Hansard: JS: Debate on President’s State-of-the-nation Address
House: National Assembly
Date of Meeting: 14 Feb 2023
Summary
No summary available.
Minutes
UNREVISED HANSARD
JOINT SITTING
TUESDAY, 14 FEBRUARY 2023
PROCEEDINGS AT JOINT SITTING
Watch video here: Debate on President’s State-of-the-nation Address
Members of the National Assembly and the National Council of Provinces assembled at the Cape Town City Hall at 10h00.
The Chairperson of the National Council of Provinces took the chair and requested members to observe a moment of silence for prayers or meditation.
The CHAIRPERSON OF THE NCOP: Hon members, before we proceed with the debate on the state of the nation address, I wish to remind all of us of Chapter 2(a) of the Joint Rules of Parliament especially part 1 which deals with order in joint sittings and the rules of debate. In this regard, I wish to highlight the following:
Rule 14(b) states that no member shall converse aloud; Rule 14(c) states that no member shall interrupt another member whilst speaking except to call attention to a point of order or a point of privilege; Rule 14(e) states that whenever the
Presiding Officer addresses a member during the debate, any member speaking or seeking to speak shall resume his or her seat and the Presiding Officer shall be heard without interruption; Rule 14(g) states that if the Presiding Officer is of the opinion that a member is deliberately contravening the Rules or that the member is in contempt of or is disregarding the authority of the Chairperson or that the member’s conduct is grossly disorderly, he or she may order a member to withdraw from the chamber for the remainder of the sitting.
ANNOUNCEMENT
The CHAIRPERSON OF THE NCOP: Hon members, I have received the copy of the President’s state of the nation address speech that was delivered on 09 February 2023. The speech had been printed in the Minutes of the Joint Sitting.
DEBATE ON PRESIDENT’S STATE OF THE NATION ADDRESS
The CHIEF WHIP OF THE MAJORITY PARTY: Hon Chairperson of the NCOP, the Speaker, the President of the Republic of South Africa, the Deputy President, hon members, distinguished guests from the gallery ...
IsiXhosa:
... manene namanenekazi ...
English:
... fellow South Africans, Secretary to Parliament ...
IsiXhosa:
... uyazimela xa ndiza kuthetha?
English:
Fellow South Africans ...
IsiXhosa:
... ngale ntlazane, ndiyabulisa ...
English:
... good morning ...
Afrikaans:
... goeie more ...
Xitsonga:
... avuxeni ...
IsiNdebele:
... ngiyalotjhisa...
Sesotho:
... dumelang ...
IsiZulu:
... sanibonani ...
IsiXhosa:
... molweni. Egameni lo mbutho wesizwe i-ANC, - Sihlalo kuthiwa kukho ingxaki kwisandi, ndivakala ngathi ndiseliweni.
English:
The CHAIRPERSON OF THE NCOP: Yes. We will ask the Table to look at the problem. But please proceed, Chief Whip. Yes, the problem is being attended to.
The CHIEF WHIP OF THE MAJORITY PARTY: I have already greeted this august House.
IsiXhosa:
Egameni lombutho olilifa lesizwe, i-ANC, ndinqwenela ukuqala ngokwamnkela nokuxhasa intetho ethe tyaa, etyebileyo yobume
besizwe ewiswe nguMongameli welizwe. Abantu boMzantsi Afrika babeke kwintende yombutho wesizwe uxanduva lokukhokela isizwe sonke nelizwe liphela. Okukona kungundoqo kuthi ngengombutho wesizwe phantsi kwesikhokelo esiphume izandla sikaMongameli, kukwenza iinguqu ezikhawulezileyo kwimiba yentlalo noqoqosho kwiimpilo zabantu bakokwethu baphile ubomi obungcono kunobu babuphilayo ngalo mzuzu.
English:
The President also outlined commitment to taking decisive action to address challenges affecting the nation through placing the people’s interest in the centre of the process of change.
I am moved by the memory of the towering icon of our struggle, uDalibhunga, uTata Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela, who stood a few metres from here 33 years ago as a free citizen after spending
27 years ...
IsiXhosa:
... eqamele ngengqindi ePollsmoor Maximum Security Prison and Robben Island (esiQithini).
English:
It was a historic event that marked the turning point in the liberation struggle and South Africa’s march to freedom and democracy. Sentenced to life imprisonment, his release breathed new life and hope into the nation that for decades echoed the struggle song “we shall overcome”.
Today, it is that same spirit of hope and resilience that we are drawing upon in the face of a myriad of challenges that confront us. We must remain true to that spirit of resilience that each of us must do all in our power to work together to fight poverty and reduce inequality, end corruption and address the energy crisis.
We do not speak about poverty because it is fashionable but we speak about it because it is politically correct to do so. We have lived that life and it is us who have been motivated to persevere to greatness through poverty.
IsiXhosa:
Thina siyazana nendlala, nentlupheko yiyo loo nto isithundezayo ukuba sisebenzele abantu bakowethu.
English:
The ANC has a mandate not to use this podium for cheap politicking but to communicate the achievements of this government, working together with social partners to implement the commitments made in previous state of the nation address.
The ANC speakers will address the nation and debunk the falsehoods that some opposition parties and some media houses have been repeating that this President and the government have done nothing for the past four years and have been making empty promises.
We acknowledge that the President or the national government alone, cannot solve the myriad of our challenges and problems that are affecting our country. The grandstanding and pontification we are about to witness here in the next two days by some parties will be a clear display of abuse and of serious debate for political campaigning.
IsiXhosa:
Asikhanyeli ukuba ikho imiceli-mingeni ikhona. I-ANC ngalo lonke ixesha ihlala iyeyokuqala ukuvuma ukusilela, ubuthathaka neziphene ezikumanye amaziko orhulumento. Kunjalo nje, iyintlaninge imizekelo yokufunquka kwezinga lokuphuncuka komqela owenziwa ngurhulumente. Umzekelo omhle nobonakalayo,
khangela iziphumo zebanga leshumi kuwo onke amaphondo, bubungqina bomsebenzi wokuzilahlela kubafundi bekhokelwa ngabafundisintsapho abazinikelayo.
English:
The ANC is not in denial about the state of the provision of basic services and infrastructure such as water, human settlements, transport, electricity, bridges and bad road infrastructure. We need investment in new infrastructure projects and funding for maintenance.
The national interest is our utmost priority and the rule of law as a cornerstone of our constitutional democratic state must be maintained at all times.
What is a People’s Parliament? It is important that we remind one another that in deepening accountability, Parliament provides oversight as the tribune of the people and is expected to promote rule of law. Scenes seen here last Thursday by some parliamentarians heading to confront the President of the Republic of South Africa must be condemned and the Joint Rules must take its course. [Interjections.] [Applause.] These few parliamentarians are an embarrassment to the country and the nation because we are not a violent nation
as South Africans. We know how to process our issues. [Interjections.]
IsiXhosa:
Kwintetho yobume belizwe kwiveki ephelileyo, uMongameli usikhumbuzile sisonke apha okokuba abantu boMzantsi Afrika abanawo amandla nomonde womdudo wamasele, umbhodamo, umtshotsho nombhayizelo wesikhwenkwe esiwubone ugquba apha kule Ndlu. Abantu beli lizwe bafuna ukubona izenzo nezisombululo kuzo zonke iinkalo zorhulumento.
English:
A lot of hot air is going to be blown up about the government’s declaration of a National State of Disaster to respond to the electricity crisis and its effects. The critics of this approach missed the most important element of the intervention, namely, the strong central co-ordination and decisive action needed to deal with a national crisis of energy.
President and government are heading to a call made by the citizens of South Africa that this government must end loadshedding. This government must stabilise energy throughout by intervening. The comprehensive plan to attend to
electricity challenges must be implemented, hon President, with immediate effect speedily. We are awaiting for the Minister of Electricity to gallop on this matter. [Interjections.]
Sesotho:
Taba ena ya motlakase ke kgomo ya moshate, o a e hama o molato, o a tlohela le teng o molato ...
IsiXhosa:
... kanti nifuna ntoni?
English:
Government has a responsibility to cushion all citizens with incentivising and subsidisation of solar roof top panels.
Vandalism of infrastructure and stealing of cables is tantamount to sabotage and counter revolution. These criminal acts must be dealt with ruthlessly.
IsiXhosa:
Iinjongo zokulwa nomngeni wokushokoxeka kombane, phantsi kwale nkqubo intsha yesibhengezo sentlekela kukuba sifuna abantu baphume kulo cimi-cimi kuba usibuyisela emva kwezo qoqosho.
English:
There is an urgent need that the challenges facing local government, which must be attended to by the national government through the Review of the Municipal Fiscal Model including the Division of Revenue in order to avail resources to meet the needs of the people in the sphere, prioritising basic and fundamental needs of our people.
Provincial and local governments, traditional leaders, religious fraternity, youth movements, the workers and the business sector must also come on board as they did in the National Economic Development and Labour Council, Nedlac, framework when the nation responded to COVID-19.
When we adopted the style of working, we were able to build new capabilities such as the Fusion Centre whereby different law enforcement agencies worked together to tackle crime and corruption.
The Auditor-General worked with government departments and entities to introduce real-time audits and we want to really appreciate that.
The Department of Employment and Labour created Temporary Employer-Employee Relief Scheme, Ters, benefit scheme whereby the Unemployment Insurance Fund, UIF, paid benefits to workers through the bargaining council and employers.
The Department of Social Development is also able within weeks to roll out new social grants to help the unemployed and cushion the indigent, thus laying the foundation for the Basic Income Grant that we had debated for decades. Our track record speaks for itself but challenges, we do accept that they grow daily.
These capabilities were built within a relatively short space of time. They stand as a proof that South Africans have the capacity to unleash solutions for all our problems. What we need is leadership that is capable to inspire us and mobilize our energies towards the same goals.
Robust oversight by parliamentary committees must be intensified to prevent the mismanagement of public funds.
As the ANC we have a rich history of struggle of mobilizing our people to move mountains. We did it in various moments to overcome the oppressive system. There is nothing that cannot
be done now as we have done with the Pass Laws in 1952.We mobilized volunteers to collect the aspirations of our people through the Freedom Charter in 1955. The congress movement of our national women’s march in 1956 and we launched the UDF in 1983. Given all these, we are going to draw our experience to mobilise all the South Africans to partner with government to solve the problems, not to leave anyone behind.
We feel the pain of our people who are experiencing the skyrocketing cost of living and we call on our own government to expand the safety net for the poor and the working class. We also call on business sector not to raise prices of basic foodstuffs, keep prices as low as possible.
We feel the pain of women and girl children in particular who are daily victims of gender-based violence and femicide, GBVF. We congratulate police and prosecutors who make sure that violent criminals are put behind bars. Our task as citizens of South Africa is to heal the horrific condition of society by working together.
We pay special tribute and condolences to the artists who died in the line of entertainment, DJ Sumbody, Mampintsha and AKA. The member of SA National Defence Force, SANDF, who was part
of the UN Peace Keeping Force in DRC, Sergeant Mabena and all other heroes and heroines. To the government and people of Turkey and Syria after the terrible earthquake which took lives of more than 37 000 to date. To our four provinces that are experiencing floods at the moment, we are happy that the declaration has been done.
We note the prevalence of young people in our population on ongoing challenges of youth unemployment in our country. We call on government to play an active leading role by revival of the Presidential Youth working group.
Allow me to invoke the profound words of our iconic writer, the late Prof Es’kia Mphahlele, whose centenary we celebrate this year:
Everybody who is willing to work and has a nation-building vision rather than aspirations for a sectional power-base should be allowed to come forward and contribute ideas and hands.
Let us take heed of President Ramaphosa’s wise words in his state of the nation address of 2023, that:
To build such a society, to overcome the great difficulties of the moment, we need to work together. We need to stay the course and intensify our collective efforts to grow South Africa. No one must be left behind.
Sesotho:
Kea o leboha, Modulastulo ...
English:
... thank you very much ...
Xitsonga:
... hi khensile ...
Sesotho:
... kea ho leboha.
Dankoo.
English:
The CHAIRPERSON OF THE NCOP: Hon members, just for you to note that the matter of the air conditioner is being attended to.
So, please be patient. The issue is being addressed.
The LEADER OF THE OPPOSITION: Honourable Speaker, Mr President and fellow South Africans, in January 2019, a select group of business executives were invited to a dinner on the side lines of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. At that dinner, the host stood up and described the term in office of South Africa’s former President, Jacob Zuma, as “nine wasted years.”
Influential people who attended the dinner said they were impressed with the forthrightness of the comment. According to one attendee, and I quote: “It made me think about how the country had been run in the last years. We lost some of the gains we had.” Who was the speaker at that dinner? It was none other than President Cyril Ramaphosa, talking about the administration of his ANC predecessor.
As we look back now on that early period of the Ramaphosa presidency through the lens of this year’s state of the nation address, we arrive at one, inescapable conclusion that you, Mr President, are somehow guilty of something even worse than the thing you once accused Zuma of. For if President Zuma presided over nine wasted years, then you, sir, have presided over five disastrous years. [Applause.] If you thought we lost some
gains under Zuma, then under this administration, we have only gained losses.
To quote one of the ANC’s favourite thinkers, Karl Marx: “History repeats itself – first as tragedy, then as farce.” That is exactly what you have wrought on South Africa, Mr President. What happened under Zuma was a tragedy but what has happened under your watch is a farce. The “New dawn” was a false dawn. Ramaphoria was a delusion. Your supposed commitment to reform was hollow.
Unemployment has skyrocketed from 36% to 43% since Mr Ramaphosa became President in 2018. Murder has increased by 20% over the same period, with 70 people killed in our country every single day. As we all know, rolling power blackouts have become a daily feature of life in the Ramaphosa era. In fact, when he became President in 2018, South Africa spent a total of six days under load shedding. We thought back then, we had hit rock bottom. Since then it has gone up every single year – first to 22 days, then 35 days, then 48 days and last year it grew to 157 days. Sadly, it looks like 2023 is going to smash all these despicable records, already this year we have had over 1 000 hours of consecutive load shedding and counting.
Mr President, you may not have realised it but this year’s state of the nation address was actually your last chance to lead the country onto a fundamentally different and better path. Last Thursday you spoke to a nation that had arrived on the banks of a great river. On this side of the river, behind us, lay the treacherous road we have walked for the past three decades under the ANC. This is the socialist approach that the party embarked on back in 1997 when they formally adopted the policy of cadre deployment, in order to “control every lever of the state”.
His party believes that if the state controls the economy it will be better than if the people control the economy through open markets. They believe the best way to deliver an affordable, reliable energy supply for the nation is for the ANC to keep full control of South Africa’s energy production. They believe that the best way to provide affordable rail transport for the nation is to keep full control of the railways with the ANC. They believe that the best way to manage a pandemic is to centralise all control in a national command centre for them to decide who must be locked down and who mustn’t, who can work and who cannot.
That is why this road is marked by stage 6 load shedding that reaches right into the homes of all South Africans every single day. It is marked by failing public services, by hospitals that cannot treat the sick, by trains that cannot run and by a police service that can no longer keep people safe.
These are no longer warnings about what will happen under the ANC’s failed approach of centralised state control; this is now the daily reality of life in South Africa. Yet, as we stood on the riverbank last Thursday we could look across to the other side and see a road extending to a fundamentally different and better future. To get there – to turn our backs on decades of failed ANC policies – we first had to cross that great river, knowing that if we ever did get to the other side, the rushing torrent would ensure that we never ever went backwards.
On Thursday a courageous leader who really cared about this nation would have had the head and the heart to admit that his party is wrong; that it is time to cross the Rubicon and embrace the opposite of socialism, which is power to the people. [Applause.] Make no mistake about it, South Africa was ready to cross that river. The men and women of this country
are tired to their very core of the abuse that this ANC-led government has put them through.
Last Thursday we looked to you, sir, our President, and asked you to show us the way across the river; to unleash the power of the market to solve our electricity crisis, to get the incapable state out of the way of the incredible resourcefulness and creativity of the South African people and to put us on the road to socioeconomic freedom that all of the world’s prosperous nations have travelled. Because we don’t want to rely on being resilient, we want to rely on being resourceful. We don’t want to rely on meagre social grants, we want to rely on our own jobs and businesses. We don’t want to rely on your cadres, we want to rely on ourselves.
What did our leader do on that riverbank, with the fate of a nation at stake? President Cyril Ramaphosa could not cross the Rubicon ... [Applause.] ... even as our nation pleaded with him to do the right thing and take us onto the hopeful new path on the other side of the great Rubicon River, he could not take his eyes off the rapids. Even as the people of South Africa raised their voices in unison and frustration, all he could do was stare, terrified at the challenge.
Instead of leading us across the Rubicon at the state of the nation address of this year, Mr Ramaphosa told us to turn around, to stay on this side of the riverbank, to double down on the same failed policies and the ANC approach of state control that has landed us in this terrible mess. Too weak, too indecisive and too cowardly to take on the cadres, the compromised, and the vested interests in the political party he leads, he turned his back on the Rubicon, on us and on the only pathway that can save this country.
Instead of getting the state out of the way of private electricity generation, he gave sweeping powers to the same Minister who abused those powers during the COVID-19 crisis last year. Instead of deregulating and unleashing private sector electricity generation, he centralised even more power in his super-presidency. Instead of privatising failed state owned enterprises, he created a massive new state owned enterprise to provide fresh looting opportunities to cadres. Instead of removing the incompetent Ministers of Energy and Public Enterprises who block reform, he added yet another Ministry to his already bloated Cabinet. Mark this: By once again expanding rather than shrinking the role of the state, the President has all but guaranteed that load shedding and
all the other terrible crises festered on the people of South Africa by his government will only get worse.
A curious thing also happened last Thursday after the state of the nation address. Mr Ramaphosa clearly believed that the people would simply follow him as he told us to turn away from the Rubicon. He took for granted that the people would oblige and follow him back down the road to decay and decline. He has gravely miscalculated. Instead of following him, the people have stayed put – their eyes firmly transfixed on the promise of prosperity and hope on the opposite shore.
The response to Mr Ramaphosa’s state of the nation address makes it clear that he has placed the party political interests of his own dying party ahead of the interests of the people of South Africa one too many times. By cowering from the Rubicon he has lost the support of the country. Last Thursday will forever be remembered as the day that history overtook President Ramaphosa. [Applause.]By failing to listen to the cries of the people and doubling down on the failed ideologies that caused the suffering, the government has deserted us. But that does not mean we can’t still cross the great river.
Yes, Thuma Mina was an empty slogan. Yes, the new dawn was a cruel mirage. Yes, Phala Phala showed us who he really is.
Yes, we too wonder, as he said, why he is still doing the job. He gave us the real impression that this job is nothing but a side hustle for him because it is now quite clear that President Ramaphosa has failed. But you know what? Thanks to our democracy, we are never wholly dependent on one person.
Our democracy still offers us a way across the Rubicon. But there is a catch. Now that the President has failed to lead us we will have to build a bridge across the raging waters ourselves at next national election. [Applause.]
During his speech, the President claimed we are defined by platitudes like hope and resilience. Wrong, Mr President because we are a nation that should be defined by our commitment to our constitutional democracy. It is democracy that offers us a way out when all leaders have to offer is empty and hallow platitudes. [Applause.] It is precisely for moments like this, when a leader fails a nation, that we have a democracy.
If we want to get this country onto a better path before load shedding and the terrible policies and decline make it impossible to recover, it is time to use our democracy. Let
there be no doubt that there is only one party that offers our country a realistic way across the Rubicon and onto a better path. [Applause.]
While ANC-run municipalities collapse, there is only one party that is systematically fixing municipalities like Midvaal in Gauteng, uMngeni in KwaZulu-Natal and Kouga in the Eastern Cape. [Interjections.] As cadre deployment corruption rips apart the very fabric of the state, there is only one party that runs a clean and competent provincial government in the Western Cape. [Interjections.] And as power cuts get worse by the day, there is only one party that is working day and night in the province in the city to shield people from load shedding. [Interjections.] That is why Cape Town became the first government in the country to start buying electricity directly from the open market and with hundreds of megawatts of power still to come. That party – and the only party that can save South Africa – is the Democratic Alliance. [Applause.]
Today I stand before the people of our country not to offer you more idealistic dreams like bullet trains, smart cities and empty talk of hope. We tried the idealism of the new dawn and it turned into a false dawn. So, now we must try
pragmatism for that is what we in the DA offers our country — a credible, pragmatic and realistic set of solutions that will get our country working again and get us across that Rubicon once and for all.
Where the ANC only offers more of the same by assigning ever more power over our lives to the incapable state, the DA offers to give power back to the people where it belongs.
Rather than seeking to control all the levers of power, the DA stands for something fundamentally different — for liberal democracy where power over economic decisions is decentralised into the hands of the people where it belongs, accountability, non-racialism, commitment to the rule of law, and an inclusive social market economy that embraces the private and public sectors as partners with zero tolerance for corruption. [Applause.]
It is these timeless principles that have helped us turn around those municipalities and get this government in the Western Cape onto the path where it now the best run provincial administration in the country. By voting DA in 2024 we bring this to bare at a national level. [Applause.] Let us be clear, the DA is the only game in town because anybody who
seriously wants to cross the Rubicon must understand the binary.
The latest polling shows that we are just 10 percentage points behind the ANC. They have dropped to 37% and we are in 27% and we are closing that gap. Support for them has crashed and no matter how anyone tries to spin it, our country now faces a binary. Next year the national government will either be an ANC-led coalition or it will be a DA-led coalition. [Applause.] We will either have a yellow coalition trapped on the wrong side of that river bank suffering misery and poverty, or we will have a blue coalition, led by the DA, that leads us across the Rubicon into a better and brighter future.
Hon Speaker, the people of South Africa know what needs to be done to fix the country. They are ready to embrace private electricity generation, to privatise failed state owned enterprises, to replace the terrible race-based policies that only empower the connected elite with non-racial policies that are targeted towards lifting poor people out of poverty and into opportunity. [Applause.]
The people of our country are ready to cross the Rubicon and the good news is that we can still do it. We just going to
have to do it without President Ramaphosa. By uniting behind the DA next year we can cross that Rubicon and leave behind the corrupt state-led paradigm for good. South Africa, on the other side of the Rubicon awaits a new country where load shedding and corruption are a thing of the past, where quality education and healthcare become available to all, where millions of people can move out of poverty and into economic opportunity, and where all of us feel safe. The truth is that the ANC is not going lead us to that future; they are the past.
The challenges we face are large, and tough battles lie ahead of us. But outside this City Hall and across the length and breadth of South Africa there are millions of ordinary, hardworking citizens who are desperate for change. In the face of growing hardship inflicted by this government, these are the people who still get up every day to try and build a better life for them and their families. These are the people we have alongside us.
Together we can build a land of prosperity and opportunity, but we are going to need a government that’s working for us and not against us. The only way we will get there is by using our democracy next year to elect a DA-led government. A
government with the courage to do what President Ramaphosa couldn’t and cross that Rubicon. Thank you. [Applause.]
The MINISTER IN THE PRESIDENCY: Hon Chair, President of the Republic, His Excellency Matamela Ramaphosa, Deputy President David Mabuza, colleagues in the executive and Members of Parliament, members of our provinces, members of the media and the people of South Africa.
The biggest challenge we are going to be confronted with like one would have tried to say last year is the difference between facts and ideas. Where we are seated, the DA believes that the ANC is obsessed with government control where everything is done by government. It is only when you ignore facts that you are able to think along that path or already as we work now, for the first time Eskom electricity supply in South Africa, the intervention programme diversifies the various sources of energy.
The fact that we have lifted the selling of private sector to generate capacity, that cannot be an obsession with government’s control. As we speak now, we are ensuring that there is a move to secure energy on emergency basis. Where we are seated now as we speak, under the leadership of this
President, there is acceleration of procurement of energy from renewables, from using battery storage as well as accessing gas at the same time. This is a diversified access to energy.
Now, true again to dealing with facts, for anyone to believe what the DA says, you must have not been able to see Vulindlela Programme’s intervention that deals with economic reforms. The intention of that programme already on the move is to ensure that there is water availability.
The President said that we have reduced a number of years for water license from multiple years to 90 days so that private sector that applies for water license is able to access that license. Again, for you to say this government is obsessed with government control, you must actually ignore those facts.
Our programmes is clear with regard to interventions to unlock and deal with regulatory costs in as far as Small Micro Medium Enterprise, SMMEs are concerned. The manner in which the SMMEs are, are not ANC, it is a Small and Medium Enterprise and is private sector. Hon Steenhuizen, those structures are not ANC. That intervention led by Sipho Nkosi working along with the Department of Small Business is unlocking the path for small
businesses to participate. That cannot be viewed as ANC unless you are obsessed with the denial of facts.
An ANC government is a transformative government and if you want to talk about where DA leads, you have consciously said nothing about the state of Tshwane, you have consciously said nothing about the state of Johannesburg and you have consciously said nothing about the fact that one of your mayors have dropped the ball in the street because of no less than hundred billions unauthorised expenditure. That is a DA mayor.
Again, when you say DA does well, it is because you are obsessed in a very blind folded way with this metro which has passed the test of racial exclusion. All black townships in this metro’s services are in a dire state. If you go to Khayelitsha, Phillippi and Gugulethu, I have been in those townships hon Steenhuizen and the police stations are in a dire state. The point that I am making to you is that Western Cape is a test of resilience of racial exclusion.
When you go to Johannesburg, you do a juxtaposition, you do a contrast of when Johannesburg was run by the ANC, look at the financial ratios. You will never pass the financial management
test as the time Parks Tau was running Johannesburg. You can go to Tshwane when it was run by Seputla Ramokgopa and look at the financial ratios, look at the focus and transformative programme, there can be no comparison because you deny facts.
Fortunately, in 2024, our people are very clear about facts. They know that DA’s future is based on a racially exclusive South Africa. However, having said that, they now know that in dealing with Eskom as we sit here, there is a focus on six power stations. Resources and people are being deployed to ensure that those power stations which have been found to be the main contributors to this load shedding are attended to.
As we speak now, there is a clear plan to reduce the debt burden on Eskom, to ensure that Eskom is able to release resources to improve on maintenance and ensure transmission lines. Those are facts.
Hon Steenhuizen, I think your fear is that if you look at the facts previously where there is a survey about respect and trust of leaders, you do not feature in the same space as our President. Those are facts, not done by me, it is not my research.
This year’s state of the nation address by President is historic in many ways. It signals many rays of possibilities and an imminent end to a rather devastating period which was ushered in by COVID-19, catastrophic floods, serious cases of corruption and maladministration that were laid bare at the State Capture Commission; and an energy crisis.
Indeed, as the President indicated, we have seen the resilience of South Africans and are constantly inspired by our belief that tomorrow will be better.
As a result, we are witnessing the resurgence of the economy with our growth figures for the third quarter of 2022, the economy grew two quarters in the last year, the economy grew no less than two times from the labour survey, net jobs no less than 648 000 first labour survey, no less than 200 000 and those are facts.
The declaration of the National State of Disaster will assist in speedy resolution of the energy supply, whilst minimizing its impact and contribute immensely in the rebuilding process. What are we doing here? As we deal with the causes of shortage of power and load shedding at the same time, disaster seeks to intervene to ensure that we are at a pace and are able to
prevail the damage being caused by load shedding and dealing with impact at same time. That is what the state of disaster is about.
This 6th Administration is in its penultimate year. In 2024 we will go back to South Africans to seek a renewed mandate based on facts. We are confident that we will receive it because we are a government that is committed to improving the lives of each and every South African. That is based on facts. We are a government that leaves no-one behind. We leave no Phillippi behind, we leave no Gugulethu behind and we leave no black township behind.
We have placed public accountability at the centre of building an ethical and a capable developmental state as set out in the National Development Plan, NDP, Vision 2030. To advance accountability, the President has appointed various commissions to deal with corruption. That is a river you cannot cross with us, the river that this president is leading us to cross is the river where fraudsters will not be allowed on the other side of the river.
To restore public trust and to restore the credibility of key institutions, our rest has been demonstrated, kingpins have
appeared before court and as we speak now, multi-party discipline in Eskom has arrested no less than 43 people.
The Commissions of Inquiry into Tax Administration and Governance at the South African Revenue Service resulted in an overhaul of Sars, and it being turned into one of the most efficient and well-performing public entities in this country.
Hon Steenhuizen, I know you cannot speak about the state of Sars because if you speak about the state of Sars, you must commend this government. The only way you can live and make sense is to ignore those facts.
Last year Sars broke revenue collection records, collecting over R1,2 trillion in revenues under the leadership of this President. The Commission of Enquiry into the Public Investment Corporation, PIC, highlighted widespread abuses and governance failures at the PIC, and ongoing reforms are rebuilding the institution.
The National Prosecuting Authority’s Investigating Directorate has already begun preparing for trial cases emanating from the Commission of Inquiry into State Capture and several arrests were made in the previous year.
The Investigative Directorate has enrolled 32 matters involving 187 accused persons. Six new matters, involving 22 accused have been enrolled since the President tabled his response to the State Capture Commission in October.
The Presidency continues to work closely with the Special Investigation Unit, SIU, to improve the monitoring and coordination of referrals arising from SIU investigations.
These SIU interventions are bearing fruit with some of the looted money being returned by multinationals and others.
The SIU investigation into COVID-19 procurement proclamation R23 of 2020 has to date resulted in 456 referrals to accounting officers for disciplinary actions.
Sixty-three officials have been found guilty and 476 referrals have been made to appear before the NPA for possible criminal investigation and prosecution. Indeed, we will cross the river based on facts under the leadership of the ANC.
The CHAIRPERSON OF THE NCOP: Our next speaker is going to be hon Malema. Hon members, please note that when hon Malema exceeds his 20 minutes, he will take 12 minutes from hon
Mente’s time and the Table will keep us informed as he proceeds. Please proceed.
The CHAIRPERSON OF THE NCOP: Our next speaker is going to be hon Malema, but hon members, please note the following. When hon Malema exceeds his 20 minutes, he will take from hon Mente’s time which is 12 minutes. The Table will keep us informed as he proceeds. Please proceed.
Mr J S MALEMA: Yes. We take this opportunity to acknowledge the leadership of the EFF and present here the officials ...
The CHAIRPERSON OF THE NCOP: Just a minute, hon Malema. Hon member, what’s your point of order?
Mr H G APRIL: Chairperson, I’m rising to find out what hon Malema is going to debate. He was not part of the state of the nation address. There’s nothing for him to debate. He must sit down.
The CHAIRPERSON OF THE NCOP: No, hon member, unfortunately that’s not a point of order. Please proceed, hon Malema.
Mr J S MALEMA: I have no time for boys. We take this opportunity to acknowledge the leadership of the EFF present here, the officials, commissars from the central command team, CCT, provincial command team, PCT, regional command team, RCT, and branch command team, BCT members, the ground forces of the uncompromising movement watching from all over the country and the continent, including the African diaspora, and importantly, the people of South Africa. We also acknowledge the leadership of the opposition parties present here in Parliament. Under normal circumstances, we were supposed to acknowledge a President and a Speaker of Parliament. However, for a very long time now and particularly after the revelations of crimes in Phala Phala, we can boldly state that South Africa does not have a Head of State and President. The one who was there before has renounced his constitutional privilege to continue as President of the Republic of South Africa. South Africa’s Constitution obliges anyone who is elected as a President to uphold, respect and defend the Constitution, and we can say boldly here that Mr Ramaphosa has failed to uphold, respect and defend the Constitution. [Applause.]
The misconduct of the Speaker on 9 February 2023 has also disqualified her as a legitimate Speaker of Parliament. The
Speaker referred to members of this House as animals and violated the Constitution and the rules of the National Assembly when she allowed the police to invade Parliament, and made it worse by calling on the security forces of South Africa to enter the Chamber to intimidate peaceful Members of Parliament who had their hands up holding placards to protest against the sole director of Ntaba Nyoni Estates Pty Ltd, the company that owns Phala Phala farm in Limpopo and that unlawfully engages in trade through currencies that cannot be used in South Africa. As a result, we have already submitted a motion of no confidence against Mrs Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula
... [Applause.] ... and we officially withdraw our honour we previously showed her. We also apologise for having shown her honour when she evidently does not respect Parliament, does not respect the laws of this country and can do everything to stay in office.
Under no circumstances should a democratic Parliament be harassed and intimidated by the state security forces. The Constitutional Court ruled that the police must stay away from lawmakers. It is the responsibility of the Speaker of Parliament to make sure that Members of Parliament execute their responsibilities without any fear or intimidation, but once you usher the police into the Chamber you are effectively
saying and allowing the tyrant to intimidate, and even possibly prosecute those who disagree with the tyrant.
The police must never be allowed inside the Chamber because that is where the executive is held accountable, and if they do not have answers, those who are in power may be tempted to use the security forces to intimidate those who are holding them accountable.
I have known the president of the ANC longer than many of you and he has known me since I was very young. Under no circumstances will he ever be threatened by me or can he feel that his life is under threat because Julius is next to him. I have been next to him before. Many of you joined the ANC, including the second deputy secretary-general of the ANC. So, there is no need for you to behave as if you can protect him against the people who sit with him in the Chamber, and he does so even without having bodyguards and without being intimidated.
When he was playing golf the following day, the President himself said that he had never felt intimidated, neither was he scared when he was in this Parliament. So what are you saying, the people who use your own stomachs to think? Those
who said the President was under threat, the President has put you under the bus. He himself said that he was never under threat, neither was he intimidated. So what was the police doing here? They were here because the Speaker has lost total control of this Parliament and that’s why she must step down. [Applause.]
We take this opportunity to pay tribute to the fearless ground forces and volunteers who gathered 10 years ago in Uncle Tom’s Hall and said economic freedom in our lifetime. The organisation that you started 10 years ago is a force to be reckoned with and a fighting instrument in the hands of the people. Despite the fact that you as ground forces of the EFF defined the EFF to be, amongst other things a protest movement, you also said we are a government in waiting.
As we are talking here today, we are a government in the City of Johannesburg where the EFF was founded and where the EFF is responsible for public safety, health care and social development. [Applause.] We can assure the people of Johannesburg that crime in the economic capital of South Africa will go down and our communities will receive better primary health care which will be premised on massive public education on health care and health matters.
We are going to ensure public safety. We will demonstrate to the people of Johannesburg that we will reduce the levels of contact crime, murder, robberies, car hijackings, assault with intent to do grievous bodily harm in all crime spots of Johannesburg, particularly Hillbrow, Jeppe, central Johannesburg, Orange Farm, Alexandra, Ivory Park, Honeydew and Midrand. We will not tolerate criminals anywhere in the City of Johannesburg. Our energy services ... [Inaudible.]
The CHAIRPERSON OF THE NCOP: Hon Malema, just a minute. I see your hand is up, hon member. Can I find out on what point you are rising?
Mr T V MASHELE: Chair, I’m rising on 14(p). The hon member on the podium has litigated this very same House. We have been schooled by him that the President has taken ... [Interjections.] No, you can howl. We have been schooled by that one. Listen! Listen! We have been schooled by that one. He told us that the President has taken Parliament to court and therefore the President cannot address this House. He has done the very same thing. He does not have any standing to address this House. He is a delinquent. He disrupts the House and therefore he must also not be allowed to address the House. Thank you very much.
The CHAIRPERSON OF THE NCOP: Thank you very much, hon member. Unfortunately, that’s not a point of order. Please proceed, hon Malema.
Mr J S MALEMA: There is a difference between addressing and debating. There’s a very thin line. I am not addressing. I’m debating. We can assure the people of Johannesburg ...
The CHAIRPERSON OF THE NCOP: Hon Malema, I see there’s another hand. Please sit for a minute. Hon member, please start off by indicating on what point you are rising.
Mr T MALATJI: Chair, I’m rising on a point of order quoting article 14(p) on the use of offensive language by hon Makgorometša [he who pushes] Malema who undermined the President and the House by using offensive language the last time.
Now, before Makgorometša continues his address, Makgorometša must first apologise to Parliament or he must not address ... because we can’t be addressed by Makgorometša who undermines this Parliament. [Interjections.]
The CHAIRPERSON OF THE NCOP: Thank you very much, hon member. Hon members, can I really make a plea that when we rise on a point of order it should really be a point of order. I’m really not going to allow any other person to make a speech on the pretext of raising a point of order. Please desist from doing so. Hon Malema?
Mr J S MALEMA: ... the health and social development ... the primary principle and approach of the EFF to health care is based on primary health care and the accessibility of clinics for 24 hours. Each and every ward in the City of Johannesburg must have a health care facility, whether it is a hospital, clinic, polyclinic or mobile clinic.
Primary health care means that our nurses and departments of Health as a whole must not wait for patients to come to them only when they are terminally ill and require expensive and sophisticated health care operations. Primary health care means that the Department of Health must perpetually and permanently raise ... [Inaudible.] ... and conduct massive public education ... of essential preventative health issues confronting our communities. Our Health Department will work with schools, community forums and community-based organisations to publicly educate our people on preventative
health care measures. We will make sure that all acting positions, both in Public Safety, Health and Social Development in Johannesburg, are filled so that we can give our people proper services.
The EFF remains the only dependable and reliable weapon for the total liberation of the working class and Africans here in South Africa, on the African continent and the African diaspora.
Throughout the year we will be celebrating the 10 year existence of the EFF and prepare for a journey ahead. We take this opportunity to say to the people of South Africa that what you listened to is not a real state of the nation. It is hearsay. Our country is in the middle of several man-made crises. The man who is currently at the centre of South Africa’s crises, Mr Cyril Ramaphosa, is a full-time businessman, animal trader and possibly a puppet of both domestic and global capitalist interests who has said that for him the job of President is a part-time job.
Let us start from the bottom. Despite many promises of universal access to early childhood development, millions of, particularly black children in villages and townships, have no
access to early childhood development. This means that children of white people are born with strategic advantages and privileges over black children because white people’s children start education even before turning two years’ old, while black children are only given access to education at the age of five and six, and even when they go to school, the schools do not have the advanced technologies and teaching support systems that are available to white children.
This year will mark exactly 29 years since the first inclusive elections, yet we still have primary and secondary schools that use pit toilets and we still have schools without electricity, without water, without access to basic necessities. The reality is that public education in South Africa has collapsed and has opened space for extremely expensive private schools, which the majority of our people cannot afford and cannot reach.
In the year 2022, almost one million students wrote their senior certificate matric examination and yet there is less than 200 000 spaces available in universities of technology and universities, because no one amongst those who are in government planned for the future of these students. In actual fact, there has been more than four million applications to
institutions of higher learning, while the spaces available are less than 200 000.
Despite the former president of the ANC announcing fee-free higher education in 2019, there is still no free decolonised education in South Africa. Academically deserving, yet poor students are being turned away from institutions of higher learning because of a lack of money. Those who protest against fees are being shot and killed with no consequences, like fighter Madonsela, who was killed at the Durban University of Technology. There is still a shortage of more than
500 000 beds for students at technical and vocational education and training, TVET, colleges, universities of technology and universities, and without decent and safe accommodation, students are subjected to high levels of crime, abuse and are often taken advantage of by different people. The South African government has neglected its obligation to create a safe and conducive teaching and learning environment for students. Those who sacrifice and go through ... [Inaudible.] ... of finishing ... there are students who are often thrown into a very large section of the unemployed in
... [No audio.]
Mr B A RADEBE: Thank you, hon Chairperson. The member on the podium has used offensive language by referring to the Minister as a fool.
The CHAIRPERSON OF THE NCOP: Hon Malema?
Mr J S MALEMA: He didn’t quote the rule, Chair.
The CHAIRPERSON OF THE NCOP: No, never mind the quoting. The point is that ... [Inaudible.]
Mr J S MALEMA: I can’t hear you, Chair. Switch on. They wrote for you. Switch on.
The CHAIRPERSON OF THE NCOP: Hon Malema, please behave. Please behave.
Mr J S MALEMA: I can’t hear.
The CHAIRPERSON OF THE NCOP: Please behave. [Interjections.]
Mr J S MALEMA: But I said I can’t hear ... [Inaudible.] I said I can’t hear.
The CHAIRPERSON OF THE NCOP: Hon Malema, I’m calling on you to withdraw the use of an offensive word and that word is fool.
Mr J S MALEMA: I withdraw, Chair. We have on several occasions called on the President to release the clever Minister who shows up for cameras all the time there is a crime scene with the intention of arresting the wrong people and messing up the crime scene and messing up the case. Today as we speak, crime in all respects has gone very high in South Africa. We don’t even want to talk about gender-based violence, GBV. We don’t want to talk about cash-in-transit heists. We don’t want to talk about contact crime because the leadership of the police is in cahoots with the criminals. The only way we can be defeated in dealing with crime is when the leadership of the police is working with criminals. The leadership of the police works with druglords. The leadership of the police works with inkabi [hitmen]. The leadership of the police is on the payroll of hitmen and women of this country. The leadership of the police actually planned the assassination of our deputy president; a murder that we brought to the attention of the President ... that the Minister was involved in the plot to kill the deputy president of the EFF. This is a matter that has been reported and it has been confirmed.
The CHAIRPERSON OF THE NCOP: Hon Malema, please take your seat. Hon Radebe, on what point are you rising?
Mr B A RADEBE: Thank you, hon Chairperson. The member has cast aspersions against the Minister without substantiating the fact. Rule 12 is very clear that the rules of the National Assembly apply in a Joint Sitting when a member of the National Assembly is on the platform. So, the member violated Rule 85 of the Rules of the National Assembly.
The CHAIRPERSON OF THE NCOP: Hon Malema, I’m sure that by now you know that if you are to make an allegation, such as the one that you have made now, you need to have a substantive motion put in front of the House so that the matter can be thoroughly considered and debated. So, I’m asking you again to withdraw what you said.
Mr J S MALEMA: I withdraw, Chair. When the daughter of our former secretary-general was killed, it was the police of South Africa that went to the suspects and told them to put
... the name of Floyd Shivambu and that they worked with Floyd Shivambu to assassinate ...
The CHAIRPERSON OF THE NCOP: Hon Malema, just a minute. Hon member, on what point are you rising?
Ms J TSHABALALA: Thank you so much, Chair. I’m rising on a point of privilege. Chair, I want to address you and ask you a question of privilege. The question is as follows. The rules say that when a member is kicked out of the House for the duration of a debate, that member may not continue in the same debate. Now, the state of the nation address is resuming. It has not adjourned. Now the same member was kicked out of the sitting in the same debate. So, I want to ask you ... You can come back later and make a ruling on it. The question is as follows. Is the member, per the rules, allowed to continue to participate in the debate when he was moved out of the debate?
The CHAIRPERSON OF THE NCOP: hon member, unfortunately that rule is not applicable. So, the member has a right to participate in the proceedings. However, issues such as the one that you are raising, can be pursued in the Joint Rules Committee and other related parliamentary structures. Thank you very much. Hon Malema, please proceed.
Mr J S MALEMA: The deputy president of the EFF has been targeted by the leadership of the police that was willing to
connive with suspects and persuaded the suspects to put the name of the deputy president of the EFF ... in the murder of our former secretary-general’s daughter. When they refused, after being beaten, money was offered to them to implicate the deputy president of the EFF in the murder of our own daughter. Why do they do this? It is only known to them.
I am using this example to demonstrate to you that the leadership of the police is working with criminals. For as long as the leadership of the police is working with criminals, we will never defeat crime in this country. It is the responsibility of the so-called President to remove hon Bheki Cele with immediate effect because he has failed the people of South Africa. What happened to our artists DJ Sumbody and AKA? We will never get to know because the police and higher echelons of the police are in cahoots with criminal syndicates. We cannot fight crime while being led by criminals. We must first get rid of criminals in order to defeat crime. May AKA’s soul rest in peace and haunt all of these people who have made it so difficult for him to live long.
The CHAIRPERSON OF THE NCOP: Hon Malema, don’t you really think that it would be ... [Interjections.] Order members.
Order, hon members. Order, hon members. Now, hon Malema, don’t you think it would be advisable that when you have to make such serious allegations, we stick to what the rules of Parliament provide? In other words, that you come here with a motion and the motion gets debated so that indeed, all the issues that you are relaying get considered and engaged with by Members of Parliament.
Mr J S MALEMA: Chair, I’m debating. When we stand up during the President’s speech, we are told to raise that point in debate. When we raise the point in debate, something else is said. It means that we’ll never contribute in this House. I’m not saying anything against anyone. I’m just telling you the facts. We ought to fight criminality in the police, and if the shoe fits, wear it because it’s the truth.
Now you have established a Minister of Electricity. We hope to see a minister of trains. We hope to see a minister of flights. We hope to see a minister of Denel. We hope to see a minister of potholes. Mr President, we hope to see a minister of GBV because the reality is that nothing is working under you. You are a man on top doing nothing and it is very irresponsible for a man to be on top and do nothing. The reality of the situation is that you went against the advice
we gave you to listen to your own organisation when you started as President. Your own organisation has said, put Eskom under Energy. What did you do? You went to a separate kitchen Cabinet and created a Ministry of Electricity which doesn’t derive from the resolutions of your own organisation. It’s a clear confirmation that there is a kitchen Cabinet that exists in Stellenbosch and that dictates the direction that this country must take.
If you agree that Eskom has failed to discharge its responsibility, Eskom always had a Minister and that is the Minister of Public Enterprises. If we need a separate Minister, it means that Minister has failed. Why are you so scared to remove an incompetent Minister who has failed and collapsed everything under state-owned enterprises? It can’t be. Even if you are friends, you ought to have an honest discussion between yourselves and say, my brother, there is nothing I can do anymore. I need someone capable to come and rescue Denel, to come and rescue Transnet and to come and rescue SA Airways, SAA, because Eskom and the rest have collapsed under hon Pravin Gordhan. I don’t know nimusabani [why you are scared of] hon Pravin Gordhan. With you being scared of him, I don’t know if he has a list of impimpis or sellouts from the days of apartheid. However, he and his
cohorts know that some of us are not scared of him. They have tried it before and we defeated them, and we will defeat them again.
Fellow South Africans, nothing is working in this country. You were promised all manner of things when President Zuma was removed. Things are worse and things will get worse because the President said that this electricity crisis is not going to be resolved in the near future for at least two years. When he says two years he means five years or even more than that. It is up to you, South Africa, if you want to declare that enough is enough. We must make sure that on 20 March we remove this puppet government from power. We must make sure that on
20 March we demand the resignation of Mr Ramaphosa. We must make sure that on 20 March we demand the stopping of crime. We demand that the money launderer be removed from office. We demand that crime in South Africa be something of the past.
If you want employment and you are sitting at home in darkness without hope, your future is in the EFF. Join the shutdown on
20 March when we bring South Africa to a standstill. Only cowards that are in the pockets of capital will be scared to come to the streets on 20 March. We have tried here in Parliament and they use their majority to defend criminality.
We have tried in the courts and they use the judiciary to defend their criminality. We are left with no option. The streets are calling our names. The picket lines are calling our names. South Africans, we look forward to seeing you all on 20 March 2023. Only the fearless will be on the streets to hold this puppet government accountable. We are not scared.
Only amagwala [cowards] will go and beg the President not to resign but all those, including the President, who know that he has done nothing for this country, will encourage him ... to resign because the President had already resigned. Once you have resigned and you are convinced by a faction to stay, you must know that it is only the body that remains there. The conscience, which is the one that wrote a letter, is gone. No amount of factionalism can bring back that conscience.
I don’t know what the former Deputy President is doing here. He allows them to use him against Paul Mashatile but he knows that these people do not want him. They don’t want you. Stop pretending that they want you. Former Deputy President D D Mabuza, please join ... the streets on 20 March in Mpumalanga.
The CHAIRPERSON OF THE NCOP: Hon Malema?
Mr J S MALEMA: All of us, let’s go to the streets on 20 March.
The CHAIRPERSON OF THE NCOP: Hon Malema, please take your seat.
Mr J S MALEMA: Patria o Muerte! Patria o Muerte! Patria o Muerte! [country or death!] [Applause.]
The CHAIRPERSON OF THE NCOP: Hon members, maybe we should proceed. We note that when asked to take a seat, hon Malema just ignored the presiding officer. We note that because we may have to follow it up. Thank you very much. Hon Gwede Mantashe? On what point are you rising, hon Floyd?
Mr N F SHIVAMBU: I’m rising on a point of order. The tradition and practice of this Parliament is that when a speaker is on the platform, you as a presiding officer only intervenes when your attention is drawn to a violation of the rules.
On several occasions when the commander-in-chief was giving direction, you intervened without anyone having drawn your attention to any violation of the rules. And, there was not even a violation of any rule because there is nothing wrong in speaking about the criminals in the Police Service. He never mentioned anyone by name. Those who know, they know who that person is. However, you kept on interrupting him when he was
giving direction as to what must happen moving forward. That is unacceptable of you as the presiding officer today. You must consider shifting from there if you are incapable of handling this House appropriately because what you are doing is unacceptable, and we will never allow that to continue in the manner that you have been doing it thus far.
The CHAIRPERSON OF THE NCOP: I must say that, that is indeed a long speech. Hon members, I think that all of us should ensure that the business of the House is run properly. Indeed, as presiding officers we have the overall responsibility of being fair and to run the business in such a manner that no view is seen to be suppressed and undermined. However, if we are to succeed in ensuring the proper decorum and dignity of the House, all of us must take responsibility. All of us must behave and work in a way that seeks to build and ensure that we do what we are supposed to be doing. So, I will proceed and ask hon Mantashe to deliver his address.
The MINISTER OF MINERAL RESOURCES AND ENERGY: Hon Chairperson
of the NCOP, hon Amos Masondo, the Speaker of the National Assembly, hon Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula, Deputy Speaker, Lechesa Tsenoli, Deputy Chairperson of the NCOP, Ms Sylvia Lucas, his excellency, the President of the Republic, Cyril Matamela
Ramaphosa, Deputy President, his excellency, David Dabede Mabuza, hon Ministers and Deputy Ministers, hon members present here, invited guests to this gathering today. [Interjections.]
In the state of the nation address President Cyril Ramaphosa identified loadshedding as a crisis facing our country, which is solvable; he declared it as a crisis and he said it is solvable. And he made two commitments to confront this crisis. Firstly, he declared a state of disaster so that there should be no obstacles and limitations in addressing it. Secondly, he announced that he will appoint a Minister of Electricity in his office to focus on this crisis. [Interjections.]
Many people asked what this appointment means? And we characterised it as actually an approach that can be defined as project management approach in dealing with the crisis. [Interjections.]
Some people in the media say: when we characterise it as a project management approach we are reducing this Ministry and its authority.
I think something called school will help them understand project management as not being reductionist. [Applause.] [Interjections.] All it is, it is emphasising urgency of execution and delivery of the project on time.
One must understand that when you talk of project management approach you mean there will be clear timeframe, the beginning and the end of the project; and there will be clear milestones and there will be a clear critical path that you should not deviate from. [Interjections.]
Therefore, this is not reductionist. It is communicating sense of urgency and the desire to resolve this because we don’t have time to wait for 24 months to resolve loadshedding. That is how serious the President takes this crisis.
Unfortunately, we have political parties that never want to be involved in finding solutions to any crisis. They believe that opposition means just opposing anything that is tabled by the ANC and its government. That is a mistake. Parties in Parliament should contribute to finding solutions to problems and crisis.
In January 2023 the leader of the DA made a bold statement that they will support the declaration of the state of disaster on the energy crisis. [Interjections.] That was the 31st of January. Then when the state of disaster was declared on the 9th of February the same leader of the DA came back and said ‘we’ll take the government to court for declaring the state of disaster.’ [Interjections.]
Now, when you have the main opposition party talking from both sides of the mouth we have a bigger crisis as a country. [Applause.] [Interjections.] This means talking from both sides of the mouth, hon Steenhuisen, is not helpful to society. The DA must throw ideas; we use those ideas to get solutions. [Interjections.]
I don’t want to refer to the EFF and the ATM, hon Malema, because you opted out of the state of the nation address; went left and you were not here [Interjections.] you opted out. [Interjections.] Now, even ... [Interjections.] ... you know EFF ... [Interjections.] ... even that’s something very, very unthinkable. In a country where a Prime Minister was assassinated in the House of Parliament, they stormed the stage; it’s unthinkable. [Interjections.] No! But ... [Interjections.] ... I’m leaving this ... [Interjections.] ...
I’m leaving this to the President to finalise [Interjections.] I’m leaving the criminal aspect to the Minister of Police to
... [Inaudible.] [Interjections.]
I refer to a crisis that is solvable because there are immediate actions that government can take in addressing the short-term and the medium-term. These include: Improving Eskom’s Energy Availability Factor, EAF, through maintenance and servicing of existing power stations; that means the current coal power stations must operate optimally. We procure emergency power. We purchase of electricity from neighbouring countries and we improve skills capacity at Eskom. [Interjections.] And those four interventions will help us focus ... [Interjections.]
Dr M Q NDLOZI: On a point of order, Chairperson. Hon Mantashe says his Prime Minister was assassinated and I know only of one Prime Minister, that’s Verwoerd. Are you saying Verwoerd was your Minister? [Interjections.]
The CHAIRPERSON OF THE NCOP: No, he didn’t say that ...
Dr M Q NDLOZI: ... I’ve been very suspicious that you were part of apartheid [Interjections.] wena [you], apartheid. You
just confirmed calling Verwoerd your Prime Minister. Sies! [Shame]
The CHAIRPERSON OF THE NCOP: Hon Ndlozi, that’s not a point of order. I’m sure you know that.
Hon members, can I make a plea once again. Please do not abuse the point of order [Interjections.] and give us speeches and so on, please. Please, don’t do that.
Proceed, Minister.
The MINISTER OF MINERAL RESOURCES AND ENERGY: ... so, our main
focus is on improving Electricity Availability Factor should focus on the following power stations: if you look at a power station like Tutuka which is having EAF of 33,3%, Kendal 45,5%, Duvha 20,7%, Majuba 44,3%, Kusile 24,7% and Matla
42,8%.
Those six power stations deprive the country of more than 50% of availability factor and therefore, this Minister will have to focus on those power stations to give us energy and resolve loadshedding.
The government continues to develop generation capacity because generation capacity, as we develop it, we are focusing on the long-term sustainable energy security of supply. And that’s why, for example, we must be reminded that 2 205mw of renewable energy was procured under Bid Window 4, on which we have 2 130mw that are connected to the grid, providing us with much-needed capacity; 2 583mw have been procured under Bid Window 5, with 1 759mw that are under construction. Under Bid Window 6 we procured 4 200mw, only 1000mw could be declared because of the grid problem.
So, as we deal with the problem of the current coal generators we must equally urgently deal with strengthening of the transmission.
My submission, therefore, is that this Minister, who is appointed on electricity, which is not something strange by the way, Egypt has the Minister of Electricity, Bahrain has, Kuwait has, New Zealand had for a long period of time, it has stopped that now, and so, it’s not something new. Let’s focus on providing electricity in country.
Let me explain that as the Department of Mineral Resources and Energy we issued request for proposals, RFPs, on 513mw battery
storage, 3 000mw on gas [Applause.] and we are going issue Bid Window 7 which is going to go up to 5 000mw.
Let me leave energy and use the remaining five minutes on mining. The South African mining sector contributes 8% to the Gross Domestic Product, GDP, and we are aiming for it to contribute 12%.
This low performance is largely attributed to the global increase in energy prices because of the continued geopolitical dynamics, the ongoing power disruptions, which is loadshedding, logistic bottlenecks on our rail and ports and crime.
As a result, mineral production contracted by 9% in 2022. And that contraction was actually barked as a trend by one company called Gold Fields because much earlier it applied to establish its own solar plant to substitute Eskom energy in some time. That’s why Gold Fields grew by 10%. So, that is a pointer to a number of mines that if you take initiative you will save the economy.
And again, I think it is quite important that National Energy Regulator of South Africa, NERSA, has approved registration of
406mw and the total of these registered generators is 1 664mw. Among the generators is Seriti, which is a mining company, which will begin the construction of 155mw with a project in Mpumalanga, and Exxaro will also construct 70mw of solar plant. And that is a trend that mining companies are following to mitigate the crisis of loadshedding.
We welcome the establishment of a joint structure between Transnet and the Minerals Council SA, MCSA, to accelerate the improvement of our rail and port infrastructure because those bottlenecks deprive South Africa of taking advantage of good prices of commodities and leave the high demand, which is not permanent. And therefore, it is important for us to attend to these problems.
I must say, there was a lot of interest shown by investors in the exploration at the 2023 Mining Indaba. And if we pay and invest enough in exploration, mining has a future, that’s where it all begins. And we’ll work on these interests so that these investments are realised.
Furthermore, there is an interest in the minerals of the future which will include lithium, which we have discovered massive deposits in the Free State; rare earth minerals in the
Northern Cape; copper, nickel and many others. And these minerals, which our country is endowed with, are essential for the development of low carbon economy that we are looking forward to.
The Department of Mineral Resources and Energy is also seized with addressing the backlog of prospecting and mining applications. We have reduced that backlog by 42% over the last 18 months.
The procurement of the customized cadastral system is also quite important and is underway, and I hope that by end of February this year, and of this month, it will be out and we’ll be having it sooner.
Let me conclude by expressing our appreciation following the reduction of mining industry fatalities. I know very people pay attention to this. Actually, 2022 registered the lowest number of fatalities in the mining industry in history, 49 is the number. [Applause.]
In a country that has been full of disasters, you can look into the Coalbrook disaster, 435 workers die in one day, Kinross disaster, 177 miners die, Vaal Reef disaster, St
Helena disaster. When you reduce fatalities in the mining industry to 49 is a progress towards zero harm in the sector.
I must also put the point that this is an improvement to a record that was set in 2019 of 51 fatalities. Over the last three years we never registered any disaster.
Our definition of a disaster is when one accident actually kills five or more people. So, over the last four years we have not had a disaster in the mining industry. [Applause.] And therefore, the improvement is worth acknowledging.
But every life lost is one life more. So, we should not kill mine workers. Mine workers must go to work, come back alive and be themselves. Thank you very much, hon Speaker. [Applause.]
Mr N SINGH: Hon Chairperson of the NCOP, hon Speaker, hon President and hon members, let me start off by apologising on behalf of Prince Mangosuthu Buthelezi who says while he cannot physically be in Cape Town, he knows that his contribution to this debate, read by the IFP’s Chief Whip, will nevertheless express the voice of South Africans from all corners of our
country. We may not all be at the City Hall, but we are all part of this conversation.
Hon Chairperson, he says that when he was a student at the University of Fort Hare, the president of the student representatives’ council, Mr Robert Mangaliso Sobukwe, delivered a speech that he has never forgotten. Mr Sobukwe quoted the abolitionist, William Lloyd Garrison, who declared the urgency of universal emancipation. He said, and I quote:
I am aware that many object to the severity of my language; but is there not cause for severity? Tell a man whose house is on fire to give a moderate alarm; tell him to moderately rescue his wife from the hands of the ravisher; tell the mother to gradually extricate her babe from the fire into which it has fallen; but urge me not to use moderation in a cause like the present. I will not equivocate. I will not excuse.
Hon President, after a man has lost his house there is no glory in arriving with a bucket of water and saying, better late than never. And there is no kindness in telling a grieving mother or a victim of gender-based violence that, and I quote: “We cannot undo the mistakes of the past.” There is
such a thing as too little, too late. Even if this government were to wake up now and do its job, there is no guarantee it will be enough to claw our country back from disaster. Just as the calamity of our past demanded a severe, unequivocal and urgent response, so too does the calamity of the present. Let us not delude ourselves that South Africa can survive a government that has made promises, reneged on promises, made plans, gone back on plans, changed direction, moved backwards and stood still – all while our country is burning.
In paying tribute to the hon Dr Frene Ginwala last week, we remembered the first years of our democratic Parliament and the Constitutional Assembly in which we hammered out the blueprint for the country we sought. Having led the Constitutional Assembly, you will remember, hon President, becoming exasperated with your party and telling them what you said, and I quote: “At least the IFP knows what it wants!” Right at the foundations of our democracy, the IFP produced a detailed analysis of what was needed, evaluating all the alternatives, pointing to the right path and explaining why it was the best course of action. Had our government been as single-minded, committed and competent as the IFP over the past 29 years, I have no doubt the lights would be on.
Your Excellency, you have told us that South Africa is defined by hope and resilience. But if you ask anyone on the street what defines us, they would say loadshedding, unemployment and crime amongst other things. You are right that we are not a people easily resigned to our fate. But there is a warning in that. How long will it be before you have a revolution on your hands? And believe me, it will not be a silent revolution.
We were all disgusted by the disturbances on Thursday night during Sona. As we walked out and meet people on the streets they referred to this institution, this Parliament and your Parliament, hon Speaker and hon Chairperson, as a circus ground. And this does not bode well for us as an institution.
Just last week, their threats and insults and disruptive behaviour evolved into falsely implicating the Minister of Police in a fictional assassination plot. Our people are tired of unfounded allegations, and something must be done about that
When it comes down to it, what South Africans want is solutions. We want honesty. We want fairness, and justice, and to know that our government is capable and willing to do its job. It is thus worrying to hear you say, hon President, that
you have discovered a lack of technical skills and management skills across government. We have been warning for years that cadre deployment at the cost of skills employment would have its effect. You now talk about rebuilding skills that have been lost over time. This did not happen by chance. Skills were pushed out in favour of giving jobs to pals. Can we really believe that that gravy train will stop?
Corruption has become so embedded in the culture of the civil service that will take much more than words to change it. We have had to spend over a billion rand on an inquiry into state capture. We all saw the abuse of public funds that emerged under the last National State of Disaster. We are not talking about one or two bad apples. There is a pervasive rot that needs to be dealt with, hon President.
This is why our citizens no longer hear the echoes of Nelson Mandela when you say ... [Inaudible.]
As the IFP’s president so aptly asked, why not have a minister of potholes in the Presidency, and a special Minister of Education, and a special minister of inequality?
Mr President, what we need is people with the requisite skills, unbeholden to political masters, who reap no side benefits, and who genuinely seek what is best for South Africa. In the absence of this, and in the absence of clear- cut strategies with firm timelines and deliverables for investors, business and consumers, our fragile economy may well break. We do have experts and brilliant minds in South Africa. Why are we not listening to them? And some of them have left our country. Let’s bring them back. I met a young man last week who qualified at the University of KwaZulu-Natal and went abroad to Cambridge where he did masters degree and the Doctor of Philosophy, PHD, and he is an expert on electric issues and wants to come back and help the country. He wrote to somebody in the department, but there was no response.
We also need to look ahead and train the next generation of skilled experts. You will remember that during our liberation struggle, when all across South Africa schools were being burned down and classrooms abandoned under the banner of liberation first, education later, Inkatha declared education for liberation. In KwaZulu-Natal we invested heavily in quality education for the oppressed, providing the tools to shape the future and preparing the next generation to competently engage with a changed world.
There is something very wrong when we talk about an 80% matric pass rate, when at the same time 80% of Grade 4 learners are unable to read for meaning. What happened in between was not a miraculous intervention, but an excessively high rate of dropouts. And what happens to that generation of dropouts? How do they find jobs and survive and make their contribution to our beloved country?
Yes, hon President, the main issue is electricity. But just because that is the crisis of the day does not mean that every other crisis can be placed on hold. There are communities that have not had water for months and even years. There are people losing their homes and businesses to our struggling economy.
There are, as you say, people who call 10111 when their lives are in imminent danger and no one answers the phone.
Last year, I questioned the suspension of the Presidential Employment Stimulus vouchers to subsistence farmers because of poor implementation. In October last year, the Presidency announced that 142 004 vouchers had been issued. Some four months later, the figure has decreased to 140 000. Yet government promises to provide 250 000 more this year. It is very difficult to believe the new promises being made when old promises remain unfulfilled.
Hon President, in his first state of the nation address to a democratic South Africa, President Nelson Mandela said, and I quote:
The government I have the honour to lead is inspired by the single vision of creating a people-centred society to the pursuit of the goals of freedom from want, freedom from hunger, freedom from deprivation, freedom from ignorance, freedom from suppression and freedom from fear.
Almost three decades later, that vision has disappeared. If the promise of South Africa is truly alive, it is thanks to the resilience of our people. But how far is this government willing to test our resilience? We are playing a dangerous game if we do not address the concerns of South Africans. I thank you very much, Chairperson.
Afrikaans:
Dr P J GROENEWALD: Agb Voorsitter, ... (Translation of Afrikaans sentence follows.)
[Dr P J GROENEWALD: Hon Chairperson, ...]
English:
... through you to the hon President. Hon President, in your address of 8 January, you and the ANC thought it well to play the race card. What you did was to take two young men, in terms of the Maselspoort incident and you said that you condemn racism. I predict that in the coming election, the race card is going to be played a couple of times. You condemned racism, but the court case has not been finalised yet on matter.
Now, I want to put it very clearly that the FF Plus condemns any form of racism. However, there is a difference in the condemnation of racism between the ANC and the FF Plus. You only see racism when it is white on black racism.
There was a court case about two black policemen and the court found that a white woman, a colonel, was the victim of racism by these two men. So, there is also black on white racism. And you said that there is no place for racists in South Africa.
They must leave the country. I request you to please ask these two black men, who are racist, to leave the country.
Afrikaans:
Ons kan nie ’n nasie bou, as ons net eensydig deur ’n eenoogige perspektief na rassisme kyk nie. U taak, in terme
van artikel 83(c) van die Grondwet, is om eenheid in Suid- Afrika en die Suid-Afrikaanse nasie te bou. U sal dit net kan doen, as u ook swart op wit rassisme kan veroordeel. (Translation of Afrikaans paragraph follows.)
[We cannot build a nation if we only look at racism one- sidedly through a one-eyed perspective. In terms of section 83(c) of the Constitution, your task is to build unity in South Africa and the South African nation. You can only do this if you can also condemn black-on-white racism.]
Mr W T LETSIE: Hon Chair, on a point of order: I was just saying that we don't have the headphones for interpretation. So, when hon Groenewald goes deep, we cannot hear.
The CHAIRPERSON OF THE NCOP: The Chamber staff must look at that.
Afrikaans:
Mnr W T LETSIE: Moenie praat nie. (Translation of Afrikaans sentence follows.)
[Mr W T LETSIE: Don't talk.]
The CHAIRPERSON OF THE NCOP: Please, look at the situation of the interpretation.
Dr P J GROENEWALD: The member can come and I will explain to him afterwards.
Afrikaans:
Wat ons sê is dat ons nie dubbele standaarde in Suid-Afrika handhaaf nie. Die FF Plus verwerp enige vorm van rassisme en daarom moet u as President die voorbeeld stel in terme van artikel 83(c) van die Grondwet, om nasie te bou, en ons moenie die rassekaart wil speel nie. (Translation of Afrikaans paragraph follows.)
[We are saying that we do not maintain double standards in South Africa. The FF Plus rejects any form of racism, and, therefore, you as President must set the example in terms of section 83(c) of the Constitution, to build the nation, and we should not play the race card.]
English:
As far as Eskom is concerned, you are going to appoint a Minister of Electricity. I first want to ask you: How many cadres do you need to change the bulb? One to hold the ladder,
one to get onto the ladder, one to pass on the bulb and when they put it in, there is no electricity. Your own Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources said that it is only going to be a project manager. Those words should say something to you, because that Minister does not see the new Minister as an equal; only a project manager.
It is common knowledge that black economic empowerment and affirmative action is one of the main reasons for the problems in Eskom. Their own employment equity plan determines that, in the next three years, Eskom must get rid of 500 white men - technicians with technical skills. I have urged you many times from this podium, let us get rid of black economic empowerment and affirmative action, because it is nothing more than the smokescreen for corruption. Even the Zondo Commission found so.
The people of South African and specifically, the white people and I said it many times, want to build South Africa. Are you aware of the fact that a Mr Japie van Zyl who studied at Stellenbosch was a member of the South African Navy and was an engineer, who unfortunately passed away in 2020? However, Japie van Zyl was the project manager for perseverance on Mars. Are you aware of the fact that, on the planet Mars,
there is a mountain range named Japie van Zyl? That is acknowledgment for people from South Africa, irrespective of race.
You said that we must take joint responsibility for Eskom. I want to put it very clearly that the FF Plus does not take responsibility for the crisis of Eskom. Yes, we have solutions. I will summit a 10-point plan of the FF Plus to solve the problem and the crisis, but the question is whether you are going to read it. Do you listen to what opposition party leaders say to you? Unfortunately, I don't experience that. So, we do not take responsibility for the crisis.
I also want to say that in 2015, you were put in charge of the war room that was created by your predecessor. A couple of things had been said and I want to quote. On 2 September 2015, you said the following: "In the next 18 months to two years, you will forget that the challenges we had with power, energy and Eskom ever existed."
On 3 April 2019, the hon Minister Pravin Gordhan said the following: "Eskom aims to ensure that there will be no more load shedding from 3 April 2019." The same hon Gordhan said the other day, 25 January, on an online symposium with the
University of Johannesburg: "We are now in the mood to urgently solve the crisis, as soon as possible." In the mood? Maybe, the hon Minister must visit the people on the streets and determine their mood, when there is load shedding. I can assure you that he will be surprised. He does not know what load shedding is, because no Minister gets load shedding. [Interjections.] I think it is arrogant to say, we are now in the mood. So, solving the problem depends on the mood.
I want to continue. There are simple steps that can be taken, for instance, Eskom applied for a permit to get fuel much cheaper, but the Minister of Energy rejected it. There is an ongoing case between Eskom and Sars, in terms of a rebate on fuel. Why don't they solve it? Why go to court? It is simple steps that can be taken.
I also want to read to you, because we had our own survey amongst people on how they experience load shedding. In our survey, we found Mr Maree Libbe, the owner of a small fuel station in Trompsburg in Kopanong in the Free State. His overheads increased with almost R40 000 during January this year. The cost of fuel for a power generator. This threatens the continued existence of that business and the livelihoods of his staff members. Businesses in the agriculture value
chain in Frankfort, Mafube in the Free State are almost spending as much as R22 000 per day on fuel for generators.
Afrikaans:
Mnr Zerrick van der Merwe van Pretoria het ons laat weet dat hy noodgedwonge R4 miljoen aan alternatiewe energiebronne moes bestee om sy vervoeronderneming aan die gang te hou. (Translation of Afrikaans paragraph follows.)
[Mr Zerrick van der Merwe from Pretoria told us he was forced to spend R4 million on alternative energy sources to keep his transport business going.]
English:
Those are the suffering of the people with load shedding. With my time, I want to say that crime in South Africa is out of control. When you became the President, you wanted to be Madiba-two. Let me say this to you, take a leaf from the book of Madiba, because Madiba appointed a person, André Pienaar, in terms of a strategy for crime, specifically, organised crime, that came up with the idea of the Scorpions. It is time we go back to that, to solve, specifically transnational crime where kidnaping is a lucrative crime today.
The problem, and there are many problems, is the Expropriation Bill. The Expropriation Bill is nothing else than expropriation without compensation. I request you, before you sign, to please send it to the Constitutional Court.
In conclusion, hon President, the people who created a crisis cannot be the people to solve the crisis. There is only one way to solve all the crises in South Africa and that is, in next year's election, we must get rid of the ANC government. I thank you. [Interjections.]
The MINISTER OF POLICE: Hon Chairperson, hon Speaker, His Excellency the President, Deputy President, colleagues, Ministers, Deputy Ministers, ladies and gentlemen, good morning ...
IsiZulu:
Sanibonani.
Setswana:
Dumelang.
English:
Wednesday, before the Sona, I had a long meeting with the Deputy Secretary of the EFF in my house. [Interjections.] I had a very long meeting with him. He was there urging me and begging me to confirm that I have said that the IFP will kill him. And when I refused, he promised me that life is going to be difficult for me. [Interjections.] [Laughter.] Yes, the secretary-general, yes.
So, the president of the EFF, you were lied to. You must be angry, but not with me. It is not me who lied to you, who made you come on national TV and tell the world the wrong thing – it wasn’t me! You go and correct it with your secretary– general. I spent 47 minutes with him, and then I refused. Mr President, that’s the only reason. Maybe there are there more other reasons.
The CHAIRPERSON OF THE NCOP: Minister, just a minute. Yes, morena [mister], on what point are you rising?
Mr M M DLAMINI: Thank you very Chairperson. Let me address this coward of the ANC. [Interjections.] So, the question that he should be responding to. Did he not call me on Saturday – last week Saturday? He is the one who called me, not the other way round. And in his call he was very clear, secretary-
general ... [Interjections.] ... I have detected political intolerance in KwaZulu-Natal that is going to lead to killings. And my question to him was that ... [Interjections.]
... does it involve me? And his answer was yes. He proposed that we should meet in Cape Town on Wednesday. So, if he is scared of the IFP, he must not use my name. He is coward. He is scared of the IFP. It’s him who called me, not the other way round. [Interjections.]
The CHAIRPERSON OF THE NCOP: Hon member, that is not a point of order.
Mr M M DLAMINI: It’s a point of order. We are addressing the coward.
The CHAIRPERSON OF THE NCOP: Please, please ...
Mr M M DLAMINI: I am not scared of him or anyone ... [Interjections.] So, if he is scared of the IFP that is his problem. [Interjections.]
The CHAIRPERSON OF THE NCOP: Please take your seat.
Mr M M DLAMINI: Yes, if he is scared of the IFP, he must not bring the guilt on me ... [Interjections.] He is the one who called me, this coward.
The CHAIRPERSON OF THE NCOP: Minister please proceed. [Interjections.]
The MINISTER OF POLICE: Well, I didn’t have the drink and juice to give it to you, but the meeting was quite long – 47 minutes. I am sorry that you didn’t get anything to drink.
Having said so, the second point on this one ... [Interjections.] ... I will request the president of the EFF to repeat every word outside of this House. Please, repeat that. But also, if you want to bring it to the debate here, you can bring it to the debate here. [Interjections.]
Thirdly, I would want to remind ... [Interjections.]
The CHAIRPERSON OF THE NCOP: Minister, just a minute, again. [Interjections.] Hon Malema, on what point are you rising?
Mr J S MALEMA: No, Chair. I was raising issues about the Minister and you stopped me. And now he is responding to issues that I was not given an opportunity to speak to because
you said I must withdraw. This is an abuse of this House. But unlike him, I have said this in public and I would say it again. I am not scared of that. I brought it to his attention that when the Crime Intelligence went to implicate Floyd in Hillary’s murder, I told him that they said the Crime Intelligence is saying suspects must implicate Floyd. And I told even the President about him being involved on the possible assassination of Floyd. He knows that! [Interjections.] And I will repeat it in public.
The CHAIRPERSON OF THE NCOP: Thank you very much. Hon members. Hon members! Order, hon members! [Interjections.] Please take your seats. [Interjections.] Please, please, please. Hon Minister, just a minute. [Interjections.] Hon Minister, just a second, please. Just a second. Hon members ... [Interjections.] ... the Rule ... [Interjections.] Please sit down, hon member. Please sit down. Please sit down. [Interjections.] Please sit down. No member can take the floor and speak unless a presiding officer says so. So, please sit down. Please sit down. [Interjections.] Please take your seat. Hon member, please take your seat. [Interjections.]
Hon members, can I once again make this plea. Let us please stop using point of orders to make speeches. [Interjections.]
Let us please stop using point of orders to make speeches. Minister, please proceed. [Interjections.]
The MINISTER OF POLICE: Thank you very much. The third point on this one is that I will never allow the SA Police Service to be another Polokwane where you milked it down and made sure that it dies. I will never allow that to happen. That, we will take care of, and will make sure that you stay far and you don’t come to ruin that organisation. [Interjections.]
The third point is that there is one thing common about you and me. Sobabili sa khuliswa ugogo. [The two of us were raised by our grandmothers.] But my grandma told me one thing, that when a pig takes your banana and run to a pig sty, don’t follow it. Allow the pig to swim alone in that muddy sty. [Interjections.]
Receive my safety and security greetings this morning on behalf of the selfless men and women in blue who are the coalface of responding to gruesome crime scenes on a daily basis. By the way, the president of the EFF is the only person who has called for the police to be attacked in their houses. He made the call that they attack their wives, their children, attack ... [Interjections.] ... maybe that is why the police
are killed. I have never heard that being withdrawn, maybe that is why today we are in trouble. [Interjections.] Receive my greeting also on behalf of dedicated detectives who continue to solve complicated cases and further secure significant life sentences in curbing violent crimes, and in the name of the fallen heroes who are killed in the line of duty while serving and protecting fellow South Africans.
Hon members, I wish to anchor this debate on the wise words of the late civil rights activist John Lewis. During trying and difficult times he reminded Americans and humanity as a whole, of their responsibility and power when he said:
When you see something that is not right, not fair, not just, we have to speak up, we have to say something, and we have to do something.
Allow me to use his words to emphasise the importance of community-centred approach in the overall, overwriting and overarching fight against crime. If communities can do justice to what Lewis argues, then police and communities can eventually realise the vision of halving violent crime in our country in the prescribed time. If the community members of Kwa-Zakhele, Kwa-Mashu, Khayelisha, Gugulethu, Soweto, Margate
and the criminal underworld syndicates can speak up and do something, then the results will show.
We want to make a clarion call to other sections of society be the academia, the business, the clergy, the media, and the organised groupings, don’t be spectators; join the fight against crime.
I will have to remind you that today is the 10th year since the murder of a young girl that was killed by her boyfriend. She did not die alone. There are others who are still dying today. Her name is Reeva Steenkamp. [Interjections.] Reeva Steenkamp was killed and there are other young ladies who are still killed today. [Interjections.]. There is karabo Mokoena, Jennifer Mtlhomi, Tshegofatso Pule, Ntokozo Xaba and Nosicelo Mtebeni and Cleo Diko. [Interjections.]
I want to make a clarion call especially to the DA women, that as we see these problems of gender-based violence, they could not have allowed their leader to say the statement he made about his ex-wife. Yes, he called her a flat chicken. He called he a roadkill. A roadkill is an animal that you kill and you don’t care about. For the leader to raise that
statement and the women don’t say anything is a serious indictment. [Interjections.]
So, I am making a clarion call that you speak to your leader and say that he cannot be ready to lead this country when he still looks at a woman as a roadkill, and when he calls women flat chickens. So, I am making that clarion call. [Interjections.] We have responded, and we thank the President very much that he has responded to the crime to strengthen the police by giving us 10 000 members of the SA Police that we trained last year. We are also training 10 000 this year and that will help in the visibility of police but it will also give us a pool to train the special units to be able to respond to the different types of crime that are taking place in South Africa.
That doesn’t mean we are not responding at present. There are many people that have been arrested, especially in the infrastructure mafia, including those that we have arrested as crimes committed at Eskom. We are continuing to pull those things together.
Last year alone, we arrested 4 990 people that have committed gender-based violence. Almost 200 of them in the last 12
months alone, and 198 have been given life sentences. We are agreeing that we do need to deal with the issue of illegal firearms. It is on this call that at least 65 952 illegal firearms have been destroyed in the previous year. We will continue to hunt these guns. We will continue to strengthen the law so that people must be safe when we collect these illegal firearms.
However, South Africans, let’s come together and work together in dealing with especially gender-based violence. That invitation also goes to hon Steenhuisen. I say, Mr Steenhuisen, we want to hear you apologising for abusing a young woman who came to work in your office and was a wife of your colleague. You took that wife of your colleague and divorced your own wife. [Interjections.] You took that young girl and she is your wife today. [Interjections.] But women around you are quiet and not saying anything. [Interjections.] But come to this podium and talk about gender-based violence
... [Interjections.] ... You better go and fix yourself.
The CHAIRPERSON OF THE NCOP: Minister ... [Interjections.]
The MINISTER OF POLICE: If not, we’ll help you. Thank you very much, everyone. [Interjections.]
The CHAIRPERSON OF THE NCOP: Please take your seat. I’m recognising hon Mente. [Interjections.] I recognised hon Mente but it does seem as if hon Malema wants to speak.
The CHAIRPERSON OF THE NCOP: Please take your seat. I’m recognising hon Mente. [Interjections.] I recognised hon Mente but it does seem as if hon Malema wants to speak.
Mr J S MALEMA: Thank you very much, Chair. On a point of order: We really cannot, with you Chair seating there, allow a situation where the Minister drags a wife of the Leader of the Opposition and she is not here. [Interjections.] No, you can’t do the nonsense you are doing because when we start to respond, we are going to be in the wrong. We shouldn’t use the women to fight our own political battles here to a point where allegations that cannot be confirmed are said here, and you allow that to happen. That degeneration, hon Chair, happened previously and when we responded, you were the complainants. [Interjections.] We cannot sit here and allow the Minister to abuse the wife of the Leader of the Opposition in the name of fighting GBV. [Interjections.] What he did here is women abuse and cannot be accepted. He must be called to order and asked to withdraw that unconditionally.
The CHAIRPERSON OF THE NCOP: Hon members ... [Interjections.] Hon members, I have warned you continually ... Interjections.]
... and have called on you not to raise allegations and matters that would require substantive motions. I asked you over and over again ... [Interjections.] ... but more importantly, I’ve warned you against the use of offensive language. So, I’m pleading with you that, if you want this House to manage its business in a way that is productive, and that ensures its dignity and decorum is maintained, all of us must cooperate.
The issue that has been raised by the hon Minister will be pursued. [Interjections.] For now, we’ll proceed and have the hon Western Cape premier. Please proceed.
The PREMIER OF THE WESTERN CAPE (Mr A Winde): Hon Chairperson of the NCOP, hon President, Leader of the Opposition, hon members of this House, it is actually a privilege to be part of this debate. But I must say that this debate on the state of our nation is at a critical time. Our nation is actually in a disaster. Not only a declaration of disaster, but so many components of our society are absolutely in a state of disaster.
I am only going to focus on two things in this debate. I want to focus on the energy crisis. Hon Minister in the Presidency, I’m going to start off by putting some numbers on the table.
Some facts. You called for the facts. It has been over 5500 days since South Africa first experienced rolling blackouts in our country. It has been almost 3000 days since the then Deputy President, the now President Cyril Ramaphosa was made responsible for the Eskom “war room”. Nearly 3000 days.
Remember that number!
It has been over 200 days since President Cyril Ramaphosa addressed the nation with its crisis interventions after three weeks of the worse load shedding and power cuts that we had ever experienced. This was on 25 July last year. More than 200days ago. We have had 167 days of power cuts since September 2022. Only two days without rolling blackouts across our country. As the Leader of the Opposition says, more than 1000 hours of load shedding in our country.
And our response, we already have three Ministers who are responsible in one way or another to make sure that we fix this problem. We have now the announcement of a new Minister of Energy. And then we declare a disaster which brings another Minister in play. So, now we have four Ministers responsible
for fixing this problem. And we put another Minister of Disasters on top of those four Ministers and say you must now go and fix this problem. I say to this House, that this is an imperial Presidency. This is political rhetoric. It is about lavish spending, no detail and contradictory information on sorting out this absolutely disastrous problem that every citizen of our country is facing. Do you know that we cannot get real clarity on real detail of where we are with this disaster?
I have attended many meetings and I will tell you about that clarity, because the same Minister says, “We want the facts”. I’ll tell you one fact. Since the then President called that Disasters Emergency Committee over 200 days ago, we have not seen one more megawatt come into our energy system. Not one. That’s a fact. There have actually been less megawatts in our system since that meeting was called on 25 July 2022. And when I say we need clarity. I have actually written to the President. Because the clarity is so glaringly missing. If you go to the Presidential Co-ordinating Council, PCC, and you see what he said where they say up to 8822 megawatts will be brought in this year into our energy provision. I’ll say that again, 8822. But when you start interrogating the year 2023, 8822 megawatts, the first thing that comes into that mix is
1621 megawatts from our neighbouring countries. Don’t we sell power to our neighbouring countries? Are we going to send it to them and then get it back? So far, we are hearing that it’s not 1625, but it’s maybe 300.
Let’s talk about the Kusile Power Station component of that 8800 megawatts. That’s 2880 megawatts. The 2880 megawatts come
from Unit 1, 2, 3 and 5 of Kusile Power Station... If you know anything about Kusile Power Station, you will know Unit 5 is only coming online next year and when it comes on, it’s going to be trialled first. So that’s not this year. That’s next year.
We also know that Unit 1, 2 and 3 - and I didn’t get this from our letter to the President. I got this from my own meetings, myself going to look for myself to find out for myself. Those three fleus of which the one has totally collapsed, are filled food with a build up inside one could call it ... [Inaudible.] sometimes up to 60 centimetres thick. To solve that problem, is at least, from the professionals, 10months. At least that takes us to the end of the year. How on earth are we going to get those three units back in? So, every single detail that’s been put on the table is rubbish. [Applause.] How are we supposed to work with that, Mr President?
I also want to say that the urgency that we are hearing now is way too late. Way too late. Can I also say to you now that five days after the state of the nation address, Sona, declaring a disaster to sort out this emergency of power production in our country, we have not seen the regulations yet. And that is actually where the problems lie. If we don’t get the regulations right, the whole thing would fail. But I can also say to you that this province will play its part. We have already started putting forward our comments on the regulations.
I also want to say one other thing that was said from this podium today about how we are going to solve this problem. And we spoke about the Eskom debt. Here is a fact Minister. The fact is that we are going to take that debt and remove it from Eskom - so called write it off. And what will we do? We will add that date back on to the debt carried by the citizens and the taxpayers of this country. So, those that are paying the electricity are now going to have to pay the debts of everyone else who hasn’t paid the electricity. That is totally unacceptable. That’s a fact Minister. Where is the urgency I ask, to the government of this country?
You know that on 24 February last year, almost a year ago. There was some colonization taking place in the Northern Hemisphere. The Russian government invaded Ukraine. Nearly a year ago. And what was the consequence of that illegal war? The consequence was an energy crisis in another part of the world in Europe, because Russia provides gas to much of Europe. Europe knew that there was an energy crisis on the way. So, 200 days after the President announced this action plan, not one megawatt extra.
In Germany, when they knew that 17% of their energy production is going to be at risk, because they were not going to get Russian gas, they built a brand new gasification system. That took 192 days done and dusted ready to operate, 192 days less time than it took between the announcement by the President and not one ... [Inaudible.] ... If the Dutch were not better than that they also had the same risk in energy. And they took
160 days to create their own gasification import systems so that they could mitigate their energy risks going into the winter, 160 days. And we are sitting at 200 days and not even one megawatt.
I now need to conclude and I haven’t even spoken about safety or murder. Do you know Chair that that wasn’t mentioned by the
President? The 18,7% increase in murder in the Eastern Cape of 4407 people last year, the 5570 people murdered in Gauteng, the 6495 people murdered in KwaZulu-Natal, KZN, and the 4109 people murdered in this province. That Minister never said a word about it and neither that President. That Minister must go! So must this ANC-led government. Thank you. [Applause.]
Mr B H HOLOMISA: Hon Chairperson, hon President, Deputy President, hon Speaker and hon members, Mr President, the UDM believes that the people you should have relied on to implement your plans and strategies are not only your Cabinet members. The technocrats in government, in particular the accounting officers, have been side lined for years. Those responsible for oversight have overstepped their boundaries for far too long. This makes government ineffective.
Mr President, I would like to touch upon three issues that South Africans have raised with the UDM.
The first issue concerns the pensions of those who were employed in the South Africa’s, SA’s, Transkei, Bophuthatswana, Venda and Ciskei, TBVC states in the 1970s to the 80s. These people made a considerable contribution totalling billions to the pensions that were inherited by
Government Employees Pension Fund, GEPF, that is now managed by the Public Investment Corporation, PIC. Their concerns centre on the calculation of their pension which had an effective date starting in 1996. They feel that there is a major error on how their pensions are being calculated.
They have raised these concerns with the PIC, GEPF and the Ombuds Office of the pensions to no avail regarding with this issue. As a result they find themselves in court with their limited resources.
The UDM would suggest that government must appoint a team of expects to clear out these crisis and that they work with pensioners organisations who represented this group.
Some people have in the meantime passed away, waiting for a solution. Therefore, please Mr President, let this problem be solved once and for all.
The other one is the issue of Military Veterans, Mr President.
The Military Veterans Pensions Regulations and Benefits, as recently proposed by the Minister of Defence and Military Veterans has also been a bone of contention. Through these
regulations, ex MK and ex by extension rather, ex Apla veterans are being elevated above their military pensioners, rather above other military pensioners. Thus violates the Military Veterans Act of 2011.
We must remind ourselves that there was no outright winner between black and white militarily speaking in the arms struggle. We agreed to all sit down around the table and broker peace. So, no one can claim the rights to dictate the roles and regulations against others.
We ask the President to ask the Minister of Defence and Military Veterans not to go ahead with these regulations which are contradictory to the Act and the spirit of the integration or the integrated armed forces. This behaviour will affect the moral of the serving men and women and those who have retired.
It is a fact that we must thank the opposition parties in this country, for playing a meaningful role in effecting change in South Africa.
The ruling party outright rejected former Public Protector Thuli Madonsela’s State Capture findings. The pressure exerted by the opposition benches, led to the establishment of the
Zondo Commission which showed in no uncertain terms, how state resources have been misused. For example the country has been delivered into the grips of load shedding, whilst corruption has chowed all the money that was meant to develop the power generating infrastructure in South Africa.
Sadly, Mr President, the ruling party, on this one had benefitted through Hitachi and Chancellor House deals. I wish to remind you Mr President, you have conceded that where corruption is concerned, the ruling party is accused number one.
Lastly, the Zondo Commission’s report has been generating dust here in Parliament. We would prefer that the Leader of Government Business in Parliament, must monitor the process and the implementation of the Zondo Commission’s findings. He should also advice as to how the other serious evidence slipped through the commission’s processes and how the veracity of that evidence tested.
It would however be a mistake to wait for the current Speaker to drive the debate as she is conflicted. The Bosasa offshoot company, Jumbo Holdings, which she was part of shifted
millions and millions of rand in tenders from the state. Bosasa as we all know was cited in the commission. So,
IsiXhosa:
Ngoko ke, akakwazi ukuyichophela le, asinike indlela yokuba siyixoxe ngoluphi uhlobo kuba wayeyinxalenye yayo ukuqala kweBosasa. Asisayi kumvumela.
Mr C BRINK: Hon members, last year the National Assembly had the chance to amend the Disaster Management Act, to prevent a further abuse of government power under a national state of disaster. At the time, the government’s monumental mishandling of the COVID-19 pandemic was still fresh in the minds of ordinary South Africans. The mismanagement, the corruption, the shutdown of the entire industries that was in defiance of evidence at the time. Talk about not leaving anybody behind, millions of South Africans were left behind and they are still behind because of the last national state of disaster.
The lockdown taught us that the Disaster Management Act, as it stands has got serious constitutional defects making it a dangerous weapon in the hands of an incompetent Ministers who only care about command and control.
Section 27 gives one Cabinet Minister the power to invoke a national state of disaster. This gives that Minister presently, the hon Dlamini-Zuma, extraordinary powers to make and brake laws. There is no requirement in that a declaration of that nature should be tabled or debated in Parliament.
Parliament cannot amend regulations issued under a national state of disaster or veto them. This decree of a national state of disaster can be rolled over again and again and again by the stroke of a ministerial pen, so that in theory this country can be governed a perpetual natural state of disaster.
This is why the DA is challenging section 27 of the Disaster Management Act. However, had the ANC and the majority in Parliament not blocked that amendment to the Disaster Management Act last year, Parliament could have solved the problem by its own initiative.
At the time the DA sounded the following warning: That the government’s handling of COVID-19, was worse because it had too much power and the same was going to be true of the next disaster. And so, here we are again. In the ordinary sense of the word the electricity crisis in South Africa and our reliance on Eskom is a disaster. It is an ANC’s sponsored disaster. The cumulative effect of decades of cadre
deployment, state capture, race-based recruitment and procurement and a stubborn ideological refusal to let go of the state’s energy monopoly.
However, let us not be under any illusions. Declaring a national state of disaster will not conjure a solution on the energy crisis. On the contrary, if what the President has in mind, is a COVID-19 light response to this, we can only prepare for the worst disaster.
As for removing the blockages that do exist in the way of cost-effective and quick decisions being made at Eskom, as well as the eventual reform of the electricity sector, the President does not require a national state of disaster.
Think of the unbundling of Eskom or the failure to unbundle Eskom. Four years ago the President made this announcement. There is still no separate entity and board for electricity transmission. No progress made on upgrading the grid without which we cannot up take the privately generated wind and solar that we so desperately need.
The President’s own erstwhile advisor, Anton Eberhardt, says it is Minister Pravin Gordhan, Minister of Private Enterprises
that is bogging the unbundling of Eskom. Actively undermining the unbundling of Eskom.
Think of the 3 000 megawatts combined cycle gas plant that had to be built in Richards Bay, which Eskom applied to the Minister of Mineral Resources and Energy, the hon Mantashe?
That application was made in January last year. It took the Minister, five months to reply, only to tell them he wants further information. He then forwards the application to the National Energy Regulator of SA, Nersa, it takes Nersa another six months to inform Eskom that they have followed the wrong process. Start all over again. In this 11 months of bureaucratic what you which you call it, bureaucratic bundling, ministerial incompetence, the country’s energy generating capacity deteriorated to the point of stage seven and eight load shedding.
Afrikaans:
Dink aan die 150 miljoen liter diesel, wat Eskom elke maand moet brand, en natuurlik verwelkom die DA die President se verskering dat daar genoeg geld vir diesel sal wees.
Dieselfde Minister Mantashe het Eskom se aansoek om diesel teen grootmaat pryse aan te koop, van die hand gewys, blykbaar
omdat hulle nie aan die een of ander bergingsregulasie voldoen nie.
As hierdie lisensie toegestaan kan word, en as Eskom diesel teen grootmaat pryse kan aankoop, kan Eskom R6 per liter spaar
- ’n besparing van biljoene rande vir belastingbetalers.
English:
Replacing Ministers, Gordhan and Mantashe, the twiddle dee and twiddle dum of the electricity crisis, does not require a national state of disaster. [Applause.]
The MINISTER OF TRADE, INDUSTRY AND COMPETITION: The
Chairperson of the NCOP, Mr President, hon members and fellow South Africans, while our debate today focuses on local challenges, the world within which we navigate, our economic prosperities are changing rapidly with more uncertainty, volatility, complexity and ambiguity. Several mega trends are profoundly reshaping the global economy. They will impact on our lives.
The state of the nation address sets out a number of steps that this government is taking so that South Africa can respond to them. Firstly, these mega trends include the impact
of climate change on societies and economies that limits carbon-intensive of growth but also brings opportunities with green industrialisation; secondly, the new geopolitics of a sharply polarising world which will shape decisions on investments and procurement; and thirdly, technological innovation, particularly in artificial intelligence that will change the skills we need, jobs that will decline and the jobs that will grow. These developments occurred simultaneously with the most severe disruptions in supply chains in decades, impacting on factories in South Africa and elsewhere. They highlight the importance of what President Ramaphosa referred to on Thursday night as resilience.
In their eagerness to point scoring and electioneering, the opposition speakers this morning missed these major trends taking place in the world. The state of nation address in contrast, sets out key elements to build South Africa’s resilience. Six of these measures are addressing pressing challenges in energy, building a larger African market for our goods and services, boosting investment in the economy, developing sector compacts around local production, broadening ownership and economic inclusion, and promoting local innovation.
While the DA was flip-flopping on its own call for a national state of disaster, and the EFF indulging in disruptive tactics on Thursday night, government was setting out steps to deal with the serious, pressing and the urgent challenges of energy supply. Energy shortages are damaging the economy, requiring the focus on fixing coal power stations and expanding renewable energy.
In a recent visit to Saudi Arabia, the President addressed companies to invest in our energy sector. One such firm, ACWA Power, is building a large solar plant in Postmasburg, in the Northern Cape – a town with evidence of a history of innovation, stretching back to the Khoisan people who mined there more than a 1000 years ago. This power plant will generate and also store up to 12 hours of solar energy for at least when there is no sunlight. This one plant, with 100MW of energy, is expected to cover up to 200 000 households. Air Liquide will this year start building 220MW solar plant in Humansdorp, while as Minister Mantashe says several other energy plants are currently being built.
To speed up energy supply, a number of government departments, like the Department of Trade, Industry and Competition, DTIC, have lifted red tape and provided more flexibility to the
build programme. To enable companies and competitors to co- operate on energy matters, we will finalise a set of targeted exemptions from the Competition Act within four weeks. The Competition Tribunal will consider new measures to speed up hearings on competition cases relating to energy.
To provide for a just transition, we are mobilising support for workers to be retrained for renewable energy components to be made locally, and for a special focus on Mpumalanga.
Incidentally, the DA speaks about crossing the Rubicon – hon Steenhuisen – History records that when Caesar crossed that river, it marked an era when he broke the law, when he brought his troops into Italy, when he started a civil war, and became a dictator for life. Be careful what you wish for. The DA itself crossing the Rubicon? Oh, boy, given your policies, it’s about crossing the river whilst abandoning the poor, discarding the elderly, and sacrificing the lowest paid in society... [Interjections.] ... The abandoned communities of Itireleng in the DA-run Tshwane - whose mayor has just resigned - and Masiphumelele in the DA-run Cape Town, living in misery will confirm that. Only a small minority will reach the other side of your Rubicon. So, whilst the DA wished that the President metaphorically had crossed the Rubicon river in Italy, this government is working with 53 other African
countries across the Limpopo to bring into operation a vast new African Continental Free Trade Area, AfCFTA.
Our exports to the rest of the world is growing after the COVID-19 disruptions. The Sars reports that global exports have now surpassed R2 trillion, and grew by a healthy 11% last year. We are already trading more with our neighbours, exporting nearly half a trillion rand in goods to other African countries, our highest level ever. What’s more, nearly three quarters of these are exports of manufactured goods – value-added exports which create jobs – We have reached record levels of exports of products to other African countries, last year, ranging from cosmetics to trucks, but we can do more.
The AfCFTA is an agreement that will reduce import tariffs and restrictions to make it easier to trade goods and services between African countries.
On Thursday, the President noted that South Africa and four neighbours will shortly be submitting a joint offer on products where import tariffs will be reduced for the AfCFTA. Two days later, on Saturday, we tabled that offer at a meeting of the AfCFTA trade Ministers in Gaborone. These are important
steps in driving the development of our continent – a stronger Africa, is a stronger South Africa.
Whilst the EFF mobilises on the streets with fake militaristic rhetoric, having lost the debate in this House, and the DA complaining about the five disastrous years, government secured private sector pledges to invest more than a trillion rand in the economy. Members of Parliament may wonder how those pledges will be realised. Let me give a few examples to illustrate the impact on production, on jobs, and on opportunities: Example one, the new Sappi Saiccor plant in KwaZulu-Natal that opened in September last year, produces pulp that goes into the making of viscose fabrics, tablets, and other products. Young fashion designer, Tshepo Mohlala, uses rayon from the pulp for his new jeans range. Rural communities benefit.
Example two, Google announced large investment in October to open an undersea cable between South Africa, West Africa and Europe, significantly expanding our ability to do business, run zoom meetings, and complete cross-border financial transactions.
Example three, the recently opened Hesto Harnesses plant employs 4 000 workers in Kwadukuza. Nokwazi Mbele, is an electrical engineer, one of a number of women creating jobs and localising the electrical distribution systems that connects car batteries, engines, lights, air conditioners, and more. Jobs for young people, hon Malema, unlike what you have said. Had time permitted, I would have provided details of many other projects like the opening of the new Corobrik, brick factory in Carletonville or the Polarium plant that is manufacturing lithium batteries modules or food factory Kerry Ingredients or call centres opened in Cape Town due to the DTIC incentives. All of these, the products of this government working together with business brings jobs to communities across the country.
Whilst the DA’s coalition with small parties unravelling, and the EFF trying to divide the nation, this government is building greater cohesion between South Africans in the economy through social compacts or master plans in steel, car production, clothing, furniture, poultry, sugar, agro- processing, and in global business services. These master plans require something from everyone. The Sugar Master Plan is stabilising a steel-troubled industry and saving jobs. The Clothing Master Plan is shifting the sourcing decisions of
major retailers. The Global Business Services Master Plan is creating jobs. The Auto Master Plan is reindustrialising the economy. Ask hon Steehuisen, he will know that.
In Gauteng, 10 newly-built factories opened in the Tshwane Auto Special Economic Zone, last year, producing parts for the Ford Ranger. A total of 3 200 new jobs were created in the factory and its suppliers ... [Applause.] ... and new vehicles will be exported to more than hundred countries across the world.
In the Eastern Cape, the new Isuzu D-Max began rolling off the production line in Gebherha in April. We will build on all of these with a shift to hybrid and electric vehicles including pursuing our interest in deepening the value chain in electric vehicles components including battery production.
Whilst the DA is engulfed in kindergarten leadership crisis, unable to hold onto even its own black leaders, this government is working to widen the base for economic activities, promoting worker ownership in the economy and promoting black industrialists ... [Applause.] ... Today, the commission gazetted the new market enquiry on fresh food produce markets. It’s about opening that up for new entrants.
In the next three months, the commission would conclude its market enquiry into online and digital services such as property, food ordering, accommodation, and general e-commerce service – it’s about opening those sectors.
The President spoke about the inaugural Black Industrialists Conference held last year. They include black industrialists like Dalisu, who began commercial production in Mkhondo of anhydrous sodium sulphate or Brimis Engineering that manufactures industrial valves and pumps or CapeBio that makes enzymes used in molecular biology research and diagnostics or Macrofinish that manufactures safety components for internal combustion engines and exports 98% of its production is exported to the EU, USA and the UK. These are black-owned firms, black excellence driving industrialisation in our economy.
The past year saw greater levels of worker ownership in the economy. More than 400 000 workers owned shares in firms they work for including Coca Cola, Pepsico, Shoprite, Imperial, Consol Glass, Burger King, many mining companies and elsewhere. These are not politically connected people, hon Steenhuisen, but workers, like Mmakoma Senosha, Nqobile Yende, and Cornelius Grewar. They earn dividends from these shares –
real benefits to South Africans. In some cases nominated representatives seat on the boards of those companies, bringing the voice of workers into corporate thinking, and at the same time, giving workers an insight into the strategic thinking and challenges faced by companies.
Whilst the DA and the EFF have shown in the Sona debate an absence of ideas and ability only to puff up; wind is not ideas, heat is not energy ... [Interjections.] ... We, in turn, published the green hydrogen commercialisation strategy for public comment. This is about seeking to use South African sunlight, wind and minerals to position ourselves as a leader in the production of this exciting clean energy.
Hon members, the year ahead is still tough, with strong headwinds and energy shortages that will still limit our growth. We are working on it. The country faces many challenges. In these most difficult times, we need to work together more, implement better and focus on community needs.
Join us, let’s roll up our sleeves and be part of the national effort to build the economy and build our nation’s hope and resilience. I thank you. [Applause.]
The CHAIRPERSON OF THE NCOP: Thank you very much, hon members, we will now break for lunch. Note the following: Lunch will be served at the banqueting hall, second floor. For those members who may wish to go back to Parliament, Marks building restaurant is open. As per the procedure, members pay for their own lunch as we all know. We will reconvene at 14h15.
The JOINT SITTING SUSPENDED AT: 13:15
Business suspended at 13:15 and resumed at 14:19
Afternoon Sitting
SPEAKER’S ALLEGED UNPARLIAMENTARY UTTERANCES
(Ruling)
The CHAIRPERSON OF THE NCOP: Hon Nyambi should get ready to chair as we move on, but before he comes up, there is this one little issue I think is a very important issue that I need to raise very briefly. An allegation has been raised, this relates to the Joint Sitting on 09 February where the Speaker is said to have said that members of the EFF are animals, it
was repeated in the House and was made on public broadcast and circulated even on social media.
It is alleged that in the process the Speaker said, “animals, out.” These were not words uttered by the Speaker. The Unrevised Hansard correctly refers to the word, “phumani” translated as, “get out”. The Hansard has now been shown to indicate that no such words were uttered by the Speaker but because the matter has also been referred to the Joint Rules Committee, both the Unrevised Hansard as well as whatever related documents will be made available to the Joint Rules Committee. So those who are alleging that these words were said will be able to contest that when all the information is made available. Yes, hon Floyd?
Mr N F SHIVAMBU: Hon Chairperson, on a point of order: First, we don’t know what item you are speaking on now in terms of the intervention that you are making now and what you have spoken to now is not a reflection of reality. The Speaker said, “animals out” in the process of EFF Members of Parliament going out of ... it is on record.
That is why we have written to the Rules Committee to lodge a complaint against her and we have already tabled a motion of
no confidence which we are sure is going to be successful against her because that was the most irresponsible thing that could ever be said by anyone here.
So we will be able to illustrate that and there won’t be any way you are going to hide that in terms of these issues. So let’s wait for the process of the Rules Committee to deal with that instead of trying to shortcut us here in this particular
... so there can’t be a record of Parliament that says there was no such thing said because it was said here by an extremely irresponsible and reckless Speaker.
The CHAIRPERSON OF THE NCOP: I am sure the information is meant for noting and the issues to be pursued as indicated. Thank you very much. Now our next speaker is the hon Premier of KwaZulu-Natal. [Interjections.]
The PREMIER OF KWAZULU-NATAL (Ms N Dube-Ncube): Chairperson, hon Speaker, hon. President, Your Excellency, hon. Deputy President and hon members, we are honoured to stand here in this august House on behalf of the ANC to join millions of other South Africans in welcoming the state of the nation address delivered by His Excellency the President, Ramaphosa. We listened to inganekwane [a fairy tale] from the DA. The
coalition of corruption led by the DA in Tshwane, Johannesburg and Ekurhuleni.
This has been exposed by none other than the Auditor-General. This corruption was exposed by the Auditor-General and these municipalities have collapsed and the people are not getting services. The instability and wholesale failure to deliver quality services to municipal residents is attributed to the DA and its incompetent leaders. There is consensus in society that the state of the nation address was an apt depiction of the situation of the country as it is. There was no bending of facts, underestimation of challenges and cooking of statistics. The Sona was a clear demonstration of the level of respect the ANC-led government had for the people of South Africa. At times such as this one, where we find ourselves as a nation, requiring leadership, unfortunately, I can’t say the same to the hon members who would squeal and shout as if they are babies and kids. The 2023 state of the nation address sets us on the path to our post-COVID-19, post-floods, post-crisis season with projects and programmes that are necessary to accelerate the transformative journey that we have had to undertake to get things done and things back on track.
When we were hit by the devastating floods in KwaZulu-Natal, President Ramaphosa was the first on the ground to rescue KwaZulu-Natal. [Interjections.] Never has there been a President that we have seen walking the talk. When COVID-19 hit in 2020, President Ramaphosa led from the front. I stand here on behalf of the people of our province to confirm that KwaZulu-Natal has rebounded and is recovering from the effects of the triple challenges and almost all the sectors of our economy are showing signs of positive recovery.
We can say with certainty that we are now back to full restoration in the areas of water concerned giving priority to vital services that were needed to be provided to our people. We can honestly say we have recently commissioned Aqueduct 1 and a reservoir which was extensively damaged by the floods.
This is now producing more volumes of potable water to supply many parts of eThekwini Metro than it did before. We have completed the uThongathi Water Scheme and are currently addressing reticulation challenges in our areas such as Hambanathi. Repairs to the damaged pipeline that supplies Umlazi including Prince Mshiyeni Memorial Hospital are at an advanced stage of full recovery to restore the water supply.
Before someone speaks from the debt of their ignorance, let me mention that there is progress on the issue of beaches. We are resolving challenges to the sanitation infrastructure that affected our beaches. Most of our beaches are now open and water quality is being monitored on a weekly basis. [Applause.] I wish to assure the holidaymakers that indeed Durban and KwaZulu-Natal are open ...
IsiZulu:
... kuthi abantu bazojabula. [Ubuwelewele.]
English:
We have also quickly attended to the Northern Wastewater Treatment ... I wish I could say the same for the DA-run municipality in Cape Town because they were not affected by floods. Your Excellency the President, the many flood victims who were left homeless and destitute in April and May 2022, have followed the state of the nation address in their dignified temporary accommodation. It is thanks to the caring ANC government, led by you, Mr President, and your Ministers, the Minister of Human Settlements, the Minister of Water and Sanitation, the Minister of Road Transport and all other Ministers that worked with us throughout, no flood victim spent Christmas at the Mass Community Centres. They all spent
Christmas in the flats. We were with our people up until 25 December, Mr President, and we even had Christmas lunches with them on 24, 25, and right up to 31 December because we wanted to make sure that when we talk about the fact that our people are now living in dignified flats and places we knew what we were talking about.
We have provided privacy to the families and individuals who lost their homes in the floods. Progress is also being made in linking all of these temporary flats with the land parcels that have already been identified in various affected municipalities. We have to date secured eight land parcels which will be used for permanent housing solutions in the Western, Northern and Southern regions, totalling about
R325 million that is needed and that has been set aside already. [Applause.] I wish to say that our people know better than some of the members who would shout out of their voices from a place of ignorance.
Our province suffered massive road infrastructure damage as a result of the floods. Our estimates are that we needed more than R5,7 billion to be spent on more than 1 372 flood-damaged projects. We have worked with the SA National Road Agency, Sanral. We have completed, in no time, the Port Access roads,
Solomon Mahlangu, a big portion of the M4, N2 and R102. All these strategic routes were affected by the floods and they are now open.
Sanral has just also appointed a service provider to fix the N2 Umgababa and N2 Umhlali bridge. When we deliver the state of the province address, we will be able to say more about the work that we are doing with Sanral. We will also be creating work and support for SMMEs because in all the work that we have been doing, SMMEs have been involved and a lot of young people have also been involved, including those that have been learning on the job in some of these projects.
The emerging position is that most of the small businesses have reopened at the same time as a substantial percentage of big businesses have also been back to normal following the unrest that befell our province. The rebuilding work continues, Toyota, one of our biggest car manufacturers and many businesses in the South Durban Basin are now back to business and investing even more in our province.
Through the efforts that you have put in, Mr President, we have attracted billions of rand worth of investments from local and international investors and Minister Patel has
already spoken at length about some of these projects, including Sappi Saiccor, and Sappi Saiccor has even opened opportunities for small businesses, young entrepreneurs who are designing and taking advantage of the value chain at Sappi Saiccor. Some of them are in fashion design and some of them are doing various things, they have opened their businesses, and those are jobs.
The Wilmar Group has also invested, Hesto Harnesses and Hesto Harness, Mr President, even now are looking for more land because they want to extend and you heard the Minister talking about some of the women that are already supplying the Hesto Harnesses. [Applause.] Tetra-Pak, Kerry Ingredients, and many other projects, Mr President, that you announced during your Investor Conference are up and running and are creating massive job opportunities.
To date, the province has attracted greenfield investments that we are proud of, having worked with your office, including the infrastructure office. We welcome your progress report, Mr President, on the work that is being done by the National Ports Authority and we wish to impress upon our government to ensure that we get our port back to being competitive as KwaZulu-Natal as a strategic logistics corridor
for Africa. We welcome the President’s intervention in the pressing matter to secure a reliable supply of energy. We have been warned by the wise that instead of cursing the darkness, let us light a candle, dance in the storm to innovate and find better ways of illuminating our world. In this regard, as KwaZulu-Natal, we have taken various steps to secure energy supply with the province being well-positioned for alternative energy generation, green hydrogen electricity, bioethanol from our sugar and biomass that we already have in many of our houses. Our Executive Council has also approved a team working on alternative energy generation including working with municipalities to fast-track energy generation
I was very sad to hear my learned friend, the hon Premier of Western Cape, saying there is nothing being done because I have attended meetings with my hon Premier of Western Cape and I remember his words after the President had delivered his report, saying he is so excited hearing the President talking about progress being made. [Applause.] We welcome these interventions, Mr President, I am very sad because he said this on his own. We welcome the battery of interventions announced in the areas of job creation, wealth creation, investment and many other opportunities that will be opened
for our people. President, you showed what Amílcar Cabral meant when he said:
Hide nothing from the masses of our people. Tell no lies. Expose lies whenever they are told. Mask no difficulties, mistakes, failures. Claim no easy victories.
We are happy to say, in working with our communities, our military veterans had a very successful national summit in KwaZulu-Natal, and from that national summit that was held by our military veterans, there are a number of initiatives that are being opened that we are following up on, including the digital economy that we are going to be bringing them into that space. We are also discussing with a number of municipalities with a view of helping them with a policy of ensuring that our military veterans benefit, including the memorandum of understanding, MOU, that is being done with the provincial KwaZulu-Natal Department of Education.
I also wish to indicate that it was very disturbing when the senior mining executive of Sibanye, the chief executive, Neil Froneman, in the Bloomberg article titled: “Investors on strike in South Africa” which appeared both in the Business Day and Business Tech editions of 07 February 2023, Where he
argues that because of a general loss of confidence, business is now effectively on strike. The Book of Maxims, Poems and Anecdotes warns us of the type of friends like Froneman and declares that, “They come to you when the sky is crystal clear and they disappear when the same sky is overcast with dark clouds.” Thank you, hon Speaker. [Interjections.]
IsiXhosa:
Mnu V ZUNGULA: Molo MaNyawuza, umhle kakhulu mama kulo ...
English:
... white. Parliament belongs to the people of South Africa and members must not be intimidated from doing what they are elected to do. The presence of an elite police unit in the Chamber of Parliament speaks to the dictatorship that has creeped in our country.
It cannot be that state institutions will be unleashed on MPs in order to silence and intimidate them. No self-respecting Member of Parliament can condone what happened last Thursday.
The country is in a big crisis. A crisis of leadership. In fact, the people in leadership positions do not have the political will to solve the problems faced by the country.
The problems of loadshedding, post office retrenching workers and SOEs falling apart are self-created. We have a President that may have seriously violated the Constitution, may have seriously committed acts of misconduct and life can’t go on as usual.
As a President who disregards our constitutional duty to hold you accountable, where do you get the moral authority to come and present state of the nation address to the very same institution you do not believe can hold you accountable?
We have a crisis of a President that will use every trick in the book to avoid accountability. Millions of citizens are languishing in the dark whilst crime is increasing. Drugs are killing the future of this country and unemployment and hopelessness continue to be the adjectives most commonly associated with our young people.
The real state of the nation tells us that South Africa is a lawless country where kidnappings, mass shootings, extortions, construction mafias are on the rise.
Traditional leaders are also under siege and the silence from government is telling. This lawlessness has even attracted
people from far parts of the world to see our country as their destination for criminal activities.
The porous borders compound the crime problem in the country. It’s amasing that the elite police unit which was in the Chambers is nowhere to be seen when communities are terrorised by illegal miners, when buildings are hijacked and police stations are robbed. Once again, they are nowhere to be seen to dismantle the forced prostitution rings and curb the ever growing drug trade, things that are destroying the future of this country.
Mr President, you have failed to lead South Africa to prosperity. Everything has gone from bad to worse under your leadership.
In 2018 when you took over the unemployment rate was 25,6% now it is 33.9%, 47 people were killed every day, now 72 people are killed daily, there was no loadshedding in 2018, now there is permanent loadshedding for the next two years, the petrol price was R13 now it is R21.
IsiXhosa:
Tata, asikuzondi xa sikuxelela inyani kuba imbi imeko yeli lizwe. Xa umntu ungamxeleli inyani, uyammosha.
English:
And you need to ask yourself a question, what has change for the better ever since you became President in South Africa. The best thing that can happen to the country right now is your resignation because ...
IsiXhosa:
... wohlulakele.
English:
Your investment summits, task teams, commissions, and creation of many ministries in the Presidency all to appear as if you are doing something, is not working. You took the Intelligence to the Presidency yet there has been an increase in mass murders, kidnappings and extortions.
You have consolidated and created ministries in the Presidency, without any tangible results yet you expect us to be happy with the appointment of the Minister of Electricity whereas the Department of Mineral Resources and Energy exists.
You need capable engineers to fix Eskom not another Ministry. When are the factories in Qwaqwa, Hamanskraal, eGcuwa being revived to create meaningful jobs for our people and turn South Africa into a manufacturing hub?
Stop celebrating the growing number of people who are dependent on grants. South Africans are able and they want to work. Give people dignity through jobs and create conditions for their businesses to thrive.
The township economy needs to be transformed so that the primary beneficiaries can be people from those townships. You can come here, Speaker, and posture as much as you want, but the reality and the facts speak for themselves. The country is worse off under your leadership. Thank you.
Mr B N HERRON: House Chair, before I start I must say it’s impossible to avoid pointing out the absurdity of the DA suggesting that they can lead us across the rubicon when they are still standing where P W Botha left them nearly 40 years ago. Just left the country and a stream when ordered to do so by High Court. Next week they will be in the Supreme Court of Appeals challenging a court order that says they have a duty to undo the Group Areas Act. They are going to the Supreme
Court of Appeals and say that that is not their duty. Its upset.
House Chairperson, South Africa requires miracles to eliminate unemployment. If the economy was to achieve steady growth of 3% per annum for the next 14 years, which is nearly double the prediction, the unemployment rate would be reduced to about 25%, but eight million South Africans would still be without a job.
No number of well-intended job creation schemes, entrepreneurial training programmes and red tape reduction projects will alter these numbers.
In the absence of miracles, the President’s words – “extraordinary circumstances call for extraordinary measures” simply do apply.
Mr President, we cannot maintain such a high number of unemployed people in the absence of decisive mitigation measures to ensure people do not starve. We have no choice but to adopt an expanded cash transfer system, as part of a comprehensive social security system overhaul, as a means of
supporting and ensuring social and economic justice, constitutional rights and stability.
The announcement that the R350 per month COVID Grant will be continued is rather less than we hoped for from this year’s state of the nation address. Given the magnitude of the crisis of unemployment, and the destitution and hunger of millions of people, this year’s speech was the perfect opportunity to unequivocally commit the state to implementing a Basic Income Grant.
A comprehensive social security system can and must be implemented with the necessary political will. Inefficient government perks and programmes must be closed. The number of government departments must be reduced. At a provincial level there is an urgent need to reconsider spending that occurs through premier’s offices and regressive or ineffective tax expenditure must be shut down or fixed. If we did these things, Mr President, we could prioritise the needs of the neediest by implementing a Basic Income Grant.
Mr President, the greatest barrier to entrepreneurship is not training or red tape; it is access to finance.
If the World Bank is correct, we can halve our unemployment rate if we achieve the same level of entrepreneurship as our peer countries.
We therefore support your view that “growth and the creation of jobs in our economy will be driven by small and medium size enterprises, cooperatives and informal businesses”. But we must invest far more substantially in ensuring access to finance.
The plan to provide R1,4 billion in financing to over 90 000 entrepreneurs, and the commitment to establish a R10 billion for SMME growth fund are good plans.
But the fact is that this finance is to be administered by the Small Enterprise Finance Agency, Sefa, then that rings alarm bells.
It was Sefa that implemented the President’s Spaza-Shop Support Programme during COVID. Sefa implemented a complicated system that eventually paid out a miniscule R7 000 to a small but unknown number of spaza shops and general dealers.
Mr President, we urge your government to ensure that access to finance means exactly that – and that viable projects don’t die in long queues and unprepared Sefa offices.
We agree, Mr President, that we must stay on the path outlined by the National Energy Action Plan, no matter how difficult this is in the short term, to end loadshedding and, in parallel, implement a just transition to renewable energy. But the country deserved a clear timeline and an explanation for the slippage that has already crept into the implementation of the plan.
Last July the President announced that generation capacity to be procured through REIPPPP Bid Window 6 would be doubled from
2 600 megawatts to 5 200 megawatts.
But the list of preferred bidders that were announced on 8 December, only provide a contracted capacity of 860 megawatts. Also Mr President, it is not clear how a tax incentive will enable a large scale rollout of rooftop solar panels. This sounds like a scheme that will work for the rich. We propose, Mr President, that your government pursues the Property Assessed Clean Energy, Pace, funding model – which links the financing of expensive solar energy systems to property
ownership and where repayment is made through the property owners’ municipal rates account over a twenty-year period. This will widely extend the financial ability of property owners to join the rooftop revolution.
Finally, Mr President, we believe that you were wrong to chase the DA down the proposed rabbit hole of an electricity state of disaster. Thank you.
Mr X NQOLA: House Chairperson, I propose that we give hon Zungula a second chance to come and debate Sona. He just came here and debated President Ramaphosa and said less about Sona. We must from the onset condemn the anarchic and destructive behaviour by some of the members of this house. This is undermining Parliament which is a critical component of our democracy, the conduct of some members was clearly not aimed at holding the President to account but deliberately aimed at subverting our democracy, which we now understand is meant to appease the insatiable lust for power and relevance by some delusional individuals.
What makes matters worse is that they use gender-based violence which is a serious problem in our county for narrow a political gains and in the process humiliated young and old
women. The people of South Africa have indeed seen them for who they.
House Chairperson, we call upon the presiding officers of Parliament to be firm against barbarism. We cannot use taxpayers’ money to fly to Cape Town and attend Sona, get in the House and behave like gang leaders of Amapara.
Hon Speaker, Oliver Reginald Tambo warned us that:
A country that does not invest in its youth does not deserve its future.
In other words, the future of this country is linked to the support and investment provided to and for young people. As a consequence, we welcome the scrapping of experience for
entry-level jobs, we are confident that it will help fight the scourge of youth unemployment.
The ANC-led government has historically and continues lead to demonstrate its commitment to the youth of this country through critical interventions made to cushion the youth from brunt of unemployment.
It is worth noting that the Presidential Employment Stimulus has since its establishment created over one million job opportunities for unemployed young people across the country in different sectors.
In the education sector alone 596 109 young people were beneficiaries of the programme, in about 32 000 schools across the country. This has had a real impact for unemployed youth by providing them with the necessary work experience and skills which can be used as they transition to other work opportunities ... I don’t need it. This has further directly stimulated the economy.
In addition, to this public employment initiative we wish to encourage young people to take full advantage of the National Youth Development Agency, NYDA grant programme that is designed to provide young entrepreneurs with an opportunity to access both financial and non-financial business development support in order to enable them to establish or grow their businesses.
There are many young people who have benefited from this and are doing well such as Sibusiso Mahlangu, a 31-year-old whose company focuses on electrical control, instrumentations,
mechanical engineering, and designs which includes systematic integrations, industrial automation, and robotics technology.
Through the grant funding programme of the NYDA, he was able to obtain equipment for his business which has enabled his business to overcome financial challenges and slow production lines, as a result his profit has grown steadily notwithstanding the global and domestic economic challenges. Notwithstanding the interventions made by the ANC-led government.
South Africa is still faced with structural challenges which is felt by the youth. One particular manifestation of the crises facing young people is that nearly four million young people between the ages of 15 and 24 years are neither in education, employment or training. These young people are largely from the black working class and poor families. There is a need to intensify and expand higher education capacity, there is further a need to popularize the second chance programme aimed at learners that did not meet the requirements of the National Senior certificate.
For the sake of our future we need to develop the skills of young people so that they become responsible citizens who
constructively contribute to the development and growth of our country.
In the face of high levels of unemployment, there is further a need to expand public employment programs, the Presidential Employment Stimulus has demonstrated the possibilities for significantly scaling up and sustaining public employment to address the challenges of fraying social cohesion and gender inequalities linked to the broader social reproduction crises facing poor and working class communities.
South Africa according to the World Bank is the most unequal society in the world, we have the highest levels of income inequality. Our wealth inequality is even greater, with youth unemployment sitting at 70 percent majority being black and African. The current situation is perpetuated by the systemic structural problems emanating from the stubborn legacy of colonialism of a special type which is characterized by high levels of concentration, hyper financialization, and barriers to entry for small enterprises which inhibits the ability of the youth to participate in the life of our economy.
The rising interest rates also negatively impact the ability of the Small, Medium and Micro Enterprises, SMMEs to obtain finance from financial institutions.
It is important to note that the value of speculative capital on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange is around three times more than our gross domestic product. We are like a dog with a tail that is triple the size of the rest of the body, the realities of exclusion, poverty, and inequality are not unconnected to these realities.
We have a financial sector that extracts value from the economy but does not add value, the lack of reinvestment from finance capital particularly as it relates to the productive sectors of our economy like agriculture, manufacturing, and supporting SMMEs owned by young people is a matter that our developmental state must tackle head-on and be decisive in this regard.
We cannot have a financial sector that decides usually on discriminatory grounds whom to give finance to for developmental purposes that will respond to the inclusion of young people in the economy.
The youth has the responsibility of taking charge of its future, as the ANC-led government it is critical that we create a conducive environment for the youth to cease the myriad of opportunities presented in the state of the nation address. This we need to do with clear intention and clarity without any apology, the youth of this country we must invest in it.
House Chairperson, we wish to warmly accept and welcome the apology you have made to the people of South Africa during the day of Sona. And, we wish to say to you that is the only apology you are going to make and we have confidence in you.
Thank you very much.
IsiZulu:
Nk B S MASANGO: Ngiyabonga Sihlalo, thina siyi-Democratic Alliance siyasithakasela isimemezelo sikaMongameli ohloniphekile sokuthi imali yesibonelelo sikahulumeni yokusiza abantu abahlaselwe yindlala izokwelulwa, nokuthi ezinye izibonelelo zizokwengezwa. Besingakuthakasela kakhulu uma izinhlelo zokucubungula nokukhokha izibonelelo zisebenza ngendlela engenakukhwabanisa, futhi nangendlela ebonelela abantu ekuhluphekeni okukhulu. Bekungabangcono ukuba abafaka
izicelo zesibonelelo bebe ngakwazi ukuxhumana nabasebenza kwaSassa, ezikhungweni zikaSassa kuzwelonke.
Bekungabangcono futhi uma abantu abafaka izicelo zabo zesibonelelo zigunyazwe futhi kufanele ukuthi bakhokhelwe ngokushesha. Kungadingi ukuthi balinde izinyanga noma iminyaka ukuze bathole isibonelelo esiphuthumayo nebesihloselwe ukuthi sixoshe ikati eziko. Le mali yesibonelelo igcina isemakhukhwini wabantu abasebenzayo, abanye abasebenzela yena lo hulumeni esikhuluma ngaye. Kuthi labo abafaka izicelo zabo abahlupheke ngempela bagcina betshelwe ukuthi izicelo zabo aziphumelelanga.
English:
House Chair, regarding the increase in other grant types, the announcement would provide much-needed relief and hope to recipients of old age, disability, and child grants if they did not have to wait for days or weeks before they received their promised grants.
IsiZulu:
Sihlalo ohloniphekile kusukela ngoNovemba 2022 izigidi zezibonelelo azizange zikhokhwe ngesikhathi. Lokhu kwenze ukuthi abantu bakhokhe imali yokugibela emba eqolo ukuze
bathole izibonelelo zabo, futhi bathenge nokudla nako okudulayo, bebe bezama ukonga izibonelelo zabo zikahulumeni ukuthi zibaqhube kuze kuphele inyanga.
English:
In addition, a system that pays grants to non-eligible applicants while declining the unemployed, makes it difficult to believe that the extensions and increases in grant budgets will make the difference it is meant to do.
Between November 2022 and February 2023, hundreds of thousands
- if not millions - of grant beneficiaries waited for long periods, due to what we are now told are system glitches. This, hon Chairperson, affects people who are already struggling, who cannot afford to struggle for another day, let alone battle on for weeks for unpaid grants. Even the most resilient that we’ve heard about today will break under these circumstances.
Hon Chair, these are not gripes from an opposition party but they are a lived reality, the day-to-day, month-to-month dire straits experienced by millions of South Africans, trapped in poverty, and food insecurity caused by a government that stopped looking after its poor about 29 years ago. [Applause.]
In a country buckling under a 42% unemployment rate, where no less than 30,4 million people live below the upper poverty line, and where 27% of children are stunted - a phenomenon some called a slow violence of malnutrition. The Department of Social Development ought to be at the forefront of the fight against these social ills. The department should have the systems, resources and partners geared towards ensuring services are rendered without glitches, are robust enough to absorb the shocks, and are communicated proactively and effectively. Sadly, what we see on the ground is the complete opposite. It is also exacerbated by the value of the grants that is further undermined by the exorbitantly high cost of living we are so burdened by.
According to the Pietermaritzburg Economic Justice and Dignity Group affordability index, a basic food basket to feed a household of five currently sits at R4228,82. This is a scandalous increase of R380,33 from January 2022 that reduces any value that could have been gained from the increase.
Chairperson, it is the time the ANC considers proposals and recommendations made by the Democratic Alliance in the spirit of working together for South Africa’s poor and vulnerable populations. [Applause.] It is for this reason that the DA
calls for the child support grant to be increased to at least the lower bound food inflation price of R945, which is way below the basic food basket costs, but high enough to make a dent in the crisis of food insecurity.
We have also responded with firm, well-thought-out proposals to tackle the high levels of poverty and food insecurity caused by the drought and later the much-abused COVID-19 pandemic, the looting that took place in 2021, and the floods that affected many households, particularly in KwaZulu-Natal, the Eastern Cape and North West provinces. These proposals were to no avail. Well, I will repeat them today, hon President. These proposals include:
Firstly, cutting fuel taxes and levies to lower the cost of transport;
Secondly, reviewing the list of zero-rated food items;
Thirdly, reviewing import tariffs on some food items; and
Lastly, providing private title to all land reform beneficiaries on state land and landholders in communal areas. [Applause.]
Hon Chair, along with calling for these immediate relief interventions, the DA will continue to call for economic reforms that open up the economy for jobs and growth. Millions of job opportunities will be created in this very South Africa, if we make South Africa a place that attracts investment and scarce skills, a place where small businesses can easily start and grow.
IsiZulu:
Sihlalo ohloniphekile i-DA iyakweseka ibuye igqugquzele ukuthi abantu bakithi besekwe ukuthola imisebenzi noma baqale amabhizinisi afufusayo. Sinesiqiniseko sokuthi lokhu kungabasiza ukuthi bamelane nezimo ezimazonzo ezifana nalezo uMzansi Afrika oke wabhekana nazo kuleminyaka embalwa edlulile.
English:
The Democratic Alliance supports giving people a hand up, not a handout. I thank you. [Applause.]
The MINISTER OF SMALL BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT: House Chairperson;
His Excellency the President of the Republic of South Africa; the Deputy President of our beautiful country; hon Speaker of
the National Assembly; Chairperson of the NCOP; hon members and fellow South Africans, good afternoon.
Starting a business is hard, especially if you are coming from disadvantaged areas like the Cape Flats. However, organisations such as Small Enterprise Development Agency, Seda, and the Department of Small Business Development give us hope and makes being an entrepreneur so much easier. You do not feel the isolation of being alone, you feel like there are organisations helping you.
This support has proven that we as entrepreneurs can do so much more when we are being supported even though it takes long to reach some of us. One thing I want to guarantee when my business grows, I want to inspire people in my community because I can see the poverty and struggle every day. So, what we receive today is more than just a tangible item, it is hope.
These are the words of Ms Melanie Abrahams of Meltz Amazing Cakes during the handover of the Informal and Micro Enterprise Development Programme, IMEDP, for Mitchells Plain and Cape Flats beneficiaries, the first time in their history.
I stand here to join those that welcome and support the President for delivering the state of the nation address, giving direction to our beloved country. I am not just supporting because he is the President of the governing party, but the state of the nation address is in line with the 55th ANC Conference resolutions, the January 8th Statement and our Strategy and Tactics Document.
The Strategy and Tactics Document is very clear on the issue raised by President Ramaphosa and I quote: “Social cohesion in a national democratic society will depend on the extent to which the rights of those in lower rungs of the socioeconomic ladder are protected.” In these difficult economic circumstances that the world and our country are under, small, medium and micro enterprises, SMMEs, and co-operatives are potentially the source of economic vitality and employment creation.
In his address on Thursday, last week, the President reminded us that, and I quote: “We are, at our most essential, a nation defined by hope and resilience.” The substance of that hope lies in our concerted efforts to position SMMEs and co- operatives as avenues for growth, employment creation and resilience. It is on this basis that the President reaffirmed
government’s commitment to unleash the full potential of small businesses and co-operatives.
This is in line with the National Development Plan, which categorically states that newest jobs will come from small, medium and micro enterprises. However, to unlock the potential of small, medium and micro enterprises, we need to address the issues of market concentration; barriers to entry; access to finance, as well as business development support, especially through incubation. Hon members, he country’s Economic Reconstruction and Recovery Plan identifies a number of strategic areas around which the growth of small, medium and
micro enterprises can be enabled.
I will talk briefly to these. The first area; it talks to reviewing government support for small, medium and micro enterprises. Here, we recently completed the third iteration small, medium and micro enterprises strategy for the country, which is called the National Integrated Small Enterprise Development Strategy. The approach of our strategy is to mobilise and co-ordinate support across the ecosystem of the small, medium and micro enterprises, with the focus on practical partnerships that leverages more resources and capacity for support. These include for new economy start-ups,
on a recapitalised financing package for small, medium and micro enterprises and co-operatives; on a refuelled incubator programme; on a Youth Entrepreneurship Initiative; on an Enterprise Supplier Development scale up and on a greatly expanded Township and Rural Enterprise Programme.
Contrary to the view perpetuated by certain parties, we have found incredible goodwill among the private sector and other stakeholders to partner with government on these initiatives. We should guard against narratives of mistrust that seek to divide us as South Africans and redirect us from the transformation path. Fellow South Africans, we have heard complaints that our application systems are outdated and that we have inadequate offices countrywide.
To address this, ease of application will be better enabled through the digitalised systems we are working on. We intend to use advanced analytics supported by modern financial technology solutions, to improve our delivery model. We have been engaging with established players in the small, medium and micro enterprises finance ecosystem and we are partnering to extend our reach and loan approval time. We are also increasing our footprint as a portfolio at local level in order to improve access to our services.
The second strategic focus area identified is to reduce red tape and remove regulatory blockages. We are making strides as government in this direction. While we are working on amending the enabling legislation, namely, the Business Amendment Bill, we have simultaneously commenced stakeholder engagements with Salga to address some regulatory impediments at local level like bylaws, permit fees and zoning cost. We will also be paying attention on measures to curb illegal trade that operate in the shadows of criminality and is a source of violent tensions in many communities. It is important that trading activities happen within the parameters of the rule of law and fair competition.
House Chair, the third area relates to more appropriate financing products. However, before I outline this, in our midst we have some of the beneficiaries of the schemes that we offer. In the gallery we have Mr Sanele Ngwenya of Conformity LPG Gas, who hails from Durban. Of course, he operates in the industry that deals with refillable fire extinguishers for residential, commercial and industrial purposes. He was funded under the Amavulandlela programme with an amount of R835 691 and has created a number of jobs. [Applause.]
The second one is Mr Alleen Magumbi of Ulusoy Africa (Pty) Ltd, again a 100% black youth-owned business which produces broiler chickens and has a 5-year grower contract for Kroon’s Chicken. He has sustained 45 jobs that he nearly lost. He was funded an amount of R14 979 million under the Youth Challenge Fund programme that we are running.
The third one, we have Mr Enoch Mofokeng of Mo and Mo Investment Holding (Pty) Ltd, which again is a youth-owned business and has created 192 jobs. He received support of R5 764 034 million to purchase agricultural equipment. The fourth one is Ms Ashleigh Robin Barlow, based in Kimberley,
who is in the transportation of fuel and owns a fuel wholesale license, again, got support to deliver fuel monthly on a six- year contract with Kimberley Truck Shop (Pty) Ltd. She has created a number of jobs and received a funding of
R4 578 306 million against the Youth Challenge Fund.
The fifth one we have Ms Mabatho Elsie Rammala, an informal trader who hails from Limpopo province. She joined our Small Enterprise Foundation. A great story she shares of how she has managed to take her son to the university. Today, he is a doctor and he has built himself a beautiful home, including where he comes from.
Lastly, we have Mr Lufefe Nomjana of Green Innovations Trading as Spinach King, again, a youth-owned business based here in Cape Town, Phillipi and Woodstock. Having been sidelined for too long by the Western Cape government and his business manufactures gluten-free spinach, bread and other green health products. He was funded through the Township and Rural Enterprise Programme. When we started with him, we gave him R250 000. As the business increases, we funding him with
R7,5 million under the Youth Challenge Fund. He has off-takers like Pick n Pay, Spar, Shoprite and Wellness Warehouse that he supports. [Applause.]
Fellow South Africans, the story does not end here. During our roadshow in Saldanha Bay, the small, medium and micro enterprises raised their concern over the lack of support to black and coloured women-owned businesses by the Western Cape government. As the caring government, we have listened to their pleas. In response, we have engaged a plethora of stakeholders to collaborate with us to realise the localisation policy to enhance the Small Enterprise Manufacturing Support Programme and they will benefit.
We will be doing more to provide financial support to small businesses. Crucially, Sona has indicated that through Sefa,
R1,4 billion will be allocated towards financing entrepreneurs. I have heard the concern in terms of the amount that we announced. This amount is significant, however, nowhere near what is required to address the small, medium and micro enterprises credit gap, which the International Finance Corporation estimates an upward of R350 billion, if we are to support small businesses fully. Of course, there are a number of interventions we are making to address this, as government. The future must not replicate the past in terms of racial patterns of economic ownership.
Economic reforms must embed transformative outcomes that are meaningful and measurable. This requires that we are bold and courageous in changing the old structures of our economy. The state must fund the developmental dividend.
Microenterprises are also the most excluded by the mainstream financial services sector. It is in this regard that we have designed some financial products which we are confident will address this harrowing picture as follows: The first one, the small, medium and micro enterprises focused Localisation Programme, which is aimed at diversifying and strengthening the country’s industrial base through a focused import
replacement programme. The financial support provided through this programme is up to R15 million.
On the Township and Rural Enterprise Programme, which is a blended finance scheme aimed at supporting businesses in townships and rural areas, linking them to market opportunities and again the scheme goes up to R15 million. The Young Entrepreneurs Support, which aims at increasing businesses that are youth-owned. We have set aside
R630 million for this financial year and the scheme goes up to R15 million.
Regarding to the co-operatives support, in order to make sure that we realise what we spoke about of inclusive economy, we are looking forward to support and their scheme goes up to R15 million. Seventy percent grant and 30% loan. On the Informal and Micro Enterprise Development Programme, which is a 100% grant offer to informal and micro enterprises from the minimum grant amount of R500 up to the maximum of R40 000 to assist them in improving their competitiveness and sustainability.
Lastly, the Khula Credit Guarantee Scheme; which is aimed at de-risking bank finance to small, medium and micro enterprises
and unlocking private sector funding. To date, this scheme operates with 25 partner institutions - the banks, corporates, suppliers, and donors. Through this guarantee, 9 068 small, medium and micro enterprises are participating under it and they have been guaranteed up to the value of R3,1 billion.
The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Mr A J Nyambi): As you conclude, hon Minister.
The MINISTER OF SMALL BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT: Through the
Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development, we have an array of financial and other support instruments. The Comprehensive Agriculture Support Programme that assist new entrant farmers with infrastructure; the agri-BEE fund which aimed at supporting farmers and agri-preneurs to acquire equity in existing; and the Blended Finance Scheme, which is a combination of a 60% grant and 40% loan. That scheme is currently the Land Bank and the Industrial Development Corporation.
Through the Department of Mineral Resources and Energy, we have also designed measures to enable new entrant black women
...
The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Mr A J Nyambi): Hon Minister, I am afraid, your time has expired.
The MINISTER OF SMALL BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT: Thank you, House
Chairperson. [Applause.]
Ms M O MOKAUSE: House Chair, let me start off this debate by greeting the commander-in-chief and president of the EFF ... [Interjections.] ... Comrade Julius Sello Malema, the EFF battalion deployed in Parliament, provincial legislatures throughout the country, and municipalities under the leadership of the deputy president, commissar Nyiko Shivambu, members of the Central Command Team who are present here, and all ground forces of the July 26 movement, the EFF.
Chairperson, we are here today to forward the struggle of the development and the building of dysfunctional municipalities, as enshrined in the EFF manifesto, as we have witnessed a lack of direction in terms of development in these municipalities under the tenor of Mr Cyril Ramaphosa of the ANC. The speaker who spoke before me have demonstrated that we are dealing with an individual who does not mean what he says and does not intend to do what he says. And as a result, our municipalities through South Africa have collapsed.
When Mr Cyril Ramaphosa took over office in 2018,
128 municipalities were reported to be in financial distress and dysfunctional. Let’s quickly look at what Mr Cyril Ramaphosa has said since he took office. For he has ... [Inaudible.] ... demonstrate lack of vision for viable local government, misalignment of functions and allocation of resources in this sphere of government, lack of skills and technical capacity, corruption, ... [Inaudible.] ... Mr Cyril Ramaphosa.
He has said a lot of nothing, ... [Inaudible.] ... one of the many reasons ... [Inaudible.] ... and giving them subsidies on a condition that they will create sustainable jobs. This will also allow us to depopulate cities while there is enough unutilised land in other provinces. But what is to be done in the immediate? If we are going to fix local government, we don’t need the so-called District Developmental Model, Mr President. We know that this is just another poorly thought concept from your office. We need to change the equitable share formula to give municipalities more resources to be able to provide basic services to South Africans throughout the country. [Applause.]
We need to change the equitable share to allocate enough funds to clean up illegal dumping sites in Ward 29 of West Rand and Ward 8 of Metsimaholo in the Free State. We need to allocate enough funds for Ward 23 in Metsimaholo to fix unattended overflow of sewerage, that includes Mangaung Metro. We need Inkosi Langalibalele Local Municipality to build internal capacity to deal with flooding challenges during this rainy season, particularly in Ward 2 in Emoyeni. We need to fund clinics in Joe Morolong area in the Northern Cape Province. We need funds to build proper water infrastructure in Ward 1 of Kareebeerg in the Northern Cape where people are without water. The people of Deaarkamp informal settlement in Kareeberg need water. The people of Cardington in Kuruman Ward
7 of Joe Morolong are without water and electricity.
We are here as the EFF to say that until we ensure that municipalities have a clear town-planning programme, informed by a land audit, formalised informal settlements, there is no hope for local government, and we are going to demonstrate that indeed we can govern when we take over power come 2024. [Time expired.]
The DEPUTY MINISTER OF CO-OPERATIVE GOVERNANCE AND TRADITIONAL
AFFAIRS (Ms T Nkadimeng): Thank you very much, hon House
Chair. Your Excellency, President Cyril Ramaphosa, His Excellency, Deputy President David Mabuza, hon premiers, the president of the SA Local Government Association, Salga, and hon members, good afternoon. The White Paper enshrines and foresees a local government in arms working together and not against each other. It places local government as everybody’s business.
So, hon Mokause, let me teach you what local government is. [Interjections.] The District Development Model, DDM, finds its tenets from intergovernmental relations Acts of South Africa, which say that all spheres of government, interdependent but related, must manage their own affairs and development. This is in pursuit of section 152 of the objects of local government and section 154 which mandates national government to support municipalities. The financial model ... I am worried that you are a member of the NCOP. I wonder how many meetings you have missed. To this end, the Department of Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs, the National Treasury and the Financial and Fiscal Commission, FFC, have put up two terms of discussions with the document, heading over for the adoption of the review of the municipal funding model. Let me remind you that the greatest challenge of municipalities is not necessarily the issue of having a lack
of finances but it is to assist them to spend the money that they are currently being allocated.
I will tell you what President Ramaphosa, through the department, has done. To this end, 91% of the municipal infrastructure grant, Mig, was spent for the first time in the year 2021-22 because of capacity development and adjustment programmes which assist municipalities. It is a multipronged approach. I am sure that you might have gone to university and only wrote answers to multiple choice questions. [Interjections.] The DDM needs you to contextualise the law, understand it and implement it. It is not A, B, C or D, or all of the above are correct or none of the above. Context!
So, monitoring and oversight, the accountability framework under the Presidency of Cyril Ramaphosa, has been enshrined. We have now collaborated with the civil engineers of South Africa and 1 292 of our municipal officials are currently studying at the University of Cape Town — here next to you — supporting municipalities to deal with their wastewater and with the guidelines on how to purchase and deal with programmes. Through that programme, 19 000 jobs have been created.
Our energy response also looks into the conversion of the Integrated National Electrification Programme, Inep, to ensure that municipalities also use alternative models of power to get off the grid, put ... [Inaudible.] ... to ensure that continuous infrastructure like sewer plants can run even during load shedding. Who says ... knows local government better than we do? When we define the tenets of local government, which established the 1998 framework of local municipalities ... and we know what we must do.
Such difficulties firmly draw us back to cementing the steady improvement of our hung municipalities in how we manage coalitions. Of course, our democracy is giving practical expression to the values of multiparty governance. However, this also means that our legislation must change.
Interestingly, coalition agreements were crafted with the sole intention of destabilising the ANC and removing it from power at all costs. We observed, nicely so, after the local government elections, political parties converging, led by the hon John Steenhuisen. There was nothing fundamental about their agreements. We just don’t want those who don black, green and gold next to us. We’ll run this thing on our own.
Ha, history taught you! Where are we? Hon President, thank you very much for keeping calm. Thank you very much for never
subscribing to pressure, even when you were told to lose the developmental ethos of the ANC. You stayed and said, let them govern.
Let’s tell you now what is happening in your coalition-led municipalities. Others are calling us now. They are saying, come let’s serve with you. Some of you think that the resignation of the Mayor of Tshwane yesterday in the middle of the night is what cracked the coalition. No, you are wrong. In 2016 to 2021 the Tshwane coalition could not even do one basic task — elect ward committee members. After that, everything has been complex and dynamic. The coalition operated for the whole term, violating the basic tenets of local government which is public participation. This mayor waited for all of us, including his residents, to go to bed having a mayor and we wake up in the morning ...
IsiZulu:
... ihambile le ndoda ezinzulwini zobusuku ...
English:
... in the midst of the night. However, let me tell you why he left without saying bye-bye. He left because he left a trail of destruction. His predecessors also did the same to him. The
amount of R12 billion GladAfrica extravaganza of Solly Msimanga ... with R10 billion for him alone. Hence, he went bye-bye. An Eskom debt of R1,4 billion and R1 billion to Rand Water. There is Wi-Fi disconnection and busses are at a standstill. It was ...
Sepedi:
... a re yeng.
In Sepedi we say ...
Sepedi:
A re ye felo bjale.
English:
Busses do not have petrol. The democratic-led coalition has produced four mayors in six years and six months. Hon John Steenhuisen, this means that by your standard of quality and production, your mayors run for 19 months in development. The less said about Madam Mpho Phalatse the better. It is better for us to say that a one per cent threshold needs to be put in our proportional representation, PR, system for those who do not have seats to be able to find a particular threshold to make a municipality ...
IsiZulu:
... hhayi le ngena siphume.
English:
Hon President, we are reviewing our enhancement strategy and we are saying that the tax administration — the SA Revenue Service, Sars — must not pay refunds back to people who still owe municipalities. Schedules 2 and 10 of the Municipal Systems Act ...
IsiZulu:
... yi-local government ke leyo ...
English:
... must make sure that, beyond councillors, we also ensure that public office bearers, employees, parliamentarians and everybody else, pay municipalities for their generation ... [Inaudible.]. A district revenue allocation must also be dealt with by Sars. Our procurement legislation does not only protect municipalities. A municipality cannot even generate funds besides selling a tender document. It can’t ensure that the person has been paid. However, it also needs to review and incentivise small businesses, as hon Ndabeni has said.
What is this story about? This story is about all the support we have made to ensure that the journey for local government, imperfect in its transition as it was, we all ... [Inaudible.] Our stakeholders say, deepen the implementation of the DDM. They say in the allocation of R14,5 billion of 2020-21, 91% has been spent on municipalities. This translates to 53 469 households where basic water was provided. This NCOP member
...
IsiZulu:
... angazi ukuthi uhlala kuyiphi iNingizimu Afrika.
English:
A total of 43 900 households were provided with sanitation services and 79 671 households will for the first time experience street and community lighting. The Department of Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs, through our
agency the Municipal Infrastructure Support Agent, Misa, completed 118 boreholes in the past financial year, servicing 24 000 ...
IsiZulu:
Awume ngePolokwane kade ngahamba.
English:
Why are you having a hangover? You are googling Polokwane. Go to Tshwane. Go to Tshwane. Don’t have a hangover. I have a year plus ... gone in Polokwane. I did not miss R10 billion. I did not lose. I did not owe Eskom. I did not owe a water board and had no corruption. Google other things!
IsiZulu:
... ngihambile lapho. [Ubuwelewele.]
English:
Google other things! Google other things! With regard to waste collection, community infrastructure ...
IsiZulu:
Umatasatasa utsotsi uyagugula, ngimbhekile.
English:
With regard to waste collection, community infrastructure and disposal, have been developed. Hon President, a total of
11 central collection points, in partnership with the Department of Environment to assist us in ensuring that we cleanse our municipalities and communities ... [Interjections.] ... and assist them with water ...
communities ... Lastly, about 1 474 kilometres of municipal roads have been built, with integrated long service.
IsiZulu:
Ngiyanibonga. [Ihlombe.]
Dr L A SCHREIBER: Hon Chairperson, as has become a routine, the former chairman of the ANC cadre deployment committee offered us a series of platitudes about building a capable state at the state of the nation address. And also, as usual, he entirely avoided the most important cause of the collapse of the South African state, namely the corrupt ANC cadre deployment committee that he led during the height of the Zuma administration.
Over the past four years, the DA has run a laser-focused campaign against cadre deployment corruption.
Afrikaans:
Keer op keer, het ons die President gewaarsku, dat ons nie sal rus, voordat kaderontplooiing verslaan is nie.
English:
By giving the ANC unconstitutional powers to interfere in appointment processes, this system leads directly to the appointment of incompetent and corrupt individuals in government departments and state-owned enterprises. Behind the collapse of every public service, from load shedding to policing, to railways, you will find an ANC cadre who should never have been appointed in the first place.
However, our warnings fell on deaf ears. The more the DA intensifies our campaign against cadre deployment, the more vigorously President Ramaphosa and others in the ANC defend it. Then he has the temerity to stand on this stage and talk about building a capable state. Don’t you get it, Mr President? Not one person in this country believes that you are serious about fighting corruption, when you never miss a chance to defend the cause of corruption – ANC cadre deployment.
Afrikaans:
Terwyl die ANC dit nie wil hoor nie, sit die res van Suid- Afrika regop oor die DA se oorlog teenoor hierdie bose stelsel.
English:
Today, the vast majority of South Africans stand united behind the DA on this issue. To demonstrate this, allow me to read a few short quotes and then perhaps the President can guess where they come from. Here we go, and I quote: “When the ANC insists that officials should consider its deployment committee’s recommendations in making certain appointments in the public service or parastatals, it requires them to take into account something that is not provided for in the law and therefore, requires them to act unlawfully.” Do you know who said this, Mr President? The answer is Chief Justice Raymond Zondo.
Let us do another one, and I quote: “Deployments may detract from the objectivity of the person so employed, who has to work on behalf of the ANC.” Where does this one come from, Mr President? From the DA’s court victory over the ANC to expose the deployment committee record from your time as cadre chairmen.
Let us do one more, and I quote:
Recruitment and selection practices based on deployment have gained notoriety, which has spawned cynicism. Some even question their constitutionality related to the principle of
equality and they may have a point. Deployment practices ought to be ditched in favour of a merit-based recruitment and selection system.
Can you identify the source for this one, Mr President? It is, in fact, a recommendation from the group of experts who drafted the framework for the professionalisation for the public sector on the instruction of the Cabinet that you lead.
So, if the State Capture Commission, the courts and experts in your own government, as well as millions of ordinary South Africans all agree with the DA that cadre deployment must end, why are you still so desperately defending it? There can only be one rational answer to this question. It is because the President fundamentally supports it.
It is for this reason that years of hollow talk on fighting corruption, state capture and incompetence have yielded exactly zero fruits. It also explains why this government is ignoring the State Capture Commission’s finding that cadre deployment is unlawful. In fact, the hypocrisy of the President lauding the work of Judge Zondo during Sona, while knowing full well that his government has not implemented and
does not intend to implement the findings of the state capture report, is shameful.
[No audio.]
... the DA to lead South Africa across the rubicon on this issue and that is exactly what we are doing and what we are going to continue doing.
Every passing day, we are moving closer to winning the ...
[No audio.]
The State Capture Commission confirmed that our war is both morally and legally ...
[No audio.]
The deployment committee minutes from 2018 to 2021 that we exposed ...
[No audio.]
The DEPUTY MINISTER OF INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS AND CO-
OPERATION (Mr A Botes): ... [No audio.] ... of Cuba as a state sponsor of terrorism, together with a repudiation of the enforcement of Title III of the USA’s Helms-Burton Act. These punitive measures reinforce the USA’s blockade which has great economic hardship in Cuba. Mr President, thank you for endorsing our vote in favour of the annual resolution at the UN General Assembly, Unga, on the necessity of lifting the USA’s blockade against Cuba. Members, that is leadership.
The Palestine people have been beleaguered, besieged and betrayed by the inaction of the international community. The former President of Mozambique, Samora Machel, reminded us that, “International solidarity is not an act of charity: It is an act of unity between allies fighting on different terrains toward the same objective.” The two-state solution, in accordance with the Oslo Peace Accords, must be implemented by the state of Israel.
Mr President, you hosted the President of the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic, President Ghali. South Africa must confirm the 1975 International Court of Justice, ICJ, ruling that Morocco has absolutely no right to occupy the territory in Western Sahara and we further call on the AU to engage with
the 1983 peace plan adopted by the Organisation of African Unity, OAU, which provides, amongst others for the self- determination for the people of Western Sahara.
Mr President, we wish to strengthen your message of solidarity for the loss of life in Turkey and the Syrian Arab Republic during the earthquake and we further wish to applaud the SA Police Service, SAPS, search and rescue mobilisation and the role that non-state actors such as the Gift of the Givers play in engaging in humanitarian diplomacy.
For South Africa, the negotiation and entry into force of the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons, TPNW, as well as the Pelindaba Treaty, is a true reflection of what African states have achieved in pursuance of our common security objectives.
Your Excellency Mr President, you currently hold the presidency of the AU’s Peace and Security Council, PSC, for the month of February and we request you to continue to mobilise financial resources for the ongoing peacemaking, peacebuilding and peace support missions of the AU.
We must recognise the sterling leadership provided in Lesotho by President Ramaphosa as the Southern African Development Community, SADC, appointed special envoy to Lesotho. We further have to welcome the commitment made by the Right Honourable Matekane, the Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Lesotho, to prioritise the implementation of a comprehensive national reform process.
We wish to underpin the Extraordinary SADC Troika Summit position urging the Kingdom of Eswatini to urgently initiate the process of national dialogue, which we submit should be all inclusive. We further note SADC’s condemnation of the killing of Mr Thulani Maseko, a leading human rights lawyer and political activist, as well as SADC’s encouragement that the government of the Kingdom of Eswatini should conduct a comprehensive investigation into his killing.
Mr President, under your leadership, South Africa chaired the SADC Organ on Politics, Defence and Security co-operation, and in doing so, led the process of mobilising support to Mozambique through the SADC Mission in Mozambique, aka Samim. We are a troop contributing country and since the deployment of Samim there has been significant progress made as it relates to the humanitarian and security situation, resulting
in the return of thousands of internally displaced people, IDPs, to their areas of origin. We further have to join the Extraordinary SADC Troika Summit to express solidarity in honour of Samim personnel who lost their lives in the line of duty in Mozambique.
South Africa remains deeply concerned about the unstable security situation in the eastern part of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, DRC. We particularly wish to take this opportunity to recognise the valiant efforts of South African peacekeepers serving in the UN Organisation Stabilisation Mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Monusco, and wish to take this opportunity to convey our personal condolences on the passing of Sgt Vusi Mabena, the flight engineer killed in action. Sgt Vusi Mabena, your blood will nourish the tree that will bear the fruits of peace in the DRC. We will tell your people that you loved them and that they must continue the fight to bring about peace and security in Africa.
We congratulate the AU High Level Panel, which amongst others has our own former Deputy President Dr Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka as a member. It has brought about the Agreement for Lasting Peace through a Permanent Cessation of Hostilities between the government of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia and
the Tigray People’s Liberation Front, TPLF, in November 2022, in a peace agreement hosted by South Africa. Mr President, that is leadership.
South Africa executes its humanitarian diplomacy through the African Renaissance and International Co-operation Fund, ARF, to the continent and further afield. We did so during the COVID-19 pandemic, where we partnered with the UN World Food Programme to establish a temporary hub at the O R Tambo International Airport, Ortia. Some of our largest ARF projects are located in South Sudan and Mozambique.
The African Continental Free Trade Area agreement, AfCFTA, is a flagship programme of Agenda 2063 that defines the Africa that we want, which should be all inclusive. A South African, Wamkele Mene, is the secretary-general and the penholder on the implementation of the very important prescripts of the Abuja Treaty and the Lagos Plan of Action. Mr President, the promotion of economic diplomacy has directly contributed to your investment target of R1,2 trillion. South Africa’s diplomatic missions across the globe stand ready to mobilise the R2 trillion target by 2028, with a particular focus to increase intra-African trade which currently stands at 17% of our total trade.
Mr President, let me by way of citing an example demonstrate to members the significant implications of the AfCFTA. As a result of your leadership, in 2021 we exported more to Africa than to the EU as a bloc. Our exports to Africa stood at
R385 billion. Juxtapose and contrast that to the R355 billion that we exported to the EU as a bloc. We are saying that this Pan-African economic instrument is worth taking seriously.
As the only African country in the Group of Twenty, G20, and Brics, we are pivoting the African Agenda 2063 on the agenda of these very esteemed multilateral fora. A critical point for us in 2023 is our chairship of Brics under the theme, Brics and Africa: Partnership for Mutually Accelerated Growth, Sustainable Development and Inclusive Multilateralism. Mr President, the Global South is elated with the re-election of President Lula da Silva and we welcome his support for your leadership in Brics.
As I conclude, South Africa remains true to history. We remain part of the ideals of the Non-Aligned Movement and we are committed to upholding the 10 Bandung Principles. We wish to quote O R Tambo when he said at the Olof Palme Memorial Lecture in 1987, “Each day carries the burden of its past and the seeds of its future”. Thank you very much.
Ms N NKONDLO: Thank you hon House Chair. [Interjections.]
The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Mr A J Nyambi): Hon Nkondlo, let me take the point of order. What is your point of order?
Dr M Q NDLOZI: No, we adopted a programme hon members. It is time to eat chocolate now, we will come back for this. It is break time Jomo, it is break now.
IsiXhosa:
Niyasinzimela maan.
English:
There is a programme hon Chair.
The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Mr A J Nyambi): Hon Ndlozi, firstly, it is inappropriate to refer to the presiding officer as Jomo.
Dr M Q NDLOZI: Hon Majomane, it is time for break.
The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Mr A J Nyambi): Secondly, the programme I have is that we are still going to have the next two speakers then we will have that break. Hon Shivambu?
Mr N F SHIVAMBU: Thank you Chairperson of the session. It is extremely responsible for the ruling party’s Whip to not consult with other Whips when they want to change the programme because the programme that has officially circulated indicates that it is time to go for a break now after the Deputy Minister had spoken. When we return, the list of speakers will proceed accordingly. So, let us please go for a break and we will see each other when we return. Thank you very much ladies and gentlemen, we will see each other after the break.
The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Mr A J Nyambi): Order members! The unfortunate part is that you are subjecting the presiding officer to deal with the issue of the break but to assist the process, it will not do much harm to allow that process of that break to deal with that issue as Whipery because I am not going to be doing that. Sorry hon Nkondlo for the inconvenience.
Hon Chief Whip along with the Whipery, you have to assist the process because as the presiding officer, I do not have that right to subject the House to dealing with this matter. What I will do now is that I will allow ten-minutes comfort break
while the Chief Whip engages the Whipery. Let us have the strictly ten-minutes comfort break.
BUSINESS SUSPENDED AT 16:04.
Ms N NKONDLO: Hon House Chair, I am sure members are quite happy now that they’ve taken their break. I’m sure it was nothing personal to me. His Excellency the President of the Republic of South Africa, Hon Cyril Ramaphosa, hon members, distinguished members of our judiciary, our distinguished guests, and fellow South Africans. It is 33 years ago that our struggle icon Madiba Nelson Mandela stood in the balcony of this building, as a sign of victory of the relentless pursuit of freedom by the majority of South Africans against the brutal system of apartheid.
The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Mr C T Frolick): Hon member, will you just take your seat please. May I ask the Table staff to reset the clock. You should have already done this during the break. Interjections] Hon member, you may continue. You will be informed when your time has expired. Thank you.
Ms N NKONDLO: Thank you House Chair. Is it an uncanny coincidence that here we are today under the same roof, at the
tail end of our term in service to our country? Indeed, hon President a new consensus is needed, I quote:
Born out of a common understanding of our current challenging situation, and the recognition of the need to address the challenges of unemployment, poverty and inequality.
Close quote as you had stated. We stand here today troubled by the crisis of our times, yet encouraged by the spirit to overcome, as indeed all is not well even with those that lay claim to fame in exploiting the crisis of the moment. Hon Speaker, we have to ask difficult questions as part of this consensus. Central to the conversation that one has brought in this august House today is to actually consider the acquired geographies and their implication to embrace the storyline of the prospects of a society with desire.
But before one actually takes that particular conversation, allow me hon House Chair to actually inquire from the DA that, if it is standing here and requesting that the ANC must declare its cadre deployment, at what point is the DA going to respond to the Leader of the Opposition in the Western Cape Provincial Parliament Cameron Dugmore, who on 05 July last
year, has actually asked for the total proof of the DA cadre deployment in the Western Cape. And this is what we’re still sitting in waiting for.
Let me also follow suit to the DA member, my colleague that was here before, to just indicate to you that recently in the Western Cape, we had to deal with a Tim Harris, who was the chief executive officer of Wesgro, a DA member who was actually deployed as a chief executive officer and at a certain point, the same DA had allowed him to decide on his own salary, which led to almost two board members leaving the Wesgro Board.
Again, the former DA MEC Madikizela, I am sure members of the DA would recall that, MEC Madikizela once again when he was booted out by the same DA for their own internal shenanigans, he was then propelled to be the adviser of the premier and something unfortunately that could not take place because in this country, there is the rule of law in the public service administration could not allow that a person without qualification is actually elevated to an Senior Management Service, SMS position ... {Interjections.]
Let me further indulge you hon members of the DA that, you must indeed as my colleague has said earlier on here the Premier of KwaZulu-Natal, “Tell no lies and claim no easy victories” ...
IsiXhosa:
... umqol’uphandle.
English:
The MEC of local government once again, was found guilty by the Public Protector in breach of his own executive ethics when he used a DA letterhead to actually instruct an employment of a functionary in one of the municipalities. So
...
IsiXhosa:
... nithetha ngantoni?
English:
Allow me House Chair to further then counsel members of the of the progressive organisation, the ANC and others that are in this august House, to just remind them that the theories of struggles, actually teaches all of us that we must always remember that, in these settings and in these houses of
parliament that we sit in we coexist with representatives of the oppressed and also the representatives of the oppressive class. Therefore, indeed when they are standing here, they have to play to their master.
We have to ask the difficult question, hon President and that question that we need to ask is about the acquired geographies they are implication to embrace the storyline of the prospect of a society we desire. This is one of the fort lines, if you consider the new consensus that we have actually referred to.
The first question to consider is the value of the governance frameworks we adopted to allow the functioning of democracy, particularly the role of provinces to work in harmony with both national and local government to enable a seamless service delivery.
Professor Robert van Niekerk has written about this in his article in Revisiting History: The Creation of Provinces and the Politics of Social Policy in a Democratic South Africa. What he alludes to is that, the factors that are constraining hon President, the exercise of the constitutional entitlement by those requiring state assistance were the new provincial governance arrangements and fiscal policies.
These arrangements have the unintended consequence of refragmenting the country not by race and administration, as was the case during the segregation and apartheid era, but by geographic location, hampering the evolution and implementation of deracialised social policies in the postapartheid era.
His paper actually brought attention to the experiences of ordinary people in this Western Cape, who indeed as this country’s citizens, find themselves in a political football by the DA. He further decries how this system lives national government to decide on policy and allocate funds to provinces, but such are left to the whims of the provinces that are not accountable directly to any electorate and cannot be pinned to socioeconomic outcomes.
Actually, provincial cabinets direct provincial expenditure and for their political determinations and priorities. He could not be spot on, if one considers how the city and provincial government here in Cape Town are deliberately sabotaging chances of restoring the central line, particularly the relocation of families that have been staying on the central line of Philippi, Langa and some areas of Khayelitsha.
This is a problem they had known for years and made it a political game to garner votes, as now when the Department of Transport brings solutions, they renege on their commitments. We must remember that Premier Winde in 2019 in the first state of the province said, they are going to take over the railway line. So, clearly they are not having any interest to actually restore and participate in the restoration of the central line. [Applause]
It is actually important for the ANC to take this into cognisance and go and tell the truth to the ordinary people of the Western Cape and the communities, as the DA now - what we’ve found is that, the DA ward councillor in that particular area has actually been involved in a campaign “Not in My Backyard” mobilising the receiving community to reject those to be moved in that area. This is how the DA is actually utilising the state resources to entrench an apartheid spatial legacy. [Interjections]
It is the same DA that has actually decided to ignore and rejected the District Development Model, and actually placed its own Johannesburg Development Agency, JDA. We must hon Deputy Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs actually consider what section 41(2) of the
Constitution says in the responsibility of the different spheres, because when these governance structures were replaced, the intention was to ensure a seamless service delivery, so that all citizens can be able to receive what is due to them in as far as citizenship.
The Western Cape government has under the auspices of this hard-earned democracy called for subsidiarity, a fancy name of the ruling party to bring federalism through the back door, as winning it through a ballot is higher grade for them ...
IsiXhosa:
... ingumnqantsa.
English:
A people divided for more than 400 years, the democrats in the DA believe to build a nation is to separate people, as that is the easiest thing to do when the going gets tough. That is what spoilt brat tendencies look like. What then shall be the fate of the South African citizens who geographically are residents to the province, vis-à-vis their constitutional rights and social policy benefits of the democratic order? One member was standing here and talking about the National Youth Policy and what is supposed to be doing to young people of
this country, because this country has got a National Youth Policy which is enacted through the act of this Parliament.
In view of the fact that the Western Cape government has rejected to implement and establish any integrated youth development strategy for young people of the Western Cape, what then becomes their recourse? Because these are young people who are not only actually private assets of the Western Cape government, but they remain citizens of the country and therefore they are duly to benefit in the National Youth Policy of this country.
It is rather shocking that the Leader of the DA stands here and tell the nation untruth with a straight face. Clearly this leader has not crossed the Rubicon just a kilometre away from here, to see the inhabitable state that his provincial and local leaders have kept black people for almost seven years, now in a debilitating four storey building the Helen Bowden.
They are living without water nor electricity, mainly being domestic workers and other labourers who would have worked for years in the Atlantic Seaboard with no provision for shelter as after stay with their kids in the houses of the madams, they are sent back to the townships, at most informal settlements to find shelter.
The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Mr C T Frolick): Hon member, your time has now expired. Thank you.
Ms N NKONDLO: This is the same reality hon members that even farm workers had to sit and experience in this Western Cape. For that I thank you. [Applause]
Mr M NYHONTSO: Chairperson, hon President ...
IsiXhosa:
... eTsomo bekukho ucimi-cimi wombane kwaye xa ubuya umbane wawutshisa wonke umzi womntu, kwatsha yonke into ebingaphakathi.
English:
And the question is, who is going to going to build that house again? Hopefully the new Minister of Electricity will do.
Secondly, Mr President, are you aware that ...
IsiXhosa:
... ngezi phaneli zombane (solar panels) ...
English:
... you can only use them to switch the lights on? You can’t cook. You can’t use you can’t use your fridge. You cannot use your iron, and the solar panels can only switch your lights on and still if you have a solar panel you must still go and buy paraffin to cook.
IsiXhosa:
Awuyazi le nto ndiyithethayo Skwatsha, uhlala eKapa kaloku.
English:
Thirdly Mr President, last year I was here telling you about the road between Butterworth and Centane ...
IsiXhosa:
... eyalinywayo yatshintshwa indlela yetha yayi ...
English:
... gravel road, and that road is still the same even to date and ...
IsiXhosa:
... iimoto ziyatshayisana.
English:
We have just lost a local chief there because ...
IsiXhosa:
... iimoto zihamba calanye.
English:
Thanks to your deployees in the Eastern Cape. There is no room or space for your comedy of errors in a occasion where matters of national concern, which are so serious and close to the lives of all the citizens are addressed. The electricity crisis is not a natural disaster; it is the result of a series of blunders in the running of Eskom. It is the outcome of poor planning, inadequate management of state resources, confused roles between state departments, and truth be told, captured leadership of a party at the very end of its ability to govern.
The disaster you have identified is made by warm bodies in your executive authority. By declaring a national state of disaster on the load shedding and blackouts of electricity, your administration is going back to the experience of COVID-
19 pandemic from March 2020 until the return to normal in 2021, in which the ruling party went without political
oversight. They undermined processes of good governance and subverted the internal systems for procurement of protective equipment, and medicines for hospitals.
The danger of the abuse of this facility is that, the so- called Minister of Electricity and others in that league, would make reckless decisions daily and overspend unilaterally without technical and financial controls in place. The real danger is corruption, selfishness and greed of your deployees. It happened right under your watch, Mr. President. What guarantees are in place for corrupt activities not to happen under your watch?
The PAC sees the ruling party as a disaster area. The economy is in negative growth and slipping further down the slope of disaster. The real crisis is lack of national security. We do not have a stable socioeconomic environment. Land restoration is not on the agenda. We have municipality community insecurity, health insecurity, mineral and energy insecurity, skills development, insecurity, food insecurity, with all forms of crime from petty crime to white collar crime radically out of control.
The nation requires a new pact, a rededication of all political leaders to build a conducive environment for a stable and secure solution for the country. The nation requires security of tenure in property relations. The ruling party you lead Mr. President is in tatters. It has lost democratic urgency to govern. The attempt to plug in a stopgap measure, such as the state of disaster is a fiscal risk rather than a solution. You are attempting to batter up the electoral constituencies with the risk of bringing down the fabric of political and economic management of the country.
The ruling party is incapable to lead the turnaround from the national insecurity, to guaranteed safety, to protection from lawlessness and to stability to govern that will that we desperately need. The country is now moving on autopilot.
Azania deserves better!
The MINISTER OF EMPLOYMENT AND LABOUR: Hon House Chairperson, hon Speaker, the Chairperson of the NCOP, His Excellency the President of the Republic, hon Deputy President ...
IsiXhosa:
... ikati ngokwayo.
English:
And hon members, I will start where the hon Nkondlo ended.
Hon Steenhuisen, do not throw stones when you leave in a glass house. Marietta Oucamp, the chief of staff in the Office of the Mayor of the City of Tshwane, Solly Msimango was fraudulently appointed to a position illegally earning
R1,2 million per anum, salary, despite not having the required qualifications.
By the way the current Mayor of Cape Town, Geordin Hill-Lewis, was a staffer in Helen Zille’s office.
Let me also remind you that Dr Waly Mgoqi, a capable and a highly qualified professional, was removed as a city manager of Cape Town when the DA took the change of the city. His only sin was that he was perceived to be an ANC and not DA. Many capable professionals we can mention, have suffered at the hands of the DA cadre deployment.
So, do not throw stones, when you live in a glass house.
Hon House Chairperson, in his state of the nation address, the hon President, announced the several social compact
initiatives to promote employment creation to ensure that we leave no one behind.
There is broad agreement from the social partners on the eight priority interventions, which the President mentioned here.
Those areas are very critical for job creation. We anticipate that five or more economic sector compacts will come out of this process, over and above the other areas where there is an agreement, as it happened with the Eskom or the Eskom social compact.
The expanded mandate of the department to include employment is reflected in the following areas: The consultation with relevant government departments on the National Employment Policy will be finalised this year, where after it will be submitted to Cabinet for approval.
As Minister of Employment and Labour, we are establishing an Employment Creation Co-ordination Committee that is to be chaired by the Deputy President and will include Economic, Infrastructure and Employment Ministers, organised business and labour, and community organisations.
The committee is tasked with the following: Ensuring Intergovernmental alignment guided by pro-employment policies; a relevant skills and educational framework; the extension of social protection to workers and support to work seekers; an ecosystem that promotes sustainable enterprise development, self-employment and positive regulation for the informal sector; and a labour migration policy and a legislative framework that manages migration to and from South Africa to benefit the economic needs of our country.
In support of the Presidential Employment Stimulus, the department and its entities continue to contribute to the employment in the following areas: Co-ordinating the pathway management network with the Presidency to support the young people.
The Unemployment Insurance Fund, UIF, has partnered with a number of institutions in creating and retaining jobs. Our focus is supporting Small Medium and Micro Enterprises, SMMEs.
Productivity SA will accelerate in its Enterprise Development and Support Programmes, with a focus on company turnarounds.
The implementation of the Rehabilitation and Return to work Framework in the Compensation for Occupational Injuries and Diseases Act will promote the reintegration of injured workers into employment. We also support employment of people living with disabilities through our 13 factories, and subsidies to designated organisations.
As part of eliminating red tape, the department has tabled labour law amendment proposals to National Economic Development and Labour Council, Nedlac, to reduce the regulatory burden on small business which Minister Ndabeni- Abrahams talked about.
In the proposed amendments to the Employment Equity Act, measures will be introduced to enhance the prohibition of the unfair discrimination whilst improving the competitiveness of small businesses employing less than 49 employees.
With regard to enforcement and Inspectorate services, at the beginning of the year, I visited farms in different provinces, as part of enforcement and inspection of the adherence to labour and National Minimum Wage laws. Horrible things are happening in the farms. You know about the workers who died in the scorching sun of those temperatures in the Northern Cape.
You know what is happening and the DA has been quite about such abuses.
As at the end of quarter three, we have conducted 336 inspections and referred 5 100 cases for prosecution.
Our inspectorate recovered R150 million owed to vulnerable and migrant workers – who are often employed exactly to exploit their vulnerable status as migrants. Migrant workers are being exploited by a number of employers, especially in the farms and the retail sector.
Combating child labour is part of the daily work of the inspectorate. The Durban Call to Action, adopted by the 2022 ILO Global Conference on the Elimination of Child Labour, is a landmark in the movement against child labour.
To deal with the high number of work related injuries, we are amending the Occupational Health and Safety Act of 1993, to increase fines and penalties to deter these unscrupulous employers.
The findings by our dedicated inspectors has resulted in the Department of Employment and Labour, developing a National
Labour Migration Policy which seeks to balance four principles which are: Perception that employment of foreign workers is being done at the expense of citizens; the economic need to source global scarce and critical skills needed by the economy – we all know that the Department of Higher Education, Science and Innovation has been able to publish those scarce skills - protection of rights of migrants in line with international treaties and our Constitution; and locating all these within the regional integration and co-operative imperatives.
With regard to the professionalization of the public service - let me now wear my other hat as Acting Minister of Public Service and Administration.
The National Framework towards the Professionalisation of the public service has been introduced to ensure that only ethical, qualified and competent individuals are appointed into positions of authority. Please, do not misinterpret this. Not just a qualification, there are a lot of other requirements that we need in a professional. We have already introduced a vigorous process of pre-screening as we lay the foundation or the orientation of meritocratic public service. A meritocratic public service which is staffed by a capable,
ethical, qualified and professional public servants. Ethical recruitment processes include: Formalised integrity assessments that are mandatory, tightened occupation-based competency assessment and three service entry exams for the public service. The overall objective is to improve the capacity of government to efficiently deliver in the public goods and services. This is going to be across the spheres of government.
Remember that the Judicial Commission of Inquiry into allegations of state capture, corruption and fraud laid bare some of the irregularities and criminal activities that the Professionalisation Framework seeks to address.
President Ramaphosa responded to the recommendations of the Judicial Commission, outlining a number of steps and actions to ensure their implementation.
The strengthening of the role of the Public Service Commission, especially as it relates to performance management and recruitment; the appointment of the head of public administration to manage the political administrative interferance; and managing the career incidents of accounting officers.
To further strengthen administrative stability in public sector institutions, the Department of Public Service Administration will, before the end of this month, announce mechanisms to be followed in the extension of the tenure of head of the departments, HODs, to 10 years, which will be governed by performance reviews with clear exit clauses for poor performance.
The gazetting of the Public Administration and Management Act regulations provides for enforcement of compliance with norms and standards to provide a uniform standard of access to quality services and governance of the public service.
House Chairperson, the process to revise the performance management system for all levels in the public service has commenced. This will include linking the performance of the HOD and deputy director-generals, DDGs, to that of the institutions they lead.
As government we remain committed to ensuring that there is a balance between the Wage Bill, expenditure on services and investment in infrastructure. I want to emphasize that this performance is not going about ticking the box. We want to see what the impact of what is being done is.
It is important to ensure that the Wage Bill negotiations are aligned with the planning and budgeting cycle of government – both to strengthen labour relations and to prevent any risk to the integrity of the fiscus. [Time expired.]
Mr I S SEITHLOLO: Dear Mr President, never has a government cared so little about young people as the ANC government, which you lead.
Mr President, you may have forgotten about Thando Makhubo, the entrepreneur from Soweto whom you hailed a success for starting an ice cream business using the R350 Social Relief of Distress, SRD, Grant. Well, because of your government’s failure, his business is melting away as he struggles to keep it going due to the ongoing loadshedding.
Ismail Pheku aka MaSeun, a car wash owner in Ikageng, Kanana, is losing much-needed income and has had to let go of two people because the number of cars he washes per day has drastically declined due to the ongoing loadshedding and water shedding.
Setswana:
Tebogo Lekaota, yoo rona re mo itsing jaaka Guluva, o ne a na le kgwebo e e rekisang diphatlho ko Kanana, ko Mandela, e bile a thapile baša ba le bararo mo kgwebong ya gagwe. Go utlwisa botlhoko gore gompieno kgwebo ya ga Guluva, mmogo le dikgwebopotlana di le dintsi tseo di tsamaisiwang ke baša, e phutlame. Se e le ka ntlha ya kgaolo ya motlakase e e tsweletseng go bolaya dikgwebopotlana mo nageng, segolobogolo tsa baša.
Afrikaans:
Mnr die President, u het oor mislukte munisipaliteite gepraat. Ek wil u regstel. Dis munisipaliteite onder jou party, meer spesifiek, mislukte plaaslike ekonomiese ontwikkelingsdepartemente, wat steeds ons jeug faal.
English:
Perhaps you have equally forgotten about the local textile workers at the House of Monatic here in Saltriver, Cape Town. The very local company whose designer suite you wore in this house back in 2019.
Setswana:
Ke bo Thando Makhubo ba ba kae mo nageng ya rona, Rre Moporesidente?
Afrikaans:
Hoeveel Ismail Pheku’s is daar in ons land?
English:
How many Tebogo Lekaota’s are in this country of ours, Mr President?
Mr President ...
Setswana:
... le re baša ke bone baeteledipele ba lefatshe le ba kamoso, mme wena le puso ya gago ya ANC ga le kgone go lemoga ditlamorago tsa go kgaola motlakase le metsi mo dikgwebong tsa bone.
English:
There is no business, big or small, that can thrive under the current state of disaster created by your government.
Mr President, labour market participation in South Africa is heavily influenced by education and is skill-biased. However, your government lacks the political will to invest in our Technical Vocational Education and Training, Tvet, colleges to meet the demand for skills-based employment in our country.
In November 2022 the Department of Higher Education, Science, and Innovation held a stakeholders briefing on the state of readiness for the 2023 academic year. During this briefing the National Student Financial Aid Scheme, NSFAS, stated in no uncertain terms that they are grappling with the accurate projection costs needed to fund students enrolled in Tvet colleges.
In the same briefing, it was indicated that the projected number of students who qualify for Tvet bursaries will increase by 48%, from 227 000 in 2022 to 333 000 in 2023, resulting in a budget shortfall of R1,9 billion in the Tvet sector.
In 2021 more than 140 000 university and Tvet college students had their applied and rejected by NSFAS. The majority of those rejected applicants being from Tvet colleges.
This is despite the fact that the White Paper for post-school education and training proposes increasing enrolment from about 700 000 to 2,5 million by 2030 to ease pressure on universities. But overcrowding takes it’s tall on the infrastructure.
Setswana:
Presidente, nnete ke gore wena le puso ya gago ya ANC ga le na sepe le dikholiji. [Legofi.] Ke ka moo o bonang dikhempas di le dintsi di le mo maemong a a utlwisang botlhoko jana.
Fa e le gore ga o ntumele, Presidente, ke ne ke kopa gore gongwe nna le wena re tle re etele dikhempase di tshwana le Vuselela ... [Tsenoganong.] ... e ka tswa e le e e ko Pudomong ko Taung, kgotsa e e ko Matlosana kgotsa e e ko Potchefstroom. Go tswa mo go wena.
Afrikaans:
Gaan kyk wat die huidige toestand van die Potchefstroom Landboukollege is. Die toestand van die infrastruktuur is genoeg rede om potensiale studente weg te stuur.
Setswana:
Fa re fetsa ra ipotsa gore ke goreng baša ba batla go ya ko yunibesithing e seng ko dikholijing. [Legofi.]
English:
A lack of equal opportunities in South Africa’s education system has led to a surplus of nonskilled workers while there is a high demand for workers with specialized skills.
To all the young South Africans out there, please do not fear. We do have solutions to bring this beautiful country of ours out of darkness and into the light.
As of November 2022 the DA-run Western Cape government had the lowest unemployment figure, which stood at 29,5%, 13,6% lower than the national average which stood at 43,1%. [Applause.]
To prove the point as to why Tvet colleges need to be prioritized, here are the industries in the Western Cape which saw the biggest increase in employment: manufacturing, construction, transport and agriculture.
Mr President ...
Setswana:
... nna lwena a re dumellane morwarre gore ...
English:
... National Youth Development Agency, NYDA, is another created disaster ...
Setswana:
... mo nageng ra rona, segolobogolo jang fa re lebeletse dipalopalo tsa baša ba gajaana ba se nang ditiro.
English:
That’s seven out of ten young people without work.
In his Youth Day celebration speech on 16 June 2022, DA Interim Federal Youth Leader, Nicholas Nyati, urged your national government to immediately scrap the NYDA, a
R500 million ANC slush fund. Mr Nyati argued, correctly so, that with half a billion rand, the NYDA employs ANC cadres in high-paying positions but creates no real jobs and opportunities for unemployed young South Africans.
You said that there are no easy solutions to dealing with the ongoing challenges facing our country. Well, in the DA we disagree.
To foster job creation and create opportunities, the national government must: establish youth work opportunities and innovation hubs across the country to serve job seekers, small businesses and young entrepreneurs; and implement a tax incentive for small businesses to encourage employment.
Furthermore: Restructure the Department of Small Business Development to include functions and employment for the youth; scrap the race-based job-killing legislation that discourages investors such as National Health Insurance, NHI, and Black Economic Empowerment, BEE; cut red tape, we’ve done it here in the Western Cape, it works, to allow for the formalization of informal business and to make it easier to do business.
Afrikaans:
Kom ons maak die lewe beter vir ons kleinskaalse boere in landelike gebiede.
English:
The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Mr C T Frolick): Hon member, your time has expired. [Interjections.]
Mr I S SEITHLOLO: Thank you, hon Chair. [Applause.] [Interjections.]
IsiXhosa:
USEKELA MPHATHISWA WEZOLIMO, UHLENGAHLENGISO LOMHLABA
NOPHUHLISO LWAMAPHANDLE (Nks R N Capa): Mandizithobe ndibulise kuwe Sihlalo weNdlu nosebenzisana nabo. Ngemvume yakho, ndinike ithuba lokusondela phaya kuMongameli welizwe loMzantsi
Afrika, ndithi siyakubulisa kwaye sibulisela egameni labo sibameleyo kule Ndlu. Ngokunjalo kuwe Sekela Mongameli nesigqeba sabaPhathiswa. Kuyabonakala ukuba le nto yabaPhathiswa iya ngokungathenjwa kakuhle imihla nezolo. Yiyo loo nto thina kufuneka sibaqaphele kwaye sibakhathalele kuba abanye abantu ababathandi.
Kubalulekile ndiyicacise into yokuba kule Ndlu, ndilapha ukuza kungqina, ukuphikisa nokuvumelana ngezinto ezithethwe nguMongameli. Umthetho wayo loo nto kuthiwa yingxoxo- mpikiswano. Ndiyafuna ukubaxelela abantu abalindele ukuva kuthi sisithi senze kangaka ukuba baze balindele nokuva esingakwenzanga kangako. Akumnandanga xa ufika ubone ukuba indlu ayicocekanga ube ungayazi ukuba bekutheni ukuze ibenjalo. UMongameli uliphononongile ngokwaneleyo eli lizwe sihleli kule, walixilonga izigulo zalo khona ukuze sikwazi ukusebenzisa amayeza.
Into ebangela abantu bangaqondi ukuba kuyasetyenzwa yinto yokungabinalo iliso lokujonga okuhle okwenziweyo. Kwiitasi zabo abazixwayileyo kukho usiba olubomvu. Yonke into elapha iyahlatywa ngela siba libomvu. Kweyam itasi alukho olu siba libomvu. Ngolwam usiba kubhalwe, “akukho mpazamo” ngolwa phawu likhulu lokukorekisha.
Imbali yeli lizwe akumelanga ukuba ilityalwe. Imbali yethu isixelela ukuba sasihleli ngokonwaba kungekhomntu olwa nomnye. Kwakutyelwa esityeni esinye esikhulu nasesithebeni esinye.
Yamoshakala le nto mhla kwafika iinqanawa zihamba nabantu. Ukufika kwabo sahlala nabo ...
English:
... around the fireplace.
IsiXhosa:
Azange siqonde ukuba abazanga kuhlalisana nathi koko basingise entla. Sibabhaqe sebe sentla sabe thina sisahleli isangqa.
Kuthe kungakudalanga befikile aba bantu, banomkhuba wokusilawula ukuba sihambe phi okanye singahambi phi. Ukuba wakhe waliva ibali lenkamela! Basikhuphela phandle bona bahlala ngaphakathi. Sithetha nje, batshotsha entla kuzo zonke iinkalo kweli lizwe. Mandidlule. Bendifuna uyazi ukuba iqala phi inkathazo. Iqala phi le nto sikuyo namhlanje? Balitsala ngomsonto ilizwe lethu, besinika iindawana bebana besithi wena hlala apha, ungasondeli eHighveld, njalo njalo. Andithethi ke ngabantu abadidiyelwa kumaphandle (homelands).
Le mbali iyathetha. Ukuba uza kuthetha ngezolimo, ayikunceda into yokucinga ukuba kuza kulinywa endlwini ngaphakathi.
Awukwazi ukucinga ukuba into oyibona kumabonakude yinto yokwenyani. Into yokwenyani iphaya emhlabeni. Kunjalo ke, tat’uMongameli, sekela lakhe nabo bonke abakhokeli bezizwe abanyulwe baziswa kule Ndlu ukuze babe ngamalungu okuthethela ezo zizwe. Kungabuhlungu ukuba ezi nkokeli zingabulala yonke into abayithunywe zizizwe zabo. Kuyafuneka ngenye imini ukhe ubabuze abantu ukuba ingaba ndisanimele kakuhle kusini na.
Niyayithanda kusini na lento bendiyithethile?
Xa ndinqupha, le nto yokuba kubekho uMgaqo-siseko yenze ukuba kulungiswe umonakalo. Zonke ezi zinto zixoxwe zaya kuphumela kwiNgqungquthela yoMzantsi Afrika oLawulwa ngeNtando yesiNinzi, Codesa (Convention for a Democratic South Africa) kathiwa masibe yiNdlu enye. Singenile kule Ndlu enye ngoku sesivela emfazweni, sahlala sonke. Laa nto besivumelene ngayo yatshintshwa apha ngaphakathi kule Ndlu inye. Bakhona abantu abanganyanisekanga abahamba nokunalungi kweendawo zabo.
Baphuma sebengayazi ukuba umhlaba kufanele ukuba uphinde wabiwe ngokobunini bawo, ubuyiselwa nasebantwini owawuthathwe kuwo ngezigalo. Bathe jaju pha, njengephini kuphekwe iinkobe, abangayingeni loo nto yomhlaba.
Sekuvela into yeziLungiso zeCandelo lama-25 loMgaqo-siseko, (Amendment of Section 25 of the Constitution) kuba into
ebebeyivume izolo namhlanje abasayifuni. [Kwaqhwatywa.] Ukuba ubusilwa namakhwenkwe akoyisa, kufuneka uhambe uyokukha ezinye iintonga, uphinde uvukele khona emlweni. Sisoyisiwe kule nto yalo Mgaqo-siseko kodwa siyabuya. Umhlaba wona awuzude ungabuyeli. Ingabuya ingabizwa ngeli gama layo. Ingabuya ngelinye igama kodwa wena mntu ubusilwa, izithonga uzivile ngoko kungcono ubuye sithethisane sichebane iinduma. Umhlaba wona lo uphantsi kweenyawo zethu uyafuneka.
Siyathethana neenkosi kuba zezakuthi. Senziwa abantu abangezonto, saya elubhacweni nazo. Zezakuthi, ungade uzithembe kakhulu. Zilapha kweli cala lethu kuba into emnandi yeyokuba zifuna le nto siyifunayo.
Apha kuthethwa ngokungalungi nangokwenza kakubi kwe-ANC. Tshotsho ANC ngokudibanisa izizwe sikwazi ukuba silweni sonke noba ke sithe xa sibuya saphuma izithebe zezizwe, saba zintsalu, ekugqibeleni singabacinezelwa. Ukuba aba basisokolisayo abangabo abacinezeli, bayinzala yabacinezeli. [Kwaqhwatywa.] Abantu abathi bazimanya nabacinezeli emva korhulumente wendibanisela (government of national unity) nakwiCodesa bazenza abalandeli babacinezeli, abanakuze baphinde bathenjwe ngabantu belizwe lakowethu.
Mongameli, isincedile la mali yokuhanjiswa kweenkonzo eluntwini. Ukuba ungaya phaya eSaldanah, uya kufika kugcwele iibhokhwe phaya eThembalihle. Kukho izigidi zeerandi ezaya kuncedisa phaya zisuka kurhulumente kazwelonke. Eli phulo baliqala ngeemali zabo nemali yabo kaPepsi, namhlanje kugcwele imihlambi yeebhokhwe kula lokishi yaseSaldanah. Umasipala wale ndawo, eNtshona Koloni wayebalela namalungelo okutyisa imfuyo yabo (commonage) ngelithi umasipala akafikeleli kwiindawo ezithe qelele ezidolophini (peri-urban). Ukanti ke intyantyambo entle ifumaneka kwezi ndawo. Thina sihamba kwezi ndawo, sibanike izithole sithi mabatyale, bafuye iinkukhu, phaya kwela phondo laseNtshona Koloni.
Mongameli, kule madlana besiyinikiwe ngethuba siqubisana neCOVID-19, sikwazile ukulima umbona kwiihekthari ezingama-16
000. Ndisathetha ngombona kuphela, andikayi kwiziqhamo, iinkukhu neehagu. Ungakhathazeka ke wena monashe walapha ekhaya. Phaya kwiG20 siye saqhwatyelwa izandla kwamiwa ngeenyawo sinikwa imbeko xa besiva ukuba senza ntoni ngabafazi basemaphandleni. Noko wena xa ungandiniki apha ekhaya loo mbeko andikhathazeki kuba ukhathazwa kungayazi ukuba siyayinikwa kwezinye iindawo. [Kwaqhwatywa.] Kananjalo sixoxe safikelela kwisigqibo sokuba kuziwe apha eMzantsi Afrika ukuze kufundwe inkqubo yethu yokudipha imfuyo. Kaloku impilo yemfuyo
ikwa yiyo nempilo yabantu. Kungoko ke kuvunyelwene ukuba mayizokufundwa apha eMzantsi Afrika kuba sithi sodwa abayaziyo loo nto.
Hayi kaloku i-G20 yintlanganiso yamazwe amakhulu angaphesheya kolwandle, ngaphaya kwemida. [Uwele-wele.] Hayi ungaxwaxwa nje wena kuba awunayo indawo yokwenza lo msebenzi, awunarhulumente. Thina siphethe kurhulumente kwaye sinendawo yokwenza lo msebenzi. Ukuba sithe into siza kuyenza, sitsho kuba sinemali yokuyenza, sitsho kuba sinabantu abayifunayo kwaye sinomhlaba yokuyenza.
Kuyafuneka ukuba siwuqwalasele kakuhle lo mcimbi wasezilalini, Mongameli. La manani mangaka ndiwabizayo okulima asezilalini kuphela. Ungaya eMpumalanga, eMntla Ntshona noba kuphi, sijongene nemihlaba yabantwana begazi. Abantu bathetha ngokuba baza kufaka umbane welanga (solar) nombane womoya. Yiya phaya kuthi, ilanga likuthi. [Uwele-wele.] Hlala kuloo ndlu yakho edolophini, ilanga lona likuthi. Thina siyadakasa kuba amasimi ethu aza kugxumeka ezi sola. Zisani apha loo mali ukuze siqeqeshe abafazi kuba banamasimi, amanxiwa nemizi. Abantu bathetha ngesola ngamasimi abantu, ungaya nokuba kuphi ...
English:
... that customary land is available and the hands of our women are available.
IsiXhosa:
Asifuni mntu oza kuzenza umlungu omkhulu apha oza kubane ebuza ukuba kutheni ungahlakulanga. Ndifuna ukutsho Mongameli ukuba usincedisile, wayiveza inyaniso ukuba kwenziwa ntoni. Kuza kufuneka ubize intlanganiso enkulu yamanani kuphela.
Kuyabonakala ukuba le ...
English:
... debate is about numbers and amounts.
IsiXhosa:
Apha kungxolwa ngokuba abantu bayalamba. Umama weDA obesisithethi apha besikunye naye ekomitini. Uyayazi, savumelana ukuba umntwana uqalwa esesibelekweni ukondliwa. Savumelana kwakhona ukuba makondliwe naxa sezelwe, sajika saba ngooyise noomakhulu babantwana. Savumelana tat’uStofile ukuba aze athi xa efika esikolweni afike ukutya sekubekwe ngaphambili.
English:
That is school nutrition.
IsiXhosa:
Xa ujonga phambili ufumanisa ukuba abantwana abanezidanga (graduates) namhlanje baqala ngekhadi likaSassa, (SA Social Security Agency) bafunda kakuhle, bazinkcuba-buchopho babhadla engqondweni, namhlanje banezidanga. Yinyaniso le ndiyitshoyo kwaye ukuba uyathandabuza, yiya emananini. Abantwana bakaSassa namhlanje bazizinto ezinkulu namhlanje, bafunda kooCuba. Thula wena mntu ongenayo into oza kuyibeka etafileni, kusadakasa thina ngoku. Le ntetha kaMongameli ilunge ukufa, maze niyithathe bantu bakokwethu yeyenu, niyidakance. Sithi abo. [Kwaqhwatywa.]
Afrikaans:
Mnr S F DU TOIT: Agb Voorsitter, die staatsrede 2023: oninspirerend, repiterend, deurspek met halwe waarhede en uit voeling met die realiteit van die gemiddelde Suid-Afrikaner. Dit is ’n belediging vir alle hardwerkende mense, wat die verlammende effek van beurtkrag, uitsluitende ekonomiese beleide soos swart ekonomiese bemagtiging, die nagevolge van swak deurdenkte Covid-19 regulasies en werkloosheid moes trotseer.
Ten minste moes ons nie hierdie jaar van die President se drome van slimstede hoor, terwyl die gemiddelde Suid-Afrikaner
onder die broodlyn leef nie. Vermoedelik het die President se sprokieskrywer hierdie jaar besef dat daardie droom nie meer verkoop kan word in ’n land onder ’n krimpende ekonomie, en wat kragloosheid moet weerstaan nie.
Vir Suid-Afrika om reggeruk te word, het ons nodig om God in ons beplanning, die implementering en deurvoering, asook die erkenning in enige sukses te ken.
English:
We all have a responsibility, not only to ourselves, our constituents, or our political parties and to God. God entrusted us with a responsibility to govern the country trustfully and faithfully. And is this what our citizens see? No. The ANC removed God from this Parliament. History has proven that when a government turns its back on God, God removed them from governance.
Daniel 2:21 “He changes times and seasons; he deposes kings and raises up others. He gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to the discerning. “
How many times have you forsaken the country in favour of your own party and its agenda, Mr President? It’s time that you
realise that your responsibility is to the citizens and not to an oppressive ideology of an oppressive political party that you serve.
Setswana:
Modimo wago ke go robala.
English:
The Lord does not sleep.
Afrikaans:
Na die disrespekvolle wyse waarop vanjaar se staatsrede afgeskop het, toe die Speaker ’n tongknoop gehad het, met die totale afwesigheid van respek en erkenning aan God, het die Huis en die proses daarna in totale chaos ontaard.
English:
Chair, I do want to focus one very important point – the fact that the President and its government has the audacity to take any form of credit, by insinuating that the hope that the people of this country have is as a result of this government. That is not the truth. Your arrogance is your biggest enemy, Mr President. Even your own constituents have lost faith in you. Mesmerising them will not help anymore. You predictably
focused on apartheid during your speech as your go-to scapegoat, for all the disaters that your government brought about.
You insult the intelligence of South Africans, who know that your government systematically broke down all state-owned entities, including Eskom.
During the Anglo Boer War, when the English fought with the Afrikaners we were put on concentrating camps, Afrikaners as well as the Africans. And we were detained in separate camps by the English. We were deprived of our freedoms: freedom of speech, freedom of association, freedom of mother tongue, education and even freedom of life in in a safe.
It sounds like the new South Africa where you preach about “A better life for all”, nonracialism, nonsexism, race-based legislation and quota-system prove the opposite in practice, Mr President. Legislation like this is imposed to leave people behind and benefit the politically connected. You even strive to impose the English language as the only medium for instructions in schools – thereby forsaking the majority of South Africans.
Afrikaans:
Die VF Plus het keer op keer met die vorige staadsredes by hierdie podium gestaan en u gemaan om na Suid Afrikaners se hulpkrete te luister, u gemaan om tot aksie oor te gaan, om korrupsie, misdaad, beurtkrag en plaasmoorde as prioriteit aan te spreek, maar u het uself doof gehou.
English:
President, 2020, 2021 and 2022 ...
Setswana:
... ke dula kamo. Ke kopile wena go utlwa sentle. O bule ditsebe ...
Afrikaans:
... maar u het doof gebly, President, u het nie reageer nie.
Nie u of u regering het die reg om enige krediet te neem vir Suid-Afrika se sukses nie. Suid-Afrikaners het hoop, is die voorbeeld van hoop en stel dit daagliks vir die wêreld. Mnr die Presidient, ons sal nie slagoffers wees nie. Ons sal aanhou glo, werk en floreer, nie as gevolg van die regering nie, maar ten spite van die regering.
English:
In closing, Chair ...
Afrikaans:
Vir te lank was mense polities korrek met sagte woordjies. Genoeg is genoeg! Ons verdien beter as onvervulde beloftes, wat hierdie regering vir ons bied. Suid-Afrika verdien beter as ’n ANC-regering. Ons verdien ’n regering met waardes, wat in ’n drie-enige God glo, wat sy mense eerste stel. Ons neem eienaarskap van ons toekoms. Ons is die toekoms. Ons Suid- Afrika is die hoop.
Mr M G E HENDRICKS: Hon House Chair, it was a signature moment of my political career when the Commander-in-Chief told the media, “We voted for Al Jama-ah.” That is leadership, nurturing a young kid from Soweto who is now the Executive Mayor of the City of Johannesburg, his Worship Alderman Imam Abubakr Thapelo Amad.
Our own President Ramaphosa said it in this House, “I will cheer for Al Jama-ah” and the Chief Whip has continued to honour its pledge. By the way President Ramaphosa is also my official photographer when I visited his state house in Tshwane.
The leader of the Patriotic Alliance settled the challenges in electing a mayor for the City of Johannesburg when he told a rival mayoral candidate: “Ma se kind, let Al Jama-ah lead us.” At the State Memorial Service, the Premier of Gauteng embraced us and surprised me when he said, “Al Jama-ah please lead us.”
On the eve of the 2021 municipal elections the late Jessie Duarte – may Allah grant her Jannat (paradise) – said, ANC members will vote for Al Jama-ah but the Independent Electoral Commission, IEC, later extended the election deadline, so it was not necessary.
In Bushbuckridge, the Minister of Justice wants Al Jama-ah to come lead there as well because the residents want to return to the Kruger National Park and live amongst the lions.
Minister Capa, whom we heard earlier on, came to visit my constituency in Mitchells Plain but then she gave a fishing vessel to the residents of Mpame Village near Umtata.
The Minister of Social Welfare wants to help my constituency in Mitchells Plain because the women there have lost their jobs in the clothing industry and she wants to restore that.
So, Al Jama-ah is not ANCs lite. The Minister, the Chairman of the ANC told us once: “You moan and groan about the Muslim Marriages Bill that we can’t get it right. Why don’t you draw up one yourself?” And we have done so now.
Al Jama-ah expected to hear in the state of the nation address that South Africans must go out in their numbers to commemorate Al Aqsa. Supporting this commemoration is close to many South Africans who are against the occupation of Palestine and Western Sahara. This was so well articulated by the Deputy Minister of International Relations. Listeners to this state of the nation address debate must come out in their tens of millions to support South African rugby for cancelling the Tel Aviv Heat of Mandela’s Mzansi challenge, a big rugby event and face up to the Israel lobby group in South Africa.
Questions are going to be asked this Ramadan, hon President about the events leading to the ConCourt Judgement and I quote from the judgement: “The President and the Cabinet failed in the constitutional responsibility to put in place legislation to legalise the Shari’ah marriage,” which we call a Nikah.
Also the President and the Cabinet failed to give Muslim wives access to the Divorce Court just because they were married in a mosque.
The Imam Haron family was some of the victims of the non- recognition of the nikah. After being tortured to death with a 10-pound hammer for assisting resistance fighters in South Africa especially APLA and MK comrade. When Imam Haron was detained and tortured to death during which he was held in communicado for 123 days, his wife and children were the victims of the non-recognition of the Nikah during the apartheid era. After the Imam’s cruel death at the hands of the security branch his wife and kids became homeless, they lost their assets because of the non-recognition of our nikah during apartheid. And this is still the case with many families in South Africa. Like the apartheid government has failed Muslim wives, the present government has done the same. But there is hope because I have been invited to join the Chairman of the Portfolio Committee on Home Affairs to meet with the Minister of Home Affairs and hope President Ramaphosa will join me so that we can sort .... Thank you very much. [Time expired.]
IsiXhosa:
Nksz N V MENTE: Enkosi Sihlalo weNdlu. Mandibulise kuMongameli
...
English:
... Central Command Team, CCT, members and the ground forces of the emancipation movement for the economic freedom in our lifetime. Chairperson, there is no greater tragedy in this country than the complete disregard for the wellbeing of safety and advancement of women demonstrated by this Administration of Mr Ramaphosa.
Chairperson, in 2012-13 financial year, which was midway through the Zuma administration, there were 60 888 reported sexual offences in this country. Over the following years the number was reduced to over 49 000, but by the end of 2016-17 financial year all those numbers changed; they became worse when Mr Ramaphosa took over in 2018. By 2021-22 financial year there were over 53 000 reported cases of sexual assault in this country.
In terms of governance and in terms of prioritisation of violent crimes against women there is something that this current Administration is getting so horribly wrong. Just between April and June 2022 there were 11 855 cases of reported sexual assaults in this country, and there were 9 516 cases of reported rapes. In the same period 800 women were murdered and 1 200 survived the attempted murder attacks,
1 100 were assaulted with grievous bodily harm. Was there anyone arrested? Zero!
Replying to our question last year, Minister Cele indicated that the police investigation into the much publicised brutal murder of Namhla Mtwa in Mthatha Eastern Cape had reached a dead end, and there was nothing more the police could do to trace and arrest those who ordered the murder of this young woman. This is despite actual evidence of long periods of violence of abuse that she endured in the hands of her boyfriend, Major Bhekizulu. Nothing happened to him.
Namhla’s case is not an isolated case; it is one of thousands of cases of brutal murder, rape, assault and exploitation of women that were swept under the carpet by this current Administration. As we have seen now Lusikisiki is number one in the Eastern Cape on rape crimes. Unfortunately, Chief Whip of the ANC, even the strategy you just employed today of deploying eight of the ANC speakers from the Eastern Cape in your 15 did not help as they did not provide any tangible solution. This is so because some of the biggest enablers and perpetrators of these crimes sit here with us, some occupy senior positions in government and use the control they have over the state’s resources to escape accountability. We have
just seen how Mr Bheki Cele stood up here and unashamedly weaponised gender based violence, GBV, to score only cheap politics. Tomorrow is going to be one of us.
The violence against women has taken a toll and now it is in the boardrooms — women are subjected to “Sleep with me and you will get a job”, “Sleep with me and you will be admitted to the university”. Nothing happens to such perverts.
The continued marginalisation of women in almost all sectors of the economy is a manifestation of nonphysical form of violence against women. Various studies over the past two decades have indicated that women-headed households are more likely to be poor in relation to male-headed household. This is because, in general, women are paid far less than their counterpart. As recent as 2020 Statistics SA Inequality Trends reported and indicated that women earned on average 30% less than men doing the same job. The Gender Pay Gap Report of the National Business Initiative released in 2021 also confirmed the same. We all know that this is true, but is there anything that is going to happen? Zero!
The EFF has consistently advanced the course of women emancipation since our formation. Mr Ramaphosa stood here and
said absolutely nothing against fighting GBV. What hope when his party has destroyed the future of our children, particularly girl children who now know they can’t walk the streets of South Africa without being in fear? What must happen?
We urgently need a Parliament joint committee on GBVF to provide parliamentary oversight over the problem of GBVF, because if the police do not account to a body nothing is ever going to happen to the women who die; they will never ever get justice. [Applause.] That will be very difficult but the nice thing is that I am now presided over by the House Chair who is responsible for committees. The problem we have here is that we have a bloodthirsty Speaker who unleashed special security forces to beat up women. I am evidence of that today standing here ... [Interjections.] That is why we call for the removal of the Speaker of this House.
The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Mr C T Frolick): Hon member, will you just take your seat, please? Hon Mente, will you take your seat, please? Yes, hon member, why are you rising? [Interjections.] I can’t hear the hon member if you interject.
Mr B A RADEBE: House Chairperson, I am rising on a point of order that the member on the podium has used unparliamentary language by saying that the Speaker is “bloodthirsty”. [Interjections.]
The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Mr C T Frolick): Order, hon members. Order! Hon members, I will check the Hansard recording and the Table Staff will assist me. If necessary I will make a ruling in that regard. Please continue, hon member.
Ms N V MENTE: Thank you, House Chair. Children are kidnapped on a daily basis and they never come back home alive. There is no solution from the Minister of Police. We need a competent Minister of Police and a competent National Commissioner to take over. The crime in this country has escalated to the levels that are uncontrollable. We need a specialised and empowered unit in each and every police station to focus on sexual crimes and GBV. We need to get rid of the National Director of Public Prosecutions, NDPP, who is not doing anything to prosecute our perpetrators.
The bottom line, however, is that Mr Ramaphosa, you did not only fail the women of this country, but it was worse, you failed your own domestic worker who was assaulted by the men
you sent to go and investigate the crime at Phala Phala. You failed to intervene when the xenophobic MEC of Health in Limpopo humiliated a sick woman whose only sin was being a Zimbabwean. But you come here and talk Africa intra-trade.
Where is that going to happen when we don’t allow our sisters to come and get services in this South Africa?
IsiXhosa:
... mandinicebise apha. Abafazi abaphantsi koMasipala waseJohannesburg phantsi koMphathiswa wePhondo ...
English:
... who is capable, Dr Mgcini Tshwaku ...
IsiXhosa:
... abasokuze baphinde boxuthelwe ama-apile abo neelekese abazithengisa ecaleni kwestrato, ngenxa yokuba kungekho nto yenziwayo ngurhulumente kuxhatshazwa abantu abasele bexhatshaziwe. Bafazi nabantu baseJohannesburg, jongani kwi- EFF anisokuze niphinde ningathengisi ukuze nibeke isonka sabantwana benu etafileni.
English:
Minister of Small Business Development, no you tried to shine but ...
IsiXhosa:
... kubi, kubi. Abafazi nditsho eMpuma Koloni apho usuka khona, akukho nendawo eyodwa kwezi dolophu zincinci ene ...
English:
... shelter ...
IsiXhosa:
... yokuthengisela oku kwe-apile ukuze bakwazi ukubeka isonka etafileni. Abakwazi ukubeka iindawo zokwenza iinwele [salons], abakwazi ukubeka iindawo zokucheba iinwele [barber shops], abakwazi ukwenza iindawo zokuhlamba iimoto [car wash], ukhona Mphathiswa wezoPhuhliso lwamaShishini asaKhasayo. Noko makubonakale ukuba ukhona. Ngomhla wama-20 kweyoKwindla ...
English:
... everyone in South Africa was shutting down the country, not only for electricity but for all the crimes that are being perpetuated against innocent girls and children.
IsiXhosa:
Amandla!
Mr M S MALATSI: House Chairperson, many South Africans are really sick and tired of being mesmerised with poetic phrases about hope. They are frustrated about being rallied to be resilient when their lives are a daily struggle for survival. They no longer need stories enticing them to reimagine the future when they live in despair. For many South Africans the hardships they endure daily are inflicted by the ANC government.
According to the Quarterly Labour Force Survey for Q3 in 2022, 11,2 million South Africans are unemployed. An amount of
10,2 million young people between the ages of 15 and 20 are not in employment, education or training. They lack the skills or qualification that would give them a chance of ever finding a job in their lifetime. This is the greatest betrayal of a generation of young people.
It’s scary that crime statistics show that every day between July and September 2022, 76 people were murdered. All of us, perhaps except those who live in the comfort of the very important persons, VIP, protectors, live in fear of criminals who are not even scared of law enforcement authorities.
Mr President, many South Africans work hard to provide for their families and protect their loved ones from harm. All they need is the government to do its job and do it very well. All the people of Giyani, Polokwane, Phalaborwa and every other community that often goes for days or even months without water, the need is clean running water when they open their taps. They are not asking for miracles. They are just asking for the government to get the basics right. They look to you for leadership, sir, and they look to you for solutions. They look to you for compassion for their suffering.
While all of us in this House have a responsibility to deliver on the promise of the Constitution, you, sir, carry the largest weight of that responsibility. Yet every time you consistently miss the opportunity to show you care more for the state of our country than you do for the state of your dying party.
We have become a nation defined by the potholes that punctuate our streets due to the neglect of road infrastructure.
Navigating those potholes in NkowaNkowa and between Makhado and Thohoyandou is a daily life threatening mission. For those of us who bear the misfortune of living in villages and
townships under the ANC governments, access to basic service delivery is really a gruesome gymnastics adventure. This is the reality of millions of South Africans. While to many of you in the executive, this is not your struggle because you live in the luxury of ministerial houses with free water, free electricity and lately free generators with free diesel while the rest of us grapple with loadshedding. You have become shameless political tourists in villages and townships only popping up to feign some opportunistic compassion during campaigns. Mr President, that is really the greatest betrayal of our rainbow nation.
Sepedi:
Ke a ipotiiia gore ga le swabe naa ge le bona mmasepala e dira leemaema a thiba dikoti mo tseleng ka mabu ge Ditona di ba etela, mola ba se na taba le tiona gare ga ngwaga.
English:
Do you have no shame whatsoever when municipalities scramble to fill potholes and clear roads ahead of your visits while they neglect them during the year? Your party’s failure in local government has unleashed the most ruthless assault on the dignity of poor South Africans.
To the Chief Whip of the ANC who claims that no one has been left behind. Here are the facts. You have left behind millions of young people in the despair of unemployment. The policies of your party have let thousands of entrepreneurs with shattered dreams due to the closure of their businesses due to loadsheding. To the Minister of Police, are you not ashamed about gossiping about the consensual marital affairs of adults when women are being killed daily in South Africa, when women are looking to you for leadership, sir? If you so much cared about gender-based violence, why have you or your party not said anything about the arrest of one of your Members of Parliament for murdering his wife? To Minister Gungubele, who is a senior Minister in government yet cannot tell the difference between municipal and national government functions, the reality is that Police functions are the responsibility of the national government and this is why we are pushing so hard for the devolution of police powers because you don’t know what to do with them. To the Premier of KwaZulu-Natal, you have no credibility in whatsoever speaking about local government because you have a mayor in Durban who cares more about his nonexistence “amapiano” [the pionos] career than service delivery. [Applause.] To the Minister of Energy, can you imagine being so useless that they have to appoint someone to do your job yet they must send you to the
stage to defend it. The so-called self-professed tiger has no claws and has been relegated to a chloritised ice boy at the Ministry of Energy with the introduction of the Ministry of Electricity. To hon Nkadimeng, the former mayor of Polokwane
...
Sepedi:
... ga o swabe naa, monna! Ge o be o le meyara wa Polokwane batho ba metseng ye mentii kua Polokwane, ka toropong le kua magaeng ba be ba lla ka meetse. Le gonabjale, meetse e sa le bothata. Efela o kgona go tla mo o tlo sasanka o re botia ka ditirelo tie di yago setihabeng.
English:
But the contrast is clear, for communities who experience the difference by the DA governments they know the quality of life is better where the DA governs. Right now the people of uMngeni Local Municipality can testify that life is getting better under the mayoralty of Chris Pappas. They now know that the DA government appoints municipal workers who are fit for purpose in a fair and transparent manner unlike in the past where jobs were reserved for the ANC cadres. The people of uMngeni Local Municipality now know how it feels to have a government that truly cares about vulnerable residents. Since
coming to office Mayor Pappas and his team have increased the basket of free services and the number of households receiving indigent support assistance in the municipality from just over
100 to 3 050 in this day. [Applause.]
Right here in Cape Town, Mayor Hill-Lewis is leading a revolution in infrastructure investment worth R120 billion that will be the foundation for economic growth in the City for 10 years. Over R3 billion has been budgeted for major capacity upgrades at Potsdam, Zandvliet, Athlone, Macassar and renovating the Bellville wastewater works. In order to secure Cape Town’s water security and protect the city from the risk of future droughts, the City is now investing R5 billion to introduce 300 megalitres per day of new water by 2030.
In all these examples these are the DA mayors who are demonstrating daily how good governance and leading with compassion delivers quality services that restores the dignity of communities. [Applause.] From small acts such as regular cleaning of public spaces to big projects such as massive investments in sewage infrastructure, they are showcasing how the DA governments uplift communities. If you are a resident in a village or township that to this day does not have water, use your power and vote for a government that cares in 2024.
If you are a victim of gender-based violence who is yet to get justice because of government’s slow processing of DNA samples, use your power and vote for a government that cares. And if you are an entrepreneur who has retrenched staff and ultimately closed your business because of the loadshedding, use your power and vote for a government that believes in supporting entrepreneurs. Let’s use our power to vote these political scammers out and restore our country on the path to prosperity. [Time expired.]
The DEPUTY MINISTER OF HIGHER EDUCATION, SCIENCE AND
INNOVATION: Hon House Chairperson, I wasn’t aware that the hon member is done, congratulations. May be let me start with wishing everyone a happy Valentine’s Day, President, Deputy President and John. Can I call you John? Is it fine for the speech? No, okay. Over the weekend, I spent time with a group of about 100 young leaders from universities, community and technical vocational education and training, TVET, colleges at Robben Island for the Inaugural Mandela-Sobukwe Leadership Retreat. The focus for this retreat was to illustrate the significance of our history, our Constitution, leadership, entrepreneurial and innovation skills. For many of these young people, it was their first time on the Island. It was a learning experience for all of us as we explored the
challenges raised by you, Mr President, during your state of the nation address. These young leaders were asked to have a conversation with an ideal duo, Mandela and Sobukwe, about the state of the nation address and about what their most treasured dreams are. One of the groups responded by declaring that, and I quote:
We still staying I hope to find peace with ourselves, to use our teachings, to better the future, to create jobs and wealth for all, to be able to stand on our own, to live in a world free of hate, to be known past our borders for greater things.
These are not young people who are oblivious to the challenges that we face as a nation. They are alive to the challenges of unemployment, electricity crises, water and infrastructure deficiencies, corruption and the scars and roaming ghosts we inherited from our past. However, they want to see this Parliament seized with discussing solutions these problems as opposed to squandering every opportunity presented for us to exchange counsel. These young people, across the gender, racial and political spectrum left the Island on Sunday with the resolve that their vision is to work for a South Africa of their dreams.
Your state of the nation address, President, as it should be, carried both criticism, but praise. Without doubt it inspired hope that the foundation of a future South Africa can only be built by the dreams of Madiba and Sobukwe and the dreams of those whom the torch was handed over to. Listening to the debates in this year of state of the nation address, one wished that some of the leaders here today would have exchanged counsel with the young people who found themselves in the Island, particularly the Leader of the Opposition and also the leader of the EFF.
Every year, for the past five years or so, John, hon Steenhuisen here, convenes a few dignitaries and pals to rabble about the DA’s so-called true state of the nation. Therefore, as usual, John, hon Steenhuisen here, did not disappoint. “We are ready to govern, he said, only if the people can stop believing in the ANC”. “Where the DA governs, he said, we govern better”. This is the most fascinating one as noted by hon Gungubele and hon Premier of KwaZulu-Natal.
The DA propaganda machinery has convinced itself, and Twitter followers of the account of Hellen Zille, that wherever they govern, they govern better. The big lie and they keep on keeping this lie, even at the risk of looking ridiculous.
On the day of the true state of the nation address, and this morning, John, hon Steenhuisen here, bragged about the municipalities that they govern at, starting with their golden goose which is Cape Town, and he felt short of mentioning their bogeyman, the City of Tshwane. This is because on that day, pressure was mounting from the DA coalition partners to boot out the fourth mayor of the DA in that city in just six years. Solly Msimang was the first, with a scandal of
R12 billion allegedly awarded to Glad Africa without following due process. The second was Steven Mokgalapa, who was caught munching the scone of a colleague in the office.
Sepedi:
O be a e kga morogo.
English:
The third one was Abel Tau, who resigned because the DA was not black like him and found a home in Herman Mashaba’s Action SA. Then there is this last one, Randall Williams. Adverse findings by the Auditor-General of South Africa, but that’s only the tip of the iceberg. Sewers have not been maintained properly in the last few years in Tshwane. Waste has not been collected in some areas for the last few weeks. A looming scandal for a R40 billion unsolicited bid for renewable energy
is about to come out. Withdrawal by the fleet management company from the city because they failed to pay that fleet’s management company. But even worse, you think it get worse, in November last year, the city itself failed to pay the salaries of the workers in the City of Tshwane. However, Tshwane is not the only pinnacle of the DA’s failures.
In Modimolle-Mookgophong, where I come from, the DA has effectively run the municipality down by enabling the looting of public resources and glaring state capture by a group of businesses allegedly linked to the DA mayor. Yes, the City of EThekwini has fixed some of the beaches that were not operational over the festive season, and more beaches will be opened in a few weeks in that particular city. However, here in Cape Town, the beaches remain the preserve of white patrons through systemic exclusion and racial profiling. Where the DA governs, the group areas act of governing has effectively been restored with the DA mostly servicing their constituencies much to the neglect of black communities. I challenge the Mayor of Cape Town to make public how much business goes to black-owned companies compared to whites companies in this particular city.
This morning I heard echoes of P W Botha in 1985, when John here, hon Steenhuisen, spoke of crossing the Rubicon, and yes, the DA should cross the Rubicon, because the DA is no home for black and leaders who are women precisely because they are noncompliant. Ask Lindiwe Mazibuko, ask Mbali Ntuli, ask Phumzile Van Damme who joined the DA with the hope that they have crossed the Rubicon. And yet, they were the ones who were crossed by the DA. I also noticed that John, hon Steenhuisen, didn’t mention Ekurhuleni in your praise of the cities where the DA governs. Precisely because under the DA things have gotten so worse that it would even be ridiculous to blame the ANC. The DA is nothing but a pretender to the throne. Even on our worst day, and yes, we’ve had those kind of days where we had our worst, but we are correcting those particular days.
However, even in those particular days you will never even be considered as our alternative, especially under you, John, the hon Steenhuisen.
You represent the past that has packaged itself into a new repentant. That is why, on the day of the state of the nation, you wanted to even wet yourself trying to appease both traditional constituency of the DA by behaving civil, prompt and proper, and yet, wanted to steal the attention that the EFF was getting through sympathies by wanting to appeal to the
Speaker to be considerate. This wobble of yours, this jelly politics, this ideological flexibility, this spineless stances on the same issues, this opportunism, is exactly why Tony Leon and Hellen Zille are leading the DA through the window.
You’ve called for politicians who are upright, ethical and morally uncompromised. And maybe you have ticked all these boxes. However, that can only take you this far, and no further. We need leaders who know that marching to the head office of another political party instead of marching to Eskom is nothing but provocation. But it also demonstrates the signs of someone panicking because, in case you didn’t know the DA has an elective conference and some DA leaders wannabes are raising their little paws and wanting to contest John, the hon Steenhuisen. I hope to see you back here, John, hon Steenhuisen, after your elective conference, and probably sitting there at the back where you deserve to be because you know that the DA also needs howlers in this House.
On a more serious note, this year, the National Student Financial Aid Scheme, NSFAS, has confirmed funding for close to 1,2 million students. Yes, there have been delays, and some parents were anxious, but our Minister Nzimande has been working around the clock to ensure that registration goes
smoothly in all of these campuses. All students who have received messages from the NSFAS that confirms that they are provisionally funded should go to their institutions and register. Those who are awaiting for appeals should wait a little bit longer, and we’ve appealed to institutions to actually be considerate.
This year, Mr Malema, enrolments at universities have reached close to 1,2 million students, and, of course, yes, I agree with you that we need to be expanding the higher education sector. However, we have done quite a lot, from a miserly
400 000 in 1994, and very few of those were black and women to now 1,2 million in universities, I think you must agree that the doors of learning and teaching are bursting open ... [Applause.] ... The NSFAS is celebrating its 30th anniversary. From a little kitty of a few millions, soon, student funding will be reaching close to R50 billion, with 90% of TVET students being funded.
In response, President, to the corona virus disease 2019, COVID-19, crisis you have, of course, set up the Economic Recovery Plan. Through this plan, infrastructure has been built. We’ve built a new paradigm for energy, implementing an employment stimulus to create jobs and support livelihoods,
providing renewed support to grow businesses and fast-tracking reform measures for a competitive and also inclusive economy. We believe that with specific interventions to save jobs and to create more, our economy is actually grinning further. This means that more boots on the ground and also food on the table.
Earlier this month, we lost Ntokozo Xaba, a student at Tshwane University of Technology, allegedly at the hands of his ex- boyfriend, Ncebo Thusi. Gender-based violence is a serious scourge in our society, and in our institutions of learning.
Through policy and institutional reforms, we are tirelessly working to deal with this scourge. We need young men to unlearn some of the practices, traditional, religious and cultural which reinforces toxic masculinity and makes them believe that they are entitled to the women vagina, because that is where the problem is, the entitlement of young men in our campuses, but also in our community.
We are doing this in honour of Uyinene Mrwetyana of University of Cape Town, UCT, Nosicelo Mtebeni of Fort Hare, Zolile Khumalo of Mangosuthu University of Technology, MUT, Precious Ramabulana of Capricorn TVET College, Takalani Mbulungeni of
University of Venda, Univen, Asithandile Zozo of University of the Witwatersrand, Wits, who lost their lives on our campuses.
Over the course of the weekend, the EFF commander-in-chief, CIC, was addressing one of their important gatherings here in the Western Cape. Before then I hear hon Cele that apparently he has a plot to kill hon Shivambu. I mean that if you have listen to him speaking here, it’s not worth it. It’s not worth it. In this important gathering, the EFF CIC started attacking the Xhosa culture of male initiation disguising this attack as an attack on our Secretary-General, hon Fikile Mbalula. He went further to mention our secretary-general’s, SG, qualifications that he doesn’t have posterior knowledge. In the EFF posterior knowledge is very important. As long as you can say hail to our leader you have superior knowledge.
One of our universities have granted Mr Malema a master’s degree, which is a thing that we should celebrate. However, having a master’s degree should heighten our reasoning abilities ... [Laughter.] [Applause.] ... and not resort to intimidate our opponents. It should teach us that we should argue with our brains, and not our fists. That we should read more and engage and not intimidate or be personal. What hon Malema did here today in response of the state of the nation
address was to say Phala Phala, and then read out a poster of the EFF about the march they’ll be having in some time in the future. That is all. Probably that is a good master’s degree that he has. [Applause.]
However, we must say that bullies and stormtroopers of the opposition have only mastered one thing, debate should never be given a chance. A master’s degree should teach us that in order to lead, we should listen to those whom we disagree instead of raising frivolous points of order.
For the record, hon Mbalula was not elected because of when he went to the mountain and all of those things. By the way I was here with you, Julius. Some of the facts you are twisting them a bit, but let’s leave it for another day. However, if that’s a criteria in the EFF as when did someone go to the mountain or not we wonder how some people did make it to the EFF leadership. Mehmet Murat ildan quipped that, and I quote:
A silver-tongued charlatan and a half-wit society are made for each other! When these two come together in an election, a great disaster happens: Charlatan comes to power.
It would take beyond the century for a charlatan to come to power, Mr Malema, more than a century.
Mr President, that throne that you occupy, never a charlatan, never a loudmouth, never a blabber or a gossip, never a turncoat, never a paper tiger, should ever consider sitting there - red or blue, Malema or Steenhuisen, the honourable.
Since ours is not a half-wit society, they will demonstrate at the polls next year that only the ANC lives, only the ANC leads, and only the ANC will live longer than all of them.
Therefore, for the rest of the joke, I don’t know if you know nursery rhymes:
Old MacDonald had a farm Ee i ee i o
And on his farm he had some cows Ee i ee i oh
With a blue one here And a red one there Ee i ee i oh
Thank you very much. [Applause.]
The CHAIRPERSON OF THE NCOP: Thank you very much, hon members, order hon members, order, order! Please settle down. Hon members, earlier today, a point of order was raised by hon Malema, regarding the remarks made by the Minister of Police, hon Cele, relating to hon Steenhuisen. I now wish to deal with that matter before we adjourn.
Members of Parliament enjoy – as members know, the constitutional right of freedom of speech. This freedom may be limited by the rules of Parliament. In term of the Joint Rule 14P, quote:
No member shall use offensive ... or unbecoming language.
Any statement or remark that impairs the dignity of a member to whom it is directed or affronts that member’s honour will be regarded as unparliamentary in terms of Joint Rule 14P.
Similarly, any derogatory or insulting remarks of a personal or hateful nature that are clearly intended to give offence will be considered unparliamentary in terms of Joint Rule 14P.
The allegation made by hon Cele that the hon Steenhuisen abused a young woman, is unparliamentary as it implies
allegation of an offensive nature and impairs the dignity and honour of hon Steenhuisen.
Hon members, it must be mentioned that although statements in relation to non-members are not unparliamentary per se, members must avoid as much as possible, during the course of the debate mentioning people outside of Parliament, who are not in position to immediately reply or defend themselves.
Further, repeating of offensive remarks that affect the dignity of a non-member, does not add value to the decorum of the House or the quality of the debate.
At this point I must indicate that hon Cele had already sent that message that he wishes to withdraw and apologize for the remarks he made. This was before I received the letter from the DA on the same matter. I now recognise hon Minister Cele, please proceed.
The MINISTER OF POLICE: I withdraw.
The CHAIRPERSON OF THE NCOP: Hon members, we have now come to the end of the sitting for today and that concludes the
business of the day. And, the Joint Sitting is adjourned until tomorrow.
The Joint Sitting adjourned at 18:05.
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