Hansard: NCOP: Unrevised hansard

House: National Council of Provinces

Date of Meeting: 25 May 2022

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Minutes

UNREVISED HANSARD
NATIONAL COUNCIL OF PROVINCES
WEDNESDAY, 25 MAY 2022
Watch: Plenary
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL COUNCIL OF PROVINCES

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The Council met at 14:09.
The House Chairperson took the Chair and requested members to observe a moment of silence for prayers or meditation.
The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Ms W Ngwenya): Hon delegates, before we proceed I would like to remind you of the following: That
sitting constitutes of the National Council of Provinces. That the place of the sitting is deemed to be Cape Town where the seat of the National Council of Provinces is.
That delegates in the virtual sitting enjoy the same powers and privileges that apply in a sitting of the National Council of Provinces.
That for the purposes of the quorum, all delegates who are logged on to the virtual platform shall be considered present.

That delegates must switch on their videos if they want to speak. And that delegates should ensure that the microphones on their gadgets are muted and must always remain muted. That the interpretation facility is active. And that been noted, that permanent delegates, members of the executive, special delegates South African Government Local Association, SALGA, representative are requested to ensure that the interpretation facility on their gadgets are properly activated to facilitate access to the interpretation services. That any delegate who wishes to speak must use the ‘raise your hand’ function or icon. I have been informed that there will be no notice of motion or motion without notice except the motion on the order paper.

The CHIEF WHIP OF THE NCOP: Moved without notice that the Motion on the Order Paper be postponed until further notice.
The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Ms W Ngwenya): Okay. Hon members, before we proceed to the subject for debate I would like to take this opportunity to welcome the Deputy Minister of Health, the Minister and Deputy Minister of Public Works and Infrastructure, MECs and all special delegates to the House. I will now call upon the Deputy Chairperson of the NCOP to open the debate.

FROM PANDEMICS TO ENDEMICS: BUILDING AN INTEGRATED, PROSPEROUS AND PEACEFUL AFRICA BEYOND THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC
(Debate on Africa Day)

The DEPUTY CHAIRPERSON OF THE NCOP (Ms S E Lucas): Thank you very much, hon House Chair. Chairperson of the NCOP, House Chairpersons, Chief Whip of the NCOP permanent and special delegates, I have been mandated to open this very debate. And I want to open it with the wise words of the first president of Ghana, Dr Kwame Nkrumah, when he said and I quote: Africa is one continent, one people and one nation. The notion that in order to have a nation, it is necessary for there to be a common language, common territory and a common culture has failed to stand the test of time orthe scrutiny of objective reality. The community of economic life is the major feature within a nation. It is the economy which holds the people together, living in a territory. It is on this basis that the new Africans potentially recognize themselves as one nation, whose dominion is the entire African continent.
This will still read through today, providing relevant perspective on Africa’s desired unity, which must be based on economic unity, holding the people of Africa together as mechanism for Dominion across the continent. As we strive to recover and reconstruct our economies, Africa must do so being mindful of the single most imperative of economic emancipationand independence which is what has impeded and effective renaissance.

Fellow South Africans and hon members, Africa Day is a day of great significance to our continent and its people. It is essentially an annual commemoration of the foundation of the Organization of African Unity, OAU, which took place on the 25th of May in 1963, in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. The OAU existed until it was disbanded on the 9th of July 2002, when it was replaced by the African Union, AU. Hon Chairperson, a prosperous, stable, secure and peaceful Africa remains an important objective of the South African governments international policy. For Africa to be prosperous, it must be based on inclusive growth and sustainable development. We must therefore recommit ourselves to eradicating the cyclical nature of poverty and inequality across generations by building shared and generational prosperity through the social and economic transformation of our continent. It is imperative for Africa to become anintegrated continent that is politically united based on the ideals of Pan Africanism and the vision of the African Renaissance.

The Pan Africanism, Regional Integration and Development in Africa has to do with regional integration for the political unification of Africa. In the main, people to people relations should be prioritized. The proper pursuit of regional integration in Africa has involved the mobilization of the
people of Africa to understand that the ties that bind them in terms of the colour and history of the provision should make them denounce artificial barriers in this harmony, which was imposed by the imperialist. The pandemic accelerated the unequal treatment of Africa, driven by the rules and systems of global economic governance. It exposed the practical implications of inequality, notably, the differences in state capacity to limit the socio-economic impact of lockdowns. The shifted terrain of the global


 
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political economy has significantly impacted Africa’s economic
standing, reversing some of the developmental gains we have
made. It is therefore imperative that Africa’s development and
transformation be anchored towards accelerating Africa’s
economic transformation. Furthermore, the low growth trap
faced by many African economies points to the need to
comprehensively restructure African economies or it leads to
the need for a robust economic transformation agenda for
Africa. This must also include the restructuring of the
African economy. Let us thus be reminded, Chairperson, today,
that they are tangible initiatives in place, which are aimed
at unifying Africa into a single political and economic
entity. Among the most recent initiatives to advance this
urgent pan Africanist ideal is the ratification by many
African countries in 2019 of the African Continental Free
Trade Area agreement. The agreement essentially enjoys African
Union member states to creating a single Continental Customs
Union through a single market in the free movement of people
in business. It also enjoins African Union member states,
opportunities for increased intra-African trade through
liberation and regional integration, as well as boosting
investment, competition and economic diplomacy. Through
economies of scale.


 
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The African Continental Free Trade Area holds great potential
to accelerate economic transformation, but only if well
implemented with an alternative model of co-operation, which
is principally centred on a political agenda for the effective
unification of Africa. This agreement has the potential to
increase income and welfare for its member countries, with
estimated long term income gains of up to 5% from the
reduction in trade barriers in the context of the African
Continental Free Trade Area agreement. This is indeed an
ambitious straight path to form the world’s largest free trade
area by connecting almost all 1,3 billion people across 54
countries. the African Continental Free Trade Area agreement
also provides tangible opportunities to transform Africa from
a raw materials exporter to a producer of market competitive
value added products for the continent to integrate into
regional and global value-chain. This will also promote
vertical and horizontal diversification, anchored in value
addition, innovative approaches and local content development.
Africa must also build integrated and complementary African
value-chains to support the commitment to transform Africa.
This also ties in with key aspects of localization in South
Africa’s economic extraction and recovery plan, which calls
for an integrated approach in the implementation of the


 
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economic recovery strategies across all the regions of the
continent.
A key component of the African agenda is the strengthening of
continental and regional institutions. The primary importance
will be to ensure that these institutions but particularly the
European Union, EU, including its organs and the regional
economic communities, as well as Southern African Development
Community, SADC, have sufficient political, intellectual, and
technical capacity to respond quickly to the ever changing
context. In a paper titled, “Institutional Quality and
Economic Performance in the South African Development
Community region, a dynamic panel analysis Kholiswa Malindini
from the Wits School of Governance argues that and I quote:
The quality of institution is increasingly become a key
determinant of economic performance. This confirms a
paradigm shift from the conventional macroeconomic
determinants to governance. As a crucial determining
factor of economic performance particularly in developing
countries, where economic growth is stagnant or moving at
a meagre rate.


 
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The quality of institutions has increasingly become a key
determinant of economic performance. Issues relating to state
capability and governance related matters are highlighted is
key determinants in the economic performance and trajectory of
our economies. Hence, in order to accelerate economic
transformation and growth, there is a serious need to ensure
that the quality of state institutions is drastically improved
as a measure and marker for accelerating economic performance
and growth on the continent.
In March 2020, the Washington-based think tanks, the Brookings
Institution released a report on Africa’s trajectory for the
next decade, including a damning chapter on the continents
preparedness for the Fourth Industrial Revolution, which is
also critical for accelerating Africa’s growth trajectory. The
opening remarks of the report ominously stated the following
and I quote:
So far, it does not appear that Africa has yet claimed
the 21st century it still lags behind in several
indicators, essential for a successful digital
revolution.


 
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This is particularly concerning when we consider that Africa
has left behind the three previous industrial revolutions
across the globe. Progress has been defined by the ability of
humanity to adapt to change. Yeah, the continent is often
missed the call. Our late arrival and slow pace of
participation in the first three industrial revolutions is led
to infrastructure gaps that still exist today.
As a continent, it therefore becomes imperative that we must
ensure that there is sufficient capacity in regional and
continental institutions to advance and accelerate our
preparedness for the Fourth Industrial Revolution. We need to
respond with urgency to illicit financial flows from Africa.
Hon members, according to the Economic Development in Africa
Report 2020, by the United Nations, UN, Conference on Trade
and Development, Africa loses about 3,7% of its gross domestic
product, GDP, annually in illicit financial flows. This flows
from miss invoicing, tax abuse, cross border corruption and
transnational financial crime are still draining resources
from sustainable development, as well as worsening
inequalities fuelling instability, undermining good governance
practices and damaging public trust.


 
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The UN Office on Drugs and Crime in its Strategic Vision for
Africa 2030, which was launched in February 2021 knows illicit
financial flows remain a key impediment to Africa’s attainment
of the 2030 Agenda and the African Union agenda 2063, given
the multi-dimensional and transnational nature of illicit
financial flows significant to most domestic resource
resources illicitly acquired and ... [Inaudible.] ... pose a
continental wide developmental challenge. Given the magnitude
of illicit outflows, these resources if recovered, or retained
have immense transformational potential for our continent. To
put an end to this practice require addressing the long chain
of people involved, namely lawyers, accountants, banks, you
name it. Only a global response can address this issue. As
long as there is a single tax haven left on the planet where
the illicit financial flows can transmit and prosper, no
lasting solution is possible. It means we have to invest in
building strong institutions which can effectively mitigate
and bring an end to this phenomenon.
Hon members, it is imperative that we approach knowledge
production across the continent as a pan African pursuit. It
is imperative that the African agendas in knowledge production
practices, are entered in finding African solutions for
African problems and challenges.


 
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More than 60-years ago, Dr Kwame Nkrumah highlighted the
importance of African centred knowledge. Similarly, in the
1980s Claude Ake, advocated for indigenous knowledge
production in Africa. However, progress has been slow
indicated the decolonization of knowledge production efforts.
In order for Africa to prosper, it is imperative that we
address the decoupling of universities in the nation socio
economic and regional development and innovate innovation
networks. Africa’s knowledge production endeavours must be
inextricably linked to the developmental needs of the
continent. Importantly, the industrialization drive must also
be inextricably linked to the continent development needs.
While leveraging the opportunities presented by the African
Continental Free Trade Area agreement to fund the
industrialization endeavours.
Through leadership, Africa must be able to produce a conscious
African citizenry that is grounded in Pan-Africanism
philosophies and driven to implement the African Renaissance
agenda. We need to marshal our communities to address the
issue of immigration in our country through principle of Pan-
Africanism and not allow ourselves and the communities we lead
to be overtaken by right wing sentiments. We must agitate for


 
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effective border management we must improve co-operation with
other countries in the region, so as to ensure that we put in
place a more effective system to manage migration
particularly.
New analysis released by the UN Development Programme show
that only a small proportion of COVID-19 vaccines have been
administered in developing countries, leading to a widening
gap between the rich and the poor. The studies show that if
low income countries had the same vaccination rates as high
income countries, in September of 2021, they would have
increased the GDP by 16,2 7 billion US Dollars. These are all
one of the main reasons why Africa has become fully integrated
in order to address issues as a continental bloc. Particularly
issues relating to vaccine equity for developing countries.
These continental bloc engagements should also extend to trade
issues while working on ending financial and other dependent.
As I conclude, hon Chairperson, as we embark on today’s
debate, we must appreciate the objective and subjective
factors which continue to impede Africa’s advancement. We must
appreciate that the fundamental African development challenge
has to do with historical experience of colonialism as well as
dispute global social, political, and economic order.


 
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Until Africa and Africans unite all efforts for the betterment
of the African condition will not gain much traction.
Regional integration must be approached within the context of
the political unification of the continent, and the unity of
Africans wherever they are.
As a parliament of South Africa, through our oversight duty,
we must ensure that SADC and the integration of its member
states must be number one priority in our international
relations oversight.
The noble aim of Agenda 2063 is to ensure that all conflicts
in Africa must be resolved by 2030. Through our role we must
demand that there has to be a clear alignment of our domestic
programme with original indicative strategic development plan.
Without this, the division of developmental regional
integration, which is expected to create developmental state
in the region and fight poverty will falter.
We must ensure that what we have spoken about happen. But it
should also include the development and the protection of
women and children. It is very important so that if we respond
to both the globalization process and changing power dynamics


 
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that come with it, we need to take the women of Africa with
us. I thank you, Chairperson.
Mr M NHANHA: Hon House Chair, hon members, South Africans,
good afternoon, we are gathered here today to observe Africa
Day, a day whose essence should really be to celebrate
individual nations and collective achievements as a continent.
But more so, Africa Day was created by the Organisation of
African Unity the predecessor to the African Union in order
for this body and the continent to celebrate victories against
colonialism and apartheid.
Today, elsewhere on the continent the African Development Bank
is holding its annual meeting of member states to tackle,
amongst other things, modern difficulties such as poverty,
civil strife’s, corruption, illicit cash outflows, tax
evasion, the negative impacts of climate change and Russian
invasion of Ukraine. Since its inception in 1963, the OAU saw
it fit to that on this day all Africans regardless of race,
religion, colour or creed should converge in unison to
proclaim “Free at last from the bondage of colonialism and
apartheid”.


 
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Hon members, previously, the OAU was clear in its mandate that
Africa can never be totally free until South Africa was free
and a democratic government was chosen based on an election by
the will of the majority. Following protracted and delicate
negotiations, finally on the 27 April 1994 a democratic
breakthrough was achieved and the people of South Africa came
out in droves to elect a government of their choice.
This event alone raised hopes and aspirations of South
Africans of a better future for all of us. One key advantage
for South Africa having been the last country in Africa to
attain its freedom was we had an opportunity to observe and
learn from the mistakes of our counterparts who had been
liberated in earlier years before us.
Indeed, our country in the earlier years of our young
democracy, we were a shining light and the epitome of a
democratic state envied by onlookers from around the world.
Needless to mention, it became apparent we fast took a wrong
turn and followed in the path of all other failed states on
the continent. What concerns me thou, we took the turn, some
of us rung alarm bells but were obviously shut down. We are
now on a downward spiral and nobody seems to remember where
did we go wrong. We are conveniently forgetting the enablers


 
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of former President Jacob Zuma’s reign. Today, Africa lives on
hand outs and grants from the wealthier nations. Today, Africa
is at the mercy of its former colonial masters. Today, Africa
is ravaged by civil wars and coups. Today, Africa is an
embodiment of corrupt and failing states.
Hon members, Africa is not short of fuel and gas. Africa is
not short of mineral resources. Africa is not short of land,
and we are most certainly not short of human capital and
intellectual capacity. Africa has a short supply of
trustworthy, ethical and beyond reproach leaders. Africa lacks
leaders who put the interests of those who elected them before
their own and those of their comrades and cadres. Africa is in
short supply of leaders who never vacillate on matters of
principle, leaders who have the courage to stand up for the
truth no matter how politically incorrect it is. Until we get
ourselves these crop of leaders in power, I am afraid a dream
of “building an integrated, prosperous and peaceful Africa”
will remain deferred.
I wish to commend the African presidents and head of states
who chose to be on the right side of history, who chose
humanity over distraction, who chose democracy over
dictatorship, who had the courage of their convictions by


 
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voting in the United Nations against the unlawful invasion of
Ukraine by Vladimir Putin and siding with Russia.
Finally, I wish to congratulate the Federal Leader of the DA
and the Leader of the Opposition in Parliament hon John
Steenhuisen for showing bravery and courage of his convictions
in the face of a real threat to his life by visiting Ukraine
to see the destruction for himself. So sad three months into
the war the African Union has suddenly woken up. They are now
sending an envoy. Africans we are on our own, it’s us who can
truly liberate ourselves from the despots and corrupt leaders
on our continent. Thank you very much.
Mr S ZANDAMELA: House Chairperson, am I audible?
IsiZulu:
USIHLALO WENDLU (Nk W Ngwenya): Ngiyakuzwa mhlonishwa,
ungakhuluma.
Mnu S ZANDAMELA: Yimina ebengingakuzwa ekuqaleni. Ngiyabonga.
English:
The Economic Freedom Fighters stand here today to mark the
59th anniversary of the founding of the Organisation of


 
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African Unity, OAU, a day which is celebrated on a global
scale by various African communities as Africa Day. Africa day
is a day of great importance to the continent because on this
day, on 25th of May 1963, African leaders met in Addis Ababa,
Ethopia, to commence discussions aimed at uniting the African
continent. This day stands significant to the continent and
its people, as it provides us with a day of reflection on
Africa’s achievements, in the recent past and its celebration
of its population and culture.
We are also granted an opportunity to remember the great
historical achievements of the Pan-Africanist and founding
fathers of the continental organisation. This day therefore
stands as a celebration of Africa, a continent which is home
to three billion people and accounts for 16% of the world’s
population. The largest and second most populous continent
after Asia, standing at approximately 30,3 million square
kilometres.
The EFF joins in and celebrates great African leaders which
paved the way for this day. We salute the fighting spirit of
revolutionaries who resisted the colonial spirit and
subjugation of the black majority. We salute liberation heroes
and heroines such as Dr Kwame Nkrumah, Emperor Haile Selassie,


 
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Julius Nyerere and all those progressives, who met in Addis
Ababa to commence discussions aimed at uniting the African
continent.
Each year we take pause on 25th May to celebrate Africa, to
reflect on the long journey of political emancipation, the
defeat of imperialism and make an effort to understand the
challenges which we face today as a continent. And we, once
again are reminded that the celebration of Africa Day is and
should be a celebration of ourselves. A celebration of African
political, economic and social unity. It is a day for all
African countries. A day which is observed as a public holiday
in twelve African countries, Ghana, Mali, Namibia, Zambia,
Zimbabwe, Angola, Chad, Comoros, Equatorial Guinea, Lesotho,
Liberia and Mauritania. Where citizens of these countries take
a day off from work, school and other duties to stay home
celebrating who we are and where we come from, something which
we as South Africans are yet to have.
This day should be a public holiday so that proper reflections
are made on what it means to be an African, an exercise which
is much-needed in our current xenophobic climate. As today, we
see people from other African countries, we see enemies,


 
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people who threaten us, because we do not know or have an
appreciation of our history.
Chairperson, the theme for this year’s Africa Day “from
pandemics to endemics” is a great opportunity to focus and
reflect on the common challenges which we face in a global
context. We stand independent today, but we also cannot claim
our independence is complete, for we know we are still
fighting the legacy of colonialism and imperialism.
Though in our most recent past, the scourge of COVID-19 has
left the continent exposed to poverty and unemployment.
Colonialism still stands as the original pandemic of the
African continent. Most African countries spent two
generations under European colonial power and in one way or
another, almost all African countries were victims of the
colonial period. The effects of colonialism are still visible
in the continent.
The current political instability, social disorder and
economic crisis experienced in Africa has their roots in the
colonial period. Neo-colonial masters continue to ruthlessly
extract and exploit natural resources from the African
continent without paying taxes and at the expense of our


 
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people. Neo-colonial masters continue to sponsor civil
conflict and terrorism in the African continent because
instability in the continent gives them space to extract and
steal our natural resources without any consequences. France
still maintains a significant military presence in the
continent and has been behind each and every conflict in the
so-called francophone Africa.
There will therefore never be progress in any of these
countries until all relations with France are discontinued.
That is why earlier this morning as the EFF, we held a picket
at the French embassy, in Tshwane, to demand the withdrawal of
France from the continent. As we celebrate Africa Day, may we
be reminded of our Africaness and realise that we, as a
people, are interdependent and interconnected.
As the EFF, we reaffirm the principles contained in our
Founding Manifesto which state that, “the development of the
African continent is inextricably linked with the development
of South Africa”. For no amount of sustainable socioeconomic
development and stability will be realised in South Africa
unless the state plays an active role in the economic
development of the continent.


 
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We therefore need to strengthen the ability of our country and
economy to absorb the labour force. For no country can have
sustained economic development without industrialisation. We
know this to be true, as most advanced societies are currently
enjoying great economic gains through investing in their own
people. House Chair, as EFF we therefor say forward to the
Unity of the African Continent and forward to the economic
emancipation. Thank you, House Chair.
Ms S SHAIKH: Thank you, House Chairperson, greeting to
yourself, to the Deputy Chairperson, Ministers and Deputy
Ministers on the platform, all delegates of the NCOP and all
South Africans, today we join the rest of Africa in
commemorating and celebrating Africa Day. It was on this day,
59 years ago, that the great leaders of our continent gathered
in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, to form the Organisation of African
Unity, to define and shape the Africa of the future.
It is perhaps prudent that on this occasion of the
commemoration and celebration of Africa Day, we take a step
back into history in order for us to move forward. On this day
in 1963, the Emperor of Ethiopia, His Imperial Majesty Haile
Selassie I, said:


 
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Africa is today at midcourse, in transition from the
Africa of yesterday to the Africa of tomorrow. Even as we
stand here, we move from the past into the future. The
task, on which we have embarked, the making of Africa,
will not wait. We must act, to shape and mould the future
and leave our imprint on events as they slip past into
history.
For his part, the then president of the Republic of Ghana, His
Excellency Kwame Nkrumah said:
On this continent it has not taken us long to discover
that the struggle against colonialism does not end with
the attainment of national independence. Independence is
only the prelude to a new and more involved struggle for
the right to conduct our own economic and social affairs;
to construct our society ... [Inaudible.]
Former President Thabo Mbeki ... [Inaudible.] ... to launch
the African Union. ... [Inaudible.] ... to be Africa of
tomorrow, as Emperor Selassie alluded to in 1963.
At the launch of the AU, President Mbeki pointed out that ...
[Inaudible.]


 
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The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Ms W Ngwenya): Hon Shaikh, we can’t
hear you. Can you please switch off your video maybe the sound
will be better than this?
Ms S SHAIKH: Can you hear me now, Chair?
The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Ms W Ngwenya): Yes, I can hear you now.
Continue
Ms S SHAIKH: Thirty-nine years later in 2002, former President
Thabo Mbeki with the leaders of Africa, gathered in the city
of Durban, South Africa, to launch the African Union. In doing
that, Africa was ‘transitioning from the Africa of yesterday
to the Africa of tomorrow, as Emperor Selassie alluded to in
1963. At the launch of the AU, President Mbeki pointed out
that:
As Africans, we have come to understand that there can be
no sustainable development without peace, without
security and without stability. That the Constitutive Act
of the African Union provided for mechanisms to address
this change which stood between the people of Africa and
their ability and capacity to defeat poverty, disease and
ignorance.


 
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President Mbeki further said:
We must work together for peace, security and stability
for the people of this continent and we must end the
senseless conflicts and wars on our continent as these
had caused so much pain and suffering to our people and
turned many of them into refugees, being displaced or
forced into exile.
The Constitutive Act of the African Union also provides for
mechanisms for dialogue and peaceful resolution of conflicts
to guarantee enduring peace and stability for our people. Our
forebears have correctly asserted that the economic
integration and social wellbeing of the continent can only
happen in an environment of peace and stability. The AU Agenda
2063 has amongst others, envisaged silencing the guns on the
continent by 2020. The reality is that the guns on the
continent have not been silenced. While the deadline has been
extended to 2030, as Africans we should act in an
extraordinary and unified manner to resolve the conflicts
which continue to afflict our continent and hamper our
development.


 
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Africa continues to face incidences of unconstitutional
overthrow of governments carried through coup de tat. In this
regard, we commend the AUs condemnation and suspension of
membership of countries where the unconstitutional overthrow
of governments has occurred. In addition to the condemnation,
there is a need to conduct a thorough analysis of the cause of
the coups and what is behind the coups. The President of
Liberia George Weah posed a question that we should not rule
out as Africans when we grapple with the resurgence of coups
on the continent. President Weah indicated that:
While we are condemning these military coups, we must also
muster the courage to look into what is triggering these
unconstitutional takeovers. And the questioned he asked is;
could it be that we are not honouring our political
commitments to respect the term limits of our various
Constitutions?
The other challenge facing the continent is terrorism. The
Mail and Guardian newspaper reported in March 2022 that Sub-
Saharan Africa accounted for almost half of global terrorism
deaths in 2021, and according to the latest Global Terrorism
Index report, the Sahel region is home to the world’s fastest-
growing and deadliest terrorist groups. The report findings


 
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indicate that violent conflict remains a primary driver of
terrorism, with more than 97% of terrorist attacks in 2021
taking place in countries that are in conflict.
The report found that 48% of all terrorism deaths globally
occurred in the four sub-Saharan African countries of Burkina
Faso, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Mali and Niger.
The Southern African Development Community, SADC region is
also facing instability related to terrorism and insurgency,
especially on the eastern coastal side of the Region,
including Cabo Delgado in Mozambique. In this regard, we
commend the role played by South Africa as part of the SADC
intervention in Mozambique to bring stability.
The President of South Africa, President Ramaphosa continues
to lead the SADC Troika to assist Mozambique to face up to the
challenges that the country confronts. Progress in this regard
has been registered, but more ground still need to be covered.
SADC has been able to make a meaningful contribution to
securing a peaceful situation in Mozambique. This is carried
through the SADC Standby Force in which our Defence Force
plays a critical role. SADC has committed and is determined


 
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that Mozambique does not walk alone in the fight against this
insurgency.
The concerning situation in Eswatini requires our utmost
support. We remain hopeful that the proposed national dialogue
to resolve the political situation in Eswatini will lead to
bringing peace and stability in the Kingdom. We are also
hopeful that the mediation processes in the Kingdom of Lesotho
will bear fruits. We stand in support to the SADC efforts to
bring stability in Lesotho. Generally, the region of SADC is
relatively stable, however, these developments if not averted
can destabilise the entire region.
Early this year, the world witnessed the conflict in the
eastern part of Europe. The war in Ukraine has in a way
brought to the world, the unresolved issues of the Cold War
period. The expansion of NATO to Eastern Europe is a matter
which defies the advice given for many years to NATO not to
expand in that direction. The war has brought more stress to
global supply and the economy. This impacts largely on the
import and export of agricultural produce from Africa to the
eastern part of Europe. The war also impacts on our energy
demand as a country.


 
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In this regard, we firmly support the position of our
government on the call for negotiations to bring peace in
Eastern Europe. Our principle position is that we should
resort to diplomacy to end the war, without taking side. This
is in keeping with principles derived from our foundational
values and guided by our commitment to human rights,
international law and equality of nations.
Some countries, especially from the West, are tacitly coercing
Africa to take an adversarial position in the face of the war
in Ukraine. We have to reiterate that the historic approach
taken by our forebears in the context of the cold war, that
Africa adhere to a policy of positive neutralism and non-
alignment is still a relevant approach for Africa in this
regard.
Africa continues to face instability as a result of socio-
economic challenges. We are a continent rich in natural
resources, yet our children go to bed hungry. The 2021 United
Nations Conference on Trade and Development reported that:
While in 2019, 478 million people lived in extreme poverty, it
is estimated that in 2021, 490 million people in Africa live
under the poverty line of 1,90 Purchasing Power Parity per


 
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dollar a day, and this is 37 million people more than what was
projected without the pandemic. This points to the need for
Africa to collectively intensify its efforts to reduce poverty
and eliminate hunger on the continent in line with the
Sustainable Development Goals.
The socio-economic challenges of unemployment, poverty and
inequality continue to confront Africa and Africans. This was
further brought to the fore by the COVID-19 pandemic. Member
States of the African Union should ensure that they address
these challenges, domestically and on the continent. Many
African people, pushed by unbearable socio-economic realities
in their countries, risks their lives on a daily basis to
cross rough terrain and at rough seas to enter Europe.
The Africa we want should be enjoyed by all citizens of
Africa. Without addressing these socio-economic challenges,
Africa will forever remain fragile in the attainment of peace
and stability. The fight against corruption and criminality
should, be our collective responsibility as Africans. We need
to strengthen the institutions of democracy in our countries
as well as the continental bodies such as the AU and SADC.


 
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In conclusion, as President Kwame Nkrumah said fifty-nine
years ago that:
Independence is only the prelude to a new and more
involved struggle for the right to conduct our own
economic and social affairs, to construct our society
according to our aspirations, unhampered by crushing and
humiliating neo-colonialist controls and interference.
Allow me House Chair, to convey a happy Africa Day to all. I
thank you very, House Chair.
Ms F NKOMONYE (Eastern Cape): Chairperson of the NCOP, hon
Chief Whip, hon Deputy Ministers present, Permanent and
Special Delegates to the NCOP, fellow MECs, distinguished
guests, ladies and gentlemen, good afternoon. Once again hon
Chairperson, it is always a pleasure to make a contribution on
matters before the NCOP. Today, marks the 59th anniversary of
the founding of the Organization of African Unity, OAU in
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia in 1963, and also marks 20 years since
the establishment of the African Union, AU in Durban in 2002.
We are therefore called upon today members of the House to
remember who we are. It is befitting that we look back in


 
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order to look forward. Julius Nyerere, the former President of
Tanzania in 1997 said:
What the founding fathers – certainly a hard-core of them –
had in mind was a genuine desire to move Africa towards
greater unity. We loathed balkanisation of the continent into
small unviable states, most of which had borders which did not
make ethnic or geographical sense.
So, the aim of these formations was to promote unity and
solidarity of African states but also spur economic
development, and promote international co-operation.
Unfortunately, hon members of the House to date Africa is
still divided by unmarked boundaries. Boundaries of
unnecessary competition amongst states and most unfortunately
hatred towards each other as Africans that results into Afro-
phobia. The primary objectives of these initiatives were to
rid the continent of the remaining vestiges of colonization
and apartheid. Another objective was to promote unity and
solidarity among African States, co-ordinate and intensify co-
operation for development, safeguard the sovereignty and
territorial integrity of member states.


 
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South Africa is a member of the AU and participates actively
to ensure these noble objectives are achieved. Africa Day,
formerly known as African Freedom Day and African Liberation
Day, thus provides us with a platform to celebrate and
acknowledge the successes of our united effort in the fight
against colonialism and apartheid, as well as progress that
has been made over the last 59 years, while at the same time
reflecting upon the common challenges that the entire
continent is currently faced with.
Hon Chairperson, I want to acknowledge that this month is very
significant to us as the nation at large as an icon of our
liberation struggle Tata Walter Sisulu was born 110 years ago
Engcobo on 18 May 1912. We are paying homage to Xhamela and
recognise that his fight for freedom was not in vain.
Yesterday we commemorated the Bulhoek massacre that took place
101 years ago when more than 180 people were killed in a
battle between the police and the Israelites who had gathered
to celebrate Passover at the holy village of Ntabelanga,
Bulhoek in Komani. May their souls rest in eternal peace and
rise in glory.
These martyrs and many others who fought for liberation in our
country and in the continent at large should serve as the


 
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broad shoulders we stand on as the leaders of today to
liberate our continent. Attainment of our freedom and
democracy was aided by active participation and support from
our fellow African brothers and sisters on the continent and
in the Diaspora. Our diversity as African states and
similarities in our cultures, language clan names should unite
us in the understanding that we are Africans not because we
come from Africa but because Africa comes from us.
The AU’s theme for 2022 is: Strengthening Resilience in
Nutrition and Food Security on the African Continent:
Strengthening agro-food systems, health, and social protection
systems for the acceleration of human, social and economic
capital development. This is a very important topic because no
continent can develop without first being able to feed its
people. Over the last decades, Africa has grown more dependent
on imported agricultural goods instead of developing its own.
We can reverse this trend through management of the food value
chain that enhances professional job opportunities for people
that offer them a decent living and career. It would be
rewarding to contribute to feeding our own population and
making our nation resilient against external shocks. I can
assure you hon Chair, that the Eastern Cape has the best beef


 
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product, mutton, the best coastline and is very rich in
agriculture.
The food crises that have been triggered by the Covid-19
pandemic, droughts, and the war in Ukraine are a stark
reminder that Africans must take responsibility for feeding
their populations. Africa imports agricultural products worth
US$60 billion every year. If Africa were self-sufficient, it
could finance long-term development investments.
We need to trigger political action to produce the necessary
change. Covid-19 has been a wake-up call, it demonstrated the
need for Africans to develop resiliency in the health and
social protection sectors. The main factors that favour and
influence agricultural activity in South Africa are our
climate, the land we have, soil and vegetation. We also need
to start changing the misperception that agriculture is not a
good career path and lacks opportunities for youth. We must
make agriculture fashionable. Agriculture is central to
fostering economic growth. It also reduces poverty, and
improving food security. More than 70% of the rural population
depends on agriculture for their livelihoods, and regional
economic growth has been constrained by poor performance in
the agriculture sector.


 
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The media and our lived experiences have exposed us to
incidents of crime against fellow African nationals. We need
to rise up and raise our voices when fellow African brothers
and sisters are harassed, injured, killed and their properties
burgled into and looted on our soil on the pretext that they
are undocumented and thus illegal citizens in South Africa.
We understand the frustration of our compatriots who are
victims of daily reported crimes that are allegedly committed
by South Africans and foreign nationals. The SA Police Service
are dealing with these cases; hence we are making a clarion
call to our fellow South Africans to stop campaigns such as
Operation Dudula that have criminal elements in them.
South Africa is a member of the global village, and we need to
think out of the box and find creative and innovating ways and
means to solve our socio-economic challenges. Research
suggests that domestic investment, net official development
assistance inflows, education, government effectiveness, urban
population, and metal prices positively and significantly
affect Africa’s economic growth.
In conclusion, whatever a country’s specific history and
circumstances, a number of measures have proven especially


 
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fruitful in reducing inequalities across the region. We must
increase productivity amongst small-scale farmers and ensure
that women have access to land. We must also reverse urban
favouritism in services and economic opportunities.
Furthermore, greater effort has been focused on enhancing
social services, ensuring access to social protection,
facilitating safe migration and mobility, and tackling
irregular migration. We have excelled in improving the lives
of our people including those of our siblings from other
African countries, and we can do more to make Africa a better
continent to work and live in. Thank you very much, House
Chairperson.
The DEPUTY MINISTER OF HEALTH: House Chairperson; the
leadership of the NCOP; members of the NCOP; members of the
executive council, MECs, logged in; Ministers and Deputy
Ministers, pandemics are widespread rapid spread of diseases
with exponential rise in pieces of over large areas. For a
pandemic to reach an endemic phase, it would need to be a
situation where you have a controlled level of a disease. This
means that while some people would still get infected, it
would not be an unbearable number of devastating consequences


 
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that overwhelms the public hospitals, the health systems and
the providers.
There is no hard and fast rule for when a pandemic becomes
endemic. South Africa has an opportunity to move from COVID-19
from being a pandemic to an endemic. Which means that the
disease will still be around and will remain, but the level
would not be causing significant disruptions in our lives and
the whole country. House Chairperson, vaccination acceptance
and the programs of government that have been put in place
will remain the key going forward. Currently South Africans
administered at least over 35 million doses of COVID-19 with a
population of over 49% at least with a single dose of the
adult population and 45% of our people actually are fully
vaccinated.
We also note that this program, while OMICRON variant of
COVID-19 leads to an enormous surge in positive cases around
South Africa, there were encouraging signs connected to the
endemicity for the most part, people who were vaccinated and
then tested positive had mild symptoms or were not symptomatic
at all. The more people who are vaccinated, the better for us.
We can conclude that in a way the disease is much milder, at


 
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least so far for vaccination-based immunity appears to provide
very broadly the immunity against multiple variants.
As much as it is important to keep track of the percentage of
test positivity, we need among other things to really make
sure we come forward and vaccinate. Going forward, governments
... [Inaudible.] ... should be actually given that space and
be allowed to really run these campaigns in transforming our
programs. Some of the attempts were implemented through social
programs by government and those actually demonstrated that
there was desirability to improve the lives of our people.
House Chairperson, there are principles that we can all
embrace public and private, locally and globally, that human
resources for health are key for preparedness and response.
They are crucial for health services and their key components
of health services and health systems up to at least 60%.
Therefore, House Chairperson, investment in human resources
for health is strategic investment. Coincidentally, the
African Unity, AU, envoy make such investments. It takes many
years to develop a person’s skill, but you get many more years
of service back on that investment. The World Health
Organisation, WHO, global target is to support every country
to vaccinate, at least 40% of its population by the end of the


 
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year and 70% of the world population by the middle of next
year. According to the World Health organisation, by March,
the Continent Africa had fully vaccinated just 15% of the
adult population.
Fifteen countries were yet to vaccinate at least 10% of their
population, while 21 African countries had vaccinated between
10 and 19% of their populations. Only five countries in Africa
had vaccinated between 40 to 69% of their adult population, of
which Mauritius and Seychelles had surpassed the 70%
vaccination coverage. House Chair, I’ve just returned from
Cuba, the People’s Republic of Cuba, the population of
11,5 million is vaccinated up to 93%. That which is also
significant is that Cuba did not depend on anyone in the world
to manufacture vaccines for them. They did not purchase any
COVID-19 vaccines. Vaccines were manufactured in the Cuban
government under the Cuban researchers and scientists.
The message to us in African to wake up Africa, you can do
this. More than 5,7 billion doses have been administered
globally, but a pitiful portion of those have been
administered in Africa. The longer vaccines inequality
persists, the more the virus will keep circulating and
changing because the pool of people who do not have immunity


 
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is too large to prevent virus mutation. Furthermore, the
longer the social and economic discipline will continue, the
impact would be higher chances than more variance than emerge
and give us challenges. By May this year, Covax has delivered
at 1,49 billion COVID-19 vaccine doses to 145 countries.
Nevertheless, as you know, Covax has also faced several
challenges with manufacturers prioritising bilateral deals and
many high income countries tying up the global supply of
vaccines. The African Union established the African COVID-19
Vaccination Acquisition Task Team, a compliment to Covax to
purchase vaccines for the African Union, AU, Member States
only. For a sustainable supply of vaccines and to ensure
reduced vulnerability, but Africa must also produce vaccines,
diagnostics and therapeutics and dramatically reduce
dependency on imports from the rest of the world.
Right now there’s a process of building partnership in vaccine
manufacturing in the country, like we know of Aspen and also
we are very much delighted on those. Now we need to create
sustainable capacity to manufacture all these biological,
among other things that have shown us that we are capable of
doing this and we also do have a very important institution in
our country, Denel, which could be repurposed to manufacturer


 
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health technology for the continent and transition may not
also be very difficult. Now, we also want to say this is
actually very much important to our country.
The African Union Commission, specifically the African Centres
for Disease Control, CDC, believe that Africa needs a new
public health order to safeguard the health and economic
security of the continent as it strives to meet the
aspirations of the agenda 2063 and react to the future disease
threats. It is envisaged at the new public health order would
enable cross continental and global collaboration, co-
operation and co-ordination. It is also believed that the
following four pillars would make it more comprehensive than
ever, and these are; one, strengthening public health
institutions; two, strengthening public health workforce,
three expanded and strengthening African manufacturing of
vaccines, diagnostics and therapeutics and lastly, respectful
action oriented partnership.
Now, if you don’t have these processing African manufacturing
of vaccines, diagnostics and therapeutics it is clear that the
issue around international property rights and vaccines in
Africa is an issue that we need to take head on with the World
Health Organisation to waiver some of the international


 
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property rights on vaccines and medicines as well as some key
issues around pharmaceuticals in Africa. We are closely
monitoring this and we need not to actually move our head out
of it. The international property rights are some of the main
hindrances for Africa to move faster in manufacturing vaccines
for the people of Africa, as well as much needed medicines and
medicinal equipment.
The international property transfer and waiver of some of
these rights on vaccines and medicines are some of the
essential requirements to assist most of the vaccine
manufacturing in Africa to attain the required permission to
use existing licenses to produce vaccines safely for our
continent. It has to be considered that there are advantages
to partner based on international property transfer between
large vaccine manufacturers and smaller ones so they could
actually ensure that the entry into the market is easy,
increasing volumes of vaccines that are produced and regional
expansions is actually key.
So, House Chairperson, we would need to continue to really
fight this and support the struggles of largely India and
South Africa that are leading in their efforts to remove the
international property limitations on local vaccine


 
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production, in particular, the COVID-19 pandemic accentuated
the desire for countries to produce their own vaccines for the
public health security of their citizens prior to the COVID-19
pandemic. It is important to note that while we are having all
these efforts, the European Union continues to oppose the
movement to remove monopolies and international property
protections for COVID-19 medical tools.
Brazil has actually developed proper policies that have
allowed the local vaccine production and we need to support
them on that one. On the issues of food security and health
outcomes, House Chair, we would like to indicate that Africa
was estimated to have a population of 1,2 billion people in
2018, and the fastest urbanising continent with a growth rate
of more than 2,7%. Large youth population presents the
potential demographic dividend that is adequately leveraged
with the right investments. According to the findings of the
continental accountability scoreboard that was launched by the
African Union, AU, and the African leaders for nutrition in
2019, the data showed that more than 150 million children
under five years of age in Africa are stunted, sorry, in the
world are stunted, but 57,8 million of those who are stunted
of the 150 almost a third are in Africa.


 
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Only seven member states have stunting raised below 19%.
Fifteen member states have children wasting prevalence below
5%. So, you could therefore see, hon House Chair, that food
security and nutrition remains the most challenging health
threat to the population of Africa at large. Each year one in
ten people in the world fall ill from contaminated food. In
Africa alone, 137 000 people die every year due to consumption
of unsafe food. It has been estimated that the public health
burden of foodborne diseases is comparable to the malaria,
human immunodeficiency virus, HIV, acquired immunodeficiency
syndrome, AIDS, apart from his public health impact, unsafe
food has serious implications for food security nutrition. ...
[Time expired.] ...
As I conclude, hon House Chairperson, we would like to say, as
we celebrate the Africa Day, we need to look inwardly, look
into Africa and see what can we do. So, partnership
strengthening of African strides is the key so that we one day
could say could say just like Cuba, when everybody is having
embargoes on us, we will not be able to look up to them for
support, but we can support ourselves and move on as a
continent, we need one another in Africa. Thank you very much,
hon House Chair.


 
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Mr D R RYDER: House Chair, when one considers the lofty
position of respect, the moral high ground that South Africa
enjoyed in the early years of our democracy, when we were the
darlings of the world, who would have thought that we would be
standing here today, ashamed of ourselves, and the role that
we play in international affairs on our continent and in the
world.
As we stand here having lost the position of largest economy
in Africa to Nigeria, we must, in diagnosis and evaluation,
consider the symptoms of this and then determine the root
cause. Yes, the economy of South Africa under the ANC has
worsened considerably, and the economic empowerment that we
all agree needs to happen, has failed.
South Africa is the most unequal country in the world – this
is a cry that is often repeated in this House, a cry used for
the justification of race-based schemes. But the cold hard
truth is that under the ANC’s model of Black Economic
Empowerment, BEE, the Gini co-efficient, and that’s the
measure of inequality, has worsened. Unemployment is fast
approaching 50% — reportedly the worst in the world. So, here
we are, the ANC continuing Verwoerd’s work, entrenching
poverty and dependence.


 
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The average gross domestic product, GDP, per capita has been
declining since 2014. This means that on average South
Africans are poorer now than we were then. Now when we need
it, when the price of fuel, food and most goods is soaring.
Why do you think we have fringe groups forming to demand the
ejection of our African brothers and sisters from our country?
It is nothing more than a fight for resources amongst people
desperate to fill their stomachs.
What else can we talk about in a speech on Africa Day, other
than the xenophobic calls from some of our fellow South
Africans? Next will be calls for jobs in each province to be
given to only those born in that province. Then down to towns,
wards and neighbourhoods. Already we see calls for contracts
to be given only to people living in a certain place. And
don’t throw the issue of illegal immigrants back at me. This
government has made it almost impossible for people to enter
this country legally. Home Affairs is absolutely dysfunctional
and the staff there see immigrants as an ATM to use as easy
targets for bribery. If you hear the words “illegal immigrant”
come from your lips, stop and check your privilege. Go and
talk to the hundreds of foreigners who queue for hours at
“horrid affairs” every day trying to comply with our
nonsensical regulations designed to give petty officials a


 
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chance to demand bribes. Yes, the symptoms all point to one
disease. The African National Congress, through their
policies, are the root cause of our fall from our hegemonic
position as a regional and continental leader.
Black Economic Empowerment has failed to redress the apartheid
legacy of inequality. The various policies of RDP, GEAR, New
Growth Path, the NDP have all failed and been abandoned,
leaving us all a little poorer. Yes, the names of the super-
rich have changed a little, but the majority still languish in
poverty. Investors from around the world decry the policy
uncertainty playing out under a weak president, following on
from the “everybody grab what you can while you can”
president.
Our international relations are so bad that we have become
complicit in human rights abuses in our region and beyond. I
think of silent diplomacy in Zimbabwe while people are
tortured and killed. Our assistance with the harbouring of
Omar Al-Bashir when we should have arrested him. The deafening
silence on Myanmar, and of course the ANC’s recent support of
Eastern Imperialism as Russia invaded the Ukraine. In Amnesty
International’s 2019 article on Human Rights abuses, South
Africa was the fourth country mentioned as a bad example.


 
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Don’t dare lecture us, Mr Dango on Africa while your poverty
Cabinet continues to create a perfect environment for the rise
of Operation Dudula and the popular politicians who support
their cause.
In conclusion House Chair, as we gather to discuss an
integrated, prosperous and peaceful post-COVID Africa in an
environment of increasing distrust, declining prosperity, and
xenophobic mutterings, the treatment that South Africa needs
is clear. I therefore prescribe an extended dose of Democratic
Alliance government because only the DA can help South Africa
take back its rightful place as the economic powerhouse of
Africa where our people enjoy the fruits of our substantial
resources. I thank you.
Ms H G S MAVIMBELA (KwaZulu-Natal): Hon House Chair, greetings
to the Chief Whip of the NCOP, the hon members and the guests.
It is an honour and privilege to join millions across the
world as we celebrate Africa Day. This Africa month comes at a
time when KwaZulu-Natal is still recovering from the
devastating floods which have displaced thousands from their
homes, with some families still searching for their loved
ones. It is important now, more than ever, for us to reach out


 
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to those in need in our communities, to lend a hand and
practice what our ancestors have taught us, ubuntu.
As we celebrate Africa Day, I’m reminded of the speech
delivered by Ghana’s first President, Kwame Nkrumah during the
founding of the AU in Addis Ababa, on 24 May 1963. He said and
I quote:
Our objective is African union now. There is no time to
waste. We must unite now or perish. I am confident that
by our concerted effort and determination, we shall lay
here the foundations for a continental Union of African
states.
A foundation which was laid 59 years ago is still what bind us
as the African continent. The theme for this year’s Africa Day
is “From the pandemics to the endemics, buiding an integrated,
prosperous and peaceful Africa beyond the Covid-19 pandemic.”
The aim for this year’s theme is to maintain a strong
political momentum on nutrition across the African continent.
It is a unique opportunity to strengthen continental
commitment to end malnutrition in all its forms and to further
improve food and security in the African continent.


 
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Triple challenges of poverty, unemployment and inequality
remains the worst enemy for our democratic state as many our
people remain below the poverty line. The outbreak of COVID-19
pandemic and the civic-unrest we faced in July last year also
played a part in many households losing income, putting a
strain in our economy. With this year’s theme, it gives us an
opportunity as the African countries to come together as we
rebuild communities. In order for this to succeed, we need to
be tolerant of each other and embrace our brothers and sisters
from other African countries.
This Africa Month, let us promote the clarion call for an end
to xenophobic attitudes, expressions and behaviour as these
are contrary to the Pan-Africanism and African Cultural
Renaissance mandate. We can do this by articulating the
importance of Africa Month in driving the united efforts for
decolonisation and regeneration of the African continent.
It is our duty to lead by example and educate youth to take
pride in their culture and heritage. It is up to us to ensure
that we educate them about tolerance and acceptance of those
that come from different cultural, linguistic and religious
backgrounds. Let Africa month be a month where we showcase
different cultures from the continent and learn different


 
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cuisines which are enjoyed in different parts of the
continent.
The Department of Sport, Arts and Culture that I am leading
will continue to deliver programmes that are aimed at
fostering national pride and social cohesion. For the African
continent to thrive it is important for us to teach our young
people about their culture, what it means to be their
decolonised history and what it means to be a South African
and African. We need to teach them how families in Africa were
self-reliant, how they could utilise land to ensure food
security and wealth. We need to foster these values at a young
age. Hence, we are excited that we have concluded the
framework on implementation of school sport, arts and culture
programmes at all KwaZulu-Natal schools.
IsiZulu:
Lapha silandela isisho sesiZulu esithi, ligotshwa libunjwe
liseva. Lokhu kukhombisa ukubaluleka kokufundisa izingane
zethu zisezincane ukubaluleka kwempilo yaseAfrika. Kanti lokho
sizokwenza ngokusebenzisa ezemidlalo, ezobuciko nezamasiko.
English:


 
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The African pride can only be realised and fostered when we
are able to take our people out of poverty and ensure that
they become self-sustain and reliance. We need to ensure that
our young people are trained to take advantage of the Fourth
Industrial Revolution and become creators of job
opportunities. We need to revive what former President Thabo
Mbeki echoed when he was giving an address in 1996 in passing
of the Constitution of South Africa. He said, and I quote:
I am an African. I owe my being to the hills and the
valleys, the mountains and the glades, the rivers, the
deserts, the trees, the flowers, the seas and the ever-
changing seasons that define the face of our native land.
My body has frozen in our frosts and in our latter-day
snows. It has thawed in the warmth of our sunshine and
melted in the heat of the midday sun. The crack and the
rumble of the summer thunders, lashed by startling
lightening, have been a cause both of trembling and of
hope. The fragrances of nature have been as pleasant to
us as the sight of the wild blooms of the citizens of the
veld. A human presence among all these, a feature on the
face of our native land thus defined, I know that none
dare challenge me when I say - I am an African!


 
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As proud Africans, let us stand together and unite and ensure
that the vision that our forebears had when the African Union
was founded is achieved. Let our actions show unity that
President Kwame Nkrumah envisioned to grow Africa to be
prosperous for generations to come.
Hon House Chairperson, I would not be proud if I cannot
respond to hon member who is talking about the weak president
because we are where we are as South Africa because of the
apartheid government that removed our pride and dignity. So,
we are fighting as the current government in terms of bringing
back the pride of the African people. Thank you, hon House
Chair.
Ms M C MAHASELA (Limpopo): Hon Chair of the House, hon
Ngwenya, Deputy Ministers who are with us, members of the
National Council of Provinces, hon MECs, guests, ladies and
gentlemen, I greet you. Allow me, members of this august House
to extend my sincere appreciation to the hon Chair of the
House for having invited me to say a few words on the occasion
of Africa Day celebrations which is being marked today.
We are proud to be in Africa today. We are also products of
the soil and the blood, the sweat, and the tears of Africa our


 
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common mother continent. We also commit ourselves to work with
other Africans in our region and the rest of our continent to
promote the achievement of the goal of African unity. That
unity also means that in our own country, South Africa, we
must continue to live together with our brothers and sisters
from other African countries as good neighbours. Hello? Hon
Chair?
The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Ms W Ngwenya): Yes, hon member.
Ms M C MAHASELA (Limpopo): Am I audible?
The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Ms W Ngwenya): Yes, you are.
IsiZulu:
Qhuba! Qhuba ntombo.
English:
Ms M C MAHASELA (Limpopo): Thank you very much. Ladies and
gentlemen, as a continent and the world, it is barely a few
months since we emerged from the notorious COVID-19 pandemic
that has created a universal impact on mental health, uh,
depression and other conditions such as financial instability,


 
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isolation, gender-based violence, and other factors generated
by this crisis.
As countries in Africa and elsewhere, roll back strict
measures against COVID-19 and aim to soon declare the pandemic
over, South Africa and public health stakeholders are also
starting to receive their attention. Vaccination continues to
remain important, but the focus is moving on to longer-term
testing and surveillance approaches that can be integrated
into and will strengthen the national health systems. Let us
all note that countries will not enter an endemic phase at the
same time because of variables in environmental factors,
various factors including the vaccination rates, the
availability and roll-out of booster vaccine shots each year
or seasons will also shape this path. Poor vaccine coverage
could allow the virus to continue at an epidemic level for
longer in locations where immunity wanes quickly and there are
no longer booster shots available, COVID-19 could go from ...
[Inaudible.]
In Africa, less than 13% of the population had been fully
vaccinated as of March 2022. In a continent of 1,4 billion
people, only about 693 million COVID-19 vaccine doses have
been received with nearly 40% of these doses not yet


 
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administered back to ... epidemic. Members, today it has been
reported that the Africa Centres for Disease Control and
Prevention, Africa CDC, has expressed confidence that the
continent is now better prepared to deal with any likely
pandemic and disease outbreak, including Monkey Pox, noting
that new disease outbreaks will continue to occur anywhere, as
seen with the Monkey Pox and Wild Polio. The Africa CDC, which
is a Commonwealth Development Corporation and the AU member
states should be encouraged to mobilise public health assets
that are required to do a good diagnosis, to identify,
respond, and contain hotspots.
As Africans, we have reasons to be chuffed and a round of
applause for our collective achievement will surely not be
amiss. Today, Africans on the continent and indeed the
diaspora must join together in celebrating Africa Day, the
most auspicious event on the continent’s calendar. On behalf
of the Limpopo provincial government, I take this opportunity
to convey our best wishes to all Africans in every way. We
also recommit ourselves as the provincial government to work
with the government at large to promote the achievement of the
goal of African unity.


 
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Africa is giving so much to us and the world. Africa
relentlessly with us against apartheid. And as South Africans,
we will forever be indebted to the continent and its people.
The Africa of which I speak of has been generally acknowledged
as the cradle of humanity. With the high levels of
unemployment and vulnerable employment on the rise, the world
of work in Africa is still facing tremendous challenges in
terms of job creation and sustainability. Unemployment appears
to be on a downward trend in Africa but major market distress
remains pervasive, particularly among women and the youth.
The Quarterly Labour Force Survey results reveal that in the
second quarter, the number of employed people fell by 54 000
to 14,9 million, while the number of unemployed individuals
increased by 584 000. As it stands, 7,8 million South Africans
between the ages of 21 and 64 are unemployed. All other
measures will be taken to avoid the recurrence of criminal
violence which has besmirched the good image of South Africa.
on this day, Africa Day, let us pause to reflect on what it
means to be a human being, a South African and an African.
Thus we shall be able to answer questions on whether we are on
the right path towards the dawn of a new day for Africa and
her people. Therefore, lobbying all African countries, we need
to strengthen the ability of economies to absorb the labour


 
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force. History has shown that countries cannot sustain
economic development without industrialisation, and without
the best entrepreneurial energy.
This is particularly true in many East Asian countries where
the demographic transition has been especially rapid. Picking
China as an example, it has enjoyed significant gains where
the demographic dividend contributed to nearly one-quarter of
the economic growth in the past three decades and was also
spurred by an emergence of a strong private sector and better
entrepreneurship. We are worried about the rise of xenophobia
and particularly Afrophobia, racism and disrespect for black
African lives, which has now become a defining future
vigilantes’ mindset and we must unequivocally condemn it in
totality.
I am saying this and pointing out that Operation Dudula and we
must all assist one another to understand the phenomenon of
migration, its global nature, its causes and how others
elsewhere in the world managed and avoid its mismanagement.
Civic education is vital. Part of what we need to do to deal
with the events of the last two weeks wherein a white student
urinated on Babalo Ndwayana’s desk. This is the time for
unity. And we do not need that in our beautiful continent. It


 
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is a time to speak with one voice against something which if
it takes root will take us back to a past of violent conflict,
which no one among us can afford. All our communities should
remain ever vigilant making it forever impossible for anyone
to manipulate their concerns and aspirations for criminal
purposes.
Let me remind you, as a continent, we have emerged to
independence at different stages. With imperialism growing
stronger, more ruthless and experienced, and more dangerous in
its international association. Our economic advancement
demands the end of colonialist and neocolonialist domination
in Africa. But just as we understood that the shaping of our
national destinies required of each of us our political
independence and bank all our strength to this attainment. So
we must recognise that our economic independence resides in
our African Union and requires the same concentration upon the
political achievement. The unity of our continent, not less
than our separate independence, will be delayed if indeed we
do not lose it by hobnobbing with colonialists. African unity
is above all, a political kingdom which can only be gained by
political means. There is the social and economic development
of Africa will come only ... Ladies and gentlemen, I conclude
my address. Let us heed Kwame Nkrumah’s reminder when he said,


 
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“I am not African because I was born in Africa but because
Africa was born in me.” I wish you a successful Africa Day
celebration in 2022. May God bless Africa and its people. I
thank you, hon Chairperson.
Afrikaans:
Mnr S F DU TOIT: Agb Voorsitter, ...
English:
May 25 is a day used specifically to celebrate Africa’s
independence, freedom and liberation strife from colonial
powers. The event commemorates the Organisation of African
Unity, which is commonly known as the African Union – 25 May
1963. The move was originally inspired by Ghana’s
independence. Ghana was the first country in the South of the
Sahara gaining its independence on March 6, 1957.
Afrikaans:
Ek is trots om ’n nasaad van ’n groepering te wees wat die
hoogste prys betaal het wat hierdie land, Suid-Afrika, my
land, teen ’n imperialistiese regering verdedig het! Ek is
trots om as deel van ’n groepering geassosieer te word met
helde soos De La Rey en Louis Botha. Danie Theron is ’n man
wat twee liefdes gehad het – sy nooi en sy vaderland, ’n


 
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stryder wat heldhaftig, alleen, sy man teen die gevreesde
Britse leër gestaan het en op die einde met kannonvuur
verpletter moes word, om sy geregverdigde veglus, trots,
oorlewingsdrang en vaderlandsliefde te demp. Sy legende leef
steeds voort in ons wese.
English:
General Christiaan Rudolph de Wet is a great boer general,
whose name is inextricably woven into the epic struggle of
Afrikaners for the independence from British Rule in South
Africa.
Afrikaans:
Suid-Afrika, staan stil, hier kom ’n man verby.
English:
I am not like some that claim independence, the thousands that
allowed themselves to be used by the imperial forces to raid
Afrikaner farms.
Afrikaans:
Kolonialiste het die rykdom en potensiaal van verskillende
lande regoor die wêreld gesien en dit ontgin, infrastruktuur
gevestig en op ’n soms verwronge wyse, vooruitgang, kundigheid


 
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en potensiaal gevestig, voordat dit weer Afrika en Indië se
oewers verlaat het. Dit het uit niks, iets gemaak en almal het
’n prys betaal.
English:
Some celebrate independence after being given the keys to the
kingdom in 1994, long after the imperialists sailed from our
shores.
Afrikaans:
Wat het die ANC-regering met die onafhanklikheid gedoen wat in
1994 aan hul oorhandig is? Het hul enigsins voortgebou op die
onafhanklikheid wat Suid-Afrika in 1961 ontvang het? Indië het
in 1947 onafhanklikheid verkry en is vandag ’n toonaangewende
rolspeler in die internasionale arena, sonder rasbehepte
wetgewing.
English:
Singapoer and Malysia were under colonial rule. After
independence they did not blame their past, they prospered and
used their past as the foundation to build successful
economies, prosperous nations without measure, world
destinations!


 
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Afrikaans:
Suid-Afrika het die imperialistiese heerskappy, tenspyte van
konsentrasiekampe en moordkommando’s oorleef. Suid-Afrika het
die verwoesting, die nalatenskap van die Engelse verskroeiede-
aardebeleid ook dit oorleef en weer opgestaan. Suid-Afrika het
die Spaanse griep en die Groot Depressie oorleef.
English:
We survived the 1918 Spanish flue pandemic, to which about
2,5% of Africa’s population succumbed, - about 130 million
people. South Africa survived the 1994 elections, the 2008-09
recession, the 2009 to 2018 Zuma reign, the ANC Covid-19
lockdown regulations and 28 years of race-based legislation,
protecting and furthering the rights of a majority.
South Africa will never become truly independent or
prosperous, if it continues to rely on outdated ideologies
like socialism, racism or race-based approaches. Are we really
independent, does this government really want an integrated
and prosperous, peaceful South Africa?
Afrikaans:
Ons het tot nou toe en sal met ons inherente veerkragtigheid
in die toekoms, die ANC oorleef. Laat ons soos Japie Greyling,


 
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die kinderheld van Hoopstad, nie swig onder die geblaf van die
vyand nie. Ons sal oorwin! Dankie.
Mr I MEYER (Western Cape: MEC – Agriculture): Hon Chairperson,
on 27 July 2020, the World Bank published a report on the
African Continental Free Trade Agreement. This report
highlighted that the African Continental Free Trade Agreement
presents significant opportunities for the African countries
to bring 30 million people out of extreme poverty. With the
implementation of the Africa Continental Free Trade Agreement,
trade facilitation measures that cut red tape and simplify
customs procedures will drive US$292 billion of the US$450
billion potential in income. Talking about Africa brings us
nowhere; doing in Africa is more rewarding and more impactful.
Today, on 25 May, I am celebrating Africa Day, as I am proud
to announce that, today, I have received a research report on
the Western Cape Government’s Agricultural Africa Strategy.
Today signals hope for Africa and the Western Cape for
agriculture. Today signals hope for Africa on the continent.
Africa is a place of hope and we intend to translate hope into
outcomes, clear deliverables, trade and investment and
prosperity. This is our message of hope, because Africa is a


 
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continent with abundant possibilities and resources. The
objective is to unlock agricultural opportunities in Africa
and in the Western Cape agricultural sector.
In doing so, the Western Cape government seeks to achieve the
following outcomes on Africa Day: firstly, to increase
economic growth through the agricultural sector in the Western
Cape and in Africa, and the Western Cape is already
responsible for 53% of all South Africa’s agricultural
exports; secondly, to increase our employment in the
agricultural sector in the Western Cape, but also on the
African continent; thirdly, to increase provincial and
household food security in Africa and in the Western Cape
rural communities; fourthly, resilient trade and business
relationships in the Western Cape, using the Western Cape as a
gateway into Africa.
To attain these outcomes, the Western Cape Department of
Agriculture will take the following necessary steps: we will
create an enabling environment for economic growth; we will
pull our PPPs, knowledge, skills and efforts by sharing and
understanding the co-creation of solutions, to enhance
economic growth; we will increase productivity, food security
through precision agriculture, but also through learning from


 
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our colleagues on the African continent, particularly, our
neighbouring states; we will seek reduced protection in
respect of the outward trade regime market access and
integration; we will also realise that it important to
facilitate this through a sharper focus on intergovernmental
collaboration and problem-solving, as well as the
establishment.
This is unique. We will establish an Africa agribusiness
innovative centre here in the Western Cape. We will establish,
in celebrating Africa, not talking, but doing, an agro-
innovation hub and provide policy and regulatory support to
all our farmers. We are beyond political rhetoric in Africa.
We are putting our dream for Africa in action, with our
friends from the continent.
Seven out of the 10 fastest growing economies in the world are
on the African continent. That is the hope we have for Africa.
Hope means higher opportunities for people to excel on the
continent of Africa, because seven out of the 10 fasters
growing economies are on the African continent, although from
a low base.


 
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South Africa is lagging behind, because we have a failing
state in South Africa. The ANC is a failed state. the ANC does
not care for Africa. Former President Zuma insulted Africa at
a public meeting when he said: “This country is not like a
highway in Malawi.” What an insult to our colleagues on the
African continent! It was Shakespeare, Hamlet, who said, as he
contemplated suicide, and I quote: “Here lies the rod.” The
ANC government has a disastrous track record, as hon member
Dennis Rider indicated, when it comes to dealing with issues
of border post inefficiencies, harbour inefficiencies, high
transactional costs, corruption and administrative burdens and
the provision of infrastructure.
Today, I call on President Ramaphosa to begin displaying
leadership qualities of President Hakainde Hichilema of
Zambia. He governs with humility ... [Interjections.] ... and
is determine to root out corruption. [Interjections.] His tone
in Zambia is firm, resolute, yet, with great passion and
compassion for the people of Africa. He governs with humility.
He is a true example of servant leadership from Africa for
Africa.


 
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Doing so will significantly enhance the chances and the
promise of the benefits of the African Continental Free Trade
Agreement accruing to all South Africans.
The Western Cape Department of Agriculture will concretise the
African Continental Free Trade Agreement in the interim and I
will soon embark on a study visit to take advantage of the
benefits both for Africa, South Africa and the people of the
Western Cape, because we are an exporter of agricultural
products.
Let us adopt a resolution today on Africa Day. Let this House
declare poverty a pandemic and let us start a revolution and
invest in food security, sustainability, wellbeing and
dignity. Let us first kick out the corrupt ANC, because they
keep people poor. By keeping people poor, they sustain the
ANC. I am so glad that the ANC has this past weekend realised
and confirmed in public that they will be out of government in
2024 and that Africa and South Africa can prosper without the
ANC. Let us safe South Africa and kick out the ANC in 2024.
Let us safe South Africa.
Afrikaans:


 
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Ek is trots op Afrika, maar die ANC het Afrika vertrap soos
die koloniale heersers.
English:
Thank you.
Mr N M HADEBE: Thank you, hon Chairperson. Hon members, this
year theme for African Day “Strengthening Resilience in
Nutrition and Food Security on the African Continent:
Strengthening Agri-Food Systems, Health and Social Protection
Systems for Acceleration of Human, Social and Economic Capital
Development.” It is drawn from the African Union theme for
2022.
According to statistics SA the effects of the Covid-19
pandemic denied many South Africans their right to adequate
food as enshrined in the South African Constitution and the
population classified severely food secure was 17,3%, which is
10,1 million in South Africa in 2019.
As South Africans and in the light of the extreme weather
conditions that we have of late rated to KwaZulu-Natal and the
Eastern Cape and other parts of our beautiful country, we


 
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cannot have a discussion about food security without
mentioning climate change.
This is why as the IFP even before the devastating floods the
green economy in all its multiple faces was and remain an apex
priority. Solutions for agriculture need to reduce
environmental risk not contributing towards that. Where we
govern and in all far away we have a voice. We will continue
to push sustainable development as a solution to ensure food
and job security.
Moreover, the IFP in turns to reposition agriculture in South
Africa to compete favourable and supply regionally and
internationally. We want to remind government that as a
country we do not stand alone. As a member of the African
Union, South Africa can draw on the expertise of, for example,
the African Union Development Agency-NEPAD, which is mandated
to provide knowledge based advisory services and technical
services assistance.
We need to take full advantage of all opportunities available
to us. As the IFP, we welcome African Union Development Agency
programmes such as the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture


 
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Development Programme first implemented in 2011 and
recommitted to in 2017. Thanks to programmes such as these.
South Africa can access evidence-based solutions and
successful climate smart agricultural practices that have been
rolled out in other parts of the continent. We can also share
our own successes stories. Let’s work together to ensure that
as we rebuild and restore farms and other agricultural
infrastructure destroyed by the impact of climate change in
regions in KwaZulu-Natal that we build better to avoid a
repeat of devastation. I thank you, hon Chairperson.
Mr J J LONDT Thank you, hon Chair and hon MECs who are
participating and the one Minister that we have here today,
Alan Winde, from the Western Cape and hon members, one thing
that I did pick up from every speaker today is in somewhere or
another, we are truly blessed to live in this beautiful
planet. Our continent is blessed with richness. Firstly, in
its people, the diversity in every possible way and the
tremendous potential we have bubbling just under the surface.
Hon Lucas, one of the parts I applauded when you say and you
referred to that we need competent government as the key to
unlocking Africa’s potential.


 
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Afrikaans:
My vraag is egter: Hoe sal enige persooon wat krities na Suid-
Afrika kyk ons kan ernstig neem, as ons eie regering so
ongelooflik swak doen om na ons inwoners te kyk?
English:
Across Africa we have liberation movements who did a
tremendous job fighting for independence unfortunately across
these beautiful continent liberation movements have struggled
a lot to become effective government. In South Africa we
started off brilliantly as hon Lindi Nana stated and that is
100% true but today 100% because of the fault of the ANC we
have lost infrastructure. We have lost credibility. We have
lost the moral authority as a government.
Today, same as in every proceeding here, we heard beautiful
stories of the potential we have but in ever aging leadership
in South Africans who live in the past wants to talk about the
future and only pay leap service to what we must do they never
really deliver on it.
We have people that blame past and present. Hon Dangor’s
favourite face 1652 and the other colleagues all blaming
Covid. Its utter rubbish. We are in this situation we are here


 
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today because this ANC government is terrible in delivering.
They are incapable of taking policy and implementing it into
looking after the citizens.
When we hear year in and year out now that foreigners are
stealing our jobs there are people coming into the country
that is taking away opportunities from South Africa, that’s
not true. We have a schooling system delivered by this ANC
government that fails to equip our students to fight in the
market place. When our colleagues and our northern brothers in
Zimbabwe, when they are in the election voted to vote out
their liberation movement and voters will be bitten up and
elections stolen.
This government apply silent democracy. And now look where
they are. It is not colleagues’ African leaders in general.
They follow the same hymn sheet as the ANC. They speak about
the past, stealing the present and they just throw away our
future. A perfect example of this is hon Nkomonye, the ANC,
MEC, from the Eastern Cape who proudly stated they have the
beef, the best mutton the best land and the best coastline.
I have travelled extensively in the Eastern Cape and I can
support you. You have a province of abundance. But you what


 
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failed to mentioned is that you have one of the worse regional
government. With all that resources you failed to look after
the citizens in your province.
Hon Mavimbela, the MEC from KwaZulu-Natal proudly pretends
that current ANC leaders are bringing back the pride for our
people. But, hon Mavimbela, please help us to understand how
you bring back pride when people have to line in hospital
corridors to get treated. People want to work, cannot find job
opportunities because you ensure that our economy is tanking.
Please, tell me how do you bring back pride when the ANC steal
billions of billions that they had to go to the most
vulnerable. This is after you allowed billions more to be
stolen by your handlers the Guptas.
When I listened to you how can your friends, family and
children even have pride in you defending the indefensible.
Colleagues from the ANC you were on the right side of history
but you are not anymore. One thing is certain, if you don’t
change your ways and I suspect that you will not, you will be
consigning to history as the generation that should have as
the generation that could have but the generation that
didn’t do anything to build on the one hard freedoms of the
past.


 
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We cannot continue this way. We have a beautiful country. We
have a beautiful continent. We have weak, weak leadership that
cannot keep into that massive potential. And as Dr Ivan Meyer,
the MEC in the Western Cape stated, come 2024, you will be
sitting in opposition benches and you will regret missing an
opportunity. You will regret years back, years upon years upon
years. And your children and their children will be
embarrassed to share your surname because you had the
opportunity and you didn’t take it.
Let’s us celebrate this beautiful continent we live on. Let’s
celebrate the wonderful diversity and the wonderful people.
But let us also be honest with one another, that is the
leaders that’s currently failing this continent and that can
and must change. I thank you.
Mr A J NYAMBI: House Chairperson, Chairperson of the NCOP, Mr
A Masondo, Deputy Chairperson of the NCOP, Ms S E Lucas,
Deputy Minister, special delegates, fellow members, ladies and
gentlemen. I am not going to waste much time and spoil this
important day. To all of you happy Africa Day. One day I will
sponsor a debate where we will try to deal with the legacy of
apartheid and colonialism, and the impact it has had in our
beautiful country. Of course I agree with you, hon Londt, we


 
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have got a beautiful continent and a beautiful country. But
other things you said, the least I focus on them the better
for me. One day we will have ample time to do justice to what
you have raised today.
The debate on Africa Day takes place at the time when the
countries of the world in our country, are emerging from a
global pandemic that is disrupted the social and economic
activities. The COVID-19 pandemic has slowed economic growth
across the world and thus leading to massive job losses, and
loss of income for the many people of the world. As South
Africa, we are also affected by the global slowdown of the
economy. The triple challenges of employment, inequality and
poverty are worsened by the pandemic and global lockdown. As
such, Africa has also not been spared.
We commemorate and celebrate Africa Day when our country has
outlined a plan of recovery from economic downturn. We are
referring here to the government Economic Reconstruction and
Recovery Plan, ERRP. The ERRP is aimed at stimulating
equitable and inclusive growth. This plan is located within
the broader agenda of the ... [Inaudible] ... of contributing
to the integration of the economy of our beautiful continent,
Africa.


 
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Twenty years ago, the representatives of the people of Africa
gathered in Abuja, Nigeria and agreed on the treaty to
establish the African economic community. This is commonly
known as the Abuja Treaty of 1991. Hon House Chair, since then
the people of Africa and their leaders committed themselves to
the practical realisation of the establishment of the economic
community.
In line with the Abuja Treaty, the African Union agreed on the
framework roadmap and architecture, for the fast-tracking the
establishment of the African Continental Free Trade Area and
the action plan for boosting intra African trade. It is common
cause that the African Continental Free Trade Agreement, the
AfCFTA was ... [Inaudible] ... January 2021.
The general objectives of the African Continental Free Trade
Agreement among other things, are to create a single market
for goods services facilitated by movement position of persons
in order to deepen the economic integration of the African
Continent, in accordance with the Pan African vision of an
integrated, prosperous and peaceful Africa enshrined in Agenda
2063 Hon Nhanha. To create a liberalised market for goods and
services through successive rounds, and contribute to the
movement of capital and natural persons and facilitate


 
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investment building on the initiatives and developments, in
the state parties and regional economic communities. As well
as to promote industrial development through diversification
and regional value chain development, agricultural development
and food security.
The significance of the African Continental Free Trade
Agreement cannot be overemphasised. The African Continental
Free Trade Agreement will go a long way in changing the
economic structure of the continent, which was designed to the
colonial interest of exporting new material for further
processing and value addition in developed countries. This in
essence means that, Africa is exporting employment creation
potential to the West. I don’t know how you don’t comprehend
something as simple as this hon Londt.
Through the implementation of the African Continental Free
Trade Agreement, Africa and its people are moving forward to
change the architecture of the economy of our continent. We
need to aggressively move in the value addition, and that
requires building internal African capacity led through
manufacturing. The Trade Law Centre reported that intra-
African trade accounted for 15% of Africa’s total trade in
2019, the same as for 2018. Over the last 10 years, Intra-


 
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Africa trade has remained low. The highest was recorded in
2015 and 2016 with 19% and 20% of total trade.
The implementation of the African Continental Free Trade
Agreement will depend on some enabling factors which will be
in place. These include strong institution for regulation, the
desired infrastructure and connectivity, the human capacity as
well as environment of stability. The success of the African
Continental Free Trade agreement should include inclusive
growth, which will create space for participation of women and
youth in the African economy, as well as participation of
small micro enterprises.
House Chair, contrary to the held view that, lack of
entrepreneurship is responsible for lack of economic growth in
the developing world as explained by hon Londt, the reality is
that, developing countries including Africa has a significant
number of entrepreneurs who survive by selling goods and
services along our streets, such as barbershops operators,
street vendors, etc. What is missing House Chair is the
support and formalisation of these entrepreneurs, to enable
them to participate in the mainstream economy, and thus
benefit from the economic integration initiative, such as the
African Continental Free Trade Agreement.


 
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For our part in South Africa, we urge Small Enterprise
Development agency, Seda and Small Enterprise Finance Agency,
Sefa, the National Empowerment Fund add and other development
finance institutions to provide more support to SMMEs, to
enable them to take advantage the African Continental Free
Trade Agreement which provides for a market of over 1 billion
people. The benefits of the African Continental Free Trade
Agreement could also be maximized through aggressive
implementation of localization policies, which are intended to
ensure that the material inputs upstream in the manufacturing
sector are derived from local supply.
There are also issues that if not dealt with, will negatively
affect the full implementation of the Africa Continental Free
Trade Agreement. Amongst these is the issue of migration. This
is a thorny issue House Chair, that requires level-headed
approach. The starting point is that the African Union, AU
protocol on free movement of people emphasizes that movement
of people including goods, should be done within the legal
framework of each member state. Member states are allowed to
craft their own migration legal framework, guided by their
domestic interest, including security consideration. When that
is done, it will further enhance the integration of the
continent.


 
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Migration laws should not be seen as actions against foreign
guests. There is no country in the world that can survive
without people visiting the country or visiting another
country. The world is interconnected and internet dependent
and so is Africa hon Londt. South Africa has over centuries
welcome people from other parts of the world to our shores. We
are very hospitable people. That explains why many people
prefer to visit our beautiful country as you correctly
explained.
The truth is that, there are many people in South Africa from
all over the world, and largely from our continent of Africa,
and majority of them came in our country through proper
channels. They were processed through our ports of entry.
Those who are in our beautiful country illegally, should sort
their status with the Department of Home Affairs. The
implementation of migration laws knows no colour or
nationality. Everyone whether from Europe, Asia, America, and
Africa should ensure that when they come to South Africa or go
anywhere in the world, they must ensure that they follow
proper channels.
Even South Africans when they visit anywhere in the world must
follow proper channels and the port of entry of these


 
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countries, and respect the laws of such countries. Any form of
vigilantism against undocumented migrants has no place in our
beautiful South Africa. No one must go around asking people
about their nationality or documentation. That is the role of
Department of Home Affairs and the police. Reporting crime is
not the same as taking the law into one’s hands.
We condemn the officials in the Department of Home Affairs who
are part of a syndicate that issues our identity documents
fraudulently. These criminals deserve to be locked in prison
for a very long time, for they tamper with our national
security. Many South Africans has lost their status as these
criminals exchange the citizenship of South Africa for other
illegal foreigners. The Minister of Home Affairs is on the
right path of implementing the laws of our land, and enjoys
our undivided support. Africa can only develop in an
environment ... [Inaudible] ... me to quote the son of the
African soil, a true revolutionary, a visionary, the late
President Kwame Nkrumah, open quote:
I am not African, because I was born in Africa, but because
Africa was born in me.
Thank you House Chairperson.


 
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The DEPUTY CHAIRPERSON OF THE NCOP (Ms S E Lucas): House
Chairperson, hon Ngwenya. First of all, let me express my
appreciation to everyone that participated in the debate. It
doesn’t mean if we have different opinions, we don’t agree
that we can have common solutions.
First of all, let me say, I want us to celebrate what binds us
together as Africans. And want us to work hard to overcome
what divide us. I want to repeat what hon Nyambi just said
now:
We are not Africans because we are born in Africa but
because Africa is born in us.
I want to come... just because I have little time, let just
express few ideas. It is as if when we are speaking about
failures of Africa, we forget that there was scramble of
Africa once even if it was in the former centuries. Where
Western European countries sat down and divided Africa between
themselves because of the abundant resources that was there in
Africa. They also made sure that they never took time out to
develop capacity and capability in an African people because
Africans remained a reserve for cheap labour. That is what
happened.


 
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And if I come to hon Du Toit, yes you speak about the issues
that happened before 1961, you spoke about the time that South
Africa became republic, but from there you tend to forget that
there was an extended period that South Africans were
suffering under apartheid rule.
From 1902, there was colonialism of a special type, where
Africans and the British colonial rulers together suppressed
and oppressed the South African people. Likewise, that
happened in the rest of Africa. That those that decided that
Africa’s resources not the African people belong to them had
decided to make sure that they oppressed and suppress the
capacity of Africa.
If we begin to have short memories, we will begin to forget
that opportunities were there and when I’m saying this I am
not defending any wrong doing or anything. I am stating the
history where Africans are coming from.
Today we all acknowledge that Africa was a cradle of human
kinds, where first and foremost there was civilization. But if
we speak as those that support colonialism of special type, we
speak as it never happened.


 
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Africa became a reserve for cheap labour, and it became a
place from which the treasures of Africa is being exported to
build the wealth of the rest of the world. I really just want
to bring perspective. That kind of perspective, we can do
better, we agree, we are the first ones to agree that we can
do better, but we must never speak as if there was no history,
that brought us where we are.
Because, if you really listen to hon Du Toit, you will think
as if we jumped from becoming a republic and to democracy
without the time of apartheid and oppression, that happened
and it happened. Let us just be honest about it.
I just want really to express appreciation to everyone that
make the contributions, because this is a very necessary
debate. Because, Africa without economic growth will not be
able to respond to the inequality and the poverty that is
existing.
Last but not least, I want to say to hon Nhanha, even if
Steenhuisen went to Ukraine, what difference did it make? Who
benefited from it? What did Ukraine benefit from his visit?
So, because if you go without a mandate to any place, you are
just another tourist and he went on a tour to Ukraine,


 
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achieving nothing, bringing nothing home. So when we speak, we
must speak about things that will benefit us, as a nation and
as a country.
Hon House Chair, let me express my appreciation for this
debate, it was really, in spite of the differences, in spite
of the negative, sometimes you can speak about things that are
not correct without be negative or be condescending. And that
is what sometimes is happening with some of our opposition
colleagues. They actually without saying it, telling us that
there’s nothing good that can from our black government. But,
I can assure you, if we didn’t, stuck from a point of zero, we
would have been very far. Because if you need nothing hon
Londt, you will never see the difference.
Those that were in need, they will say at least there was a
difference, in what was happening to me as a person. But, I
will still want to say, I appreciate all the inputs. It is
actually very enriching to listen to people negative or
positive. Because, it makes you to get a different perspective
of who you are dealing, what you are dealing with, and what
you can do to extract the best of everything. Thank you very
much, Hon House Chair.


 
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The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Ms W Ngwenya): Thanks very much Deputy
Chair. Hon members, that concludes the debate. I wish to thank
the Deputy Minister of Health for availing himself. Hon
members, I would like to invite our Chairperson, hon Baba
Masondo to proceed to the order of the day, our second order,
Bab’ uMasondo.
Debate concluded
APPROPRIATION BILL
(Policy debate)
Vote No 13: Public Works and Infrastructure:
The MINISTER OF PUBLIC WORKS AND INFRASTRUCTURE: Good
afternoon hon Chairperson Amos Masondo, Deputy Chairperson
Sylvia Lucas, chairperson of the select committee and members
of the NCOP.
Chairperson, this year has seen us slowly emerge from the
devastation of the COVID-19 pandemic and as the Department of
Public Works and Infrastructure we remain as determined as
ever to align our work to the rebuilding of our economy and


 
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assisting our most vulnerable communities. It will take a
collective effort, and my call to action to the department on
a daily basis is to work with urgency. We have a lot of work
to do and the patience of our people is running out.
Today we celebrate Africa Day and it is incumbent on us to
work harder for our people by investing in infrastructure that
brings us closer to our continent as we link to our neighbours
with new ports of entry, bridges and roads, and increasing
trade and deepening our links with the continent.
Sadly, as we rebuild, four of our provinces have been
devastated by the impacts of climate change, with severe
flooding. In KwaZulu-Natal and also in the Eastern Cape, the
department has been involved in workstreams and interventions
to assist in the reconstruction of KwaZulu-Natal and the
Eastern Cape, to mitigate the effects of the disaster. We have
provided a database of over 300 build professionals to the
Department of Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs
to help assess, scope, cost, design and implement critical
reconstruction and the building of damaged infrastructure.
Our department’s resources will focus on the current
53 government-owned buildings in KwaZulu-Natal and


 
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12 government-owned buildings in the Eastern Cape to make them
usable. Some repairs to the buildings in KwaZulu-Natal are
between 20% and 75% complete, while in the Eastern Cape we are
nearing to 95% complete.
The department has also identified 258 land parcels, while the
KwaZulu-Natal Department of Human Settlements and Public
Works’ MEC Sibiya has identified a further 25 land parcels
which are being assessed for suitability by the ... Human
Settlement Development Agency.
With regard to rural bridges, in KwaZulu-Natal to date the
need that we are looking at is 52 bridges. The construction of
the first 18 bridges in KwaZulu-Natal is to commence on 1 June
and the province has identified five additional sites which
have already been assessed and added to the list, making it
23 prioritised bridges within KwaZulu-Natal.
So far in the Eastern Cape, 18 bridge sites have been
identified and technical assessments have been done. So, my
department has also reassigned more capacity to the KwaZulu-
Natal and Eastern Cape Transport departments and also affected
municipalities, to help with the skills shortage.


 
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In terms of the rural bridges, we all know that in the 2022
state of the nation address, President Ramaphosa announced the
construction of 96 bridges in the 2022-23 financial year. The
number of bridges that will be constructed in terms of the
96 are: eighteen bridges in the Eastern Cape, 18 in KwaZulu-
Natal, 11 in Mpumalanga, 11 in Limpopo, 10 in the Free State
and 10 in the North West. Earlier this month, together with
the Minister of Defence and Military Veterans and MEC Sibiya,
we handed over three of the bridges to communities in deep
rural KwaZulu-Natal.
If I can speak about the Infrastructure Investment Plan that
is central to the Economic Reconstruction and Recovery Plan of
government, it is aimed at creating jobs and has started
bringing the construction industry back to life.
Infrastructure SA, ISA, was also established following
approval by Cabinet in 2020. They have been hard at work to
drive the Infrastructure Investment Plan by assisting with
project blockages, unlocking funding to ensure ... and
monitoring and reporting on the implementation of the
prioritised strategic infrastructure projects.


 
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Through you, hon Chairperson, I will just briefly give the
NCOP ... some of the projects that we have been working on.
The transport sector has gazetted projects and it’s well
underway, with five of them completed, five of them in
construction and another five of them in the procurement
process.
Some of the completed transport projects are in Winburg in the
Free State, in Polokwane’s Eastern Ring range, in Ventersburg
to Kroonstad in the Free State and in Mtunzini Toll Plaza to
Empangeni in KwaZulu-Natal.
Then we have some of the transport projects that are in
construction, and that is the Musina Ring Road in Limpopo, the
N3 in KwaZulu-Natal and the N3 Ashburton Interchange also in
KwaZulu-Natal.
Just briefly with regard to the Human Settlements programmes,
the sector is making good progress with three projects
completed, two in construction and two projects in
procurement, while the rest are in the planning stages.
So, just with regard to Human Settlements in KwaZulu-Natal,
it’s the Greater Cornubia and then also phase 2 of


 
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12 000 residential units, in Vista Park in the Free State,
bulk services to Vista Park 2, and then also bulk services
installation to Vista Park phase 3. The upgrades to
Vereeniging Road is also in progress.
In Gauteng, 3 412 housing units have been completed in the
Lufhereng housing project and Malibongwe Ridge Road in Gauteng
has been completed.
The N2 Nodal Development in the Eastern Cape, phase 2, the
Catalytic Land Development Preparation is 53% done and phase 3
of the implementation is at 14% done.
Also in Gauteng, we have Greencreek with 3 623 work
opportunities, and to date 421 units are completed, with about
360 already being handed over.
Then we also have the Mooikloof Mega residential City in
Gauteng that has so far created over 1 335 ...
As we all know, we are also monitoring the Lesotho Highlands
Water Project between Gauteng and Lesotho. Advanced work is
under construction and the design is complete. We are now in
the process of finalising the loan agreements.


 
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With regard to the small harbours development on the
13 gazetted small harbours in the Western Cape, the
R501 million project of the repair and maintenance programme
to 13 proclaimed harbours in the Western Cape has been
completed. That includes the removal of sunken vessels,
repairs to slipways, shore crane replacements, security, and
civil and electrical infrastructure upgrades.
The project also included upgrades to the Saldanha slipway.
The capacity has now been increased from 600 tons to
1 200 tons. This will also service the surrounding small
harbours on the West Coast. Here we have created just over
952 jobs and we made sure that 500 of the jobs have been
allocated to young people. We have also empowered 142 small,
medium and micro enterprises, SMMEs, to the value of over
R116 million, of which 73 of those companies were broad-based
black economic empowerment, BBBEE-1, compliant.
Briefly on the National Infrastructure Plan, NIP, since last
year’s budget, we have completed the approval and gazetting of
the National Infrastructure Plan 2050, NIP2050. This plan is a
long-term infrastructure development across the country, which
aims to ensure that there is the necessary long-term view
regarding infrastructure to drive economic and social


 
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transformation to achieve the goals of the National
Development Plan, NDP. We have started to implement the first
three years of the NIP2050. The NIP2050 spells out
government’s intentions to build, manage and maintain
infrastructure to address inequality and unemployment.
Let me briefly turn to the budget main Vote. In terms of the
Appropriation Bill, Public Works has been allocated
R8,5 billion. A total of R7,4 billion of this budget is
allocated to transfers and subsidies for our entities and also
the Expanded Public Works Programme, EPWP. Of the
R7,4 billion, an amount of R4,5 billion is allocated to the
Property Management Trading Entity, PMTE. The balance is
allocated for the compensation of employees, and goods and
services.
Just a quick rundown of the R23,5 billion ... [Interjections.]
Just a quick rundown of R23,5 billion in the PMTE, of which
R19 billion comes from user departments. The breakdown of that
is that the Eastern Cape will get R2,2 billion, the Free State
R871 million, Gauteng R11,2 billion, KwaZulu-Natal
R2,2 billion, Limpopo R896,8 million, Mpumalanga R992 million,
the North West R1 billion, the Northern Cape R73,1 million and
the Western Cape R3,1 billion. I will come later to all the


 
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information with regard to what we are going to spend on
projects.
Just briefly with regard to land reform progress, one of the
key drivers towards addressing spatial injustices and
socioeconomic imbalances in our country continues to be
confronted. Our progress on land restitution ... since 2019 we
have released 214 parcels of land ... about 30 000 hectares of
land for restitution. We have exceeded our target of
10 000 hectares.
The progress on land redistribution ... since May 2019 we have
released 25 000 hectares and 125 parcels to Human Settlements
for redistribution ... [Inaudible.] Then, we have also
identified another 50 parcels of land that we can release for
the agricultural programme.
With regard to Human Settlements, since 2019 we have released
73 parcels of land ... just over 416 ... and we’ve also
released about ... for socioeconomic purposes in support of
infrastructure development ... we have released 11 parcels of
land ... about 15 hectares.


 
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For the new financial year, the department plans to release
7 100 hectares for human settlements, another 180 hectares for
socioeconomic purposes and 1 400 ... 745 hectares under land
reform for restitution and also land tenure. So, our total
that we are planning for this year is about 162 hectares.
Just a quick breakdown on some of the hectares. In KwaZulu-
Natal ... 346 hectares, another 15 900 in Mpumalanga,
128 000 hectares in the Northern Cape and 10 200 hectares in
Limpopo.
Under the programme of Human Settlements, we plan to release
7 100 hectares. The breakdown per province will be
502 hectares for the Eastern Cape, 5 160 for KwaZulu-Natal,
0,6 hectares for the Northern Cape, 50 hectares in Limpopo,
another 1 144 hectares in the Western Cape, 21 hectares in
Mpumalanga and 258 hectares in the Free State.
So, it must be noted that the above planned release of land is
based on what is requested by provinces in a specific
province, and how far the land release programme is that will
enable us to release the land.


 
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On construction project management in our department, last
year approximately 127 infrastructure projects were completed
and 107 sites were handed over to contractors. Some of the
projects that have been concluded and finished in various
provinces are the Walmer Police Complex in the Eastern Cape
which has been completed, in Nelson Mandela Bay, Boksburg
prison in the Gauteng province, Mount Ayliff Police Station in
the Eastern Cape province, the Simon’s Town Naval Base, the
maritime reaction squadron in the Western Cape and the
Lebowakgomo Police Station.
Briefly on the EPWP, we have achieved our targets for the
previous financial year. Then, we are also working on a
programme together with Social Development to release
buildings for ... gender-based violence, GBV, and femicide.
Last year we released 12 buildings — six in the Western Cape
and six in the Gauteng province. This year we have identified
83 properties of which Social Development has selected 47.
However, we are also calling on provinces and municipalities
to help us to identify more houses ... as shelters for ...
GBV.
Also in terms of GBV, last year we rolled out a number of
billboards at police stations all over the country. We


 
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installed billboards with the antigender-based violence
message at police stations in Gauteng, the Western Cape,
Mpumalanga, KwaZulu-Natal and in the Northern Cape.
The regional offices of the Department of Public Works and
Infrastructure also have a number of projects. I will just
mention some of them to illustrate to the various provinces.
In the Western Cape we have a project ... The total that has
been allocated to the Western Cape is R63,3 million. This
includes the refurbishment of the Cape Town Parow forensic
laboratory.
In the Mpumalanga region, there is an allocation for the
Standerton Labour Centre with a budget of R34,7 million.
In the Northern Cape’s Kimberley region, the department is
busy with the Postmasburg - Lohatla Combat Training Centre to
the value of R45 million. Another one in the Northern Cape is
in the small rural town of Jan Kempdorp. Another project in
the Northern Cape is in Keimoes in the Kai !Garib Local
Municipality.
In the Eastern Cape, a total of 10 construction projects were
completed last year. Currently under construction is the


 
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Forest Hill Military Base Health Centre construction, the
Hankey SA Police Service construction, Grahamstown SAPS’
headquarters, the Burgersdorp prison construction and at the
Department of Public Works and Infrastructure in Johannesburg
we also have the 85 Anderson Street ... where we are going to
accommodate the Department of Rural Development and Land
Reform.
Also in the Johannesburg is the Randfontein Military Base that
we need to complete ... [Inaudible.]
The CHAIRPERSON OF THE NCOP: As you conclude, Minister.
The MINISTER OF PUBLIC WORKS AND INFRASTRUCTURE: Yes, I was
... [Inaudible.] Chairperson, I will conclude. Can I just say
to the members that the details of all the provinces are
available on request. I will conclude with that by providing
them with that information. Our work continues in earnest and
we are committed to bringing more urgency so that our
communities can feel the impact of infrastructure delivery and
public works. I thank you, Chairperson.
Mr K M MMOIEMANG: Hon Chairperson, Masondo, greetings to my
colleagues and special legates, let me rise on behalf of the


 
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ANC to express my gratitude for the platform I am given to
take part in the debate of Vote No 13. This budget debate
takes place at a very critical time in the development of our
country as low economic growth coupled with the effects COVID-
19 is continuing to have a negative impact in terms of our
hardships, particularly in many provinces. This reality was
further worsened by the recent devastating floods that we have
seen in many parts of our provinces, particularly KwaZulu-
Natal, Eastern Cape and also North West.
Over the past weekend KwaZulu-Natal has again received
torrential rains which have further caused more destruction of
homes and infrastructure. But of course we are appreciative of
the leadership provided by the Minister and the Deputy
Minister through positive interventions that were made in
partnership with the province to sort of mitigate the
devastating nature of the floods. What we have seen and also
appreciate from the leadership by the department was also to
avail professional expertise both in the built environment
sphere which is integrated with the work of the regional and
local municipalities to assist with the assessment, scope,
costing, design and implementation of reconstructing of
critical infrastructure in relation to bridges, roads, storm


 
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water pipes and other infrastructure as indicated by the hon
Minister.
While we applaud the intervention of the ANC-led government,
it is important that the department and other spheres of
government are able to restore the infrastructure in the
shortest space of time with a view to ensure that our
communities are also resettled in environments that will not
make them to further risks in the future. Our heartfelt
condolences to the families who have lost members of their
families due to these devastating floods.
It is critical that the government’s co-ordinated efforts at
the redevelopment of the infrastructure must ensure that the
normalisation of economic activity takes place, moreso in the
affected areas. It is equally significant to bear in mind that
the economies of the different inland provinces are
inextricably linked to that of KwaZulu-Natal. The Durban port
road and rail provides for the delivery of goods and freight
imported from the inland market and also ensures that these
imports from various countries also reach the inland market.
Therefore, the economic impact of what is happening in
KwaZulu-Natal and other provinces is indeed real. It is also


 
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critical to appreciate the fact that the entities of the
department as we have noted during the engagement with the
department are facing a number of challenges, amongst them is
the level of vacancies in the department which negatively
impacts on the department’s ability to effectively deliver on
its programmes. We are looking forward to have stability in
the directors-general offices. Indeed, this must be dealt with
in this financial year with the department to ensure that
capable and skilled people are employed to fill vacancies and
effect department programmes with deliverable outputs and
outcomes.
However, it is clear that the department under the current
leadership is making steady progress towards attempting to
meet its strategic objectives and mandate. The department is
mandated to be the custodian of government’s immovable
property. We therefore appreciate the update that the Minister
has given in today’s debate around the work of the property
sector. It is also mandated to ensure that it transforms the
construction and property sectors, given the importance and
significance of transformation in the property sector. More
Moreover, the department is expected to mitigate the level of
high unemployment rate through co-ordinating the Expanded
Public Works Programme, EPWP, which is a very critical


 
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programme to creates employment for those hailing from
communities in different provinces which will not otherwise be
able to find employment.
Therefore, the department is mandated to support service
delivery in a proactive and efficient manner. It must also
build state capacity in the built environment profession,
Council for the Built Environment, CBE, and also Construction
Industry Development Board’s, CIDB. Implementing the mandate
of government, the work of the department contributes
positively to the creation of a capable and ethical
developmental state. Following the operationalisation of the
Property Management and Trading Entity, PMTE, the departments
mandate also includes the portfolio management and
optimisation of all government property, as alluded to by the
Minister. This forms a critical part of creating value from
the property portfolio of government. The department has also
created Infrastructure SA, as indicated by the Minister, to
deliver on strategic infrastructure projects which forms a
critical part of the Economic Reconstruction and Recovery
Plan.
For this financial year and in order to effect its mandate and
improve on the delivery of its programmes, the department has


 
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developed a focussed plan to improve 10 areas of business
development which will enable the department to deliver on its
mandate. Among these 10 areas, which are aligned with the
annual performance plan of the department and is in line with
government’s Medium-Term Strategic Framework, is the change
management programme to ensure that the culture of service
delivery of the department is streamlined.
In preparation to ensure that the department is able to
achieve its mandate and implement its programmes, the
department has adopted the Service Delivery Improvement
Programme which is going to be based on improved service
standards and charters with beneficiaries that are
characterised by customer responsiveness and orientation
throughout the value chain of Batho Pele principles.
The Business Process Management Programme is designed to deal
with the co-ordination of property management and
infrastructure delivery which will be based on an
infrastructure delivery management system and the sustainable
infrastructure development system methodology.
The department, as part of this programme will be implementing
the enterprise resource planning to fast-track the business


 
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process management programme by ensuring it moves away from
manual systems to appropriate and relevant IT systems,
particularly with regard to asset management. This will also
enable a review of the macro business and delivery model of
the department and associated revision of the structural model
of the department. This programme will also be extended to the
regional offices and head office models, and associated
governance and accountability arrangements will be cascaded
down.
It is also important that we note that the department, because
it has been battling against state capture and corruption and
as part of containing this, it will be establishing the Ethics
and Compliance, Infrastructure and Consequence Management Unit
to guide and enforce expected standards of conduct. The
improvement of business process and automation will enable the
department to radically improve contract management and
monitoring capability to mitigate contract delivery risk
throughout the department.
The implementation of an organisationwide skills assessment to
determine the current skills set and to ensure capacitation of
the current skills set and acquire further skills when filling
vacancies will enable more efficient service delivery from the


 
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department. This will be done in partnership with the National
School of Government. The aim of these 10 areas of improvement
is to ensure that the department is able to efficiently
deliver its projects.
In order for the entities that reports to the department to
function optimally and deliver on their respective mandates,
it is critical that all of them have functional and skilled
boards to effect proper corporate governance. Moreover, to
ensure financial control and financial accountability, it is
imperative that none of the entities have vacancies in senior
management positions. These entities have an important role to
play in the built environment sector in all provinces as
apartheid spatial planning has not as yet been reversed.
Transformation must occur in spatial planning. New human
settlements will occur in all provinces in the country and
these settlements need to be integrated developments. The
advice from the department will come in handy.
The department will be required to fast-track the Public Works
Act so that we are able to ensure that the legislation which
plays a critical role in co-ordination of major infrastructure
projects and employment projects has a framework. This Act
must define the closer working relationship between the three


 
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spheres of government. Also, the issue of poverty and
unemployment requires focussed programmes such as the EPWP of
the Department of Public Work and Infrastructure as well as
the mass employment stimulus package of the Presidency.
This is important so that we are able to monitor the ability
of the department to play its critical role in the Economic
Reconstruction and Recovery Plan. The idea is to ensure that
the country is successful in reversing the devastating nature
of the triple challenges of poverty, inequality and
unemployment through inclusive economic development and also
the Economic Reconstruction and Recovery Plan. This plan is
intended to reverse the effects of slow economic growth and
the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. It is largely
driven by infrastructure development to ensure inclusive
economic growth and job creation.
The Department of Public Works and Infrastructure has created
Infrastructure SA for the implementation of strategic
infrastructure projects, as alluded to by the Minister.
Therefore, we will be paying much more attention in terms of
ensuring that the Welisizwe Programme unfolds, and also as the
small harbours development programme unfolds, job creation
will take place.


 
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In conclusion, there is much work to be done and much to be
achieved in terms of the programmes of the department. It is
important that the department and its entities are capacitated
to embark on the programmes and that there are deliverable
outcomes in all provinces and municipalities. The select
committee will engage in rigorous oversight to ensure that
budgets for the programmes achieve value for the money
allocated. Much more needs to be achieved with less financial
resources. The ANC supports the Budget Vote No 13 of the
Department of Public Works and Infrastructure. Thank you,
Chair.
Mr T J BRAUTESETH: Thank you, hon Chairperson, hon Minister,
hon members, and fellow South Africans, today we debate the
Budget of the largest landlord in South Africa. In feudal
times, a lord was a noble who held land, a vassal was a person
who was granted possession of the land by the lord, and the
land was known as a fief. In exchange for the use of the fief
and protection by the lord, the vassal would provide some sort
of service to the lord.
This fiefdom was granted to the Department of Public Works and
Infrastructure on the basis that this department would do the
inverse of the definition above. The department’s job, in


 
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simple terms, is to look after and develop state property
which is entrusted to it.
Well, dear members, that is the theory. The reality is akin to
the cook with too many pots on the stove. Add to that, the
general hustle and bustle of a kitchen – orders arriving,
orders going out – the cat stealing the mince and the staff
generally slacking or hiding away. It is inevitable that
something will spoil or be burnt.
So what does the Department of Public Works and Infrastructure
deal with? The department is supposed to provide strategic
leadership to the SA Construction and Property Industries,
ensure compliance in management of state-owned and leased-in
immovable assets, provide strategic direction on the
integration of public works priorities and contribute to job
creation and poverty alleviation through Public Works
Programmes.
Running through all of this is the concept of transformation,
an idea that justifies the replacement of qualified personnel
with cadres and pals. If you survey the landscape that is
state-owned property in South Africa, the department has
transformed in one sense. They have transformed once


 
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functioning properties into dilapidated wrecks. Not exactly
what was intended.
A perfect example is the parliamentary precinct. For those of
us who have served her for a while, this place was always a
beacon of pride. I often commented to visitors that this was
what the whole of South Africa should look like, if only we
got our priorities right. If only we were obsessive about
making sure that we employed qualified people. If only we
stopped using broad-based black economic empowerment, BBBEE,
as an excuse for rent-seeking.
All of that pride literally went up in smoke as we started
this year. It became painfully evident that this department
had failed in its duties and had failed to follow simple
recommendations to secure the infrastructure. And yet the
Minister has taken no action against any officials for this
negligence. It can only be a patronage deal with her party and
the governing party that keeps her Cabinet seat. Other
Ministers have been fired for less.
All members in this House today, have conducted oversight at
police stations, schools, hospitals or any other government
building and have reflected on the decay of those buildings.


 
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It is nothing new. The Minister has even said that it is a
mess. But instead of addressing those issues, the department
busies itself with pursuing the lofty ideals of Infrastructure
South Africa to build shiny, new grandiose projects to bolster
the image of the government while the basic infrastructure of
our country collapses.
The priority, Minister, should be to focus all the resources
and human capital that the department has at its disposal to
renovate existing infrastructure and make it functional again.
This would also allow the department to leverage its assets
and bring in much-needed revenue from the private sector.
Recent reports reveal that the department has over 2 000
properties that are not in use, basically abandoned. If these
properties were fixed up, they could be leased to the private
sector and create millions, if not billions of rands in
revenue for the department to reinvest in further renovations
and maintenance. It is within the power of the department to
create this virtuous cycle.
Instead, these properties are currently illegally occupied by
tenants involved in various criminal or antisocial activities
that make neighbours living next to those properties despair.


 
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To add insult to injury, the department does not spend all the
funds allocated to it averaging between 82% to 93% over the
last five years.
And then we have the perennial and frankly ludicrous situation
of client departments not having budget to fix minor issues.
If offices need light bulbs or a repaint, public works must do
the work. And only after a veritable mountain of paperwork has
been completed and waiting months for a contractor to be
appointed. Instead, the bulk of the PMTE budget should be
divided up amongst the client departments and the PMTE should
play an advisory role, when required. But then the Council for
the Built Environment, CBE, must start spending its budget
properly and urgently skill up professionals in this space to
play an advisory role and also potentially be engaged in
contract work. The CBE woefully underspends in this area and
it is no wonder that a flood of resignations is the result.
The only area where the spending is at an optimum level is pay
staff to run this entity on a suboptimal level.
In closing, we should take note of the advice of Peter F.
Drucker, the father of modern management. The pillars of
Drucker’s theory of management are decentralization,
prioritization of knowledge work, management by objectives,


 
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and SMART goals. Decentralization means that managers should
empower client departments by delegating functions that they
cannot handle. Knowledge work means utilizing the best there
are judged by competence, not affiliation.
Management by objectives involves working together to set
common goals, identify areas of expertise and define
measurable expected results.
The SMART method means that those goals need to be specific,
measurable, achievable, relevant, time-specific and recorded.
Minister, the public perception, a small portion of which are
your voters, is not good at all. The principles above must be
implemented urgently if you want to satisfy the people of
South Africa that you are doing a competent job and worthy of
their trust. If you cannot do so, be prepared to vacate your
seat in 2024 when the DA takes over and gets things done. I
thank you.
Mr J MAMABOLO (Gauteng): Hon Chairperson of the NCOP – let me
take this opportunity – I hope you will allow me not to show
my face because the network is not well. That could affect the
quality of my inputs. I need your pardon not to show my face,


 
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because of network problems. Hoping that I have your
permission, hon Chairperson.
The CHAIRPERTSON OF THE NCOP: Yes. Please proceed. You are
audible and let us see how far we can go.
Mr J MAMABOLO (Gauteng): Let me also greet the hon Deputy
Chairperson, the President of SA Local Government Association,
Salga, our hon Minister and of course all the Ministers and
Deputy Ministers, all committee chairpersons, all MECs, all
hon members and of course the guests for this very important
debate, I just want to start by saying that on behalf of
Gauteng province, we fully support the Budget Vote and we are
firmly behind it as presented by the hon Minister. We appeal
to this House to support this budget.
Before I go to the issues I want to raise, I just want as part
of our support to the – want to say to the hon members and you
Chairperson that it is an honour and privilege as acting MEC
to deliver the Budget Speech in our province on behalf of the
hon MEC Motara who is on leave and we are wishing her very
well.


 
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It is just unfortunate that I am speaking before a member who
has just trivialised a very important issue of infrastructure
development and delivery. I listened to him very careful
trying to ridicule the strategic work that government is doing
to consolidate this delivery of infrastructure by simply
trivialising the work that is consolidated in the Department
of Public Works and Infrastructure, also led by Comrade
Kgosientso David “Sputla” Ramokgopa working with the Minister.
I think in the entire world; this is the first person that I
had an opportunity to listen to, trivialising the importance
of infrastructure.
I would not want to respond much because the hon member and
his party have clearly demonstrated that they have no grasp of
how the whole world appreciate the strategic importance of
infrastructure, not only to provide stimulus package to the
economic growth in the short term or short run, but also to
crowd in investment in the long-run. I think that is the world
established principle. I will expect every member in the
infrastructure space to extol and appreciate the role that
infrastructure development plays.
Hon Chairperson and hon members, for us in Gauteng, we want to
present to you our strategic intervention in the Central


 
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Business District, CBD, of the City of Johannesburg which is a
multibillion project of Kopanong Precinct. I want to say that
the Kopanong Precinct is a triple P project which has reached
a critical stage. Where we are now is that we will be
finalising and appointing a consortium to build, rehabilitate
and of course, to improve the current seat of the provincial
government in the CBD of the City of Johannesburg.
This is very important to us because, as you no hon
Chairperson – and I think you can speak quite eloquently on
this issue – is that with the history of mining in the Gauteng
province, in the City of Johannesburg, when they finally left
for Sandton, Rosebank and the area of the Eastern side of
Johannesburg, the City of Johannesburg interior gradually
deteriorated. We saw big corporations leaving the CBD and
government together with the City of Johannesburg are the only
key players that are still remaining in the City of
Johannesburg.
Kopanong Precinct is going to revitalise and revamp the City
of Johannesburg in the CBD which is the face of South Africa
in the global world particularly in the commercial space.


 
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So, we are quite confident that resuscitating, improving and
rehabilitating the CBD of the City of Johannesburg is going to
be a major injection of money into the economy, but it will
revitalise, preserve and protect a very important
intervention, the City of Johannesburg.
Hon Chairperson, we also just want to put forward that our
Expanded Publics Work Programme is doing very well. We will be
convening an important meeting with the municipalities in the
province. We are deeply concerned that the big metros are not
reporting as they are supposed to on the targets and the
achievements with respect to the Expanded Public Works
Programme which is very critical to create jobs and make sure
that we improve the living conditions of the people.
I would like to assure hon members that the province and the
Department of Infrastructure Development is quite focused on
making sure that we improve occupational health and safety of
all our facilities, most importantly, the hospitals. To this
extent we are providing good support to the Department of
Health in the province, but also we welcome the relationship
we have with the national Department of Health which the
Minister of Health has taken a lead in ensuring that we reopen
some parts of Charlotte Maxeke Johannesburg Academic Hospital.


 
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On that we are very much pleased with the decision that we
have made as the provincial to work with national government.
Hon Chairperson and hon members, we are also on track in
providing support to the Department of Basic Education to make
sure that we roll out the smart schools which are the pride of
the province in which we are making sure that we leverage
smart technologies to support learning and teaching. To that
extent, we are very much satisfied with the quality of work to
support and roll out smart classrooms that we believe
constitute the core of the future of our education system in
the province.
We also continue to provide support in rolling out
infrastructure to other departments in the province. We are
quite satisfied with the work that we are doing, as almost the
landlord of the provincial government providing strategic
infrastructure to support service delivery.
I just want to conclude by assuring the members that there
have been challenges in the province, relating to unethical
conduct. We are dealing with issues of corruption working with
the Special Investigating Unit, SIU, and to this extent hon
Chairperson and hon members, I want to assure you that the


 
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provincial government is hands on and is doing an excellent
job to deal with matters of corruption, unethical conduct
maleficent and maladministration. Thank you very much, hon
Chairperson and hon members. Thank you.
Mr T APLENI: Thank you very much, Chairperson. The EFF rejects
the Budget Vote 13 on Public Works and Infrastructure ...
[Lost connectivity.]
The CHAIRPERSON OF THE NCOP: Hon Apleni ... [Inaudible.] ...
speak on the microphone ... [Interjections.] ... louder closer
to the microphone.
Mr T APLENI: Sorry, Chairperson, I really apologise. Thank you
very much, Chairperson. I will do so I don’t know why am I
audible enough, but let me start, Chairperson. Chairperson,
the EFF rejects the Budget Vote 13 of Public Works and
Infrastructure. Public Works is the biggest property owner on
behalf of the state in this country, as almost all the
government departments are renting the buildings they are
working in. It has mandate from Parliament to provide
accommodation, buildings and other infrastructure to some
public works departments. Although it is the responsibility of
the government to provide land for the development of


 
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necessary infrastructure, in South Africa, we still find that
the bulk of the land proximate to municipal services, lies in
the custody of private holdings.
The government stands as the main custodian of land in this
country, but our government can’t even construct a mere road
without begging private individuals who own the land. Today,
most of this land is still lying fallow, and the department
has done absolutely nothing to ensure that the land gets
released for productive purposes to black people who need it.
Just on agricultural land alone, in 2019 the department
reported that there were 3 653 agricultural state land parcels
which were available for redistribution, and the extent of
these land parcels was approximately 2,9 million hectares.
The department still leases over millions every month for ...
[Inaudible.] own. Amongst these leased properties are police
stations and other strategic key points for the state. All of
these are happening under this department. Last year, the
Minister reported that there were about 1 300 government
properties that had been hijacked. She has not done anything
to date to reclaim those properties, and to ensure that they
are redistributed back to those who need them.


 
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Lastly, the department is the custodian of expropriation
legislation in this country. Even though the Expropriation
Bill is not passed into law yet, and despite is many
weaknesses, there is nothing stopping the department from
expropriating land and building today, even if at a price.
There are literally thousands of derelict buildings across the
country that could be expropriated and refurbished for student
accommodation and to be used as houses for the homeless.
The CHAIRPERSON OF THE NCOP: Hon Apleni, speak closer to the
microphone. Don’t ... [Inaudible.] to the microphone.
Mr T APLENI: Alright, Chairperson, I don’t know what is
happening maybe it’s network problem today.
The CHAIRPERSON OF THE NCOP: Just stay there.
Mr T APLENI: Thank you very much, Chairperson. And today this
department asks us to approve a budget without even owning a
state construction company. This department asks us to approve
a budget ... [Lost connectivity.]
The CHAIRPERSON OF THE NCOP: ... switch off your camera and
let’s see what happens. Please speak to the microphone, you


 
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are not audible enough. You are getting worse. Please speak
closer to the microphone.
Mr T APLENI: What is the role of its own workers to fix the
roads ... [Lost connectivity.]
The CHAIRPERSON OF THE NCOP: Try again. There seems to be a
bit of a problem there. Hon Apleni, maybe what we should do is
to get hold of your speech and make it available to the
participants. Thank you very much. Just a comment, hon
members, that I’ve noted that, of course, hon Mamabolo did not
use his picture which is just fine. However, instead I think
he has used the picture of Charlotte Maxeke which is a bit of
a problem. I will really be asking you, hon members, that we
are really trying to advise our own participants, political
speaking, political party members to avoid doing what
happened. Therefore, please the presiding officers assist to
the extent that you can so that we limit what had just
happened. Hon Mamabolo, not showing your picture it’s fine,
but showing Mama Maxeke’s photograph exposes us to other
practices which may be negative. We are asking all presiding
officers to pay attention to this matter. Therefore, I will
proceed to hon Boshoff.


 
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Ms C LABUSCHAGNE: Hon Chair, this is hon Labuschagne. I was
just informed that they need totally assistance because they
have a load shedding two hours ahead of schedule the ...
[Inaudible.] is off. With your permission can I do a speech?
Thank you very much. Hon Chairperson, hon members, and hon
Minister, today we debate the Public Works and Infrastructure
Budget Policy Vote and I would like to concentrate on the
Expanded Public Works Programme, EPWP. The EPWP is currently
on its 4th phase, with the 1st phase being launched on 18 May
2004. Despite this programme, which has been referred to as
the flagship programme of the governing party, geared towards
providing a measure of respite for the unemployed and at the
same time providing training and the developing of skills. In
spite of this programme, skill shortages remain predominant in
our country. Together with these shortages the rate of
unemployment is still increasing at a high rate and the
country is stricken with poverty.
Hon Minister, the programme has not had the desired effect
that the governing party was relying on. Interaction with
these workers during some of the hon Boshoff’s oversight
visits have indicated that they are faced with many challenges
of which the largest is the low wages and the fact that
employment is of a temporary nature which does address or


 
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alleviate their positions in the long term. They also shared
with her that they would like to see more relevant training,
the offering of bursaries to improve their educational levels,
to be provided with proper communication channels and to see
more monitoring and evaluation as they are invariably placed
in the field with no guidance which impacts discipline amongst
many of the workers.
The governing party must, if they want to see any improvement
within this programme, establish a survey amongst all of the
EPWP workers to determine what the challenges are that they
encounter. This programme is after all financed with
taxpayers’ money and not through ANC funding and the taxpayer
would like to see whether their hard-earned tax payments are
being beneficial in assisting the unemployed. Another
worrisome aspect is that in many cases these workers are being
exploited to the benefit of the governing party as they are
invariably appointed by ANC ward councillors who request to
see their membership cards before any appointment may take
place. This is a practice that must be stopped as the money
generated for these workers is not ANC money, but taxpayers’
money and everyone should benefit equally.


 
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During the run up to the 2021 local elections, we again
witnessed how some ward councillors were, without shame,
rewarding loyalists to a certain party with jobs. They were
threatened with the message of “Vote for us or remain in
poverty”.
Hon Chair, what has happened to the EPWP Code of Good Practice
framework, why is this not used when determining who should be
appointed in a temporary position on a project in a certain
ward, or on a project on both a national and provincial level?
Is it not time that a policy review be initiated to ensure
that cadre deployment and the manipulation of opportunities
are not misused? The goal of the EPWP is to ultimately provide
equal opportunities for all who find themselves in the
unfortunate position of being unemployed. Another huge bone of
contention is that this programme should work on a rotational
basis, whereby the majority of unemployed are given the
opportunity to have, even for a short period, a form of income
and to furthermore ensure work experience is created.
However, participants of this programme remain the same with
practically every project. Is there no mechanism in place
whereby reports are to be submitted to ensure that policy
regulations are followed? It is quite clear that this


 
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programme has no consequence management in place and therefore
it is used to benefit only those that can produce a green
card. Hon Minister, I call upon you to engage on this matter
to ensure your department has policy programmes in place that
will see a programme equally available to all citizens of
South Africa which will enable a temporary solution to the
unemployed to also share in the financial gains this programme
has to offer. I thank you.
Ms M L MOSHODI: The Budget Policy Vote of the Department of
Public Works & Infrastructure this year highlights the
necessity for continued improvement of performance on
programmes and projects. It necessitates the improvement in
coordination between different spheres of Government to ensure
optimisation of budget and outcomes of programmes.
The necessity for the department to operate at a much higher
level is largely due to the economic challenges which face the
country of low economic growth which was worsened by the
effects of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Hom Chairperson, this has increased poverty and unemployment
in the country. In response to the current economic situation
government has introduced the Economic Reconstruction and


 
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Recovery Plan. The plan is based on driving inclusive economic
growth through infrastructure development. Moreover, the plan
seeks to intensify job creation including labour intensive
jobs. The Department of Public Works & Infrastructure has a
critical role to play both in the delivery of strategic
infrastructure projects and job creation.
Hon members, in the Sona of 2022 the State President focussed
on job creation, infrastructure development and maintenance of
government immovable assets. The Government with its social
partners at Nedlac are finalising plans to grow the economy
and create jobs. This is part of the drive by the ANC
Government to struggle against the triple challenge in South
Africa of poverty, inequality and unemployment.
Hon Chairperson, within the Economic Reconstruction and
Recovery Plan there are a number of plans and projects which
are for the focus of the Department of Public Works and
Infrastructure as announced in the Sona of 2022.
Hon member the government has embarked on measures to enable
the development and growth of businesses to enable job
creation alongside the expanded public works programme and
social protection. Through the infrastructure fund with a


 
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R100 billion allocation from the fiscus over a 10-year period
requires state entities to engage in infrastructure projects
with an investment value of R96 billion in student housing,
social housing, telecommunications, water and sanitation and
transport.
Hon members, this requires PMTE, Property Management and
Trading Entity, to optimise the government property portfolio
and the completion of the immovable property asset register.
This means that the department must earnestly begin its
maintenance programme of government buildings and commence the
development for student housing.
This should also enable the development of small and medium
enterprises to enable maintenance work in electrical, painting
and plumbing as well as construction work.
Hon Chairperson, it is anticipated that over the next three
years the rural roads programme will utilise labour intensive
methods to construct or upgrade 685 kilometres of rural roads.
This will bring employment to rural areas and will be funded
through the Extended Public Works Programme.


 
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The Department has already embarked upon a programme to ensure
youth internships which enable the interns to have a job track
record and seek permanent employment as most employers are not
employing youth graduates without work experience.
Hon Chairperson, the Department of Public Works and
Infrastructure participating in these projects will certainly
make a fundamental contribution to inclusive economic
development and job creation. These programmes do make a
substantive contribution to the transformation of the country.
Hon Chairperson, Infrastructure SA was created in the
Department of Public Works and Infrastructure to implement
strategic infrastructure projects. The department has already
engaged with the Development Bank of Southern Africa and
National Treasury on the financing of the projects and
agreement has been signed on the role of the parties.
The Department has been assigned five strategic integrated
projects which are the small harbours, development nationally,
the building of rural bridges which is known as the Welisizwe
Programme, PV and water savings on Government Buildings
Programme, Comprehensive Urban Management Programme and the
Salvokop precinct.


 
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Hon Chairperson, these are critical infrastructure programmes
assigned to the department and have a critical role to play in
economic development and job creation. The small harbours
programme has commenced and is a national programme which
benefits communities in all provinces along the coast.
This project requires to be viewed in conjunction with issuing
of fishing permits by the Department of Forestry, Fisheries
and the environment to small fisherman based in coastal
communities. The small harbour development in the country will
benefit communities which depend on the ocean economy for a
living. This will ensure that communities located around small
harbours are able to make living and not remain in perpetual
poverty.
In addition, this project has to date in terms of the repair
and maintenance programme created a total of 894 jobs and
empowered local SMMEs, Small Micro-Medium Enterprises, to the
value of over R114 billion. The development of new fishing
harbours in Eastern Cape, KZN and Northern Cape is progressing
slowly and requires attention as this opens up economic
opportunities for local communities which are based around the
small harbours.


 
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Hon Chairperson, the Welisizwe programme has developed a total
of 23 rural bridges which have been completed from 2019 to
date. Accumulatively, 420 work opportunities have been created
during this period. This will certainly improve the lives of
people in rural communities. This infrastructure must be
viewed in relation to the land reform programme and the small
scale farming programme by the Department of Agriculture to
ensure food security.
This programme creates enabling infrastructure to get produce
to markets which creates real livelihoods for people in rural
areas. The department is in the process of recruiting 360
qualified artisans, 300 artisan trainees and engineering
trainees from the participating provinces for Welisizwe
Programme pending programme funding from National Treasury.
Furthermore, plans and inspections completed for the 96
bridges to be constructed in 2022/23 financial year and
awaiting budget allocation from National Treasury. It is
expected that 8266 jobs opportunities will be created when the
96 bridges are completed. It is important that National
Treasury funds this programme as it is integrated with land
reform and will contribute to inclusive economic development
in all provinces and strengthen food security.


 
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Hon Chair, this programme seeks to create decent work
opportunities and provide training opportunities for
unskilled, marginalised communities and unemployed people in
South Africa. The budget allocation for this programme in this
financial year is R307 billion. This is to ensure that 69
public bodies are provided coordination support with a further
290 public bodies are provided with technical support.
The expanded public works programme is designed to ensure that
those who are historically disadvantaged and cannot be
employed in the manufacturing, mining, agricultural,
technological or service sector of the economy are able to
obtain gainful employment and be simultaneously skilled.
It should be borne in mind that the Public Works programmes
are targeted at the economically poorest households in the
country in both urban and rural areas. These programmes
provide the only form of income for these households.
In conclusion hon Chairperson, the department has many
challenges to resolve, but it has certainly made steady
progress. The current programmes and projects are going a long
way into developing a capacity capability required to
implement new programmes and projects.


 
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The necessity support [Inaudible.]to its entity are
implementing urgently in developing its priorities. These
entities contain expertise in the built environment area for
implementation of the Department of Infrastructure project. As
the ANC we support the policy vote 13.
Sesotho:
Ke a leboha Modulasetulo. Ha ke sa bona ke bosiu.
Mr M A P de BRUYN: Hon Chair, last year we heard all the
promises and plans from the hon Minister and sadly, same as
every year, very little has come of all those plans and
promises.
Last year we heard of the establishment of the Infrastructure
Built Anti-Corruption Forum. And this year the Minister said:
The forum’s operations structures have been set up, this
year will see the forum place greater emphasis on awareness
and prevention activities to encourage people to come
forward with information on corruption so that we can put
perpetrators behind bars.


 
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Hon Minister, people have been coming forward with information
regarding corruption for years already, only to be ignored and
I seriously doubt if this forum will have any real success.
But please do prove me wrong.
In preparation of this speech I thought to myself, let’s find
some positive points to address regarding this department,
only to realise a day later that I was wasting my time.
Infrastructure in general is collapsing, public works has more
debt than it can afford and in general, this department is
failing in its mandate.
Afrikaans:
As gekyk word na die verval en toestand van ons skole, paaie,
polisiestasies, hospitale, ensovoorts, is dit duidelik dat
hierdie departement en die Minister nie in staat is om hul
plig te vervul nie.
Die Vrystaatse psigiatriese sentrum in Bloemfontein, wat eens
die vlagskip van psigiatriese sorg in die land was staan
vandag slegs ’n silhoeët van wat dit eens was. Die geboue is
bouvallig en die gras en onkruid staan skouerhoogte oor die
hele terrein. So is dit ook die geval by die nasionale en
Pelonomi-hospitale.


 
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Die Parkweg polisiestasie is sedert 2017 al ’n
konstruksieterrein, waar die derde kontrakteur hopelik nou
eers die projek sal kan afhandel. Die geraamde verlies op die
projek beloop glo meer as R48 miljoen. In dele van die
Vrystaat is die paaie so sleg dat mense eerder op die skouer
of in die veld ry.
Daarby wil ek aanheg dat hierdie departement die bloed van
honderde mense op hul hande het, wat hierdie jaar op ons paaie
verongeluk het, as gevolg van die swak toestand van ons paaie.
Hierdie paar voorbeelde van vele, tesame met die afgebrande
Parlement, staan as monumente van die ANC-regering en die
departement se onvermoë. Maar jaar na jaar moet ons luister na
dieselfde beloftes hoe die Minister hierdie land se
infrastruktuur gaan verbeter en jaar na jaar is die
teleurstelling en korrupsie net groter.
English:
How can we, in good conscience, approve any budget for this
department for new infrastructure when it can’t even maintain
its current infrastructure?


 
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No budget will solve the incompetence of this department and
throwing more money on the problem won’t solve it either, it
will only lead to more corruption.
If the Minister is truly commitment to cleaning up this
department and getting it on track to work for government and
all South Africa, as she has stated in her presentation, she
will have to start by rooting out corruption and cadre
deployment. Appoint capable staff and officials and she will
have to go back to the drawing board to first save what is
left to save before planning any new projects.
Hon Minister, I sincerely hope that one of the 96 bridges
planed for the next year will give you access to a path were
this is possible. Thank you.
The DEPUTY MINISTER OF PUBLIC WORKS AND INFRASTRUCTURE: Hon
Chairperson of the NCOP, hon Masondo, the Minister of Public
Works, the hon Chairperson of the select committee, hon
Mmoeiemang, hon permanent and special delegates, Premiers and
MECs, the representatives of SA Local Government Association,
SALGA, fellow South Africans.


 
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It gives me quite a great pleasure to be participating in this
debate about building our motherland on Africa Day. A day on
which leaders of our great continent met and worked out a path
to freedom and development for Africa some 59 years ago. And I
wish all of us a happy Africa Day.
We have come here to assert our role in the rebuilding and
revitalising of our economy and thereby to discharge our duty
to the great country. There is no doubt that our country has
had a fair share of socioeconomic challenges in the recent
past, including an economy that is sluggish, complicating the
triple challenges of poverty, unemployment and inequality.
In his acceptance speech, having been elected first President
of the Organization of African Unity, OAU, the Emperor Haile
Selassie said:
The task on which we have embarked, the making of Africa
will not wait. We must act, to shape and mould the future
and leave our imprint on the events as they slip past into
history.
And today, for us that task is about economic recovery and
reconstruction.


 
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Our department, with the rest of government, has a duty and a
responsibility to help the nation to transcend the current
difficulties, in terms of the economic recovery plan and
thereby also live up to what our people expect and so deserve
of us. We dare not fail them!
The steps that we are embarking upon to realise recovery
trajectory is to ensure that all our entities have a clear
foot mark in all provinces. The golden threat in their current
mandate is the duty to transform this sector into a more
effective, responsive industry, reflective of our ambitions as
a nation, both in form and content.
Starting with the Independent Development Trust, IDT. This
entity of the department is currently embarking on various
projects in almost all our provinces. These include the
projects in Eastern Cape where the entity has partnered with
the Department of Education to build and refurbish various
schools in the province.
In Gauteng the entity is busy with the Department of
Correctional Services’ facilities.


 
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In Limpopo, working with the Department of Health, to build
and renovate health facilities.
As well as in the Northern Cape, the Department of Education,
working with IDT, is renovating an unutilised school in
Galeshewe, changing it into a state of the art Redirile
Combined School.
The allocation for IDT in this current financial year, as you
may be aware we are supporting them with administrative
course, is at R93 million and the department continues to
support the entity in moving forward.
With respect to the Council for the Built Environment, CBE,
the Council plans to support all our districts on the
implementation of the structured candidacy programme whilst
ensuring that the sector drives demand and increases
productivity.
Over the medium-term the CBE will continue to advocate for the
Councils for the Built Environment Professions’, CBEP,
contributions to social, economic and environmental
development.


 
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In Limpopo the Council is working with the Premier’s office to
coordinate all interventions pertaining to District
Development Model, DDM, implementation.
In the province of KwaZulu-Natal, besides providing assistance
in mobilizing built environment capacity to assist with the
disaster recovery, they are involved in career awareness
programme with the Construction Education and Training
Authority, CETA, and the Department of Higher Education and
Training in UMgungundlovu District Municipality, targeting at
least 2 000 leaners in that province.
Currently, the CBE allocation for the current financial year
is at R54 million compared to R53,5 million which it received
in the last financial year.
With respect to the Construction Industry Development Board,
CIDB. The CIDB concluded an organization design process in
order to be more effective in delivering on the mandate. The
Minister did speak to the CIBD Amendment Bill, which is
currently on course. The primary focus of the process is
development, transformation, industry performance improvement
and promotion of ethical conduct.


 
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They have a presence in every province in the country in order
to deliver on their mandate. In terms of development they
assist client departments to move from planning to
implementation stage with the aim of developing all role
players in the built environment value chain.
In KwaZulu-Natal and the Western Cape, the CIDB has partnered
with the City of Cape Town and the Department of Transport
respectively to deliver on projects where they assist with
contractor registrations and ensuring that contractors meet
the necessary requirements for registration. This has resulted
in the improvement of National Contractor Development
programme.
In terms of gender empowerment and transformation they focus
on women and recognize excellence amongst women in
construction industry.
More than 500 learners received workplace experiential
training during the 2020-21 financial year and the support is
continuing.
For the current year the CIDB has been allocated an amount of
almost R80 million.


 
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Agrément SA, ASA, has processed and issued 16 certificates for
innovative built environment products and systems in the year
2021-22. These included alternative building technologies.
We intend to continue holding the hand of this entity which is
busy with a business plan for the establishment of a
sustainability rating tool for public buildings and is
currently administering a government ready-to-be-launched eco-
labelling scheme on behalf of the department.
Having realised that many South Africans are not aware of what
this entity is working on, they are embarking on a roadshow to
showcase their service countrywide.
Agrément SA’s allocation this financial year is at
R33,9 million.
As I conclude, I must make the point that our department has
many challenges and weaknesses. We are committed to turning it
around and to ensure service delivery for the betterment of
our country.


 
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We need to ask the question: Didn’t Karl Marx talk about
people who have only described the world, in various ways? Our
responsibility, therefore, is to change it.
We believe success is not measured by what a person
accomplishes, but ... [Time expired.] Thank you, Chair.
The CHAIRPERSON OF THE NCOP: I would have loved to hear a bit
more about Marx, but ... [Laughter.]
Mr N M HADEBE: Thank you, hon Chairperson and hon members, the
devastating floods in KwaZulu-Natal which has caused billions
of rands of damage, has undeniably exposed the dire state of
ageing infrastructure and lack of maintenance. The extensive
damage caused to state-owned buildings, providing vital public
services and damage caused to roads and bridges, serving rural
communities with little access to resources, require urgent
intervention. Although the IFP welcomes the establishment of
the joint-ad hoc committee to monitor the relief measures
implemented by government, the daunting task ahead of the
Department of Public Works and Infrastructure must be attended
to with urgency.


 
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Above all, it is vital that the department clearly
communicates with the public on measures adopted to ensure
transparency and instil faith in the public that this task is
attended to with efficiency and competency. The department’s
latest annual performance plan instils little confidence that
the department applies the necessary urgency to ensure
longstanding matters are resolved. It is alarming that the
legislation that would empower the department to collect fees
relating to leasing, collecting and maintenance costs due by
client to departments, is still outstanding. There has been
promises of reviewing the 1997 and 1999 White Papers for years
and the Public Works Bill, the enabling legislating has been
in the pipeline for many years.
We cannot continue to tolerate the department’s excuses for
failing to review these White papers and finalising the draft
Public Works Bill. The IFP remains committed to closely
monitor the department’s performance relating to the
finalising of this critical legislation that will enable the
Property Management Trading Entity to enforce compliance. The
IFP furthermore, on consideration of the department’s budget
and latest annual performance plan, remains highly concerned
about the alarming number of unemployed built environment
professional graduates in the Council for ... [Inaudible.]


 
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The CHAIRPERSON OF THE NCOP: Hon Hadebe, please proceed, and
speak to your mic.
Mr N M HADEBE: Thank you, Chair. It is astonishing that 10 089
of these graduates are currently unemployed despite having a
vital skill that can and logically should be utilised by
municipalities. This reality must urgently be addressed as it
remains incomprehensible that such skills are not being
properly utilised. The IFP will closely monitor the progress
on linking these graduates to infrastructure projects and the
IFP will also closely monitor progress reports submitted by
the Council for the Built Environment on means to strengthen
their regulatory function over professional built councils.
In conclusion, hon Chairperson, it is critical that we
continue to carefully monitor and analyse the department’s
performance outcomes and demand accountability and
transparency on behalf of the people of South Africa. With
that being said, hon Chairperson, I wish to state that
nevertheless, the IFP accepts the Budget Vote. Thank you.
Mr J J LONDT: Thank you, Chairperson. Chairperson, hon
minister and hon members, on the department’s website, there’s
that, South Africa works when Public Works work. Currently,


 
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I’m sure that all of us are worried about the crumbling
infrastructure, the unprotected high value land that should be
used to unlock economic opportunities that is now being
targeted and occupied, and then not enough is being done to
remove illegal occupiers and thereby, tying up that land in
long costly illegal battles. If we look at what this
department is responsible for, and see how it doesn’t work at
this stage, is it no wonder that South Africa is struggling?
The continued failure of this ANC government is also starting
to hamper effective oversight. There is absolutely no arguing
that, the mess of Eskom, the continuous rolling, and it’s not
load shedding, blackouts that we have, is entirely the fault
of the ANC. This affects networks and even though we might not
always like what colleagues say in Parliament, every single
member in Parliament represents voices across the length and
the breadth of South Africa, and it is now because of this
ANC’s incompetence that voices like hon Boshoff, hon Apleni
cannot be heard, because of this ANC that cannot do the basics
well. It is an absolute tragedy that one of the Houses of
Parliament burned down, and we need to ensure that those
responsible for neglecting the maintenance and ensuring that
there are working sprinklers, and early warning systems are in
place, those people should be held accountable.


 
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In most other democracies in the world, Minister, de Lille,
the responsible political head would’ve long ago fell on his
or her sword if that happened under their watch. That is not
the case in South Africa, there is no culture of
accountability. However, there is a second House of
Parliament, the NCOP, that wasn’t as severely affected as the
National Assembly, and the NCOP can be used and should be
used. We should have gone to in-person meetings long ago, but
this department and the people responsible for ensuring that,
the state of democracy in our country is actually working,
they are not doing their job.
If you are not even looking at the most iconic symbols and our
buildings in our country, how can we expect you to look after
any piece that you are responsible for? I hope that, sooner or
rather not later, we will move back to in-person meetings and
that this department and the people responsible for make sure
that we go back, holding one another accountable in the House,
and making sure that we do not lose the other voices of
members. Acting MEC, Mamabolo, you definitely came across as
an acting MEC, and even in your own portfolio, last week, you
struggled to realise that you are underperforming. I mean, you
were impressed with your own performance, you are the one that
said, Minister Mbalula is a youth. That’s basically the same


 
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as saying that, Minister, de Lille, never knew what Melissa
Whitehead was up to.
So, I would suggest, I think for today, you are actually
blessed by putting another picture on, but I think you
actually did it a service, because you should put your face
next to the words you utter. Colleagues, South Africa can
work, and South Africa should work, and one of the most
critical drivers of the economic recovery, it’s making sure
that our Public Works department functions optimally, that we
utilise the assets we’ve got in government, and make sure that
we use that to unlock key economic opportunities.
We currently sit with policies and with an economic climate
that scares off economic investors, but if we can make sure
that we show up and clear up that policies and attract
investors, the country would be turned around. Unfortunately,
in the current trajectory, well, I don’t know whether it’s
good, but then the less good ANC alliance, this will not
happen. So, we will have to make sure that we get rid of you
at the poles in 2024, and all indications are, that you will
be sitting with a coalition government in the country, and I
do hope and pray that you get low enough support that you


 
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cannot form a government, and somebody else, together with the
DA ... [Interjections.] [Time expired.] Thanks.
Mr M I RAYI: Hon Chairperson, hon Deputy Chairperson, hon
Chief Whip, hon House Chairpersons, hon Minister, hon Deputy
Minister, hon MECs, hon permanent delegates, hon special
delegates and hon representatives of the South African Local
Government Association, Salga, the economic reconstruction and
recovery plan which is the current ANC government economic
policy places the Department of Public Works and
Infrastructure in an important place to positively contribute
through its different programmes and projects to ensure
infrastructure development and job creation in all provinces
and municipalities. The department is strategically poised in
its different programmes and projects to ensure that inclusive
economic development can occur and that job creation becomes
an important leg in infrastructure driven growth. This is a
crucial path towards transformation and economic liberation of
the majority of the people of this country.
Settler colonialism was based on conquest and forced seizure
of land. It excluded the majority from legitimate economic
activity and therefore the country must correct this
historical injustice through a conscious process of


 
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restoration and transformation. It is the fate of history that
it is not those who benefitted from the apartheid system, hon
Londt, which contribute to fixing the problem created by
apartheid, but rather the victims who have been historically
charged since the 1994 democratic elections to fix the legacy
of apartheid.
It is important that in this policy vote of the Department of
Public Works that attention is focussed on the issue of land
for urban and rural development. The department and its
entities in the built environment and construction sector will
have to play a crucial role in infrastructure development and
urban and rural settlements as part of its contribution to the
delivery of the economic reconstruction and recovery plan.
The Property Management and Trading entity must play a crucial
role in optimising Governments property portfolio and this
must commence with ensuring that there is comprehensive record
of all government immovable property. It is important that
attention be given to the optimisation of revenue generation
from government buildings as this will assist in closing the
funding gap required for the implementation of programmes of
the Department. The backlog of title deeds also requires
urgent attention. This will enable further development to


 
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occur. The backlog of maintenance requires to be addressed to
optimise the value of government buildings. This is a source
of job creation and enables the creation of small and medium
enterprises in the maintenance sector.
However, the state of the nation address of 2022 has focussed
on the development of infrastructure in the form of roads and
bridges as well creating student accommodation and social
housing.
The department in conjunction with the Department of Human
Settlements have made and will continue to make parcels of
land available for social housing in the different provinces.
For the development of social housing the department has thus
far released 44 land parcels measuring 2 560 hectares for
human settlements purposes and have been released to the
Housing Development Agency through special powers of attorney
to enable development planning. In relation to land
redistribution the department has has released 120 land
parcels measuring 25 549 hectares from 01 April 2019 to date.
Another 31 land parcels measuring 10 350 hectares is awaiting
supporting documentation in terms of the prefeasibility
studies and extent of planned development from the Housing


 
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Development Agency. This is certainly a positive measure of
progress on the side of the department to ensure the
availability of land for social housing and land
redistribution.
The Department, together with the Construction Industry
Development Board, CIDB, has developed a draft construction
industry recovery plan. The plan provides a status quo of the
construction industry and identifies areas of intervention
which will lead to an increase in the construction sectors
contributions to the gross domestic product, GDP. The
implementation of the plan for the recovery of the
construction industry be implemented as this will ensure the
implementation of development plans in the built environment
and contribute to the development of auxiliary supporting
industries which supply the construction industry with goods,
services and materials.
It is critical that the expertise in the built environment
from the entities of the department is brought to assist in
development of social housing. These areas which are being
developed for social housing must not be merely housing
projects and the department in conjunction with other
departments need to ensure that there is holistic housing


 
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development which is integrated with social amenities such as
health facilities, schools, sporting facilities and public
libraries. This is essential to create a community environment
which provides concrete and constructive alternatives for
community development. Efficient public transport is necessary
as people require access to job opportunities.
The development of the micro economy is critical for local job
creation and inclusive economic development. When land is
being made available for transport hubs it is imperative that
include the development of small and medium enterprises to
stimulate township economies.
It is important hon Minister that government is able to
ascertain whether land allocated for social housing by
national government is not utilised by provinces and
municipalities which sell the land to developers for
development of housing or apartments which only is geared
towards those who can afford such luxury development projects.
It has to be for the development of housing for those who are
marginalised and for those who due to their low income do not
qualify for bonds. This means that the Housing Development
Agency has a pool of skills and talent from CIDB, Council for
the Built Environment, CBE, and AgrementSA. In order to create


 
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an ethical and capable development state it imperative that
expertise that is available in government is optimally
utilised to ensure the success of deliverable outcomes. This
means that the entities under the department dealing with
Government land and the built environment need to be optimally
functioning in terms of governance and financial control.
The Independent Development Trust, IDT, also needs to be
positioned to be able to develop some of these projects, as
the hon Deputy Minister has explained, especially in relation
to the restoration of government buildings as well as the
conversion of some of these buildings for student
accommodation. This will enable the entity to engage in
development which is its core function and competence of the
department. Infrastructure development and social housing will
economically and socially benefit all provinces and
municipalities.
On legislation, hon Apleni, the expropriation Bill is
currently being processed by Parliament and it is an important
arena for ensuring that development in the public interest is
not stifled. It also allows for expropriation of land in the
public interest for the correction of historical injustice and
ensure land restitution in certain instances. While it is not


 
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legislation dealing with land redistribution in general it
will enable development in urban and rural areas which is in
the public interest. It is important that the development work
of the department in all provinces is conducted within the
framework of overarching legislation which enables the
national Department of Public Works and Infrastructure to
coordinate its work across the three spheres of Government and
ensure accountability of its entities in all provinces. This
means that it is important that the Public Works Bill is
completed and processed by Parliament within this financial
year. This will ensure greater accountability by all sectors
which deal with the programmes and projects led by the
national department of Public Works and Infrastructure.
Legislation dealing with infrastructure should also be
developed to ensure that there is an overarching legislative
and regulatory framework which guides important infrastructure
development.
In Skills Development, infrastructure development will require
skills and capability. It is important that youth graduates
with qualifications who are currently unemployed and who are
required in the built environment area be given job
opportunities in these projects. The department is also busy
through the Extended Public Works Programme with a skilling


 
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programme for artisans in terms of electricians, plumbers and
other related areas of maintenance and construction in all
provinces. It is important that department is able to enhance
this programme and consider how these artisans can be employed
in social housing projects and infrastructure development to
ensure that they are able to concretely gain work experience.
Job creation is critical and in this case with capability and
skills.
The department intends utilising the procurement of goods and
services to ensure the creation of small and medium
enterprises. This is a critical part of ensuring
entrepreneurship and job creation as the micro economy is a
major job creator if development occurs in local communities.
In concluding, the department must overcome its challenges of
the past and ensure that it implements its ten areas of
business improvement to enable it to deliver outcomes on the
ground in communities and not just outputs. The entities under
the department must be operational in terms of boards and
management with the correct skills and capability to ensure
proper corporate governance and financial controls and
financial accountability. It is critical that programmes and
projects are implemented and the benefits accrue to the people


 
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of the country who merely seek a better life for all. The
select committee will pay keen attention to the rollout of
programmes and projects. It will oversight the progress and
outcomes of the programmes and projects. A lot of work awaits
all in the sector in service of the people and the department
needs to embrace the challenge and focus on its performance
plans and implement the plans of government in the different
provinces and municipalities.
Hon Chairperson, there are some of the statements that have
been attributed to the ANC in particular. The issue regarding
the Expanded Public Works Programme, EPWP was raised by the hon
Labuschagne. This statement has been going around even in the
last term. The Deputy Minister, Jeremy Cronin, explained that
the department has guidelines. As a committee we asked the
department to publish these guidelines on their website. The
department confirmed that the guidelines with regard to the
recruitment of the Expanded Public Works Programme workers are
in the website of the department. But again this accusations
and allegations are continuing.
Hon Minster, we met with the department on 20 April. The
information you said you are going to provide to us has
already been provided. It was part of the annual performance


 
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plan of the department. So, we have all the documents - the
information you are referring to.
Just an advice to those that were participating in the debate.
The least that you can do - in fact, in all the debates
because I have been observing - most members of the opposition
are general and sometimes they are personal. They are not
focussing on the programmes of the department and also the
budget that is being allocated. For example, the Department of
Public Works and Infrastructure has five programmes, namely,
administration, intergovernmental co-ordination, EPWP,
property and construction industry, policy and research and
prestige. None of the speakers from the opposition, except the
IFP, has been speaking about these issues.
With regard to the Property Management Trading Entity, PMTE,
it has five programmes, namely, administration, real estate
investment services, construction management services, real
estate registry services and facilities management services. I
wish that members could also talk to these programmes when
they deliver their speeches, and not just be general and
personal. Thank you very much, hon Chairperson.


 
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The MINISTER OF PUBLIC WORKS AND INFRASTRUCTURE: Thank you,
hon Chair and thanks for your guidance, I would also like to
thank the Deputy Minister for her dedication, hard work and
turning around this department, thanks to the hon chairperson
of the portfolio committee for your guidance, and hon members.
Hon Chairperson, the target for government is to have 10%
vacancies. Public Works is currently on 11%. The action that
we have taken was to engage services of the Department of
Public Service and Administration and they have assigned a
team to help us to meet our target.
Also, with regard to the properties, we have introduced a new
innovative measure of refurbish, operate and transfer in
partnership with the private sector. They are packaging five
buildings to go out in the next month to get proof of concept
so that we can market more of the buildings for refurbishment.
We have also put out a tender to digitise our immovable asset
net register that includes the maintenance of the asset
register and that would lead us to putting the immovable asset
register onto block J.


 
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We have established the Infrastructure Built Anticorruption
Forum, chaired by Advocate Mothibi, led by the Special
Investigating Unit, SIU, other law enforcement agencies, the
private sector and civil society. It is well on its way.
We have reported progress to the portfolio committee in the
National Assembly this morning on the Public Works Bill. We
can certainly do the same for the NCOP.
I agree with hon Mmoiemang that we need to get value for
money. It is exactly what the Auditor-General has advised us
that all the month-to-month leases ... that we stop the
irregular expenditure, we have started renegotiating the
overcharging of leases by the private sector to government. In
the last financial year, we saved R273 million.
Hon Brauteseth, I just want to remind you again of the audit
that was done by the Department of Rural Development and Land
Reform. Fourteen percent of the land in South Africa belongs
to the state, 79% is in the hands of private people like him,
and there is 7% of land that is unaccounted for. Land is also
held by all three spheres of government. The provincial
governments have their own immovable asset register. And so
does the local municipalities and metropolitans.


 
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When we talk about land reform, it is not just national
government, it is all three spheres of government that must
become involved in land reform.
I am very surprised that after all these years that the hon
members in the NCOP who do not realise that in terms of the
Constitution, that Public Works AND Infrastructure is a
concurrent power. That’s why you have MECs even today speaking
in this debate. We have to look at Public Works, local
governments and provincial governments, and they must all be
held to account.
One of the members spoke about that we are doing nothing, I
don’t know which country he is living in because we have given
more than 30 title deeds to black farmers in Limpopo. We have
released over 35 000 hectares of land for up and coming black
farmers, and it is all work in progress and we are trying our
best.
I just want to say to hon De Bruyn that if there is anybody in
this country with any information on corruption, they must go
to the police. They don’t need to wait for a forum. If you
have proof that this forum, which was established in 2021,
that it has not taken any of the corruption charges or


 
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corruption complaints that came to us, please give me the
evidence and I will investigate. I couldn’t make sense of the
hon member’ speech because it sounded like ...
Afrikaans:
Klaagliedere van Jeremia in die Bybel, en ek sal maar net sê,
God seën jou.
English:
Also the issue of the fire at the Houses Parliament. We have
given many reports to the joint standing committees of
Parliament. We have received the final report on 20 May. We
have reported that last week, Friday. We are in the process of
processing it because it must go to the National Prosecuting
Authority, NPA, as evidence to ... That is work in progress.
I just want to assure hon Rayi that, yes, it has become normal
that provincial governments, local governments and
metropolitans especially, scream out for land from the
national Department of Public Works. When we give them the
land, they sell it off to developers. We have now put a
special clause in 2019 that says, yes, we will give you the
land, but if you ever want to sell this land, the Department
of Public Works will be the first option to take the land
back. That is how we are protecting state land now.


 
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Also with regard to the Budget, I agree with you. I sincerely
hope that members will take time to read the Budget. Then we
can debate what is in the Budget. After all, this Budget is
put before the elected Members of Parliament for consideration
of approval. When you have not read the Budget, and you are
just repeating the same speech that you did last year and the
year before ... It is very difficult, hon Chair, to engage.
I appeal to all members of the NCOP, especially from the
opposition, to read the Budget. You will see that there are
attempts for us to save taxpayer’s money, but we will also be
wasting taxpayer’s money that’s paying the public
representatives to read the Budget. Let’s stop wasting money
on all sites. I commit to be the first to admit that although
we have made progress in the past two and half years that
there is still a lot to be done. Together with the guidance,
the advice and the direction from the elected representatives
of Parliament, we want to be held accountable. We learn a lot
and get a lot of good advice. Let us engage. Let us read and
build our country. If you are a patriot, you’ll believe that
every single person in this country has a duty to say let us
read for our country. The emphasis is on “our”. Then I have
hope for our country if we all work together.


 
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I want to thank all of you for your inputs and your
contributions and thanks to those members that have supported
the Budget. Thank you very much. God bless.
The CHAIRPERSON OF THE NCOP: Thank you very much, Minister.
Hon members, let me take this opportunity to thank the
Minister, Deputy Ministers, MECs, and all special delegates
for availing themselves for the debate.
Debate concluded
The Council adjourned at 18:37.


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