House of Assembly: Vol13 - FRIDAY 22 JANUARY 1965
Pursuant to Proclamation No. 131 of the State President, dated 19 June 1964, summoning Parliament to meet on this day for the dispatch of business, members met in the Assembly Chamber of the House of Assembly, Parliament Houses, Cape Town, at
Mr. SPEAKER announced that during the recess vacancies had occurred in the representation in this House of the following electoral divisions:
- (1) Albany, owing to the death of Mr. T. B. Bowker on 21 July 1964;
- (2) Namib, owing to the death of Mr. J. H. Cloete on 22 July 1964;
- (3) Edenvale, owing to the death of Mr. G. H. van Wyk on 28 August 1964;
- (4) Smith field, owing to the resignation of Mr. J. J. Fouché on 16 September 1964; and
- (5) Kimberley (North), owing to the death of Mr. H. T. van G. Bekker on 13 October 1964.
Mr. SPEAKER announced further that the following vacancies had been filled during the recess:
- (1) Mossel Bay, on 4 August 1964, by the election of Mr. Matthys Johannes Rall;
- (2) Albany, on 23 October 1964, by the election of Mr. Colin Bennett;
- (3) Namib, on 23 October 1964, by the election of Mr. Johannes Marthinus de Wet;
- (4) Smithfield, on 11 November 1964, by the election of Mr. Jacobus Stephanus Pansegrouw; and
- (5) Edenvale, on 25 November 1964, by the election of Dr. Pieter Gerhardus Jacobus Koornhof.
Dr. P. G. J. KOORNHOF, introduced by Mr. J. E. Potgieter and Mr. S. P. Botha, made and subscribed to the oath and took his seat.
Mr. C. BENNETT, introduced by Mr. Hughes and Mr. Warren, made and subscribed to the oath and took his seat.
Mr. M. J. RALL, introduced by the Minister of Agricultural Technical Services and Mr. M. J. de la R. Venter, made and subscribed to the oath and took his seat.
Mr. J. M. de WET, introduced by the Deputy Minister of South West Africa Affairs, and Mr. van der Merwe, made and subscribed to the oath and took his seat.
Mr. J. S. PANSEGROUW, introduced by the Minister of Defence, and Mr. van Wyk, made and subscribed to the oath and took his seat.
Mr. Speaker and members proceeded to the Senate House to attend the ceremony of the opening of Parliament, and on their return,
Mr. Speaker took the Chair and read prayers.
Mr. SPEAKER stated that at the opening ceremony he had received a copy of the State President’s Address to members of the Senate and of the House of Assembly, which was in the following terms:
Mr. President and Members of the Senate:
Mr. Speaker and Members of the House of Assembly:
I am glad to welcome you to this the Fourth Session of the Second Parliament of the Republic of South Africa.
During this session Parliament will, as usual, deal with economic matters, problems affecting our country’s citizens, the maintenance of peace and order and of good relations between the great diversity of population groups under the Republic’s care, and also with South Africa’s external relations.
In the midst of the general economic prosperity, certain sections of the farming industry suffered from widespread and serious drought conditions and an abnormally cold winter in many parts of the country. This obliged the State to render emergency assistance, in some cases of an extraordinary nature, to the afflicted farmers. Fortunately good and welcome rains brought relief in most parts of the country, but there are still areas which suffer from the unfavourable climatic conditions. The consequences for this key industry of the losses, which in some parts have been suffered over a long period, must be faced. Honourable members will therefore be requested to consider measures, inter alia for the promotion of judicious farming, planning and management, which will reinstate sound farming in those areas. Bills will also be introduced to amend the Wine and Spirits Control Act, 1956, the Wine and Spirits Control Amendment Act, 1940, the Wool Commission and Wool Amendment Act, 1960, and the Marketing Act, 1937.
It is gratifying to be able to refer to the improved water supplies in the large State dams, to the satisfactory progress made with the Orange River Development Scheme, as amplified by decisions taken during the previous session of Parliament, and to the successful negotiations with the Portuguese Government concerning the possible storage and use of the waters of rivers of mutual interest. Parliament will be asked to vote the necessary funds so that a start can be made inter alia with the purchase of land needed for the dams, tunnels and canals of the Orange River Scheme.
In several other sectors of the country’s economy new peaks were reached during the past year. The outstanding achievements in respect of factory production, building activity and retail trade turn overs were particularly encouraging. The extension of existing manufacturing capacity and the establishment of new factories must be further promoted as being indispensable for the maintenance of a satisfactory growth rate, the provision of sufficient employment opportunities for the Republic’s increasing population and for protection against possible interruption in the flow of essential imports. Particular interest is being shown in the motor, tractor, aircraft, munition, and chemical industries, as well as in the expansion of sugar production. The increase in the number of tourists visiting the Republic is encouraging. The further development of tourism and the closely connected hotel industry will receive the attention of Parliament.
Effective research and planning, and the development and utilization of scientific abilities, are indispensable in modern business life, and Parliament will be asked to make further financial provision for this purpose.
Good progress has been made with the development of border areas and with the establishment of industries there. The objective continues to be the positive promotion of the Republic’s export trade and especially of its exports of manufactured articles. Amending bills will be introduced relating to the Shipping Board, sea fisheries, companies, hire purchase, the Fuel Research Institute and explosives.
As a result of the increasing importance of joint planning and the coordination of certain activities in the economic, scientific and physical spheres, and of obtaining cooperation for this purpose between the public and private sectors of the body politic, a Ministry and Department of Planning were established during the recess. Parliament will be informed as to the Department’s activities and progress in several directions.
The rise in gold production continues. Diamond, coal and base mineral output also shows a rising tendency, and there are indications that an increased demand for uranium will set in earlier than was until recently expected. The search for petroleum with the assistance of both the private sector and the State is regarded as urgent, and Parliament will once again be asked to assist in this respect. Minerals are being processed increasingly before export, as much as is economically possible. During this session a bill will be introduced to revise and consolidate the country’s mineral laws, some of which date even from the previous century. Bills will also be submitted concerning the Registration of Mining Titles and the National Institute for Metallurgy, as well as bills to amend the Atomic Energy Act, 1948, and the Nuclear Installations Act, 1963.
Owing to the enormous development which has recently taken place in this country, it is necessary to make provision in good time for additional external telecommunication channels. Recent technological developments positively indicate that the external telecommunication services of the world will in the foreseeable future be conducted largely through satellite systems. Such systems are at present still in the experimental stage and will not in the next few years be of particular industrial or financial advantage to the Republic, but the Government has nevertheless considered it advisable to ensure that South Africa will share in the development of satellite systems by applying for foundation membership of the Provisional Satellite Communication Committee, and making a contribution this year already towards the costs of the experiments which are being conducted on an international basis.
The transport position remains healthy although great demands are being made on the railways and roads. Parliament will be asked to make provision for still greater improvements in order to maintain the high standard of service in the growing economy. The South African Airways is meeting requirements and redounds to the honour and benefit of South Africa.
Up to the present the danger of inflation in the Republic has been kept under control, notwithstanding its flourishing economy and the high rate of employment of its manpower, although recent data indicate that our economy is now entering the initial stage of a mild demand inflation. Foresight therefore demands that the problem should be continually borne in mind in order to protect the purchasing power of the citizen’s money, the cost structure of the country’s economy and particularly the Republic’s competitive power in its export markets. A sound financial policy is therefore being maintained as a matter of the utmost importance. If Necessary, direct control measures will have to be taken in order to combat excessive and unjustified price and wage increases. The object particularly aimed at is to effect a technological renewal everywhere by means of the more active application of existing and new scientific knowledge, in order to obtain increased productivity and a decrease in the cost per unit produced. The objective will be to provide a bulwark against inflation in order to bring about a decrease in the cost structure as well as a rise in the real standard of living.
Even in a prosperous country, there are many human problems needing attention. Opportunities for employment have increased to such an extent that the number of registered unemployed has decreased by approximately fifty per cent during the past year so that, of the racial groups concerned, the unemployment percentage is now less than one per cent of those in gainful employment. Now, however, a shortage of skilled workers must be met. Scientific analysis revealed that, provided a certain standard of immigration can be maintained and other suitable measures taken, this will not prove too difficult during at least the following five-year period. Actually the new record reached in the number of skilled immigrants from many countries who settled in South Africa during the past year, was far in excess of the figure on which this analysis was based.
In the field of labour relations, the conditions under which employees work in various industries have been under review and improvements have been introduced, particularly in the case of the lower income groups. Bills will be introduced to provide for the compulsory deduction of Trade Union fees, to include a higher wage group under the Unemployment Insurance Act, and to amend the Factories Act in order to be able to combat pneumoconiosis in industrial undertakings.
Proper housing for the increasing population is receiving special attention from the organized Department of Community Development which, besides providing houses for the less privileged, attends to the social, economic and cultural needs of the new communities. Legislation will be introduced during the coming session amending the Group Areas Development Act of 1955, and the Housing Act of 1957, to enable the Department to perform its wider functions more satisfactorily. During the next two to three years the target set is to build from State funds 15,000 homes for Whites, 25,000 for Coloureds and 9,000 for Indians—all persons whose resources and income are in sufficient for being housed in the ordinary way by private enterprise. An active programme of slum clearance and urban renewal in certain major cities is being carried out. Parliament will be asked to vote further funds in due course for these various projects. In view of this programme, building control measures have been taken in terms of the Housing Act.
The welfare of the lower income groups, the handicapped, pensioners and others, has been the subject of further study by the State and various bodies. As a result, it has been decided to reorganize the National Council for Social Welfare, a statutory body constituted in 1947 to advise the Minister on all such matters. The purpose is to make it more suitable for performing its functions in a more specialized way than in the past. Legislation will be introduced to amend the Welfare Organizations Act, 1947, and the Children’s Act, 1964. Parliament will also be asked to provide further relief for those in need.
Satisfactory progress has been made with the system of self-government by the Bantu in the Transkei. A bill will be introduced for the constitution of a Transkei Economic Development Corporation. In the other Bantu areas the Authority system is proving its value as an interim measure. Success has been achieved in the development of the Bantu and of the Bantu areas. The implementation of those recommendations of the Odendaal Commission accepted by Parliament is progressing rapidly in South West Africa.
The necessary preparatory work for the institution of a Representative Council for the Coloured People of the Republic in accordance with Act No. 49 of 1964, is progressing well. The Department of Coloured Affairs is well-advanced in its planning of the council chamber and offices, as the legislative and administrative centre, in the growing city for the Coloured People adjoining Cape Town. The first Coloured People’s Saving and Financial Bank has been launched by the Coloured Development Corporation with the aid of State funds.
The South African Indian Council is fulfilling expectations in serving its own people and as a consultative link between the government and this section of the population. A further step in granting the Indian group control over its own affairs will be taken when the Department of Indian Affairs becomes responsible for all facets of Indian education. A bill dealing with the education of the Indian children will be introduced during this session.
Methods of increasing the opportunities for Coloured and Indian People in trade amongst their own people and in their own industries are being investigated. The employment problems and the social and cultural development of the Coloured and Indian People are also receiving urgent attention.
Another major task for which the State is responsible is the preservation of peace and order. Measures taken by Parliament to combat the undermining of the State have in the past year proved successful. Consequently certain powers entrusted to the Government by Parliament could be suspended. The suppression of Communism in South Africa will however be carried a step further by the introduction of a bill which will prevent avowed communists or persons convicted under the Suppression of Communism Act,1950, from practicing in the legal profession.
A bill will also be introduced providing for emergency planning in order to help safeguard the public against the effects of war or disasters due to natural causes. This will serve to prepare the public for acting appropriately in such emergencies and to provide and equip the voluntary organization in every locality for combating fire, giving first aid and otherwise minimizing dangers and ill-effects accompanying any form of catastrophe.
The Police Force, including its Security Branch, has served the country well, and will be strengthened to perform its important tasks. Special units have been assigned to deal with cattle theft on the Basutoland border when this had reached abnormal proportions, and with the valuable cooperation of the Basutoland Police this has been brought under control. Armed robbery, particularly on the Witwatersrand, has given cause for concern but, although great success has been achieved in bringing the culprits to court, additional measures will be taken and others are under consideration which should provide greater protection to the public.
The South African Defence Force is continually increasing its state of preparedness with regard to armament, equipment and the training of its citizen force. Scientific research has overcome many problems and further strengthened the Republic against possible aggression. The cooperation of South African Industry in making the country increasingly self-supporting in this respect is gratifying.
The Republic’s policy of non-aggression is well known. Its offer to co-operate with all nations, irrespective of race, has been widely publicized. The care it exercises in not interfering in the domestic affairs of others, even of those who do not exercise the same discretion towards South Africa, is equally evident. This policy of restraint, coupled with the irresponsible conduct of many new nations, has resulted in South Africa being rather in the background of international affairs recently. The problems facing the United Nations within its own organization and the fact that the young nations of Africa and Asia must begin to face up to their own internal problems may also have contributed to this result.
The matters affecting South West Africa are still in issue before the International Court. Until finality has been reached neither the Government nor Parliament could serve any good purpose by speculating on what is in any case sub judice.
In addition to measures already mentioned, a bill will be laid before Parliament to amend the Insurance Act. The main purpose of the proposed amendment will be to give policy holders additional protection by providing inter alia for increased cover against claims in respect of short-term insurance (including third party insurance) and for additional powers to take action against insurers who fail to comply with certain important provisions of the Act. Bills amending the South African Mint and Coinage Act, 1964, the Public Service Act, 1957, the Water Act, 1956, the Public Health Act, 1919, the Medical, Dental and Pharmacy Act, 1928, the Wills Act, 1953, the Statistics Act, 1957, and the Census Act, 1957, will be introduced. Further bills to be laid before Parliament will concern the Sub-division of Agricultural Land, Authors’ Rights, the Control of Medicines, Medical Schemes, the Prevention of Air Pollution, the Prevention of Counterfeiting of Currency, Gambling and Lotteries, the Administration of Estates, and the Delimitation of Constituencies.
Mr. Speaker and Members of the House of Assembly:
Additional estimates of expenditure for the current financial year and estimates of expenditure for the ensuing financial year will be laid before you.
Mr. President and Members of the Senate:
Mr. Speaker and Members of the House of Assembly:
Mr. SPEAKER appointed the following members to constitute with Mr. Speaker the Committee on Standing Rules and Orders: The Prime Minister, the Minister of Finance, the Minister of Transport, the Minister of Social Welfare and Pensions, the Minister of Agricultural Technical Services, Sir de Villiers Graaff, Dr. A. I. Malan, Mr. J. E. Potgieter, Mr. Higgerty, Mr. Sauer, Mr. Waterson, Mr. D. E. Mitchell and Mr. Bloomberg.
Late Mr. T. B. Bowker
I move, as an unopposed motion—
Mr. Speaker, I wish to pay a sincere tribute to the memory of a great gentleman, whose kindly presence in this House will be sorely missed by all his friends. Uncle Tom, as he was known to his friends, both on his own side and on ours, had the capacity of fighting his fight in the way that he saw fit without hurting any feelings and without losing any friends. He was one of the very senior members of this Parliament. His period of service dated from 7 May 1936 till 21 July 1964, and during all those years he adorned this House with his presence.
It was not only in this House that he fought his good fight for South Africa. He had many interests outside these precincts, and wherever he appeared he served his people well.
As a descendant of the 1820-Settlers he was proud of his descent, and he was one of the main movers in all organizations and attempts seeking to keep the memory of the1820-Settlers alive. I happen to have been associated with him on certain occasions and saw his great enthusiasm and his deep feeling for those from whom he sprung.
In this House he was not one of the most active members. He was quiet and reserved, but at the same time his influence was felt—it was felt through the sincerity of his convictions.
I wish to express our sympathy to all those whom he left behind when he passed away. We will miss him sorely.
Sir, it is a privilege to second the motion and to associate myself with the words fallen from the lips of the hon. the Prime Minister in respect of our deceased friend, Tom Bowker.
As the hon. the Prime Minister has said, he was a gentle person, kindly and helpful and a man of great courage. He had become almost an institution in this House. I do not think he had any enemies on either side.
His two great loves were agriculture and history. He himself was not only a farmer who still farmed a farm, granted to his forebears at the time of their coming to this country in 1820, but he also played a big part in the organization of agriculture in that part of the world where he lived, and for 25 years he was secretary of the agricultural group of this side of the House.
He was one of the first, I believe, who pleaded for the harnessing and greater use of the waters of the Orange River. I think he has made a place for himself in that sphere which will always be remembered.
As far as history was concerned, it may not be generally known that he was a great collector of Africana. His priceless collection has been bequeathed to the Rhodes University, the university he did so much to help to organize and it was he who piloted the Rhodes University Bill through this House. His interest in history did not end there. He devoted a great deal of his time to the collection and preservation of the records of the 1820-Settlers in regard to the part they played in South Africa. His forebears have taken part in the frontier fighting over many years and some lost their lives in those Kaffir wars. He was very proud indeed of their record.
I can say that as a member of the team on this side of the House, he was a man on whom we could always rely; he was always ready to play his part with sincerity and complete loyalty and with deep belief in the convictions which he held.
I wish to associate myself also with the sympathy expressed by the hon. the Prime Minister to the members of his family who have suffered such a grievous loss.
Mr. Speaker, my colleagues and I would like to associate ourselves with the feelings expressed by the hon. the Prime Minister and the hon. the Leader of the Opposition.
Motion agreed to unanimously, all the members standing.
Late Mr. H. T. van G. Bekker
I move as an unopposed motion—
Mr. Speaker, here too I want to pay tribute to one of the older members on this side of the House whose passing we deeply regret.
Mr. Bekker always prided himself on the fact that he was one of the “rooi Bekkers”, which was supposed to signify that he was a hot-tempered man, but in actual fact he had a very kind heart. He fought with a deep conviction for the things in which he believed, something for which everybody could honour him, but at the same time, in his own way—sometimes his own unique way—he made friends who became very fond of him.
Mr. Bekker was one of our senior members. Another characteristic of his was his inherent courtesy, his friendliness, which made more friends for him than enemies, even though he stood his ground firmly and fought hard. He had many special interests, one of which was farming, but in addition to that he took a very keen interest in the Defence Force and the defence of our country. He gave special attention to it over many years and the great expansion of our Defence Force in recent years was a source of pride to him. As one who had played a leading role in defence matters he felt that he was associated with this expansion.
In the sphere of agriculture he not only exerted his energies on behalf of his constituency, or the different constituencies which he represented, but he took a keen interest in the important principles governing agriculture and in the development of agriculture in this country. His death is a genuine loss to us as well as to his constituency.
I should like to express our deep sympathy with those he left behind and say to them that in losing Mr. Bekker we lost a friend whom we shall miss for a long time to come.
I second the motion and should like to associate myself with the words which have fallen from the lips of the hon. the Prime Minister in connection with our deceased friend.
Herman Bekker was a doughty opponent, a man who sharply fought a political campaign on public platforms and who showed no mercy nor expected mercy from others. But outside of politics he was a like able person, a friendly man with a sense of humour. He was intensely interested in agriculture and was greatly interested in military training and particularly in target shooting. I think we got to know each other in the sphere of stud breeding, in which he was particularly interested. It was always possible for him outside this House to forget political differences and to make friends across the party lines. I think we shall miss him because of the courteous manner in which he always acted and particularly because of the role he played outside politics to make political life here more pleasant.
My colleagues and I wish to associate ourselves with the motion before the House.
Motion agreed to unanimously, all the members standing.
Late Mr. G. H. Van Wyk
I move as an unopposed motion—
Here we are dealing with one of the younger members who was a member of this House for a comparatively short time. His period of service extended from 16 April 1958 to 28 August 1964 just short of six and a half years.
It is perhaps not known to many people that Mr. van Wyk was not anxious to come to Parliament. At the time when he was called upon to make his decision I was in close touch with him and he made all sorts of efforts to get somebody else to undertake this task. He was anxious to devote his time to the building up of his business and to his family. He felt that it was too early for him to take this task upon his shoulders but Mr. van Wyk had a deep love for his nation and a strong national feeling. When it appeared that there was a strong desire in his constituency that he should stand for election he set aside his personal interests and, in spite of his sincere opposition, came to the conclusion that it was his duty to sacrifice his own interests and to come here to serve his fellow-countrymen, which he then did. He was a modest person. He did not often speak in public but he worked hard in his constituency and he was always deeply concerned about the problems of the less-privileged in his constituency. He tried unobtrusively to do the best for them that he possibly could. In Mr. van Wyk therefore we had a man who was prepared to make sacrifices in an unobtrusive way, a man who succeeded in being cheerful with the result that others never discovered that it involved a sacrifice for him to carry out his duties here. But there is one thing that one can say about him and that is that his willingness to make sacrifices was not in vain. In his own way he made his mark in his own constituency and in certain circles. Those who know him, know him as a genial, friendly individual and a good mixer. It is a pity that a representative such as Mr. van Wyk should be lost to society at such a comparatively youthful age. I want to express our deepest sympathy to his wife and his family.
It is a privilege for me to second this motion. We are speaking about a very friendly man who did not make a very great impression during the period he served in this House, for a variety of reasons, but a man who throughout his life was deeply filled with a spirit of service to his fellow men. He not only made sacrifices to come to Parliament but when the country was in trouble he was prepared to make sacrifices and to place his life in danger and to serve in the field of battle. It is true that Parliament is a cross-section of the people of South Africa. He represented a section sometimes not understood by everybody, but a section which was well-meaning. We shall miss him and our sincere sympathy goes out to his family.
Mr. Speaker, here too my colleagues and I wish to associate ourselves with the remarks passed.
Motion agreed to unanimously, all the members standing.
Late Mr. J. H. Cloete
I move as an unopposed motion—
Mr. Speaker, in this case the House is remembering practically a new member. He was a member of this House for two years, nine months and four days only. He was elected on 18 October 1961 and passed away on 22 July 1964. During this very brief period of service he probably did not have the opportunity to make the impact on this House which he could have made had he been able to serve for a longer period, because in spite of his quietness—and he was one of the quiet people in the land—he was still a person of deep convictions. Deep convictions always in some way leave a mark on those who associate with the persons holding them. In the intimate circle of this Parliament his deep seriousness and sincere faith and his willingness to make sacrifices for his people would undoubtedly have exercised an influence on us. To us it is a matter for deep regret that a man who was in his middle years only and who had just come here to start a new period of service should have passed on so soon. He was a person with firm convictions. Those of us who came into close contact with him, as I did on various occasions, came to love him. He had the sort of nature which attracted people to him. He was the sort of person who felt loyalty towards others and therefore attracted loyalty to himself. To me and to those who know him it is a matter for deep regret that he should have died so soon. He was a loss particularly to South West Africa, because there also in various spheres and in his own quiet manner he showed what he was. South West Africans who know him in the Legislative Assembly and elsewhere will undoubtedly feel the loss even more than those who met him only recently. On behalf of all of us I should like to express our sincere and deep sympathy with his family and with all those who will miss him in future.
Mr. Speaker, I should very much like to associate myself with the words of the hon. the Prime Minister in connection with our departed friend. When the hon. member for Namib came to the House of Assembly, he already had a long record of public service to his credit. He had already been a member of the Legislative Assembly of South West Africa for 11 years and for approximately half of that period he had been a member of the Executive Committee. Unfortunately a few years ago his health became seriously impaired, and when he came to the House of Assembly he was already a sick man. I think that was why we never had the opportunity of experiencing the contribution he might have been able to make. In his quiet way, with his captivating manner, he made many friends here and created the impression that he would still enjoy a promising career in this House. I think it is very sad for us all that he was taken away from us so soon and our message of sympathy to his family is accordingly so much more heartfelt than it would otherwise have been.
Mr. Speaker, my colleagues and I wish to identify ourselves with the motion before the House.
Motion agreed to unanimously, all the members standing.
The House adjourned at