National Assembly - 24 May 2007
THURSDAY, 24 MAY 2007 __
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY
____
The House met at 14:07.
The Speaker took the Chair and requested members to observe a moment of silence for prayers or meditation.
ELECTION OF NEW LEADER OF OPPOSITION AND NEW CHIEF WHIP OF OPPOSITION
(Announcement)
The SPEAKER: I wish to announce that she had been informed that Ms C-S Botha had been elected by the Democratic Alliance as its parliamentary leader. Ms Botha will therefore be recognised as the Leader of the Opposition in terms of section 57(2)(d) of the Constitution with immediate effect.
I have furthermorebeen informed that Mr I O Davidson had been elected Chief Whip of the Democratic Alliance with immediate effect. The ACTING CHIEF WHIP OF THE MAJORITY PARTY: We would just like to congratulate Ms Botha on her appointment as the Leader of the Opposition. We hope that, under her leadership, we will be able to forge a closer working relationship, in the interest of national unity, consolidating our democracy, and creating a better life for all.
We would also like to congratulate Mr Davidson on his appointment as Chief Whip. We hope to welcome him into the Chief Whip’s Forum in its next meeting, and that we will enjoy as good a relationship with him, as we did with Mr Gibson. We would like to thank Mr Gibson for the contribution that he has made to the work of the Whippery. [Applause.]
The SPEAKER: Hon members, it is my honour to acknowledge the presence of the Minister of State for External Affairs of India, His Excellency Mr Anand Sharma and his delegation in the gallery. [Applause.] Hon Sharma, you and your delegation are welcome to the Parliament of South Africa.
I would also like to welcome the many girl-children who are walking in and sitting in the gallery. They have been attached to a number of us here, observing the real world in motion. [Applause.] To the girl-children, I wish to welcome you and to say that I hope one day, some of you will be sitting on these benches. [Applause.]
AFRICA DAY
(Draft Resolution)
The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Mr K O Bapela): I move without notice:
That the House –
(1) notes that on Friday, 25 May, we shall celebrate Africa Day, proclaimed as such to commemorate the establishment of the forerunner of the African Union, the Organisation of African Unity (OAU);
(2) recalls that-
(a) the celebration of Africa Day provides an opportunity for us to
reaffirm our Africanness, and to promote our African pride and
identity, unified in our diversity;
(b) Africa Day provides us with the opportunity to celebrate our
continent and our people; and
(c) it means that our entire continent has an opportunity to join
together in a united affirmation of our confidence in
ourselves and our future;
(3) acknowledges— (a) that this day propels us to a united action to ensure that Africa becomes a continent of democracy, peace, prosperity and friendship among its people and to humanity at large;
b) the challenges confronting us today, including the fact that
millions of Africans are displaced in their own countries or
live as refugees in others, forced to escape the horrors of
war and injustice;
(c) that many others are victims of conflict and war, often the
result of protracted struggle for control over Africa’s rich
mineral resources; and
d) that the HIV and Aids epidemic is causing human, economic and
cultural difficulties and the continent continues to be faced
by other preventable diseases such as malaria, tuberculosis
and cholera;
(4) pays tribute to the African Union, Pan African Parliament, the people across the continent and in the diaspora and the world community that is taking part in the noble effort to bring peace and prosperity to the continent.
Agreed to.
ANC’S VICTORY IN THE BY-ELECTIONS IN THEEWATERSKLOOF, RIVIERSONDEREND AND HOPEFIELD AREAS
(Member’s Statement)
Mr R P Z VAN DEN HEEVER (ANC): Madam Speaker, the ANC notes with appreciation the comprehensive victory which the organisation recorded in the Theewaterskloof by-election of Ward 1 yesterday, with an increased majority over the DA and ID. [Applause.] It is noted that the ANC’s victory came about as a result of the overwhelming support by the formerly disadvantaged sections of our community, in particular the Coloured community of Riviersonderend and the surrounding farming areas.
This result portrays that there is a concerted swing away from the DA of support from the farming communities in the Western Cape, and that people on farms are increasingly turning to the ANC as the legitimate representative of their needs and concerns.
We also thank all our loyal ANC voters in Hopefield for their support to the ANC in the Saldanha Bay by-elections and for helping us to increase our level of support in the area considerably. I thank you. [Applause.]
APPOINTMENT OF MRS SANDRA BOTHA AS THE NEW DA PARLIAMENTARY LEADER
(Member’s Statement)
The CHIEF WHIP OF THE OPPOSITION (DA): Madam Speaker, first of all I would like to say a word to the Chief Whip of the ANC. I would like to thank you for those kind words earlier, and I am sure that we will have a good working relationship together.
It is with great pleasure that I take this opportunity to convey, on behalf of the DA, sincere congratulations to Sandra Botha on her election this morning as parliamentary leader of the DA and therefore as Leader of the Official Opposition in Parliament.
Sandra’s political career, although relatively short, has been extremely broad; having been Deputy Secretary-General of the National Woman’s Coalition, Deputy Director of the Independent Electoral Commission in the Free State, caucus leader in the NCOP, Chair of a United Nations Working Group on Rural Women, and, in a role most of us have come to know her, the first DA Chair of the National Assembly.
We wish her well in her new position and feel confident that not only will the DA be strengthened by her presence, but that democracy will be deepened in this House. I thank you. [Applause.]
VICTORIES AND CHANGES BROUGHT ABOUT BY THE IFP
(Member’s Statement)
Mr P F SMITH (IFP): Madam Speaker, this has been a good week for the IFP. Firstly, the IFP led a coalition of the opposition parties to take over Newcastle from the ANC yesterday. Newcastle is the third largest municipality in KwaZulu-Natal and is now led by the new Mayor, IFP councillor Mrs Mercy Dube and the Deputy Mayor, DA councillor Mr J A Vorster. [Applause.] We congratulate them and we hope this trend continues in future.
Secondly, the IFP won three of six by-elections in KwaZulu-Natal yesterday and we are particularly pleased with the performance in Ward 68 in Durban. This ward was highly contested. It saw the participation of the leaders of three political parties and was not a traditional IFP constituency, yet we won convincingly against the ANC despite illegal behaviour by the ANC, which was caught offering financial inducements to voters in the form of R100 shopping vouchers per voter to vote for that party, hundreds of them. In fact, it took the IEC and the police services to stop them. We congratulate Councillor Ebrahim Shaik on his victory.
Thirdly, in response to heavy pressure from the IFP and other opposition parties in Durban, the ANC-led municipality finally acknowledged, this week, that the street-naming exercise was highly problematic and the process would be reopened. The fact of the matter is that no party opposes renaming in principle, but it’s important that the process be handled sensitively. The process to date has been disastrous and it’s time for a bit of maturity from the ANC.
We congratulate our IFP colleagues in Durban for their major contributions to this reluctant change of heart by the ANC. We now hope for an outcome based on consensus, rather than yet another dose of old-fashioned Nat-style “kragdadigheid”. Thank you. [Applause.]
ISSUES AROUND G8’S COMMITMENT TO AFRICA
(Member’s Statement)
Ms F HAJAIG (ANC): Madam Speaker, the G8 Summit held at Gleneagles in the United Kingdom in 2005 made a number of commitments towards Africa in particular and the developing world in general. The Gleneagles Summit was held immediately after the publication of the report of the UK Commission for Africa. The UK Commission for Africa report made a number of proposals on how the rest of the world could assist and support initiatives aimed at Africa’s development.
Progress cannot be ignored where it has been made, but equally, remaining challenges and failures need to be raised if Africa is to remain firmly on the agenda of the institutions such as the G8. Although the G8 can show the aid flow towards Africa has increased since the 2005 commitments, various studies have shown that the reported increase in aid is less than half the sum needed from 2004-06 to meet the 2010 goals. Furthermore, current estimates of forthcoming aid flows in 2007 show that the G8 would provide one third of what is needed to meet their own promises towards Africa.
Africa has to remain engaged with the G8 in order to ensure that the next summit of the G8 conducts a proper evaluation of how far they have gone towards meeting their commitments towards Africa. The next summit should make firm decisions on the issues of subsidies that the G8 member countries provide to their farmers. The G8 acknowledged that such subsidies seriously distort trade, but hitherto not enough has been done to change this.
On the contrary, the World Trade Organisation’s Doha round has collapsed primarily because of the failure to agree on issues of agricultural trade. It must be noted that every year that passes by without an agreement on trade means another lost opportunity to contribute towards the growth of African economies.
Lastly, in a telling and moving observation made by Africa’s first woman president, Her Excellency President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf observed that even as we have tangible proof that aid is working and our governments are becoming more accountable, the G8’s commitment to Africa seems to be faltering.
Africa seeks to engage with the G8 as partners in the economic growth, political stability and social development. The upcoming G8 summit in Germany should not be allowed to be another forum for pledges which will not be fully implemented. The G8 has also made commitments towards Africa’s peace. [Time expired.] Thank you.
TRANSFORMATION IN SPORTING CODES
(Member’s Statement)
Mr B H HOLOMISA (UDM): Madam Speaker and hon members, the UDM would like to commend those sports codes that have introduced transformation plans and goals. We are starting to see some players from disadvantaged communities who have been given a chance, earning their colours on merit.
We noted the fracas in rugby last week, which was followed up by confusing statements emanating from the rugby leadership. This once more demonstrated that many people think transformation means an exclusive focus on individual players and filling quotas, whereas the style of doing things and functioning of the sports management remains unchanged. This is incorrect; transformation must happen in all facets of sports codes and not only in the team selection.
Finally, we wish Jake White and our boys success in the forthcoming international rugby tests. What we cannot deny is the fact that South Africa has got an abundance of talented players who come from all communities. We are confident that they can take us to the highest level of the World Cup in France this year. The challenge is for the coach, selectors and rugby management to ensure that the best team represents the country at that competition.
What this country needs to do is to invest more in sports and ensure that the players that represent South Africa will deliver on the international stage and make this nation proud. I thank you.
NEW IFP MAYOR OF NEWCASTLE
(Member’s Statement)
Dr C P MULDER (FF PLUS): Agb Mev die Speaker, gister is daar in Noord- KwaZulu-Natal ’n groot slag geslaan vir veelpartydemokrasie en die proporsionele kiesstelsel. Op ’n spesiale vergadering van die stadsraad van Newcastle is die ANC-burgemeester sowel as die ANC-onderburgemeester met mosies van wantroue wat deur verskillende politieke partye gesteun is uit hulle poste ontslaan. Dit is gedoen in belang van die gemeenskappe van Newcastle. Dit is moontlik gemaak deur die samewerking van ’n aantal opposisiepartye onder leiding van die IVP. Hiermee is die belangrikheid van ons proporsionele kiesstelsel asook die kernbeginsel van die Suid- Afrikaanse staatsbestel, naamlik dat ons ’n veelpartydemokrasie is, herbevestig. Dit was vir die VF Plus ’n voorreg om hieraan te kon deelneem en die VF Plus wil van hierdie geleentheid gebruik maak om die nuwe IVP-burgemeester van Newcastle van harte geluk te wens. Die VF Plus se verteenwoordiger op die stadsraad van Newcastle, mnr Jaap Smit, sal by ’n gepaste geleentheid vra dat daar ondersoek gedoen word na die finansiële bestuur van die ANC se bewind in Newcastle sedert die munisipale verkiesing van 2006. Ek dank u. (Translation of Afrikaans member’s statement follows.)
[Dr C P MULDER (FF PLUS): Hon Madam Speaker, yesterday a great victory for multiparty democracy and the proportional electoral system was won in the north of KwaZulu-Natal. At a special meeting of the city council of Newcastle the ANC mayor as well as the ANC deputy mayor were dismissed from their posts with motions of no confidence that were supported by various political parties. This was done in the interest of the communities of Newcastle. This was made possible by the co-operation of a number of opposition parties under the leadership of the IFP. With this, the importance of our proportional electoral system as well as the fundamental principle of the South African political order, namely that we are a multiparty democracy, was reaffirmed.
It was a privilege for the FF Plus to be able to participate in this and the FF Plus would like to use this opportunity to congratulate the new IFP mayor of Newcastle. The FF Plus’ representative on the city council of Newcastle, Mr Jaap Smit, will request at a suitable occasion for an investigation to be conducted into the financial management during the ANC’s reign in Newcastle since the municipal election of 2006. I thank you.]
COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT IN CRIME PREVENTION
(Member’s Statement)
Ms M P MENTOR (ANC): Madam Speaker, this statement is about community involvement in crime prevention. The constituency of Ritchie is located 50 km south of Kimberley and happens to be my constituency. Over the past three years it has been plagued by very violent crimes, a situation which was exacerbated by the high level of illiteracy and unemployment in that community.
Despite the shortage of education, skills and employment opportunities, the Ritchie community decided that they do have within themselves the ability to eradicate violent crimes, even though they are largely unemployed or unschooled. They formed a very vibrant community policing forum which has representation of the youth, women, church bodies, sporting bodies, political parties and cultural organisations.
Their community policing forum is now one of the best in the Northern Cape and is being used as best-practice model for other communities in that province. In return, Ritchie has turned around the tide of violent crimes in the community and theirs is now a very peaceful life.
We now call on all communities of South Africa to emulate the example of Ritchie and to form effective, representative community policing forums, or to resuscitate those that have died or are less effective, to tackle the issue of crime and to succeed like Ritchie has succeeded. We thank you.
IMPORTANCE OF ALL CHILDREN IN SOCIETY
(Member’s Statement)
Ms F BATYI (Nadeco): Madam Speaker, appreciating the taking of girl- children to work and the grooming of young women is one of the most commendable moves in our democracy. Nadeco wishes to remind our society that the boy-child should also be groomed and not be neglected, and should also be remembered as one of the people and part of South African society. We should also groom the boy-child. Thank you. [Applause.]
IMPACT OF GLOBAL WARMING AND NEED FOR SHELTER FOR THE HOMELESS AS A
CONSEQUENCE
(Member’s Statement)
Ms S RAJBALLY (MF): Madam Speaker, the severely low temperatures which the country has been seized by over the past few days have sadly claimed 20 lives.
Late last year, the documentary of former vice-president of the USA Mr Al Gore, An Inconvenient Truth, on the realities of global warming and the consequences that countries are facing globally was screened at cinemas around South Africa.
While our bitter cold has partly been attributed to global warming, we believe the seriousness has not truly been realised. We need to expand on disaster management that will establish actions to be taken in various instances of natural disasters.
In the interim, we seek the establishment of shelters countrywide to protect the homeless and to fulfil the constitutional responsibility of providing shelter. We have entered winter under harsh circumstances. Let us prepare for the next. I thank you.
CITY COUNCIL OF GREATER TZANEEN
(Member’s Statement)
Mev D VAN DER WALT (DA): Agbare Speaker, nog ’n voormalige modelmunisipaliteit verval onder ANC-bestuur.
Die stadsraad van Groter Tzaneen in Limpopo gaan gevra word om bykans R29 miljoen aan slegte en oninvorderbare skuld af te skryf. Ondanks die uiters benarde finansiële posisie en die feit dat genoegsame konferensiefasiliteite in Tzaneen self beskikbaar is, gaan die ANC steeds voort en reël ’n werkswinkel vir al hulle raadslede en bestuurders vir ’n week lank by die Swadini-hotel in Hoedspruit teen bykans R500 000 en bykans 200 km ver. Wat het van die Batho Pele-beginsel geword?
Dié onaanvaarbare besteding moes eerder aan dienslewering aan die arm mense van Tzaneen gewy word. Dit is net nog ’n bewys dat die belange en rojale leefstyl van die ANC-elite baie meer tel as die werklik arm mense se belange. [Tussenwerpsels.] (Translation of Afrikaans member’s statement follows.)
[Mrs D A VAN DER WALT (DA): Hon Speaker, another former model municipality is deteriorating under ANC management.
The city council of Greater Tzaneen in Limpopo will be asked to write off approximately R29 million in bad and nonrecoverable debt. Despite the critical financial position, and the fact that sufficient conference facilities are available in Tzaneen itself, the ANC still goes ahead and organises a workshop for all their councillors and managers for an entire week at the Swadini Hotel in Hoedspruit at approximately R500 000 and all but 200 km away. What has become of the Batho Pele principle? This unacceptable expenditure should rather have been spent on service delivery to the poor people of Tzaneen. This is just further proof that the interests and lavish lifestyle of the ANC elite weigh much more than the interests of actual poor people. [Interjections.]]
EDUCATION ON FARMS
(Member’s Statement)
Mme M S MAINE (ANC): Dikgoro tsa thuto le setso di tla bulwa. Ke dira nopolo e jana e le bopaki jwa se re se buileng ka 1955 re le mokgatlo wa ANC. Ke nnete. Kgaratlho e e bontsha gore Maaforika Borwa otlhe a tla bona kgololosego.
Pele ga 1994 e ne e le selo se se sa tlwaelegang go bona dikolo tse kgolwane mo dipolaseng. Sekolo sa Naletsana kwa Thabazimbi se mo dipolaseng; se kgaogantswe ka dikarolo tse pedi e leng sekolo se se potlana le sekolo se segolo. Demokerasi ya re re lebelele gore dilhokego tsa batho di tla pele. Go botlhokwa thata gore ke umake gore sekolo se ke sengwe sa diporojeke tsa dikolo tsa Mandela e bile se na le ditlabakelo tsotlhe.
Fa re tlosa melelwane ya bohuma, re tlhola ditiro, re tla bo re natlafatsa baša ba rona ka nako e le esi. Dialogane tse di sa direng di tlaa thapiwa mo sekolong se segolo se seša se. Sekolo se nnile le dipholo tse di sa itumediseng tsa marematlou, matric, lebaka e le gore go ne go sa thapiwa barutabana ba ba nang le bokgoni jwa go ruta mophato wa marematlou.
Botshelo mo morafeng o bo tla fetoga, mme go tla nna le phetogo e e botlhokwa thata mo bathong ba. Seno se tla diragala ka ntlha ya dipholisi tsa ANC. Ke a leboga. [Legofi.] (Translation of Setswana member’s statement follows.)
[Mrs M S MAINE (ANC): The doors of education and culture will be opened. I am quoting this as evidence to what we as the ANC have said in 1955. This is a reality. These efforts prove that all South Africans shall be free.
Before 1994, it was an unusual thing to find a high school on a farm. Naletsana School in Thabazimbi is located on a farm and is divided into two sections, namely a high school and a primary school. According to democracy, we have to prioritise the needs of the people. It is important to mention the fact that this school is one of the Mandela School Projects and it has all the resources.
When we eradicate the frontiers of poverty and create jobs, we will at the same time be empowering the youth. The unemployed graduates will be employed at this new school. The school had poor results for Grade 12 learners, the reason being that there were no qualified educators employed to teach Grade 12 learners at the school. The life of this community will change, and there shall be important improvement in the lives of these people. This will happen as a result of the policies of the ANC. Thank you.]
PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN SOUTH AFRICA AND THE EUROPEAN UNION
(Member’s Statement)
Mr H J BEKKER (IFP): Madam Speaker, the IFP notes with satisfaction that the formal relationship between South Africa and the European Union has been taken to a higher, more strategic level, with the signing of a joint action plan to implement the strategic partnership. This partnership will elevate South Africa to the level of one of the EU’s most important global partners.
The EU is of great strategic and economic importance to South Africa and the African continent. The fact that it was prepared to formalise this strategic partnership indicates clearly that South Africa and Africa are high on the European agenda. This should bode well for political, diplomatic, economic and development links between the two partners and Africa.
The EU and South Africa have also agreed to a summit which has already been delayed for a number of times and that this could now take place in December in Lisbon, Portugal. The IFP is, however, concerned that the possible attendance by Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe may still stand in the way of the summit actually taking place, as the EU will not allow him to attend due to a travel ban while several African countries refuse to attend if he is not invited.
The IFP can only hope that the issue of President Mugabe will not again play a destructive and destabilising role in South Africa’s strategic relationship with the European Union and the promotion of the African agenda. Thank you.
WATER SHORTAGE IN TAFELKOP
(Member’s Statement)
Moh M M RAMAKABA-LESIEA (ANC): Meetse ke hlobaboroko nageng ya gaSekhukhune go mmasepala wa Elias Motswaledi motsaneng wa Tafelkop. Le ge motse wo o le 50 km go tloga letamong la Loskop, letamo le ke kgale le falala ka meetse go feta mengwaga ye meraro; empa batho ba Tafelkop ba hloka meetse. Setšhaba se sa le se hloka meetse mengwagangwaga. Ka fao Sepikara, ke be ke kgopela Tona ya tša Meetse go tsena taba ye kagore mmušo ke kgale o dutše o tsentšha tšhelete ya go patela boradikontraka, empa meetse wona ga a gona. Ke a leboga. [Applause.] (Translation of Sepedi member’s statement follows.)
[Ms M M RAMAKABA-LESIEA (ANC): There is a problem of water shortage at Tafelkop village in the Sekhukhune area which falls under the Elias Motswaledi municipality. Although this village is situated 50 km from the Loskop Dam, and it has been overflowing for more than three years, the Tafelkop residents are still experiencing a water shortage. The community has been without water for years. Therefore, hon Speaker, I ask the Minister of Water Affairs to intervene because the government has been issuing funds to pay contractors but there is still no water. I thank you.[Applause.]]
PUBLIC HEALTH CARE IN THE WESTERN CAPE
(Member’s Statement)
Mr G R MORGAN (DA): Madam Speaker, now that the hon Minister of Health has begun easing into work again, her first task needs to be to show how much she values the country’s tertiary health care services by stepping in to resolve the budget crisis in the Western Cape.
South Africa’s public health care is in a perilous state and we cannot afford further losses of skills, facilities and teaching capacity of two of our premier tertiary institutions. Already, staff at Groote Schuur and Tygerberg struggle to find beds for critically ill patients and the number of operations has declined.
When the Minister hon of Finance tabled his Budget in March, he stated that government was now in a position to spend more on essential services such as health. Furthermore, the Auditor-General reports for 2005-06 showed that of all the delivery departments in the country, the Western Cape health department was one of the most effective and least prone to financial irregularities. So, not being able to spend the allocated funds is not a problem for this department.
The Minister of Health urgently needs to step in to ensure that the Western Cape receives the required funds to maintain the current services of academic hospitals such as Groote Schuur and Tygerberg, which provide essential services to all the people of the Western Cape. Thank you. [Applause.]
MICRO LENDERS EXPLOITING THE POOR
(Member’s Statement)
Adv Z L MADASA (ANC): Mhlalingaphambili, ngokubhekiselele kwiimali-mbolelo zezixamali ezincinane okanye i-micro-lending, manditsho ukuba umbutho wabantu uKhongolozi wothusiwe kakhulu yingxelo yamaphephandaba ethi oomatshonisa bazuze intywenka yemali ehamba kwizigidi zezigidi ezingama-30 esuka kwinzuzo abayenze kunyaka odlulileyo.
Oku kunyuka kwengeniso yoomatshonisa kubonakalisa ngokucacileyo ukuba abantu abalambayo bayaxhatshazwa ngoomatshonisa, kuba ngabo ababoleka imali koomatshonisa. uKhongolozi uhlaba ikhwelo kwiSebe lezeMali ukuba liqwalasele ukuba ngaba imali yezibonelelo ayipheleli koomatshonisa na nokuba abantu bayafundiswa na ngeengozi zokuhlala nokuthembela kwiimali- boleko ukuze baphile kwaye bakwazi nokuthenga besanezisa iimfuno zabo. Enkosi. [Kwaqhwatywa.] (Translation of isiXhosa member’s statement follows.)
[Adv Z L MADASA (ANC): Chairperson, regarding micro loans, let me state that the ANC is shocked by newspaper reports that loan sharks have made huge profits, last year to the tune of R30 billion.
This rise in the loan sharks’ profit shows clearly that the poor are being exploited, because they are the ones who borrow money from the loan sharks. The ANC is making an appeal to the Department of Finance to check whether people do not spend their social grants on debts to loan sharks, and whether people are advised against the danger of depending on micro loans to survive and pay for their daily needs. [Thank you.] [Applause.]]
ORGANISATION FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT REPORT REFLECTS DECLINE IN OFFICIAL DEVELOPMENT ASSISTANCE HEALTH IS A PROVINCIAL COMPETENCE TO BE FINANCED AT PROVINCIAL LEVEL MICRO-LENDING REGULATOR TO EDUCATE CONSUMERS (Minister’s Response)
The MINISTER OF FINANCE: Madam Speaker, with your permission, let me give three brief responses. Firstly, to hon Hajaig, it wasn’t the UK Commission for Africa, but a commission for Africa that had a majority of Africans on it. It may have been initiated in the UK, but it was the Commission for Africa.
Regarding the commitments made at Gleneagles, I think the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development report reflects that there has been a 0,2% decline in official development assistance during 2006; it’s not even a marginal increase. The reality is that there has been a real decline in ODA.
This matter has to serve before the G8 heads of state meeting in Heiligendamm, which is happening in two weeks. President Mbeki will be addressing this matter. The G8 Finance Ministers met with five African Ministers in Potsdam in Germany this past weekend. So, the matter is on the agenda, but we have to keep the pressure up as we have to ensure that there is a speedy conclusion to the World Trade Organisation round to deal with especially agricultural subsidies, and deliver a developmental mandate to the world.
Secondly, in respect to what was raised by the hon Morgan on health finance, I think we should offer him a one-on-one course in the Constitution, because line-function Ministers can’t interfere as responsibilities are assigned by the Constitution. So the Western Cape government has to finance health out of its budget. It’s a provincial competence, and in dealing with that, you then need to follow a certain trend.
Now, amongst other issues, the provinces decided to invest in primary and secondary hospitals. This means that there will be two new hospitals constructed on the Cape Flats, closer to where people are.
The plans are certainly under way, and these issues have been there for some time, but this is a provincial competence. You can’t ask a Minister to intervene when you feel like it, and when you don’t, you want to take a federal route. These matters are fortunately assigned in the Constitution.
Thirdly, with respect to the issues raised by the hon Madasa, next week, on 1 June 2007, the National Credit Act comes into effect. It has its own regulator that regulates micro lenders and the issuing of credit even by large establishments. There is a whole new institution to oversee this.
The education of consumers is a part of the National Credit Act and the regulator has asked the Minister in the Department of Finance - the National Treasury - to look at it. The matter actually resorts under the Department of Trade and Industry. Nevertheless, we shall convey his statement to the DTI. Thank you very much.
EUROPEANS KNOW ABOUT SOUTH AFRICA’S POLICY POSITIONS
(Minister’s Response)
The DEPUTY MINISTER OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS (Ms S C Van der Merwe): Can you hear me? Thank you very much.
Madam Speaker, I just want to respond to the hon Bekker, who was talking about the European Union and South Africa’s strategic partnership. Indeed we are encouraged and optimistic about the strategic partnership.
I think I should add, hon member, that the Europeans know where we live. They also know who our neighbours are. They understand South Africa’s foreign policy positions. So I don’t think that we need to be concerned since they have in fact entered into the strategic partnership with us knowing all those things.
I think it’s also important to add that the Africa-EU Summit, which is due to take place - as the hon member mentioned - in Portugal later this year, has been greatly encouraged by the EU members themselves.
As you know, there has been a seven-year lapse since the last summit, but it is indeed they who have encouraged us to participate again. I think this is recognition of the importance with which they view such a partnership between the EU and Africa. So I think they do so with their eyes open. I don’t think that the IFP need worry about anything. Thank you very much.
UNITING AGAINST CRIME
(Minister’s Response)
The MINISTER OF LABOUR: Madam Speaker, regarding the issue that was raised by the Chairperson of the ANC caucus, I’d merely like to say that it is only by working together that we can defeat and remove the scourge of crime.
Ukulwa ubugebenga nobugewu luxanduva lwethu xa sisonke. Xa sivula la maqonga namanqwanqwa okuzihlanganisela kwizigebenga, loo nto iza kusenza siphumelele. Kufuneka sibe luqilima nembumba ekulweni nezi zihange. Masibabulele ke abantu base-Ritchie. (Translation of isiXhosa paragraph follows.)
[Fighting the scourge of crime is the responsibility of us all. Establishing these community policing forums as a shield against criminals and murders will make us succeed in our fight against crime. We need to be strong and united in fighting these criminals. Therefore, let us express our sincere gratitude to the people of Ritchie.]
Ons is baie dankbaar dat julle saam met ons werk. [Applous.] [We are very grateful that you are working with us.] [Applause.]]
INCIDENCE OF FORCEFULNESS IN KZN
(Minister’s Response)
The MINISTER OF ARTS AND CULTURE: Madam Speaker, the only incidence of kragdadigheid that we have seen recently in the province of KwaZulu-Natal was where supporters of two parties, the IFP and the DA, were responsible for smashing some windows in the business centre of Durban.
Unfortunately, it would appear that members of the IFP, including those in this House, have not familiarised themselves with a law that was piloted through this Parliament by an IFP Minister, Dr Ngubane, namely the South African Geographical Names Commission Act of 1998. I think if they had familiarised themselves with that Act, they would know that processes that were followed in the city of eThekwini were consultative. [Interjections.]
Unfortunately, the IFP responded very late to that consultative process, and we cannot be held responsible for the tardiness of other parties. Thank you. [Interjections.] [Applause.] COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT IN CRIME PREVENTION
(Minister’s Response)
The DEPUTY MINISTER OF CORRECTIONAL SERVICES: Madam Speaker, I was going to respond to the statement made by hon Mentor, but I was more than adequately covered by my colleague the Minister of Labour, including the section in which he spoke in Afrikaans. Thank you.
The SPEAKER: Unless there are other ministerial responses, that concludes members’ statements. Members are reminded that Extended Public Committees are scheduled to start at 15h00 in the National Assembly Chamber and in Committee Room E249.
The House adjourned at 14:46