Hansard: NCOP: Unrevised hansard
House: National Council of Provinces
Date of Meeting: 15 Dec 2021
Summary
No summary available.
Minutes
UNREVISED HANSARD
NATIONAL COUNCIL OF PROVINCES
WEDNESDAY, 15 DECEMBER 2021
____
PROCEEDINGS OF PLENARY SESSION OF THE NATIONAL COUNCIL OF
PROVINCES
Watch video here: NCOP Plenary
Members of the NCOP met in the Council at 10:01.
The Chairperson took the Chair and requested members to observe a moment of silence for prayer or meditation.
THE HYBRID SITTING OF THE NCOP
(Announcement)
The CHAIRPERSON OF THE NCOP: Hon members, the microphones must be muted at all times, and members must use the floor microphones. Delegates must wear face masks at all times, must occupy seats marked for that purpose and must at all times maintain social distancing, the distance of at least one and a half meters from each other. The delegates must also switch off their videos if they want to speak and or address the Chair.
Any delegate that wishes to speak must raise your hand function or icon, and all delegates must participate in the discussion through the chat room. Hon delegates, I have been informed that there will be no Notices of Motion or Motion without Notice except the Motion in the Order Paper in the name of the Chief Whip. I now call upon the Chief Whip to move the Motion in the Order Paper. Over to you, Chief Whip.
The CHIEF WHIP OF THE COUNCIL: Thank you very much, hon Chairperson. I move that the Council resolves that Rule 239(1), which provides inter alia that the consideration of a Bill may not commence before at least three working days have lapsed since the committee’s report was tabled, be suspended for the purposes of consideration of Adjustments Appropriation Bill, Bill 20 – 2021 referred to us by the National Assembly.
I so move, Chairperson. Thank you very much.
Question put: That the Motion be agreed to.
[Take in from Minutes.]
Motion accordingly agreed to in accordance with section 65 of
the Constitution.
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RATES AND MONETARY AMOUNTS AND AMENDMENT OF REVENUE LAWS BILL
AND
TAXATION LAWS AMENDMENT BILL
AND
TAX ADMINISTRATION LAWS AMENDMEND BILL
Mr E J NJANDU: Good morning hon Chairperson of the NCOP ...
IsiXhosa:
... siyabulisa ngale ntsasa, naphaya kuSekela Sihlalo,
kuMbhexeshi oYintloko ohloniphekileyo, uMohai, ...
English:
... provinces, NCOP members and every South African. Hon
Chairperson, the Select Committee on Finance is presenting one
report which has three Bills. These are: Rates and Monetary
Amounts and Amendment of Revenue Laws Bill, Taxation Laws
Amendment Bill and the Tax Administration Laws Amendment Bill.
These Bills are interrelated and section 77 of the
Constitution requires all Money Bills to be considered in
accordance with the procedure for passing a Revenue Bill as
published by Money Bills Amendment Procedure and Related
Matters Act of 2009, Money Bills Act, section 11(123).
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The Minister of Finance first introduced the draft version,
the 2021 Taxation Laws Amendment Bill during the 2021 national
Budget Tabling. The Taxation Laws Amendment Bill was formally
tabled in Parliament on 11 November 2021 together with the
Medium-Term Budget Policy Statement, MTBPS. On 13 November
2021 the NCOP formally referred the Taxation Laws Amendment
Bill to the Select Committee on Finance for consideration and
reporting.
In terms of the procedure to process the Taxation Laws
Amendment Bill, the committee received a briefing from the
Treasury, SA Revenue Service, Sars on 13 November 2021.
Despite calling for public comments the committee received no
submissions of the 2021 Taxation Laws Amendment Bill.
Chairperson, on the Taxation Laws Amendment Bill – B22, the
committee notes the withdrawal of some proposed amendments in
the 2021 Laws Amendment Bill after the public consultation
process that these amendments may be considered in the next
legislative cycle. The committee reports the proactive
measures taken by the Treasury to curb abuse of the Employment
Tax Incentive and ensures that incentive achieve its intended
objectives. The rate of unemployment in South Africa is very
high at 34,9% in the third quarter of 2021 and persistent.
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The incentive is expected to encourage employers to hire young
work seekers by providing the reduction in the amount of the
employer’s statistics to be paid over at Sars for the first 24
months.
On the Rates and Monetary Amounts and Amendment of Revenue
Laws Bill, the committee notes that tax on alcohol and tobacco
are guided by a policy framework that targets the exercise
duty burden that Treasury will review this policy framework
during the 2021/22 financial year. The committee further notes
that the purpose of exercised taxes on alcohol beverages and
tobacco is to reflect the harmful external costs related to
exercise resumption.
The committee calls for a greater degree of co-operation and
interaction between the industry and Sars to bring about
better compliance for the benefit of all legitimate
stakeholders as well as for the benefit of the fiscus and the
country. After the committee has considered all the three
reports of the Bills, the following is that the committee
accepted all the reports and the DA, EFF and the Freedom Plus
reserved their positions. Therefore, Chairperson, the
committee tables this report before the House for
consideration. Thank you very much.
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Declarations of Vote:
Mr D R RYDER: Hon Chairperson, the Rates and Monetary Amounts
and Amendment of Revenue Laws Bill, Taxation Laws Amendment
Bill and the Tax Administration Laws Amendment Bill are
technical and quite complex Bills. Sadly, the Bills before us
do not take into account the hardships that were imposed to
the tobacco and alcohol industries by the lockdown. Sin Taxes
are again levied on the legitimate operators while the illicit
trade, rushed in to fill the government’s enforced gap created
by the lockdown, continue to operate without really
impediment.
A much higher degree of co-operation is required between Sars
and the legitimate industry operators to ensure that our laws
are upheld. Taxpayers are beginning to be grudge the tax
payments more and more as they see the storage of wastage,
excess and theft, unrolling in the media and public discourse
through such mechanisms as the Judicial Commission of Inquiry
into Allegations of State Capture. The increasing tax burden
on a dwindling tax pool already has a negative connotation and
now the heavier compliance burdens and the penalties that are
placed on taxpayers who already compliant will be a little bit
late add to the negative perceptions around the tax
collection.
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There is sadly little in the Bills on the Table that
encourages growth and the incentivised this compliance. There
is rather a tackling down on legitimate mechanisms to reduce
tax liabilities. Tax evaders however still get away scot-free,
not tax free, scot-free. Attacking the low hanging fruits and
the easy targets appears to be a theme. The Carbon tax, Sugar
Tax, the tightening around compliance the taxpayers, the Sin
Tax levied up on the legitimate businesses all seems to be
finding ways of getting more water to pour into a leaky
bucket. Now the leaks in the bucket are all the direct results
of the corruption, state capture and excessive borrowing. The
cost of which is crowded out service delivery as the country
struggles to service its debt. Hon Chair, the DA does not
support these Bills. Thank you.
Afrikaans:
Mnr S F DU TOIT: Voorsitter, van die grootste redes hoekom die
regering wysigings aan die belastingwetsgewing moes maak, deur
middel van, onder andere, noodmaatreëls, ook bekend as
belastingwysigings, om fondse te bekom om die regeringgeskepte
finansiële dilemma waarin Suid-Afrika hom tans bevind op te
los, was die Covid-19 inperkingsregulasies en die gevolge
daarvan. Ander redes is radikale ekonomiese transformasie,
selektiewe hulpverlening deur die regering en die impak van
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politieke binnegevegte in die ANC faksies en ander politieke
woelinge wat gedurende Julie vanjaar in Natal asook Gauteng in
die vorm van plundering, onrus, geweld en ekonomiese sabutasie
gemanifesteer het.
Die regering het grootliks bygedra tot die benarde situasie
waarin die ekonomie hom bevind en nou moet getroue, reeds
swaar belastingbetalers nog meer opdok. Hierdie rippeleffek
word ongelukkig deur die res van Suid-Afrika gevoel waar dit
die seerste maak – in ons sakke - ongelukkig vir die meeste
van ons, op ons borde.
English:
So-called emergency tax measures, currently used by government
to pick low-hanging fruits by restricting taxpayers to
withdraw their own hard-earned money, as they wish, for the
so-called greater good.
Afrikaans:
Hierdie fondse van persone, wat hul lewe lank finansieel
bygedra het tot die opbou van die land, instandhouding van die
ekonomie - subsidering van vele persone wat nooit ’n
finansiële las op die fiskus geplaas het nie. In kort, word
persone met pensioenfondse nou deur wetgewing gestraf, omdat
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hulle ’n visie gehad het en nog het - die drang om oorlewing
wat steeds verantwoordelik deur hul are bruis.
English:
Pensioners are prevented through legislation from manifesting
their most basic instincts, namely self-preservation and
wisdom, not to be dependent on the state.
Afrikaans:
Die regering moet besef dat belasting verdien moet word. Hulle
kan nie net daarop aanspraak maak nie. Hoekom word
onttrekkings uit pensioenfondse so belas? Die regering
verkwalik regdenkende persone, omdat hulle nie die leuenagtige
rowersbende met hulle neseier vertrou nie en nie noodwendig na
groener weivelde opsoek is nie, maar eerder ’n veilige hawe,
waar hierdie verantwoordelike persone kan oorleef met hul
finansies en self daaroor kan besluit.
Die keiser moet besef dat hy kan eis wat hom toekom; nie dit
wat hy homself toeëien nie.
English:
The FF Plus does not support these Votes. Thank you.
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Mr M S MOLETSANE: Chairperson, the Taxation Law Amendment
Bill, the Tax Administration Amendment Bill and the Rates Bill
are legislations which are considered for the purpose of
collecting revenue. We consider these Bills in order to
consider government expenditure, cost of living, inflation and
the overall administration of taxation. This piece of
legislation also assists Sars with the administrative
collection of revenue.
However, the reality we are faced with is that of an economy
that is not growing. As a result, workers are burdened with
taxes while wages remain stagnant and while the cost of living
increases drastically. The cost of living has increased to
such an extent that our people no longer believe that this
country will ever recover from its economic despair.
These are the realities of many of our people today. It is
therefore important that we, as a country, revisit the
discussion of wealth tax. People are not going to volunteer
redistribution unless there is legislation that imposes
redistribution.
As the EFF, we have said before that Sars must build capacity
to tax businesses that continue to operate in this country
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without paying tax, such as e-commerce businesses which carry
Bills of transactions that are going without any tax
implications.
Sars continues to fail on its most simple mandate of building
sufficient administrative capacity to maximally collect taxes
and we, as the EFF, raised this matter before. There are
businesses that continue to trade without paying tax, not
because they are hiding from Sars, but Sars simply does not
have the capacity to collect taxes.
To start building capacity, Sars must have offices that are
centralised and not only be present in cities and central
business districts. The EFF does not support this Bill. Thank
you.
Mr Y I CARRIM: Chairperson, firstly, if you consider the
elements of what these various speakers have said from the
different parties, one can agree with them. But if you deal
with those elements from the broader considerations, there are
a whole lot of balances you have to seek between the different
considerations here. You have to manage on the one hand, for
example when it comes to the tobacco industry, the needs and
interest of emerging farmers, then of course established
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farmers, the employees that are there who are losing their
jobs, and very crucially the issue of the health
considerations.
So, whether it is illicit or legal tobacco there are health
hazards at stake. Although clearly, with the illicit tobacco
trade, those health hazards are considerably exacerbated. One
also have to see more and more, as emerging from experts and
the state, that there is also a very thin line here. Some of
the entrepreneurs or manufacturers in the legal trade are also
mainly impelled by the effects of the Covid-19 lockdown
restrictions on tobacco smoking last year into this year,
maybe because of that or whatever to be involved. They are
also to some harder extent involved in shady or illicit
tobacco production areas. So, it is a very complex area.
However, overall, what none of the speakers have pointed to is
the health hazard. There are consequences of smoking, whether
it is a cigarette that is neatly manufactured or is illicit,
although the latter is most likely to be more dangerous for
your health.
I think it is also very unfair. Yes, we all agree that money
laundering must be stopped and that the tobacco industry
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facilitates that, that illicit financial flow should be
stemmed. I know the NA Committee meets every quarter and
discusses this, but if the NCOP Committee feel they should do
that, we can do that or join them.
I also need to point out that we really don’t agree with the
nanny state. I don’t know why the FF Plus keeps preaching
about this. Nobody wants a nanny state. Forty-six percent of
the people are currently receiving grants. It is undignified
for them. It is dehumanizing for them. Most of them want to
find a job and get some dignity. There are some, no doubt,
like in every other country, who actually don’t want to work
and prefer to rely on state grants. Those state grants are far
from adequate, anyway.
So, it is not as if the state is deliberately creating people
who are unemployed and then rescue them, which is a subject
that is sometime more explicit than what Mr Fanie Du Toit says
in the committee or maybe elsewhere in the debates we have
had. He seems to think that it is a new form of slavery. Even
the term that he used last time is extremely emotionally and
morally questionable. He has not gone through this or some
other form of slavery, as African people have in this country
and elsewhere in the developing world.
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Why can’t we agree that people reach us halfway here? We make
many concessions for the opposition parties on these issues.
They are oversimplistic and crude in what they are really
saying. They are focusing on one particular element without
linking it. What are Bills after all and particularly tax
Bills, if not balances? That is what politics are about –
balances. Thank you.
Question put: That the Bill be agreed to.
Bill agreed to in accordance with section 75 of the
Constitution.
Ms M O MOKAUSE: He has to be corrected Chair, it can’t be six.
The CHAIRPERSON OF THE NCOP: Sorry?
An HON MEMBER: How do you know when the vote is six? We ...
[Inaudible.] ... with what we did yesterday Chairperson. So
yesterday you did the same thing, you ignored the online vote?
The CHAIRPERSON OF THE NCOP: That we should just revert back
to the voting there. No, it’s important that we do that and
... [Inaudible.] ... clarify what happened. There were 32 IN
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FAVOUR ... thank very much sorry for that, IN FAVOUR, it was
32 and AGAINST, it was six in the House plus 14 and that makes
it 20. [Inaudible.] ... thank you very, sorry for the problem
there. We will now move to the Second Order.
CONSIDERATION OF TAXATION LAWS AMENDMENT BILL
Debate concluded.
Question put in respect of Second Order: That the Bill be
agreed to.
Bill agreed to in accordance with section 75 of the
Constitution.
CONSIDERATION OF TAX ADMINISTRATION LAWS AMENDMENT BILL
Debate concluded.
Question put respect of Third Order: That the Bill be agreed
to.
Bill agreed to in accordance with section 75 of the
Constitution.
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CONSIDERATION OF REPORT OF SELECT COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS
EXPENDITURE AND PERFORMANCE OF THE HIV & AIDS – LIFE SKILLS
EDUCATION - GRANT AND THE LEARNERS WITH PROFOUND INTELLECTUAL
DISABILITIES GRANT IN THE 2020-2021 FINANCIAL YEAR - DATED 17
NOVEMBER 2021
AND
CONSIDERATION OF REPORT OF SELECT COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS
FINANCIAL AND FISCAL COMMISSIONS SUBMISSION FOR THE DIVISION
OF REVENUE 2022-23 - DATED 17 NOVEMBER 2021
AND
CONSIDERATION OF REPORT OF SELECT COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS
PROPOSED DIVISION OF REVENUE AND CONDITIONAL GRANT ALLOCATIONS
TO PROVINCES AND MUNICIPALITIES AS CONTAINED IN THE 2021
MEDIUM-TERM BUDGET POLICY STATEMENT – DATED 14 DECEMBER 2021
Ms D G MAHLANGU: Hon Chairperson and Deputy Chairperson of the
NCOP, the hon Chief Whip,
Sesotho:
Ntate Mohai.
English:
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Permanent and special delegates present on the virtual
platform, MECs, Speakers and Chief Whips from the provinces
those who are available on the platform,
Sesotho:
... ba haeso, dumelang.
English:
It is an honour and a privileged to table before this House,
hon Chairperson, a report on the Financial and Fiscal
Commission Submission division of revenue 2022-23
recommendations on behalf of the Select Committee on
Appropriations. I am happy to report to this House that on 25
August 2121, the committee received and noted the report for
the FFC submission on the 2022-23 Division of Revenue
recommendations under the theme, “The Effects of COVID-19 and
the Changing Architecture of Subnational Government Financing
in South Africa.”
The report was tabled in terms of section 9(1) of the
Intergovernmental Fiscal Relations Act of 1997 as amended
which requires the commission to table its division of revenue
recommendations for the following financial year for the
executive to consider. I will thank you for that one hon
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Chairperson, the report on the FFC as per your directive. I
will now go to the second report.
Hon Chairperson, I am still honored to be able on behalf of
the appropriations committee to table before this august House
a report on the expenditure and performance of the HIV and
Aids and Learners with Profound Intellectual Disability Grant
on behalf of the Select Committee, as indicted in the NCOP.
The committee unanimously adopted the report. While the DA,
the FF Plus and the EFF abstained.
Hon Chairperson, section 4(a)(e)(d) of the Money Bills and
Related Matters Act 9 of 2009, as amended in 2018 mandates the
committee to consider and report on spending issues, report on
statements on actual expenditure published by the National
Treasury and any other related matters set out in the Act.
Hon Chairperson, these provisions, read together with section
32 of the Public Finance Management Act 1 of 1999, as amended
and section 16 of the Division of Revenue Act provides the
framework of the legislative sector to play an oversight role
over the executive.
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Due to persistent underexpenditure and underperformance of the
HIV/Aids, the Life Skills Education Grant and the Learners
with Profound Intellectual Disabilities, LSPID, Grant in the
2020-21 financial year, the committee conducted virtual
oversight on 18 and 19 August 2021. All nine provincial
Departments of Basic Education were invited to report on
performance of these conditional grants and to provide and
highlight key challenges, experience and proposed
interventions to prevent this in the upcoming financial years.
During this oversight engagement hon Chairperson, the National
Treasury and the Department of Basic Education, the FFC as
well as the Public Benefit Organisation, PBO, were requested
to make inputs on the performance of the two grants. All nine
provincial Treasuries were invited to take part in the
engagements. Upon the engagements, the committee has made the
following observations and recommendations:
The Department of Basic Education and all provincial
Departments of Basic Education through Minmec to urgently
strive to find a solution to address procurement and supply
chain management deficiencies, especially for assistive
devices, Personal Protective Equipment, PPEs and other
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important goods which are crucial to support learning
programmes during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Noting that provinces have not been fully complying with the
provisions of the conditional grant framework. The Department
of Basic Education and provincial departments together with
provincial Treasuries and National Treasury, need to urgently
identify the root causes of the none compliance and address
these. Instead of resorting to withholding funds which does
not entirely solve the problem.
The Department of Basic Education and provinces are advised to
approach the National Treasury and provincial Treasuries for
assistance through sector forums and National Treasury to
further clarify the conditions and requirements as prescribed.
The Department of Basic Education and the National Treasury,
should strive to streamline the reporting process for the
LSPID Grant, by reducing the number of expected outputs and
improve the linkage between the expected outputs and overall
grant objectives.
Hon Chairperson, the Limpopo and the Eastern Cape Departments
of Basic Education should improve their capacity to implement
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these two grants. Conduct a full assessment of the required
capacity and the necessary support to be provided. Further
improve their procurement of goods and services such as
Learning and Teaching Support Network, LTSN.
The North West Department of Basic Education should fast-track
its collaborative approach with other stakeholders and other
departmental partners to ensure that sexual reproductive
services are initiated in schools from the current financial
year as planned.
Hon Chairperson the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Basic
Education should fast-track the recruitment of three
additional educational psychologists, as well as fill the many
other funded vacant positions as soon as possible.
The Mpumalanga Department of Basic Education should address
the issues around all key funded vacant positions including
that of an educational psychologist, occupational therapist
and other critical posts which are necessary for frontline
service delivery.
The Mpumalanga Department of Basic Education should also
urgently address the issue of placing all the learners who
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have been profiled by educational psychologist for the LSPIDT
special schools by addressing the issues of inadequate space
which makes placement difficult.
Hon Chairperson and hon members, the Northern Cape and other
provinces with similar challenges of filling key funded
positions for specialist skills should invoke a scarce skills
recruitment process and appointment policy measures to address
these challenges.
The Gauteng Department of Basic Education, should fast-track
the process to conclude the psychological assessment to
confirm Pelvic Inflammatory Diseases, PID, diagnosis that had
not been done by the end of 2020-21 financial year.
The Department of Communications and Digital Technologies
together with the Department of Basic Education should
intensify the roll out of infrastructure for connectivity
programmes so that all South Africans will have access to
virtual activities including home schooling.
Parliament should continue to monitor this important matter
given the impact of COVID-19.
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Hon Chairperson, I will now go to the last report as per your
directive.
The last report is the proposed Division of Revenue and
Conditional Grant allocation to provinces and municipalities
and Adjustment Appropriations Bill 2021.
Hon Chairperson, the report has been presented to the
committee during the processing of this Bill. I can
undoubtedly report that during that process as we finalised,
the committee unanimously adopted the report. The DA, the FF
Plus and the EFF rejected the report as usual.
Hon Chairperson, the Minister of Finance tabled the Medium-
Term Policy Budget Statement, MTBPS, together with the
Adjustment Appropriation Bill in Parliament on 11 November
2021. The Bill was tabled in terms of section 12(4) of the
Money Bill and Related Matters Act 9 of 2009. The Act requires
subsequently the MTBPS, process and the Bill was referred to
the NCOP and to the committee on 30 November 2021.
There were public participations and engagements that took
place during this process. In order to facilitate effective
participation in line with section 72 of the Constitution, of
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the Republic of South Africa, the committee published an
advert in 11 official languages. Written submissions were
received from the Congress of SA Trade unions, Cosatu, Peoples
Budget Coalition and Police and Prisons Civil Rights Union,
Popcru.
In accordance with section 214(2) of the Constitution and
section 10(4) of the Intergovernmental Fiscal Relations Act 97
of 1997, the committee consulted with the FFC, SA Local
Government Association, Salga, and PBO.
Hon Chairperson, the following observations and
recommendations were observed by the committee: The committee
welcomed the proposed allocation of 48,4% of the available
noninterest spending to national departments, 42% to provinces
and 9,6% to local government over the next three years.
However, and however, the committee remains concerned that the
allocation to local government is still not enough – underline
that.
Whilst noting the impact of COVID-19 on the economy, the
committee is of the view that the National Treasury and
Cabinet should outline and continue to intensify efforts to
develop policies, interventions and measures to grow the
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economy in the MTEF period to avoid a situation where
transfers to provinces and municipalities continue to grow
below inflation.
Whilst welcoming the annual update of the provincial equitable
share formula to ensure unfair funding allocation for each
province, the committee urges the National Treasury and the
Department of Health to expedite the process of facing in the
changes to the health component which accounts to 27% of the
formula. The committee is of the view that the monitoring
system for Public Employment Services, PES spending is in its
place to achieve spending efficiency.
Hon Chairperson and hon members the committee welcomed the
introduction of various component into the HIV, TB, Malaria
and the Community Outreach Grant over the years. However, the
National Treasury, and the Department of Health should ensure
that this grant expenditure is improved and implemented
according to the Division of Revenue Act framework.
The committee welcomed the shifting of the mental health and
oncology components introduced in the HIV, TB, Malaria and
Community Outreach Grant in the 2021 METF to the direct
National Health Insurance Grant for provinces.
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The National Treasury and the Department of Health need to
make sure that sound financial management and procurement
processes are improved for provincial Health Departments to
avoid wastages.
The Department of Basic Education together with its provincial
counterparts should ensure that the lack of parity within
provinces regarding the stipend paid to Early Childhood
Development, ECD, workers, is urgently addressed.
The committee urges the Department of Transport to fast-track
the development of objective criteria for incentive component
of the Provincial Road Maintenance Grant, PRMG, which has been
removed from the baseline due to delays.
Hon Chairperson, further, the National Treasury and the
Department of Transport together with their provincial
counterparts, should make sure that allocations earmarked for
the PRMG are utilised effectively, according to the grant
framework to address the poor state of some provincial roads
which negatively affect economic activities.
Whilst the committee welcomes the expansion of scope for the
Municipal Infrastructure Grant, Mig, to help municipalities to
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improve their asset management, the committee urges the
Department of Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs,
to fast-track the process of identifying municipalities that
require such interventions for funds to be earmarked in the
2022-23 financial year.
Whilst the committee welcomes the increased allocation for
local government over the medium-term and National Treasury
and the Department of Co-operative Governance and Traditional
Affairs, together with their provincial counterparts and Salga
needs to work together to ensure that suitably qualified
individuals are appointed for municipalities.
The committee is of the view that building in-house capacity
is paramount for any stable government and therefore the
amount of R1 billion reportedly spent on consultants to
compile municipal financial reports is unacceptable especially
when municipal finance management units have been established
in the provincial Treasuries to assist.
The National Treasury together with the Department of Co-
operative Governance and Traditional Affairs should ensure
that challenges affecting local government are adequately
diagnosed, before solutions are developed and the current
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fragmented capacity building initiative are reviewed and
tailored to respond to specific capacity challenges in local
government.
They should also ensure that Municipal Finance Management
Units are strengthened and accountability is enforced, both
politically and administratively to ensure consequence
management for transgressors.
Hon Chairperson, in conclusion, I wish to thank all committee
members, provincial committee members, committee stakeholders,
media and the general public which made written and oral
submissions as well as the committee support staff. Without
these role players, hon Chairperson and hon members in this
House, and those on the platform, this process would not have
been a success.
The committee recommends to the House that these Bills on the
MTBPS be adopted without amendments.
IsiNdebele:
Ngiyathokoza.
VOTING ON FOURTH ORDER
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Debate concluded.
Question put: That the Report be adopted.
Report accordingly adopted in accordance with section 65 of
the Constitution.
VOTING ON FIFTH ORDER
Debate concluded.
Question put: That the Report be adopted.
Report accordingly adopted in accordance with section 65 of
the Constitution.
Declaration of vote:(On Sixth Order)
Ms C LABUSCHAGNE: Chair and hon members, the allocation of the
national fiscal local government has been hovering around the
9% mark for the last few years. The state of local government
is a clear indication that this is not adequate and National
Treasury has reacted to this by moving upwards towards 9,6% in
the Medium-Term. Chair, this is like placing a band-aid on a
shark bite. The ability of the local government to collect the
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revenue due to has become increasingly more difficult, as the
unemployment rate of the country increases, there are
resultantly less and less people able to pay the rates and
taxes and pay for the electricity and water consumption,
refuse removal and sewage procession. Add to that, the
increasing burden placed the local government by the unfunded
madness by the mandate creep and the realities of the
frontline service delivery start to become apparent. It is no
secret that many municipalities lack the skills to implement
financial controls needed to ensure accurate billing and
revenue collection. However, even those that can do this are
finding the environment increasingly difficult to navigate due
to tough financial choices. The result is that the short-term
survival trade-offs are made, but they have long-term
repercussions.
The decision to not spend money maintaining sewer network in
Emfuleni has come back to worn the entire country as cost now
resurrecting to a totally defunct system and rehabilitating
the environment that has been damaged is immense. Too immense
for the municipal and the burden will fall to the national
fiscal. The decision to not spend money preventing land
invasions has now brought massive complications with the cost
of implementing services on already settled plan being upwards
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of three times as expensive as delivering services in a
planned and structured manner. The 9% is just not enough, 9,6%
is not much better. A lot more needs to be done. The report is
not supported. I thank you. Chairperson, as I’m standing and
reading this declaration I also want to remind you that the
report has not been read. [Interjections.]
The CHAIRPERSON OF THE NCOP: Repeat that again.
Ms C LABUSCHAGNE: Was it read?
UNIDENTIFIED MEMBER: Yes.
Ms C LABUSCHAGNE: Oh, sorry.
Ms M L MAMAREGANE: Chairperson, the ANC supports the Report of
Select Committee on Appropriation on the Conditional Grants
Allocation to the provinces and local government. We
acknowledged the proposed allocation of 48,4% of the available
non-interest in expenditure to national departments, 42% to
provinces and 9,6% to local government over the next three
years. We share the committee concerns that the allocation to
local government is still inadequate and the below inflation
transfers to the provinces and municipalities in the MTEF
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period. We also support the committee’s recommendation calling
on the National Treasury and Cogta together with their
provincial counterparts and Salga, who must work together to
ensure that suitable qualified and experienced individuals are
appointed in the finance unit at the municipalities.
With the strange bedfellows, the EFF, DA, FFPlus, running some
of the largest metros in the country, driving their agenda and
reversing the progressive policies of the ANC. We need to be
more vigilant about the additional allocation to local
government. We need to use oversight tools to ensure that the
right wing work blog does not undermine the national
objectives of the transformation and social justice. The
institutional challenges facing local government have to be
resolved in order to ensure that the investment in the local
economic increases in order to create jobs and reduce
unemployment. The allocation must also help to integrate our
towns and cities. This House must demand the DA-led City of
Cape Town to extend MyCiti bus services to all the working
class areas instead of the current skewed distribution to the
Blaauwberg and Milnerton areas that are DA strongholds. We
cannot tolerate the apartheid spatial development to persist
in the Western Cape. The Western Cape is in South Africa and
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will remain so, regardless of the DA, FFPlus EFF coalition’s
wishes. I thank you, Chairperson. [Applause.]
Question put. That the Report be adopted.
Report accordingly adopted in accordance with section 65 of
the Constitution.
The CHAIRPERSON OF THE NCOP: Hon delegates, please allow me to
deal with the voting procedure to be followed when dealing
with votes on the Adjustment Appropriation Bill. Each delegate
including special delegate shall have one vote and I am
informed that there will be no calls for division. Where there
is no call for a division, a vote shall be carried and we
shall proceed to the next vote. Where a party wishes to object
to a vote that the objection shall be noted. A delegate wishes
to call for a division must draw the attention of the Chair to
that effect. In terms of the Rules a call for a division must
be supported by at least four delegates. A delegate wishes to
make a declaration of vote must raise his or her hand or use a
raising hand icon. Once recognised, the delegate should
indicate his hand or name of the party and make the
declaration of the vote.
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I will now allow delegates who might be in the waiting room
for the first votes at 30 seconds each one to join in the
House. In respect of the votes following thereafter 15 seconds
will be provided to join the House. No delegate shall be
allowed to access whilst voting is in progress. Once a
question is put delegates wish to cast their votes must do so
by raising their hands. Delegates must keep their hands raised
until the voting closes. Procedural Staff shall count the
votes; party representatives may also be allowed to verbally
confirm the number of votes from their parties. Where the icon
was used the Table shall lower all hands after every vote. If
a delegate is disconnected whilst voting takes place the vote
of the delegate shall be ascertained and the record shall be
amended accordingly. We will now proceed to the Seventh Order.
ADJUSTMENT APPROPRIATION BILL
Consideration of Votes and Schedule
Vote 1 – The Presidency – put
Declarations of vote:
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Ms M O MOKAUSE: Chairperson, the EFF rejects this Vote – The
Presidency – with the contempt it deserves.
The COVID pandemic has exposed the leadership of the ruling
party and, in so doing, brought to the fore a number of
underlying weaknesses, corruption being at the top of the list
– the inability to steer the wheel during the difficult times
of COVID, mismanagement of COVID funds, the inability to root
out corruption and rather rewarding those close to the
President with high positions.
The EFF speaks about this because it is the only party in the
Council which contributed large sums to the cause of curbing
COVID-19.
The Presidency is incompetent. Therefore, we reject this
Budget Vote. Thank you.
The CHIEF WHIP OF THE NCOP: Chairperson, let us remind
ourselves that we what we have to consider is the approval of
an adjustment on a Vote that supports a programme towards the
achievement of the electoral mandate through a Vote that has
to support enhancing the integrity of the state, through
planning, co-ordination, oversight, mobilisation and support.
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Political rhetoric that lacks evidence and facts does not
address the content of the actual adjustments, and misplaces
the work of the NCOP. Such comments and ill-informed opinions
belong to the abstract, whereas the Council has to deal with
the concrete facts and the reality of the situation.
The mandate of The Presidency is to ensure that the President
can execute the constitutional responsibilities involved with
leading and galvanising government and society to implement
the electoral mandate. The Vote provides support for The
Presidency to oversee the implementation of the electoral
mandate, the National Development Plan, and the 2019-2024
Medium-term Strategic Framework.
In carrying this out over the medium term, The Presidency will
focus on providing leadership to and support of the
implementation of economic reconstruction and recovery and
advancing South Africa’s regional and global interests.
The adjustments that we are asked to approve today deal with
changes as a result of operational consequences since the
tabling of the February Budget. Besides the adjustment as a
consequence of wage bill adjustments, the adjustment responds
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to the consequence of COVID on programmes of The Presidency
which had to cut back due to the risk-adjusted strategy.
Therefore, R2,9 million that had to be rolled over on the
implementation of action plans to address gender-based
violence, GBV, has nothing to do with a lack of capacity but
is rather a response to the COVID environment.
The additional rollover of R2,2 million for the compensation
of employees is, again, a consequence of the same
environmental conditions.
All these adjustments do not suggest any material impact on
the GBV Programme and the performance of The Presidency, but
rather, the GBV Programme remains in place and is being
implemented.
The performance of The Presidency will be enhanced through
these adjustments. The ANC supports the adjusted Vote. Thank
you.
Vote agreed to (Democratic Alliance, Economic Freedom Fighters
and Freedom Front Plus dissenting).
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Vote No 3 – Cooperative Governance – put
Declarations of vote:
Mr S ZANDAMELA: Chairperson, for more than two decades, the
intervention by provincial government in municipalities has
not worked. The overall intervention system in local
government needs a complete overhaul.
Local government has collapsed. Only 8% of municipalities are
functional and they are all district municipalities, where
there is no actual service delivery. Service delivery
spotlights the reality that we do not have local government.
That sphere of government has completely collapsed, yet it is
the one sphere of government that is supposed to work. When
people talk about government, they are talking about local
government – that sphere of government, to be precise.
When our people want water, electricity, and sanitation
infrastructure, they want it from their municipality – the
coalface of service delivery.
The current design of the division of revenue that is used to
allocate money between the spheres of government and between
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municipalities is based on these false assumptions. The
reality is that more than 10 million citizens are unemployed
and that those who are employed earn very little. These are
the people who pay service fees and make sure that there is
improvement in the revenue in the municipalities.
With each year that passes, municipalities have descended
deeper and deeper into a state of chaos. If we do not change
the Division of Revenue Bill, our municipalities will never be
financially ... [Inaudible.] ... Instead, we will continue to
see hopeless disillusionment and frustration marked by service
delivery protests, violent crime and corruption.
Instead of solving the problem of poverty, eliminating
inequality and reshaping our society, our municipalities do
not have the capacity. Everything is outsourced through
tenders.
The ANC has failed to take a firm political decision to impose
strict financial controls, quality management and good
governance.
The EFF’s government in municipalities is the only government
that will benefit our people, especially the previously
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disadvantaged. The EFF is the only government that will expose
maladministration. It is only the EFF that believes ... that
has the practical plan of land and job and then ...
[Inaudible.] ... in all the municipalities. The EFF does not
support this. Thank you.
Mr S F DU TOIT: Chairperson, as I mentioned in December 2019,
local government is supposed to be the backbone of the
economy, a beacon of hope, the foundation of good governance,
and the template for excellence.
Instead, it is the opposite. It’s the blueprint of the moral
fibre of cadres and corrupt politicians that carefully planned
local government into an unsightly heap of ruin with its
distinctive – no pun intended – smell of rotten effluent.
The number of unsustainable municipalities in the country is
increasing. Only time will tell how successful newly appointed
councillors will be in playing their oversight role in
managing dilapidated municipalities with the challenge of the
previously deployed cadres in municipal structures.
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The recently adopted Systems Bill that will hold municipal
managers directly accountable is welcomed and is a step in the
right direction.
It is of the utmost importance that powers be devolved to
local municipalities, since it has been proven that
amalgamated municipalities do not work, just as the one-plan
concept will not work. Parliament cannot micro-manage
municipalities.
Implement consequence management in local government. Root out
corruption. Prioritise developmental projects and plan ahead.
Appoint people on the basis of qualification, not race or
political affiliation.
Afrikaans:
Dit is belangrik dat daar ten minste 8% van munisipale
begrotings aan infrastruktuur en instandhouding spandeer moet
word, sonder om areas waar dienstegelde tradisioneel gehef
word, af te skeep. Sulke areas moet júís instand gehou word om
volgehoue, getroue vordering te verseker.
Die enigste manier om investering in munisipaliteite te lok is
om toe te sien dat hierdie areas visueel aantreklik is, dat
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rioolering effektief werk, dat daar voldoende konstante
watervoorsiening is, en dat daar betroubare
elektrisiteitstoevoer met werkende straatligte is wat kan
bydra tot ’n veilige omgewing.
Hierdie begroting laat op die oomblik te veel te wense na, en
die VF Plus kan dit nie ondersteun nie. Dankie.
Ms C VISSER: Chairperson and hon members, the adjusted budget
makes little amendment to the amounts allocated to the
Department of Co-operative Government and Traditional Affairs,
other than the amounts required to compensate employees
following the backing down of the state’s position on the wage
bill.
The disappointment comes in when one considers the missed
opportunities in Programme 3, which relates to institutional
development. The whole country talks about the poor state of
local government. Our own Deputy Minister was amazed that, by
the end of their term, 62% of councilors still could not use a
computer, without seeing the irony that this is her own
department that should be remedying this.
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The election result was a clear and resounding statement from
voters that they are sick and tired of ANC-style local
government.
Meanwhile, the Minister has been so focused on banning
cigarettes and enforcing a state of disaster, that it is past
its sell-by date that she has forgotten that she is
accountable for local government. The buck stops with her.
But let us also focus on the traditional affairs part of the
department. The deaths of 27 initiates already in the current
season cannot go without response. Minister, our people are
dying because your department cannot protect them with
appropriate and enforced regulations that will ensure that
ulwaluko [traditional male initiation] happens according to
the correct traditions, and is not hijacked by young thugs
trying to make a quick buck by kidnapping boys and taking them
through an initiation without the proper oversight of
traditional leaders.
This department needs to remember what it was designed for. We
reject the Budget. Thank you.
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Mr T S C DODOVU: Chairperson, the ANC stands to support
Vote 3. We believe that the adjusted appropriation captures
the essence of the mandate of a developmental state at local
sphere. It mobilises both market and non-market stakeholders
towards a developmental agenda that addresses the quadruple
challenges of poverty, unemployment, inequality, while also
addressing the problems associated with corruption.
We welcome the commitment to resolve challenge confronting the
community works programme through the newly introduced
implementation policy. This remains one of the innovative
programmes to address poverty and develop local skills bases
in our communities.
The department should deepen the implementation of the
district developmental model to reinforce quality service
delivery and ensure that there is vibrant economic activity in
our regions.
We also call upon the department to ensure that the Disaster
Management Centre appropriately includes spending to ensure
that municipalities which have been ravaged by the impact of
the COVID-19 pandemic receive the necessary relief from
government.
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We congratulate the SA Local Government Agency, Salga, the
Municipal Infrastructure Support Agent, Misa, the department,
the CRL Rights Commission, and the Demarcation Board on their
achievement of clean audits. We also call upon the department
to break its stagnation on qualified audit opinions, and
progress towards clean audits which is so much required.
The department ... As the ANC we also say, it must as a matter
of urgency finalise and table to Parliament the Bill relating
to the intergovernmental interventions in terms of sections
100 and 139 of the Constitution. This will be a key milestone
for co-operative governance, and will ensure a seamless
government through which the constitutional ideals of co-
operation in good faith and mutual trust will be realised
between the various spheres of government.
It is in that context that the ANC supports this Vote. We must
go all out because we have a vision of building communities
together. That must continue. Based on that, the ANC supports
Vote 3 of this Bill. Thank you.
Division demanded.
The Council divided.
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[TAKE IN FROM MINUTES.]
Vote agreed to (Democratic Alliance, Economic Freedom Fighters
and Freedom Front Plus dissenting).
Vote 4 – Government Communication and Information Systems- put
Declarations of vote:
Ms M O MOKAUSE: Chairperson, the EFF rejects this Budget Vote
with the contempt it deserves. This department is one of those
departments which should have been on the forefront of
government media programmes and reaching out to the majority
of South Africans, but we are not seeing. This is one of the
departments which allow itself to be a vehicle of corruption.
We have not seen any programme from this department which
seeks to empower South Africans with daily information except
the known television channels.
Chairperson, Government Print Media is slowly fading leaving
rural areas uninformed on government programmes. This clearly
shows incompetence Chair. Therefore, we cannot accept this
adjustment. Thank you.
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Ms T B MATIBE: Chairperson, I rise to support the Budget Vote.
Since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, this department
has steered the ship in providing South Africans with credible
and reliable information to protect themselves and those
around then against this deadly pandemic. The department has
consistently ...[Inaudible.] In the first half of 2021 ...
[Inaudible] ...the Government Communication and Information
Systems, GCIS provided 537 radio product services against an
annual target of 400 and 616 graphic designs were provided
against an annual target of 400. The department has conducted
959 community and stakeholder visits in the first half of the
year against the annual target of 1 140.
In its effort to promote ... [Inaudible] ... campaign to
inform citizens of government’s plan, the department aligned
1 241 developmental ... [Inaudible] ... government
communication programme in the first half of the financial
year against the annual target of 1 140. More market events
than expected have been held at the Thusong Service Centre.
The Government Communication and Information Systems in
consultation with the National School of Governance recently
conducted a two-day training programme for Thusong Service
Centre champions in the Eastern Cape. Thusong Services Centres
are an important component to the work of government in
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communities as they provide easy access of government
information and services to communities. They bring government
information closer to the people to promote access to
opportunities.
The Government Communication and Information Systems has also
been getting clean audit reports for many years. For this
reason, we are therefore of the view that the additional
allocation of R7,7 million to the Vote will further enhance
the good work of the department as well as help broaden the
scope of the department towards ensuring that, even those who
live in the most remote areas of our country are able to
receive government information more so, in relation to ever
evolving variants of COVID-19.
Tshiven?a:
Vho T B MATIBE: Nga zwezwo, ri?e sa dzangano la ANC ri khou
tikedza Mugaganyagwama wa Voutu ya vhu?a. Ri khou livhuwa.
Vote agreed to (Economic Freedom Fighters and Freedom Front
Plus dissenting).
Vote No 5 – Home Affairs - put
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Declarations of vote:
Mr S ZANDAMELA: Chairperson, the purpose or the mandate of the
Department of Home Affairs is to determine and safeguarding of
the identity and status of the citizens. Regulate immigration
to ensure security. Promote, development and fulfil South
African international obligation. Improve client experience
through leadership. All the above constitutional obligations
are not adhered to by the department.
The 40-year old South African born ... [Inaudible] ... from
Mbombela Mpumalanga has not received his identity document to
date. This has since been reported with the department and
nothing has been done. The department does not have the
database of all the late registrations of birth.
Chairperson, the Minister has always been told about the
queues in Home Affairs branches. No proper operational plan in
place to decrease the long queues. The department is always
offline and that confirms the failure by the department to
timeframes, no records recorded on follow up on queries
reported. The department’s priorities in this financial year
is to establish border management authority just to make sure
our fellow South Africans cannot move freely and continue in
growing the African economy.
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There is no interlink from National Development Bank
confronting the challenges of poverty, inequality and
unemployment. The law enforcement operation inspection
indicator aiming to ensure that undocumented persons are
documented and are not unlawfully employed in South Africa,
should not be used to clog our fellow Africans to be denied an
opportunity to find jobs. The modernisation programme of Home
Affairs can reduce fraud and the cost of doing business by
enabling government which will attract more investment to the
country.
The department should address fraud and corruption both within
the departments and at the border posts. Consequence
management should be implemented to address the challenges
related to fraud and corruption. In the country we are faced
with a lot of unemployment especially amongst the youth, yet
the department is not creating jobs and there is no plan in
place. The department should create sustainable quality jobs
that grow the economy. The department is not playing any role
in reducing unemployment. We should be having at least a
number of students who are interns or in programmes that will
enable them to get training within the department. Basically,
there is nothing happening in the department and there is no
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proper planning. The EFF does not support this Vote. Thank you
Chair.
Mr I M SILEKU: Good morning hon Chair, hon members and fellow
South Africans. Having an identity document and a birth
certificate makes life easier especially during the time of
the pandemic, as it allows a person to access assistance from
the government. When a person does not have any
identification, it is frustration on frustration.
The Department of Home Affairs has been battling with
extremely long queues for years now. Often at times this
results in South Africans having to stand an entire day in the
queue and not being helped at the end of it, which is
unacceptable when majority are not by the means to take the
day off from work to waste at Department of Home Affairs. One
would have expected the department to make the war on queues
priority number one.
An additional amount of R138,8 million is allocated for higher
salary increases that the main budget did not provide for.
IsiXhosa:
Ngelishwa ...
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English:
... funds go to millionaire managers at the Border Management
Authority. Our internal immigration enforcement is
underfunded. South African school children remain undocumented
in the land of their birth because there are less mobile units
to take services to the poor and the most vulnerable. The
frontline offices are still confronted by network downturn
challenges. In this regard, funding is more required in these
critical areas of the department. Hon Chair,
Afrikaans:
Ongelukkig spreek hierdie begroting nie die kritiese areas aan
nie. Die DA ondersteun nie hierdie begroting nie. Baie dankie.
IsiXhosa:
Enkosi.
English:
Thank you very much.
Mr J J LONDT: Chair they are starting to unmute the same way
Moshodi started to find the raise hand function.
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The CHIEF WHIP OF THE NCOP: Yes, of course those who do not
raise hands seem to be. Hon Londt is very out of order.
The CHAIRPERSON OF THE NCOP: Yes. I am sure hon members we
should be orderly.
The CHIEF WHIP OF THE NCOP: Chair, we take the proceedings
very seriously and we should not impact on the process through
disturbing the orders by the Presiding Officer. In an even
event members are unavailable to take the opportunity, we
should proceed.
The CHAIRPERSON OF THE NCOP: Thank you very much. We will then
proceed.
Vote agreed to (Democratic Alliance, Economic Freedom Fighters
and Freedom Front Plus dissenting).
Vote No 6 – International Relations and Co-operation –
put
Declarations of vote:
Mr T APLENI: Hon Chairperson, my apologies for the video. The
position of South Africa and the continent of Africa needs to
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be constantly evaluated with the shifting patterns of global
order such as the development of conservative internationalism
as pitified by the US, the dominance of Britain with its share
fare of troubles in relation to its continued participation in
the European Union.
The reality is that, South Africa and the African continent
continue to look in significant and without any meaningful
voice in the international affairs.
The African Union remains largely toothless, visionless and
without any strong political direction from member states.
There remains an agent need for revolutionary forces to unite
and re-enteregorate the timeless dream of Pan-African Unity
and development.
The current arrangement of each country looking and pushing by
all means for its own interest is neither assisting South
Africa or the African continent. This in return, is further
weakening the African continent in the face of international
forces.
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COVID-19 has exposed the fact that there is a global emergence
of extra statutory and extra political forces that seek to
control and influence both the state and the ruling party.
Sovereign credit downgrading South Africa to junk status even
though South Africa was doing much better than other bigger
economies in terms of managing COVID-19. This was a clear sign
of how we do not matter to the international world.
Attempts to reform the United Nations have been fervently
fought by the developing countries. The United Nation’s
Security Council which is the most powerful structure of the
United Nations remains untransformed up to date.
The need to be concerted purposeful efforts of social
engineering to ensure that African people from across the
continent and in the diaspora are united economically,
socially and culturally.
The African Continent Free Trade Agreement must be a vehicle
for a programme of massive inward industrialization of the
continent to ensure that Africa becomes the center of
manufacturing of African minerals and other resources.
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Chairperson, the EFF therefore does not support this Bill.
Thank you very much.
Mr M DANGOR: Hon Chairperson, we welcome the adjusted
appropriation for the Budget Vote No 6 of the Department of
International Relations and Co-operation. It is encouraging at
the time of the tabling of the Adjustment Appropriation Bill.
The department has achieved over half of its target for 2021.
The achievement is attained despite the challenging
environment of our time in the field of the international
relations imposed by COVID-19 and the subsequent global
lockdown. Global lockdown has without doubt impacted the
environment of foreign policy across the world.
We applaud the innovative ways which have been initiated by
the department and the actors in the international relations
to ensure that diplomacy carried out in various platforms
especially virtual platforms.
As the ANC we reiterate our commitment TO the building of a
better Africa, a better world and a better South Africa. This
means that we firmly believe that the socioeconomic
development at global level can only thrive in a just and
peaceful environment.
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We will play our oversight role as Parliament, to ensure that
our foreign policy principles continue to be advanced. And our
foreign policy is based upon values and not only on interests.
The ANC supports this Adjustment Appropriation Bill for the
Budget Vote No 6 of the Department of International Relations
and Co-operation. I thank you, Chairperson.
Vote agreed to (Democratic Alliance, Economic Freedom Fighters
and Freedom Fighters and Freedom Front Plus dissenting).
Vote No 7 – National School of Government – put
Vote agreed to (Democratic Alliance, Economic Freedom Fighters
and Freedom Fighters and Freedom Front Plus dissenting).
Vote No 8 – National Treasury – put
Declarations of vote:
Mr M S MOLETSANE: Hon Chairperson, the Medium-Term Policy
Budget Statement presented by the Finance Minister, was meant
to provide content for the budget that will be presented early
in 2022 to outline the government efforts to improve the
economy of this country.
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Statistics SA has released report that shows that unemployment
has increased from 34,4% to 34,9% in the third quarter of
2021.
As South Africans, we are exposed to the electricity
blackouts, while the President is dreaming about the bullet
trains, electric cars and the smart cities. The reality is
that the youth of about 3,4 million, aged 15 to 24 years is
not employed. Others are still owing the universities the
outstanding fees and they cannot obtain their official
qualifications. That means there is no future for them.
The wages of million workers continue to be less, compared to
the patrol price, food, housing and education that are rising
up. The future is dark for them. There is no way the economy
of this country can grow in a meaningful way. Only the rise in
poverty, unemployment and inequality. The EFF does not support
this Bill. Thank you, Chairperson.
Mr W A S AUCAMP: Hon Chairperson, the Constitution on section
216 places a burden on the National Treasury to ensure
expenditure control in each sphere of government. Further
states that the National Treasury must enforce compliance. The
Treasury is therefore culpable for a situation in which it
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finds itself. A situation where the International Monetary
Fund, IMF, was recently reported as being exacerbated by the
lack of progress in South Africa.
The IMF once again stressed the importance of speeding up the
implementation of pro-growth and investment structural reforms
by the South African government in order to improve the
country’s fiscal trajectory and economic fortunes.
The report was practically a cut and paste exercise of their
last wording, though with way more adjectives this time
around.
Hon Chairperson, I want to quote from the article it says:
The IMF officials once again said, the government is moving
too slowly on improving structural reforms on energy,
embracing renewal energy sources on telecommunications by
releasing new frequency spectrum, transport with the
opening of ports to private sector investors, reducing red
tape for businesses, addressing systemic corruption and
pairing down the degree of state ownership in South Africa.
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Hon Chairperson, instead, we have an energy Minister, actively
promoting environmentally harmful fossil fuel extraction. We
have a communications Minister still dithering around the
digitalisation project and rapping the band with auction up so
tightly that legal action continues and we have a Transport
Minister who makes budget announcements, three months before
the Finance Minister does it. This is to name but a few of our
Ministerial failures in this regard.
The Adjustment Appropriation Bill does little to address these
issues with huge virements and shifts way above the
guidelines. Now, whilst some of these may be justified by a
new Minister moving in and making some bold changes and with
money being shifted to be better used at SA Revenue Service,
Sars, the volume of virements brings panning and certainty
into question.
Hon Chairperson, at this point, we must note that Sars must be
singled out as their performance continues to accede targets.
However, the major issue is that Treasury needs to focus more
of its time, energy and of course of their budget on doing
what the Constitution tells it to do. It must ensure
expenditure control and it must enforce compliance. The
adjustment to Treasury’s appropriation does not do this and
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more do they address the IMF’s concerns. The DA therefore
cannot support this adjustment. I thank you.
Mr Y I CARRIM: Hon Chairperson, firstly, in response to the
EFF, nobody is suggesting smart cities, bullet trains and
electric cars at the expense of water, electricity and in this
case the hon member mentions university fees. Nobody is
suggesting that. In fact, the EFF makes much having a younger
composition of Members of Parliament about the need for the
Fourth Industrial Revolution, 4IR. So, we cannot simply ignore
what is going on globally and how we are going to fit in the
global economy and how we can integrate our productivity in
the new work force that has the necessary skills and so on.
I agree with the DA that there is not enough progress on
structural reforms. In fact, our party does that in
Parliament. We have been pushing for structural reforms to
occur. However, it is not true that there is no progress what
so ever. There has been quite significant progress in the last
nine months and more against very difficult COVID-19 and other
circumstances. In fact, the spectrum issue, as we know is
being managed in the way it is simply because of private
sector once again is focusing on profits above social need.
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All they are concerned about is to get the best deal in the
spectrum.
The government’s attitude is the correct one and we stand by
it. I am sure as parliamentary committees in Parliament not
the list follows the Communications Department there is more
about these things in finance. However, actually the spectrum
cannot be auctioned off to the super rich. As it is we have a
very high-level of monopoly in the telecomm sector.
However, we need some sort of measure of a balance between the
needs of the emerging entrepreneurs and those who are
established.
We need to bring down the cost of data and so on.
On the matter of financial and Treasury, we know for the fact
that the EFF says nothing, but in the Appropriations Bill,
Treasury has received an addition of seven Billion to
stabilise the Land Bank and that is around the land issues
which the EFF claims to be the big champions of well at least
in the rhetoric.
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We must note the one billion in the 2021-22 financial year for
the improvement of information and communications technology,
ICT, systems in response to the hon Willie Aucamp.
With the focus of building SA Revenue Service, Sars. Now it is
doing a good job hon Chairperson, given what it was two years
ago. It is not going to change overnight. It lost all those
skills. We as Parliament’s must be held responsible. In so far
as compliance and controls is concerned, the hon Aucamp is
correct. The National Treasury is not doing enough, but how
much can the National Treasury do only a little bit more. Each
department is meant to do what is supposed to do with the
money allocated for the programmes that is supposed to
implement those funds for.
It is not just the executive that is to be held to account for
that failure or the National Treasury in particular, it is us
as Parliament. Are we not even the Committee on Finance, but
all committees. Are we doing what we should be doing in
oversight duties? If we were doing our oversight effectively,
Chairperson, not at least our own committee at least myself as
the chairperson, then compliance and control would be ensured.
You cannot leave that job, simply to the department or the
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Finance Minister or National Treasury. We all have to do our
job. It is a reflection on us, hon Chairperson!
We are worried though that in the current adjustment
appropriations Treasury uses R8,676 million. It is critical
that this reduction does not diminish the commitment to the
National Economic Reconstruction and Recovery Plan including
by supporting vital economic reforms and advancing the ...
Thank you, Chairperson. [Time expired.]
Vote agreed to (Democratic Alliance, Economic Freedom Fighters
and Freedom Fighters and Freedom Front Plus dissenting).
Vote No 9 – Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation – put
Declarations of vote:
Mr I NTSUBE: Thank you very much hon Chairperson of the
Council, the Chief Whip and members. The ANC moves in support
of Vote 9 of the Department of Planning, Monitoring and
Evaluation. Planning, monitoring and evaluation is essential
to ensure that government programs and policies is effectively
implemented through the facilitation of the implementation of
the National Development Plan.
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There is a need for government to assess its progress and
ensure that departments are aligned to their strategic and
annual performance plans. Monitoring and evaluation is crucial
to assess the effectiveness of government in all spheres of
government, particularly the local government, provided the
state of our municipalities.
Noting that part of the departmental entities included brand
South Africa, the department needs to assist South Africa to
evaluate its annual performance plan, APP, and ensure the
indicators and the targets are aligned to their annual
performance plan, APP. Greater attention by the department
must be assessed to provide for better planning and co-
ordination and coherence particularly the provincial and local
government. The appropriation needs to assist provincial
government to speak to issues of the Department of Planning,
Monitoring and Evaluation, DPME, picked up when conducting
monitoring and impact assessment in provinces, provided that
provinces receive additional allocations in equitable share to
assist provinces in the wage agreement.
The Department of Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation, DPME,
will also appropriate accordingly in their program to monitor
the implementation of the wage agreement. The Department of
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Monitoring and Evaluation should also guide the provinces to
appropriate funds to program that require attention or in
areas that need to be improved, be it unfilled vacancies,
improving internal controls, including the additional funding
allocated to support the presidential employment initiative
and funding that had been allocated to address service
delivery infrastructure funding such as water, particularly in
municipalities to ensure that is implemented. Hon Chairperson
of the Council, the ANC moves to support Vote 9 of Planning,
Monitoring and Evaluation. Thank you very much.
Mr T APLENI: Thank you, Chairperson. The mission of this
department is to facilitate, influence and support effective
planning and monitoring, evaluating government programs aimed
at improving service delivery outcomes and impact on society.
The reality is that this department has been the most
meaningless department.
Our municipalities from 2006 have provided just over 13,8
million consumer units of water and leaving millions and still
struggling to access water, which is the most basic need.
There are still 44 434 people dependent on bucket system
toilets in the country, 27 years after freedom. Unemployment
rate which includes people who have stopped looking for work
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have gone up to staggering 44,4%, which is the highest in the
world. Mortality rate has gone up to 9,494 a growth of 0,27%.
That is a very scary situation and all of that is happening
under the nose of this department.
The huge levels of corruption happening under the watch of
this department, which includes millions of rands meant for
poverty alleviation during the pandemic were stolen, all under
the watch of this department. We either take drastic measures
to ensure that we steer our country to the right direction as
it is clear that people who have been given mandate to rule
our country have dismally failed to do so. Therefore, the EFF
does not support this Bill. Thank you very much, Chairperson.
Vote agreed to (Democratic Alliance, Economic Freedom Fighters
and Freedom Front Plus dissenting).
Vote No 10 – Public Enterprises – put
Declarations of vote:
Mr A ARNOLDS: Thank you, Chairperson. Chairperson, the
Department of Public Enterprises’ aim and mission is to drive
investment, job creation and to provide decisive strategic
direction to state-owned entities. As the Economic Freedom
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Fighters, we are well aware that well run, effective and
efficient state-owned enterprises, SOEs, job creation,
especially for the youth.
House Chairperson, South Africans have lost hope in the
ability of the African National Congress and their useless
Minister to be the kind of change needed at this moment in
history of this country. Your numerous promises to stabilise
state-owned entities, including a new Bill to govern state-
owned enterprises, SOEs, will not solve the challenges of
mismanagement and corruption. There is no political will to
turn around state-owned enterprises, SOEs, instead, the
ultimate goal is to privatise these entities for the benefit
of white monopoly capital.
Chairperson, now it is clear for all the citizens to see that
the empty promises of the government of the new dawn and the
new era to manage these state-owned entities has resulted in
the collapse of these entities. We therefore reject this
Adjustment Budget Vote. Thank you.
Mr M NHANHA: Thank you, hon Chairman and hon members. All of
us in this House must commend the Minister of Finance, hon
Enoch Godongwana, for his hard line stance on bailouts to
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state-owned entities, SOEs, and this is shown in the budget
that there are no plans to pour our money that we do not have
into a dark bottomless pit called state-owned enterprises.
It is unfortunate though, that tenths of billions have already
been sucked from the national fiscus with no real outcomes to
show for it. The message is loud and clear to all working in
the state-owned enterprises, SOE, environment that they must
either shape up or ship out. Hon members, the truth is the
policy of placing state-owned enterprises, SOEs, at the centre
of economic growth and job creation has not only spectacularly
failed, but instead brought down our economy with them and
they are one of the major contributors to our ever ballooning
rate of unemployment. They are an antithesis of what they were
intended to achieve or to establish.
Without exception, all our state-owned enterprises, SOEs, have
been a burden to the fiscus and the taxpayer by asking for one
bailout after the other by asking for one government guarantee
after another. Boards are regularly changed and so are the
chief executive officers, CEOs, as and when a new Minister
comes to office. It is about time as the nation that we should
start counting our losses, close shop and move on. In good
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conscience the Democratic Alliance cannot support this draft
budget. Thank you.
Ms L C BEBEE: Thank you very much, Chairperson. Hon Arnold,
our Minister is not useless. He is useful. The ANC supports
the Adjustment Appropriate Bill and Vote 10 of the Department
of the Public Enterprises. The department’s self-objective
goals are to drive investment productivity and transformation
in our economy. It does this through its portfolio of the
state-owned enterprises as the key enablers of economic
development.
The state-owned enterprises, SOEs, barely work is or are
unable to fulfil their functions following the combined impact
of the state capture legacy as well as the economic
constraints and the unfavourable business conditions due to
the COVID-19 pandemic. However, the ANC-led government has
prioritised the restructuring of state-owned enterprises,
SOEs. Hon Arnold, listen carefully, given that economic
reconstruction and recovery plan can be achieved through their
strategic interventions in our economy. Our Minister is not
useless, he is very useful.
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The department has the total appropriated budget of R77,6
billion for the financial year ended 31 March 2021. The
appropriated budget was informed by the ANC-led government
assessment of the strategic relevance of state-owned
enterprises, SOEs. On the whole, the government has been quite
a successful as it spent R77,5 billion that is 99,9% of the
appropriated budget of the R77,6 billion. The majority of this
spending was allocated as follows, listen carefully, Eskom
received R56 billion for the payment of government guaranteed
debt. The SA Airways received R18 billion in support of the
business rescue plan and settlement of the government
guaranteed debt. The SA Express received R143,4 million for
settlement of the government guaranteed debt and Denel
received R576 million for settlement of debt and
recapitalisation.
Transfers to state-owned enterprises, SOEs, will enable them
to be conducive to the realisation of the ethical
developmental state and the implementation of the economic
reconstruction and recovery plan. The rapid expansion of
energy generation capacity is one of the priority
interventions of the Economic Reconstruction and Recovery
Plan, ERRP. The construction of Eskom into three entities of
generations, transmission and distribution will yield an
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efficient, reliable and competitive energy system. This is the
reason why Eskom was responsible for the lion’s share of the
transfers to state-owned enterprises, SOEs.
Furthermore, SA Airways has resumed its flights to take
advantage of the growing demand of December regardless of the
economic constraint imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic ...
[Inaudible.] ... [Time expired.] ... The ANC-led government
supports the Adjustment Appropriation Bill and Vote 10
requests. House! Approve the Bill, Vote 10, Department of ...
[Inaudible.] ... [Time expired.] ...
Vote agreed to (Democratic Alliance, Economic Freedom Fighters
and Freedom Front Plus dissenting).
Vote No 11 — Public Service and Administration — put.
Declarations of vote:
Mr A ARNOLDS: Thank you, House Chairperson. An effective,
efficient and ethical Public Service is a central element when
it comes to building a capable state. If we are to build a
more capable state, you need to seriously and urgently address
the scandals by certain public servants with regard to acts of
corruption.
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Public servants are entrusted with managing state resources
for the benefit of the public and in guarding against
resources being misused and abused. It is now common knowledge
that many of those who drive acts of corruption in the state
are managers who commit these acts at the behest of
politicians. The experience of our people is that in many
areas the state is failing them and the Public Service Charter
is not worth the paper it is written on.
Being a public servant demands dedication, selflessness,
professionalism and commitment. However, Chairperson, under
your political administration, the lines of accountability at
most of the senior levels have become blurred.
Now, to promote and ensure a culture of pride and ethics in
the Public Service, we must remove the head and replace the
ANC in 2024 at all costs. We therefore do not support this
adjusted Vote.
Mr K M MMOIEMANG: Thank you, national Chairperson. Allow me,
on behalf of the ANC, to rise and express support to Vote No
11 of Public Service and Administration. However ... totally
... given the strategic forecast that this Vote is dealing
with, initially ... [Inaudible.] ... the strategies that we
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have undertaken as a ruling party to resolve challenges and
difficulties in the Public Service ... We made a commitment
that indeed there are a number of areas that we will be
following. One, to have an integrated, single Public Service
that has all the elements of a developmental and capable state
that is able to address the issue of corruption, ensuring that
we improve the technical capability, capacity, performance and
accountability in governance in the Public Service, and the
need to ensure that quality of service delivery is beyond
reproach.
More than that, the importance of values and ethics in the
Public Service is of paramount importance as it is the
underlying pillars of a single Public Service. We want to put
people at the centre of government and put people first.
The Auditor-General has raised a number of areas that have to
be addressed by the department in terms of improving our
internal control in public service and administration so that
we are able to mitigate what has been reflected as
unauthorised expenditure in the year under review.
There were actual ... [Inaudible.] ... for the wage agreements
to assist provinces to implement the wage agreement of the
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Public Service Co-ordinating Bargaining Council for the 2021-
22 financial year. Indeed, our recommendation shows that the
department should foster the process of ensuring that
provinces are assisted where it is necessary so that we
mitigate challenges that the department is facing.
However, more than that, relative to the provinces deciding on
how they wish to allocate portions of conditional grants,
prioritisation must be made to matters requiring urgent
attention such as the filling of senior management services
... {Inaudible.] ... posts. The funding should also facilitate
the process of ensuring that we professionalise our Public
Service in all the three spheres, precisely by virtue of the
fact that the professionalisation of the Public Service in
having a single Public Service that is aimed at addressing the
challenges in the Public Service and improving the quality of
service delivery throughout our three spheres across the three
arms of government, is addressed. This will then benefit South
Africa that is largely dependent on the ability of the ANC to
deliver a professionalised capable state. The ANC moves in
support of Vote No 11, Chair.
Vote agreed to (Democratic Alliance, Economic Freedom Fighters
and Freedom Front Plus dissenting).
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Vote No 12 – Public Service Commission – put.
Declaration of vote:
Ms M O MOKAUSE: Thank you, Chairperson. The presence of the
Public Service Commission in the public sector environment of
the South African government is quite silent. It is not felt
at all. We cannot have a body which only releases statements
and no action. We cannot have a body which commemorates days
like anticorruption days, whilst the state it exists in is in
a rotten state.
This commission exists in a state where public servants live
far beyond their income. Scandalous Chairperson! We cannot see
any challenge by this commission to those corrupt officials,
the likes of Khusela Diko and many others, who continue to
roam around the persal system.
This commission cannot exist in a state where money has been
spent, corruptly so, and personal protective equipment, PPE,
scandals roam the streets of the public sector, and we don’t
feel them at all.
The EFF cannot support this adjustment of the Public Service
Commission.
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Vote agreed to (Democratic Alliance, Economic Freedom Fighters
and Freedom Front Plus dissenting).
Vote No 13 — Public Works and Infrastructure — put.
Declarations of vote:
Ms B T MATHEVULA: Thank you very much, Chair. The EFF objects
with no declaration.
Mr M A P DE BRUYN: Thank you, hon Chair. On 25 May this year,
the Minister said in her speech:
Infrastructure is about people having water to
drink, having decent roads and having a bridge to
cross to school or work. It helps them connect to
the internet so you can find more opportunities and
access critical government services like clinics,
police stations or court. Infrastructure is about
changing people’s lives for the better.
Afrikaans:
Agb Voorsitter, hoewel dit waar is wat die Minister gesê het,
het sy dit ongelukkig in ’n vanselfsprekende konteks gesê,
asof dit iets is wat ons mense elke dag beleef. Dit was totaal
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onrealisties en ... [Onhoorbaar.] ... met die werklikheid. Na
dekades van voortploeter sonder gevolgebestuur en meer
beloftes begroting na begroting, is inwoners van Suid-Afrika
slegter af as ooit tevore as dit by infrastruktuur kom.
English:
Millions don’t have water to drink. Half decent roads in South
Africa would be an achievement and the bridges crossed to get
to schools are either ... [Inaudible.] ... or collapsing. Our
communities are suffering due to the lack of infrastructure,
and this while the funds that are supposed to better their
lives vanish into a bottomless pit of wage increases, tender
fraud and corruption. A total mismanagement of funds.
In the Mangaung Metro for example, communities suffer with
little to no service delivery, where certain communities have
access to water for less than two hours per day, if they are
lucky under a bankrupt municipality. Meanwhile, the Department
of Public Works owes the municipality more than R700 million.
It’s R700 million that could’ve bettered the lives of
thousands.
Afrikaans:
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Jaarliks sterf duisende mense op ons paaie as gevolg van die
toestand daarvan. Miljoene het nie toegang tot basiese dienste
soos skoon drinkwater of riolering nie. Ons staatsgeboue,
museums en monumente is vervalle en geplunder; dit alles as
gevolg van hierdie wanfunksionerende departement.
English:
It is clear from hundreds of examples in the past that this
department is not firing on all cylinders and is unable to
utilise its budgets properly. Unfortunately, that won’t change
until we start to hold officials accountable for their
failures and hire competent and skilled officials based on
merit instead of affirmative action. Until then, no budget
appropriation or adjustment will make any difference. So, no-
one can, in good conscience, support this Vote.
Mr T J BRAUTESETH: Thank you, hon Chairperson. Hon
Chairperson, thank you. Hon Chair, hon members, there is an
old saying don’t bite off more than one can chew. This is
irrelevant to the Department of Public Works and
Infrastructure ... [Inaudible.] ...
Out of 55 infrastructure projects gazette only four have been
completed and 15 are under construction. The rest of ...
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[Inaudible.] ... like feasibility under review. We
conceptualisation and ... [Inaudible.] ... construction to
start in 12 months. But made problems with all these projects
there is simple no money for them. In fact, the Minister ...
[Inaudible.] ... asking business to bail them out without ant
clear cost of return. Despite all of these, hon Chairperson,
the department is happily requesting R4 billion ...
[Inaudible.] ...
For this reason alone, the DA cannot support this Adjustment
Vote. I thank you.
Ms M L MOSHODI: Thank you very much, hon Chairperson and hon
members. The ANC support the Adjustment Appropriation Bill [B
20 - 2021] and Vote No 13 of the Department of Public Works
and Infrastructure. The department and its entity is task with
the important developmental mandate, which include optimising
the property portfolio of government, ensuring development in
the construction and with environment as well as the Expanded
Public Works Programmes.
Hon Chairperson, programmes amongst others, the entity under
the department such as the Independent Development Trust, IDT,
which is being repurposed also has important development
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function. The department has also been invested with
infrastructure SA, which works with the Presidency on
infrastructure development.
Hon Chairperson, giving the importance of the mandate of the
department, it is imperative that it is able to efficiently
operate at a national and provincial level effect its mandate.
Hon Chairperson, there has been underspending by the
department of R193, 345 000. The underspending in the
department is largely due to the high level of vacancy in the
department and this matter need to be urgently address. This
result in underperformance of the department and furthermore,
it means that the department is unable to execute all its
programmes in an effective manner.
Hon Chairperson, this is confirmed by the fact that the
department was only able to achieve 61% of its target. It is
imperative that in the next financial year, the overarching
legislation be drafted in the form of the Public Works Act and
completed. It is pleasing to note that the department is
implementing 10 Point Plan to address the underperformance of
the department.
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Hon Chairperson, the department received an unqualified audit
report and this is important. But it needs to ensure that the
performance of all entities improves. The department must be
in a position to positively contribute infrastructure
development in all provinces as part of the implementation of
Economic Reconstruction and Recovery Plan.
Supply chain management in the department and its entity
remain a cause of concern and hided oversight is necessary as
corruption has to be defeated. Corruption erodes the value of
government spending. It is imperative that government achieve
value of every rand that it spends.
Hon Chairperson, under current economic condition of low
economic growth ... As the ANC, we support the Adjustment
Appropriation Bill and Vote No. 13 of the Department of Public
Works and Infrastructure and request that the House approve
the Bill and Vote No 13. I thank you very much, hon
Chairperson and hon members.
Vote agreed to (Democratic Alliance, Economic Freedom Fighters
and Freedom Front Plus dissenting).
Vote No 14 – Statistics South Africa – put.
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Vote agreed to (Democratic Alliance and Economic Freedom
Fighters dissenting).
Vote No 15 – Traditional Affairs – put.
Declaration of vote:
The CHAIRPERSON OF THE NCOP: Hon Zandamela? Zandamela seems
not to be there. Zandamela?
Mr S ZANDAMELA: I am here, Chairperson.
The CHAIRPERSON OF THE NCOP: Okay. Please, proceed.
Mr S ZANDAMELA: Are we on Vote No 15, Chairperson?
The CHAIRPERSON OF THE NCOP: Just repeat because could not
hear you properly. Please repeat. Hon Zandamela?
Mr S ZANDAMELA: Can you hear me, Chairperson?
The CHAIRPERSON OF THE NCOP: Okay, we will move on. The next
person to speak is hon Mkiva.
Ms M O MOKAUSE: Zandamela is there.
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Mr S ZANDAMELA: Can you hear me, Chairperson?
The CHAIRPERSON OF THE NCOP: Zandamela?
Mr S ZANDAMELA: Yes.
The CHAIRPERSON OF THE NCOP: Lets go back to him.
Mr S ZANDAMELA: Thank you, Chairperson. I am struggling a bit
with network here. And I have also switched off my phone.
Thanks, Chairperson. The majority of South Africans subscribed
and aligned themselves with the institutions of traditional
leaders and government should give full recognition on the
role of traditional leaders.
Chairperson, the government should be working hand in glove
with the traditional leaders as well as the Congress of
Traditional Leaders of South Africa, Contralesa, on direct
issues that rural development, abolishment of cultural
practises, which promote and tolerate gender discrimination.
The National House of Traditional Leaders has launched an
InvestRural Master Plan, which seeks to optimise the rural
industrial structure by unveiling over 1,5 million hectors of
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land. The key challenges in the programme relate to the
administration model which will favour a selected few
political connected to ANCs NGOs.
The remodelling should be able to identify and target
community-based initiatives to unskilled the participants in
the key areas such as agriculture and giving of roads and
fixing of potholes, fisheries etc. In that, it will be
providing employment to our people.
The EFF government is the only government that will give full
recognition to traditional leaders. The EFF, therefore,
doesn’t support this Bill, Chairperson. Thank you.
Vote agreed to (Democratic Alliance, Economic Freedom Fighters
and Freedom Front Plus dissenting).
Vote No 16 - Basic Education - Put
Declarations of vote.
Ms D C CHRISTIANS: Hon chairperson, hon members and hon
Minister, year after year provinces fail in the in the timeous
placement of learners in schools. Shortages of classrooms
means overcrowding and places severe challenges on schools and
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their administration. This essentially has an impact on the
quality of education delivered.
The inability of provincial education departments to declare
final posts establishments due to delays in securing and
confirming the availability of funds following budget cuts
places a further burden on the administration of schools.
The inability of the department to ensure that chronic
deterioration and aging of schools’ infrastructure is dealt
with is a huge concern for the country as education is at the
crucks of our survival as a nation. For example, there are
still more than 2 100 pit toilets in schools across the
country and more than 7 000 schools are still without fencing
and spike the escalation in school violence and outside
deaths.
Additionally, mud and asbestos school infrastructure remains
an enormous concern. All this despite the fact that the
department has failed to use R1,1 billion from the
infrastructure budget as well as the underspending of the
[Inaudible.] which has been a problem since its inception in
2011/12 which in turn continues to delay the eradication of
unsafe school infrastructure.
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Furthermore, 16 schools in Gauteng have failed to procure
textbooks for 2022 and a further 22 schools across the country
have not procured stationery due to fear of burglary over the
holiday season. Mpumalanga province has no budget to procure
textbooks and Northern Cape has been unable to verify whether
they have procured sufficiently or not.
Minister, with the huge backlog in provisioning for water,
sanitation, infrastructure as well as the procurement of
textbooks and stationery, can the department confidently say
that they are prepared for the 2022 academic year?
Furthermore, has the gold post now been shifted for
eradicating pit toilets and mud schools and if so until when?
Thank you.
Mr M A P DE BRUYN: Thank you hon Chair. Hon Chair [Inaudible.]
basic education is a starting point to address [Inaudible.]
that this department fails our youth on so many levels.
Quality basic education is the key to success not only for the
individual but for the future of our country as well but
unfortunately quality education in South Africa is a distant
dream at this stage. [Inaudible.] if we look at the dropout
rate of our schools in South Africa [Inaudible.] reported last
week that schools are severely overcrowded with up 70 learners
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per class with a single teacher due to a lack of
infrastructure and teachers but at the same time the
department is hiring more than 270 000 unqualified assistants
that provide no real relief or assistance and cost us hundreds
of millions per month.
Surely if this is [Inaudible.] they could have contributed to
extra classrooms, teachers, basic infrastructure and
suppliers. This once again shows that the department is out of
touch with the needs of our youth and is incapable of managing
the department in the biggest interest of our students and
teachers.
This is evident in looking at how the department failed at
managing the education of our youth during the covid pandemic.
Months of classroom time lost under the past two years and
changes made to the curriculum had no real positive effect
instead the department is now in a position where students are
held with up to 5% in order to pass. This could have
[Inaudible.] for the students as well as fellow classmates in
the future. Once again at the cost of our youth’s education.
Clearly this department is struggling in every way possible
and it would make no sense to support this vote. Thank you.
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Ms S B LEHIHI: Thank you Chairperson. The report on education
spoke to school readiness focusing on areas that should be
aligned to the findings and recommendations benchmarked
against the reports from previous years’ oversight encounters.
There are schools across South Africa, in fact majority of
schools where students do not match the department’s ratio of
1:30 when it comes to teachers, students and classroom
arrangement. There is a failure of policy implementation.
Majority of schools are overcrowded with limited chairs and
desks to accommodate the learners in a normal classroom.
There are schools that still have asbestos and pit toilets in
a democratic dispensation. This is inhumane and must never be
normalised. The PPM, Post Provisioning Model, in schools
should be amended and uniform for schools regardless of
numbers of learners should have at least four HODs, deputy
principal and principal to ensure proper management of
schools.
Early childhood development: Little attention to implement
their move from social development to the Department of Basic
Education is stagnant. The department has declared on several
occasions that it is ready or ever even to date its failing.
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ICT: The department was in a hurry to train teachers in 2015
to 2016, to integrate ICT in classrooms environment however,
the little support to infrastructural development is page 2.
The department is very slow in building new modern schools
which are inclusive and offers different curriculum and
different streams or even revamping old schools. Inclusive
education continues to see challenges in the department. The
department is not intentional in ensuring inclusivity in
schools and developing schools to accommodate learners of
different abilities. We stand to reject the vote. Thank you.
Mr M E NCHABELENG: Thanks hon Chairperson. The Appropriation
Adjustment Bill is important in order to ensure that the
appropriation allocated to the department is optimally spend
in respond to the areas of spending which require more funds
based on the changing needs.
The 2020 financial year came with numerous challenges which
have also impacted the planning of the department and
implementation of projects which include building of schools.
The construction industry is one of the sectors that was
negatively impacted by the lockdowns. The rollover which was
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granted to the Department of Basic Education is a result of
the inability to spend without hindrance the funds allocated
to them in this budget. Treasury has also approved the
rollover because of the infrastructure development in our
basic education system due to the inequalities which the
coronavirus pandemic has created.
Chairperson, the infrastructure backlog is an area of concern
and the department should continue to enhance the technical
capability in managing infrastructure development project. The
department has faced challenges of delayed infrastructure
projects which are a result of different factors which should
be responded to.
The department should also ensure that infrastructure projects
creates employment opportunities and benefit the local
communities. It is unfortunate that some of the projects are
delayed by local organisations or business loopy groups who
demand involvement in projects.
And in this regard, we implore the department to ensure
procurement processes include localisation of inputs, labour
and local enterprises to ensure community ownership and
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involvement in the development and the implementation of the
projects.
For the current financial year, the department has made
various virement to respond to an immediate expenditure of
workbooks which are critical for learning. The supply of
workbooks to all learners is important to ensure that no
learner is disadvantaged.
The only concern about the virement is the shift from the
infrastructure grant. That money should not be moved from
infrastructure to somewhere else. As the ANC we support
Adjustment Appropriation Bill to enable the department to
continue delivering on its mandate as a key priority of the
government. I thank you.
Vote agreed to (Democratic Alliance, Economic Freedom Fighters
and Freedom Front Plus dissenting).
THE HOUSE SUSPENDED AT 13:00 AND RESUMED AT 13:30.
Vote No 17 - Higher Education – put and agreed to.
Declarations of vote:
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Ms D C CHRISTIANS: Hon Chairperson, hon members, higher
education has been plagued by a number of misfortunes
recently. We saw a previous director-general being suspended
for fraud and later his contract ending. The University of
South Africa has been plagued by reports of mismanagement, and
the National Financial Aid Scheme, NSFAS, is just not getting
it right, administratively.
Minister, the massive infrastructure cuts continues to see the
neglect of the Tvet sector. Moving R65 million from the Tvet
sector infrastructure to NSFAS, simple means the continued
deterioration of college infrastructure and poses a huge risk
to students. Additionally, the Tvet sector still has more than
6000 outstanding certificates. The targets relating to five
new or revised curricular were not achieved and the targets
for the number of artisans registered were also not achieved.
Minister, will you commit to dealing with the outstanding
certification backlog and revised curricular as well as
artisan training targets? More importantly, can you give us
details on a huge accommodation infrastructure backlog and
timelines for other infrastructure in the Tvet sector.
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The NSFAS’s cumulative irregular expenditure disclosed up to
March 2021 was R50,5 billion. Additionally, it was reported
that NSFAS had a regression in its performance targets from
76% in 2019/20, to a 46,7% achievement rate in 2020/21. This
were mainly related to information and communications
technology, ICT, instability which obviously has a ripple
effect on fraud and corruption.
Minister, what is the status of the investigation to root out
ICT fraud as well as strengthening the ICT infrastructure and
components of NSFAS? How many employees were found to be
involved and will the challenges in particular ICT related
challenges be resolved in 2022? Thank you.
Ms S A LUTHULI: Thank you and greetings to you, Chairperson.
The Department of Higher Education and Training has continued
to prove time and time again the incapacity to lead this
department. As we are approaching 2022, we will see many
institutions go into protests and the solution will be police
and killing of our future leaders.
The KwaZulu-Natal institutions are suffering and they are the
first to go on these protests and the killing of students are
mostly happening there. The NSFAS remains the biggest
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challenge and we have been speaking to the Minister and there
still no change being done. With the COVID-19 lockdown
regulations it has proven that so much need to be corrected
when it comes to our higher education.
The students who went back home are still suffering due to
network challenges. The budget cuts which makes no sense also
play a huge role in the dysfunctional of this department. The
Minister in charge of this department is also anti-black. He
is heartless and hates our black young leaders. Therefore, the
EFF rejects the budget vote. Thank you.
The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Mr A J Nyambi): Hon members, the appeal
made by the Chief Whip of the NCOP, hon Mohai yesterday about
our videos because this sitting is streamed live is still
standing. I never wanted to disrupt you hon Luthuli. But to
all those members that are on the virtual platform please make
sure ... I don’t want to be disruptive.
Ms M N GILLION: Hon Chairperson, the post-school education and
training sector system, PSET, is one of the sectors, which has
experienced rapid increase in demand due to its ...
[Inaudible.] ... role of providing higher education and skills
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development. The ANC-led government has expanded access to
higher education for the poor and the working class.
Increasing access to higher education has resulted in the
increase of the appropriation of higher education. Despite the
increase in expenditure in the PSET sector, the demand has
proven to outweigh the fiscal capacity. The NSFAS has been
grappling with ensuring that its systems are able to manage
the increase in demand for financial aid and we welcome the
efforts.
The NSFAS is facing a financial deficit which has a direct
impact in its capacity to provide support for all students who
meet the requirements for funding. The entity is also facing
challenges of responding to the student debts in the sector.
Student debt is a major hindrance as it disadvantages
deserving students from continuing with their academic studies
and requires government resolutions.
There are some of the critical issues that Cabinet has
resolved that the Minister of Higher Education and Training
has to develop a sustainable financial model to ensure access
to higher education. The Economic Reconstruction and Recovery
Plan, is anchored in infrastructure development. It is a
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concern for the ANC that the adjustment undertaken by the
department will negatively impact the critical programme of
infrastructure development for technical and vocational
education training collages which have a major infrastructure
backlog.
We implore the department to build commensurate infrastructure
development and technical capabilities system. This shift by
the department is to support the NSFAS backlog which indicates
the difficulties in financial support for students. The ANC
implores the department to ensure it fills and budgeted
vacancies to ensure the system is functional and not
underspent. The ANC support this adjustment appropriation as
it responds to the pressing issues of financial systems for
the poor and working class. I thank you, Chair.
Division called.
The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Mr A J Nyambi): The division has been
called. Okay, let’s check the support. Yes, they meet the
threshold. We will have 30seconds for the bells to be rung to
allow those that are on the virtual platform to be back and
those that are outside to get in.
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Voting
The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Mr A J Nyambi): Hon members in the
House you can lower your hands, we are just dealing with those
that are logged on the virtual platform. Thank you. Those that
are voting against can raise their hands. You can’t be voting
for her!
Mr M I RAYI: Chairperson, the hands for those who are voting
for have not been lowered.
The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Mr A J Nyambi): We are dealing with a
different process now. The system will lower yours hands.
Those that are voting against on the virtual platform can
raise their hands.
Mr M NHANHA: Chairperson, we have a problem here, everybody
else who voted initially, their hands are still up and my hand
is still up. Just for the record, I don’t want it to be
confused, I am voting against.
The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Mr A J Nyambi): Don’t worry, we are
noting that and that is why we are assisting the system to
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lower those hands. Those that are voting against, can you
please raise your hands on the virtual platform.
Ms M O MOKAUSE: I saw hon Mathibe is voting against Chair, I
just want to make sure if it’s correct?
Ms M N GILLION: ... [Inaudible] ... ‘s hand is still there.
AN HON MEMBER: My hand is still up, Chair?
Mr M I RAYI: The system is confusing now.
Ms M O MOKAUSE: No, the system is not confused. You guys are
voting against its just that you are ... [Inaudible.]
Mr M I RAYI: We can’t do that.
AN HON MEMBER: It’s okay baba [Mr] uNcitha, it’s okay.
The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Mr A J Nyambi): Don’t worry, we will
assist the system.
AN HON MEMBER: It’s not the system, it’s your members that
need assistance.
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AN HON MEMBER: No, it’s not true, hon Nhanha was also confused
here.
AN HON MEMBER: But do not vote for and against, I am not too
sure if that is an extension.
IsiXhosa:
Mnu M NHANHA: Ngconde, musani ukundifaka kwiinqxaki zenu
madoda.
English:
Please don’t draw me in your problems.
IsiXhosa:
Mnu M I RAYI: Ibinguwe nje oyithethe kuqala. [Kwahlekwa]
The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Mr A J Nyambi): Hon members, before we
can confuse the system, can I ask all of you on the virtual
platform to lower your hands? After all the have been lowered
then I ask those that are voting against to raise their hands.
So that we don’t confuse the system.
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First, all of you have lowered your hands, and then after that
those that are voting against must be the only ones that are
raising their hands on the virtual platform.
AN HON MEMBER: Can we raise our hands now?
The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Mr A J Nyambi): If you are voting
against yes, you can raise your hands.
Mr M O MOKAUSE: We are against this ANC arrangement, don’t
worry.
The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Mr A J Nyambi): We are dealing with it,
don’t worry. Those that are abstaining can lower their hands.
Thank you.
Agreed to.
Vote No 18 – Health – put.
Declaration(s) of Vote
Mr M R BARA: Thank you, House Chairperson. House Chair, it is
with great sadness that the people entrusted with executive
powers are the ones who steal public money during the biggest
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health crisis the world has ever seen. This government has
presided over the largest money heist in recent history. About
R14 billion has been stolen during this pandemic, and not a
single politician has been sent to jail. Many government
employees have benefited in obtaining R350 meant for
unemployed South Africans living in poverty.
We have seen the scooter ambulance tenders, costly
disinfection of the Gauteng schools, digital vibes
communication tender and irregular protective procurement
equipment in the Gauteng Department of Health. These are but
prominent fraud cases that South Africans will watch with keen
interest as we move forward. In fact, to add salt to the
wound, the very person who led the country through the COVID-
19 pandemic, is embroiled in the R150 million corruption
scandal, we are watching that with keen interest as well.
These may have played a part in South Africans who work
holistically, heading the call for vaccination. During this
pandemic, the consequences of suppliers being awarded tenders
without sufficient care of overpricing, financial loss, fraud
and abuse of the system is so severe. All these has a direct
impact on the department’s ability to roll out an effective
communication in community outreach programme to encourage
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South Africans to get vaccinated as we face the forth wave of
infections.
Surely, we can agree that corruption is not victimless crime,
the people of South Africa are the victim of this theft. We
wish that President Ramaphosa will be quick in studying the
Special Investigation Unit, SIU, report, in his possession, so
that South Africans don’t lose confidence in his office, and
that those implicated are brought to book with immediate
effect. Thank you, Chairperson.
Ms M O MOKAUSE: Yes, Chair, I see it’s you. You’re back.
Chairperson, the EFF objects this Budget Vote. In as much that
we are of the view that the South Africans deserve quality
free health care services, but over the years, with all the
budget adjustments increased grants, health care in this
country has deteriorated to a level which is extremely
irreparable under the ANC government. We still see clinics
closing due to lack of staff, we still see clinics closing at
4 o’clock, opening at 8 o’clock, as if people only get sick
during the day.
We still see health care centers operating only eight hours
per day. These facilities which are supposed to be operating
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24 hours with special services whereas there are none. Chair,
how did they operate 24/7 when there is no water? The personal
protective equipment, PPE, money, has been stolen by the
government party, and there is no consequence, and even lack
of cleanliness, we even smell dirtiness when we enter the
health care centers. Chair, hospitals still operates with one
doctor per shift. No specialised services at all attached for
such shifts.
Provinces still do not provide ecology services. Cancer
patients are made to travel from one province to another to
access such services. Chairperson, we still see government
mortuaries closing throughout South Africa, but yet we are
made to approve budget adjustments year after year. The EFF
cannot approve or support this budget adjustment. Thank you.
Ms A D MALEKA: Hon Chairperson, as the ANC we rise in support
of this Budget Vote No 18. The department has a significant
role to play, in ensuring that the entities are financially
sustainable to enable the fulfilment of their mandate. In the
adverse of COVID-19, the expenditure earmarked in the 2021
budget speech amounting to R2,342 billion for the purchase of
vaccines, is one of the adjustments. We acknowledge the effort
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of the department through the Vuma Vaccination Drive in
continuing to intensify and prevent the spread of the disease.
With the new Omicron variant and the fourth wave upon us, we
request South Africans to get vaccinated, wear our masks,
sanitize and keep the 1,5-meter social distance. We should
have collective efforts and necessary measures to ensure that
we defeat the COVID-19 pandemic. Hon Chairperson, we are in
the phase two process of the National Health Insurance, NHI.
The Revitalisation Grant remains an important indicator to
provide funding to enable provinces to plan, revitalise and
transform infrastructure, nationalise health technology,
monitor and evaluate hospitals in line with the national
policy objectives.
The unspent funds of R150 million of the health facility,
revitalisation component of the National Health Insurance
Indirect Grant and the R10 million of the health facility
Revitalisation Grant remains a huge concern, and the
department should develop an action plan to assist all the
provinces which underspent on their allocation. In spite of
the challenges, the implementation of the NHI remains the ANC
priority.
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While COVID-19 has exacerbated the stuck inequalities that
exists in the SA Health Care System, the private public
partnership has demonstrated the need for working together and
making the NHI a reality to the people of South Africa. Thank
you, Chairperson.
Ms M O MOKAUSE: Chairperson.
The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Mr A J Nyambi): Yes, hon Mokause.
Ms M O MOKAUSE: I forgot to mention that I am caring and call
for a division.
The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Mr A J Nyambi): Let’s check for the
support. How many people are supporting the call for a
division?
HON MEMBER: I support it, Chair.
The Council divided.
The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Mr A J Nyambi): You can raise your
hands on the system so that we can see whether you meet the
treachery. Hon Mokause, okay, it’s fine. We will then have the
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30 seconds to allow those that are outside the system to log
in, and those that are outside the Chamber to get in. Thank
you. We can have the doors attended to. We move straight.
Those that are in favour, please raise your hands. Those in
the virtual platform your hands should remain up so that we
make sure. Thank you. All of you can lower your hands in the
virtual platform. All the hands can now be removed and have
all those voting against, starting from the Chamber.
Mr M RAYI: Hon Chair.
The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Mr A J Nyambi): Hon Rayi, please. Thank
you, you can lower your hands, even those on the virtual
platform, you can lower your hands so that we can have those
that are abstaining now. Those that are abstaining. Thank you.
[Take in from Minutes.]
Vote agreed to.
Vote No 19 – Social Development – put.
Declarations of votes made on behalf of the Economic Freedom
Fighters and African National Congress.
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Declaration of vote:
Ms M O MOKAUSE: Hon House Chair, can you move to another
party, hon Luthuli is still struggling. She is in a process of
coming back.
Ms S A LUTHULI: I am here, House Chairperson.
The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Mr A J Nyambi): Hon ... let me make
this reminder. When the Chair was still here and when the ANC
struggled the Chief Whip made intervention that if people are
not going to be ready then we have to move. Therefore, I’m
going to be applying that, but now I’m allowing you, hon
Luthuli. Hon Luthuli!
Ms M O MOKAUSE: But, House Chairperson, you are ...
[Inaudible.] ... you and the Chief Whip.
The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Mr A J Nyambi): Hon Mokause, don’t
disturb, hon Luthuli.
Ms M O MOKAUSE: You are out of order; you can’t do that. That
is party time allocated to political parties to make a
declaration ... [Interjections.]
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The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Mr A J Nyambi): Hon Luthuli, you are
recognised.
Ms S A LUTHULI: Thank you, House Chairperson, and my apologies
we don’t have electricity where I am and it’s raining so can I
have video off please.
The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Mr A J Nyambi): Okay, continue.
Ms S A LUTHULI: Thank you very much, House Chairperson. House
Chairperson, the Department of Social Development is meant to
assist our poor people, but it looks like it’s fighting them.
Before the 2021 local government elections the President
announced again the Social Relief Grant of R350 which we all
know that it was a way of campaigning for the ruling party.
Our people in KwaZulu-Natal because they are hungry they
applied in numbers, but most of them have not received their
R350 until today although they were approved. In KwaZulu-Natal
somewhere when they went to collect their money they found out
that the money has already been collected which is very
disturbing.
The corruption in this department is getting worse by the day
and it seems nothing is being done to correct this. In
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KwaZulu-Natal the issue of gender-based violence, GBV, is
getting worse and this act seems to be doubling. The killing
of women and the abuse of children, this department is not
assisting. In our rural areas, especially in KwaZulu-Natal the
victims are forced to go back and live with their abusers as
there are no places of safety provided by this department. In
our rural areas in KwaZulu-Natal, House Chairperson, there’s
no programme to educate and do awareness campaign even in our
schools. The issue of Ndwedwe Post Office that was burnt down
still remains the biggest challenge for our people who have to
travel long distances to get their monies. Therefore, the
Economic Freedom Fighters rejects this Vote. I thank you.
IsiXhosa:
Nks N NDONGENI: Sihlalo weNdlu ...
English:
... the coronavirus pandemic has demonstrated the centrality
of the state in providing social protection which markets
cannot. The pandemic has also demonstrated the importance of
the state in providing economic protection through providing
various economic stimulus packages to support enterprises. The
pandemic has also enable and expand the outlook of our
comprehensive social security system which protects the poor
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and was extended to include the unemployed. The higher level
of unemployment as reported in the Quarterly Labour Force
Survey in the third quarter with expanded definition of the
unemployment at 46,6% are in the highest and this will further
dump poverty.
We welcome the addition allocation for the Department of
Social Development for the Presidential Youth Intervention to
create work opportunities for the youth to acquire skills in
the sector in order to enable them to activity participating
in the economy. Training is important to acquire experience
and knowledge which enables the youth to pursue other economic
opportunities in the early childhood development sector. The
Presidential Youth Employment Intervention focuses on
supporting provinces with the early childhood development
grant and the National Development Agency for their volunteer
programme. This support will enable more youth to be involved
in the critical sector of early childhood development, ECD,
which has been identified as a key focus to enhancing the
service in ECDs for better development outcomes to our
children.
Civil society has continued to demonstrate their integral role
in responding to the social needs grants challenge facing of
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our people and should be supported in their programmes. The
ANC supports this adjustment appropriation and welcomes the
fact that the Department of Social Development did not have
any role over or virement which demonstrate improved planning
and implementation.
IsiXhosa:
Enkosi Sihlalo weNdlu.
Division demanded.
The Council divided:
Ayes: 30: Bartlett, M; Bebee, L C; Carrim, Y I; Dangor, M;
Dodovu, T S C; N; Gillion, M N; Lucas, S E; Lwana, V;
Mahlangu, D G; Maleka, A D; Mamaregane, M L; Matibe, T B;
Masondo, A N; Mkiva, Z; Mlombo, F V; Mmoiemang, K M; Modise, T
C; Mohai, S J; Mokgonyane, E M; Moshodi, M L; Mthethwa, M E;
Nchabeleng, M E; Ncitha, Z V; Ndongeni, N; Ngwenya, W; Nkosi,
E; Nkosi, C S; Ntsube, I; Rayi, M; Shaikh, S.
Noes: 24: Apleni, T; Arnolds, A; Aucamp, W A S; Bara, M R;
Boshoff, H S; Brauteseth, T J; Christians, D C; De Bruyn, M A
P; Du Toit, S F; Labuschagne, C; Lehihi, S B; Londt, J J;
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Luthuli, S A; Mathevula, B; Michalakis, G; Mokause, M O;
Moletsane, M S; Motsamai, K; Nhanha, M; Ryder, D R;
Shackleton, M; Sileku, I M; Smit, C F B; Zandamela, S.
Vote agreed to (Democratic Alliance, Economic Freedom Fighters
and Freedom Front Plus dissenting).
Vote No 20 – Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities – put.
Declarations of votes made on behalf of the Economic Freedom
Fighters and African National Congress.
Declaration of vote:
Ms S B LEHIHI: Thank you, House Chair. House Chairperson, it
is of vital importance to examine all efforts legislative
processes to ensure that people with disabilities both women,
young and all other persons are emancipated. The pieces of
legislation and programmes that the House adopts should
therefore be inclusive and specific very clear in principles
when it comes to it comes to equity and representation across
all spheres of government. To date there has not yet been any
clearly defined position by the government on strategic ground
breaking moves to fully ensure equally emancipation of persons
with disabilities.
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The state has also failed to protect women from violence and
abuse as it does not provide strategic that takes into account
the social and economic factors within which violence against
women is embedded. The support and monitoring for the
implementation of policies and co-ordinate government
implementation of the 2015 White Paper on the rights of
persons with disabilities on an ongoing basis should be
prioritised by the Ministry. As the Economic Freedom Fighters
we knowledge that the government has failed women, youth and
persons living with disabilities. We, therefore, reject the
Vote. Thank you, House Chairperson.
Ms M L MAMAREGANE: Thank you, hon House Chairperson. The ANC
moves in support of Vote 20 of Women, Youth and Persons with
Disabilities. As we are coming from the 16 Days of Violence
Against Women and Children campaign let it rest in our minds
that gender-based violence is very pervasive in our society
and requires us to be activists of gender-based violence,
meaning that our activism is not restricted within the 16 Days
of Activism. Young people today are facing numerous challenges
such as high levels of unemployment, gender-based violence,
poverty, and mentally health related issues. All these could
be contributed to the high levels of unemployment which were
exacerbated. Arising from the Budget Speech the Adjusted
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Appropriations for the Presidential Youth Employment
Initiatives, this is in response to the high level of
unemployment in the country.
Allocations have been made through provincial government and
local government conditional grants and the provincial
equitable share provinces should ensure that these funds
foster unemployment in local government and provinces and
create opportunities for the unemployment to mitigate the high
levels of poverty and inequality in the country. Gender-based
violence is a matter that the government takes into serious
consideration. The introduction of the three Gender-Based
Violence Bill will help us to fight the gender- based violence
and femicide by being harsher to sex offenders and
perpetrators of gender-based violence. As government to ensure
that we can never fail the women, children and members of the
lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer or questioning,
intersex, asexual or ally, LGBTQIA+, members of the country.
It is unacceptable that some members of the society can enjoy
their freedom and some cannot.
We must instil a culture of tolerance in our society,
government alone cannot fight gender-based violence. We need
all members of the society to fight this pandemic. We need
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communities and families and friends to be in the spirit of
fighting gender-based violence. As the ANC moves in support of
Vote 20 of Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities. I thank
you, House Chairperson.
Division demanded.
The Council divided:
Ayes: 31: Bartlett, M; Bebee, L C; Carrim, Y I; Dangor, M;
Dodovu, T S C; N; Gillion, M N; Govender, M; Lucas, S E;
Lwana, V; Mahlangu, D G; Maleka, A D; Mamaregane, M L;
Masondo, A N; Matibe, T B; Mkiva, Z; Mlombo, F V; Mmoiemang, K
M; Modise, T C; Mohai, S J; Mokgonyane, E M; Moshodi, M L;
Mthethwa, M E; Nchabeleng, M E; Ncitha, Z V; Ndongeni, N;
Ngwenya, W; Nkosi, E; Nkosi, C S; Ntsube, I; Rayi, M; Shaikh,
S.
Noes: 23: Apleni, T; Arnolds, A; Aucamp, W A S; Bara, M R;
Boshoff, H S; Brauteseth, T J; Christians, D C; De Bruyn, M A
P; Du Toit, S F; Labuschagne, C; Lehihi, S B; Londt, J J;
Luthuli, S A; Mathevula, B; Michalakis, G; Moletsane, M S;
Motsamai, K; Nhanha, M; Ryder, D R; Shackleton, M; Sileku, I
M; Smit, C F B; Zandamela, S.
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Vote agreed to (Democratic Alliance, Economic Freedom Fighters
and Freedom Front Plus dissenting).
Vote No 21- Civilian Secretariat for the Police Service - put.
Ms M O MOKAUSE: Chairperson, we are objecting to this budget
vote without declaration and calling for a division.
Mr G MICHALAKIS: House Chairperson, the DA also calls for a
division.
Mr E M MTHWTHWA: Chairperson, no, they are jumping the gun.
The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Mr A J Nyambi): Come again?
Mr E M MTHETHWA: They are jumping the gun. There are two ...
they are out of order. There are two parties that need to do
the declaration. They were supposed to wait, Chairperson.
AN HON MEMBER (MALE): Nyambose, you are not the presiding
officer please [Interjections.]
Ms M O MOKAUSE: You are not presiding here; you love to ...
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The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Mr A J Nyambi): No, no, it’s clear that
they have met the threshold.
Hon Mthethwa, you still want to continue with the declaration?
Thank you.
Division called.
Voting:
Agreed to.
Vote No 22- Correctional Services – put.
Declarations of vote:
Mr K MOTSAMAI: Chairperson, it is important that we remind
this House that one of the mandates of the Department of
Correctional Services is to rehabilitate and educate inmates
as most inmates incarcerated at our centres will one day be
released back to our communities. This demands that prison
conditions respect human dignity and for the inmates to be
treated as people worthy of respect and rehabilitation.
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However, the reality of our rehabilitation centres is more
harsh. Policies became more punitive and the harsh punishment
given to offenders is not working to keep our community safe.
And when inmates are released, they are given a certificate
that states that they have done rehabilitation programmes and
can be part of the community as active citizens. Yet at the
same time there are also policies in place which state that
the very same inmates that have been rehabilitated cannot be
given employment in government because of criminal records.
Correctional services continue to fail rehabilitated inmates.
The EFF rejects the budget vote. I thank you, Chair.
Ms N E NKOSI: Hon House Chair, the ANC rises in support of
budget vote 22.
The National Development Plan, NDP, set out the vision for the
nation. It envisages that by 2030 all people will be free and
safe. The NDP also envisages a capable, ethical and
developmental state.
The Department of Correctional Services effectively
contributes to the building of a capable, ethical and
developmental state to social cohesion and safe communities.
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The Department of Correctional Services being a critical
component in the criminal justice system contributes to the
human detention of offenders and remand detainees. The core
mandate of the Department of Correctional Services is to
correct offending behaviour and rehabilitate inmates.
This vote is in line with the call of the Freedom Charter and
contributes to the rehabilitation and the social reintegration
of offenders back into the community.
Hon House Chair, we note the R7,58 million and R56,977 million
adjustment made to administration and incarceration programmes
respectively to procure uniforms for the officials, security
equipment and uniforms for emergency support team members.
This should improve the challenges of security infrastructure
and address the issues of escapes from correctional
facilities. Incarceration must be safe and humane. In line
with the details of the Constitution both the inmates and
officials must be free and feel safe.
Equipping inmates with appropriate and relevant skills and
training through the rehabilitation programmes cannot be
emphasised enough.
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After inmates have served their time and upon reintegration
into society they are able to utilize the skills they have
acquired and contribute meaningfully to the economy. This
plays a vital role in the reduction of recidivism in the
country.
As I conclude, hon House Chair, inmates, parolees and
probationers also contribute towards various community
empowerment initiatives.
During the July unrest when acts of vandalism, looting and the
destruction of property took place in KwaZulu-Natal and
Gauteng, probationers and parolees helped to clean most areas
affected and allowing economic activity to resume.
The ANC supports the budget vote 22. I thank you, hon House
Chair. [Applause.]
Division called.
Voting:
Vote agreed to.
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Vote No 23 — Defence — put.
Declarations of vote:
Mr G MICHALAKIS: Thank you, House Chairperson. Although the
Department of Defence will be receiving more funds in this
mid-term budget, the majority thereof will be spent on
covering the costs of the KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng uprising
earlier this year. [Inaudible.] ... still holds one of the
most expensive Ministries in Cabinet, a legacy left by the
previous Minister. It also spends around 70% of its budget on
the cost of employees. The smuggling of Cuban drugs with
losses of up to R260 million, its venture to turn our military
bases into patisseries where friends and family benefit and
sell bread at increased prices and the spending of billions of
rand on senseless projects is crippling the SA National
Defence Force, SANDF, with no consequence management. I hope
the Chinese like scones with their tea because that is what we
will be serving them once they invade us one day, baked by the
SANDF itself, with pride.
This government has turned a proud Defence Force into a joke,
whilst we sit with thousands of brilliant servicemen and women
who joined the Defence Force for no reason other than it being
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their passion and that they want to serve the country which
they love.
Further budget cuts will also not turn the naval ship around.
The Finance Department’s budget forecast looks gloomier than
ever, and cuts in man-days, manpower and the further
deterioration and ageing of resources will not help.
As my colleague in the other House said ... [Inaudible.] ...
the department of the Treasury said that the Defence
Department needs to look at the reallocation of its resources,
we agree with them. This means that they have to reorganise,
repurpose and reprioritise so as to put the Defence Force and
the security of our country back at the centre of this budget.
We cannot support this budget, House Chair and we also intend
calling for a division at the appropriate time.
Mr K MOTSAMAI: Thank you, Chairperson. Since 2010, this
department has continued to fail our people as resources
allocated to this department are often spent in a way which
yields no results whatsoever for military veterans. South
Africa’s military capability and operational responsibility
has also been compromised on many occasions. The Minister
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herself has on many occasions demonstrated that she has no
interest in the resolution of the problems which military
veterans are confronted with on a daily basis. We saw this in
how an advisory council to the Ministry was appointed, yet it
stood as nothing more than ticking box exercises. Policies of
education, health and housing have yielded no benefit for
military veterans.
The EFF rejects the voting Bill.
Mr M E NCHABELENG: It’s not on.
The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Mr A J Nyambi): It is on. On your
right.
Mr M E NCHABELENG: Oh yes, now it’s on. I listened to hon
Michalakis giving his report and he talked about the uprising
in KwaZulu-Natal. I don’t know if he was talking about his
hero friends ... those few individuals in Verulam who killed
our people. I’m not sure whether he was referring to them but
anyway, the Budget Vote plays a central and key role in the
process of implementing the ... [Inaudible.]
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The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Mr A J Nyambi): The masks for, even,
the interpreters. Oh, we have an interpreter without a mask on
in the ... [Inaudible.]
Mr M E NCHABELENG: I said that the budget plays a central role
in the process of implementing the mandate of the Department
of Defence. This budget is an instrument of ...
The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Mr A J Nyambi): Yes, the sign language.
Mr M E NCHABELENG: This Budget Vote is an instrument of policy
implementation of the mandate of the SANDF. It is through this
Budget Vote that the SANDF will continue to protect the people
of South Africa and the territorial borders of the Republic.
It is through this budget that the Defence Force will be able
to continue to protect the people of South Africa, and most
importantly, fight against any possible illegal invasion by
either state or nonstate groups in these trying times of the
coronavirus pandemic where states are facing challenges and
are vulnerable to such actions.
It is through this budget that, where the need arises, the
SANDF will be able to provide support to the police during the
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festive season and add value in our fight against COVID-19. We
are committed in transforming the department and holding it
accountable in the use of public funds, in particular the
supply chain management department.
This budget will benefit all South Africans as it will enhance
the programmes of the SANDF, in particular ... the youth and
women. It is out of this budget that South African people will
be protected from any possible threat at the borders.
Therefore, the ANC supports this budget for the defence of the
country. Thank you very much, Chairperson.
Division demanded.
The House divided.
VOTING TAKE IN FROM MINUTES
Vote agreed to (Democratic Alliance, Economic Freedom Fighters
and Freedom Front Plus dissenting).
Vote No 24 — Independent Police Investigative Directorate —
put.
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Ms M O MOKAUSE: Chairperson, we do not support this Budget
Vote ... without a declaration. Thank you.
Vote agreed to (Democratic Alliance, Economic Freedom Fighters
and Freedom Front Plus dissenting).
Vote No 25 - Justice and Constitutional Development - put
Declaration(s) of Vote:
Mr G MICHALAKIS: Thank you, House Chairperson. The Department
of Justice have millions of rand in pap geld that it had
failed to pay out to vulnerable parents this year due to
failing systems. Similar reason the department failed for
months to address the IT issue at the masters’ offices meaning
that the deceased estates were delayed and the much needed
funds could not be released to grieving families.
We have also not yet seen the lip service paid to addressing
state capture translate into practice. The National
Prosecuting Authority, NPA, responsible for this task has seen
R422 million cut from its budget. Its investigating
directorate established to go off to the state captures has a
budget of only R107 million. The National Youth Development
Agency has a budget five times bigger, for goodness sake. The
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Government Communication & Information System, GCIS,
government propaganda ... [Inaudible.] ... has a budget seven
times bigger.
If government is serious about prosecuting those who destroyed
the state, it must fund the prosecuting authority properly. In
the Department of Correctional Services irregular expenditure
went from R158 million in 2018-19 to R1,4 billion in 2020-21.
Furthermore, 32 cases of irregular expenditure to the amount
of R2,2 billion has not been investigated and a R120 cases of
fruitless and wasteful expenditure to the value of
R3,4 billion has not been investigated. There is absolutely no
consequence management for financial misconduct in this
department. The ANC clearly isn’t serious about our criminal
justice system.
Oh! By the way, the parole board lost a case this morning.
Jacob Zuma is heading back to jail; I can promise you. He is
the one that is not going to have a Merry Christmas, but not
yet for his state capture role. We cannot support this budget.
Thank you.
Ms M O MOKAUSE: Thank you, Chairperson. Chairperson, this
department is one of the captured department in the state of
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South Africa. We have seen cases dragging without prosecution,
yet, budgets are being allocated to this department and there
is no action. We have seen this department targeting
individuals across party lines who disagrees openly with the
state President. We have seen this department sealing bank
documents of the current sitting President without due
processes. We are seeing only favouritism. Only friends of
those who are in the top ranks of the ANC gets appointed in
this department. Why? Because the ANC and its elites wants to
be protected by this department. We cannot support any
adjustments towards a corrupt and captured department. Thank
you.
Ms S SHAIKH: Thank you very much, Chairperson. F?at j?stitia
ruat cælum is a Latin legal phrase, meaning let justice be
done though the heavens fall. The maxim signifies the belief
that justice must be realized regardless of consequences. The
Department of Justice and Constitutional Development is
crucial in ensuring that justice is dispensed accordingly to
all people. That everybody gets what’s right, what’s fair,
what’s just.
The Department of Justice and Constitutional Development and
other entities and institutions, received their budget
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allocations under the Justice and Constitutional Development
Budget Vote. These includes the NPA, Legal Aid South Africa,
Special Investigation Units, South African Human Rights
Commission, Public Protector of South Africa.
In terms of the department’s performance, the filling of
senior management positions brought stability to the
department and prevented further declining performance. The
department’s performance improved from 51% in the 2019-20
financial year, to 66% in the 2020-21 financial year. The
department had 92 annual planned targets for 2021 financial
year and achieved 61.
In terms of improving access to justice, six new Specialised
Commercial Crime Court have been established to facilitate the
implementation of the anti-corruption strategy. All regions
have been resourced with a Specialised Commercial Crime Court.
This year, regrettably, the department suffered a ransomware
attack which impacted negatively on service delivery. This
attack emphasized the need to accelerate the modernisation of
information communication technology infrastructure. We note
that a rebuild and modernisation plan in place and that the
Department of Justice and Constitutional Development will be
taking the lead in modernising the integrated justice system.
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The Public Protector South Africa reported that it has
received a clean audit and achieved 10 of its 12 annual
performance targets. The South African Human Rights Commission
reported that it had received an unqualified audit with
findings and had received 23 of its 36 annual performance
targets with its underperformance primarily attributed to the
COVID-19 pandemic and related remote working arrangements. We
welcome the improvements and urge the department and the
respected entities not to relax its efforts in dispensing
justice and contributing to a better country. The ANC supports
this Budget. Thank you. [Applause.]
Vote agreed to (Democratic Alliance, Economic Freedom Fighters
and Freedom Front Plus dissenting).
Vote No 26- Military Veterans - put
Declaration(s) of Vote:
Mr K MOTSAMAI: Chairperson, this department has since 2010
continued to fail our people as resources allocated to this
department are often spent in a way which yield no results,
whatsoever to the military veterans. South African military
capability and operational responsibility has also on many
occasions been compromised.
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The Minister herself, has on many occasions demonstrated that
she has no interest in the resolution of the problem which
military veterans confront on a daily basis. We show this in
how an advisory council to the Minister was appointed, yet is
suited as nothing more than a box ticking exercises. Policies
on education, health and housing has held no benefit for
military veterans. The EFF rejects the Budget Vote. I thank
you Chair.
Ms N E NKOSI: Thank you very much, House Chair. The ANC rises
in support of Budget Vote 26 because it is only through this
Budget Vote that the mandate of the Military Veterans Act will
be implemented and the military veterans will be able to get
their benefits. The Department of Military Veterans is mainly
charged with a responsibility to provide the necessary support
to the military veterans and their dependants. The main tool
to ensure that indeed, the ex-combatants gets their fees is
through this Budget Vote 26.
It is through this Budget Vote that we will be able to
implement the mandate of the dependants and ensure that we
improve the lives of military veterans. The budget will help
in ensuring that the programme of providing houses, free
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health service and the education support is given to military
veterans and their dependants.
The programme to provide support financial institutions for
both dependants of veterans and veterans themselves continues
and be implemented, and through Budget Vote 26, it will
enhance the work of the department. The budget will benefit
both the military veterans and their dependants while
responding to the challenges that are faced by the military
veterans and their dependants. The budget will continue to
assist in the programme of building houses for the military
veterans.
The ANC welcomes Budget Vote 26 as it will provide the
necessary support for the department to fulfil both
politically and ... [Inaudible.] ... mandate of providing
support to war veterans. I am supporting this Budget Vote 26
on behalf of the ANC. Thank you very much, Chair. [Applause.]
Vote agreed to (Democratic Alliance, Economic Freedom Fighters
and Freedom Front Plus dissenting).
Vote No 27- Office of the Chief Justice - put
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Ms M O MOKAUSE: Chairperson, we are not supporting without
declaration.
Vote agreed to (Economic Freedom Fighters and Freedom Front
Plus dissenting).
Vote No 28 – Police – put
Declarations of vote:
Mr G MACHALAKIS: House Chair, the Department of Police
received R99,56 billion in the adjusted budget – one of the
largest budgets allocated of all departments. Yet, on the
ground, we see police being unable to do their jobs due to a
lack of basic resources such as motor vehicles. The backlog in
DNA analysis is one result, with the dysfunctional Firearms
Register another.
Then, the ANC comes and stands in this House and says that it
is serious about bringing down the murder rate and that it is
serious about stopping gender-based violence. The ANC is not
serious about stopping any of those.
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In June of this year, the National Commissioner complained
that the SAPS cannot fulfil its duties because of budgetary
constraints. Yet, they underspent by R4 billion on things like
crime prevention, intelligence gathering, and investigations.
Compared to other democracies, we live in a much more
dangerous country today, as it is far more unlikely that
rapists and murderers in our society will end up behind bars
than would have been the case were it not for the ANC’s
incompetence. We cannot support this Budget. Thank you.
Mr K MOTSAMAI: Chairperson, when its performance and contact
has been correlated over the past two and a half decades, with
a priorities reminding unchanged, under the watchful eye of
the South African Police, South Africa has, over a period of
two decades, witnessed an increasing in crime statistics.
This year we learnt how contact crime increased by 60,6%
compared to last year. As well as amongst other the murder as
well as sexual offences crime ...
The police-citizen ratio currently stands at one policeman to
327 people ... is also a challenge.
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Public trust in the SA Police Service has been dropping for
the same time and this is allegedly due to the lack of
performance of SA Police, coupled with high levels of police
misconduct.
They have failed and fulfilled its mandate to protect and
serve the public and it is poor leadership which has caused
South African to ... [Inaudible.] ... South African police to
fail.
The SA Police Service has been characters ... characterised
... [Laughter.] ... for a lack of perform ... professionalism,
incompetence and corruption on the part of the police ...
[Interjections.]
An HON MEMBER: Ai, Motsemai!
Mr K MOTSAMAI: ... also a result of the ruling party.
The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Mr A J Nyambi): Order, members!
Mr K MOTSAMAI: South Africa and the ruling party are still
partaking ... minimum steps in the fight against corruption
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for the exist of lack of will of the part of South African
Police and the government to counter the corruption.
The EFF rejects this Budget Vote. [Interjections.]
The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Mr A J Nyambi): Thank you! Order,
members!
Ms M O MOKAUSE: Chairperson, your members are extremely out of
order. The same members sitting in the Chamber ... they are
sent to that podium and cannot read documents. But we never
make noise. [Interjections.] You don’t understand that he is
... [Interjections.] Those members of yours ...
The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Mr A J Nyambi): Hon Mokause!
Ms M O MOKAUSE: They can’t read, but we never make noise ...
[Inaudible.] ...
The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Mr A J Nyambi): Hon Mokause!
Ms M O MOKAUSE: What is your problem in calling ...
[Inaudible.] ...
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The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Mr A J Nyambi): Hon Mokause!
Ms M O MOKAUSE: Why must ... [Inaudible.] ...
The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Mr A J Nyambi): Hon Mokause ...
[Interjections.] ... [Inaudible.] ... Can that be switched
off! Hon Mokause!
Ms M O MOKAUSE: Your members can’t read, and that ...
[Inaudible.] ...
The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Mr A J Nyambi): Hon members, there is
nothing wrong done by hon Motsamai about reading. The issue
... a person who is not part of the Chamber was in that video
when the gadget was moving around. [Interjections.] So, don’t
confuse what happened and ... with what allegations you are
making, hon Mokause.
Ms M O MOKAUSE: Stop confusing the issue. ... [Inaudible.] ...
Those members of yours who can’t read must keep quiet when
other members are speaking.
The CHAIRPERSON OF THE NCOP: Hon Du Toit.
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Mr S F DU TOIT: Thank you, hon Chair.
Chairperson, to what extent can Minister Bheki Cele be held
accountable for the negative impact of the R50 billion on GDP
as a result of the July unrest in Kwa-Zulu Natal and Gauteng?
The blame game currently being played between Minister Cele
and the National Police Commissioner is not productive, just
as underspending of just over R1 billion was not productive
because police officers were not supplied with sufficient
PPEs.
Is this how much the Minister cares about the wellbeing of the
force?
Afrikaans:
Indien die Minister besorgd was oor die welstand van die manne
en vroue in blou, sou daar voldoende oorsig en beplanning
gewees het om die nodige aankope betyds te doen, sonder om
geld te mors.
Indien die Minister besorgd was oor die welstand van Openbare
Order polisielede, sou daar brandbestrydingstoerusting in hul
voertuie wees om die petrolbom vlamme te blus wat teen hul eie
voertuie lek tydens protesaksies.
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Indien the Minister oor die welstand en veligheid van burgers
besorgd was, sou hy toesien dat daar voldoende werkende
voertuie by stasies beskikbaar was om gemeenskappe te dien.
Wou hy toesien dat die moordsyfer onder 58 per dag daal, sou
hy toegesien het dat daar nie gedurende November vanjaar 17
plaasaanvalle was waartydens daar, onder andere, mense
verkrag, vermoor, beseer en met pangas gekap was nie.
Nee, Voorsitter, daar word eerder meer geld op beskerming van
sogenaamde belangrike politici, belangrike persone en
hooggeplaasde SLP lede spandeer.
En dan wil hy ons probeer ontwapen! Dit sal die dag wees!
Die VF Plus ondersteun nie hierdie begroting nie. Dankie.
Ms S SHAIKH: House Chairperson, let me state upfront that the
ANC welcomes and supports Budget Vote 28 of 2021.
The main role of the SA Police Service is to ensure that all
South Africans live in a secure, safe and protected society.
The SA Police Service is charged with the responsibility to
make sure that violent crimes are reduced by 50% in a decade.
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The ANC is serious about gender-based violence and protecting
vulnerable groups. That’s why the fight against gender-based
violence continues to be a priority for the SA Police Service.
There is a need to ensure that the people viewed as vulnerable
groups in our society receive more protection. This Budget
Vote will enhance the campaign by police on youth, children
and vulnerable groups. This Budget Vote will enhance the
police’s campaign to ensure that people are safe this festive
season.
This Budget Vote will further enhance the capacity of the
Department of Police in the fight against gender-based
violence and femicide. The budget will assist in intensifying
the work of the Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual
Offences Unit – which conducts investigations of the offences
of this nature and further provides support to the victims of
such crimes.
It is through Budget Vote 28 that we shall make South Africa a
safe place for all. Therefore, the ANC supports Budget Vote
28. Thank you.
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Vote agreed to (Democratic Alliance, Economic Freedom Fighters
and Freedom Front Plus dissenting).
Vote No 29 - Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development -
put
Declarations of vote:
Mr S F DU TOIT: House Chairperson, of great concern in this
department, as in many other departments, is the underspending
of funds without allowing fiscal dumping to take place. We
need value for money spent.
Afrikaans:
Ons het die pleidooi van boere in droogtegetysterde gebiede
keer op keer voor die departement se voete kom lê, sonder om
die nodige hulp te kry. Dit wil voorkom asof the transformasie
teikens wat gedryf word voorhang bo die oorlewing en
voortbestaan van die boerdery gemeenskappe geniet.
Prys die Here vir die welkome en deurdringende reën wat ons
oor groot dele van Suid-Afrika gekry het na afloop van hierdie
verwurgende droogte en veldbrande.
English:
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Herds of pigs were culled by government after detecting
African Swine Fever, without providing any kind of
compensation for the farmers. Livelihood were destroyed and
jobs were lost.
We welcome the allocation towards bio-security. Hopefully this
will benefit all in the future.
Commercial agriculture creates jobs. The department must not
neglect stimulating commercial farmers to create jobs and not
only focus on the transformation of agriculture.
Afrikaans:
Voedselsekerheid moet ten alle tye ’n prioriteit wees. Die VF
Plus bedank ons boere wat, ten spyte van al die uitdagings,
die droogtes en die brande, nog steeds die spreekwoordelike
hand aan die ploeg slaan en daagliks voortbeur vir oorlewing.
Dankie vir die voorbeeld wat julle stel van geloof, vertroue
en deursettingsvermoë.
Ons kan nie hierdie begroting ondersteun nie. Dankie.
Mr A ARNOLDS: House Chairperson, the Department of
Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development’s priority of
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eradicating poverty through their Land Reform Programme has
resulted in more people with no access to sufficient food and
nutrition.
The EFF acknowledges that the ANC-led government, captured by
white monopoly capital, has failed the majority of black South
Africans who are landless and poor. The EFF will never
compromise on its radical policy of land expropriation without
compensation.
What is of concern, further, is that President Cyril
Ramaphosa, in his 2020 state of the nation address, promised
the release of 700 000 pieces of land in the current financial
year. To date, this has not materialised.
The conditions of farmworkers under white farmers have not
improved and they are still being evicted and treated
inhumanely.
The Agriculture Research Council is no longer at the forefront
of conducting research that can help solve the challenges of
black farmers. Assistance and support of black farmers in
terms of infrastructure and access to markets has failed under
this department.
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Most black, small-scale farmers experience challenges when it
comes to accessing agricultural inputs. Farmers do not have
access to good quality seeds, fertiliser, implements and
equipment.
The large majority of black South Africans will remain
landless, and the food economy will remain dominated by the
white minority.
As long as the ANC remains in government, corruption will
continue to flourish. Therefore, the EFF rejects the adjusted
Appropriation Vote. Thank you.
Ms T C MODISE: House Chairperson, I don’t know what hon
Arnolds is talking about.
Mr A ARNOLDS: You know what I am talking about!
Ms T C MODISE: This department is the only department ...
[Inaudible.] ...
The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Mr A J Nyambi): Hon Arnolds! Sorry, hon
Modise. Hon Arnolds, you can’t be doing that! You are
protected, hon Modise.
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Ms T C MODISE: Thank you, House Chair. They don’t want the
truth.
Vote 29 is critical for the creation of a national democratic
society and bringing the land question to its conclusion.
The ANC’s land reform policy is about redressing the
historical injustices and dispossession of the black majority
and is a vital opportunity to unlock growth and promote
socioeconomic transformation. Our commitment to South Africa’s
citizens is to use the land reform programme to build the
productive assets of our people, unlock agricultural
productivity, secure food security and address the persistent
reality of apartheid spatial separation.
We support this Vote 29 of this Adjustment Appropriation Bill.
Take note that the department has spent about 92,4% of the
total allocation for the 2020-21 financial year. It has
surrendered R1,3 billion to Treasury – something we don’t
promote.
We are concerned by the findings of the Auditor-General about
R44,5 million in fruitless and wasteful expenditure, and
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R29,7 million said to be due to non-delivery of veterinarian
mobile clinics by a service provider.
We are further concerned about the R202,7 million in irregular
expenditure due to non-compliance with supply-chain management
procedures.
The continued support of emerging small and subsistence
farmers is very critical for the growth of agricultural
productivity. The support includes preferential allocations of
water rights and infrastructure provision to black farmers.
The ANC supports this vote because it is very important. Thank
you.
Vote agreed to (Democratic Alliance, Economic Freedom Fighters
and Freedom Front Plus dissenting).
Vote No 30 - Communications and Digital Technologies – put.
Declarations of vote:
Mr M NHANHA: Hon House Chair ...
IsiXhosa:
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... nguqulukubhode, kulusizi kwaye kukwabambezakhe kwiSebe
lezoNxubelelwano nobuChwepheshe beDijithali. Sasinethemba
ukungena kwalo Mphathiswa mtsha, sisithi kumele noko ukuba
izinto zitshintshe. Endaweni yaloo nto, usisi wasuka
wathabatha ibhunguza wabhula kwanto ephambi kwakhe. Wena wakhe
wabona abantwana bedlala, imfama ayinatyala, kudala izenzela.
Ndingachaphazela nje iiprojekhthi zibe mbini ezinkulu eli sebe
elaziqalisayo: eyoQhagamshelwano loMzantsi Afrika, amakhumsha
ayibiza- South Africa Connect ...
English:
... and migrating from analogue to digital which is simple
called digital migration.
IsiXhosa:
Xa singcambazisa isebe kuyabonakala ukuba iingxaki zikhona,
zime emanzini kwaye inkala ixinge etyeni. Isigqibo sokuvumela
iiposi ukuba ibezizo ezenziwa imijelo yokuhlawula abantu
abangasebenziyo isibonelelo sama-R350 siluhlazo nesanyeliso
koozakwethu. Kwiidolophu ezininzi eMpuma Koloni, ndiyathemba
nakwezinye kumanye amaphondo akweli lomdibaniso, oozakwethu
balala iintsuku belinde ukufumana izibonelelo zabo. Abaninzi
kubo bajika bengazifumenanga kwaye besalambile. Xa kunjalo,
iiposi neSebe lezoNxibelelwano nobuChwepheshe beDijithali
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kufanele ukuba babekwe ityala ngokusengela phantsi amalungelo
abantu. Singumbutho weDA asikwazi ukuluxhasa olu hlahlo-
lwabiwo-mali lweli sebe. Enkosi.
Mr A ARNOLDS: Thank you House Chairperson, not enough has been
done by the Department of Communications and Digital
Technologies to empower black female-owned Small, Medium and
Micro Enterprises, SMMEs, in the telecommunication sector.
Studies have shown that women have suffered more job losses
than men during the pandemic. The pandemic has highlighted the
available opportunities that exists in the information and
communications technology, ICT, and technology sector, but the
department has failed to capitalise on this.
It is critically important that government and social partners
strive harder to ensure that women are the forefront of the
reconstruction and recovery of the economy. Statistics show
that South African women only make up about 23% of the ICT
sector workforce.
The financial stability of the SA Post Office remains a
concern. The department has also not done enough to ensure
that the data costs in South Africa are reduced. We,
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therefore, cannot support the adjusted appropriation Vote.
Thank you.
Tshiven?a:
Vho T B MATIBE: Ndi khou livhuwa Mudzulatshidulo wa Nn?u, tsha
u thoma ri nga sumbedzisa uri ri?e sa dzangano ?a ANC ri khou
tikedza Voutu ya Mugaganyagwama 30 uri i phase. Ri nga
sumbedzisa uri ri khou tshila kha tshifhinga tshine hu na
tshanduko nnzhi vhukuma. Musi sa vhadzulapo ri kha ?i
?idzudzanyela uri ri sedzane na mafhungo a Fourth Industrial
Revolution, ho mbo swika dwadze la COVID-19. COVID-19 yo ri
sumbedza uri zwithu a zwo ngo ima ... [Inaudible.] ... ri kha
?i vha na vhathu vhanzhi vhane vha kha ?i vha vhusiwanani
vhuponi ha mahayani na dzi?oroboni.
Zwi?we hafhu zwe ra zwi vhona ndi zwa uri hu tshe na
khethululo kha tswikelelo ya fibre na 4G ngeno vha?we vha si
na. Ri na vhoramabindu vhahulwane vhanzhi vhane vha a kona u
swikelela zwithu zwinzhi u fana na Cloud Biz services na
vhoramabindu vha?uku vhane vha khou kon?elwa uri vha swikelele
hezwi zwithu.
Ri na vhashumi vhane vha khou kundelwa u swikelela zwithu
zwinzhi. Fhedzi izwi zwo?he ro kona u zwi vhona hu tshe na
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tshifhinga. Zwithu hezwi zwo?he zwi itisa uri ri?e sa dzangano
?a ANC u engedzwa nga mi?ioni dza ma?ana mavhili kha nyavhelo
yo ?ekedzwaho Voutu ya Mugagagwama 30 iyi. Ri tenda uri i ?o
thusa kha u sika mishumo ya vhaswa, hu vhe na ... [Inaudible.]
... ya Broadband Access Fund ine ya ?o kona u thusa. Zwithu
izwi zwo?he ri khou zwi itela uri zwi thuse kha u swikelela
tshitshavha tsha mafhungo o katelaho ngomu ha bono ?ashu ?a
Maano a Mveledziso ya Lushaka.
Ri na thandela ya SA Connect ine ri?e sa ANC ri khou tenda uri
i ?o kona u ita uri ri swikelele kha zwipi?a zwo?he zwa Afrika
Tshipembe. Nga anea maipfi, dzangano ?a ANC ?i khou tikedza
Voutu ya Mugaganyagwama 30. Ndi a livhuwa, Mudzulatshidulo wa
Nn?u.
Vote agreed to (Democratic Alliance, Economic Freedom Fighters
and Freedom Front Plus dissenting).
Vote No 31 - Employment and Labour – put.
Declarations of vote:
Mr T APLENI: Thank you House Chair, please forgive me for the
video, the network is too bad. This department has dismally
failed to execute its mandate.
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The recent unemployment statistics paints a very frightening
picture – a ticking time bomb that may explode anytime. South
Africa’s unemployment rate is at the highest in the world. The
unemployment rate which includes people who have stopped
looking for work rose to 44,4% in the second quarter. More
frightening is the fact that the rate of unemployment amongst
women is at a staggering 44,7%, which is 8,1% higher than
their male counterparts.
The situation is more catastrophic amongst the youth with
youth unemployment ranging at 74,8% for those aged between 15
and 24 years. More worrying is that all the provisions and
interventions like the Expanded Public Works Programme, EPWP,
Teacher Assistant Programme, etc, are abused, mismanaged and
misused by the ANC politicians. At times, they reserve such
positions for their relatives and even for certain factions
within the ruling party, and in some cases, the girlfriends of
councillors. Instead of rotating those to the communities and
make sure that they help in the poverty eradication, they are
being misused for the benefit of politicians. All of these are
happening under the nose of this department.
The EFF would like to put it clearly that it does not support
this Vote. We also want to put it clearly that the Minister in
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the Department of Employment and Labour, Thulas Nxesi has
disappeared. He is missing in action. Thank you very much,
House Chairperson.
Mr S F DU TOIT: Thank you, hon House Chair, last week, Mr
Nxesi mentioned that the issue of unemployment is not an issue
of a department but that the economy wasn’t ruined before the
announcement of the pandemic ... [Inaudible.] ... where after
jobs were lost. The Minister emphasized that we would continue
to lose jobs if the economy continues to deteriorate. That’s
common sense.
Currently, South Africa has the highest expanded unemployment
rate in the world, and you know it.
Afrikaans:
Ten spyte hiervan, hou die regering vol met die huidige
vernietigende arbeidswetsgewing. Daar word eerder meer
personeel by die Departement van Arbeid aangestel as pogings
wat aangewend word om dit makliker vir werkgewers te maak om
personeel op meriete, eerder as hul velkleur aan te stel.
English:
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Government focusses on implementing harsher black economic
empowerment, BEE, legislation rather than creating an
environment that stimulates a healthy economic growth.
Government takes food off the tables of millions of South
Africans in the name of transformation. People go to bed
hungry on a daily basis in the name of COVID-19 regulations.
Afrikaans:
Kinders kyk met honger oë toe, terwyl die regering met
wetgewing dit onmoontlik maak dat ouers in diens geneem kan
word, want hulle is te bruin of te wit. Skaam jou, Minister!
Volgens Netwerk 24, het selfs die Internasionale Monitêre
Fonds verlede week Woensdag in sy verslag sy wange vir die
regering gebol. Die IMF het, onder andere, streng aanbeveel
dat maatskappye meer mag in loononderhandelinge moet kry,
aangesien die land drasties sy arbeidsmag moet uitbrei. As
firmas meer vertroue gehad het, sou hulle werknemers kon
bekostig.
English:
The world is not oblivious towards what is going on in South
Africa. The ANC is the so-called a wolf in sheep’s clothing
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and the world is noticing. We cannot support this Vote. Thank
you, House Chair.
Mr M I RAYI: Thank you very much, hon House Chairperson, let
me first indicate that Minister Nxesi is not missing in
action. He has never missed any committee meeting when the
department is invited. He is always available together with
his Deputy Minister. In fact, the member who said he is
missing in action is the one who misses most of the committee
meetings and when he attends, he always keeps quiet.
It has been a difficult two years in which over 90 000 of our
fellow South Africans ... [Interjections.] ... have succumbed
to COVID-19. ... [Interjections.] ... Thankfully, the
overwhelming majority of those infected recovered. ...
[Inaudible.] ... lockdown resulted in massive disruptions to
economic activities which adversely impacted government ...
[Interjections.] ...
The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Mr A J Nyambi): Hon Rayi, sorry. Hon
Mokause, hon Apleni ... Order members. [Interjections.]
Mr T APLENI: On a point of order.
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The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Mr A J Nyambi): Order. Hon Mokause, hon
Dodovu, hon Apleni, all of you are not recognized.
Mr T APLENI: On a point of order. I am raising a point of
order, Chairperson.
The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Mr A J Nyambi): What’s the point of
order?
Mr T APLENI: Mr Rayi must not mislead this House. He knows
very well ... [Interjections.] ...
The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Mr A J Nyambi): Hon Apleni ... Order
members. Hon Apleni, you cannot abuse the point of order by
debating with hon Rayi. That is not a point of order. ...
[Interjections.] ... Can we allow hon Rayi to do his
declaration. Continue, hon Rayi.
Mr M I RAYI: Thank you, House Chair. The records are there. We
can check those records. The allocation to the Department of
Employment and Labour ... [Interjections.] ...
Ms M O MOKAUSE: On a point of order.
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Mr M I RAYI: ... was reduced by R339 million resulting in a
final appropriation of R3,3 billion for 2020-21 ...
The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Mr A J Nyambi): Hon Rayi. Hon Mokause,
what’s the point of order?
Ms M O MOKAUSE: We can’t be bullied by ANC people here. When a
member calls for a ... [Interjections.]
The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Mr A J Nyambi): What is the point of
order?
Ms M O MOKAUSE: Just listen to how they howl at me. Why are
you howling at me? [Interjections.]
The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Mr A J Nyambi): Hon Mokause, what is
the point of order?
Ms M O MOKAUSE: I rose on a point of order. The speaker cannot
directly address hon Apleni. He must speak to the declaration.
Hon Dodovu failed in the North West province and now he comes
and howl ... [Interjections.]
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The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Mr A J Nyambi): No, that is not a point
of order. Leave the Dodovu matter. ... [Interjections.] ...
Hon Rayi ... [Interjections.]
An HON MEMBER: Don’t play the man, play the ball.
The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Mr A J Nyambi): Can the table assist?
We have hon Mokause and hon Dodovu. They are just going to be
allowed to vote but not to be disruptive. Mute those mics and
allow hon Rayi to do his declaration.
Mr M I RAYI: Thank you so much, hon House Chairperson, the
allocation of the Department of Employment and Labour was
reduced by R339 million resulting in a final appropriation of
R3,3 billion for 2020-21.
The performance of the Department of Employment and Labour
against targets for 2021 was just over 50% compared to nearly
90% in the previous year.
We commend the department and the majority of its entities for
receiving unqualified reports from the Auditor-General for the
previous financial year.
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We remain concerned about the challenges facing the
Compensation Fund, which received a disclaimer. We call upon
the department to improve the governance of the Compensation
Fund and the Unemployment Insurance Fund, UIF, to attain clean
audits.
As we know, the Occupational Health and Safety, OHS,
inspectors had to craft and enforce compliance with the COVID-
19 OHS directions. We welcome the appointment of 500
Occupational Health and Safety inspectors.
We also acknowledge the impact of COVID-19 Temporary
Employer/Employee Relief Scheme, TERS, benefit which started
paying out from April 2020 and reached over five million
workers across the country.
Nedlac facilitated inputs by the social partners into
government’s Economic Reconstruction and Recovery Plan
announced by the President in October 2020. Nedlac are
concerned about the funding allocated to the Commission for
Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration, CCMA, which has
recorded an unprecedented number of referrals of section
189(a) which deals with retrenchment matters. The processes
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facilitated by the CCMA in 2020-21 resulted in 42% of notified
at risk jobs being saved, that’s about 58 000 jobs.
The unemployment situation in our country especially for the
youth remains at crisis level, hence we welcome the hugely
successful intervention such as The Presidential Employment
Stimulus Initiative. In the first half of 2021 ...
[Inaudible.] ... employment. The allocation of additional
R20 million to provide internship to 250 graduates and the
R238 million allocated to The Presidential Public Employment
Scheme will bring relief to many families around the country.
The ANC supports Budget Vote 31, hon House Chairperson. Thank
you.
Vote agreed to (Democratic Alliance, Economic Freedom Fighters
and Freedom Front Plus dissenting).
Vote No 32 – Environment, Forestry and Fisheries – put
Declarations of vote:
Mr A ARNOLDS: House Chairperson, corruption in the Department
of Environment, Forestry and Fisheries and entities under the
Minister’s management is continuing. The country is bleeding
of corruption and the poor are suffering under the government.
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Taxpayers money under the Minister’s watch is not spent in a
responsible manner. Supply chain management irregularities are
a common trend in the department. Eskom and Sasol remain two
of the biggest polluters in the country. Under the department,
communities staying in and around forest and natural resources
are not benefiting at all. Small-scale fishers that are in
need of environmental justice are not enjoying the benefits of
South Africa’s resources. The Minister’s failure to oversee
the resources of South Africa effectively and responsibly will
forever go down in the history books of the country.
Therefore, the EFF cannot support this Vote. I thank you.
Ms T C MODISE: Hon House Chair ...
The HOUSE CHAIRPESON (Mr A J Nyambi): Hon Modise, the mask for
the sign language interpretation.
Ms T C MODISE: Oh! Sorry, sorry, sorry. House Chairperson, the
purpose of Vote 32 for Forestry, Fisheries and Environment is
to lead the South African environmental, forestry and
fisheries sector to achieve sustainable development towards a
better life for all. The importance of this Vote is not only
about the promotion, protection and conservation of health
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environment, but also a critical contribution to make towards
the economic development and creation of jobs.
This Vote contributes towards the alleviation of unemployment,
poverty and inequality through its environmental programme.
Through this Expanded Public Works Programme, EPWP, the Vote
targeted to create about 66 432 job opportunities in this
current financial year, and already about 20 349 have been
created in the first half of the financial year.
With the additional of about R258 million, the Vote will see
the creation of job opportunities through EPWP as part of the
Presidential Youth Employment Intervention. An adjusted
appropriation will see an increase of about R135 297 for
environmental protection and infrastructure programme. This is
an important allocation as spending on infrastructure has a
potential to create job opportunities.
As the ANC we are much concerned about the slow progress and
unfunded of fisheries management branch. In this adjustment
budget, the Vote will receive an adjusted increase of about
86 775 and the increase is welcomed. Biodiversity and
conservation received an adjusted increase of about 22 616,
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and 16million is allocated to the traditional authority in
Limpopo and Eastern Cape.
In conclusion, we are really concerned about the 62% target
achieve by the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and
Environment and we call on the department to ensure it meets
its set target. The ANC supports the Vote. Thank you very
much, House Chair.
Vote agreed to (Democratic Alliance, Economic Freedom Fighters
and Freedom Front Plus dissenting).
Vote No 33 – Human Settlements – put
Declarations of vote:
Mr S ZANDAMELA: House Chair, the beneficiaries of human
settlement with barely two years in their houses the
government has provided to them, some of those houses are
already riddled with cracks and leaks. The painful reality is
that the poorest of the poor are the ones who bear the brunt
of incompetent and lack of ethics.
The poor workmanship, incompetence and lack of ethics is the
combination of the factors that contribute towards proving the
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poor with substandard houses. There have been cases where
contractors are lacking competence and the task to deliver
houses and there has been cases where National Home Builders
Registration Council, NHBRC, inspectors compromise their
professional ethics and allow poor workmanship to go unnoticed
and unpunished. Underlying these was the fact that the victims
of this injustice are the mostly the invisible whose voices
hardly find expression in mainstream media and other news
avenues.
We are cognisant of the fact that to successfully infuse
incompetence and ethics in the delivery of human settlement
will take time and will require intense oversight by the
department and Parliament oversight.
House Chair, there is a serious demand and plea from
communities to make land available with service stands where
people who can afford will build for themselves, not these one
roomed Reconstruction and Development Programme, RDP, houses
that are being provided by the ruling party, but our people
will not realise that dream because friends and comrades of
the Ministers and MECs are the ones being awarded tenders to
build RDP houses and service stands is not yet an option in
the ANC-led government. The department once said it will go
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into private partnership with all owners of privately owned
land, and yet we do not get the report where, when and what is
the progress in that programme. The EFF rejects this Vote.
Thank you, House Chair.
Mr I M SILEKU: Hon House Chair, hon members, fellow South
Africans, I have to agree with my counterpart in the National
Assembly about the new Minister. I will have to commend her
for her efforts in working towards stabilising the department.
It is however unfortunate that the previous Minister focused
more on her prudential ambitions instead of putting South
Africans first.
An additional amount of R7,7 million is allocated for higher
salary increases than was provided for in the main budget. One
needs to ask, how do these increases keep in line with the
government’s sealing of compensation of employees? She
appointed cadres with huge salaries as national rapid response
task teams which turned out to be nonresponsive task teams.
The deployment of cadres by the previous Minister will take
years to be fixed. These national rapid response task teams
were more focused on pleasing the previous Minister’s
political ambitions instead of contributing to the performance
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of the department. A few weeks ago, we heard of many block
housing projects in mostly ANC-led provinces. The department
continues to miss its targets and the beneficiaries continue
to be frustrated.
Contractors continue to be paid for non-delivery to the
detriment of beneficiaries who have been on the waiting list
for years. The department must get the basics right and work
towards meeting their annual targets. We owe it to the
beneficiaries to fast track the delivery of houses.
Hon House Chair ...
Afrikaans:
Terwyl baie ... [Onhoorbaar.] Baie dankie.
IsiXhosa:
Enkosi.
The HOUSE CHAIRPESON (Mr A J Nyambi): Hon Mkiva ... hon
Mthethwa, sorry, hon Mkiva. Can the staff assist and unmute
hon Dodovu as he is doing a declaration for the ANC. Hon
Dodovu?
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Mr T S C DODOVU: House Chairperson, I am happy that you
decided to unmute me. I am going to beg for your indulgence
because where I am it is raining and I am going to address
this meeting without putting up the video. I am sorry for
that.
Hon House Chairperson, I rise on behalf of the ANC to support
Vote 33. The ANC supports this Vote because we are clear and
consistent in terms of how we must ensure the provision of
sustainable integrated human settlement that encourages
socioeconomic opportunities and eradicates inequalities of the
past that were instigated by the apartheid regime,
disadvantaging the majority, especially the black people of
our country.
Recently, during the local government elections, as we were
interacting with our people, it was evident that the demand of
hosing is growing at a rapid pace. The department is committed
in providing secure housing for the people of South Africa
through its entities. The challenges inflicted by COVID-19
resulted in much work being paused or stopped, as a result
there has been some delays in many respects and these need to
be attended to.
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As our President has indicated, the department is also trying
to decrease the spread of the virus itself and we are
committed in terms of making sure that we achieve that. In the
same breath, the department, through the new leadership of
Minister Khensani Kubayi, is in the process of preparing a
report on plans to unblock all the projects in our provinces
per district and per municipality. This is very encouraging.
The human settlement upgrading of informal settlement
programme is one of the crucial projects of the department
that will navigate the transformation of inequality and
deprivation in our societies. The usage of human settlement
development grant and the urban settlement development grant
as well as the title deed restoration grant is very much
important in ensuring that we achieve those particular
objectives.
Lastly, as we support this Vote, we implore the department to
ensure that rollovers for such crucial programmes as I
highlighted, should not happen. The grants must be used to
provide housing for our people. Housing is a security need and
provinces, through the department, must use all the funds
provided within the financial year for progress on the
informal settlements which are targeted for upgrading during
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the medium term strategic framework period. As the ANC, as I
indicated, we support the Vote. Thank you very much.
The HOUSE CHAIRPESON (Mr A J Nyambi): Thank you.
Unfortunately, you are going back to being muted and will be
allowed back when you are supposed to speak. Let him be muted
again. Thank you.
Vote agreed to (Democratic Alliance, Economic Freedom Fighters
and Freedom Front Plus dissenting).
Vote No 34 - Mineral Resources and Energy - put
Declarations of vote:
Mr A ARNOLDS: Deputy Chairperson, South Africa is faced with
an economic crisis, a record high unemployment, spiralling
debt and a low gross domestic product, GDP rate. Minister
Gwede Mantashe who is responsible for the Department of
Mineral Resources and Energy has failed to rebuild an
effective and efficient department. Instead, he favours big
businesses at the expense of our environment.
Minister Gwede Mantashe has run South Africa’s energy system
into the ground. The Department of Mineral Resources and
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Energy has not delivered on the mandate to ensure energy
security in the country. There is not much improvement in the
participation in the participation of historically
disadvantaged South Africans in the mining sector and the
transformation thereof.
The department’s procurement processes under the Minister
continue to be played by corruption scandals. The department’s
promise in 2009 of installing 1 million solar water heaters in
households over five years is still a disaster in 2021. The
department wasted millions on ... [Inaudible] ... for solar
water geysers that are not installed. Deputy Chair, the
Minister’s failure to also review the high petrol prices is a
sign of his incompetency. We therefore reject this Budget
Vote. Thank you.
Ms L C BEBEE: Thank you very much Deputy Chair. The ANC
supports the Adjustments Appropriation Bill and Vote No 34 of
the Department of Mineral Resources and Energy, under the
current COVID-19 pandemic conditions. The department has faced
numerous challenges as the leader in the transformation of
South Africa through economic growth and sustainable
development in the mining and energy sectors. That is partly
the reason why the development in the mining and energy
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sectors achieved 43 of the 70 targets during the financial
year ended 31 March 2021, thereby suggesting that the
department performed below the National Treasury benchmark of
80% for the national department.
Of course, this does not imply that we should undervalue the
importance of the department of transforming the mining sector
to ensure mineral beneficiation, as well as the energy sector
to ensure that the energy is available at affordable prices to
ensure growth of the economy sustainable and creating jobs.
For the financial year ended 31 March 2021, the department was
initially allocated a budget of R9,3 billion. However, the
department’s process of redirecting existing baseline across
departments to implement designated action to limit the impact
of COVID-19 pandemic, as well as prioritise funding of the SA
Airways rescue plan. The budget reductions on compensation of
employees as announced by the Minister of Finance, resulted in
the department’s adjustment budget of R7,5 billion for the
financial year ended 31 March 2021.
While strategic programmes were tied up to the initial
allocation budget, the department had to align its service
delivery mandate with the adjustment budget. Hence the
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department had virements totalling R64,7 million between
programmes and experienced financial shortage and surplus. I
am sure hon Arnorlds ...
IsiZulu:
... uyezwa ukuthi ngithini.
English:
As I conclude hon Deputy Chair, the department must expedite
the filling of vacant posts as well as key projects as a
matter of urgency. The ANC believes that the department is
more than capacitated to turn thing around and regards the
vacant posts as incomplete projects, and thus supports the
Adjustments Appropriation Bill and Vote 34 submitted to the
House. I thank you Deputy Chair.
Vote agreed to (Democratic Alliance, Economic Freedom Fighters
and Freedom Front Plus dissenting).
Vote No 35 - Science and Innovation - put
Declarations of vote:
Mr A ARNOLDS: Thank you very much Deputy Chairperson. The SA
Science, Technology and Innovation Indicators 2020 Report
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reveals that, the current status of science, technology and
innovation in the country is less and ideal. South African’s
science, technology and innovation performance has declined in
recent years including graduate employment numbers, innovation
performance in the total value grants are ordered by the
National Research Foundation. Financing by the National System
of Innovation continues to be a challenge. Budget cuts and
underfunding for years has had a negative impact on the
department to effectively implement the mandate of research
and development.
A lack of resources, investment, research and development has
put the country backwards to develop its own capacity to
manufacture COVID-19 vaccines. The department’s strategic plan
has failed to expand and to transform human development
capacity for the utilization of economic and social
development. The lack of increased investment in science,
technology and innovation will negatively impact the wellbeing
of all South Africans. Therefore, the EFF cannot accept this
Budget Vote.
Ms N NDONGENI: Thank you Deputy Chair. The Department of
Science, Technology and Innovation carries a mandate which is
the enabler of socioeconomic development. The ANC policy
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position on science and technology is anchored on how they
create a better society and better world. Our science should
serve humanity for social progression. The adjustment
appropriation has resulted in numerous shifts to respond to
the demands of the sector. The Department of Science,
Technology and Innovation has been in the centre of the
response to the global pandemic.
The recently identified variant by the South African
scientists called Omicron is one among the many they highlight
as our scientific capabilities. The National Research
Foundation made virements to the square kilometre array
projects which is critical global scientific project which
place the country in the cutting edge of the science. The
other virement is to support the network for genomic
surveillance and m-RNA Technology Transfer Hub which is also
another cutting edge research innovation, which promises to
bring innovation in vaccine development which can improve the
health system and health treatment broadly. The study of
genetics enables better innovation in responding to different
diseases.
What is of concern for the ANC is the fact that, a number of
programmes have been affected by these shifts. This display a
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weakness in planning as the shift means less funds for budget
innovation project research and innovation infrastructure
development projects, that’s improving our wellbeing. The
impact of the pandemic has broadly had a negative impact on
the department’s allocation due to the previous financial year
adjustment to respond to the global pandemic.
We welcome the allocation of Presidential Youth Employment
intervention to the Umngeni Conservation Trust for the
environmental champions programme. The allocation for the
Water Research Commission Graduates Programme and lastly, the
allocation for the Experiential Training for Scientific
Industrial Research. This will positively contribute in
developing the requirement skills in the different fields. The
ANC supports this adjustment appropriation and will call on
the department to ensure that, future planning responds to the
effect of the adjustment on the other programmes. Thank you
Deputy Chair.
Vote agreed to (Democratic Alliance, Economic Freedom Fighters
and Freedom Front Plus dissenting).
Vote No 36 – Small Business Development – put
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Declarations of vote:
Xitsonga:
Man B T MATHEVULA: Ndza khensa, Mutshamaxitulu.
English:
Chairperson, the Department of Small Business Development was
supposed to be in a to be in the centre of transforming the
economy through integrated and effective enterprise
development through entrepreneurship. The recent disruption of
COVID-19 and the looting has impacted a number of small and
medium-sized enterprises, SMEs, which led to the closure of
many small business and co-operative with many to never reopen
again.
Despite the challenges faced, this department has failed to
assist small business in the past few years in terms of excess
of finances as the market still remain a critical challenge
for the department. There has been a failure of conducting
analysis to capture the number of small business and co-
operatives which are operating in our country. Minister, your
department has failed to provide statistics on how many small
businesses have been affected by the looting and destruction
and how they will be assisted.
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In the Gauteng province, the Minister has failed to distribute
R100 million rebuilding fund which was meant to assist small
business as it only allocated R2 million. One can but only
help but wonder where the rest of the money is. Whether it is
still there or it has been looted. Your department continued
to fail to assist small business. Therefore, we as the EFF
reject this Bill. I thank you, Chair.
Mr K M MMOIEMANG: Thank you, hon Deputy Chair. Allowed me on
behalf of the ANC to rise in support of Budget Vote number 36
because it addresses key areas around the expanding employment
and entrepreneurial opportunities in the back of a growing and
more increasing economy which is our National Development
Plan, NDP, strategic goals.
Deputy Chair, the neigh sayers will claim that the COVID-19
pandemic has ... [Inaudible.] ... these goals, but completely
it will suggest that indeed there are also potential once in
life opportunity that has opened up that will be able to drive
our problematic ... [Inaudible.] ... areas articulated in the
National Development Plan. South Africa has more diversified
economy consisting of dynamic products in greater depth and
breadth of domestic linkages.
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Chair, we support the vote because it implements what the
President has said on small business, which is; among others
is to ensure that we increase export focusing among others;
construction ... [Inaudible.] ... agriculture and agro-
processing and ... [Inaudible.] ... two, to ensure ...
[Inaudible.] ... compliance, three, to ensure that we create a
larger more effective innovative system closely aligned with
... [Inaudible.] ... operating sectors consistent on the
growth strategy, fourth, to ensure that support for small
business through better co-ordination of relevant agencies to
development financial institutions in public and private
incubators, and also to ensure that there is a commitment to
public and private procurement approaches that stimulates
domestic inductee and job creation for this sector.
At this juncture South Africa needs an injection of investment
within the framework of the Economic Recovery and
Reconstruction Plan and we believe that this department is on
the road to do that. Hon Deputy Chair, when the Budget of the
Department of Small Business Development for 2021-2022
financial year was tabled earlier this year, 90,6%, or
R2,3 billion of it were transfers and subsidies to the
entities Small Enterprise Finance Agency, SEFA, and Small
Enterprise Development Agency, SEDA.
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An additional R95,9 million is allocated to the vote in the
Adjustment Appropriation Bill to enable the department to
provide financial support to business affected by the pandemic
as well as those affected by the July unrest. We know that the
DA has been lamenting the implementation of the national
lockdowns, well, unfortunately in their ... [Inaudible.] ...
have realised that COVID-19 is still around despite their high
vaccination rates. We therefore call on every one of us here
to join the fight and encourage our constituency to vaccinate
and observe all the necessary protective measures. The ANC
supports the Budget Vote number 36. Thank you, Deputy
Chairperson.
Vote agreed to (Democratic Alliance, Economic Freedom Fighters
and Freedom Front Plus dissenting).
Vote No 37 – Sports, Arts and Culture – put
Declarations of vote:
Ms S A LUTHULI: Thank you, Chairperson. My apologies about my
video being off. Chairperson, the Department of Sports, Arts
and Culture is not in touch with our youth and our rural
people, especially in rural areas. We cannot shy away from the
fact that this department is failing dismally to empower our
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black children at an early age. Our rural areas and schools
have no facilities to be used in training our young boys and
girls. Those few that we have are not in ... [Inaudible] ...
and are not with the funding, only the favourite few are
getting assistance from this department.
Just last month, Chairperson, we embarked on 2021 local
government election, but till now our people are not allowed
to go to stadium to enjoy their favourite sports and to have
concerts as the regulations don’t allow them. These affects
them negatively as they cannot make a living due to these
restrictions. Therefore, the EFF rejects this Budget Vote.
Ms M N GILLION: Thank you, Chairperson. The arts and culture
sector is a critical sector in the socialisation of a country.
Culture and heritage are an integral part of the identity and
history of our country. Through supporting the arts and
culture we contribute to nation building ... [Inaudible.] ...
values and principles of the Constitution. The creativity and
talents of our people in sports and the arts should be
supported as it is also a source of income. This year’s
Adjustment Appropriation Bill made an allocation to the
Sports, Arts and Culture Appropriation to support the
presidential youth employment intervention which provided
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support for the heritage program focusing on the District Six
Museum, the South African hip hop music and the Pansy Museum
Trust.
This is a critical area which requires youth to be trained in
heritage management. The importance of museums in society is
important to conserve our history and preserve the heritage of
our social evolution. The pandemic has also brought to the
front the precarious nature of the sports, arts and culture
sector. The economic structure of this sector requires
numerous support mechanisms to enable sustainability. The rise
in the use of digital technology should be seen as an
opportunity to leverage its capabilities to enable artists to
adapt to different conditions.
We are concerned that the department was not able to spend its
full allocation from the presidential youth employment
intervention resulting into a rollover of R31,7 million which
should have had an impact in the previous financial year in
supporting the sports sector to adapt in the COVID-19
conditions by ensuring monitoring compliance of COVID-19
regulations. Underspending should not exist, particularly,
when our national fiscal position is constrained and triple
challenges are still persisting. The African National Congress
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supports this Adjustment Appropriation Bill, which largely
reflects the role the President is playing in addressing the
severe levels of unemployment. I thank you, Chairperson.
Vote agreed to (Democratic Alliance, Economic Freedom Fighters
and Freedom Front Plus dissenting).
Vote No 38 – Tourism – put
Declarations of vote:
Ms H S BOSHOFF: Deputy Chair, it is absolutely mind-boggling
that this government preaches what South Africans really would
like to hear, but does not practice what it preaches. We have
seen a once thriving entity, namely, tourism, which has been
one of the main drivers of boosting the economy and the
creation of jobs melt like a melting lava. To date the select
committee has not set its eye on the new Minister, hon Sisulu,
which is an absolute disgrace as my colleagues and I would
have liked to have an honest engagement with her to understand
how her and her department would reinvigorate tourism in South
Africa.
We all know that tourism can still contribute to economic
recovery and job creation if a transparent reform plan where
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everyone who suffered under the ludicrous lock down
restrictions are entitled to receive a credible assistance to
reopen their businesses and not only the selected few.
The question today which I would like to pose to our lost
inaction Minister is, what are your plans and what have you
instituted to ensure that the tourism sector is once again the
main contributor to bring the economy and remains one of the
big creators of the much-needed jobs? I thank you, Deputy
Char.
Ms B T MATHEVULA: Deputy Chairperson, in the recent years this
department has been preaching about how they want to
accelerate transformation and transform the sector by proving
support to the rural and township enterprises. Yet this
department has failed to implement programme and initiatives
that support and open up opportunities for women, youth and
people living with disabilities who want to participate in
this sector. We have seen how it resist transformation and
participation of women in high level positions in the tourism
sector.
With the development of the rural tourism existing on paper
only, we have not yet seen any tangible development with
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regard to infrastructure in the rural areas, villages and
townships.
Most of our heritage museums are not well developed as the
department say it does not have enough resources to develop
township, rural and township tourism. This department said it
is implementing 30 community-based tourism projects across the
country yet it does not indicate where those projects are. As
the EFF we reject this Budget Vote. Thank you, Chair.
Mr M I RAYI: Hon Deputy Chair, the tourism sector continues to
bear the brand of the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. Last
year, the sector saw over 70% decrease in tourists’ arrivals.
This year, numbers were starting to pick up as the vaccination
rollout programme started to gain momentum. However, the
discovery of the omicron variant by our scientists has caused
unwarranted discrimination against South Africa and other
sister countries in the Southern African Development Community
region by countries such as the United Kingdom and the United
states among others.
We support the call made by ambassadors from the Southern
African Development Community which urges for the travel bans
to be lifted as the restrictions are unfair and negatively
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stigmatised the African continent. Through their efforts and
those of His Excellency President Ramaphosa and Minister
Sisulu progress has been made. Some countries such as Germany
and France are starting to remove South Africa from their red
lists. The United Kingdom announced yesterday that it will
also lift the ban. The consequence of these bans are dire on
the economy and livelihoods of our people.
According to the National Accommodation Association of South
Africa, about 90% of small lodges and guest houses are said to
be struggling to stay open and may soon have to shut their
doors due to the number of booking cancellations. Government
has made commitments that livelihoods are restored and the
tourism sector recovers, and is more resilient. Key to these
objectives is the strengthening of regional and domestic
tourism.
An additional allocation of R108 million to Budget Vote 38
h=is part of the Presidential Youth employment intervention
will assist the tourism sector to restore the many lost jobs
particularly for our youth. We also welcome this amount
R90 million will be set aside for the maintenance of
infrastructure and the beautification of 40 provincial state-
owned attraction sites. An amount of R18 million will be
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directed to enhancing tourism safety. Our people looked up to
tourism sector for the creation of mass employment for the
many people, youth in particular, who roam around the streets
in search for opportunities to better their lives. The ANC
supports Budget Vote 38. Thank you very much, hon Deputy
Chair.
Vote agreed to (Democratic Alliance, Economic Freedom Fighters
and Freedom Front Plus dissenting).
Vote No 39 – Trade, Industry and Competition – put
Declarations of vote:
Xitsonga:
Man B T MATHEVULA: Ndza khensa, Mutshamaxitulu.
English:
Ms B T MATHEVULA: The Department of Trade, Industry and
Competition has the most important role in terms of promoting
industrial development and creating employment opportunities.
This department has no clear practical plans in place for the
expansion of industrial economy generating decent and paying
jobs for our people. This department has placed no rational
plans in place to show how jobs will be created in this COVID-
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19 climate and also caution the blow caused by looting which
took place in Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal which destroyed the
little manufacturing employment opportunities that remain
hanging.
As we speak today, there is no manufacturing to talk about in
those areas. Factories which used to produce goods are now
ghost towns and the department has no plans to assist those
factories. This department often reports on the number of jobs
they have created yet the reality is that too little attempt
is made in creating employment as our unemployment rate
increase with every quarter.
Minster, your department promised job creation through
establishing economic zones, EZ, industrial parks through
attracting investment. How do you attract investors in a face
of so many challenges such as lack of infrastructure,
electricity, access of water and rail road in areas such as
Nkowankowa in Mopani, Limpopo, Musina, Makhado, Vhembe,
Seshego and Capricorn region in Limpopo. In provinces such as
KwaZulu-Natal the vast economies are still divided across
racial line in the food chain. Your department continues with
some imaginary industrial strategies that only you understand
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which are yet to be seen. As the EFF we reject this Budget
Vote. Thank you very much, hon Chair.
Mr M DANGOR: Deputy Chair, the combined impact of COVID-19
pandemic and the public unrest in July 2021 has dealt a blow
to the South Africa’s economy. Apart from the health risks the
citizens are faced with during the pandemic, limited economic
activities over this period have resulted in job losses and
higher levels of poverty.
The Medium -Term Expenditure Framework, MTEF, for 2021 was
tabled as South Africa looked like it had emerged from the
shadows of COVID-19. Three societal melodies of unemployment,
poverty and inequality however remain a source of concern and
this has been exacerbated by long-term impacts of COVID-19
outbreak and its related lock down which has resulted in
reduced economic activities.
In 2020, President Ramaphosa presented the economic
reconstruction and recovery plan which aimed at stimulating
equitable and inclusive growth emerging from the pandemic
emphasising the importance of effecting structural changes in
the economy that will unlock growth and allow for development
and essentially forge a new economy in a new global reality
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while keeping fiscal consolidation and cause to narrow the
deficit and stabilise public debt with a purpose of achieving
a primary budget surplus by the year 2024-25 thereby ending
the fiscal consolidation policy.
At the centre of our economic recovery is an aggressive
infrastructure-led investment programme. As the consequence it
places the DTIC as a critical department to drive our
infrastructure and industrialisation programme. We therefore
believe that more resources should be allocated to give
practical expressions to large scale infrastructure programmes
which we believe will boost the aggregate demand and assist in
reviving the reconstruction industry and contribute to the
employment creation.
We welcome the adjustment of R800 million as part of the
Presidential Employment Intervention to The Industrial
Development Corporations Socioemployment Fund to support the
creation of employment through the community-based economic
activities.
We further applaud the reprioritisation of funds to the
industrial financing programme and the manufacturing and the
development initiatives. We believe that these interventions
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will contribute to the ANC government’s vision of an adaptive
and restructured economy characterised by accelerated economic
growth, employment and equity.
As I conclude, the ANC supports this particular Vote. Thank
you very much, Deputy Chairperson. Just on the lighter note,
Chairperson, in order to have effective and efficient economy
maybe you should just refer to the opposition instead of
saying this one, this one and this one. Thank you.
Vote agreed to (Democratic Alliance, Economic Freedom Fighters
and Freedom Front Plus dissenting).
Vote No 40- Transport - put
Declarations of vote:
Mr T J BRAUTESETH: Hon Deputy Chairperson and hon members
there is a clear hierarchy of courts which is a particularly
relevant to these votes. We have the magistrate’s courts, high
courts, supreme court of appeal and the Apex or Constitutional
Court. What is the relevance of courts to Transport Vote
Declarations? I hear you asking. Well, we have ever learn in
South Africa that there is a higher more of all these courts.
That is of course the taxi associations. How else would one
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explains the recent decision by Minister Razzmatazz to give
each and every single taxi operator in South Africa a nice
gift of R5000 at a whopping cost of R1,135 billion to the
fiscus. All of this was processed staggered from one crisis to
another or Metro Rail’s lie in taxes and while worn ... [lost
sound on the next sound files]
In addition, this department is trying to seek the
unconstitutional, xenophobic, treaty smashing and completely
impractical regulation to effectively ban foreign drivers from
working in South Africa. It is clear that this department is
terrified of the taxi industry and the criminal elements in
the trucking industry who withhold the economy at ransom. The
only reason why the department ignores truck’s blocking and
burning to their routes in our country or acts... [Inaudible.]
with a ... [Inaudible.]
Another glaring issue at hand is the hidden in the sand
approach to criminal elements present in the so-called
business forums pitching up on several sites and demanding 30%
of the contracts from you and threatening violence and death
if their demands are not met. Despite numerous calls from the
DA for its departmental task force to infiltrate and break
these syndicates, nothing has been done to date.
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But all the while roads deteriorate and potholes become
craters, rail infrastructure stolen and deaths escalate. For
these reasons and frankly many others that are too difficult
to cover with the time allocated, the DA cannot support this
Adjustment Vote. I thank you.
The DEPUTY CHAIRPERSON OF THE NCOP: Well, that was so poetic.
Thank you, hon Brautesth, can we then have hon Apleni for the
declaration.
Ms M O MOKAUSE: Hon Deputy Chair, we will not be making any
declarations.
Mr K M MMOIEMANG: Hon Chair, the ANC supports the Adjustment
Appropriation Bill and Vote 40 on Transport. Hon Chair, the
department nationally and in all provinces operated under the
difficult circumstances in the past year due to the Covid-19
pandemic and its negative impact on the sector.
This sector has commenced making a slow recovery initially
with roads and ports, then rail and lastly aviation. No single
mode of transport has fully recovered in many entities which
were financially viable and sustained have been relatively
affected and are still recovering. The number of issues must
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be highlighted Deputy Chair. In terms of the department’s
appropriation and spending as it require striving for the
constant improvement in all three spheres of government to
achieve its mandate.
The improvement of a development of an integrated public
transport system which is affordable remains a critical
priority. Transport has under difficult circumstances
implemented its programmes and achieved the bulk of its
performance against some of 21% with 9% being not achieved.
The department utilised 75% of its budget of R64 billion.
There was an underspending of R324 million.
However, it has like many other departments being
characterised by high level of vacancies and 42% which
compromised capability to deliver on its mandate. This is not
ideal under current economic conditions in terms of low
economic growth and high unemployment. All modes of transport
are critical to the efficient functioning to the development
of the economy and therefore no other economy that South
Africa can grow and develop start to develop integrated public
transport network.
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The movement of people, goods, freight and services is
dependent on the transport infrastructure. Therefore, the
development costs of roads and rail is the critical part of
the infrastructure development as articulated in our Economic
Reconstruction and Recovery Plan. The development and the
expansion of the transport infrastructure in urban and rural
areas is also critical to the implementation of the District
Development Model to enhance local economy development.
Therefore, it is imperative Deputy Chair that the department
fills all its vacancy posts with skilled and capable staff in
the Department of Transport’s infrastructural development
project which is commencing as part and parcel of making of
the implementation of the Economic Reconstruction and Recovery
Plan. In future the department at all three levels needs to
align their Annual Performance Plans, APPs and Key Performance
Areas, KPAs for actual delivery on the grounds in the various
modes of transport.
Therefore, public transport, which is the main mode that
serves the working class and the poor leaves much to be
improved. In other words, a distinction to be drawn in terms
of consumption ... [Connection Problems.] Therefore,
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infrastructure development is an economic decision and must be
prioritised. The ANC supports the Budget Vote 40. Thank you.
The DEPUTY CHAIRPERSON OF THE NCOP: In the absence of any call
for Division, the vote is agreed to and the objection of the
DA, EFF and the Freedom Front Plus are not. Unfortunately, hon
Dangor we cannot do what you have proposed, we must continue
the way we have been continuing.
Vote No 41 - Water and Sanitation – put
Ms M O MOKAUSE: Would you please give to another party and
then call Zandamela later on. He is struggling with
connection.
The DEPUTY CHAIRPERSON OF THE NCOP: Order, hon member, if
Zandamela is struggling he will have to forfeit his
opportunity.
Ms M O MOKAUSE: Why is he forfeiting the opportunity? Why is
he forfeiting the opportunity? Why?
Vote agreed to.
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Schedule agreed to.
CONSIDERATION OF ADJUSTMENTS APPROPRIATION BILL
Ms D G MAHLANGU: Hon Deputy Chairperson, Chairperson, House
Chairperson, the Chief Whip of the House of the NCOP, hon
members, Cabinet and special delegates, fellow South Africans
good afternoon. It has been a long day but it’s worth all the
compromises. Hon Deputy Chairperson, once more it’s my honour
and privilege to table before this House a report on the
Adjustment Appropriation Bill [B20-2021] on behalf of the
Select Committee on Appropriations. Deputy Chairperson, I am
to report to this House, that the committee has unanimously
adopted this Bill without amendments, while the DA, EFF and
FF Plus reserved their rights to adopt the Bill.
Deputy Chairperson, the Minister of Finance tabled this Medium
Term Budget Policy Statement together with the Adjustments
Appropriation Bill in Parliament on 11 November 2021. The Bill was
tabled in terms of section 12 (4) of Money Bill and Related
Matters Act No. 9 of 2009. The Act requires ... subsequently
the Bill was referred to the NCOP and to the committee for
concurrence on 10 December 2021.
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Hon Deputy Chairperson, in order to facilitate effective
public participation in line with section 72 of the
Constitution, the committee published an advert in 11 official
languages and written submissions were received from the
Congress of the South African Trade Unions, People’s Budget
Coalition and the Police and Prisons Civil Rights Union,
POPCRU.
In accordance with section 240 (2) of the Constitution and
section 10 (4) of the Intergovernmental Fiscal Relation Act No
97 of 1997, the committee consulted with the Fiscal
Commission, FFC, South African Local Government Association
SALGA and Parliamentary Budget Office, PBO.
While processing this Bill hon Deputy Chairperson, the
committee has made some observations and recommendations. The
National Treasury should ensure that any movement of funds,
any, is done according to the provisions of the Public Finance
Management Act and Treasury Regulations. However, the
committee does not support any movement of funds emanating
from poor planning and performance by government departments,
I hope our point is clear here. The National Treasury, should
approve the rollover amount of R2,8 billion in line with the
Public Finance Management Act and Treasury Regulations for
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projects that have already been committed or nearing
completion, underline that. However, the committee does not
support the rollovers of funds due to poor project management,
planning and execution.
The National Treasury and the Department of Social Development
should consider extending the R350 Social Relief of Distress
Grant beyond March 2022 depending on COVID-19 impact and
economic recovery plan. It will all depend on what we have
identified as conditions, will be finding ourselves in. The
Department of Public Service and Administration should fast-
track the finalisation of the detailed public sector
remuneration strategy, which will provide a blueprint for a
sustainable approach to managing the Public Sector Wage Bill
into the future.
The committee agreed with COSATU’s proposal, that a clear and
realistic plan to ensure all schools have access to decent
water and sanitation must be tabled by the Department of Basic
Education in Parliament by the end of 2022. The Committee is
of the view that the relevant sector committees should follow
up on this matters. Those committees will be in contact with
our committee.
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The Appropriations Committee agreed with COSATU’s
recommendation that should implement a 25% package cut for
Members of the Cabinet, provincial executive and mayoral
committee, as well as executive management in the state-owned
entities, SOEs and metros. So, the recommendation from COSATU
was saying, it’s needs to be given a consideration
[Interjection.]
Ms M O MOKAUSE: Is COSATU still alive?
Ms D G MAHLANGU: The committee agreed with COSATU’s
recommendation that there is a need for government to open the
Ministerial Handbook for public scrutiny, to ensure that the
exorbitant perks for the executive were reduced and a more
modest regime adopted. The committee noted COSATU’s
recommendation that government should reverse budget cuts to
key programmes, that will impact its ability to implement
industrial, manufacturing and export programmes to improve
economic growth.
Hon Chairperson, Deputy Chairperson and the House the
committee agreed with COSATU’s view that government should
respect collective bargaining in the public service, state-
owned entities and local government. And engage with the
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relevant bargaining councils and Ofora on matters of
collective bargaining including the Wage Bill and Signed Wage
Agreement, they need to be respected. The committee agreed
with COSATU’s recommendation that government should work with
organised labour to establish a single collective bargaining
and wage regime for the entire state including the state-owned
entities, SOEs.
The committee agreed once more with COSATU’s recommendation
that the Department of Transport should table a clear plan to
rebuild Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa PRASA,
Parliament, given the challenges around rail infrastructure
maintenance, cable theft which leads to inefficient operation
of trains.
The committee is of the view that relevant sector committees
should follow up on these matters. The committee has long
supported gender budgeting and gender mainstreaming. We are
reemphasising on these matters. The committee again hon Deputy
Chairperson, stresses that it also fully supports the rights,
needs and interest of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender,
queer and intersexed, LGBTQIA+ community and request that
National Treasury to in future explicitly set out what cross
cut funding furthers these. National Treasury and Cabinet
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should look into these matters very closely henceforth and the
committee will monitor this implementation.
In conclusion hon Deputy Chairperson, I wish to thank all
committee members across all party lines, for availing
themselves under strenuous conditions, committee stakeholders,
the general public which made written and oral submissions to
the committee, as well as the committee support staff. Without
these important role players, the process would not have been
a success. Hon Deputy Chairperson and hon members, the
committee recommends to this House that the Bill should be
adopted without any amendment.
IsiNdebele:
Angithokoze, Sekela sihlalo, ohlezi ngaphambili. Siyi-ANC
sinifisela okuhle bantu bekhethu beSewula Afrika, uZimu
anitjhudubaze. Sinifisela uKresimusi omuhle nomnyka omutjha
omuhle. Niziphathe kuhle, nihlale nembathe isifonyo begodu
nikhambe niyokujova. Ngiyathokoza.
Declarations of vote:
Mr S F DU TOIT: Deputy Chair, what is needed most in South
Africa that this Adjustment Appropriation Bill failed to
provide. What is needed to make sure that permanent jobs are
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created and the economy flourish once again, as it did many
years ago. Government’s focus is currently on short term,
self-preservation instead of the survival and recovery of the
country as a whole. I am not a pessimist Deputy Chair, but I
am being realistic. Government is repeating the mistakes they
made in the past over and over again, whilst the economy is
regressing on a daily basis. Why did the hon President start
selective investigation, selective consequence management as I
may say? Maybe because it was one of the prescript of the
International Monetary Fund, as a prerequisite to enable South
Africa to benefit from the International Monetary Fund, IMF,
funds.
Afrikaans:
In Julie 2020 het Suid-Afrika druipstert voor die EFF se deur
gaan staan en bedel en R4,3 miljard geleen. Soos deur Netwerk
24 bevestig, is die geld geleen met aanbevelings dat
ekonomiese en fiskale beleidsveranderinge dringend moet
geskied.
Watter roete moet geneem word? Weereens stel die ANC homself
bo die belange van die land en jaag verwronge beleide soos
swart ekonomiese bemagtiging, radikale ekonomiese
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transformasie na, wat die ekonomie vernietig, eerder as om
sosiale kohesie en ekonomiese vooruitgang te bewerkstellig.
Hierdie aanpasbegroting is niks anders as die uitdeel van geld
deur ’n regering om sy politieke beeld te poets, om die
toegewings ’n ander naam te gee nie.
English:
Deputy Chair, this Adjustment Appropriation Bill doesn’t
address the real issues at hand. Government has to a great
extent usong this Adjustment Appropriation Bill to disguise
handouts grants. Presidential Employment Programmes, similar
programmes, call it what you may, to bring temporary relief.
Both support and at the same time creating greatest sense of
dependency. Dependency as a result of state created poverty.
In this Bill, funds were reprioritised to change to the
government Wage Bill, created by government and still not
effective. It’s easy to blame COVID-19 Deputy Chair, for the
current state of affairs but who instituted these ...
[Inaudible.] ... regulations, who is prolonging this lockdown,
whose fault is it that hospitals are still not furnished up to
standard, who is to blame for thousands of children that did
not benefit from school feeding schemes, Deputy Chair?
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Afrikaans:
Wie is te blameer vir die fondse wat nou aangewend moet word
om salf aan die wonde van Juliemaand se politieke onrus te
smeer?
Besnoeiing aan, onder andere, vervaardiging en ontwikkeling
asook die uitvoer van beleggings bystand. Die huidige
aanpasbegroting smeer water aan gebarste lippe, terwyl die
regering die burgers van hierdie land die woestyn injaag. Ons
kan dit nie ondersteun nie. Dankie.
Ms M O MOKAUSE: Deputy Chairperson, with all the objections
that we have made, we are going to call for a division ...
[Inaudible.]
The DEPUTY CHAIRPERSON OF THE NCOP: In this, we are going to
vote in any case. What we are now asking is for declarations.
Since the EFF doesn’t have a declaration, we will now call on
the Democratic Alliance to do a declaration, Democratic
Alliance.
Declarations of vote:
Mr D R RYDER: An Adjustments Appropriation Bill is an
important indicator. It indicates which departments are
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performing and which are not. It also indicates which projects
are failing, and what projects were actually stillborn. An
indicator is where these political will to spend the money
that’s been appropriated according to the plans that were laid
out, but it also acts as an indicator of policy direction that
government is leaning towards.
Pondering on these indicators, one is that there is a feeling
of disappointments as government signals ... [Inaudible.] ...
adherence and continuation along the road to distraction while
economy killing policies. The warning of the International
Monetary Fund, IMF, should not go unheeded. The warnings from
the rating agencies and the warnings from our exchange rates
which has deteriorated so dramatically that the lifeblood of
the economy is affected should also not go unheeded. Petrol
price has risen to levels never seen before – levels that will
kill jobs and job creating businesses and push even more
people into unemployment. What is the government unemployment
target – it is 50% or 55%? At 46,6% we are dangerously close
to these levels. Yet the indicators all point to the fact that
the ANC policy playbook would be retained, literally at all
costs.
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The indicators show again that the ability of government to
spend money on salaries and yet consistently mind targets,
miss targets remain in place. At what point would we begin
appropriating money based on the ability of the departments to
meet their key performance indicators. At what point will they
be consequences for bad management, bad planning, bad
implementation and bad physical and workplace discipline.
Certainly not with this appropriation adjustment budget. Roll
on 2024, this country cannot afford to keep the ANC in power
any longer.
This country needs a governing party that gets things done.
The DA, the party that actually gets things done, rejects this
Bill. Thank you, Deputy Chair.
Mr Z MKIVA: Thank you, Deputy Chairperson for the opportunity.
Deputy Chair, members in the House, South Africans at large, I
greet ...
The DEPUTY CHAIRPERSON OF THE NCOP: We can’t hear.
Mr Z MKIVA: Can’t you hear me?
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The DEPUTY CHAIRPERSON OF THE NCOP: We can’t hear. Move closer
to your microphone, please.
Mr Z MKIVA: I am very close to my microphone.
The DEPUTY CHAIRPERSON OF THE NCOP: Yes, you are now. You may
continue.
Mr Z MKIVA: Deputy Chairperson, members of this august House,
fellow South Africans, I greet you this afternoon.
[Interjections.] The consolidated schedule of the Adjustments
Appropriation Bill reflects its progressive orientation which
is found in the fact that it supports the 2021 public service
wage agreement of R20,5 billion, of which R14,6 billion goes
to provinces. This Bill financially supports the
implementation of the second phase of the Presidential Youth
Employment Initiative with a distinct focus on youth
employment of almost 11,2%. This Bill also assists Denel in
meeting its repayments obligation of R2,9 billion and
purchases of vaccines to deal with the COVID-19 pandemic worth
R2,3 billion. The work of the Presidential Employment Stimulus
Programme has been one of the most successful programmes
addressing the critical situation of unemployment in the
country.
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This adjustment correctly addresses the most urgent area of
unemployment – that of youth unemployment in particular and
provide for skills development as a necessary criterion to
access the employment opportunities in the country. The
allocation for this will create almost 550 000 jobs and
provide young people with a salary and experience. In
addition, the proposal allocation of a further R74 billion
over the next three years must be welcomed by all in this
august House.
The provision to address the public sector wage Bill means
that public service workers will not only be able to attend to
an economic distress that most families experienced, but it
will enable these resources in turn to contribute to the
demand side of the economy and assist with the effort towards
growth in the economy. The reality with Denel is that this is
one of the state-owned enterprises that the state secure given
its strategic value, hence legal repayments obligation should
be considered in this context.
We welcome an additional amount of R113 million to the school
infrastructure especially dealing with water and sanitation
for Eastern Cape, Free State, KwaZulu-Natal and Limpopo
provinces because we are targeting primarily the rural areas
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which are the most affected by this question of water and
sanitation. This restores human dignity and respect. We are
concerned that the budget reprioritisation to keep public
service delivery functions including the departments that have
been mentioned, it may have a negative impact in that regard.
This must be seen alongside the inability to spend allocated
funds, the quality if expenditure and its impact, all of which
need far more attention. The ANC supports the schedule to the
Adjustments Appropriation Bill and the Bill itself.
IsiXhosa:
Sifuna ukuthi ke Sihlalo, abanye abantu babhibhidla nje
amazinyo kwelinye icala sithi bayadloba oondloyi kuba ingca
iluhlaza, balibele ukuba sisuka kwikamva elinzima apho eli
lizwe belilawulwa ngoongqondo-gqwirha bengabakhathalelanga
abantu abantsundu, ngamandla abantu abasemakhaya abasweleyo.
Zikhona izinto esinakho ukuzitshintsha ngalo mzuzu kodwa
zikhona izinto esixolele ukujinga imehlo ngazo esingakwaziyo
ukuzitshintsha. Sizakuthi gqolo sibhatala isibonelelo kubantu
abasweleyo. Xa sisenza ngolo hlobo sizama ukwenza ibuyambo
elizweni lethu ukuze ikati ingalali eziko phaya kooSukwini.
Ngolo hlobo sithi siyi-ANC umbutho wesizwe, sivumelana nawo lo
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Mthetho uYilwayo sithi mawuye phambili. Sininqwenelela
iiholide ezimnandi. Siyabulela.
The CHIEF WHIP OF THE NCOP: ... [Inaudible.] ... I want to
raise something. It was brought to my attention that those who
would want to join the platform based on an explanation that
earlier the Western Cape indicated that there would be no
designated special delegates and special delegates in
Mpumalanga indicates that it is the EFF special delegates, not
the FF Plus. So, I would just like to refer to those matters
to the Table, so that such verification is done and the
process of voting is not tempered with. Thank you, Deputy
Chair.
The DEPUTY CHAIRPERSON OF THE NCOP: So, have you raised the
issue with Adv Phindela?
The CHIEF WHIP OF THE NCOP: Yes, I have. I am raising it for
the record with you, Deputy Chair, as procedure requires.
Thank you.
The DEPUTY CHAIRPERSON OF THE NCOP: As a point of procedure,
can the Table please assist us as to what is happening.
[Interjections.] Is it being attended to as we speak.? So,
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must we wait to get that clarity? Can we request Adv Phindela
...
Ms M O MOKAUSE: Are you buying time to get ANC delegates on
the system, or what is happening?
The CHIEF WHIP OF THE NCOP: Which delegates are you talking
about? We are in the system.
AN HON MEMBER: Or buying votes?
The DEPUTY CHAIRPERSON OF THE NCOP: Listening is a skill!
Listening is a skill!
AN HON MEMBER: We are in the system here.
Ms M O MOKAUSE: Some of them are not even here. They are
sleeping.
AN HON MEMBER: No, we are disciplined. We have been here since
morning, and we will remain until we approve the Bill.
Ms M O MOKAUSE: You have been leaving and coming ...
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AN HON MEMBER: The Deputy Chair will mute you again, hon
Mokause.
AN HON MEMBER: We don’t sleep on the job, Mokause.
The DEPUTY CHAIRPERSON OF THE NCOP: Can I just give feedback
... Hon members, we are now at ... [Inaudible] ... because
apparently there was an issue raised by the Chief Whip, and it
was indeed confirmed by the ... you will speak after I have
spoken ... it was indeed confirmed that there seem to have
been a small issue with regards to the indication of the
special delegates as was mentioned. So, I think whilst we are
at this point now, let us not have any comebacks with regard
to that issue. And that is the reason why I am dealing with
that specific issue. Hon Labuschagne?
Ms C LABUSCHAGNE: Thank you very much, Deputy Chair. I just
want to rise on a point of order and a point of clarity. If
any province indicate that they cannot be able to send special
delegates and then later on during the day find that the
programme allows that the special delegates can join, is that
against the Rules? Thank you.
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The DEPUTY CHAIRPERSON OF THE NCOP: I think that what the
Chief Whip said - and I understood him, is that at that stage
when we started there was that indication that the Western
Cape will not have a special delegate. And there was that
indication that the special delegate from Mpumalanga is from
the FF Plus. Am I correct, Chief Whip?
The CHIEF WHIP OF THE NCOP: Yes.
The DEPUTY CHAIRPERSON OF THE NCOP: And in fact it was
corrected afterwards that it is not the FF Plus but the EFF. I
think it is important for the record – that should be, because
if afterwards there is a special delegate it then should be
indicated as such. I think it is corrected now. Members can
agree with me that it is corrected now. So, I will now go back
to the point where we proceed with the voting on the question
... Who is calling for a point of order?
Mr S F DU TOIT: Du Toit is calling for a point of order,
Deputy Chair. I just want to provide clarity that that
delegate of the FF Plus is a special delegate. It is not the
EFF. I sent the confirmation documentation to the Table as
well. So, just to correct you, maybe you were supplied with
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the wrong information. The FF Plus does have a special
delegate in Mpumalanga. Thank you, Deputy Chair.
The DEPUTY CHAIRPERSON OF THE NCOP: The EFF and the FF Plus in
any case when you say the FF Plus or the EFF sounds very
similar. [Interjections.]
Mr S F DU TOIT: If you are so easily confused ...
[Interjections.]
The DEPUTY CHAIRPERSON OF THE NCOP: It is now corrected, hon
Du Toit. [Interjections.] You can relax hon Du Toit, next
Saturday is Christmas. So, we can now proceed with the voting
on the question and the question is that the Bill be agreed
to.
Ms M O MOKAUSE: Deputy Chairperson, you must correct what you
have said. It is not similar! The EFF is the EFF and nothing
next to the FF Plus! You must correct that statement.
The DEPUTY CHAIRPERSON OF THE NCOP: All the F’s are the sixth
alphabet. So, we will now proceed. So can we continue, have
the Table finalised?
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Mr G MICHALAKIS: Hon Deputy Chair. Sorry to do this to you. I
am rising on a point of order, Deputy Chair, I might be
missing but I can’t find the hon Dodovu on the platform at
all. I don’t think it is just a sound problem, I think she is
not on the platform at all. Could you just check that? I do
apologise to him if he is on, but I can’t find him on the
platform.
The DEPUTY CHAIRPERSON OF THE NCOP: Is he not on the platform?
Ms M O MOKAUSE: He doesn’t ... [Inaudible] ... is serious.
[Interjections.]
The DEPUTY CHAIRPERSON OF THE NCOP: No, the issue is that I am
not counting. I am just saying that Ncitha indicated, and that
Moshodi indicated. I said Dodovu didn’t indicate. So, the
Table haven’t yet given us the results. You may sit hon
Ndongeni. The Table haven’t yet given us the results and I am
sure that they are capable enough to make sure that people are
on the platform. But thank you, hon Michalakis.
Ms M O MOKAUSE: They were not capable enough to point out that
Dodovu is not there. [Interjections.]
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The DEPUTY CHAIRPERSON OF THE NCOP: Hon Mokause ...
Afrikaans:
... jy het nie meer smaak nie.
English:
AN HON MEMBER: No, Michalakis is not a ... [Inaudible.]
Afrikaans:
Die ADJUNKVOORSITTER VAN DIE NRVP: Jy het nie meer smaak nie.
Me M O MOKAUSE: Jy het nie meer smaak nie!
English:
AN HON MEMBER: Deputy Chairperson, don’t get personal here.
[Interjections.] Deputy Chairperson, don’t get personal here.
You are not going to get personal by attacking a member here.
[Interjections.]
Division demanded.
The Council divided.
Question put: That the Bill be agreed to.
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[TAKE IN FROM MINUTES]
Bill agreed to in accordance with section 75 of the
Constitution.
FAREWELL SPEECHES
Ms C LABUSCHAGNE: Hon Chairperson, hon Deputy Chairperson and
hon members, if you can pay attention. The year 2021 was a
year characterised by mixed emotions. Some, high at time and
some low at times, as well as some unexpected outcomes. This
year again, tested us as a nation, on our ability to adjust
and build resilience to the COVID-19 virus. Severe
socioeconomic circumstances for more than half of our
population.
The increase of violence at all levels. Climate change
incidence and first of all, adjustments to a changed society
due to long standing lockdown on various levels. More or less
everyone has either lost a loved one, a family member, a
friend or a colleague. Our sincere condolences to you all and
we wish you strength on the way forward.
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Hon Chairperson, another pandemic that is sort of becoming
more in our country is corruption and its impact thereof in
our total society.
The importance of the NCOP as a parliamentary institution, now
more than ever, is vital. Our role and function of in depth
oversight on where, by whom, on what and how government funds
are spent as well as if our legislation takes the country
forward instead of contributing to the challenges we are
facing, should be our highest priority.
The rejection of the gambling bill in this House yesterday,
was a start in the right direction. The adoption of the Rise
Rules is welcomed as it should be the framework of the decorum
of the NCOP in this House as well as on the virtual platform.
As per differentiation of the NCOP from the National Assembly,
is the section 100 and 109 interventions as spelled out in the
Constitution.
Quite a few new interventions as they were mentioned in the
report yesterday, were done during this year. That would bring
it round about 65 in all.
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The NCOP’s Local Government Week this year, focused on the
many challenges local government are facing. While section 139
interventions and section 154, the role and the functions of
the provincial governments towards local government were
highlighted.
The dismal state of the majority of local governments is a
thread to most South Africans. The role party politics, self-
enrichment and cadre deployment is playing in corruption and
poor governance is evident.
The results of the local government elections in November
2021, should be a wakeup call for all public representatives
in this country. Especially in this House, as the upper House
on what we agreed upon, in all our oaths when we started with
our term in the NCOP and what our roles should be.
Hon Chairperson, I want to thank all the colleagues for this
year’s hard work. A special thanks to the personnel of the
NCOP, in this House, the committees as well as to our
political personnel for their dedication, support and hard
work.
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Parliament cannot function effectively without all of us doing
our different parts. Thank you also for hearing our plea, we
appreciate the nice lunch today.
I also want to convey my appreciation to my own DA colleagues
for their hard work, effectivity and support. Also a heartfelt
thanks to your families as they are normally the ones
sacrificing the most.
Then, before I conclude, because I think we all had a long
day, I just want to make a request. Will all the members
please use this period productively and ask you grand kids to
teach you on how to use all the zoom functions. That will help
us all start in 2022. [Applause.]
[Interjections.]
Lastly, I want to wish you all a blessed, healthy and safe
festive season with your families, friends and loved ones.
Enjoy the rest and please stay safe. I thank you. [Applause.]
An HON MALE MEMBER: Malibongwe!
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Mr M A P DE BRUYN: Hon Chairperson, from my side as the new
member in the NCOP, who started mid-year, I wish to thank
everyone in the Council for the positive manner that I was
welcomed in the NCOP. I also wish to extend a special word of
thanks to my colleague the hon Du Tiot, for his guidance,
advice and confidence for the last eight months.
The FF Plus further wishes to thank all the personnel and
support staff for the key role they have played for the
efficiency and professionalism. I believe, we can all agree
that without them this Council will not have been able to
function at all.
Hon Chairperson and fellow members, 2021 was a challenging
year for all of us with more ups and downs, but we have made
it and we are at the end. With myself and the FF Plus wishes
everyone a well-deserved rest and a Merry Christmas. Thank
you.
Ms M O MOKAUSE: Thank you, Chairperson of the Council.
Chairperson, before I attend to my farewell speech, I would
like to address what deemed to be a belittling statement from
the Deputy Chairperson of the Council, Sylvia Lucas when she
said to me in her own language, hon Mokause ...
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Afrikaans:
... jy het nie meer smaak nie.
English:
Chairperson, just last week in the National Assembly, the
Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly addressed the EFF’s
National Chairperson, hon Mente, in his own words said: “Go
and have a bath.” These are belittling statements from those
senior people from both Houses, the National Assembly and the
NCOP. We do not take it light, Chairperson of the Council, we
just want to pass this message to Ms Sylvia Lucas that, the
reason why she finds herself in the NCOP, away from the
Northern Cape Province, it’s because she lacks taste, in her
own language ...
Afrikaans:
... jy het nie meer smaak nie.
English:
That’s why you find yourself in the NCOP. Chairperson, the
Constitution has not achieved the kind of a society which we
envisaged for South Africa, as black people still do not
benefit from promise made in this Constitution. Instead, we
stand as mere subjects in this country, and not as full
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citizens, as we are stuck in this high level of crime,
poverty, unemployment at height, which have taken over this
country. Our people, in particular, black people, live under
generally bad conditions in terms of food, security, housing,
job opportunities, and show no sign of liberated people.
As a country, we have seen 1994 being in one crisis after
another. Service delivery has but collapsed, tendering
government inefficient and riddled with corruption, with the
majority of our local municipalities operating without money
and at a brink of collapse, as they fail to provide basic good
services to our communities as we head towards the festive
season that, black majority are still with no food. This is
the time to be generous, this is the time to look at your
neighbour and see if they got food, this is the time to look
at that orphan and see if they got clothes to go to school and
if they got shelter to rest on.
This is the time, as we reflect, Chairperson, from our side,
it has been a tough year riddled with COVID-19 pandemic. It
has been a tough year for all of us working through wire, but
through the dedicated staff of Parliament which is not even
paid much, which is not even taking home much, we expected a
lot from them, but worry to say thank you to them for always
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making sure that all the committee work, all of our work as
Members of Parliament, as Members of this Council is done
smoothly.
Chairperson, we would like to thank each and every one of you
as colleagues who have done a sterling job in steering this
House, the Chief Whip of the Council, from our side, the EFF
caucus, we say thank you for steering this wheel in the NCOP
and providing the necessary guidance to all of us, not only
your caucus members, we say thank you, as we head towards the
festive season we would like to pass this message that all of
us must be safe, let us go and rest, and enjoy time with the
loved ones because we can be here tomorrow, and tomorrow we
cannot be here.
We have lost so many loved ones this year. We say to you, take
care of one another, have a great festive season from the EFF
caucus. I thank you.
The CHIEF WHIP OF THE COUNCIL (Mr S J Mohai): Thank you very
much Chairperson of the NCOP. Let me also recognize the Deputy
Chair of NCOP Mme Sylvia Lukas, House Chairperson hon Nyambi,
House Chair of Committees as well as Mme Ngwenya and House
Chair for International Relations. Let me also recognize all
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members of the NCOP and the distinguished special delegates. I
will also start by acknowledging Mr Vincent, Moira hiding
there at the corner and Mr Freek. It’s such a pleasure to be
amongst the humblest and always ready to serve officers in
this House. Can you please acknowledge their presence hon
members? [Applause.]
Today marks the end of the parliamentary calendar for the year
2021. A year that also marked the second year of the
prevalence of the deadly Covid-19 pandemic as Mme Labuschagne
and Mme Mokause have pointed out. An eventful year indeed with
the sixth democratic local government elections and the 25th
anniversary of our Constitution as amongst the main
highlights.
Chairperson, there is no doubt that the outcome of local
government elections is a verdict of our people about who
should govern them and should therefore be respected
unconditionally. This election seems to entrench coalitions as
permanent feature of South Africa system of democratic
governance.
We are confident that how political parties conduct themselves
in these coalitions will determine the future realignment of
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South African politics. For our people, the supreme test of
success coalitions will be how the advanced good governance,
service delivery and development and of communities in fact
above all, of our communities above narrow political
bickering.
Contrary to some who speculated disruptions and anarchy from
benches of the ANC where it is in the opposition benches, we
have accepted the democratic outcome and assured South
Africans to provide constructive opposition and are indeed
doing so.
The 25th anniversary of our Constitution has once again united
our people in diversity to pause and take stock of the
fulfilled and none fulfilled promises articulated in this
noble unifying vision of our country.
Once there’s general acknowledgement that South Africa has
entered an irreversible trajectory of state, nation and class
formation [Inaudible.] on principle of equality, freedom,
justice and none racialism, none sexism and the rule of law.
There’s equally an appreciation of pervasive poverty,
unemployment and inequality which are mainly concentrated
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among African and black majority. The pervasiveness of gender
based violence in our country is clear manifestation of gender
oppression and inequality and demonstrates in no uncertain
terms the paradox of the death of the old patriarchal order
and the refusal of the new order of gender equality to be
born.
Chairperson, this means that the society, the midwife of the
new social order, we are not doing enough to ensure the birth
of the new social order. Critical amongst the questions we
must examine from is the scourge of gender based violence is
whether there is sufficient space for community activism
against this scourge beyond advocacy or has simply relegated
the task of combating gender based violence to the state.
Chair, we raised this question because evidence demonstrates
that the state alone cannot defeat the scourge of gender based
violence without community activism. The outbreak of the
deadly Covid-19 pandemic and the recent July riots have laid
back a persistence of these contradiction which calls for
urgent and decisive attention of our democratic project and
its institution to have any meaning to our people. This should
remind this House, the NCOP as a critical institution of
democracy in our country, we cannot escape the scrutiny and
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rife of our people in how it pushes back the frontiers of
poverty, unemployment and inequality.
To rise to this occasion on the challenges of the critical
task of pushing back the frontiers of poverty, unemployment
and inequality. Duty calls upon all of us as we rest in this
December vacation. We should ponder on two inter-related
questions. One, is our agenda and the manner in which we
conduct our work relevant and responsive to the needs of the
people? Two, how do we measure the impact of our work on the
lives of our people in pursuance of our constitutional
mandate.
Chairperson, what makes these questions more compelling is the
emerging global trend characterized by erosion of trust of
people in democracy and its institutions. These trends
continue to give rise to left and right wing populism and
their attended unconventional forms of political engagement in
global politics.
Chair and hon members, as we close this year, we do so
inspired and proud of the spirit of corporation that has
prevailed among us despite robust political contestation. We
must admit that this is a political forum we need to discuss,
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we need the times, we raffle shoulders but this corporation
has and continues to foster a sense of collective appreciation
of the national interest above narrow party political
interest.
We owe this to political maturity, calibre and quality of
members of this August House across party political lines.
This has become particularly pronounced in a collective
defence of the decorum of this House by members across party
political affiliation and that should be commended hon
members. Our interest was not to allow our House to
deteriorate into chaos but all the time, we pointed out on the
need to hear one another in a rationale manner.
Chairperson, whilst I take honour to thank every member of
this House for their contribution without reservations, allow
me to do the unusual by drawing the members’ attention to few
shining examples that I think we should immolate. The first,
in the NCOP in this Sixth Democratic Parliament, it is indeed
a blessing to have in its mist and at senior leadership level
members like hon Amos Masondo who is our Chairperson, Yunus
Carrim who is the Chair of the Select Committee on Finance and
hon Dango who is the provincial Whip of Gauteng.
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These are members who have brought with them enormous wealth
of experience in public governance. Development and
transformation that spend over more than two decades. They
belong to a specific generation of our struggle and history in
whose full springs was born the freedom we enjoy today.
Their composure, maturity and modicum of respect which they
engage with issues and relate with other members should be a
source of inspiration to all of us. We really would agree that
that the Chair, hon Masondo is very patient. He allows all
members of the House to participate. At times at our dislike,
when we want things to...
IsiZulu:
... sekuthiwa kuyashehsa...
English
...he always accommodates, whether it’s ANC, EFF, FF Plus or
DA, he gives all of us a fair chance.
Chairperson, it’s indeed fit that as we observe the 60th
anniversary of uMkhonto we Sizwe, we know tomorrow is December
the 16th, we equally acknowledge one among us who has
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traversed a difficult and death defying journey as a former
member of uMkhonto we Sizwe at a young age.
We owe it to the death defying generation hon Alec Nchabeleng
[Applause.] that the intensification of [Inaudible.]
culminated into the negotiated political settlement. Hon
Nchabeleng has also served as a law maker in his own rights at
different levels. We know him, others call him daddy, he’s
called by many names but that’s how rich this House is.
The NCOP’s work and its quality cannot be measured outside the
context of the work of the NA and its committees. To this end,
it will be great omission on our part not to recognise the
improved coordination and synchronization between these two
Houses for the greater good of our people. But I know that hon
Mahlangu and hon Carrim will raise other matters that relates
to management of budget but that’s for another day when we
discuss next year.
Chairperson, it is for this reason that when we close this
year we equally acknowledge the leadership of the Chief Whip
of the Majority Party in the NA as well as hon Pemmy and her
team of Whips together with Multi-Party Whips of course in
cementing our corporation.
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I must thank all leaders of all political parties in this
House who have ensured the smooth running of the House and its
committees. I must also appreciate the role played by the
provincial Whips and they are here in the House. Applause for
the provincial Whips please. [Applause.] They are here in
their majority and make it easy for this House to function.
It will be an omission on my part not to acknowledge and
express appreciation for professional and qualitative support
that we receive from the officials of the NCOP and I must say,
I join hon Catthy, Mokause and others that have really
acknowledged the professional expertise that we received at
all stages of our work in this House.
We should really appreciate under the leadership of Advocate
Phindela. Hon members, can we really appreciate the support
[Applause.] that we receive at all times and we wish you a
safe journey back home.
Sesotho:
Ka Sesotho re re tsela tshweu, ho ya ka mokgoro ha se ho
lahlana. Ha re yeng re ba rate bao re ba siileng lapeng, batho
bao re phelang le bona mme re phahamise letsoho sebakeng sa
bao e leng hore ha ba na tse tshwanang le tsa rona mme re etse
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ntho eo re e bitsang ka hore motho ke motho ka ba bang. Ke a
leboha. Kgotso!
The CHAIRPERSON OF THE NCOP: Let me also make a few remarks
but before I do so let me acknowledge the Deputy Chairperson
of the NCOP, hon Sylvia Lucas, the House Chairperson for
International Relations and Members’ Support, hon Winnie
Ngwenya, the House Chairperson for Committees and Oversight,
hon Jomo Nyambi, the Chief Whip of the NCOP, hon Seiso Mohai,
hon permanent delegates, ladies and gentlemen, allow me to
start by saying the following when the hon Tim hears the
following words from the hon Deputy Chairperson of the NCOP
...
IsiZulu:
... siyabangena ...
English:
... you must know we've come a long way. [Laughter.] Indeed,
we have reached the end of the 2021 parliamentary calendar.
What a year! At this point, it is important to recall the
purpose of our presence here. We are enjoined to represent the
people. Our specific constitutional mandate, as the National
Council of Provinces, is to represent the provinces to ensure
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that provincial interests are taken into account in the
national sphere of government. We are also responsible for
carrying out the constitutional duty of providing space for
the presentation of the different categories of municipalities
in our national Parliament.
As the hon members would know, the work we are doing in the
Sixth Parliament is guided by our policy priorities which
place the need to ensure improved accountability by the
executive and the involvement of the people in our processes
high on the agenda. This is in keeping with our 1955 seminal
document, the Freedom Charter, which declared that “all people
shall be entitled to take part in the administration of our
country under the principle the people shall govern.” Let me
not forget for a moment that at the centre of what we do is
the people, especially the working class and the poor.
The 2030 National Development Plan, NDP, is our roadmap
towards achieving the improved quality of life promised in our
Constitution which was signed into law this month, 25 years
ago. In this regard, the NDP aims to significantly eliminate
poverty and reduce inequality by the year 2030. In performing
our work this year, we have, through a number of activities,
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planned, undertaken work of which, owing to time constraints,
I can only mention some of the highlights.
So, amongst other things in this financial year, the House has
considered and adopted 20 Bills. These include the following;
the Upgrading of Tenure Rights Amendment Bill; the
Correctional Services Amendment Bill; the Division of Revenue
Bill; the Appropriation Bill; the Special Appropriation Bill;
the Domestic Violence Amendment Bill; the Criminal Law
Amendment Bill; the Criminal and Related Matters Amendment
Bill; the Criminal Procedure Amendment Bill and; the Second
Special Appropriation Bill.
Among the legislation passed during this period were the three
Gender-Based Violence Bills, which are aimed at enhancing our
fight against women and child abuse. It is noteworthy that the
NCOP proposed amendments to the Criminal Law Amendment Bill.
We also considered and adopted 35 select committees’ reports
and also had a number of ministerial briefings. On and amongst
other issues, interventions to address youth unemployment,
poverty, progress on the expansion and acceleration of the
COVID-19 B vaccination program which was aimed at assessing
the progress made in the vaccination drive, accelerating the
National Infrastructure Plan for employment creation and
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development and looking at the question of the school
dropouts.
A total of 64 executive undertakings were recorded. A total of
860 questions, both oral and written, were addressed to the
executive during the year, 680 of these were written questions
and 180 were oral questions. Out of a total of 680 written
questions, 635 were responded to and the 45 outstanding are
still within the prescribed period for responses in terms of
the NCOP Rules, as hon Nyambi would surely confirm that 180
questions were responded to.
The NCOP has seen a surge in the number of questions asked to
the executive since the COVID-19 pandemic, in particular, the
focus of the questions by members has been on the provincial
impact in accordance with our mandate. Key observations are
that the majority of questions tend to solicit responses from
the executive when ... [Inaudible.] ... areas namely, quality
health care, clean environment, security and justice, the
quality of education and skills development and housing,
water, electricity and sanitation. We have also processed a
number of international agreements, House resolutions and held
debates on a range of issues, including on critical national
matters such as the July public violence, the looting and
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destruction of property and the building of a self-reliant and
vibrant township economy.
The House also adopted the amendments of the Rules in order to
improve its function and heighten its constitutional role.
This is a milestone in the process that started during the
Fifth Parliament. The Rules remain dynamic and may be amended
from time to time as the circumstances change. These are just
some of the highlights of the work we've done this year. The
detail of this work is best viewed from the direct engagements
at the committee and plenary levels which are publicly
available in the form of reports, as well as written and
virtual records.
Hon members, programming, at times, remains one of our
challenges, especially regarding the availability of the
Ministers. We'll continue to find solutions to this
longstanding challenge. In doing so, we also need to look at
how we get all the information. This narrative, informed by
our inquiries, assist us to deepen our oversight role. We need
to continue to find practical ways of leveraging the resources
within the context of our constituency offices. There are many
patriots across the length and breadth of our country who are
willing to participate in the process of struggle to make a
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difference in all our communities. Working with them, we can
facilitate the true participatory process and ensure a
government that is truly responsive to the needs of the
people.
We know the system of apartheid played a big role in
marginalising many of our organisations. As such, many
organisations in our communities lack the necessary depth to
inspire people. In a way, this contributes to the increasing
clash between people and those that represent their voice.
numbers. The Sixth Parliament has been in existence since May
2019. This means that we have reached our midterm point. From
now on, we should be able to reflect on what we've done so
far, given the nature of the challenges facing our country. We
have to recalibrate our interventions in a way that will
assist us to increase our momentum and impact.
Our performance, so far, reflects that despite the numerous
challenges brought by the COVID-19 pandemic, Parliament
strides in processing legislation and conducting oversight
work through meetings, visits and questions to the executive.
We have also managed to hold public hearings as part of the
considerations of key interventions in areas such as health,
the land question and the children's rights. In particular,
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our measures to sustain public participation included the use
of social media platforms and expanded parliaments’ television
and video capacity.
In the new year, we expect the report of the Judicial
Commission of Inquiry into Allegations of State Capture,
Corruption and Fraud in the Public Sector including Organs of
State. We must remain alive to its implications for our
country, our work in the fight against corruption and the
entire project of nation-building. I wish to thank the people
of South Africa, especially the permanent and special
delegates to the NCOP; the representatives of the SA Local
Government Association and our partner institutions for the
great collaboration over the course of this year.
I'd like to thank the Presiding Officers for their great
support, engagement and leadership; the Deputy Chairperson for
her support and leadership on critical institutional
programmes; the House Chairperson for Committees and Oversight
for the significant improvement in the work of the committees,
particularly in light of the new ways of doing work; the House
Chairperson for International Relations and Members’ Support
for always looking after the interest of the members and
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serving as our important link with the National Assembly in
relation to our international engagements.
The Chief Whip has played a pivotal role in ensuring that
through all work smart and remain focused on the task of
giving life to our mandate. Fresh from the local government
elections, we are looking forward to enhancing engagement with
the local sphere of government in the coming year and we trust
the Chief Whip will take this into consideration in the
overall management of our work. I would also like to thank the
staff of Parliament and this includes the Secretary to
Parliament, Ms Baby Tyawa, as well as the NCOP component under
the Secretary of the NCOP, Adv Modibedi Phindela, for
responding well to their working conditions that have since
changed as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Your efforts
have not gone unnoticed.
The executive administrative authority has done well under
these circumstances. We cannot forget to thank the officials
in our offices for helping us navigate the demands of the task
of serving the people. We may not be where we were in 1994 but
the future beckons and the national democratic society is
within grasp. May you all have a good festive season and come
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back alive in 2022. Let us not become statistics of road
accidents and similar incidents.
Always keep in mind that COVID-19 is still with us. It
continues to threaten and ravage our society. But, like in the
case of the bubonic plague, the so-called Spanish Flu or
leprosy, we shall emerge triumphantly. Humanity will prevail.
So, go well. Recharge your batteries. Return with more energy
in 2022 to serve all our people and serve them well. Thank you
very much.
Debate concluded.
The Council adjourned at 17:58.
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