House of Assembly: Vol17 - MONDAY 18 MAY 1987
MEETING OF HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY
Members assembled in the Assembly Chamber at
The Serjeant-at-Arms announced the Honourable the Acting Chief Justice, Mr P J Rabie, who was received by members standing and, having taken his seat at the Table, administered the oath to the members present and thereupon withdrew.
The Secretary read the following proclamation by the State President, dated 24 February 1987, summoning Parliament to meet today:
No 32, 1987
PROROGATION AND SUMMONING OF PARLIAMENT
By virtue of the powers vested in me by section 38 of the Republic of South Africa Constitution Act, 1983 (Act 110 of 1983), I hereby prorogue Parliament on the twentyseventh day of February 1987 and declare that the Fifth Session of the Eighth Parliament of the Republic of South Africa will commence at Cape Town on Monday the eighteenth day of May 1987 for the dispatch of business.
Given under my Hand and the Seal of the Republic of South Africa at Cape Town this Twenty-fourth day of February, One thousand Nine hundred and Eighty-seven.
P W BOTHA,
State President.
By Order of the State President-in-Cabinet:
A L SCHLEBUSCH,
Minister of the Cabinet.
The Secretary announced that the State President had appointed Mr L le Grange, DMS, as Acting Speaker with effect from 6 May 1987.
The Secretary intimated that the House would proceed to the election of a Chairman of the House.
Mr De Villiers, I move:
It is my privilege to propose Mr Rex le Roux as Chairman of the House for the second successive term. There is no doubt that he possesses special talents. It is certainly true that he possesses the qualifications and the personality necessary to add lustre to the post of Chairman of the House. He has proved this time and again since 18 September 1984, when he became Chairman of this House for the first time.
Mr Rex le Roux was born within the boundaries of my constituency, in the vicinity of Barkly West. In him one can see that the finest diamonds in the Barkly West area are mined, cut and polished to grace even the highest council chambers of our country. He obtained the degree of B Sc (Engineering and Land Surveying), and an LLB degree, at the University of the Witwatersrand and the University of Pretoria. During 1981, after he had been a member of the House of Assembly for six years, he obtained his master’s degree in Town and Regional Planning. As a land surveyor, an advocate and also as a lecturer in land surveying at the University of Pretoria, he rendered outstanding service.
In October 1970 he was elected to the Transvaal Provincial Council, and four years later he was elected as member of the House of Assembly for the constituency of Pretoria West. In the House of Assembly he soon distinguished himself as a hard worker and an accomplished debater. As chairman of the Commission for Co-operation and Development he also renders invaluable service.
To be a successful Chairman of the House requires particular talents. Mr Rex le Roux has these in abundance. His strong personality, friendly though firm actions, fairness and sound judgment make him eminently suitable for this important and demanding task. He has already shown in his first term of office as Chairman of the House that he will perform his task in a gracious and worthy manner.
I believe he will continue to strive for the maintenance of Christian values and civilised norms in this House at all times, as well as for respect for and protection of the human dignity of all. Therefore we on this side of the House have confidence in him and propose once again that he take the Chair as Chairman of the House. Every well-meaning hon member wishes Mr Rex le Roux a happy and successful term of office, and we also wish both him and his wife, Cora, many happy years together.
Mr De Villiers, it is a special honour for me to second the motion of the hon member for Kimberley South.
Mr de Villiers, I am pleased to submit in all humility to the resolution of the House.
Mr de Villiers, before I take the Chair of the House of Assembly, I would like to thank the hon members of the House of Assembly sincerely for electing me unopposed for the second consecutive time as Chairman of the House. I accept this high office with the realisation that it is certainly our joint responsibility to continue to build on the established high regard and dignity of this House. This is done when all of us pursue Christian values and civilised norms in our conduct towards the Chair and each other.
†In all matters pertaining to the House it will be my duty and privilege to guard jealously the rules and practices of the House and the privileges of members, and to uphold those parliamentary practices and procedures which have proved themselves over many, many years.
In performing the duties of and serving as the Chairman of the House, I know that I can rely on the support and assistance of all the hon members of this House—and for this, I thank them in anticipation.
There being no other proposal, Mr Zacharias Petrus le Roux was called to the Chair by the Secretary and, having been conducted by his proposer and seconder to the Chair, expressed his sense of the honour conferred upon him.
Mr Chairman, on behalf of the hon members on this side of the House I should like to congratulate you warmly on your re-election as Chairman of the House. We would like to welcome you back to the Chair.
I should like to associate myself with the words of praise the hon member who proposed you had to say about you as a person. We came to know you as a fair Chairman in the previous House and as a Chairman who was always friendly, yet always gave the rulings firmly and decisively and had a great regard for the maintenance of the dignity of all hon members and the order in this House.
†Mr Chairman, you may rely on the members on this side of the House to assist you, to co-operate at all times and to accept with due respect all rulings you may give.
*We hope that your new term will be a happy one and that you will never regard it as necessary to refer to this side of the House reproachfully or in dismay.
Mr Chairman, it is a pleasure to congratulate you sincerely on your election as Chairman of the House.
It is an exceptional honour for this House to have so academically well-equipped a man as you in the Chair. In your case it is certainly not true that knowledge is a case of “more and more about less and less”. It is a case of “more about more”. You have the advantage of the House’s knowing you. You know the House’s history and its rules. You also have the added advantage of your experience, having filled the post before.
We want to congratulate you and also express our confidence in your rulings. We want to give you the assurance that you will receive the wholehearted co-operation of this side of the House. We sincerely congratulate you.
Mr Chairman, on behalf of the hon members in these benches I should like to congratulate you on your unopposed appointment as Chairman of this House.
Over the years we have come to know you as a fair-minded and competent Chairman with a great sensitivity for the functions and traditions of the House and for the importance of impartiality on the part of the person in the Chair. We believe that you are eminently suited for this particular post.
In congratulating you and wishing you well for the future, we also want to let you know that you will have our co-operation in maintaining the highest traditions of this House.
I wish to express my sincere thanks to the hon the Leader of the House, the hon the Leader of the Official Opposition and the hon member for Sea Point for their amicable congratulations on my election and I wish to convey my sincere appreciation to them.
†I am aware that you, as leaders of political parties in this House, play a most important role in the democratic government of our country and the smooth functioning of Parliament.
*Consequently I believe that the co-operation of you and your parties will facilitate the business of this House with fitting decorum and I believe our co-operation will be pleasant. Once again I wish to convey my wholehearted thanks to you.
The CHAIRMAN OF THE HOUSE informed the House that pursuant to Notice No 1050 published in the Government Gazette on 4 May 1987, the nomination and election of a Speaker of Parliament would take place in the Debating Chamber of the House of Assembly at 16h00 today.
The CHAIRMAN OF THE HOUSE announced that in terms of section 58 read with section 7 (1) (b) of the Constitution the House would designate the members of the electoral college for the election of a Speaker.
In terms of section 58 read with section 7 (1) (c) of the Constitution the Chairman of the House requested nominated and indirectly elected members of the House to leave the Chamber.
Whereupon the members concerned withdrew.
(Motion)
Mr Chairman, I move:
Mr Chairman, I move as an amendment:
Question put: That all the words proposed to be omitted stand part of the Question,
Upon which the House divided:
Ayes—143: Alant, T G; Badenhorst, C J W; Badenhorst, P J; Bartlett, G S; Bekker, H J; Beyers, J M; Bloomberg, S G; Bosman, J F; Botha, C J van R; Botha, J C G; Botha, R F; Botma, M C; Brazelie, J A; Breytenbach, W N; Camerer, S M; Christophers, D; Clase, P J; Coetsee, H J; Coetzee, H J; Coetzer, P W; Cunningham, J H; De Beer, L; De Beer, S J; De Jager, C D; De Klerk, F W; Delport, J T; De Pontes, P; De Ville, J R; De Villiers, D J; Dilley, L H M; Du Plessis, B J; Du Plessis, P T C; Durr, K D S; Edwards, B V; Farrell, P J; Fick, L H; Fismer, C L; Fourie, A; Gerber, A; Graaff, D de V; Grobler, A C A C; Grobler, P G W; Hardingham, R W; Hartzenberg, F; Heine, W J; Heunis, J C; Heyns, J H; Hugo, P F; Hunter, J E L; Jacobs, S C; Jooste, J A; Jordaan, A L; King, T J; Koornhof, N J J v R; Kotzé, G J; Kriel, H J; Kruger, T A P; Langley, T; Lemmer, J J; Le Roux, D E T; Le Roux, F J; Louw, E v d M; Louw, I; Louw, M H; Malan, M A de M; Malherbe, G J; Marais, G; Marais, P G; Maré, P L; Maree, J W; Maree, M D; Matthee, J C; Matthee, P A; Meiring, J W H; Mentz, J H W; Mentz, M J; Meyer, A T; Meyer, R P; Mulder, C P; Myburgh, G B; Nel, P J C; Niemann, J J; Nolte, D G H; Nothnagel, A E; Odendaal, W A; Oosthuizen, G C; Paulus, P J; Pienaar, D S; Pretorius, J F; Pretorius, P H; Prinsloo, J J S; Rabie, J; Radue, R J; Retief, J L; Scheepers, J H L; Schoeman, C B; Schoeman, R S; Schoeman, S J (Sunnyside); Schoeman, S J (Walmer); Schoeman, W J; Schutte, D P A; Smit, F P; Smit, H A; Smith, H J; Snyman, A J J; Snyman, W J; Steenkamp, C P J; Steyn, D W; Steyn, PT; Streicher, D M; Swanepoel, J J; Swanepoel, K D; Swanepoel, P J; Terblanche, A J W P S; Thompson, A G; Treurnicht, A P; Uys, C; Van Breda, A; Van der Merwe, A S; Van der Merwe, C J; Van der Merwe, J H; Van der Walt, A T; Van Deventer, F J; Van Heerden, F J; Van Niekerk, A I; Van Niekerk, W A; Van Rensburg, H M J; Van Vuuren, L M J; Van Vuuren, S P; Van Wyk, J A; Van Wyk, W J D; Van Zyl, J G; Veldman, M H; Venter, A A; Viljoen, G van N; Vilonel, J J; Vlok, A J; Welgemoed, P J; Wessels, L.
Tellers: Ligthelm, C J; Meyer, W D; Olivier, P J S; Blanché, J P I.
Noes—19: Andrew, K M; Barnard, M S; Burrows, R M; Cronjé, P C; Eglin, C W; Ellis, MJ; Gastrow, P H P; Hulley, R R; Lorimer, R J; Schwarz, H H; Soal, P G; Suzman, H; Swart, R A F; Van der Merwe, S S; Van Eck, J; Van Gend, J B de R; Walsh, J J.
Tellers: Dalling, D J; Malcomess, D J N.
Question affirmed and amendment dropped.
Main Question accordingly agreed to.
Mr Chairman, I move:
Agreed to.
The House adjourned at