that regard? Surely as Parliament can then exercise our functions and our statutory duties in not passing the budget. The ACDP will support this report. I thank you Chair.

 

 

IsiXhosa:

 

Mnu N L S NKWANKWA: Sihlalo nathi siyi-UDM siyayixhasa le ngxelo. Sifuna ukugxininisa izinto ebezithethwe ngoogxa bethu ngaphambili, umzekelo ezifana nale nto ithi, kusoloko kufunyaniswa ukuba le Ndlu yoWoso-mthetho yeSizwe isoloko

 

 

iqhwalela xa kuthethwa ngemali ezakubangela ukuba ikwazi ukuwenza ngendlela efanelekileyo umsebenzi wayo, loo nto kufuneka siyiqonde kwaye siyithethe icace gca okwekat’emhlophe ehlungwini kuba akukho ...

 

 

English:

 

... members of the executive ...

 

 

IsiXhosa:

 

... ezizakufuna iPalamente esebenza kakuhle. Kufuneka thina sinyuse iikawusi siqinisekise ukuba silwela indawo yethu ukuze sikwazi ukuhlonipheka. Okwesibini kuyafuneka ukuba kule Palamente siwuqwalasele lo apha naphaya siwenzayo ngezi ...

 

 

English:

 

... virtual platforms ...

 

 

IsiXhosa:

 

... ngokungathi sikwiindaba zoMhlobo Wenene ukuba isebenza kangakanani na ukuzama ...

 

 

English:

 

... in holding the executive into account.

 

 

IsiXhosa:

 

Enye into kukuqinisekisa ukuba abantu bakuthi, hayi aba bafundileyo naba bangoosambhuntsuntsu kuphela, ekufuneka beyiqondile ukuba le Ndlu yoWiso-mthetho yeSizwe iqhuba njani na. Kufanelekile ukuba abantu bakuthi phaya ezilalini bayazi ukuba le Palamente imele bona kwaye le Ndlu yoWiso-mthetho yeSizwe iyakwazi ukuququzelela iimfuno zabo. Kufuneka le Palamente iqiniseke futhi ukuba izinto ezifana ne ...

 

 

English:

 

... constituency work that, there is monitoring ...

 

 

IsiXhosa:

 

... xa sele sibheka phambili ukuze siqiniseke ukuba iindawo esisuka kuzo ziyakwazi ukufumana iinkonzo nokuncedwa ngamaLungu ale Ndlu yoWiso-mthetho yeSizwe. Ukuba asizenzi ezo zinto, zizakumana sibonakala ngokungathi siyateketa apha sithetha sodwa, aba bantu basinyulileyo basibeka kule ndawo sikuyo asinaxesha labo. Siyabulela.

 

 

Mr M G E HENDRICKS: Thank you very much hon House Chair. Hon House Chair I know we are dealing with the Fifth Parliament. I think it is out of place to comment on the Fifth Parliament if you were not a member of that particular Parliament. Having

 

 

said that, it is quite clear that, the Fifth Parliament has failed the nation, that is why we have the Zondo Commission. Having said that, I am very confident that the Sixth Parliament will not fail.

 

 

I have seen how hon Members of this Parliament have gone out to communities. Recently after the unrest, nearly half of Members of left their computers, left their cellphones and went to visit the people and brought comfort to them. That is a good sign that when, I suppose in the Seventh Parliament they look at what we have been doing, then these hon members and the work that they have done is in high esteem.

 

 

I have heard the comments of the Chief Whip of the IFP and I support that. It is not right that only 23% of South Africa knows what Parliament does. That is why Al Jama-ah has taken Parliament to the streets especially on the Cape Flats and the rural villages such as Mapani village near Mthatha. That is why it is on the Parliament roll a petition from the Mapani villagers who have no electricity and water in spite of having a forest and an ocean and is ideally suited to be South Africa’s first smart village. Government is more interested in smart cities rather than smart villages.

 

 

We tell residents about Parliament’s work. We radio stream and in our Parliamentary Constituency Office, we have online streaming. Then we go to the streets and we put up loud speakers and we ...[Inaudible] ... to the people what Parliament is doing. However, having said that hon House Chair, it is no use in saying how good the parliamentary staff is doing their work, I agree that they produce exemplary service. I do not think it is good enough just to say that, it must be followed up by a bonus. Thank you very much hon House Chair.

 

 

Ms R M M LESOMA: Thank you, hon House Chair. The ANC rise in support of annual report of Parliament of 2019-20, and welcomes the opportunity to engage on what must amicably be one of our most important reports for ourselves as public representatives. This is our institution which we have responsibility and its performance and functioning is a reflection on whether we are providing the institution with the necessary direction. We note that there has been progress made in implementing the audit action plan responding to the concerns raised by the Auditor-General, AG. The joint standing committee must ensure that this progress continues and that we receive updates in a quarterly report.

 

 

We make this declaration mindful of what of the fact that we have just held in both Houses stimulating debate on Budget Votes of Parliament and the ANC outlined very specific and critical issues that need the attention of parliamentary management going forward. Therefore, in considering this report which three days we raised the issues in the Budget Vote debate we want to look or lock onto matters which must provide continuity to the work of Parliament based on strategic plan and policy priorities that we have adopted for Parliament, among this is our ongoing strengthening of oversight and accountability, and we have witnessed on Tuesday and Wednesday. While we have a legislative oversight model that we have got to introduce is the monitoring and evaluation tool so that it assists the oversight work of committees.

 

 

Our oversight work has informed us that we have to grapple with the strengthening and co-operative governance and that there is considerable work that Parliament must see itself in this regard. Further, we need through our oversight work to assess thoroughly the impact of laws that we pass. This is critical in terms of policy oversight and to ensure that quality of our expenditure for which Parliament has oversight responsibility is consistent met with a higher standard. The ANC welcomes the unqualified audit report ... [Interjections.]

 

 

... this is important since we are oversighting departments

 

... [Interjections.]

 

 

The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Mr C T Frolick): Hon Lesoma, let’s just address the hon Wynand Boshoff. There is a big disturbance that is happening from his gadget that he is using. Hon Boshoff, will you kindly switch off your gadget as well as the sound because it’s impacting on the proceedings of the House. Hon Lesoma, you may continue.

 

 

Ms R M LESOMA: Enkosi [thank you], hon House Chair. The ANC welcomes the unqualified audit report with no material funding on the performance information and compliance with the laws and regulations. This is important since we are oversighting departments and their entities and the spotlight will always fall on Parliament as to whether it is able to walk the talk when it comes to financial accountability. With regards to Parliament’s financial position the matter which has been dragging on for a number of years must be brought to conclusion. That is the post medical provision made for former Members of Parliament and the provincial legislatures. If not a net liability will continue from year to year.

 

 

On the matter of performance of Parliament, we note as the ANC and it’s outlined in the report that a hope or which gives us hope that our useful engagement with Parliament during 2021 on the quality of measuring performance we begun to reflect in the reports. Indicators are important in the quality of how we measure these needs more engagement if we are confidently support the percentage that are reflected in the report. With regards to programme strategic leadership and governance programme, we need to come to a conclusion on a sustainable financing arrangement for parliamentary budget of this. This is extremely important independent institution that requires certainty over its finances. Parliament will be drawn more and more its engagement on the state of economy and its ability to produce employment, reduce inequality and reduce poverty. The budget office has critical role to play in this regard and requires certainty of funding.

 

 

We fully support the committee’s observations that the overall manner in which Parliament is allocated its budget has got to change. We have the responsibility to bring about amendments to the legislation which governs how Parliament is financed, and this has for far too long not received the attention it deserves. It is a common cause, hon House Chair and hon members, that the budget of Parliament wait against its

 

 

constitutional responsibility has and continuous to be dislocated. We have to get the budget process revised for Parliament which is our responsibility.

 

 

Moving to the recommendations of this report, hon House Chair, the 30-day deadline on all recommendations after we have adopted this report illustrates that the committee was progressing and the institution of Parliament needs to respond to this expectation. On the recommendation of Parmed, the Parmed board needs to provide the committee with a workable and sustainable proposal going forward before Parliament goes back to the National Treasury. Parliament cannot carry such liability going forward on the budget model that enables parliament to deliver on its constitutional mandate. We want a proposal that addresses a draft mechanism supported by the legal framework, which governs the financial management of Parliament within 90 days on the adoption of this report. We have spoken too far too long on these matters and a draft engagement with must come to before the committee within our lifetime. The ANC supports the report, hon Chair. Thank you very much.

 

 

IsiXhosa:

 

 

UMBHEXESHI OYINTLOKO WEQELA ELILAWULAYO: Sihlalo weNdlu,

 

ndiphakamisa ukuba le ngxelo yamkelwe yile Ndlu. Enkosi.

 

 

Motion agreed to (Economic Freedom Fighters dissenting).

 

 

Report accordingly adopted.

 

 

CONSIDERATION OF REPORT OF PORTFOLIO COMMITTEE ON SMALL BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT ON COVID-19 DEBT RELIEF FUND BENEFICIARIES VIRTUAL OVERSIGHT

 

 

Ms V S SIWELA: Thank you, House Chairperson, because of the network I won’t switch on my video. Thank you for the opportunity. Let me take this opportunity to thank the former Minister of Small Business Development, hon Khumbudzo Ntshavheni, and the Deputy Minister, hon Zoleka Capa, for the sterling work they’ve done to take the department to new heights. We wish them well in their new deployments. I also wish to welcome the new Minister, hon Stella Ndabeni-Abrahams, and Deputy Minister, hon Sdumo Dlamini, who have assumed their duties with a lot of energy and passion after the President’s recent reshuffle of the national executive. It is significant to note as we celebrate the 65th anniversary of Women’s Day and in the year of Mama Charlotte Maxeke, that is relatively

 

 

new department established in the sixth administration has always been led by women. However, we are condemning the abuse of women during this year of Mama Maxeke. I’m tabling this report of the Portfolio Committee on Small Business Development after it considered the annual performance plan and budget allocations of the department and its entities, the Small Enterprise Finance Agency and Small Enterprise Development Agency.

 

 

After deliberations, hon House Chair, the committee made the following observation: There was initially and certainty about conducting oversight meetings on the visual platforms.

However, the exercise was a success and the committee believes that it must continue engaging more with stakeholders using virtual meetings while we are in coronavirus disease 2019, Covid-19, lockdown conditions. The committee noted the work of the department and Small Enterprise Finance Agency, Sefa, in the implementation of Covid-19 Debt Relief Fund and swift response in facilitating applications, approvals and ultimately the funding.

 

 

However, we are concerned that only 4,2% of these applications were approved and funded with a total disbursement of

R316 million, representing 62% from an allocated budget of

 

 

R513 million. All the beneficiaries invited randomly by the committee were happy with financial package received from Sefa with the exception of one. We wish to reiterate our concerns that the department communicates mainly online which creates difficulties regarding the amount of documents that should be loaded in the system. The common appeal from the participants was for the department and Sefa to consider a number of interventions. For instance, payment holidays of between three to six months, convention of the loan, pushing into a full- fledged grant rate of interest and renegotiations of repayment agreements.

 

 

The committee recommends that the Minister of Small Business Development attends to the following matters: out of the total number of small, medium and micro enterprises, SMMEs, assisted in the stated period, more enterprises are still in need of assistance based on the total number of applications versus the total number of applicants that were successfully approved and funded. Therefore, both the department and agencies should enhance their marketing and visibility strategies to ensure that they are easily accessible. The number of enterprises in the rural areas and those owned by people with disabilities remain a main measure concern. The department is encouraged to enhance its outreach strategies in this regard. The department

 

 

together with agencies must ensure that communication strategies are improved especially during post investment period, largely to ensure that the investment made yield positive outcomes and minimise nonrepayment of loans. The matter pertaining the Mvesande Trading CC, who according to the department’s records was paid, but the funds were never reached them, both to be investigated by the department and Sefa. Once all facts are ascertained, the department must brief the committee, including remedial measures to assist the close corporation, and furthermore improve reporting system to ensure authenticity of the information.

 

 

Xitsonga:

 

Hi khensa Muchaviseki Thandi Modise loko a kotile ku hi fambisa kahle tanihi Xipikara. Hi tlhela hi hoyozela ku rhumeriwa ka Muchaviseki Mapisa-Nqakula loyi eka nkarhi wa sweswi a nga Xipikara xa hina.

 

 

English:

 

We wish you well as the committee. The committee places this report for consideration. I thank you, House Chairperson.

 

 

Declarations of vote:

 

 

THE CHIEF WHIP OF THE OPPOSITION: House Chairperson, there is an online declaration. I believe there’s a connection problem. If you could please carry on and then if you would be so kind as to come back to the DA.

 

 

Ms H O MKHALIPHI: Chairperson, our member is also trying to connect.

 

 

Mr N SINGH: Yes, you came to me very quickly Chairperson but yes I am ready now. Chairperson, in this oversight our IFP member participated in hearing with various businesses that had applied for debt relief loan through the Department of Small Business Development.

 

 

During the Covid-19 pandemic, it’s true that government has been weak to plan and implement measures that would see businesses return to normal operation with speed. What is clear is that many businesses are on the edge when it comes their survival. Small to medium micro enterprises need all they assistance they can get. these are the businesses that will endure, sustain and grow our economy through the creation of jobs.

 

 

Yet, SMMEs are not being given the environment that is needed, a conducive environment for them to operate. Of all the applications submitted for government loans only a very small portion was successful and that was around 4%.

 

 

We need to ask ourselves why small and micro businesses face a tremendous hardship when engaging government for relief packages and overall access to development agendas.

 

 

Post the recent unrest, hon Chairperson, more difficulties have risen for SMMEs. For example, when they have to apply for any grant funding, let’s take a person owning a carwash who came to me, it is a micro size business. The person employs many low and unskilled persons but otherwise destitute. A business like this does not have a huge turnover and falls way below the taxable income bracket. They often rely on cash in hand to purchase products, pay their staff and other rates.

 

 

These businesses do not have the same access that larger businesses have to use surplus cash flow, to adapt to the requirements of the Covid-19 pandemic nor sustain themselves during the period of lockdown.

 

 

Nevertheless, government places a tremendous burden on these businesses to apply for a loan or a grant through a document [Inaudible.] and process ridden scheme. With businesses on the brink of closing and people at risk of starvation, they will have no option but to turn to unscrupulous people who will take on these applications at a fee to meet government requirements.

 

 

What adds in sub injury is that this will be just for a loan. How do we expect small and micro size businesses to honour these loans while meeting wage demands and the increase of inflation?

 

 

Chairperson, the IFP proposes a simpler process for small to micro size enterprises where they will only require some reasonable proof existence, legal operations and employment of people. These businesses will receive the cash injections without loan conditions attached so that they can get back on their feet for the purpose of recapitalisation.

 

 

Businesses could provide a brief business plan and receipts etc. to prove their business development. This department must work flat out and find out why so many businesses fail to meet the application processes or be assisted with successfully

 

 

submitting an application. They are the future of our economy and they need to be assisted in every way that is possible by this department. I wish the two new Ministers well. Thank you.

 

 

THE CHIEF WHIP OF THE OPPOSITION: Thank you Chairperson, our member can’t join and I think it has got something to do with the weather outside.

 

 

Chairperson, as we know, the small and medium enterprise businesses have been the businesses most affected. Can I take off my mask Chair? Have been the businesses most affect by covid. One of the things that struck the DA the most was when doing oversight when we came across a woman who had saved enough money to buy soft serve machine and that soft serve machine everyday she would serve soft serves and get R200 from the soft serves and the R100 will then be used to buy milk for the soft serve machine and then R100 was used to buy food for her family. Obviously, a micro business like this works from hand to mouth.

 

 

What we saw during these oversights and what we were told during these oversights is that businesses like that were completely decimated and people who literally had to look after their families day by day had no relief because she

 

 

could not proof that there was a business to which she was working at and that there were people who were dependant on her.

 

 

But, it was not just that Chairperson. We also found that places like the bargaining councils were going to small and medium enterprises asking for contributions and for members to pay their bargaining council fees. This is at a time when the UIF and Ters were a problem and there were backlogs and these were issue that the committee had to grapple with and these are issues that when you are in a time of a covid crisis, we should be doing everything in our power to look after these small and medium enterprises and certainly not hinder them in any way.

 

 

So, while these oversight visits help, the pragmatism remains that in South Africa it is almost impossible for us to be an entrepreneurial society because everything is done and humanly possible to stop entrepreneurs from doing what they should do and that is to not depend on the government and to build up themselves. If you drive along any street in the country, you will find that the majority of businesses that have shut their doors are small and medium enterprises and people who had the ambition to be entrepreneurs and had the foresight to look

 

 

after themselves and not depend on the government. And that is who is suffering.

 

 

As the DA we are in support of this particular oversight that took place and we look forward to more of these oversights taking place. We are encouraging South Africans to not be taken aback by people like bargaining council who are bullying them into paying amounts. Sars has to give people a break.

There has to be benefits to encourage South Africans to become entrepreneurs and stay on the course of small and medium enterprise businesses.

 

 

Chairperson, lastly it must be noted that we must now pay attention, not politically but ethically to a Private Member’s Bill that has been submitted to by Henro Kruger which deals with the cutting of the red tape around small and medium enterprises because the covid pandemic has proven to us that we need to stand by these businesses and give them all the help that they require. Thank you Chair.

 

 

Ms B MATHULELWA: The EFF rejects the report of the Portfolio Committee of Small Business [Inaudible.] relief fund beneficiaries. This report is nothing but a [Inaudible.] by

 

 

members of the ruling party who cannot separate their work and public representatives and party agents.

 

 

We know for a fact that before Covid-19, small businesses were on their own. There was no support from Seda, no self-space, no access to market, no protection from the cheap labour, no trading besides for the ruling party branch chairpersons and the fundings.

 

 

Covid-19 devastated most small business particularly in townships and rural areas. We tried to intervene and as young people struggling with the so called online applications failed to respond to the real situation of the ground but even this did not help.

 

 

[Inaudible.] of 40 000 small businesses through they could get access from the department. This department has never helped any small business so far and this department has failed our people in rural areas and in townships.

 

 

Even with the issues of oversight, there was no help but only to take photos and become so fashionable like telling people they are going to do this and giving people empty promises.

 

 

Now, as the EFF that is why we are rejecting this report. I thank you.

 

 

Mr W W WESSELS: Thank you House Chairperson. House Chairperson, there is no way that this department can be applauded for debt relief scheme. Debt Relief Scheme has been a significant failure. The fact that only 4,2% of applicants have been assisted successfully, is proof thereof. Government as a whole has failed to effectively assist businesses, especially small businesses and provide relief, and the fact that unemployment has increased to 34,4%, is proof thereof.

 

 

Chairperson, the department effectively of the committee ... [Inaudible.] ... did a sampling of the beneficiaries and they invited 11 beneficiaries. Out of those 11 beneficiaries, as identified by the department to be beneficiaries who receive these debt relief loans, one of them, meaning 9% of the sample, did not receive the funding as the department say they did. But Chairperson, it can’t be, that it’s only investigated who’ve got the ... [Inaudible.] ... Trading situation is only investigated, because theoretically, if one of them takes the sample and one says that 9% did not receive funding as claimed by department, then it means that up to 135 beneficiaries out of 1 497 could have not received the funding.

 

 

There should be a thorough investigation, because the fact that this reporting is wrong, is once again proof that this scheme has administrated wrong, that there is a complete lack of administration, and that there might be more beneficiaries who did not receive the funding which they have applied for and which they have been approved for. The ease of application was a huge problem, and this scheme has proved that government is not serious about actually assisting and providing assistance to get the economy growing and to create jobs.

 

 

That is why we have such high unemployment rate and this scheme and its failure as identified by this oversight has proof that this is totally unacceptable. We reject this report.

 

 

Mr S N SWART: Thank you House Chair. House Chair, the ACDP noted that this is the first oversight visit that has taken place, and we commend the committee and Parliament for this initiative. But the question why we haven’t had more such virtual oversight visits, and obviously it’s political, lockdown provision that one would welcome more of this virtual oversight visits. We also note that oversight took place in March this year, that was six months ago, and much has changed since then.

 

 

We’ve had a further level 3 and of course level 4 of lockdown which had a further devastating impact on small businesses, particularly in the lockdown in the hospitality industries.

Now, these lockdowns have been accompanied by irrational provisions and ... [Interjections.]

 

 

The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Mr C T Frolick): Hon Swart, please give me a moment. There’s a member from the EFF who participated during this, order. I don’t know who this commissar is, but this commissar is disturbing the revolution in the House. So, may I ask that commissar to switch off her microphone, and if not, they must eject her from the platform so that we can continue with our business. Over to you, sir.

 

 

Mr S N SWART: Thank you, House Chair.

 

 

Ms H O MKHALIPHI: Chair, I will tell the commissar, I will take care of the commissar. Sorry, Chairperson.

 

 

The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Mr C T Frolick): Thank you.

 

 

Mr S N SWART: Chairperson, way back in April 2020, the ACDP warned about the impact of a protected hard lockdown on businesses, and we as many others were proven correct, but

 

 

thousands of businesses have been closed down, and of course, to make matters worse, thousands of small businesses have now been destroyed during the recent unrest and looting that took place in KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng, and this of course as we know, was fend by the internal structures within the Majority Party.

 

 

Many of those businesses were regrettably never been able to recover. So, it is against this background that this report must be considered. Now, a total of 35 865 applications were received, of which only 14 451 were even considered, and eventually, 1 497 were approved. That is a mere 4,2%, and that is absolutely disgraceful. It is very clear that therefore, that there are many or thousand businesses in great need of financial assistance, and it must also be remembered that these funds that are given are loans.

 

 

So, we support the proposals and the recommendations to reconsider the nature of those loans, the repayment provisions as well. In one case, as it was indicated, the funds were approved, to be never payed to the business involved, and one wonders who received those funds in that case. Chairperson, while the ACDP welcomes this report, it gives an insight into the challenges and we will support it. Thank you.

 

 

Mr M G E HENDRICKS: Thank you very much, hon Chair. Hon Chair, Al Jama Ah supports the report and Al Jama Ah is very confident that with the new Minister and a new Deputy Minister there will be a lots of energy and we will be able to report to this House substantial progress in the months ahead of us. We have had the reference to loans, and our position to this is that, there should be interest free loan to help small businesses and tons of businesses to get on to their feet.

 

 

However, we appreciate the fact that there are grants up to 40% which is available. What has captured our imagination is the localisation commitment of President Ramaphosa in which he mentioned in two state of the nation addresses, and that 1000 products that has now been listed will be the prerogative of only people in the township and disadvantaged areas to manufacture, to sell and to export, and we have already seen some progress.

 

 

The supermarkets have listed the products, they have given themselves space, and I think that is the way to go. There are seven or eight grants that are readily available that people can apply for and in Mitchells Plain, Al Jama Ah has already applied for some of these loans and out of the 20 and Raidor 2 has already been approved. This is the first time that people

 

 

on the Cape Flats are getting some assistance. You know, the coloured people are the Cinderella of this country and we have to put there their issues on the table.

 

 

But we are very confident that in Small Business Development department will go a long way to achieve the 10 million jobs that the NDP wants in 2030, but the government departments, Trade and Industry and other departments who have the money, need to take Small Business Development department in their confidence and let us run with the ball. I am very confident that the structures have been put in place, everything is now on place. It took a long time or too long, but is now in place.

 

 

We have a Chair of the committee, there is vigorous oversight and we are confident that we will create jobs that this country needs. Thank you very much, hon Chair.

 

 

Mr F JACOBS: Thank you, House Chair. I think that on behalf of the ANC we move for the adoption of this report and all its recommendations. I think that many members spoke to the challenges that we as the oversight committee experienced. We appreciate the feedback of the beneficiaries. We have also seen the green shoots and the improvements of the

 

 

applications. I think that we all agree with the comments that South Africans must be entrepreneurial, and our government must be able to create enabling spaces for South Africans to be entrepreneurial.

 

 

Local is lekker, and localisation programme as announced by the president is seeing fruits and as the previous members have raised this. We have also see that the She Trade platform is beginning to work and the target of over 10 000 women on the platform is also gaining momentum, therefore, the ANC rise in support of this report with all its recommendations. Thank you, Chair.

 

 

The CHIEF WHIP OF THE MAJORITY PARTY: Thank you very much, House Chair. House Chair, I move that this House adopt this report. Thank you very much.

 

 

Question put.

 

 

Motion agreed to.

 

 

[Take in from Minutes.]

 

 

Report accordingly adopted.

 

 

CONSIDERATION OF REPORT OF PORTFOLIO COMMITTEE ON INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS AND COOPERATION ON 1ST AND 2ND QUARTERS 2020/21 EXPENDITURE PERFORMANCE OF DEPARTMENT OF INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS AND COOPERATION AND AFRICAN RENAISSANCE AND INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION FUND

 

 

Mr D L MOELA: House Chair, thank you very for the opportunity...

 

 

Siswati:

 

...siyabingelela.

 

 

English:

 

On behalf of Mahambehlala I am going to present on behalf of the Portfolio Committee on International Relations and Cooperation.

 

 

Siswati:

 

Sitsatse lelitfuba sibingelele bonkhe bemalunga lahloniphekile, sikubingelele nawe Sihlalo Wendlu, sibingelele nawo wonkhe umhlali wase Ningizimu Afrika, kanye nebahlali baseMpumalanga ikakhulukati eGemu, eHazyview lapho ngibuyakhona.

 

 

English:

 

South African foreign policy is informed by very clear principle of democracy, equality and human rights. Our foreign policy objective sets specific goals. It is outlined - our capabilities, working together with key strategic partners.

 

 

Under programme One hon House Chair, outreach initiatives to support gender mainstreaming were undertaken. And initiatives we also embarked on aimed at empowering youth for global engagement. However, the most important target of drafting codes, directives and regulations as may be appropriate for the implementation of the Foreign Service Act of 2019, was not achieved.

 

 

The department does not seem to appreciate that the coming into force of these pieces of legislation would assist to overcome most of the challenges it is experiencing currently. As a result of the absence of the legislative instrument to deal with these peculiarities of the foreign services. We cannot of course House Chair, ignore the fact that the absolute Information Communication Technologies, ICT, infrastructure of the department.

 

 

Digital transformation has become crucial. Implementing the digital strategy is key to ensuring that the department is efficient and excellent. The processing of procurement for the department ICT project should be a priority. The overspending on compensation of employees has been attributed to the budget being lower than the required to fully provide for the current head count. It becomes imperative that the department engages the National Treasury to find a workable solution on this matter.

 

 

With regards to the International Relation Programme, structural bilateral mechanism and high level reflecting national priorities remain important vehicle for cooperation and promoting South Africa’s economic diplomacy through nations abroad. However, again the review of structural bilateral mechanism to align it to the achievement of the National Development Plan, NDP, and Medium Term Strategic

Framework, MTSF, was not also achieved. The review will help prioritise certain agreements and to renegotiate some of them.

 

 

House Chair, we applaud the department for being one of the department that did not fall prey to COVID-19 procurement scandals, through emergency procurement. The outbreak of the global to COVID-19 pandemic has severely constrained trade

 

 

promotion efforts in the continent. It is therefore concerning that South Africa will be represented at the executive management level of Southern African Development Community, SADC, for the coming eight years. It is advantageous that when the country is at the helm of representation in this regional organisation to which we contribute much, financially. As SADC facilitator to the Kingdom of Lesotho, South Africa participated in the peace mission to address issues with regards to peace, security and political stability in the kingdom.

 

 

Performance in the International Cooperation Programmes led by President Ramaphosa as the African Union, AU Chairperson, directly being involved in the establishment of COVID-19 African Response, ranging from vaccine acquisition, strategy to distribute of vaccine to a member state.

 

 

South African participated in the adoption declaration on the African free trade area and the silencing of the guns. The President also engaged the international community, to support the issue of debt relief to African countries, who’s economy has been devastated by the pandemic.

 

 

South Africa also participated in the United Nation, UN Security Council for the third time and champion the collaboration between the AU and UN in peace initiative. We therefore encouraged that during this reporting period, the Cabinet plan to develop and implement a public diplomacy strategy to chart a way forward for branding the country.

 

 

In order to assume a custodianship of the huge state-owned property portfolio abroad, the development of a property management strategy should be prioritised, in line with the Foreign Service Act.

 

 

We have witness the ASEAN Regional Forum, ARF, effort in support of the President as then Chair of the AU, in providing humanitarian assistance to help combat COVID-19 in battling African countries. It therefore becomes imperative that the ARF provision of a personal protective clothing or equipment to the value of R288 million to about 21 countries be broken down to reflect the allocation of funding for each country.

The committee cautioned that measures be put in place to make sure that South Africa’s financial assistance to those countries did not fall prey of corruption and looting.

 

 

The assistance therefore, provided to Cuba, through the ARF also benefited South Africa as it gave Cuba a chance to open its market to South Africa and purchase goods from South Africa, placing South Africa in a better position of a supplier. I therefore, ask the House to support the 1st and 2nd Quarter Performance ... [Inaudible.] ... Report. I therefore submit, thank you so much House Chair and hon members.

 

 

Declarations of vote:

 

Mr D BERGMAN: Thank you very much House Chairperson, at the beginning of this term it was cute when we all sat in the oversight meeting at the Department of International Relations and Cooperation, DIRCO, my colleagues there and the newly installed Chair of the committee were hearing the mess that was International Relations Portfolio. They thought that they will change the mess, that tens and hundreds that would not be fixed before them. Ambassadors, ministers and director generals have all come and made noise and campaign for change and all have been pushed off into positions elsewhere.

 

 

I remember a minister who had complained that she had a hole in her head, arguing with me that China was giving us money because they because they love us and it was just a gift and nothing more. I remember director general arguing with me that

 

 

International Relations, that it is hard strengthening control beyond the control we already have in place because of currency fluctuation and the asset register that cannot update itself and therefore needs to operate on trust.

 

 

Now, as we have seen with New York, the Tender Board Adjudicators and the Tender Subcommittee almost the same people. So the Chief Financial Officer, CFO, was suspended by people that first of all work on a lower level than him and therefore were investigated by people lower than him. Now, is anyone surprised that here after that he couragely walked back in his office with the group of new Members of Parliament, MPs went to New York to look at an empty parking lot that was meant to be our new mission.

 

 

The theme of our term which is still evident in the first and second quarter report, is that the two Bills in our kraal were suspended and to be investigated. Now, this is being ... [Inaudible.] ... but the Ministers of the past have all commissioned studies. Now, the DGs of the past have resigned with that consequences, decisions have been made without consequences but had a huge finger to the taxpayer. Only to be packed in another scandal that has all the hallmarks of the previous term of office. To this day not one of those reports

 

 

commissioned by one of each departed Ministers has seen the light of day in our committee to be interrogated for those recommendations to be instated.

 

 

And, I will not rest until our citizens get their bang for buck on this reports and is quiet ironic that our staff at DIRCO are at work while a lot of our hierarchy are at home and they suffer the consequence of COVID-19. Risking their lives at COVID-19, sitting in a building that is hardly a haven for anti COVID-19 regulations.

 

 

During the first quarter I was actually there on an oversight and there was hardly any COVID-19 protection. And our committee cannot call for meetings only to hear which part the world the executive is travelling and some soft reports. Now if we working on how to fix DIRCO, we just simple not owning our keep. Now, with the Chairperson that is the firebrand from youth and passionate about taking on the gatekeepers at the trove and with the determined committee. We are watching in the executive hard behind the press, we watching acting officials too scared to make any decisions. And, all the while our quarterly report are showing that international embarrassment that we were once were, we still are.

 

 

These quarterly reports have nothing in them, there’s no substance and worst of all, as we’ve said to the Auditor General. I am not even sure that we can rely on the figures and the substance that is given to us. Yet we have the cheek to vocalise our voice to countries in haphazard manner and tell them how to keep their house, when the house in the biggest mess and most confused with the list amount of fats in hand seems to be us.

 

 

The world is changing around us, even Africa without us is progressing and yet we continue digging in our heels and hang on the past hoping that one day somewhere, a party with no ideas will stop its infighting and wake up before taking South Africa down with it. Thank you very much.

 

 

Ms T P MSANE: Chairperson, while South Africa is the member of the AU and Southern African Development Community, SADC, for this and has been elected to strategic position in this body for many years. However, South Africa has made no noticeable change to policies and the lives of Africans.

 

 

The EFF has been presenting the Pan African Parliament for only two terms but has managed to make noticeable change in the policies and the running of this body.

 

 

Chairperson, under SADC and AU children under the age of 18 continue to die while giving birth as a result of child marriages under the disguised of religion and tradition. The people of Eswatini continue to be brutally killed by the King Mswati security forces for demanding democracy. The SADC body went to Eswatini like tourists to have coffee with the murderers of the people provided no assistance and no solution to the people of Eswatini.

 

 

Mozambique has been facing an insurgent for more than three years and SADC did nothing to save the lives of the people of Mozambique. We must appreciate and acknowledge the swift assistance given by Rwanda when called to assist. This is after the SADC regional body dismally failed to assist Mozambique.

 

 

The AU Peace and Security Council continues to be nothing but a talk shop which only needs to cry to the Western powers and does nothing to solve the cries facing the continent.

Deployments against al-shabaab in Somalia and Boko Haram in Lake Chad Basin were not provided by the regional economic communities.

 

 

What is the role of the AU standby force when the continent is facing insurgency for so many years? The development in Afghanistan though should be a wakeup call for Botswana and all African countries that continue to help the United State’ Africa Command, US Africom. But this will never happen and this will never be raised because this department cannot even get its own ICTs systems in order.

 

 

This department is run by actors, an acting Director-General and an acting chief executive officer. Will Africa ever realise an Africa United? Will such ever be an overarching legislative body? Will the continent have a functioning and effective African court? What role can South Africa play in uniting the continent when we cannot even get the basic of administration correct. The mandate of International Relations for United Africa are too challenging for this department and its political heads to understand. A department with neglected and lapidated properties all over the world. The task ahead is too complex for this department. Therefore, Chairperson, we reject this report. Thank you very much.

 

 

Mr M HLENGWA: Hon House Chairperson, according to the committee’s report South Africa’s representative foot print has grown to 125 diplomatic missions in 2020 and in 2021 when

 

 

Minister Pandor in her budget speech advice that, and to quote: In an effort to reduce cost while ensuring a presence throughout the world, we are in the process of closing 10 out of 122 missions during the course of 2021. Therefore, the question becomes, what is the progress relating to these closures and how are these 10 missions selected.

 

 

The report further stated that South Africa would not be represented at executive management level of SADC for the coming eight years as we did not have enough points. The explanation provided did not offer the motivation for competing for the various more junior positions, which maxed out the SADC points allocated to South Africa.

 

 

It is disappointing and unacceptable that no long term planning appears to be in place to ensure that South Africa maintains her presence in the SADC executive. The SADC moves forward; South Africa moves backwards. Of further concern is the trend relating to the compensation of employees which depicted the higher expenditure trend by R21 million per month above the compensation of employees ceiling. The result will be a projected budget short fall of R276 million subject to foreign exchange fluctuation.

 

 

Again, in her budget speech in reference to the closure of missions, Minister Pandor advised that the Department of International Relations and Co-operation plan to utilise improved technology services to ensure sufficient counsellor support to our citizens.

 

 

As the world has been for ever changed by the Covid-19 pandemic in particular international travel might it not be feasible to consider the closure of additional missions and make greater use of more cost effective remote service options. This would assist in further trimming the cost of employees which currently accounts for almost half of DIRCOs total budget.

 

 

We propose that an independent visibility study be conducted as soon as possible to explore this. We further echo the recommendation that a property management strategy be developed and implemented with utmost urgency. In addition, we would like that the deadline for the review of the employee’s conditions of official service so as to include that any cost arising from damage to the property should be covered by officials.

 

 

The South African taxpayer should not have to pay for the price of negligence by the department and its officials. This is part and parcel of consequence management. On a positive note, however, we welcome that the Covid-19 assistance provided to countries in the continent by the African Renaissance and the International Co-operation Fund. This include, amongst others, contributions to the Covid-19 special fund ... [Inaudible.] ... and the provision for personal protective equipments, PPEs, to 21 African countries.

 

 

In conclusion, therefore echo the committee’s Call to make sure that South Africa’s financial assistance to those countries does not fall prey to corruption and looting. I thank you. [Time expired.]

 

 

Mr W W WESSELS: No declaration from the FF Plus, thank you House Chair.

 

 

Rev K R J MESHOE: Chairperson, I firstly want to make it clear from the onset that because of the prevailing culture of disrespect, defiance, arrogance and unaccountability in the Department of International Relations and Co-operation that even undermines portfolio committee, the ACDP will not support this report nor any other supplement ones.

 

 

South Africa wants to see government focussing much more on promoting peace in Africa, especially when there is a serious conflict, a humanitarian crisis on our door step. This department has been too quiet about silencing the guns in our neighbouring state of Mozambique. It is not enough for them to promise more information on the matter in their next presentation.

 

 

It is not enough for the target to be just to monitor what’s happening on a two-year basis. Mozambican citizens have been trapped by a fighting in Cabo Delgado province for far too long. Tens of thousands of innocent civilians have allegedly been stopped by the Mozambican army from moving to safer areas. They have been beaten up by their government’s soldiers when trying to flee death from starvation, disease and military attacks even although the Mozambique government has international obligations to assist its people access, safety and humanitarian aid.

 

 

According to recent reports, the Rwandan army came from central Africa and drove out the Islamic militants from Cabo Delgado while South Africa could not even provide troops that were promised.

 

 

Hon members, there were only a thousand of the Rwandan soldiers and yet they managed to defeat the Haggis who have turned more than 800 people into ravages. The continued IT crisis in the department is another serious failure. Why has there been a delay in the procurement of computers and laptops that continued from quarter 1 to quarter 2. The IT tender must be processed before sensitive information is leaked with international repercussions.

 

 

Surely, while staff were grounded by international lockdowns they should have had the time and energy to focus on getting the department house in order. Perhaps though, the main underlining reason for the department’s struggles to manage and pay its staff is that there are too many of them and that they are too widely spread across the world.

 

 

According to the performance report our representative footprint had grown from 34 in 1994 to 125 diplomatic missions in 2020 situated in 109 countries throughout the world. Yet we also have to contend with the rapid weakening of the rand against major currency. There is embarrassingly also a

R10 million bill for damage than to properties rented abroad. Why should South African taxpayer have to pay for this? And

 

 

how are our diplomats chosen if they cannot even look after the premises they occupy?

 

 

The ACDP believed that diplomats should take personal responsibility for damaging the property they are using. The taxpayers should not foot the bill for repairing furniture and other property destroyed by officials who failed to maintained property they are using. Thank you.

 

 

Declarations of vote: Cont.

 

Mr W M MADISHA: Hon Chair, South Africa is in a financial crisis and we go on to promise Southern Africa, Africa and the world that we shall go and assist because we are strong economically; and that indeed is not the case. South Africa must, in consultation with other African countries, develop protocols and agreements to stimulate African economic development.

 

 

Southern Africa is faced with depletion of oil reserves and solar radiation. A lot must be done instead of saying we are in a crisis. We must bring African countries together to find a way forward, instead of simply saying we shall assist whereas we do not have the capacity.

 

 

South Africa must investigate and or work with Southern African Customs Union, Sacu to ensure that all unresolved cases – which are many of course – are addressed to improve Africa’s economic standing. Most African countries are involved in for example, importation of cereals, grains or other European Union, EU products free of duty at world-market prices. This must be addressed. Together with other African countries we must look at strategies of addressing cheaper imports. Consistent importation of cheaper products destroys a few jobs that still exist on the African continent.

 

 

I hope hon members know that many EU countries including China take many different materials from Africa and produce all the necessary materials. Those materials are sold to African people at extremely-high prices. Africa loses materials, jobs and of course cheaper products. What we need to do is to make sure that we sit down with all African countries and come up with a proper way forward, and stop saying we have money. We shall assist whereas the antithesis is the case. Thank you very much.

 

 

Mr M G E HENDRICKS: Hon Chair, the position of the Department of International Relations and Cooperation, Dirco on Israel is commendable and so is the leadership by the Minister. Arms

 

 

must be sent to Palestinians to help them defend themselves. And arms must also be sent to Western Sahara to end their occupation.

 

 

The justification is that the liberation movements of Western Sahara and Palestine sent arms to the liberation movement in South Africa at the time when we needed them most. If this was not done, hon members, we would not be sitting in this House today. It was former President Thabo Mbeki who promised President Mandela that apartheid will not rear its head in any part of the world. But it is sad that apartheid is in Israel.

 

 

District Six was going to be used to sew the horn of evictions and house demolitions as a result of apartheid. That is why fast-tracking restitution, memorialisation ... [Inaudible.]

... is urgent before more countries ... [Inaudible.]

 

 

We know Dirco has problems as we speak. As a portfolio committee we are at odds with the executive. This shows oversight at its best and the readiness of the executive to listen to grievances. Al Jama-ah hopes the physical meeting will not lead to chairs flying next to your wig.

 

 

I am glad the ACDP has put the blame on the Mozambican army for the unrest in Mozambique. What they have missed is that, what they call Islamic Jihad is, in fact, dissidents from Renamo led by a person who practises the Islamic faith. There is no such thing as Islamic Jihadist. Why must I respect a religious party which demonises another religion - Islam?

 

 

The Speaker addressed this but we continue to hear this criticism of Islam. We don’t have a problem if Muslims are criticised but don’t criticise Islam and use the term ‘Islamic Jihadist’. We support this report, hon Chair.

 

 

Mr T S MPANZA: House Chair, just like you, hon Madisha was once my president somewhere else but I lost him along the way. So, I have written to Khumbul’ekhaya programme to locate him so that they will then take him in order that I can take him to his real home which is called the ANC.

 

 

The department is profoundly aware that it has a crucial role to play in contributing to a better life for all in South Africa. It delivers on the key national priorities of the South African government as it pursues the high-level objectives of its programme of work.

 

 

During the first and second quarter reporting period, South

 

Africa’s representative footprint had grown from 34 in 1994 to

 

125 diplomatic missions in 2020, situated in 109 countries throughout the world. The department is increasingly operating in an unpredictable and volatile world characterised by among others, the rapid weakening of the rand against major currencies; the resultant impact on the global economic outlook; the plummeting oil prices; and the advent of coronavirus pandemic.

 

 

The Covid-19 pandemic has required governments to implement a variety of mitigating measures including stringent lockdowns, travel restrictions, and closure of schools and various businesses. These have negatively affected the global economic activity and employment.

 

 

On 01 April 2020, President Cyril Ramaphosa announced a R500 billion fiscal support package that included spending towards Covid-19 priorities. On 30 April, National Treasury published the economic measures for Covid-19 outlining  R500 billion response as well as identifying the funding sources for the package.

 

 

Accordingly, the department had to readjust its priorities and this meant the suspension of nonessential goods and services such as travel and subsistence, catering and venues, facilities, and reprioritisation of funds towards Covid-19- related expenditure. Payments for capital assets were also suspended and so was spending on nonessential on machinery and equipment. The total amount for the readjustment was around R316 million towards assisting government to fight the pandemic.

 

 

During the reporting period, the department was able to extend consular services to South Africans in more than 30 000 cases reported to missions abroad. This included repatriation of citizens in the wake of Covid-19 pandemic and generally assisting citizens in distress.

 

 

The impact of the pandemic has highlighted the need for greater cooperation in the areas of health, technology and cybersecurity. The existing focus on cooperation in Brics is well established in science and technology with development of an innovation platform underway. The Brics Development Bank was also contributing to the efforts of Brics countries to combat the economic consequences of the Covid-19 pandemic.

 

 

Brics should remain alive and relevant to champion the South- South Cooperation agenda.

 

 

House Chair, the efforts of Cuba towards saving this country from the devastating effects of this pandemic should not go unnoticed. It is our belief that the economic integration of Southern African Development Community, SADC remains critical for the region’s economic development and South Africa’s global competitiveness.

 

 

For the reporting period, we call upon the department to commit to leading the implementation and domestication of the region’s blueprints in the country including the Revised Regional Indicative Strategic Development Plan of 2015-20.

During the reporting period, the basic accounting system, Bas was still not working optimally in the missions. As a result,

18 missions had not submitted returns on Bas with regard to their spending on Covid-19-related spending.

 

 

When data provided by missions to the department or National Treasury is not on the basic accounting system, Bas, it thus cannot be verified. The committee observed that foreign missions are slow to reflect on the system how their expenditure trends look like. Reasons could be attributed to

 

 

the outdated ICT system resulting in reporting which is not reflecting of the actual spending by missions per quarter.

 

 

During the reporting period, the African Renaissance and International Cooperation Fund, ARF supported disbursements in support of the work of the President as the AU Chairperson. In this regard, South Africa’s contribution to Covid-19 special fund was around R35 million and its contribution towards Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention was around R71 million. The ANC thus support the First and Second Quarter Performance Report.

 

 

IsiZulu:

 

Siyabonga.

 

 

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

 

 

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

 

 

Report accordingly adopted.

 

 

TEBOGO BESTINA MASHILE

 

 

(Draft Resolution)

 

 

Mr W T LETSIE: House Chairperson, I move without motion:

 

 

That the House –

 

 

(1) notes with pride the talent of a young female astronomer, Tebogo Bestina Mashile, who is passionate about astrophysics and mathematics and is making strides in a field long dominated by men;

 

 

(2) remembers that at 33-year-old is the proud holder of a BSc Physics, Chemistry and Applied Mathematics and BSc Honours in Applied Mathematics, a BSc Honours in Astrophysics and Space Science, and has recently completed an MSc in Astrophysics;

 

 

(3) acknowledges that she is not stopping at those four degrees alone but is currently registering for her PhD in Astrophysics with the University of the Witwatersrand;

 

 

(4) recalls that when studying for her Honours in Astrophysics and Space Science, not only was she the

 

 

only black student, but also the only woman in a group of 17 students;

 

 

(5) believes that her achievements and commitment will encourage and empower the next generation, the ANC wishes her a happy Women’s Month along with all other women in South Africa; and

 

 

(6) congratulates her on her achievements at such a young age.

 

 

I so move.

 

 

Agreed to.

 

 

SENIOR GAUTENG HEALTH OFFICIAL BRUTALLY GUNNED DOWN

 

 

(Draft Resolution)

 

 

Ms E R WILSON: Chair, I move without notice:

 

 

That the House –

 

 

(1) notes with sadness the passing of Ms Babita Deokaran, at the age of 53 years old, after she was brutally gunned down at her home on 24 August 2021;

 

 

(2) further notes that Ms Deokaran was the Chief Director: Financial Accounting at the Gauteng Department of Health, and had been appointed to the position of Acting Chief Financial Officer in August 2020, where she served the people of Gauteng with dedication and high ethical standards while uncovering corruption and stopping payments of the irregular and unlawful procurement of personal protective equipment, PPEs, that rocked Gauteng;

 

 

(3) acknowledges that Ms Deokaran was passionate about bringing perpetrators of corruption and looting to book and that she brought crucial evidence to the fore in the disciplinary processes conducted by the Office of the Premier, and was a key witness in the Special Investigating Unit’s investigation;

 

 

(4) recognises that Ms Deokaran’s evidence led to

 

numerous successful dismissals of corrupt officials

 

 

and the institution of civil claims to recover public funds;

 

 

(5) recalls that Ms Deokaran is not the first courageous public servant to have lost her life allegedly for exposing the truth, and hopes that it will not deter other honest public servants from holding their colleagues to account; and

 

 

(6) conveys its heartfelt condolences to Ms Deokaran’s family, colleagues and friends. May her soul rest in peace.

 

 

I so move.

 

 

Agreed to.

 

 

BLEAK LATEST UNEMPLOYMENT STATISTICS

 

 

(Draft Resolution)

 

 

Ms H O MKHALIPHI: Chairperson, I move without notice:

 

 

That the House -

 

 

(1) notes the recently released unemployment statistics by Statistics SA, which show that the official level of unemployment has soared to over 34% in South Africa;

 

 

(2) further notes that the expanded definition of unemployment, which includes people who have given up looking for work sits at almost 44%, which means that almost half the people of working age in South Africa are unemployed;

 

 

(3) acknowledges that youth unemployment is the worst and that the state has dismally failed to create job opportunities for young people, and also failed to support aspiring youth entrepreneurs;

 

(4) further acknowledges that South Africa has one of the highest rates of unemployment in the world and that the problem of unemployment is a ticking time bomb that threatens to rip the country apart, as the excluded will eventually rise against those who have power and resources;

 

 

(5) recognises that the problem of unemployment will not be resolved through austerity measures and that there is a need for a more interventionist state to redirect development towards sectors that are labour absorptive; and

 

 

(6) further recognises that Parliament must play a more active role in rethinking the country’s development path, and to this end, commits to intensively engage with the economic cluster Ministries to ascertain, interrogate and monitor their job creation plans.

 

 

I so move.

 

 

Agreed to.

 

 

FATAL BUS ACCIDENT CLAIMS THIRTY LIVES

 

 

(Draft Resolution)

 

 

Mr L N MANGCU: Chair, I move without notice:

 

 

That the House –

 

 

(1) notes with shock the passing of 30 passengers in a fatal bus accident on the N2 between East London and Butterworth on Monday, 16 August 2021;

 

 

(2) acknowledged that among the deceased was the driver of the bus, who allegedly lost control of the bus before crashing into the winding road’s guardrails and overturning;

 

 

(3) understands that the bus was travelling from Cape Town to Mthatha, with passengers destined for Ngcobo, Butterworth and Dutywa;

 

 

(4) calls for the authorities to expedite the investigations into the cause of this carnage; and

 

 

(5) conveys its condolences to the families who lost their loved ones and wishes the injured passengers a speedy recovery.

 

 

Agreed to.

 

 

PRINCE MANGOSUTHU BUTHELEZI

 

 

(Draft Resolution)

 

 

Mr N SINGH: Chairperson, I move without notice:

 

 

That the House –

 

 

(1) notes that tomorrow, 27 August 2021, marks the birthday of Prince Mangosuthu Buthelezi MP, South Africa’s elder statesman, who continues to play an invaluable role in service to Parliament, to our country and the Zulu nation;

 

 

(2) acknowledges that over seven decades in public service, Prince Buthelezi has made countless personal sacrifices to secure freedom and build our democracy, advocating and embodying servant leadership;

 

 

(3) further acknowledges that during the recent riots and insurrection that brought South Africa to its knees, Prince Buthelezi was one of the few leaders who spoke out swiftly, called for calm and even participated in community safety initiatives;

 

 

(4) thanks, Prince Buthelezi, for always being a voice of reason during his decades of service to our nation, for his continued service to Parliament, and his continued unwavering opposition to corruption, racism and unethical leadership; and

 

 

(5) wishes Prince Buthelezi a happy birthday, continued good health and strength for the work that still lies before him.

 

 

IsiZulu:

 

Shenge! Sokwalisa!

 

 

I so move.

 

 

Agreed to.

 

 

SA UNDER-20 WORLD ATHLETICS TEAM SUCCESS

 

 

(Draft Resolution)

 

 

Dr W J BOSHOFF: Hon Chair, I move without notice:

 

 

That the House –

 

 

(1) notes that the South African under-20 team that collected honours when participating in the World Athletics under-20 event in Nairobi, Kenya;

 

 

(2) further notes that this biannual event includes athletes from 114 national athletics federations all over the world;

 

 

(3) understands that South Africa was sixth in the medals table and fourth overall;

 

 

(4) recognises that South Africa won three gold, two silver and four bronze medals, and the medal winners are:

 

 

(a) Miné de Klerk – Gold in shotput and Silver in discus;

 

 

(b) Mire Reinstorf – Gold and a world record in pole vault;

 

 

(c) Team 4 X 100m relay - Mihlali Xhotyeni, Sinesipho Dambile, Lethlagonolo Moleyane and Benjamin Richardson – Gold and a world record;

 

 

(d) Benjamin Richardson – Silver in 200m;

 

 

(e) Dané Roets – Bronze in Shotput;

 

 

(f) Matthys Nortjé – Bronze in 400m;

 

 

(g) Sinesipho Dambile – Bronze in 200m; and

 

 

(h) Kyle Rademeyer – Bronze in Pole Vault;

 

 

(5) further recognises that the rest of the team also displayed great sportsmanship and represented their country with honour; and

 

 

(6) congratulates the athletes, their families who often work equally as hard, as well as Athletics South Africa.

 

 

I so move.

 

 

Agreed to.

 

 

PASSING AWAY OF STRUGGLE VETERAN AND FORMER ANC MP FROM COVID-

 

19 COMPLICATIONS

 

 

(Draft Resolution)

 

 

Ms J TSHABALALA: House Chair, I move without notice:

 

 

That the House-

 

 

(1) notes with deep sadness the passing of the struggle veteran and former ANC MP, Dan Montsitsi, from Covid-19 complications on Friday, 13 August 2021;

 

 

(2) remembers that Mr Dan Montsitsi was one of the leaders in the Soweto Students Representative Council that was very instrumental in co-ordinating protest actions in Soweto against the introduction of Afrikaans as a medium of instruction in schools;

 

 

(3) further remembers him as one of the leader of the SA Student Movement, SASM, in 1974, and was a National Youth Organisation, NYO, Executive Committee member;

 

 

(4) recalls that in his activism led to him being arrested in June 1977 and he was sentenced to three years on Robben Island;

 

 

(5) acknowledges that after being released from prison, he became part of the national programme which led to the formation and the launch of the United Democratic Front, UDF, on 20 August 1983 in Cape Town;

 

 

(6) further acknowledges that he also continued with ANC and UmKhonto we Sizwe underground structures as a Commander within the MK Peter Nchabeleng Unit;

 

 

(7) further recalls that after 1994, he became a Member of Parliament of the Republic of South Africa and served as a Member of the Joint Standing Committee on Defence as well as other select committees; and

 

 

(8) conveys our deepest condolences to his entire family, friends and the ANC in general.

 

 

I thank you.

 

 

Agreed to.

 

 

 LOOTING AND DESTRUCTION OF PROPERTY AND LOSS OF LIVES IN KWAZULU-NATAL AND GAUTENG FROM 9 JULY 2021 TO 16 JULY 2021

 

 

(Draft Resolution)

 

 

Mr W M THRING: House Chair, I move without notice:

 

 

That the House-

 

 

(1) condemns the looting and the destruction of property, as well as the loss of innocent lives, that took place in KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng, from 9 July 2021 to 16 July 2021;

 

 

(2) commends our citizens of all race groups who stood as the last line of defence, protecting family, property and businesses; and

 

 

(3) offers our condolences to the families who lost their loved ones during this dark period of our history.

 

 

Agreed to.

 

 

BRUTAL MURDER OF NOSICELO MTEBENI

 

 

(Draft Resolution)

 

 

Mr N L S NKWANKWA: House Chair, I move without notice:

 

 

That the House-

 

 

(1) notes with sadness and shock the brutal murder of Nosicelo Mtebeni, a 23-year-old final year law student from the University of Fort Hare, whose dismembered body parts were found stuffed into a suitcase and her other limbs were found in black plastic bag on Thursday, 19 August 2021, in Quigney, East London;

 

 

(2) further notes that Nosicelo’s life was cut short by a 25-year-old man who is believed or alleged to have been her boyfriend;

 

 

(3) remembers that her gruesome murder is one of many other gender-based murders and shameful acts committed against women and children across South Africa;

 

 

(4) condemns in the strongest possible terms the murder of Nosicelo Mtebeni and other acts of gender-based violence;

 

 

(5) calls on the criminal justice system to ensure the speedy prosecution and make sure that all perpetrators of gender-based violence face the full might of the law;

 

 

(6) further calls on the House to double its efforts to ensure that it strengthens all laws to deal with gender-based violence and femicide crimes; and

 

 

(7) extends its deepest condolences to the family, close friends and the University of Fort Hare family on the passing of Nosicelo. May her soul rest in peace.

 

 

Agreed to.

 

 

PASSING OF MR SIDDEEQ RAILOUN DUE TO COVID-19-RELATED COMPLICATIONS

 

 

(Draft Resolution)

 

 

Mr C H H HUSINGER: House Chair, I move without notice:

 

 

That the House-

 

 

(1) notes with sadness the passing of Mr Siddeeq Railoun due to Covid-19-related complications on 23 August 2021;

 

 

(2) further notes that Mr Railoun was appointed to the position of Executive Director of the District Six Museum, and that he had an enormous impact on the museum during his tenure and its future;

 

 

(3) acknowledges that Mr Railoun, born and bred in Woodstock, and his family were evicted from District Six as a result of the Group Areas Act, which fuelled his desire to engage with the staff to ensure that the museum once again plays an integral part in telling the history of District Six’s diversity of cultures, languages, religions, economics and the destruction of the apartheid government’s group areas;

 

 

(4) recalls that at the time of his appointment, Mr Railoun said that nothing in life came without challenges but also beautiful moments; and

 

 

(5) conveys its heartfelt condolences to Railoun’s family, colleagues and staff at the District Six Museum and friends. May his soul rest in peace.

 

 

Agreed to.

 

 

UNREST THAT LED TO THE LOOTING OF HUNDREDS OF SHOPS IN KWAZULU-NATAL AND GAUTENG

 

 

(Draft Resolution)

 

 

Ms L H ARRIES: Chair, I move without notice:

 

 

That the House-

 

 

(1) notes the recent unrest that led to the looting of hundreds of shops in KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng province was made worse by hundreds of people desperate and hungry enough to rescue all;

 

 

(2) further notes that millions of people are unemployed and do not have any source of income. Thereby are unable to buy even the most basic goods;

 

 

(3) acknowledges that the situation is abnormal and needs drastic steps to mitigate the crisis in the media while South Africa seeks long term solutions;

 

 

(4) recognises that the National Assembly is responsible for intervening with legislative instrument and should not always wait for the executive to bring legislative instrument;

 

 

(5) resolves to establish a joint committee between the Portfolio of Social Development and the Standing Committee on Finance to hold public hearings in the matter introduced basic income grant and compile on the feasibility of a basic income grant.

 

 

Thank you.

 

 

Agreed to.

 

 

CONGRATULATIONS TO TATJANA SCHOENMAKER AND BIANCA BUITENDAG FOR WINNING MEDALS AT THE OLYMPIC GAMES IN TOKYO

 

 

(Draft Resolution)

 

 

Ms R C ADAMS: Chair, I move without notice:

 

 

That the House-

 

 

(1) congratulates Tatjana Schoenmaker and Bianca Buitendag for winning medals at the Olympic games in Tokyo which begin on Friday, 23 July 2021, after being postponed from last summer due to the coronavirus pandemic;

 

 

(2) notes that Tatana Schoenmaker won double medals, gold and silver, and set a world record in the pool, whereas Bianca Buitendag won a silver medal in surfing;

 

 

(3) acknowledges that the two won their silver medals on the same day, the first Tuesday of the Tokyo showpiece, before Schoenmaker added her 200m breaststroke gold a few days later;

 

 

(4) thanks all the athletes who represented the country at the Olympic games; and

 

 

(5) congratulates to Tatana Schoenmaker and Bianca Buitendag for their outstanding achievements and for raising the flag of the country high.

 

 

Agreed to.

 

 

DEVASTATING TAXI CRASH OUTSIDE ONE OF THE ENTRANCES OF PARLIAMENT

 

 

(Draft Resolution)

 

 

Mr L E MCDONALD: Chairperson, I move without notice:

 

 

That the House-

 

 

(1) notes with shock the devastating taxi crash outside one of the entrances of Parliament on Friday, 20 August 2021;

 

 

(2) understands that the overloaded minibus taxi carrying 22 school pupils and two adults crashed into a bollard in front of Parliament after allegedly skipping red robot, resulting in injuries of several pupils;

 

 

(3) acknowledges that the sturdy metal bollard prevented the minibus from ramming Parliament’s gates and it missed the statue by a few metres

 

 

(4) further acknowledges that the children were treated at the scene and were taken to Groote Schuur, District Six and Somerset Hospitals;

 

 

(5) calls upon the relevant authorities to investigate the circumstances of the accident and to leave no stone unturned to ensure the safety of the children; and

 

 

(6) wishes the injured pupils involved in the crash a speedy recovery.

 

 

Agreed to.

 

 

PASSING ON OF TELEVISION AND FILM ICON

 

 

(Draft Resolution)

 

 

Ms V P MALOMANE: House Chair, I move without notice:

 

 

That the House-

 

 

(1) notes with deep sadness the passing on of television and film icon, Shona Ferguson from Covid-19-related complications on Friday, 30 July 2021, at Milpark hospital;

 

 

(2) recalls that Shona’s career began more than a decade ago and he has featured in big productions such as Muvhango, The Wild, Rockville and the Netflix drama series Kings of Joburg;

 

 

(3) further recalls that he was most popular for the role of robotic Jerry Maake on The Queen, a Ferguson Films production;

 

 

(4) acknowledges that he, along with his wife, Connie Ferguson established Ferguson Films in 2010 and both starred in the company’s first TV production, Rockville;

 

 

(5) further acknowledges that they both set up The Ferguson Foundation in 2010, a programme dedicated to supporting

 

 

future industry leaders by empowering them in the business, education, and film;

 

 

(6) remembers that in 2020, Ferguson made his Netflix debut, partnering with the streaming service on the six-part series Kings of the Joburg; and

 

 

(7) conveys its condolences to his wife Connie Ferguson, the entire family and the entertainment industry at large.

 

 

Agreed to.

 

 

GREAT WORK DONE BY THE YOUTH-DRIVEN #LANGAFORMEN TO FIGHT GENDER-BASED VIOLENCE AND FEMICIDE IN AND AROUND LANGA

 

 

(Draft Resolution)

 

 

Ms N K SHARIF: I move without notice:

 

 

That the House-

 

 

(1) notes the great work being done by the youth-driven #LangaForMen to fight gender-based violence and femicide in and around Langa;

 

 

(2) further notes that #LangaForMen was founded by Mr Luyolo Lengisi and Mr Siyabonga Khusela in August 2019, with the goal of creating safe spaces for all genders and cultivating a society where every gender comes together to fight for the rights of women and young girls, and to end gender-based violence;

 

 

(3) acknowledges that #LangaForMen’s goal is to reprogramme the social fabric and that it works directly with boys and men through the Boys to Men campaign, youth empowerment sessions, educational camps, hiking, healing sessions, boys’ workshops and sports to achieve this goal; and

 

 

(4) congratulates Mr Lengisi and Mr Khusela on their great work and wishes them well in their future endeavours.

 

 

Agreed to.

 

 

SHAHNAAZ PARUK NOMINATED FOR AWARD

 

 

(Draft Resolution)

 

Mr M G E HENDRICKS: Hon House Chair, I move without notice:

 

 

That the House –

 

 

(1) notes the nomination of Ms Shahnaaz Paruk, Chief Executive Officer of Penny Appeal South Africa, for Sunday World Heroic Women Award;

 

 

(2) further notes that Paruk is from Overport, Durban in KwaZulu-Natal and comes from a family in the clothing manufacturing industry;

 

 

(3) acknowledges Penny Appeal South Africa as a non- profit organisation that provides humanitarian support;

 

 

(4) further acknowledges that under her leadership at Penny Appeal SA since 2007, she has established food gardens in schools, delivered 10 000 food packs and

3 000 vouchers to families as part of its COVID-19 Response Project;

 

 

(5) understands that in conjunction with the Tutu Desk Foundation, she has facilitated the provision of

2 000 mobile desks to needy school children in Limpopo;

 

 

(6) further understands that she supports the Ihata shelter in Heideveld on the Cape Flats, a safe haven for abused women and children;

 

 

(7) acknowledges her previous position at the SA National Zakáh Fund and Islamic Relief; and

 

 

(8) congratulates Ms Paruk.

 

 

Agreed to.

 

 

NOTICES OF MOTION

 

 

Mr H G APRIL: House Chairperson, I hereby give notice that on the next sitting day of the House I shall move on behalf of the ANC that the House debates creating procurement opportunities for women-owned businesses within the public sector supply chain.

 

 

Dr L A SCHREIBER: Chair, I hereby give notice that on the next sitting day of the House I shall move on behalf of the DA that this House debates the need to scrap the practise of cadre deployment.

 

 

Mrs M R MOHLALA: Chairperson, I hereby give notice that on the next sitting day of the House I shall move on behalf of the EFF the House debates the national government’s intervention in a number of unplaced learners across the country in the 2020-21 academic year.

 

 

Ms T S MASONDO: Chair, I hereby give notice that on the next sitting day of the House I shall move on behalf of the ANC the House debates accelerating the inclusion and full empowerment of people with disabilities within the public and private sector.

 

 

Ms L L VAN DER MERWE: House Chairperson, I hereby give notice that on the next sitting day of the House I shall move on behalf of the IFP that the House debates the effectiveness of the National Strategic Plan ... [Inaudible.] ... in light of South African’s new crime statistics which once more points to a surge in gender-based violence.

 

 

Mr W W WESSELS: House Chairperson, I hereby give notice that on the next sitting day of the House I shall move on behalf of the FF Plus that the House debates the unsustainable dependency of the majority of South Africans on social assistance and grants taking note that there are only

R5 million taxpayers in the private sector contributing to the fiscus.

 

 

Ms G K TSEKE: Chair, I hereby give notice that on the next sitting day of the House I shall move on behalf of the ANC the House debates measures to enhance the delivery of good quality drinking water and addressing water pollution in the country.

 

 

Ms M E SUKERS: Chairperson, I hereby give notice that on the next sitting day of the House I shall move on behalf of the ACDP the House debates the impact of hunger and violence in South African communities that further exposes children during the COVID-19 lockdowns and moves that the House debates this critical matter in anticipation of future abnormal circumstances that affect children.

 

 

Mr N L S KWANKWA: House Chairperson, I hereby give notice that on the next sitting day of the House I shall move on behalf of the UDM the House debates the need to hold an economic indaba

 

 

in order to develop a new economic blueprint for South Africa as a way to ensure inclusive growth and reduce unemployment and eradicate poverty.

 

 

Mrs V VAN DYK: House Chairperson, I hereby give notice that on the next sitting day of the House I shall move on behalf of the DA this House will debate the introduction of policies to protect athletes and administrators from sexual abuse within sports federations.

 

 

Dr S S THEMBEKWAYO: Chairperson, I hereby give notice that on the next sitting day of the House I shall move on behalf of the EFF the House debates the matter of social auxiliary workers under the Restorative Justice Department who are on contractual basis since 2015 be considered for absorption into permanent positions as it was declared in the strategic report of 2018.

 

 

Ms F A MASIKO: House Chairperson, I hereby give notice that on the next sitting day of the House I shall move on behalf of the ANC the House debates strengthening consequence management with regard to effective, speedy and consistent disciplinary mechanisms within departments.

 

 

Mr M R MASHEGO: House Chairperson, I hereby give notice that on the next sitting day of the House I shall move on behalf of the ANC the House debates intensifying the country’s contribution to Africa’s development and build a more just and more peaceful global order despite the damage caused by the coronavirus pandemic.

 

Mr H G APRIL: House Chairperson, I hereby give notice that on the next sitting day of the House I shall move on behalf of the ANC we should debate inequality as a threat to social cohesion.

 

Ms H S WINKLER: House Chair, I hereby give notice that on the next sitting day of the House I shall move on behalf of the DA this House debates the impact of climate change on the tourism sector in the Republic and its strategy to mitigate these risks.

Mr M G E HENDRICKS: Hon Chair, I hereby give notice that on the next sitting day of the House I shall move on behalf of Al Jama-ah that amendments to be made to the Maintenance Act to address complaints that the government is failing women regarding maintenance and that some of the provisions of the Maintenance Act, implementation is worse than gender-based violence, unconstitutional and discriminatory.

 

 

The House adjourned at 17:39.

 


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