THURSDAY, 22 MAY 2008 __

          PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL COUNCIL OF PROVINCES
                                ____

The Council met at 14:03.

The Chairperson took the Chair and requested members to observe a moment of silence for prayers and meditation.

ANNOUNCEMENTS, TABLINGS AND COMMITTEE REPORTS – see col 000.

                          NOTICE OF MOTION

Mr M A MZIZI: I hereby give notice that, on the next sitting day of the Council, I shall move on behalf of the IFP:

That the NCOP -

(1) notes that 500 grandmothers from across the country have committed themselves to each preventing HIV in 20 children who are at risk of infection;

(2) further notes that if each grandmother is successful in her effort then 10 000 children would have been protected from the virus; (3) acknowledges that more such innovative initiatives are needed if we are to make any real inroads against the spread of HIV and Aids and save our youth from a bleak future; and

(4) wishes all the grandmothers involved in this goGogetters campaign the best of luck in achieving their aims.

                         XENOPHOBIC ATTACKS

                         (Draft Resolution)

The CHIEF WHIP OF THE COUNCIL: Chairperson, I shall move the motion without notice:

That the Council –

  1) notes with utter dismay the wave of xenophobic attacks and violence
     that have been unleashed in certain parts of the Gauteng,
     Mpumalanga and KwaZulu-Natal provinces, with at least 25 people
     reportedly killed, properties burnt and looted and many people
     injured, including children, women and South Africans from other
     provinces;


  2) takes this opportunity to condemn in the strongest possible terms
     this inhuman affront of criminality and blatant exploitation of the
     concerns and challenges faced by some of our people;


  3) reiterates that South African laws protect all foreign nationals,
     whether they are in the country legally or otherwise, and therefore
     any violent and discriminatory behaviour towards foreign nationals
     must be condemned and dealt with in the harshest possible terms;


  4) further reiterates its support to the high-level interdepartmental
     task team and political partnerships established by various
     political parties to look at the causes of these attacks and the
     action needed both to bring it to an end and prevent its
     recurrence;


  5) calls on all South Africans to be vigilant and spurn with utter
     contempt those among them who actively engage in the repulsive
     attacks and to avoid being manipulated by criminals who seek to
     exploit their concerns and conditions; and

  6) urges police to use the full force of the law to ensure that this
     violence is immediately brought to a halt and that no further
     violence takes place and that those who engage and actively incite
     communities to attack foreign nationals and people from other
     provinces be brought to justice as soon as possible. Motion agreed to in accordance with section 65 of the Constitution.

                         EARTHQUAKE IN CHINA

                         (Draft Resolution)

Ms S S CHEN: Chairperson, I move without notice:

That the Council -

 1) notes with profound sadness the death of more than 50 000 people in
    the province of Shichuan in China due to a devastating earthquake
    that shook the province on Monday 12 May 2008;


 2) further notes that assistance has been slow in reaching remote
    disaster areas where there are thousands of people injured and
    currently homeless;


 3) acknowledges that it is in times like these that we are reminded of
    the great value of human life and of how easily it can be taken
    away;


 4) conveys its condolences to the loved ones of those who have lost
    their lives; and

 5) wishes the victims of the earthquake the strength to rebuild their
    homes and their lives and to have enough faith in the unity of the
    human race to walk bravely into the future.

Motion agreed to in accordance with section 65 of the Constitution.

       HON MEMBER CHEN CONGRATULATED ON BECOMING A GRANDMOTHER

                         (Draft Resolution)

Mr A WATSON: Chairperson, I move without notice:

That the Council congratulates the hon member Chen on becoming a grandmother, at her youthful age, during the constituency period.

[Laughter.] [Applause.]

Motion agreed to in accordance with section 65 of the Constitution.

                         OPENING OF CLINICS

                         (Draft Resolution)

Ms K A KGAREBE: Chairperson, I shall move a motion without notice:

That the Council –

 1) notes the opening of clinics on 22 April 2008;


 2) also notes that six clinics were built by the communities through
    donations received between 1989 and 1993;


 3) further notes that the clinics in Taung in the following villages
    of Mothanthanyaneng, Maganeng, Madipelesa, Maphoitsile, Picong and
    Tlapeng have recently had their clinics renovated and reopened to
    function, as they had previously been shut down;


 4) recognises that nurses have been deployed to assist the community
    in the villages; and


 5) appreciates and welcomes the efforts made and hopes that this is
    just the beginning.

Motion agreed to in accordance with section 65 of the Constitution.

                         APPROPRIATION BILL

                           (Policy debate) Vote No 13 – Education:

The MINISTER OF EDUCATION: Hon Chairperson, hon members, hon colleagues, the MECs for education in our various provinces …

Ke itumela thata go nna le nako e ya go bua le Khansele ya Bosetšhaba ya Diporofense le batho botlhe ba Aforika Borwa. Ke bona Kgosi ke yole o ntse fale. Ke mmone mo thelebišeneng maloba a bolelela setšhaba gore o na le basadi ba ba fetang masomepedi. Ke ne ke botsa mongwe ka ena tsatsi lengwe mme ka bolelelwa gore ga a na mosadi le fa a le mongwe. Jaanong ga ke itse gore ke eng a re akela ka basadi ba bantsi ba. (Translation of Setswana paragraph follows.)

[It is my pleasure to have this opportunity to address the National Council of Provinces and all South Africans. I notice Chief sitting over there; I last saw him on television, telling people that he has more than 12 wives. I enquired about this and I was told that the Chief is not married. What puzzles me is why he lied about these non-existent wives.]

The consolidated education budget at national and provincial level is R123 billion in this financial year. This is 5,3% of the gross domestic product of South Africa. It is well above the average African education budgets and in the top third of countries reporting to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation each year. The nine provincial education budgets, added together, without the small allocation to the national department, make a grand total of R104 billion in this financial year. The National Treasury transfers these billions to provinces as part of the equitable share allocation.

Provincial education budgets have grown on average this year by 17,5%, with the North West education department showing a 31,4% increase at the top of the provinces in terms of growth, and Gauteng showing a 14,3% increase, having received the lowest increase percentage of all the provincial education departments.

I believe that all hon members will agree that …

… ka madi a, re nnetefatsa se se buang ke mokgatlho wa rona wa ANC gore mongwe le mongwe o tshwanetse go dira gore thuto e nne boikarabelo jwa gagwe, gore Aforika Borwa e tsholetse thuto mme mongwe le mongwe mo magaeng a rona a ipone a kgona e bile a rutegile. (Translation of Setswana paragraph follows.)

[… with these funds, the ANC ensures that everybody makes education his/her responsibility, so that South Africa can uplift its education system for the community to be educated and proud.]

I am pleased, therefore, to report that the provincial education departments have maintained the high spending levels that we reported in the 2006-07 financial year and that, in the 2007-08 financial year, we’ve seen very pleasing progress. In 2007-08, provincial education departments spent R88,7 billion or 98,6% of their total provincial education budget allocations. In the year before that, 2006-07, provincial education departments spent 98,3%. Therefore, we’ve got to ensure that we do not return any money to the provincial purse.

I would like to thank all my colleagues, the members of the executive councils who stand for education and their various heads of departments as well as officials in the provincial departments for their hard work, their support and commitment. I hope hon colleagues will agree that we have worked well together, as a team, since 2004.

We welcome into our team MEC Busi Coleman. I had hoped that she would be here, but I see that she did not make it. She is the new MEC of the Mpumalanga Department of Education.

Chairperson, you will remember that, in 2007, when we debated education in this House, we faced the spectre of weeks of no teaching of the children in our schools. We have spent nine months since that strike in negotiations with teacher unions on the occupation-specific dispensation that I referred to last year.

The SA Democratic Teachers Union has recently reminded me that there are still several matters outstanding, when commenting on my very long budget speech, which I am not sure they read fully. They are correct that there are many matters we still have to finalise. Nevertheless, I believe all of us who signed the agreement are committed to implementing the agreement as signed.

The key elements of the occupation-specific dispensation agreement are the following: We have OSD adjustments for school-based and office-based staff which will be backdated to 1 January 2008; OSD adjustments for specialists and therapists will be finalized once the health professionals’ OSD table is concluded in 2009.

We will implement a minimum salary adjustment of 4% for all educators in schools and offices. The agreement was signed on 3 April, and I’m told by the Persal administrators that the increment of 4%, across the board, back- dated to 1 January, will be paid by 30 May this year in a special salary run. Each one of us will be able to check on that payment and report publicly.

Through the agreement we’ve also created an Education Management Service for school principals and school deputy principals, as well as for office- based educators. All principals and deputies will sign performance agreements which will become operational from 1 January 2009.

The development of agreed mechanisms and processes for including learner performance or learner achievement, as part of teacher performance reward assessments, will be implemented once we finalise the processes that are currently underway in the Education Labour Relations Council. We also have provided for the recognition of good and outstanding performance through the payment of accelerated progression notches.

Maloba DA e rile barutabana ba ba dirang sentle ba tshwanetse go duelwa madinyana. DA e rata go dira se … [In the past the DA suggested that teachers who perform excellently should be remunerated. The DA would like to make what …]

Uma bebona ukuthi into sesiyivumele, bayayikhipha into abayifunayo. Kudala thina sayivuma thina ukuthi amathishela sizowakhokhela imali eningi uma benza umsebenzi omuhle. [And if they see that we have agreed upon something, they always go against it. It’s been a long time since we agreed that we shall be paying teachers high salaries if they perform well.]

We don’t need to be told that by the DA or any other party.

Ke tla kopa DA gore fa ba batla go akanya gore go ka dirwa eng mo thutong, ga ba nne le dikakanyo tsa bona. Ba tlogele go latela ANC. Fa e le selo sa rona, a ba leboge. Ba bue ba re ANC le akantse sentle. (Translation of Setswana paragraph follows.) [I would like to advise the DA that if they would like to make a suggestion with regard to the education system, they should come up with their own ideas and not copy those of the ANC. Could they please compliment us if they find that there is something good that the ANC has done.]

Another aspect that we have made provision for is to reward experience, and to reward those teachers who prefer to teach rather than to move into management positions.

These are important changes that have been introduced through what, I think, we can all agree is a historic agreement. It is historic in that it begins a new approach to determining the remuneration and recognition of professionals in the Public Service. We are not talking about ordinary workers; we are talking about professionals in the Public Service being remunerated as professionals.

I would like to express my thanks to the Education Labour Relations Council and all the members of the negotiating teams of all parties to the agreement for the energy and resolve they showed in the nine-month long process. I would also like to acknowledge the important role played by the late Don Pasquallie of Sadtu in the negotiations.

Chairperson, we are making progress, we are moving forward.

On the matter of continuing professional development which is a subject that is dear to many hearts in the House, our proposals for improving professional development support for teachers are gathering momentum. The South African Council for Educators is finalising the details of a framework for continuing professional teacher development programmes. I hope that we will present the proposals to the teacher sector by October this year.

We also plan to give greater attention to curriculum development support for teachers. I note that many of our departments, including the national Department of Education, do offer curriculum training programmes, but I believe the focus has tended, far too much, to be on subject advisers and district officials rather than on directly giving support to teachers. This year we will shift the focus to working more closely with teachers and supporting them in executing their teaching task. We will do more to focus on practitioners in the classroom, and to identify support and development strategies that will enhance teaching. We also plan to develop a core set of teaching materials that illustrate best examples in each of the learning areas.

In addition we intend to explore the possible development of professional fora, where teachers will refine and strengthen practical and theoretical approaches to their work through seminars, workshops and conferences. This is well in line with recommendations of the Schools that Work Ministerial Committee, which advocated the development of communities of learning in our education sector.

Chairperson, you will recall that one of the resolutions of the ANC’s December conference in Polokwane was that we should establish a National Evaluation and Education Development Unit in the education sector. We are going to establish this agency which will support teachers in the evaluation of education outcomes, and help us identify the teacher development needs in education.

This agency will not be the thought-police inspectorate of the Bantu Education apartheid days. It will be a professional facility dedicated to developing expertise, evaluating education and advising schools, districts and provinces on the necessary refinements for enhanced success. We intend to produce draft legislation before the end of this year and engage interested stakeholders in deliberations on the final form of the agency.

I believe that the ANC conference was correct in identifying a gap in our current support structures. We intend to work hard to close that gap. So, any person who believes that this Evaluation and Development Agency is the thought of a mad Naledi Pandor needs to remove that from their heads. It is a decision and resolution of the ANC conference on educational steps that we must take.

Chairperson, the last strike did hit us hard in education. You will all recall that teachers went on strike in June last year. We were deeply concerned when we debated in June what would happen to young people who are not in school. When the strike was over, each provincial department, as well as thousands of teachers, moved to mount well-crafted recovery programmes which assisted learners to catch up on some of the time lost in teaching and learning. I would like to thank our Members of Executive Councils for their hard work in developing this recovery programme. I also thank the thousands of teachers who gave their time and effort to assisting learners to recover some of the time lost.

The 2007 Grade 12 results were not as good as we continue to hope for, but we had our largest matric class ever. I think it is important for South Africa to get to a point where every child in our country gets to Grade 12. We currently offer 10 years of compulsory education, beginning with Grade R and ending at Grade 9. Perhaps, given evidence of the numbers of children who remain in school; given evidence of employers asking whether you’ve completed matric; given evidence of matric certificates opening doors into university and into further study, the time has come to offer education up to Grade 12 as a compulsory provision. This is something I believe we must address.

This year, for the first time, we mounted a National Study Programme to give learners a second chance at writing their senior certificate examinations. Over 170 000 learners who had previously failed Grade 12 exams participated in the programme and those thousands are sitting the exams as we speak today.

There’s also been movement in the infrastructure area. Some of you might remember, hon members - those of you who are as old as myself – that, in 1998, the education infrastructure budget was R481 million. A decade later, in 2007, the education infrastructure budget had ballooned to R3,9 billion

• that’s an increase of 810% in that 10-year period.

In 2010 we have, in the Medium-Term Expenditure Framework, set to expand the budget for infrastructure in education to R5,2 billion, an increase of 1,081% over the 1998 R481 million. Hon members, I don’t know why you are not applauding; that is a massive growth … [Applause.]

Last year, our provinces spent R3,3 billion of their capital expenditure budgets. This was just 83,3% of their allocated R3,9 billion for capital projects. This underspending means that there was R654 million that could have been spent on building – listen, hon Tolo – 600 new laboratories or 600 school libraries or – hon Motsoaledi – 30 new schools.

The National School Nutrition Programme is another area in which we have seen major benefits for the learners in our country. The programme provides meals to about 7 million learners at 18 039 schools throughout the country. As food prices increase, the scheme is being put under pressure. The programme spends about R5 million a day, just on bread. The recent price increases have cost us an additional R500 000 a day.

I therefore welcome the attention that is being given to the hike in food prices in South Africa, because it is impacting on our ability to feed many more children in our schools. I welcome proposals by many provinces that there should be expansion in the National School Nutrition Programme. I also look forward to supporting our colleagues in executing their expansion plans. However, Chairperson, what we do need is greater attention to ensuring that prices are not rising at a level that none of us will be able to pay for, and at a level that will cause us to provide food to fewer and fewer children.

One of the areas which all of us in education are concerned about is the matter of early childhood development. In this area we work closely as the Department of Education with the Social Development department to implement the Integrated Plan for Early Childhood Development. It’s an area of some frustration for us in Education due the slow pace of progress in extending full and adequate ECD to all children.

The role that we play is rather too minor as Education. I really believe that Parliament has to assist us in ensuring that the issue of who is responsible for ECD is clarified in a far better way. This will assist us to move more speedily to achieving greater access for children to this important phase of educational provision. I’m glad to see that there is some progress as we scrutinise provincial budgets.

Education ECD funding has grown from R377 million in 2003 to the R983 million we saw in 2007, a massive improvement. This year, ECD will grow to R1,5 billion and there is R2,9 billion allocated over the 2008 MTEF period. These funds, of course, do not include the funding available to the Department of Social Development for supporting ECD funding, thus causing this disjuncture that, I must say, we find somewhat frustrating.

I hope that this support which government is giving to early childhood development signifies greater resolve to do more for all young children. Quality outcomes in learning can only be achieved, Chairperson, if all children have ECD provided by trained resource providers located in all our communities.

I see, Chairperson, that my time is up; I don’t know what I should do. Are you instructing me to stop? I don’t know why I have so little time.

Universal access to Grade R is an important objective of our government. Our policy says that, by 2010, every child who will enter Grade 1 at six years old must have had access to one year of Grade R. Currently, there are approximately 424 000 Grade R learners in ordinary public schools. Over 380 000 of them are funded by public funds. There are 17 000 Grade R learners in independent schools, and perhaps more than 200 000 in community centres. We think that we need to ensure that those community centres become publicly funded resources providing Grade R and early childhood development for children. We have to ensure improved funding for this level of schooling. [Applause.]

Furthermore, we must resource Grade R teachers properly, and budget for their payment in our normal provincial budgets in order to ensure that we do have staff for primary schools who provide support to children in the Grade R phase. Early childhood development and Grade R, properly implemented, will prepare children for learning in the foundation phase.

I must make reference to the Foundation for Learning Campaign, which we launched this year and which all provinces are giving attention to, when we will try, for the next four years, to ensure that the standards of literacy and numeracy in South Africa are increased to a level that is acceptable by world standards. We are now supporting teachers. They know what level of performance we expect. We are providing them with toolkits on how to teach reading. We are providing books to schools. We are supporting literacy in all languages to ensure that many more of our children can read, write and count in all our schools.

We will have a national assessment of this campaign in 2011, in all Grade 3 classes throughout the country. I am pleased to confirm that, for the first time this year, all schools in our country are following the same national curriculum. All senior school learners in South Africa are studying mathematics or mathematical literacy. Mathematics and science continue to be subjects that are difficult to teach and difficult to succeed in, but I think we can do better. We are employing qualified teachers to teach these subjects. These teachers will be posted in our rural schools, particularly in order to increase maths and science success in these schools. We’ve also offered, to any teacher who wishes to become a qualified teacher of mathematics or science, that we will make resources available for them to upgrade their qualifications and competence so that they can teach adequately in our classrooms.

We have incentive funding of over R500 million available to encourage teachers to teach in rural and township schools. Incentive funding, we think, is an important support tool for teachers who often have to teach in very difficult conditions.

I am also pleased to indicate that over R1,9 billion is available, in the next three-year period, for appointing support personnel in our schools. Every school should have a school secretary and other administrative staff, so that teachers and principals don’t have their time taken up by administrative work, and are then able to concentrate on education and teaching.

I would like to close by referring to the matter of no-fee schools. Again, we know the resolutions of Polokwane have indicated that we must increase the current 40% coverage to 60%, and many of our provincial legislatures have committed to this increase. I believe that we must do more and better at identifying schools which are poor and should be no-fee schools. Administratively, in implementing the policy, we didn’t follow through on the legislation as well as we could have done. Heads of departments of education can change the quintile of a school. So, where there is a school that could be classified in the strict quintile assessment as quintile four, if, clearly, in terms of the poverty of the school, the poverty of the school community, and the poverty of the surrounding community, that school should be quintile one, the head of the department can change the status and make that school a no-fee school, and advise the MEC and the Minister accordingly. [Applause.]

We are also developing policy to address the needs of schools that exempt the majority of their learners from fees and receive little support from our administration. Many of these schools, some of which were previously well-off schools, tend to be near poor communities, especially close to new informal settlements. We need to ensure that we support and resource them to maintain the human and material resources. We will be developing policy in this regard to ensure that we compensate where schools are really finding that they cannot meet their obligations.

At university level, we’ve also made funding available to support development in higher education. I spoke about what has been done at great length in the National Assembly; I would therefore just like to add a few examples in this particular debate. Much of our focus has been an investment in historically disadvantaged institutions. We believe this has a potential to transform these institutions and ensure that they increasingly become first-choice institutions for children in our country. This will take time, but we are moving to develop them in that direction. An example is the recent investment by our department in the Animal Health Training Facility at the North West University in Mafikeng. An amount of R25 million has been allocated to the North West University Mafikeng campus to strengthen its capacity in animal health training. This is important, given the location of the university and the importance of animal production to our economy.

Lo a itse batho ba ba tlotlegang gore dikolo tsa go tlhatlhoba diphologolo tsa rona tsa Aforika Borwa di rata go nna le bana ba ba ithutang go tlhokomela dintša le dikatse, mme ga ba lemoge gore dikgomo, dinku le dipodi tsa rona le tsone di batla go tlhokomelwa. (Translation of Setswana paragraph follows.) [Hon members, you might be aware that our South African veterinary schools have students who study animal health to take care of cats and dogs, but they are not aware of other animals like cows, sheeps and goats that also need health care.]

That is why we are investing in the Mafikeng campus, in order to ensure that animal production and animal health is attended to, and we have professionals who can do that. We believe that this particular facility has the potential to develop into a centre of excellence in the future.

Another example is the upgrading that we are seeing of science facilities at the University of the Western Cape, and the engineering facility at the University of Cape Town. I saw the Deputy Vice-Chancellor of the University of Cape Town here. We are very pleased that the University of Cape Town has agreed that it would expand the numbers it admits for engineering in order to ensure that South Africa begins to produce more and more engineers. The University of the Western Cape has undertaken an ambitious and exciting development of the new state-of-the-art Life Sciences Complex. The facility will rival the best that you can find anywhere in the world of science. The total cost of this project is over R400 million of which we, as government, are contributing R200 million.

In addition, over R800 million in the next three years has been allocated to the higher education institutions to support the clinical training of health professionals in higher education. These funds are available from this year, and will improve the training of professionals in medicine, dentistry and other allied health professions.

Chairperson, you will recall the work we have been trying to do with respect to the further education and training colleges. We are making advances. There are over 50 000 young people in new, modern skills programmes, in addition to bursary schemes which support student access; these are very important developments in addressing the skills gap of South Africa.

We have also begun to address adult illiteracy and youth illiteracy in South Africa. We launched the Kha Ri Gude Campaign for literacy in February this year, and to date, we have already exceeded our target of 300 000 learners in our literacy classes. The campaign target is that we must halve literacy by 2012 and work beyond that to ensure that South Africa becomes illiteracy-free by 2015.

I must reinforce, as I close, that one of the tasks we face is to focus on positive values in our education institutions. The assaults that we have seen on immigrants as well as on South African citizens, the racism that we have seen in some of our institutions of higher learning, and the violent conduct of some of the children in our schools confirms the need for greater attention to positive values. I must say that we do still have lots of administrative problems that we must iron out. We have to get books to our schools on time. We must eradicate mud structures in Limpopo, Eastern Cape and some in KwaZulu- Natal. We must provide energy and electrification as well as sanitation to all our schools. We must ensure that our children can read and write. We must ensure that we improve our matriculation outcomes.

However, I believe we are well on the road to addressing these challenges. I believe South Africa does have the potential to offer quality education to all the children of our country. We have the financial and the institutional resources to do so. A better life for all will be our reality when we ensure that everyone of the actors in education directs themselves at ensuring that education changes lives, education changes communities. I thank you. [Applause.]

Mr B J TOLO: Hon Chairperson, hon Minister, Deputy Minister in absentia, Members of the Executive Council, MECs, present here today, special delegates and hon members, “A sound education system is a basic necessity and assurance foundation for the successful development of a nation”. These words were said by Kwame Nkrumah about half a century ago, addressing the Ghanian Parliament in Accra. This idea is as fresh and true today as it was in 1960.

Indeed, a sound education system is a prerequisite for the successful building of a nation. Flowing from this, we believe, in the ANC, that education is one of the most important pillars of social transformation, and a tool that will inevitably extricate our country from the quagmire of poverty and squalor.

Chairperson, as a country, we’ve succeeded in demolishing a moribund and an unequal system of education, and we are building a new and a vibrant system that encourages critical thinking, rather than parrot-fashion learning, a system that inculcates in our children patriotism, a deep love for their fatherland and its people as opposed to chauvinism.

The foundation for this type of education is as solid as a rock and irreversible; what slowed us down and hampered our progress in building this system is the legacy of the past. We’ve come to realise the hard reality that addressing this legacy is not going to be a road adorned with roses, as you’ve said in the past. It is proving to be a hard and protracted process but the government has already, through the Department of Education, scored many victories; yet there are still many battles to be fought. There are some amongst us who think that the challenges and problems faced in education are all subjective and invented by the ANC. Suffice it to say that this is political myopia.

As a committee, we agree with the department on its key strategic policy priorities in this financial year. Among these, the department has prioritised numeracy and literacy, especially in the foundation phase. This is in response to the fact that our children from the primary schools are not able to read, write or count at the expected levels. We read in March this year a document released by the Minister of Education outlining the foundation for the learning campaigns. The document outlines in detail what every teacher should do in the foundation phase to improve the said skills. As the committee, we undertake to monitor compliance as we have no doubt that, if adhered to, this campaign will yield positive results.

Chair, many schools in the rural and farm areas are a sorry sight to see. The situation does not seem to be improving with regard to infrastructure, furniture, and even teacher provisioning. There won’t be any proper teaching and learning in some of these schools if left unattended, as some of them even have multigrade classes. The department has undertaken to prioritise these schools in terms of resources in this financial year. We are watching with keen interest to see if the situation improves.

As a committee we undertook oversight visits to special schools in eight provinces late last year and early this year. The children in the special schools are already disadvantaged. If provinces do not provide them with the relevant resources such as therapists and other specialists, we are doubly disadvantaging them. Some of these schools are worse than quintile one school and yet, when declaring schools, no-fee schools, these special schools are not considered. In some instances, supernumerary and unwanted teachers in normal schools are invariably imposed on the special schools. My belief is that we’d rather overdo than underdo for schools and children that are disabled or differently abled.

The Department of Education has publicly stated its intention to provide quality education to all learners. It can only realise its noble goal if it has quality teachers. Teacher development must therefore be at the centre of what we do in order to deliver quality education. It is for this reason that, as the ANC, we support the Fundza Lushaka teacher bursaries wholeheartedly. We also hope that the department will see the need to reopen some of the former teacher training colleges to specially enrol maths and science teachers. This will enable us to have self-sufficient teachers. For now, we must thank teachers from other countries who are helping us in many schools in this country, but this cannot be a permanent solution.

Experience has taught us that one of the prerequisites for a proper teaching and learning environment is good and proper school management. We know that the department in the provinces has embarked on a programme of providing school management skills to principals. In some provinces, underperforming principals are twined with good principals to learn how a school should be managed. We support these efforts, and hope that they will improve the quality of education in our schools.

The Enhanced Learning Educational Services Fund, ELESF, remains an important tool to enable poor children to access higher education. We are aware that this fund increases every financial year, meaning that more children get the opportunity to study at institutions of higher learning, including at further education and training, FET, colleges. In this financial year, it is R13 billion; it will be R14 billion next year, and in the outer year of the Medium-Term Expenditure Framework, MTEF, period, it will be R17 billion. However, we were disturbed to learn that some officials at the University of Pretoria are corrupting this scheme: Sexual favours finance funding. We condemn and call upon all students to report this tendency whenever it rears its ugly head so that it can to be nipped in the bud. Let us hope that this was just an isolated incident.

Minister, we see that among the ministerial goals for 2008-09 is the implementation of the Education Laws Amendment Act. We are not sure how far the department is in implementing this but we can tell that, about two years after this law was passed, it is not known in most of our schools. Schools do not know that they have to identify learners whose parents are poor and are unable to pay school fees with the aim of helping them to apply for exemption, partial or full exemption; schools do not know that they must make financial statements available to parents some time before the actual meeting, so that the parents can peruse these statements even before the meeting, and schools do not know that they are not allowed to charge parents money over and above the agreed school fees in a financial year. For me, Chair, if the schools do not stick to these provisions of the law, it means that district officials do not know these provisions too. If they did, they would have seen to it that the schools complied.

Kha Ri Gude, the basic literacy campaign, has to be embraced by all of us to succeed. Let every Member of Parliament popularise it in their constituencies. There are many young persons out there who would be too happy to help to teach these programmes for a stipend.

Chairperson, the ANC has a finger in the pie by saying that education has to become a societal matter rather than a departmental issue. Every teacher and every child, the communities and parents must adhere to be part of the non-negotiable. Teachers must know that their main responsibility at school is to teach and that anything else that they do is subordinate to this task of teaching. Learners should know that their primary responsibility at school is to learn so that they become complete personalities and anything else that they do should be subordinate to this task. Communities must ensure that every school-going child is indeed at school; adults who see children roaming around in the streets during school hours and do nothing about it are actually accomplices to such anarchy and ill-discipline.

To conclude, last year, we saw civil servants, including teachers, going on strike. We want to put on record that, according to the Constitution, everybody has a right to strike, but what worries us is that, during the strike, some civil servants, including teachers, were forced and even threatened that they would be killed should they not go on strike. That is undemocratic and must be strongly condemned. If you want people to believe in your cause, please try and persuade them. The department is on the correct path and we congratulate it for the work done. We support the Budget Vote. Thank you.

Mr O M THETJENG: Hon Chairperson, and hon Minister, hon colleagues that are here, we are sitting here today debating the Education Budget Vote for both provincial and the national departments. Yet many of our African brothers and sisters are on the run. The scenes captured on SA Broadcasting Corporation, SABC, television channels, our supposedly public broadcaster, are reminiscent of the periods before 1994 when we lived under the unbearable and distasteful apartheid era. The DA condemns such acts that undermine human life. It was apartheid then and now it is about what language you speak, where you come from and all of these have little regard for the human race. This is a crisis, and it must be treated as such; let us stop being in denial. When I checked your speech that you delivered in the National Assembly on 15 May 2008, I found a theme that says, “Education changes lives, changes communities.” It is indeed a good intention that looks good on paper and also when one considers the following: There are now no-fee schools in quintiles 1 and 2 throughout the country; a great number of schools are now granted section 21 status; there is a conditional grant for the National School Nutrition Programme and now a great number of schools have security fences as one of the security measures that are there.

Hon Minister, only 7% of the 28 000 schools, as captured in your speech at Ligege Secondary School in Limpopo province recently, have libraries. Our learners are found to be lacking in areas of numeracy and literacy and yet there are no library facilities at schools to assist them in defeating this monster. Books continue to play a significant role in our education and that is why our schools still need to be provided with learner and teacher materials.

A library consists of a well-structured building and books. There are schools that do have a building that used to be called a library but they have not been supplied with books for the past 14 years. They are now faced with obsolete materials. The DA requests that such schools be prioritised to be provided with books so that educators and learners will be able to fully utilise them to improve their numeracy and literacy competencies.

Those are the challenges in our country today. The DA has been calling in this House, through our hon Denise Robinson, for the establishment of libraries in schools and today I am requesting that this call be heard by your department for the sake of our learners.

Underspending in the provinces in education has occurred in the areas of personnel, goods and services and capital. This must be improved to ensure that communities benefit from money allocated to them through this House in our debates.

Hon Tolo said a mouthful about special schools, and I want to thank him so much for saying that. The Minister has never touched on the special schools and this must be a priority. They continue to be badly treated throughout the country and they are poorly funded if ever they receive it. Some rely on the private sector to enable them to run. Educators are not properly trained to provide quality education to the learners. Classrooms are overcrowded and yet the ANC preaches a better life for all. Where is the better life for all in this kind of school?

Technicians continue to be employed temporarily in perpetuity and yet it was the ANC with its tripartite alliance partners that discouraged this in the past. Now that they are in government, it becomes acceptable in good practice; otherwise you would not have them employed temporarily in the way it is happening now.

It is disappointing to learn that in the North West province there are educators who are as poison to the community. In a village called Tsetse, a stone’s throw away from the provincial department’s head office, there is a school called S C Kgobokoe High School managed by Mr F T Marakalla from 5 May 1993 to date - if he is still there since our visit two weeks ago. Grade 12 results are like a yoyo: In 1995 they got a 30% pass rate; in 1996 they got 60,1%; in 1997 they got 17,5%; in 1998 they got 7,5%; in 2007 they got 5,97%. That is a yoyo. What kind of a principal do we have? Should he become a principal in perpetuity with these type of results? That’s why the DA is calling for principals to have a performance contract. If they underperform, demote them because they are not helpful in their community. The DA is calling for contractual principalship based on performance. Principals must not occupy the position as if it is their kingdom but a profession that demands performance.

Poor performing principals must go. The SGB or school governing bodies are not properly trained - if they are ever trained and others are not trained at all, particularly in the rural areas. How do we expect these rural schools to perform when SGBs do not know what is expected from them? They become rubber stampers of cunning principals. In one school in the North West, the principal is the only signatory on the school account. The DA proposes a variation to be considered in rural areas that allows for continuity where possible because more money is spent on training SGBs that do not stay long in a school. The Eastern Cape is always in the limelight for the wrong reasons. First it was the hospitals and now it is the senior education officials that are being paid millions of rands while basking in the sun after having been suspended with full pay as reported in the City Press of 18 May 2008. The National School Nutrition Programme was defrauded as per exposé contained in the Noseweek of last year. This, of course, saw the downfall of the hon Mkgangeli Matomela as the MEC but we ask why they can’t be disciplined in good time. If they need to be fired, they must be fired and proper people will be hired to run the education there.

Another big challenge that the ANC is failing dismally in is in the area of education provision, particularly in mathematics, science, technology education, economics and accounting. The Department of Education in Limpopo has recently hired teachers from across the border. That is very good but we need to train our own teachers that we need in this particular country.

Thank you very much, but we are saying that, if we want to do the best, let us do what is right for this country. Let us not just speak but also act. Thank you, Chairperson. [Applause.]

Nkk N M MADLALA-MAGUBANE: Mangibonge, Sihlalo. Ngithanda ukubingelela uNgqongqoshe kanye nehhovisi lakhe, abezifundazwe abakhona ngaphakathi kwethu, nabo bonke abahlonishwa. Ngithanda ukuphawula ngaphambi ukuba ngiqale ingxoxo yami ukuthi, Mnu Thetjeng, ngazi kahle kamhlomphe ukuthi sesiyakhona okhethweni lukazwelonke, ngakho-ke musa ukuqala manje. [Ubuwelewele.] Ngibona sengathi nguwena kanye iyoyo lapha phakathi kweNdlu. [Uhleko.]

Ngithi ngenye yezinhloso zalo Mnyango ukuqeda ububha ngaphakathi kwaleli lakithi. Ngithanda ukugcizelela ukuthi lokho ngomunye wemgomo yalo Mnyango

• ukubhekana nobubha, njengoba sasishilo ePolokwane ukuthi sizobhekana nobubha. Lo Mnyango ukucubungisisile kahle wafinyelela ekutheni awethule uhlelo olubizwa nge-no fees schools, lapho khona izingane zifundaze zingakhokhi ngisho nendibilishi. Lokho kwethula imithwalo kubazali kanti futhi kuthuthukisa izinga lezemfundo, ngokunjalo kunezingane ezikoleni ezikhokhiswayo ezinikezwa igunya lokungakhokhi.

Lolu hlelo lusiza ikakhulukazi abasemakhaya kanye nabakhe emikhukhwini. Kube nohlelo futhi uNgqongqoshe eseluphawulile lezigaba zesabiwomali sezikole esivela kuhulumeni ukuthi izikole azihlelwe ngokwezigaba zesabiwomali. Yebo, noma kusekhona izingqinamba ezithize kodwa ngithanda ukuphawula phakathi kwale Ndlu ukuthi nokho izifundazwe eziningi zihlangabezene nalolu hlelo.

Emasontweni amabili edlule besise-North West. Kunezinkinga lapho sithole ukuthi izikole zingaphansi kwesigaba sesabiwomali yesikole esivela kuhulumeni esigabeni sesithathu, kodwa uma uthi uyasibheka isikole uthole ukuthi sisemakhaya okanye sisemikhukhwini. Ngithemba ukuthi uMnyango uzokubheka konke loko ubuye futhi ukulungise. Ngibuye ngize ekudleni kwasesikoleni. E-North West kunezinkinga kangangoba izingane zesikole zidla kathathu ngesonto. Akucacile ukuthi imbangela yini kodwa-ke akuzona zonke izifunda. Esifundazweni engibuya kusona, eGauteng, izingane zidla izinsuku zonke. Ezinye seziyadla ngisho nasemasekhondali ngani ngoba othisha, nemikhandlu yezikole kanye nomphakathi babambisene. Ezinye izikole zinezivande. Lezi zivande zondla zize zondle ngisho namakhaya antulayo. Zibuye futhi lezi zikole zihambise ukudla emakhaya lapho kungesenabazali ngokubambisana noMnyango Wezokuthuthukiswa Komphakathi. Lokho kukhomba kahle kammhlophe ukuthi uKhongolose uzimisele ekuphuculeni izinga lomphakathi wakuleli.

Ngithanda ukusho ukuthi nalapho okusenezingqinamba khona, zizophela ngoba lo Mnyango wabelwe isabelo esingangesigidigidi eziwu- 1.7 samarandi kule minyaka emithathu ezayo, ukubhekelela ukuthi izingane zonke ziyadla ngokwanele ezikoleni. Uma futhi ukubheka lokhu kudla, kunomsomco kanti futhi kunempilo, kodwa-ke kusenezinto ezithile okudinga ukuthi zilungiswe njengase-North West kanye nase-Eastern Cape engethemba ukuthi zizolunga.

Mangisho ukuthi mayelana nalolu hlelo okuthiwa elokuthuthukisa izingane ezincane njengoba uNgqongqoshe esephawulile, luwuhlelo oluhle kakhulu. Nokho mangiphawule okumele ukuthi kusicacele phakathi kwale Ndlu ukuthi lolu hlelo alubhekene nje kuphela noMnyango Wezemfundo kodwa futhi lubhekene noMnyango Wezentuthuko Yomphakathi - njengoba uNgqongqoshe eshilo – kanye, noWezomsebenzi Yomphakathi ikakhulukazi uma kwakhiwa izakhiwo. UMnyango Wezemfundo wona ubhekene ngqo nokuqukethwe ngaphakathi kanye nanokuthi othisha baqeqeshwe ngakho yini, ukuze lezi zingane zethu zifunde zisencane. Kuthiwa ugotshwa usemanzi ngoba uma ungagotshwanga usemanzi, lezi zingane ziyoba nenkinga uma zifika esikoleni samabanga aphansi - ebangeni lokuqala.

Ngakho-ke lo Mnyango uzimisele ukuthi lezi zingane zibonelelwe zisesebangeni lokulungiselelwa ukungena ebangeni lokuqala. Nokho kunenkinga yokuthi izakhiwo azilungile nothisha abaphakathi abafanelekile okuyinanto okumele sibambisane ngayo noMnyango Wezemfundo kanye neminye iMinyango ethintekayo ukuze sikulungise lokho.

Mangiphawule ukuthi isimo asigculisi neze kwezinye izifundazwe mayelana nezingqalasizinda, kodwa–ke isabiwomali izigidigidi eziwu -3,6 zamarandi ezikhishiwe ukuthuthukisa izingane ezincane eminyaka emithathu ezayo. Nokho- ke ake ngiphawule ngesifundazwe engiqhamuka kusona okuyiGauteng. Nakhona zikhona izinkinga kodwa siyazama, ngoba uzothola ukuthi ukuthuthukiswa kwezingane ezisencane sekukhona nasemalokishini, okuyizindawo ezazincishiwe amathuba ekuqaleni. Izakhiwo nazo sezifanele zona izingane zamabanga okulungiselela ukungena ebangeni lokuqala. Nokho, kuyathembisa ukuthi kukhona lapho siyakhona.

Mayelana nezingqalazizinda ezikoleni, uMnyango wabelwe izigidigidi eziwu - 2,7 zamarandi kule minyaka emithathu ezayo. Make ngiphawule ukuthi akuwona uMnyango Wezemfundo obhekene nazo zonke izingqalasizinda, kodwa uzothola ukuthi esikoleni esithile njengase-North West amanzi awekho. Akuwona uMnyango obhekene nokuthi amanzi mawabe khona. Uzothola ukuthi umasipala kuleyo ndawo ovale amanzi. Izindlu zangasese ziyabheda. Umsebenzi lona woMnyango kaHulumeni waseKhaya kanye noMnyango wezaManzi namaHlathi. Ngakho kusho ukuthi ngamanye amazwi iMinyango kufuneka ixhumane futhi isebenzisane ibheke lokhu okusikhungethe kuleli.

Uma senza umsebenzi wethu-ke sibona ukuthi-ke nawo uMnyango Wezemisebenzi Yomphakathi uyathinteka. Kwezinye izifundazwe izindlu zangasese zisengozini. Ingane ngisho ingena phakathi awuyazi noma izophuma noma isaphila yini ngendlela izindlu zangasese ezime ngayo. Izinkundla zokudlalela ziseyinkinga ezikoleni. Azikakabi khona. Singazi-ke noma uMnyango uzimisele yini ukuthi ubonelele ekutheni zibe khona. Sazi kahle kamhlophe ukuthi kunesivumelwano esasayindwa eminyakeni eyedlule phakathi koMnyango noMnyango Wezemidlalo Nokungcebeleka ukuthi kubonelelwe izingane zethu ukuthi mazidlale imidlalo, kodwa kusenezinkinga ezikoleni ngoba izinkundla azizinhle.

Ngqongqoshe, mayelana nokuthutha kwezingane zesikole kusenezinkinga. Sazi kahle kamhlophe ukuthi isifunda nesifunda kufanele sizibonele mayelana nokuthuthwa kwezingane zesikole. Esikunxusayo ukuthi uMnyango kazwelonke mawube nezwi kulokhu ngoba uzothola ukuthi kwezinye izifunda izingane zihamba amabanga amade angangamakhilomitha angamashumi amabili ngezinyawo ukuya esikoleni, kanti akuphephile ikakhulukazi ezinganeni zamantombazane. Kwezinye izindawo izingane zedlula izikole ngoba kuleso sikole kuthiwa kwakuyisikole sabamhlophe kufundwa isibhunu kuphela isiZulu asikho, idlule ingane iye elokishini.

Ngakho-ke sicela uMnyango uke ubheke nalapho futhi ukuthi angeke usize yini. Kwezinye izifunda akukho nhlobo ukuthuthwa kwezingane zesikole njengase-North West. E-North West ukuthuthwa kwezingane zesikole kungaphansi koMnyango Wezokuthutha, akukho ngaphansi koMnyango Wezemfundo. Asazi ukuthi lokho kwenzeka kanjani, ngakho-ke sicela ukuthi kubhekelelwe nalokho kakhulu, Ngqongqoshe. [Kuphele isikhathi.] Ngiyabonga. [Ihlombe.] (Translation of isiZulu speech follows.)

[Ms N M MADLALA-MAGUBANE: Chairperson, Minister and officials from his office, colleagues from the provinces present here amongst us and hon members at large, before I start my speech, I just want to remind hon Thetjeng that I am fully aware that we are heading for the general elections, but he should at least not start campaigning now. [Interjections.] On the contrary, it is you who is a yo-yo in this House. [Laughter.]

Chairperson, one of the objectives of this department is the eradication of poverty in this country. I want to emphasise that this is one of the principles of this department - to face poverty as we discussed in Polokwane and we said we will fight poverty. After much consideration of these principles, this department has come up with the idea of no-fee schools where pupils will receive free education without paying even a cent. That will lessen the burden on the parents and it will also develop the standard of education. In certain schools where the paying of school fees is still enforced, certain learners are exempted from paying those school fees.

This programme helps especially those who are from rural areas and the shack-dwellers. There is also a programme that has been identified by the Minister for schools to be divided according to quintiles, with regard to the state’s subsidies. Although problems still exist I would like to highlight to this House that most of the provinces have implemented this programme.

We were in the North West province two weeks ago, and there were problems. We found a section 21 school which is on the third quintile but is situated in the rural area or the squatter camp. I hope that the department will look into that and correct it.

Coming to the school feeding scheme, there are problems in the North West to the extent that pupils get food three times a week only. It is not clear what causes that, but that does not happen in all the provinces. In Gauteng, for example - the province where I come from - pupils get food every day and even pupils from the secondary schools also get food. This is because teachers, the school governing bodies and communities work together. Some schools have gardens which feed these children as well as the needy households. These schools also distribute food parcels to households which are headed by children in conjunction with the Department of Social Development. This shows very well that the ANC is committed to improving the lives of the people of this country.

I would like to say that, although problems still exist, they will go away because this department has been given a budget of R1,7 billion for the next three years to see to it that all the pupils get sufficient food in schools. And when you look at this food, it is nutritious and healthy. But there are things that need to be corrected in North West and the Eastern Cape. And I hope that they will be corrected.

Let me say that in connection with the programme that is about to developing pre-schoolers, as the Minister has already mentioned, it is a very good programme. Let me state that what must be clear to us in this House is that this programme is not the duty of the Department of Education only, but also needs the co-operation of the Department of Social Development - as the Minister has already stated - and also the Department of Public Works which has to help in erecting structures. The Department of Education deals with everything happening inside the classrooms such as making sure that educators are adequately trained so that our children can learn whilst they are still young. As the old saying goes, it is best to bend the tree whilst it is still young and tender, and if the same is done with these children, there shall be no problems when they start doing Grade 1, because they would have been adequately prepared at an early stage.

This department is prepared to help these learners at an early stage, just before they start Grade 1, but the buildings are not right and the teachers are not properly trained, which is the issue which needs us to co-operate with the Department of Education and other relevant departments to correct it.

Let me state that, in connection with infrastructure, conditions are really not satisfactory in other provinces. However, there is a budget of R3,6 billion that is allocated for the development of the pre-schoolers over the next three years. Let me talk about the province where I come from, which is Gauteng. There are also problems but we are trying to implement this programme because you will find that the programme of developing pre- schoolers is now available even in the townships, which are places that were previously disadvantaged. There are structures which are appropriate to accommodate the pre-schoolers who are being prepared to be ready to attend Grade 1. That indicates that we are going somewhere.

In connection with infrastructure in schools, the department has been allocated at least R2,7 billion over the next three years. Let me state that it is not only the Department of Education which is responsible for every infrastructure, but you will find that there is no water in a certain school, as is the case in North West. It is not the department that is responsible for the availability of water at school. You will find that the municipality has cut water supply to that place. Toilets are not up to standard and these are the responsibilities of the Departments of Provincial and Local Government and Water Affairs and Forestry. In other words, this means that departments need to consult each other and work together to overcome the difficulties that we are facing in this country.

When we do our work, we feel that the Department of Public Works needs to get involved. In some provinces, toilets are not good at all; they pose a risk. When a pupil uses these toilets, one always wonders whether that pupil will come out alive given the state of those toilets. Playgrounds are still a challenge at schools; they are still not available. We are not sure whether the department is committed to ensuring that they become available. We know very well that there is an agreement that was signed a few years ago between the department and the Department of Sports and Recreation to see to it that our children are able to engage in sports, but there are still problems in schools because playgrounds are not up to standard.

Hon Minister, there is still a problem in connection with transporting schoolchildren. We know very well that each province must devise a means to transport schoolchildren. What we are requesting is that the Department of Education at national level must have a say in this because you will find that, in some provinces, pupils walk long distances to school. They walk approximately 20km per day and it is not safe, especially for girls. In some instances, pupils leave certain schools and go to townships schools, because they find that those schools - which were said to be for whites only – use Afrikaans as the medium of instruction, and you find that isiZulu is not available as one of the subjects.

We therefore request the department to look into that and see if there is anything that it can do to help. In other provinces such as the North West, transport for schoolchildren is totally not available. Transporting schoolchildren in North West is the responsibility of the Department of Transport and not that of the Department of Education, and we do not know how that happened. We therefore request you, hon Minister, to look into this matter. [Time expired.] Thank you. [Applause.]]

Nkk J N VILAKAZI: Sihlalo ohloniphekileyo, Mhlonishwa Ngqongqoshe nabahlonishwa bonke kanye neNdlu yonke. Isimo kwezemfundo asikalungi neze, ikakhulukazi uma kusekhona izikole ezisafundisa ulimi lwendabuko kubafaundi abakhulma lolo lulimi lube inombolo ye-3 esikhundleni senombolo yo-1. Kwakhona-ke nje ukuthi kufundwe izilimi ezintathu bese kuthi ezimbili kuzo kube ngezokufika kuyinto eqgilaza imiqondo yabafundi. Okunye ukuthi kulezi zikole ezimi kahle okwakungezabamhlophe ngaphambilini kuyaqhutshekwa nokufundwa kwezilimi ezimbili kuphela. Lokhu-ke Ngqongqoshe wami ohloniphekile noMnyango wakho, kukhombisa khona ukuthi akukalungi kulo mkhakha.

UMthetho ukhona waphasiswa kodwa manje abafundisayo benza into abayithandayo, kanti futhi noMnyango ngokwawo awululandeleli lolu daba. Siyakhala impela. Ake nibhukule niyimele le ndaba yolimi lwendabuko. Ukugcwala emakilasini yinkinga yezikole ezisemakhaya kakhulu. Uma inkinga isedolobheni, azithathwa mpela izingane ezimnyama njengami. Uthola abazali abamnyama behla benyuka kuthiwa indawo ayikho. Uhlala khona edolobheni noma awuhlali khona kuyafana-nje.

Nezikole azakhiwa kunjalo-nje. Amakilasi awanezezelwa kunjalo-nje. Selokhu kwaba yizikole ezakhiwa uhulumeni omdala ngaphambi kuka-1994. Kanti kwenzenjani ngempela kwezemfundo? [Ubuwelewele.] Ngikhuluma ngento engiyaziyo. Ongathanda ukubuza kimi sikhona isikhathi uma ngiqeda lana, hhayi njengamanje. Uma ngiqeda lapha sikhona isikhathi. Ngikhuluma ngento engiyaziyo. (Translation of isiZulu paragraphs follows.)

[Mrs J N VILAKAZI: Hon Chairperson, hon Minister, the members and the House at large, the situation in education is not yet right if there are schools that are still teaching indigenous languages to learners who are speakers of the language as a third language instead of first language.

Even the teaching to learners of three languages learners of which two are foreign languages confuses the minds of the children. The other thing is that the former whites-only schools still adhere to the past by teaching only two languages. And this - hon Minister - I respectfully submit, shows clearly that all is not well in this field.

The Act was passed; it is there, but those tasked with educating the children do as they please and the department does nothing to monitor this. We are really complaining, and we plead with you to stand up and fight for the indigenous languages.

Overcrowding is mostly a problem in rural schools. When this problem hits the urban areas, black learners who are as black as myself, do not get admission at all. And next you find black parents moving up and down, looking for schools for their children after having been turned down by the very school that should help them. Whether you are staying in town or not, it’s all the same.

Schools are not built and there is no extension of classes and even these very schools are the schools which were built by the old government before

1. What is really happening in the education fraternity? [Interjections.] I am talking about something that I know. If there is anyone who would like to ask me a question, let her wait until I am done with my speech. When I am done here, then that will be the time. I know what I am talking about.]

Mr V V Z WINDVOëL: Chairperson, on a point of order: The member is not allowed to mislead this House to the effect that no schools or even additional classrooms have been built since 1994. That is not true.

The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Mrs M N Oliphant): Order! Hon member, you may continue!

Nkk J N VILAKAZI: Ngiyaqhubeka impela nje. Ngishilo ngathi angimi vele. Inkinga yamabanga amade ukuya ezikoleni idinga ukusukunyelwa phezulu. Ingenye eyenza imiphumela ingabimihle kulezi zikole.

Inkinga yokudla - sebekhulumile ozakwethu - okukhetha izinsuku indlala ibhokile kubafundi idinga ukusukunyelwa phezulu. [Ubuwelewele.] (Translation of isiZulu paragraph follows.)

[Ms J N VILAKAZI: I am continuing indeed. Anyway I did say that I am not going to stop. The problem of long distances to and from school needs to be dealt with urgently. It is one of the reasons that lead to poor performances in these schools.

The problems in the school feeding scheme - my colleagues have already spoken about this – are with the meals not being served on certain days. The learners are starving, so this needs urgent attention. [Interjections.]]

Mr T S SETONA: Chairperson, on a point of order: With due respect, can the hon member agree to the fact that there are no schools in her district because the IFP has not built schools for our children?

The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Mrs M N Oliphant): Order! Is that a point of order or a question? [Interjections.]

Nkk J N VILAKAZI: Ngicela ukuqhubeka ngoba angizukumphendula besengishilo ngathi ubongithinta emva kwalokhu.[Uhleko.] Inkinga yokudla okukhetha izinsuku indlala ibhokile kubafundi idinga ukusukunyelwa phezulu.

Inkinga yemali yesikole sebeshilo ozakwethu ayisoze yaphela uma ikhetha amabala emphakathini ontulayo, futhi usendaweni eyodwa. Udlame ezikoleni. Kwaqedwa ezenkolo kwafa unembeza kubafundi nothisha. Kwakungenje kusafundiswa ezenkolo ezikoleni … (Translation of isiZulu paragraphs follows.)

[Ms J N VILAKAZI: Can I please continue, because I am not going to respond to him anyway? As I have already told you, if you have a question, raise it with me after my speech. [Laughter.] The problems in the school feeding scheme - my colleagues have already spoken about this – are with the meals not being served in certain days. And the learners are starving, so this needs urgent attention.

The problem with the school fees - as my colleagues have already alluded - will always be there as long as the no-fee schools are for a selected few in poor communities. Since the abolition of religious studies at school, violence has escalated. Both the educators and learners have no conscience anymore. Things were not like this whilst religious studies were still taught at schools.]

This is just food for thought.

The IFP supports the Budget, but we want to register the following concerns: Firstly, there is a shortage of classrooms in schools. This is a great concern in most provinces as it prevents an effective learning environment. It leads to overcrowding, thereby causing poor performance by both learners and educators.

Secondly, on the issue of transport, some learners in rural areas are forced to travel long distances of about ±10 km to and from their schools. This obviously leads to fatigue and poor concentration which in turn results in poor performance.

Thirdly, no-fee schools in some areas have not been properly assessed. A no- fee school in an area should also qualify other schools in the same community into quintile one.

Fourthly, the children’s nutrition programme is not adequately observed. Some schools serve 3 meals a week and only few schools serve 5 meals a week. The result of this is that learners fail to attend school on days they know they will not get any food.

Fifthly, the indigenous languages, as I have mentioned, are marginalised. Some of the former model C schools still adhere to the past … [Interjections.]

We support the budget, but with the concerns I have mentioned above. [Interjections.] Who wants to see me? [Laughter.] [Time expired.]

Mr J MAKGATHO (Eastern Cape): Chairperson of the House, hon Minister for Education as well as the hon Minister for Public Works, the hon member from the DA reminds me of the situation in the UK where a person comes and stands at the corner and starts talking to himself and nobody ever listens to him.

I want to congratulate the hon Minister on her Budget Vote presentation; it has truly gone a long way towards responding to most critical and pressing areas of our education system today. Indeed, the theme for this year’s debate, “Education changes lives, changes communities” is true. It captures the overriding essence of what we are all essentially about, namely that education is the fundamental element that our country needs in order to bring about meaningful changes in the quality of life of our people.

I want to commend the continued transformation of the higher education sector as has been highlighted in the National Plan for Higher Education. As custodians of education at the primary and secondary level, we realise that the realisation of the plan to expand enrolment at the tertiary level depends on a concomitant ability of our schools to also improve and expand the quality of product that comes out of those schools.

Furthermore, we are also obliged to encourage more girls and women to embrace participation in maths, science and technology education in the schooling sector. In taking on that challenge, we are tasked with improving the capacity of our teachers and learners so that we ensure that these students are able to attain good symbols to ensure that they are able to enter universities.

On the issue of leaner retention, we share the Minister’s satisfaction with achievements that have been attained in spreading the net wider and reaching more people to access general public schooling. In the same breath, we have to register the fact that in some areas of our provinces, retention of learners is an ongoing challenge. The movement of learners from rural to urban areas is increasingly high; parents will always be looking for better employment opportunities elsewhere. In other instances, parents opt to take their children out from what they consider to be dysfunctional schools. This is an increasingly common factor that continues to be a concern because, when they move, they create overcrowding in those schools and they present challenges for the infrastructure as well.

Regarding your proposal, hon Minister, to revive technical high schools, we pledge our full support for this very important endeavour as we share the truism that technical and artisanal skills are the bedrock upon which the developmental future trajectory of our country is dependent on.

Currently, in the Eastern Cape, we are also drawing up proposals and data on our technical education schools. Furthermore, we are working on the twinning of our own Further Education and Training Colleges with these technical high schools to ensure that we enhance what comes out of these technical schools.

The Eastern Cape also had its sizable number of 500 matriculants, but it is equally true, hon Minister, that the number that is sitting and writing exams is not the number that was attending. There has been a remarkable decrease in the number.

Also, as a province, we welcome the plan meant to reshape adult education and training. We share the concern as far as conditions of service for Adult Basic Education and Training, Abet, educators are concerned and, in that regard, we urge that the Green Paper that deals with this matter be fast-tracked.

In terms of the department’s programme to extend opportunities for enhanced teacher education and development, as the Eastern Cape we have availed 82 posts meant to place Fundza Lushaka Bursary recipients, and all those who have gone through have been absorbed into the system. So, thank you very much, hon Minister.

We also commend the introduction of the Continuing Professional Teacher Development system. All of us realise that teacher demand and supply indicates a continuous shortage of educators as a result of a variety of factors including natural attrition. This means that, increasingly, the production of teachers is becoming a challenge, more especially in mathematics and science.

As the Eastern Cape’s department of education, we share in the excitement and contentment that has been created by the conclusion of the agreement with teacher unions that has given rise to the Occupation-Specific Dispensation. The diverse range of important areas that this covers marks an important milestone in the history our education system since 1994. Whilst the rewards are significant for our teaching corps, so are the responsibilities that have been brought into contention as part of the whole new package.

In conclusion, as the department, we continue to ensure that the programmes and the policies that you put across are supported and we will apply them as well to ensure that we will put those policies into practice. The last thing that I want to talk about is the revisiting of the school governing bodies, SGBs, in terms of appointing the educators. Thank you. [Time expired.]

Ms K A KGAREBE: Mme Mmusakgotla le botlhe, ke a le dumedisa. [Madam Speaker and everybody, I greet you all.]

The allocation of money to some schools does not meet the necessary requirements. The no-fee schools should be equal to schools in the same place.

Shortcomings observed in rural areas in Bophirima, North West, especially in secondary and high schools are the following: A total of 10% of educators are employed temporarily; there is no furniture such as tables and chairs for learners; there is a shortage of learner books; there are no toilets for both learners and educators; there are no administration blocks, laboratories, libraries, etc, and the feeding schemes in primary schools are poorly run.

UCDP e dumela gore mosele wa pula o epiwa go sale gale. Thuto e natefela bana le barutabana fa tikologo e sireletsegile. Patlelo e nne le kobo ya segwagwa, bojang, ditlhare,le legora la nkame ke go tlhabe di kgabise.

Fa re lebelela dirutwa, barutabana ga ba tlhaloganye mokgwa o moša wa go ruta. Batlhatlheledi le bone ba itoma diteme fela. Bothata jo bo etegetse mme ga bo na mong go bo rarabolola. UCDP e kopa gore barutabana ba katisiwe sentle, go nne le poapoelo ya katiso ka nako e e lekaneng. UCDP e amogela tekanyetsokabo go tswa Lefapheng la Thuto go ya dikolong ka diatla tsoopedi. Ke a leboga. (Translation of Setswana paragraphs follows.)

[The UCDP believes in proper advance planning. It holds the view that educators and learners will enjoy teaching and learning when it takes place in a secure environment, with playgrounds well taken care of, schools with water, lawns, trees and a security fence.

With regard to school subjects, neither educators nor examiners understand the new teaching method; there is no solution to this problem. The UCDP is requesting the proper training of educators. The UCDP supports the Budget Vote of the Department of Education meant for school support. Thank you.]

Ms C M CRONJÉ (KwaZulu-Natal): Chairperson, education, in the words of former President Nelson Mandela, ``is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.”

I want to talk about access to education, first of all. Taking our lead from our Freedom Charter, we have taken our task of promoting greater access to education in KwaZulu-Natal very seriously. Proof of our success is the constant growth in enrolment figures for the Senior Certificate Examination from just over 97 000 in 2003 to a record number of over 148 000 in 2007. We’ve increased access to matric dramatically by truly opening the doors of learning to all. We’ve stopped the practice of gate-keeping and enrolling learners and in some instances whole schools, as used to happen to part-time candidates, who then disappeared from the statistics.

At the same time, the standard required to pass has been vastly improved. Rote learning is being replaced by analytical thinking and the ability to apply knowledge. As we speak, as the hon Minister has said, in our province alone, over 100 000 young people and some not so young people are writing the supplementary matric exams.

Of 170 000 candidates countrywide, over 100 000 come from KwaZulu-Natal, and I think this is clear evidence of the seriousness and the hunger for education amongst our people. We really wish all the candidates well, especially those who haven’t studied for quite a while because, obviously, 100 000 is not only last year’s failure by any stretch of the imagination. There are people who left school many years ago and they are now eager and willing and ready to get their matric, and we really wish them well.

Incidentally, hon Mrs Vilakazi, as far as language is concerned, and in particular isiZulu in KwaZulu-Natal, I think it’s not generally known that under the ANC government many more schools now offer isiZulu as a language. We took a policy decision to say to all our schools that they must at least offer isiZulu as a subject and they really have responded extremely positively to that call made by our Premier as well as myself.

The other fact that’s not well known is that more schools now offer isiZulu as a first language than under the IFP government, and we can provide you with the figures; they are there and we’ve researched that.

Our infrastructure budget contributes to the alleviation of poverty. In the past financial year, in terms of our fast-track programme alone and that’s only one leg to our infrastructure plans, about 3 190 jobs were created and this has provided an income to primarily youth and women entrepreneurs. We give preference to them. These small contractors have grown in some instances from GB 1 right up to GB 5 and they are now able to compete with some of the construction giants and we’re very proud of this achievement.

The historical backlogs in KwaZulu-Natal are enormous. Let me make it very clear to this House. The ANC government did not demolish schools - they were not there. We did not demolish libraries – they were not there. We did not demolish laboratories – they were not there.

In 2003 a report was tabled and you will remember that that’s before the 2004 elections when we took over. Shocking shortages were revealed. For instance, to give you but one figure because of my time constraints, it was identified then that there was a backlog of 4 467 classrooms alone. I’m not talking about other things.

Further investigation, however, when we took over showed that these were underestimated because what happened when that research was conducted is that any structure was ticked off as being a structure whether it was of mud, wood or collapsing. So, there were underestimations.

In 2006-07, the National Education Information and Management System conducted a report nationally and found in our province alone close to 1 350 non-brick structures, i.e. wood and mud structures which will require those structures alone to be replaced - and I am not talking about the host of other things. This alone will require R2,4 billion to replace over a number of years.

To eradicate all our current infrastructure backlogs, we’ve done our estimates pretty well. They are informed estimates. We estimate that we will require R25 billion and that is money that we don’t have.

Our total infrastructure budget for this financial year is R1,2 billion. The increases as far as money available for infrastructure is concerned is dramatic and, yet, because of the historical neglect of in particular our African schools, we sit in a situation in KwaZulu-Natal where we need R25 billion to ensure that our schools are schools in the true sense of the word.

I know, hon Minister, you have often posed the question: What is a school? Is a school a long building with four classrooms or is it a school in the true sense of the word where we can say that is a school? Now, for us to be at a stage where there are approximately 6 000 schools, they are schools in the true sense of the word. [Interjections.]

The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Mrs M N Oliphant): Order! There’s a point of order.

Mr O M THETJENG: Chairperson, can the hon speaker indicate to us what she means by African schools?

The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Mrs M N Oliphant): Hon Thetjeng, you are out of order. Proceed, hon member. Ms C M CRONJÉ: If the hon member needs an explanation, I will explain to him afterwards, and I will gladly do so.

The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Mrs M N Oliphant): Okay, sit down hon Thetjeng.

Ms C M CRONJÉ: Hon members, I have been mandated by my legislature, through the portfolio committee on education, to bring this plight to the National Council of Provinces because we are very proud of the fact that we’ve spent our infrastructure budget. It’s not a question of us not spending our infrastructure budget. In fact, the truth is we have slightly overspent, slightly within the margin but we have slightly overspent our infrastructure budget. They said to me at a meeting we had yesterday: If you say nothing else in the House, please bring to the attention of members the plight as far as infrastructure in our province is concerned.

I want to reiterate: It’s not because we demolished the schools, hon members and hon Vilakazi; they were not there. However, let me tell you we have made good progress. The positive side is that, since 2004 when this government took over, we delivered 19 proper fully-fledged schools.

Hon Vilakazi, I think you should listen: 5 287 classrooms and 12 686 toilets. Now can you imagine what a backlog there was with toilets? We have built, since 2004, about 12 686 toilets and we are still not where we need to be. There are still schools with inadequate toilets. There are still schools with toilets that are collapsing. So you can imagine: We have erected 2 313 water tanks and we have sunk 50 boreholes. We’ve linked 250 schools with existing electricity lines and 50 with piped water and we have fenced 384 schools in the past two years alone.

We have spent our infrastructure wisely and in the previous 2007-08 financial year we made a decision that instead of just adding classrooms and toilets, we now need to look at other essential infrastructure as well.

So, we’ve added 14 media rooms known as libraries, 42 computer rooms, 36 science laboratories, 18 nutrition centres and 160 administration blocks because most of our schools had no admin blocks. So, it’s maybe a drop in the ocean but those 160 administration blocks have made a significant difference to the lives of the principals and the teachers who have to teach at those schools.

Can you imagine the situation that we inherited where the principal did not have an office? Sometimes there was an old ‘mjondolo” [shack] somewhere in the back, sometimes there was nothing. So, we are addressing that.

In the 2008-09 financial year, the one that we’re in now, we will be constructing 11 completely new schools, 2 000 new classrooms, 2 750 toilets and we hope that we will report our success next year.

Dr F J VAN HEERDEN: Madam Chair, 106 years ago, Lord Milner who was instructed to do the reconstruction of the Boer republics after the Anglo- Boer War said that he had failed in the process of reconstruction, denationalisation and anglicization of the Afrikaner. What he failed to achieve, the Minister these days, as a black African “Englishman” living in South Africa, is trying to achieve.

Madam Chair, I would like to support Mrs Vilakazi in saying that the indigenous languages are being neglected in schools. I fully support her there. She was repudiated by the hon MEC from KwaZulu-Natal, who indicated that there are several schools in which isiZulu is the first language. I take it then that that would be the language of instruction. I accept her credibility in that regard. I have no reason to doubt that.

Be that as it may, Madam Chair …

As ons dan kyk na wat die geval met Afrikaans is, was daar, volgens ‘n ondersoek wat in 2004 gedoen is, in ses van die nege provinsies ‘n 60% vermindering van suiwer Afrikaanse skole; van ongeveer 1 400 tot ongeveer

1. (Translation of Afrikaans paragraph follows.)

[If we look at what has happened in the case of Afrikaans, according to an investigation done in 2004, in six of the nine provinces, there has been a 60% decrease in Afrikaans-only schools; from approximately 1 400 to 800.]

Madam Chair, there is a very limited understanding among those in government and in senior management of the way in which English erodes minor languages under the system of dual and parallel-medium instruction and ultimately imposes linguistic and cultural uniformity.

The bilingual school and university system generally has only the appearance of equality. Even there, it is a balance at the level of courses; it is in fact unbalanced in favour of the language which dominates the environment outside the school. Bilingualism in education is thus generally bilingualism in transition which, in the long run, facilitates linguistic assimilation.

Nog ‘n voorbeeld is in die Noordwesprovinsie te vinde, waar daar van ‘n totaal van 257 enkelmedium Afrikaanse skole tans net 50 oor is. [Tyd verstreke.] (Translation of Afrikaans paragraph follows.)

[Another example is the case of the North West province, where there are only 50 Afrikaans single-medium schools left out of a previous total of

1. [Time expired.]]

Dr P A MOTSOALEDI (Limpopo): Chairperson, hon Minister and hon Minister of Public Works, colleagues, hon members, thank you for this opportunity.

Minister, we truly support the fact that you declared this year in your Budget Vote - for everybody to hear - that education changes lives and that education changes communities. In Limpopo, in further supporting you, we write in all our documents that education is a precondition for development. I see from KwaZulu-Natal, my colleague Ina Cronjé saying education …

Noma kanjani. [Whatever it takes.]

I want to quote from that revolutionary who provided free education in his country and who initiated a massive literacy campaign which exists nowhere in the world, from which all of us are learning – the former President of Cuba, Fidel Castro – about education. He said, and I quote:

I harbour the most absolute conviction that only education can save our species. Only education has received the exceptional privilege of a fabulous intelligence with the capacity of creating unimaginable values and transmitting and acting in accordance with them, without which human beings would be nothing more than the blind product of the laws of nature, full of instincts and impulses, which could never merit qualification of people.

In Limpopo, over the past few years, as we came to this House, we used to report three main problems: Shortage of staff, which we said was legendary; a lack of infrastructure, which many people have spoken about, and a shortage of skills. I want to report to this House that all these problems are being solved very successfully. Minister, I don’t particularly want to say that money has ever been enough but this year’s budget has brought in lots of serious possibilities which we could never have dreamed about. In fact, in Limpopo, I told the House that the provision made in the budget speech we read this year has never been there since 1994, ever since the ANC-led government declared education and health its top priorities.

We further said that education is a societal issue, no longer a government or a departmental issue. I want leaders to take responsibility to understand this because I am listening to many leaders just making lots of noise without facts and without any understanding of the real issue. Now, I’ve got a problem with this because in my former life I was once a medical doctor at a hospital and I have learnt that, before you try to treat any disease, you must make a correct diagnosis first. Therefore, make a correct diagnosis and understand exactly what you are talking about.

What are we talking about in the South African education system? Are these all the issues people are mentioning here – the ANC-led government is not building classrooms - as hon Ina Cronjé did. We are even accused of having built laboratories, libraries and school halls which have never been there before. Is that really a problem?

I recall this particular debate as long ago as 1996, when the then apartheid government provided some R30 million to all political parties in Limpopo to form a trust under the Independent Development Trust, IDT, to build schools. At that time they thought it was a lot of money. We opened one of these schools, a primary school in Mankweng, just next to the campus gate of the University of Limpopo, which was built by this trust where political parties were participating. One of the leaders of these political parties who fortunately failed to make it even into the first government, spoke before me and attacked and said something like what they are saying here already: That this ANC government will never build schools with libraries, laboratories; they will never build enough classrooms. In fact he said we are going to continue building the Bantustan type of schools etc. He went on and everybody was laughing, believing that of course he was scoring political points.

When I stood up, they believed I would fall into the same trap and start rattling the types of things we are doing. I told him these words, and I want leaders here to understand: I am not spending sleepless nights because black learners are learning under trees and shacks and in all the dilapidated buildings. That does not worry me. I am not spending sleepless nights because of that. Everybody thought I was mad. I said that is nothing. This ANC-led government is going to solve that within a reasonable space of time, and I can prove with figures that we are doing that.

I told Moretla that what is making me spend sleepless nights is when and whether indeed this ANC-led government will be able to reverse the arrest in human development that occurred over 50 years of Bantu education and colonial rule in this country. That is the main problem that this country is facing is because human development was reversed for over 50 years, not by the ANC government but by those who are making noise here today. And they believe within 13 years that could be changed.

Let me relate another story because you don’t understand. Again, I worked at a hospital. If you commit a mistake in a hospital ward, somebody may die. If a doctor commits a mistake – and to err is human – somebody might die. We will obviously go to the graveyard to bury the deceased and we will mourn. But time is likely to heal us. One family might have lost. But if you commit a mistake inside a classroom, nobody will die, but I can tell you are going to have moving corpses – corpses moving above their graves for many generations to come, which is what the National Party did in this country together with their Bantustan cohorts who are making noise. [Laughter.] That you cannot reverse in one day and death will not occur in one family, it will occur in the rest of society for many years for generations. That is what the ANC government is faced with.

On this story we are mentioning here about facilities and so on, many African countries can’t even afford half of what the ANC government can afford, but because there was no Bantu education, they are doing better than us. Because there was no arrest in human development, they are doing better than us. When we want doctors, when we want teachers in mathematic and science and technologies, we went to them because there was no arrest in human development. So help us reverse this arrest which was not brought about by the ANC but by the parties you are actually supporting today. [Applause.]

To prove what I was saying: Minister, you know you came to Limpopo and you opened a state-of-the-art school with a state-of-the-art library, state-of- the-art laboratory, state-of-the-art computer centre, and a home economics centre with all the facilities. We built three last year. In terms of this year’s budget, we are going to build 27 such schools. [Applause.]

Just two years ago, there were problems around further education and training, FET, colleges – problems of facilities. Minister, you gave us R225 million for recapitalisation. If you come to Limpopo - and I think all the other provinces – and if you go to an FET college, you will find all these workshops such as electrical engineering, design and mechanics, with all the facilities and equipment. The problem is you will never find enough skilled South Africans to run those things. That is the problem that I have mentioned. That is the problem that this country is facing.

At the moment, Minister, I’ve got money to hire 1 600 mathematics teachers in Limpopo. This country of 50 million people, black and white, is not able to provide them. Even in areas where the National Party was ruling and was supported cannot provide me with the 1 600 teachers. I had to cross the border into Zimbabwe to get those teachers. Our hospitals are manned by Zimbabweans. That is why we are so embarrassed and ashamed that they are being chased around today and being called makwerekwere’’ and foreigners.’’ They are running this country because there was no arrest in human development in their countries and because they never had mad parties. Even during colonialism they never had such parties as we had here in South Africa where people believed far more must be provided with a very inferior education.

Because of this reason, hon Minister, in Limpopo we want to concentrate on this issue of … [Time expired.] [Applause.] Mr W M DOUGLAS: Hon Chairperson, hon Minister, hon members and guests, I greet you all in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. The ACDP is pleased about government’s decision to allocate the biggest share of the 2008-09 Budget to education. Access to quality education and training for all South Africans is essential and the benefits of this education and training will definitely influence every facet of life in the future.

It is also noted that the Education budget has increased from R160 billion in 2007-08 to R121 billion in 2008-09, with R5 billion added for the school infrastructure and nutrition programmes. The need for basics such as nutrition is vital for the success of learners. Therefore, the ACDP would like government to prioritise the roll-out of the nutrition programme to secondary schools in marginalised areas.

However, the ACDP is concerned about early childhood development. In 2007 I attended the World Forum for Early Childhood Development and Education in Kuala Lumpur. I was saddened by the poor light in which South Africa was put because of our lack of funding prioritisation for early childhood development.

Accordingly, the ACDP applauds government for finally making provision for early childhood development and for expanding access to programmes, particularly for children in rural areas, farming and other marginalised communities. Young children have rights in South Africa and are supposedly well-protected by the Constitution and laws. However, many children do not enjoy these rights, as the majority of young children in South Africa do not have the right to access to quality ECD services.

In 2004, according to a United Nations report, South Africa was one of four countries in sub-Saharan Africa that spent less than 0,5% of its total education budget on pre-primary education. South Africa only committed a very small portion of the Education budget to early childhood development in 2007, despite the research that was done that stated that children who profit from early child development are more likely to cope well at school, go on to tertiary education and become economically productive.

The early years of a child’s life are a time when they realise concepts, skills and attitudes that lay the foundation for lifelong learning. These include the attainment of language and perceptual motor skills required for learning to read and write.

The Education for All Global Monitoring Report for 2007 identified South Africa as a low spender along with Burundi, Senegal and Swaziland. However, evidence indicated that the higher an African country’s pre-primary enrolment ratio, the higher its primary school completion rate, and the lower its repetition rate in primary school. Of the over one million pupils who enrolled for Grade 1 in South Africa this year, less than 400 000 of them attended a Grade R class last year. According to the Institute for Democracy in South Africa, Idasa, the funding that Grade R pupils are getting as compared to other primary school learners does not persuade one that it is a priority. Of course, all eyes will also be on provinces that should be held accountable in terms of their responsibility to adequately budget. We support this budget. I thank you. [Time expired.] [Applause.]

The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Mr T S Setona): Chairperson, hon Minister of Education, Deputy Minister in absentia, distinguished special delegates, Director-General in absentia, Deputy Directors-General, hon members, leaders and members of civil society, fellow friends, colleagues and comrades, we are assembled in this august House this afternoon to consider and approve how much financial resources should be allocated to the Department of Education in this current financial year.

For some in this House, this may seem like a ritual and normal business of Parliament at this time of the year, but for us in the ANC, we see it as a moment for critical reflection on how far we have moved in terms of the fundamental transformation of our society and the vision of the Freedom Charter.

We do this by drawing inspiration from the clarion call of the premier liberation movement of our people, the ANC, on the occasion of its 8 January Statement when it declared that, and I quote: Over the next five years, we need to undertake a concerted campaign to support and promote the continued transformation of education. This is a task that requires a long-term view.

I think that is very profound. It is not something you achieve overnight or within 13 years. The statement continues:

Education must be elevated from being a departmental issue, or even a government issue, to a societal issue that occupies the attention and energy of all our people. Education is fundamental to the achievement of the society envisaged in the Freedom Charter.

That is the 8 January 2008 Statement of the ANC. Hon Minister, we argued in the 2007 budget policy debate that one of the strategic mistakes we committed as a liberation movement, post the democratic breakthrough of 27 April 1994, was to allow the demobilisation of the popular movement for education transformation like the National Education Co-ordinating Committee. I am not saying we must revive the National Education Co- ordinating Committee.

I am saying that our ability and capacity to fundamentally alter the current situation within our education system needs the united vision behind a common programme by all social forces in South Africa. That needs a very strong powerful united front, with a common vision around education. The state alone cannot achieve that irrespective of how much budget we might allocate to the department. I think the ANC has captured that in the 8 January Statement.

Critical to the message in the ANC 8 January Statement above is the underlying strategic imperative to mobilise the widest possible front of social forces behind the common programme and vision for the transformation of our education in partnership with government. Hon Minister, in your speech last year, you intelligently contextualised this strategic imperative by saying, and I quote:

The awful history of education denial and poor learning performance requires us, as South Africa’s education leaders, to plan and imagine beyond the confines of positions we occupy in government and society. I hope to encourage the development of a set of agreed approaches that will move beyond sectoral polemics to real change for learners and students.

The broad movement for education transformation alluded to above, holds immense possibilities for the realisation of the strategic intent of moving beyond sectoral polemics. It is a broad movement where the country’s collective approach and vision on a variety of matters facing our education system could be canvassed beyond narrow sectoral interests.

Strengthening parents’ ownership and participation in the education of their children is a key critical component of the national effort to make education a societal issue. This participation cannot be limited to school governing bodies, but should be integral to day-to-day wellbeing of a child as a learner. It cannot be right that as parents, we only learn to know about the performance, or lack thereof, of our children when we receive their performance reports at the end of the year.

This should be our daily task as the parents - to demand to know how our children are performing by also helping them to improve where they have deficiencies. That is what the ANC is saying. This is basically capturing the essence of the popular movement for education transformation in the 1980s that I have alluded to above.

The strategic plan of the department for the 2008-12 Medium-Term Expenditure Framework period has shown evidence of high levels of policy stability whilst accommodating flexible scope for change and continuity to meet the demands of the changing circumstances. Hon Minister, we welcome this development and assure you of our continued support in our ongoing oversight and monitoring of the department.

In terms of constitutional design, education is a concurrent function. That is where we really need to do a lot of workshops. [Interjections.] With due respect, through you, Chairperson, the hon Thetjeng used a description of our education system - that it was like a yoyo. [Interjections.] The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Mrs M N Oliphant): Hon member, do you have a point of order?

Mr O M THETJENG: [Inaudible.] … because whatever is being said, I don’t think I appreciate it. I would like the hon member to learn to address me correctly.

The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Mrs M N Oliphant): Hon member, Mbize ngesibongo esiyiso. [Call him by his correct surname.]

The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Mr T S Setona): The hon member is treating our education system like a yoyo. The converse of what he is saying is not about what our education system looks like at this juncture. The reality is that his mindset is like a yoyo. [Laughter.] I want to explain why am I saying this. A yoyo cannot do any other thing. It cannot move to the left, right or to the centre, but it can only go up and down. That is why the hon member, as a public representative, does not understand the basic thing which a Grade 3 child can.

The hon member does not understand that the Minister of Education does not have the legal and constitutional rights and powers to fire an official who is employed by a provincial department of education. That is the yoyo mentality that this House must combat. [Laughter.]

Last year, during the budget policy debate on the same Education Vote, the hon Minister called for a closer examination and review of the current financial and structural arrangements that exist in our concurrent constitutional design as defined in our Constitution. We restate this perspective that was articulated by the Minister, because in our oversight role as members of Parliament and the NCOP in particular, I think the time has come for us to know what kind of issues should actually be proposed through this House, to the relevant provincial departments, and which should be taken up directly with the national departments.

I will make an example. In terms of the Constitution and the current design, there are certain issues that are an exclusive domain of the national department and those that are a functional competency of the provincial department. If you are not able to make that particular distinction, you will continue making the wildcat calls like the hon member here from the DA who was calling on the Minister to go and fire or rescind the suspension of officials who have been suspended by the provincial departments of education, which is not a constitutional competency of the hon Minister.

I am aware that I am only left with 20 seconds. In the final analysis, our select committee welcomes the current budget proposal. On behalf of the ANC, we want to support that particular budget. I am happy that the hon Dr Van Heerden is here. Dr Van Heerden, I want to remind you that when you were still a member of the National Party, I was only 17 years old. You were once mandated to meet the leadership of the youth in the Free State. [Time expired.] Okay, thanks, I will say that in the next debate. [Applause.] [Laughter.]

The MINISTER OF EDUCATION: Chairperson, hon members, thank you very much. Allow me to begin, Chairperson, by recording my thanks to the Director- General Duncan Hindle; to our Deputy Directors-General who all work so hard, and to the Deputy Minister of Education who is attending the binational commission with Nigeria in Abuja, together with our Deputy President and several other colleagues in the executive. The Deputy Minister wished to be here as a former chief whip, because we are not sure if we will ever have another opportunity to be at this podium, given that we are approaching elections next year. He had to do the duties assigned to him and accompany the Deputy President.

I wish also to thank my advisers in the Education Ministry, the officials in my Ministry and generally in the department for the support they have always rendered to me. I’d like as well, Chairperson, to briefly acknowledge the presence here of the brand new Vice-Chancellor of the University Fort Hare, Dr Mvuyo Tom. I understand that he is here. If you could wave, so that we can see you. [Applause.] I saw one of the deputy presidents of the SA Democratic Teachers’ Union, Sadtu, – I don’t know if she is still here. I also saw executive members of the teachers unions, principals of further education and training, FET, colleges, Mr Dave Balt – a tough unionist - in the gallery up there. We are very pleased that you are paying attention to the debate.

In replying to the debate, Chairperson, let me say, firstly, that in fact with respect to the teaching of isiZulu as a first language, since 2004 when this team took office, we have had an increase of the 1 471 schools, with an addition of 176 more schools offering isiZulu as a first language in KwaZulu-Natal. I think we need to acknowledge progress where progress is being made. We are very pleased to be able to state here that we are fully supportive of mother-tongue education – I’ve stated this and it is our policy - and ensuring that the previously marginalised languages of South Africa do get resources and attention in our education system. I think sometimes, hon members, when our colleagues count the number of schools offering Afrikaans, for example, as a medium of instruction, they tend to discount those schools in Elsies River, Mitchells Plain, Manenberg, Bonteheuwel and other parts of the country where Afrikaans as a medium of instruction is utilised. Therefore they undercount the number of schools that are using Afrikaans as a medium of teaching. We need to be very careful about carrying out an analysis which sees one part of our community and not the other parts that make it up.

On the matter of infrastructure backlog, I am pleased that we are making progress. As colleagues have said, much more needs to be done. I would not want a Minister, 25 years hence, to stand up and say: We still need another billion to build the 25 000 classrooms that are necessary in KwaZulu-Natal. If KwaZulu-Natal says: Today we need R25 billion to address our backlogs and R1 billion has been available, it will take us 24 more years to complete the backlog that we need to address. We can’t wait that long. Our children can’t wait that long. Therefore, we need to look at innovative ways of addressing the challenge of infrastructure. We need to look at innovative funding solutions. We need to look at faster delivery of infrastructure resources and we are addressing these matters.

On the question of temporary teachers, we have said to our provinces: Let us stop the practice of “permanent” temporary teachers in our schooling system, and many provinces have addressed this particular challenge. You have some attrition. You might have people on leave for a range of reasons, so such posts might occur. But, if a person is temporary for more than six months, I think we have a problem in the school and we have agreed with the colleagues that this must not be allowed to happen. I therefore call on the provinces, as I have done before, to advertise vacant posts as they become available and vacant – rather than this process of advertising once a year. We have agreed that we would advertise on a more consistent basis than has been the practice before.

We are looking at how we address the matter of scholar transport more effectively. On the matter of the libraries and laboratories, well, if the hon Thetjeng and the hon members in this House could vote me the money that would allow me to build libraries as the national Minister, I would be very happy to do so. No, the money is not with this Minister. It is in the provinces. If specific money could be provided for specific initiatives, which Parliament could do, then perhaps we could address some of these matters much more directly.

Certainly, special education and special needs is an area that we must do more on. We are addressing the matter. I don’t know why the members are fighting among themselves. They have no power to address the matters I am referring to, except to allocate more funding to us. Don’t fight. Listen to what we are doing. We have indicated how we will improve and address facilities for special education. I would urge hon members to become familiar with the programmes outlined in our strategic plan and in our annual report.

I think it would take many, many months to deal with the whole range of issues that have been addressed. I have said that food security is a matter that we are looking at. Government is very concerned about the impact on families of the rising food prices and therefore the expansion to secondary schools is a matter that we are costing and considering. Hopefully, when the work has been done, we will be able to make announcements as to what steps we intend to take. We are, of course, very concerned to ensure that more and more children do find that they are provided with food.

Hon member Makgatho of the Eastern Cape, I welcome the steps that have been taken by the hon MEC in addressing many of the challenges that the province has confronted. It is not easy to turn around education, as members have said. You are dealing with people. You are dealing with 12 million children in our schools. You are dealing with over 360 000 teachers in our schools. You are dealing with 470 000 students in our FET colleges. You are dealing with over 740 000 students in our universities and universities of technology.

All those individuals have families associated with them. Each parent believes they know what should be happening in a school or college or a university. And every South African you meet in a queue in a shop knows what should be happening in a school, or a college or in a university. It is not the easiest of areas to deal with.

What we do know and undertake is that we cannot continue with a system that does not deliver the goods. We must and will do better. We are addressing the challenges. We are responding. We want to improve the performance at the Grade 12 levels or the national senior certificate. This would be written for the first time this year. We want to see more maths and science passes. We want to see more young people becoming skilled artisans. We want to see more engineers. We want to produce more scientists. We want to do better. We believe we can and must do better. It is through education that you fundamentally alter a society. You cannot have development based on ignorance. Knowledge builds. Knowledge supports. Knowledge advances. Therefore, our call is that every South African must recognise that we must each play a role in education, in its change. Education changes lives. Education changes communities. As has been the call by the ANC, we should have a national campaign. It is an important one. It cannot be that this school that the hon Thetjeng referred to should be allowed to exist as a school with that same school principal. It should not be acceptable that for 5 years you underperform and you remain in your post. There is something wrong. Therefore, this proposal and policy is that every school principal and deputy will have to sign from this year a performance contract, and we will act on it, monitor it and ensure that we do deliver the levels of quality that are necessary for our system of education.

I conclude by saying: I believe we know what must be done. The issue we must address is to do what must be done. Each one of us - parent, friend, community, learner, teacher, rector, principal - everybody doing what must be done will ensure that, finally, South Africa gets the quality education that every person and child in our country deserves. I thank you, Chairperson. [Applause.]

Debate concluded.

                         APPROPRIATION BILL

                           (Policy debate)

Debate on Vote No 15 – Public Works:

UNGQONGQOSHE WEZEMISEBENZI YOMPHAKATHI: Sihlalo, Phini likaNgqongqoshe woMnyango Wezemisebenzi Yomphakathi, ubaba uNtopile Kganyago, ozakwethu abamele izifundazwe kuwo lo Mnyango uma bekhona, amalungu eNdlu yesiShayamthetho amele izifundazwe, iziphathimandla zoMnyango ziholwa uMqondisi-Jikelele uMnumzane Manye Moroka, ozihlalo kanye nabaphathi bezinhlangano zikahulumeni ngokuhlukana kwazo esithi ama-Public Entities kanye nawo wonke umuntu ozimazise le nkulumo.

Kuyintokozo enkulu kithi ukuthi siphinde sime phambi kwale Ndlu yesiShayamthetho emele izifundazwe kunye namalungu ayo. Njengoba nazi futhi kuyinjwayelo ukuthi iminyaka yonke oNgqongqoshe kumele beze phambi kwenu ukuzochaza nathi-ke futhi sizocacisa kabanzi ngesabiwomali kulo Mnyango Wezemisebenzi yoMphakathi. Ngikusho lokhu ngoba yini eningamehlo nezindlebe zemiphakathi okumele thina njengohulumeni sibambisane nawo ukuthuthukisa izimpilo zawo.

Ngithanda futhi ukuthi sikhumbuzane ukuthi eminyakeni emine edlule. Sthi singuhulumeni yize sesihambe ibanga elide, izingqinamba esisabhekene nazo njengobuphofu nobubha, intuthuko engakafinyeleli kuwo wonke umuntu, nokuntuleka kwemisebenzi zisekhona. Futhi yilona khwelo elenziwa yinhlangano kaKhongolose uma ikhankasela ukhetho lwango2004. Sazibophelela- ke njengohulumeni ekutheni konke esikwenzayo ezinhlelweni zethu kuyomele senze okusemandleni ethu ukuthi sizame ukwakha amathuba emisebenzi, amaqhinga okwakha imisebenzi kanye nokuqhubeka nokuthuthukisa imiphakathi kanye nabantu bayo.

Umbuzo okumele siwuphendule mhlawumbe namuhla ukuthi sesihambe ibanga elingakanani, futhi yikuphi okunye okumele sikwenze ukuze sifeze zonke lezi zinjongo nemigomo esazibekela yona phambilini. Kuyintokozo-ke kithi ukuthi namuhla sizokhuluma nani njengamalungu sisho ukuthi sesihambe sabeka kuphi ohlelweni lokwakha amathuba emisebenzi esithi yi-Expanded Public Works Programme.

Sizophinde sithi qaphu qaphu ngohlelo lokuthuthukisa intsha esilibiza ngokuthi yi-National Youth Service. Kanti futhi enkulumweni yethu sizophinde sicacise ngohlelo lokwakha izikhungo zikahulumeni njengezindawo zokubhasobha imingcele yaleli lizwe, amajele kanye nezikhungo zamanxusa angaphandle kwaleli. (Translation of isiZulu paragraphs follows.)

[The MINISTER OF PUBLIC WORKS: Chairperson, Deputy Minister of Public Works, hon Ntopile Kganyago, colleagues representing different provinces, if there are any present here, members of the National Council of Provinces, managers of the department led by the Director-General, Mr Manye Moroka, chairpersons and managers of different public entities, and all those who are listening to this Budget Vote, it is a great pleasure for us to be standing before the NCOP and its hon members. As you know, it is known that Ministers must stand before the House every year to explain about the allocation to their departments, and we too from the Department of Public Works are here to explain that. I am saying this because you are the eyes and the ears of the public that we have to work with as government in order to make their lives better.

I would like us to remind ourselves about what we said in the past four years. We said even though we have done a lot as government, there are a lot of challenges that we are still facing such as hunger and poverty, underdevelopment in certain areas and unemployment. And these were the issues raised by the African National Congress in its campaign strategy of the 2004 general elections. We committed ourselves as government that, in everything that we do, we would try and create employment opportunities, or come up with the means to create jobs so as to continue developing the communities and the people in those communities.

The question that we need to answer today is: How far have we gone and what else do we need to do so that we can achieve all the plans and objectives that we have set for ourselves? It gives us great pleasure to come here today and talk to you, hon members, and explain the distance we have travelled on the programme of job creation through the Expanded Public Works Programme.

We will also briefly explain about the youth development programme which is called the National Youth Service. In this speech, we will also talk about the government programme of repairing and maintaining all the border line bases, correctional facilities and the institutions of the ambassadors from other countries.]

Last year, when we stood before you, Chairperson and members, we made certain pronouncements, which I believe turned into deliverables. It is prudent that I report on this. Firstly, the finalisation and implementation of the property and construction charter, addressing, among other things, concurrent functions and intergovernmental relations, which this House oversees, has been done.

Secondly, we endeavour to amend performance strength with regards to our leasing portfolio, where we arrived at 95% seasoned landlords as opposed to 5% black economic empowerment as part of black economic empowerment, BEE, entities, at that time. I am happy to report that, as at 31 March 2008, we recorded an increase of 23% in BEE companies. This is still a small percentage, but it is an increase from last year.

Kubalulekile-ke ukuthi sisho kule Ndlu ukuthi yize sizama ukuvulela amathuba labo ababecindezelwe ngaphambilini, izinkinga zisekhona. Ngikhuluma nje enye yezinkampani yakhipha ngesihluku Ihhovisi Lamatayitela eGoli ngoba ingafuni ukuthi ihambisane nezinguquko esizilethayo, kanye naseNaspoti eMpumalanga, saba nenkinga efanayo. Lokhu-ke akusiqedanga umfutho kunalokho kusenze sazimisela kunakuqala ngoba phela ngeke silokhu sibuyela emuva singayi phambili. Intuthuko yona kumele ize, abantu ababecindezelwe kufanele bahlomule.

Senze nohlelo olukubeka kamhlophe ukuzimisela kwethu ngalolu hlelo esilubiza ngesu lokuthuthukisa ukungena kwabantu abamnyama embonini yezezindlu. (Translation of isiZulu paragraphs follows.)

[It is important to say to the House that even though we try to enhance job creation for those who were previously disadvantaged, challenges still exist. As I am talking to you, a certain company evicted the department’s tenants at the Deeds Office in Johannesburg because it wanted to resist the changes that this office was bringing about. We also had a similar incident in Nelspruit in Mpumalanga. This did not stop us; in fact, it caused us to be more determined than before because we cannot keep on going backwards; we need to go forward. The development must come and the people who were oppressed must benefit from it.

We have also initiated a programme called the Property Sector Charter which is aimed at helping black people to get into the property sector.]

We went on to confirm with this House, last year, that we will enrol about 10 000 young people in our National Youth Service programme, as the presidential state of the nation address indicated. We have, since, met that target and improved on target-setting in this financial year. We are currently working out an excellent plan to ensure that the rate of drop- outs, resulting from a number of reasons among which …

… Ukukhulelwa kwabafundi abancane abakulolu hlelo, okunye abanye balabo bafundi babone ungathi umsebenzi wokwakha unzima kakhulu bese beyayeka. Ezinye zalezi zinto okufanele siziqaphele ukuthi aziqhubeki nokwenzeka kulolu hlelo lwe-NYS.

Okusijabulisayo-ke thina ukuthi abanye balaba bantwana sebenomdlandla wokungenela izifundo zokwakha kanti abanye bafuna nokuthi babe yingxenye yalabo bantu abazoba ngasebelungele ukusebenza ukuze bacije amakhono ukuze phela sithuthukise ulwazi nakulo msebenzi wezokwakha. Ngithanda ukubonga izinkampani ezikhombise isasasa ukusisiza kanye neMinyango yezikole zokuqeqesha, esizibiza ngokuthi ama-Further Education and Training Colleges. (Translation of isiZulu paragraphs follows.)

[… the falling pregnant of the very few learners who are on this programme and also the dropouts who feel that the built environment profession is very difficult for them. We, however, have to note that some of these things are no longer happening in the NYS.

What makes us happy though is that some of these learners are now even eager to enrol in the built environment programmes, and others want to be part of those who will be ready to work in order to improve their skills, so that we can improve knowledge in the building sector. I want to thank all the companies that have shown interest in helping us as well as the different further education and training colleges.]

Our Expanded Public Works Programme, EPWP, has been a success story. As at 31 December 2007, we created 953 500 job opportunities. We are confident, therefore, that we will indeed meet our 2004 target of creating 1 million job opportunities by 2009. We are conscious, though, that even with these resounding successes, we can do more.

However, there are some concerns that were raised in this House last year. Some of them related to our capacity to drive the programme as well as to give support to other government entities and local government, in particular.

With resources allocated in this House, last year, we augmented our staff complement in the directorate responsible for EPWP. We now have 100 members of staff from a mere 34 we had last year. This has enabled us to give the necessary support to municipalities in particular.

The Expanded Public Works Support Programme, a partnership programme between us and the Business Trust has, indeed, assisted us in a number of ways, particularly at municipal level.

Ngingasho ngokungangabazi ukuthi eminyakeni ezayo siyokubona ukubaluleka kwalolu hlelo. Kukhona-ke nathi okungasigculisi njengoba abanye beke basho uma amalungu oMnyango efakana imilomo nani ngesu lohlelo lwethu kanye nesabiwomali. Ezinye zalezo zinto ngamalanga aba khona ekutheni laba bantu singakwazi ukubaqeqesha ngokwanele ngoba phela kwesinye isikhathi amathutshana emisebenzi aba mafushane kakhulu bese uthola ukuthi amakhono angabe bebengaba nawo mafushane kunakuqala. Ezinye zezinto esithi uma siqhubekela phambili kufanele sizilungise.

Kanti kwesinye isikhathi uye uthole ukuthi nosonkontileka esisebenzisana nabo abaluniki uxhaso kulaba bantu esisuke sibafake kulolu hlelo, ube usuthola ngesinye isikhathi ukuthi mhlawumbe nalezo zakhiwo esizakhayo zibe ntekenteke. Lokho-ke ezinye zezinto esizibonile okufanele sizilungise.

Kweminye imikhakha njengoba ngisho, izinsuku ziba zincane kakhulu. Lokhu-ke kube nomthelela emakhonweni angatholakala. Ezinye zezinto lezi esizozibheka ukuthi singazigwema kanjani bese senza izincomo esethemba ukuthi uhulumeni olandelayo oholwa uKhongolose ngoba siyoqhubeka nokuhola uyobe usuziphumelelisa. (Translation of isiZulu paragraphs follows.)

[I can say without any reservations that we will see the importance of this programme in the years to come. There are things that we are not happy about, as others have cited when the department’s officials were engaging in talks with you about our strategic plan and the budget allocation for this programme. Some of the challenges are that these days which are allocated for training these people are not adequate because, at times, we do not have enough time to train them sufficiently which results in them not having the required skills. These are some of the things that we must rectify going forward.

At times you find that some contractors with whom we work do not give the necessary support to the people that we have placed in this programme. And this sometimes makes the structures that we build unstable. Those are just some of the things that we have seen and that we have to rectify.

In other categories, as I have mentioned before, time allocated for training is not enough. This has an impact on the skills that could be acquired. These are some of the things that we are going to look at and then make recommendations that we hope the next government - which would still be led by the African National Congress because it is still going to lead - will implement.]

The national Department of Public Works, the Independent Development Trust and the provincial departments of public works and education continue to make strides, in terms of the Apex Priorities, to eradicate inappropriate school structures soon.

Sonke sezwile njengoba oNgqongqoshe kanye namalungu bebesho ukuthi impela ingqalasizinda kwezemf undo iseyinkinga kwezinye izindawo. Ngingasho kule Ndlu ukuthi maduzane nje le nhlangano esithi yi-Independent Development Trust izosinika imininingwane esizokwazi ukuthi ngabe kulezi zikole ezingamashumi amathathu ababethe bazozakha kule minyaka elandelayo kusukela onyakeni odlule sebehambe bafika kuphi nazo. Kodwa-ke ngingathi ukunihlephulela ukuthi kwezinye zalezo zikole iDalisoka yaseNyandeni sesiphothuliwe, abantwana sebeyafunda, isikole salapha ePitetifu nakhona esasikade sisesimweni esibucayi sisilungisile abantwana sebeyafunda.

Ekuqaleni futhi kwalo nyaka ukuze sithuthukise ubudlelwano, sibe nokuhlangana kukaNgqongqoshe kanye noNgqongqoshe bezifundazwe nabezemfundo, lapho sahlala khona kanye noNgqongqoshe nePhini lakhe kanye nozakwabo ezifundeni kanye nami nePhini lami, nozakwethu ezifundeni, sibheka ukuthi ngabe singasebenzisana kanjani ukuthi sakhe ngamandla lezi zikole ezidingekayo ikakhulukazi kulezo zikole ezazakhiwe yimiphakathi ngodaka ngaphambilini.

Siphinde-ke saxoxisana noMnyango Wezemfundo ukuthi kulolu hlelo noma isabiwomali s alo nyaka lapha bethole khona imali ebalelwa ku-R2 billion, sizosebenzesisana kanjani ukuthi impela sizilungise lezi zikole zodaka nalezo zikole esezisengcupheni ngikhuluma nje. Sicelile-ke sihlangene noMnyango Wezemfundo ukuthi abaqondisi bethu kanye namalungu eMinyango yethu awasize asinikeze uhlelo sinoNgqongqoshe Wezemfundo oluzosenza sibone ukuthi siyaphi kulo mshikashika wokulungisa lezi zikole.

Kodwa ngaphandle kwalokho, ngithanda nokubikela le Ndlu ukuthi i-IDT iziphothulile izikole ezibalelwa emashumini amabili nantathu ababecelwe uMnyango Wezemfundo esifundazweni saseGauteng. Okumnandi kakhulu kulokho ukuthi abantu abaningi ababe ngosonkontileka ekwakhiweni kwalezi zikole kube ngabantu abangomama - imbokodo yona othi ungayithinta ulubhekise kobabamkhulu. (Translation of isiZulu paragraphs follows.)

[We all heard the Ministers and members alike saying that education infrastructure is still a problem in some areas. I can say to this House that, very soon, the Independent Development Trust will give us the details of its progress as far as the building of the 30 schools that it was assigned to build starting from last year is concerned. But I can exclusively reveal that we have completed the building of Dalisoka Primary School in Nyandeni and the children have resumed their schooling. Another school in Piet Retief that was not in good order has been renovated and the children there have also resumed their schooling.

We had a meeting at the beginning of this year where the Minister of Public Works, her deputy and the provincial Ministers of Public Works met their counterparts in Education in order to strengthen our ties. We also looked at how we can work together in order to fast-track the building of schools that are needed, especially those that were previously built with mud by communities.

We engaged with the Department of Education in this year’s budget allocation where the Department of Education got about R2 billion. We did this so as to find ways of working together to rebuild schools built with mud that are posing a danger as I speak. We requested when we met with the Department of Education that our directors and the departments’ officials must give us and the Minister of Education a plan of action so that we may know the distance we have gone in renovating schools.

Besides that, the IDT has completed about 23 schools that were requested by the Department of Education in Gauteng. What is great about this is that most of the contractors for these schools were women and when you strike a woman, you strike a rock and you are dead.]

The department is currently conducting specific physical verification of all its properties and this exercise is intended to enhance our asset register. Two parastatals are assisting the department in this work. The first quarterly report is due on 15 July 2008 and it is expected that such a report will clearly depict what we own as the state. However, we have to confirm that we do have an electronic register which is usable even now, which is regularly updated but that will now be mirrored against the physical verification of all properties enabling us not to only approximate but to provide actual figures both at national and provincial spheres of government.

We continue to build on the firm foundation that has been created to develop and transform the building industry. The Register of Contractors, which is our barometer of contracting capacity, currently sits at more than 65 000 total registrations with grade 1 at about 80% of this number. More than 3 000 contractors have been upgraded of which about 87% are black. All these and other stakeholders need good quality service.

One of the things we have done to address the need to support the contractors is that we have been working with the Construction Industry Development Board to develop what we call Construction Contact Centres or Advisory Centres …

… sesinazo-ke lezi zakhiwo eGoli, ePitoli, eNtshonalanga Kapa kanye naseMpumalanga Kapa, eBisho, naseThekwini. Sizoqhubeka-ke futhi ukuthi sakhe ezinye izizinda ezibizwa ngama-Construction Contact Centres kwezinye izifundazwe esingakafinyeleli kuzo. (Translation of isiZulu paragraph follows.)

[… we have these centres in Johannesburg, Pretoria, Western Cape, Eastern Cape in Bisho and in Durban. We will continue building these Construction Contact Centres in other provinces that we have not yet reached.]

A lot of work has already been done between the department, National Treasury, the Development Bank of South Africa and the Construction Industry Development Board to improve the budgeting, planning and budget spent on infrastructure through the Infrastructure Development Improvement Programme.

Ngikusho-ke lokhu ngoba kufanele sikhumbule ukuthi enye inkinga kuye kungabi ukungabikhona kwemali, kodwa uye uthole ukuthi kwesinye isikhathi eminye iMinyango kahulumeni uma icela ukuthi siyakhele izakhiwo, ithatha isikhathi eside ukuthi ikwenze lokho bese kuthi ngesikhathi bethi masakhe noma besinika uhlelo lokwakha sekuseduze kokuthi kuphele unyaka. Sithe uma sihlangana noMnyango Wezemali, iBhange Lokuthuthukisa laseNingizimu ne- Afrika kanye neBhodi Lokwakha Nokuthuthukisa ngalokhu, sabonisana ngokuthi asakhe uhlelo lokuhlela ukuthi kufuneka ukuthi uma ngabe abantu benza umsebenzi wokwakha … (Translation of isiZulu paragraph follows.)

[I am saying this because we must also remember that the lack of funds is not always a problem. At times you find that when some government departments request us to build structures for them, they take a long time before making these requests or only make them towards the end of the financial year. When we met with the National Treasury, the Development Bank of Southern Africa and the Construction Industry Development Board, we discussed that we must have a programme so that we can know what needs be done during the building process …]

What is it that they need to put in place? I must say that this programme has actually borne fruit. We are starting to see improvement in spending both on Education and Health. This has enabled us now to roll-out this programme at municipality level, and we think it will help.

The Department of Public Works continues to support the Land Reform Programme through various means. In the 2007-08 financial year, the Department of Public Works approved the release of 525 hectares of state land valued at more than R54 million to the Department of Land Affairs and Agriculture. This transfer has gone to those programmes of the Department of Land Affairs and Agriculture such as the Land Redistribution for Agricultural Development, LRAD, as well as restitution in some cases.

As part of our legislative mandate and programme, we have submitted to Parliament the Expropriation Bill of 2008. The new Act will substitute the current Expropriation Act of 1975, which predates the Constitution and is therefore invalid. The thorough revision of this Act was ordered by Cabinet in order to ensure consistency with the spirit and provisions our Constitution, especially those sections dealing with equality, property rights, access to information and lawful, reasonable and procedural fair administrative decision-making.

Parliament is dealing with this piece of legislation and the public hearings have started nationwide. Today, the members of the Portfolio Committee in the NA are actually in the southern Cape to again offer communities an opportunity to express themselves around this legislation.

The Department of Public Works has been tasked with ensuring energy conservation in all state buildings. We recognise that the energy efficiency commitments need to be seen in the broader context with the national imperatives of increased investment, economic growth and job creation. We realised that this should be business-drives of efficiency, comparativeness and safety standards.

Therefore, its initiatives that are already underway will be allied with the target of the Power Conservation Programme to reduce the final energy demand of all the buildings owned and managed by us under our custodianship by 10%.

Mangithi nje ukunihlebela. Kwamanye amahhovisi kahulumeni ePitoli sesizamile ukuthi senze ucwaningo lokulinga olwaziwa nge-pilot study lapho kuzothi uma ngabe ungena, ugesi uzikhanyele nesiqandisimoya sisebenze bese kuthi uma uphuma, ucishe kube mnyama. Lokho kuzokwenza ukuthi nomuntu okhohlwayo ukucima ugesi uzicimele wona ngokwawo. Kuzosiza-ke lokhu ngokuthi sinciphise amandla okusebenza kukagesi ngokungadingekile.

Ngiyajabula nokho ukubona noNgqongqoshe wami, ubaba uLekota, ngoba ungomunye wabantu esibenzela umsebenzi. Sifuna ukuthi nalaphaya Kwezokuvikela kube mnyama kuthi tsu uma kungekho muntu osebenzayo. [Uhleko.] Ngiyazi ukuthi ungomunye wabantu abasixhasa kakhulu ngoba phela ngaphandle kwethu izingqalazizinda zabo azikho. (Translation of isiZulu paragraphs follows.)

[I can exclusively mention that, in other government offices in Pretoria, we have tried to conduct a pilot study. This will work this way: when you enter the office, the lights and the air conditioner automatically switch on and, when you leave, they automatically switch off. This will help those who forget to switch the lights off because they will switch off automatically.

I am happy to see the hon Lekota here with us because he is one of the people that we are rendering our services to. We also want make sure that the whole Department of Defence is pitch-black when there is no one working at the time. [Laughter.] I know that he is one of those people who support us because, without us, their centres will not exist.]

We are steaming ahead with all our responsibilities including the consolidation of the African agenda. Accordingly, this year we will see the commencement of the project to construct the Pan-African Parliament building in Midrand in Gauteng following the successful continental architectural design competition we held last year.

Sizokhumbula ukuthi siyiNingizimu Afrika ngesikhathi sikhankasela ukuthi sibe naleli Phalamende lase-Afrika kuleli zwe, sathi esinye sezethembiso esizenzayo sizobakhela iNdlu abazoyisebenzisa unomphela bayeke ukuba yiziqashi laphaya e-Gallagher Estate. Sakuthatha-ke lokhu kwaba wumthwalo wethu. (Translation of isiZulu paragraph follows.)

[We must remember that when South Africa was campaigning for the Pan- African Parliament to be in this country, we said that we were going to build a House which was going to be its permanent seat and it would stop renting Gallagher Estate. We took this upon ourselves.]

Saluthatha ke olu xanduva. Sithetha nje namhlanje siwunikezele umhlaba singulo rhulumente. Kwakhona, senzile ukuba makubekho iingcali eziza kusincedisa kulo mba. Ukuze ube yimpumelelo lo mba wokwakhiwa kwesi sakhiwo, kuza kubakho ukhuphiswano leengcali zokuyila izakhiwo.

Ndithetha nje sikwiphulo lokufuna iingcali eziza kusincedisa ukwakha le ndlu. Kungekudala siza kufuna iikhontraktha eziza kwakha le ndlu. Ndithemba ukuba xa igqityiwe iya kusenza nathi sizibone singabantu abasemgangathweni. Nabahlobo bethu bakuthi basebenzele endaweni esiya kuthi xa siyibona sizingce ngayo. (Translation of isiXhosa paragraphs follows.)

[We took this responsibility. As we speak today we, as the government, have handed over the land. Again, we made sure that there were experts to help us on this venture. For the construction of this building to be a success, there will be a competition of architectural experts.

As I speak now, we are on an mission to find experts to help us construct this building. Before long, we will have to find contractors to build. I trust that, when it is completed, it will make us feel like people with very high standards. Our friends will work in a place that will fill us with pride when we look at it.]

In November 2007, South Africa and the Democratic Republic of Congo, DRC, signed a Memorandum of Understanding on Co-operation on issues related to public works and infrastructure. A technical team is due to visit the DRC to investigate areas of co-operation as outlined by the national priorities of the government of DRC.

In February 2008, the Department of Public Works’ technical team visited the DRC to conduct a feasibility study on the refurbishment of the National School of Public Administration in Kinshasa.

In conclusion, indeed it is important to show this House that we are agreeing that the country is facing the huge challenges regarding job creation and skills development. We also agree that the EPWP does not create long-term job opportunities but the intention of the programme was aimed at creating opportunities for employment. All of us can agree that indeed we have met that objective, but more needs to be done.

It is for this reason that, in phase two of our programme, we are looking at better ways in which as government, indeed, we can prolong the job opportunities that we create, and that can also assist us to even train more people adequately so that they can find alternative employment or even employ themselves. I trust that when you come to the select committee to share with them some of the proposals we want to make in terms of improving this programme, we will get your support. I trust you will support our budget.

I want to thank my senior officials led by the director-general, the members of the portfolio committee who have been working with us for so long and diligently, as well as the Deputy Minister of Public Works. I thank you. [Applause.]

The DEPUTY MINISTER OF PUBLIC WORKS: Hon Chairperson, hon Minister of Public Works, hon members, provincial MECs for Public Works, DG and senior officials of the department, distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen, I would like to concur with the Minister in her assertion that we are on track to deliver on our mandate. As the delivery arm of the government, we are moving ahead to construct the new phase of South Africa’s infrastructure and property industries, using the portfolio of state assets that we manage.

The eagerness of emerging contractors and other small entrepreneurs to make an impact in our booming construction economy is not lost on us, hence our decision to establish the Contractor Incubator Programme in December 2007 in order to create an enabling environment in which the existing small contractors in the Construction Industry Development Board, CIDB, grades 3 to 7 can be supported to become sustainable.

The key elements of the Contractor Incubator Programme, CIP, are the following: Access to work opportunities, mentorship, training, finance and institutional support. To date 126 contractors have been registered under the programme and will be expected to undertake more than a 100 projects to the value of R400 million, inclusive of maintenance work. We have always maintained that the construction industry is capital-intensive and, consequently, this can act as a barrier to entry to many small enterprises. The situation is compounded by the constant rise in building materials and lack of access to financial support by the emerging contractors.

Maintenance is the most important phase in the life cycle management of any product, not least government infrastructure. Effective maintenance gives credence to the durability, functionality and aesthetics of our buildings, ensuring that these properties continue to appreciate in value, hence we call them assets.

Yet many government buildings and other installations are infamous for their unkempt state of maintenance, a fact that is costing government dearly in terms of downtime in maintenance costs and disrupting Public Service delivery.

Planned maintenance has the potential to drive growth into the construction industry and help build the required and adequate construction industry capacity necessary to absorb the growing order book of both the private and the public sectors. At the heart of the department’s mandate lies the commitment to deliver necessary infrastructure for economic growth and social development. It is the same commitment that we are pledging to the region and the continent to stimulate African growth. The current construction of capital projects in the form of the Pan-African Parliament, the SA embassies in African countries and the construction and maintenance in post-conflict Africa to promote peace and stability epitomises our dedication.

In Uganda there is a project undertaken jointly by the Department of Defence and us to renovate the OR Tambo School of Leadership situated in Uganda. This is a military camp where the MK cadres stayed during the liberation struggle. [Applause.] The refurbishing is a symbolic gesture to the people of Uganda and the school will be used for training by the Ugandan People’s Defence Force. At the same time, it is projects such as these that we envisage seeing our contractors, particularly the emerging ones, collaborating on with our African brethren to spawn unique African designs and other workmanship like we saw at the South African embassy in Berlin.

As a norm, our building programme is extensive and comprises of capital works projects undertaken by the department as well those carried out on behalf of other government departments.

This year our budget stands at R4,1 billion, of which R3,1 billion will go towards the provision of land and accommodation-related solutions to government in fulfilment of our mandate to contribute to improved Public Service delivery. Our clients remain the executive, that is the Presidency and Cabinet, as well as the legislature and the judiciary and the properties are all state assets.

To improve service delivery to our clients, we recently awarded the facilities management contract, which is 100 per cent black-owned, for a three-year period. The contract will help in the maintenance and the day-to- day maintenance of all the prestige facilities at Bryntirion, Waterkloof, Brooklyn, the Union Buildings and in Johannesburg. It encompasses soft services such as gardening, horticulture and cleaning services as well as hard services. In an attempt to enhance the condition and the habitability of the accommodation for MPs and sessional officials, the department has completed the initial phase of upgrading the residencies for MPs. I would like to touch on some pertinent points on the issue of parliamentary villages, with specific reference to Acacia Park. I would like to point out that we have a number of challenges at the parliamentary villages that must be attended to by all of us. Security in the parliamentary villages is a major problem. Without exonerating ourselves of responsibility, it is only fair to point out that the department only provides the infrastructure and the SAPS is responsible for security, which includes controlling access at the gates, checking of the vehicles entering or leaving the village and patrolling of the village.

The department has received a number of complaints regarding criminal activities in Acacia Park, which includes burglaries and theft. All cases were reported to the SA Police Service and all units had been fitted with an alarm system at the three parliamentary villages. It is the tenants’ responsibility to ensure that the alarm system is activated when leaving their respective units and that they understand the operating instructions of these alarms. It is very important that you get people to come and help you to operate these things. It does not help to have this instrument in your house, when you don’t switch it on when you leave the house. The burglars will come and they will do their work very well and leave, and when you come back your things will not be there. It is important. Let us really get people to assist us. It doesn’t mean you don’t know how to operate it. Those who don’t, please call people to help you. I always had the problem myself and left my house without switching on these things. I blame myself for that because I need to understand how they work. We really urge you to do that so that when you go out, you put it on. If somebody comes in there, it will obviously make a noise and they will run away. Thank you, very much. The installation of burglar bars to the outstanding houses and flats has been programmed for the 2008-09 financial year.

There is also an issue of illegal occupation in parliamentary villages. Although an occupancy audit for all the tenants and dependants residing in the villages is conducted on an annual basis, not all occupants complete the forms for dependants. As a result it becomes too difficult to know who qualifies to stay in the parliamentary villages, especially dependants. Issuing of an access card to dependents of MPs and sessional officials was introduced and later stopped as there was no clear definition of a dependant. There are people who are identified as illegal occupants but no one is prepared to come forward with the information. The biggest challenge regarding evictions of illegal occupants is that the eviction process takes long to be finalised by the State Attorney, taking into account the new Housing Act.

The problem of interruptions of water and electricity supply in Acacia Park is due to the fact that Acacia Park forms part of Wingfield Military Base and has one source of electrical and water supply. If there is cable theft or burst pipes in Wingfield, Acacia Park is also affected.

Since the 1960s the agreement board, which is one of the entities reporting to the Minister of Public Works has been testing and certifying nonstandard technologies particularly in the building industry and the time has come to seriously consider promoting alternative building materials as a way to contain the ever-escalating costs. Several agreement certificated products such as the hollow concrete blocks, metal roof tiles, light-weight internal partitions, hard-drawn copper tubing, a variety of waterproofing and wall- coating materials, as well as plastic bath tubes already enjoy widespread usage.

The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Mr T S Setona): Hon Deputy Minister, your time has expired.

The DEPUTY MINISTER OF PUBLIC WORKS: I am concluding. [Laughter.]

The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON: (Mr T S Setona) Hon Deputy Minister, my ruling is that your time has expired.

The DEPUTY MINISTER OF PUBLIC WORKS: Well, anyway, thank you very much. [Applause.] In conclusion, ladies and gentlemen: Switch on your alarms when you come to Parliament. Thank you. Mr A WATSON: Hon Chairperson, hon Ministers, hon members, among many items that dominated the news lately, other than the usual crime, corruption and abuse, three matters stand out in my mind: The exodus of skilled professionals from our country, the collapse of local government services and the deterioration of our infrastructure.

The hon Minister will probably think infrastructure, yes, but what on earth has my department got to do with the exodus of professionals and local government? Let me explain.

Firstly, whilst every facet of our society probably suffers in one way or another as the result of the loss and consequent lack of skilled professionals, I would think that Public Works is probably one institution that is particularly affected. In the briefings by the department, we were advised of all the attempts to fill vacant positions and the positive hopes for the satisfactory outcome. But what about a long-term strategy to train and gain in this regard? What about the age-old concept of the roll-back bursaries so that, in time to come, we will ensure a steady flow of qualified professionals to the department?

The concept entails the creation of bursaries for scarce skills professionals coupled with a reciprocal employment contract for a period equal to the period studied and during which the study loan is repaid. Repayments are rolled back to the bursary fund and added to each year’s bursary allocation and this then grows as the years go by.

This is not a quick-fix solution or proposal, but just imagine how many students would have benefited if the system was introduced 14 years ago, and just how many professionals would by now have been established.

Now please don’t tell me that it should have been done by the previous government because they messed up a lot of things. So let’s talk about now. [Interjections.]

Secondly, the collapse of local government services can be attributed to so many causes ranging from corrupt politicians and nepotism to incompetent officials that I would not even attempt to analyse them one by one.

However, one matter that I do wish to address in this debate is the question of the terrible state of the local government finances. The main reason for that distressful situation is the inability of municipalities to implement effective credit control. In short, the so-called taxpayers are not paying their taxes. They are not paying their rates for services.

But before we start defending the dire state of the poor people that I know everybody here is also worried about, we must admit that the main culprit is the department that the Minister, who is sitting here in our midst, is responsible for. Recent figures show that local government is being owed something like R12 billion for outstanding rates, taxes and municipal services by none other than government departments and institutions. And the Minister of Public Works must accept full responsibility for the sad state of affairs. How can the government expect the people to tow the line when the chief landlord of government institutions is the main delinquent?

The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Mr T S Setona): Hon member, I’m not sure. I thought you were making an example, but I want to caution that the debate is about Public Works.

Mr A WATSON: Chairperson, I’m talking about Public Works being the landlord of government institutions that owe local government for taxes. You are not listening to my speech.

The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Mr T S Setona): Hon Watson, I am listening to your speech. I am not sleeping. The responsibility of rates and taxes is not that of the Minister of Public Works, it is that of local government as a sphere of government. I have made a ruling on that issue.

Mr A WATSON: Chairperson, I accept that. What I’m saying is that Public Works is the landlord of the government departments that owe all that money. That’s what I’m referring to. But let’s carry on. What I am saying is: How can government expect people to tow the line when the landlord of government departments and institutions is the main delinquent? I think we should lead by example.

A matter very dear to my heart is also the collapse of infrastructure in our country. Whilst this is also a matter that could keep us busy for hours, I would like to narrow it down to the situation at so many of our schools – the debate that we have just heard.

I am very well aware that Public Works is not solely responsible for infrastructure and maintenance at all our schools, but the mere fact that there is inconsistency in this regard creates endless confusion and frustration.

My colleague and the leader of the DA in Mpumalanga, hon Anthony Benadie, devotes much of his time attending to the various deficiencies in education, and this particular problem raises its head time and time again. Education says they cannot attend to improvements, additions and repairs because they are waiting for Public Works. On the other hand, Public Works says they cannot proceed because they are awaiting identification and requisition from Education.

The DA in Mpumalanga has repeatedly called for a satellite department of public works within the Department of Education to be established in each province, in particular to implement plans and to execute this speedily in the interest of our children and better education all round.

Think about it, hon Minister, don’t just disregard it just because it is the brainchild of the DA. [Laughter.] I think it’s a good idea which you could consider as “business unusual”. [Applause.]

Mr R J TAU: Chairperson, hon Minister of Public Works and Minister of Defence, Deputy Minister and officials from the department, I must say I was quite confused. At some point I thought that I didn’t know what I was going to say, as the Minister was speaking, but the hon “Wattie” sent me a message saying: “I am going to give you something to say in this meeting.” [Laughter.]

Perhaps one can quote something from the Public Works Budget Vote as a way of explaining what the role of the department is, instead of confusing it with the whole issue of credit control of municipalities, etc. One is that the aim of the Department of Public Works is to provide and manage the accommodation, housing, land and infrastructure needs for national departments; lead and direct the implementation of the Expanded Public Works Programme and optimise growth, job creation and transformation in the construction and property industry.

The Department of Public Works, coupled with the issues related to skills retention and development, will further implement a human resource development programme, which entails a bursary programme, internships and learnerships, and implement a retention strategy and special remuneration packages for technical and scarce occupational classes. In addition, the department is committed to managing the improvement of state immovable property portfolio. This is information that I got from the briefing by the department. I don’t know where the hon Watson got the information that he was trying to relate to us here this afternoon.

It was therefore by no mistake linked to that, that when we converged on Limpopo in December, we resolved to fast-track the process of creating employment through the intensification of the Expanded Public Works Programme. At the time it was in recognition of the fact that a lot has been done in that area. We were aware of what we spoke about. We knew that by this time we will be speaking here today with an understanding that there are men and women, young people, with yellow overalls, as we speak today, building bridges, and repairing and maintaining buildings in their respective provinces, including municipalities.

We have further noted that the Minster of Finance, having announced that the Department of Public Works will receive a further R1,1 billion now on Wednesday, which is an injection that we think is quite strategic because Public Works is that strategic department that will assist us in fighting poverty and halving unemployment.

The priorities identified in the 2008-09 financial year, in line with the department’s three-year strategic plan, as well as priorities for the social and economic sector, as articulated by the President during the state of the nation address, are: Firstly, that we need to scale up the budget assigned to the EPWP to enable it to absorb more entrants into the job market, which has been done thoroughly and, with the injection of that amount of money, we hope that issues of such a nature will then be able to be addressed.

Secondly, there has to be an increase the intake of young people into the National Youth Service, especially the segment which was set up to maintain public infrastructure. I think it is important that one should pause here for a bit, because it is an issue that we raised also with the department around the National Youth Service Programme.

The Minister spoke about the issues that lead to the exit point, but, over and above that, what we also realised is that the timing between exiting the theoretical work and entering the practical work is sometimes too long. That is why you find that young people would simply just give up, because by nature they are very impatient and creative in their own way. Therefore it is an area we think should be looked at. We have also been briefed properly around the kind of work that the department is doing in relation to the construction and ensuring that disabled people have access to public buildings. I must say that the committee noted that particular issue and accepted it. One of the things we have also observed in the North West when we went there through Taking Parliament to the People is also that level of confusion. We picked this up and we don’t know why there should be confusion between the Expanded Public Works Programme and the National Youth Service, because when we get the briefing, you find that the allocated amount is in actual fact for EPWP, but maybe because the NCOP was coming to the North West, money was then shifted at the end of the financial year for the National Youth Service Programme. Of course this is a matter that needs further engagement in order to clarify whatever confusion still exists.

Last year, Minister, we raised the question of vacancies that existed within the department. I must state, however, that in the strategic plan, as presented before the committee, we got a positive report by the director- general. Interestingly, the committee noted that, over and above that, you then had a male-dominated senior management delegation coming before the committee, which we think is an issue that needs to be looked at. As we fill these strategic posts, let us also look at the gender question and not lose it.

We have noted, during the briefing, that the department has undertaken to manage government immovable property more effectively by rehabilitating close to about 30% of unutilised buildings by March, 2009. In addition, the department has further agreed, in line with the compliance requirements, to ensure that provision is also made to ensure that, through doing this, we are hands-on. Even last year, we raised this issue of provinces that would recommend and in actual fact acknowledge buildings that belong to the department, but that information would not be flowing between national and provincial spheres.

We of course take note of the infrastructure subprogramme, which includes, apart from the above-mentioned, the Re Kgabisa Tshwane Programme, which is the department’s inner city renewal venture, including the upgrading and acquisition of national government head offices. This prestigious portfolio also includes Parliament and various embassies, as mentioned by the Minister and Deputy Minister. The department, of course, also intends to acquire or upgrade a number of assets under the Re Kgabisa Tshwane Programme, including the H G De Wet Building on behalf of the Department of Foreign Affairs.

As we engaged on this issue earlier on, I found it of great interest that we had a Department of Education Budget Vote earlier on and the Minister of Public Works was there. One of the key problems that we pick up all the time is in KwaZulu-Natal and in the Eastern Cape around the mud schools. With the rainy season, it becomes even more dangerous for those learners. This is an issue that we also raised with the department: that strategic interventions- or even if it’s interim measures - are being developed, leading us to a solution of the problem. It is quite impressive that the Minister of Education also acknowledged the problem.

The service delivery objective of this and other programmes is the Expropriation Bill that is intended to rebuild the existing the Expropriation Act of 1975, and replace it with a new Act that aligns to the provisions of the Constitution of the Republic. The new Act is expected, of course, to align the subsequent developments in property law to enable government to undertake expropriations in a co-ordinated and better managed way. The Bill has already been sent out for comment. It has gone through the NA; it will be coming to the NCOP, where we will begin to engage with it.

I think it is also important to reinforce the argument that hon Watson raised, pertaining to the issue of skills and how we build capacity within the engineering sector. There is now an agreement that the department has entered into with Cuba, and I think they have already been deployed to the country - provinces already have them. And we would know better that the intention is, in actual fact, to ensure that there is a transfer of skills, especially in your engineering sector, and is an attempt to resolve some of the problems that hon Watson has raised. Thank you very much [Applause.]

Mr M A MZIZI: I have not had adequate time to prepare for this policy debate as I only found out this afternoon that this budget was to be debated, not the one on Transport as indicated in the programme.

However, the main issue that I would dwell on will probably be on assets. The main point that I would like to highlight deals with the department’s lack of control with regard to their assets. I was very disturbed to see in the department’s annual report that, during the asset count which was undertaken by the department in some state-owned houses and offices, there were significant shortcomings in the management and control of assets. Some of these about which the IFP raised its concern, are the following: Some of the assets belonging to the department were found in the houses that were inspected but were not on the logistics assets register. Some assets were not barcoded and this made it difficult to locate them on the register. A number of assets on the register could not be physically verified and duplicated assets were found on the assets registers. At year-end, the department had not performed counts in all state-owned houses and offices.

Clearly, there is a major problem with regard to the proper management of the department’s assets and this situation needs to be corrected as a matter of urgency if the department is to fulfil its mission to manage the assets effectively.

Another point I want to raise is the concern about the the vacancy rate in Programme Three: The Department of Public Works has a vacancy rate of 37,4% as shown in the latest annual report. If the department is to perform its functions properly then it must be properly staffed with people who have the required skills and experience that the Minister alluded to.

Ngqongqoshe angikusho nje ukuthi uMnyango wakho ubhekene neMinyango eminingi, nikhombana ngeminwe. Kodwa angikusho lokhu Ngqongqoshe kuwe ukuthi ngikhuluma ngendaba yangesonto eledlule ngoLwesine. (Translation of isiZulu paragraph follows.)

[Minister, let me put it that your department is dealing with many departments, you are pointing fingers at each other. But let me tell you that I am talking about last Thursday’s issue.]

Last week Thursday, I visited the magistrates’ court in Ekurhuleni. The state of affairs of that court leaves much to be desired and what I discovered is that in the chief magistrate’s office there is a leakage from the roof and it was said that, during the rainy season, they had to move various things like chairs and tables and put down some containers.

… ukukhongozela amanzi angenayo ehla ezongcolisa mhlawumbe ikhabethe noma ezinye izinto eziningi. Noma-ke kunjalo angigcinanga lapho ngoba umsebenzi wethu asibona abahloli noma amaphoyisa, ngishayele ucingo umuntu osesifundazweni ngoba besengibuzile ukuthi bamtshelile yini, bathi yebo. Uma ngimshayela ucingo uthi … (Translation of isiZulu paragraph follows.)

[… in order to hold out water which would be leaking from the roof which may end up befouling the cupboard and many other things. Be that as it may, I did not stop there - because we are obviously neither inspectors nor police - I then called someone who is responsible in the province, after having asked them if they had reported the matter to him. They had already given me an affirmative answer to that. When I called him he said …]

I told them to compile a report and email it to me, then I would see what I could do.

Ngathi wemnumzane, uhleli lapho ehhovisini awuphumi ukuzobheka ukuthi kwenzekani, uzositshela ukuthi ufuna ukuthunyelwa umyalezo ngekhompiyutha. Ngisho ukuthi-ke Ngqongqoshe yilezo zinto esithi-ke, imali abakunika yona angazi noma ingakwazi yini ukubhekelela zonke lezi zinto.

Ngikuzwile uma uthi iMinyango ikunikeza imali uma unyaka usuyophela. Yiwona mbiko esiwutholile futhi lokho siyakwazi, sesingathi-ke thina be -IFP, siyasixhasa lesi Sabiwomali sakho kodwa ake sibheke ukuthi ngabe bakunikeza imali ngokulingene yini. Hhawu phela uyazi ukuthi isikhathi isitha. (Translation of isiZulu paragraphs follows.) [I then said, excuse me sir, you are just sitting there in the office and you do not come out to check what is happening down here and you tell us that you want to be sent an e-mail. What I am saying, Minister, is that those are the things that we say perhaps the revenues allocated to your department may help in dealing with.

I heard you Minister when you said that some of the departments give you the money towards the end of the year. At least that is the report we got and we know that. We may then say that, as IFP, we support your budget but let us check if they are giving you enough to do all these things. And, of course, you all know that time is always an enemy.]

Mr J BOERS (Gauteng): Agb Voorsitter, agb Minister, agb Adjunkminister, dit is altyd ‘n plesier om by julle te kom kuier. [Hon Chairperson, hon Minister, hon Deputy Minister, it is always a pleasure to come and visit you.]

On behalf of the Gauteng provincial government, as well as the province that plays host to the economic hub of South Africa, the place where government services are continuously uniting in an effort to push back the frontiers of poverty and underdevelopment, we would like to express our appreciation of the extent of the meaningful change that continues to emanate from the work of the national government in its advocacy for better policies as well as the implementation of various infrastructure development programmes. Ours is the province where the people in their various formations of diverse, sociopolitical persuasions continue to demonstrate the willingness to work with the government in the development of adequate socio-economic infrastructures to the extent of enabling the building and consolidation of social capital, the glue that keeps the community together.

The Budget Vote on Public Works takes place within the context of a growing realisation across the spheres of government, as well as society at large, that public governance rather than public administration is the cornerstone upon which to build our young democracy as we seek to generally redress historical challenges while also bringing about …

The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Mr T S Setona): Can somebody from the technical staff take care of the interpretation gadgets? There is no sound at all here. I don’t want to be disrupted. I can hear what he is saying. And check the air conditioner as well. You can continue, hon member.

Mr J BOERS (Gauteng): Gauteng is geographically the smallest province in South Africa and, yet, in terms of the latest community survey, it shows that this is the most populous composite area in our country. In the same vein, it is also a rapidly urbanised area and a growing city region of public service, playing its role as a melting pot of knowledge and skills. Indeed, public services and socioeconomic infrastructures are overly subscribed in Gauteng province.

The birth of new communities requires of us to accelerate the delivery of services to the people of our province. In view of the association, growth and the demand for public services, the strategic objectives of developing healthy and productive people are tied to the strategic objectives of the Expanded Public Works Programme of accelerated skills development and job creation in order to alleviate poverty and also redress the skills gap across the social divide in our country.

Public Works is at the heart of service delivery in both the province and in our country at large, as well as the fundamental transformation of the fibre of our society. As part of the continuation of the creation of a social safety net, five new hospitals are currently being built in Gauteng province to proactively develop healthy skills and productive people.

The implementation of the turnkey Gautrain Rapid Rail Link is also characterised by EPWP elements, where hundreds of youths are participating in a unique and diverse project of massive proportions, thus bringing together various areas of skills and resources.

Our province is currently implementing the establishment of a precinct of public services known as the Kopanong Precinct, where the head offices of all the provincial departments will be highly accessible and form a friendly circle of government services. This has been implemented by numerous contractors of the Construction Industry Development Board rates one to four, in line with accelerating small enterprise development in our province, while also ensuring qualitative implementation of government programmes in various communities. At the same time the establishment and construction of the Thusong service centres is also being pursued quite vigorously.

Over the last financial year, the implementation of programmes under the auspices of the President-led National Youth Programmes has seen our province exceeding the set requirements of enlisting 500 youth per province. In this regard, more than a 1 000 young people participated in the roll-out of the needed skills, so that they might play a more meaningful role in their communities and in the country at large. The view of provincial government on this matter is informed by strategic intent by enabling exchange of knowledge and skills while taking advantage of the wealth and the diversity in character and identity of Gauteng residents.

We are also confident that, once again, the Minister’s unveiling of the Budget Vote represents the total sum of funded and highly progressed initiatives that seek to improve the lives of the people in our land. On the other hand, what has been presented today also reflects the extent to which the partnership between the government and social society has enabled the deepening of public ownership and participation in socioeconomic growth and the development programmes, as informed by the continuation of social dialogue and debate.

The Gauteng mid-term report and the premier’s state of the province address indicated the extent of the progress we have made in gradually addressing the twin challenges of poverty and underdevelopment in our province since the beginning of the current term in 2004. Both the address and the report speak to the landscape of the attendant challenges measured against the impact of the programmes we have been implementing, together with the people of Gauteng in pursuit of a better life for all. In this regard, there is an evidence of positive growth in the economy.

We are convinced that all of this work will go a long way towards the attainment of a humane and caring society, while also enabling us to bring about the conditions of a better life for all. We, from Gauteng, support the Budget Vote.

Mr W M DOUGLAS: Hon Chairperson, hon Ministers, Deputy Ministers, and hon members, Public Works is one of those low-key departments that most South Africans know very little about. It plays a vital role of creating jobs, and specifically 1 million jobs, by 2010. Despite all the politicking, the reality is that people need work. And, as evidenced by the xenophobic riots in Alexandra and other areas as this is flowing across the country, there is a lot of frustration on the ground on the lack of jobs. This is the reason the ACDP applauds the Minister of Public Works’ statement that she made during the budget debate in the NA. And here again she stated:

To date, 950 000 job opportunities were created through the Expanded Public Works Programme.

My concern is not that not enough jobs have been created. My concern is: Are all these jobs sustainable? Are they of a long-term or continuous nature? Are they not just for the short-term? I would like to know from the Minister if this is going to be a constant stream of income for people, that this is not just a once-off five or six-months opportunity but must provide skills development over a long period of time as well as work experience.

The ACDP hopes the budget allocation of R4,1 billion for 2008-09 will enable the Department of Public Works to achieve the key performance areas, specifically growth, development and transformation of construction and property units, contributions to the national and Expanded Public Works Programmes and management of state assets.

Furthermore, the ACDP supports the department’s budget and strategic plan for 2008-09, especially that of making all buildings and facilities accessible to all, including the disabled; also, to improve service delivery and the overall condition of state assets; the retention of skilled employees with the necessary capacity so that adequate operational standards may be maintained; provision of special remuneration packages for technical and scarce occupational classes and to implement a human resource development programme which entails a bursary programme, which is internships and learnerships.

We are very happy with the Budget Vote as it stands, and we support it as the ACDP.

Ms H F MATLANYANE: Chairperson, hon Minister, hon Deputy Minister, hon members, comrades, compatriots and hon guests, the Department of Public Works is a department that is tasked with a major responsibility.

Ke ka moo ke rego motlhomphegi Tona, o swere magala ka seatla - o a imelwa. Eupša bjalo ka mmago setšhaba, bjalo ka mosadisadi, ke a go bona gore o a ema-ema. O a leka gore setšhaba sa Ma-Afrika Borwa se bone tšwelopele. O dira bjalo o thekgilwe ke motlatši wa gago yo re tsebago histori ya gagwe mo re tšwago gona gore le yena ke motho wa go ema-ema. Ke a tshepa gore ka moka bao ba lego ka tlase ga lena ba tla leka gore ba bone motlhala ka lena, ba le etšiše. (Translation of Sepedi paragraph follows.)

[That is why I say: Hon Minister, you are facing a very difficult situation – it is not easy. But, as the mother of the nation and a remarkable woman, I can see that you are trying very hard to ensure that there is development in South Africa. You have the full support of your Deputy Minister with a commendable reputation. I hope that all those who are under your leadership will try to follow in your footsteps and work just as hard.]

The Department of Public Works’ budget is taking place when there is a need to sustain economic growth and distribution for the development of infrastructure. There is a need to create and maintain an equitable and sustainable land dispensation and infrastructure that results in social and economic development for all South Africans. This objective is in line with the ANC’s policy objectives of ensuring a better life for all.

Accordingly, there must be a strong developmental state with the capacity to expropriate property in the interest of the public. Property relations must be tilted in favour of the poor. These relations are unequal in gender, race and class. That means that one is a squatter but he is also a property owner, whereas another one is a job seeker. These property relations call for equity and redress in accordance with the Constitution. Similarly, the Freedom Charter, as a broad policy perspective of the ANC, remains the cornerstone upon which the ANC policy is going forward in addressing poverty alleviation.

When the NCOP visited the North West, there were success stories but there were also a lot of challenges that we need as members in this august House, to look at and try to address. We are not doing that as political parties in order to score points. We are doing that to ensure that the South African people benefit from the government that they’ve elected, the government that they love so much, the government that has their hopes for the future.

These are the key issues that were raised by the people. The first is the suspension of a housing project in the North West. The members of the Mafikeng community raised concerns about the unilateral suspension of the housing project of 10 months which has exacerbated the levels of unemployment as they relied on the project for employment. There is alleged nepotism; the Makwassie Hills Municipality raised allegations of nepotism in the issuing of tenders.

Whilst acknowledging training provided by government, farm dwellers appealed to government to create employment opportunities that are relevant to their area of specialisation and there is a need to ensure that persons with disability at Tlokwe Municipality are not neglected. They are neglected despite being allocated their own budget and we need to ensure that we monitor the projects to ensure that the ANC policies that are in place ensure that each and every South African has a better life.

O swere magala ka seatla, mmago setšhaba. Go matlafatša setšhaba, go lwantšha tlala, go tloša bodiidi le gona go hlola mešomo, ke maikemišetšo a mokgatlo wa ANC. Se ke seo mokgatlo o itlamilego go se phethagatša ka go sepedišana le Ma-Afrika Borwa ka nako ya go uwauwetša bakgethi ka 2004 – boitlamo le batho.

Go leka go hlohleletša setšhaba sa Ma-Afrika Borwa gore se tlogele go nyaka go hlwa se tubelwa bogobe se lešwa bjalo ka bana gomme se lokelwa ka ganong, se swanetše go itlwaetša gore ge motho a go hutšweletša bogobe ka maswi, o dula fase kgauswi le yena wa lebelela gore o dira eng gore gosasa ge a sepetše o kgone go tšwela pele ka go ikhutšweletša gore o kgone go ja.

Mathomong ge EPWP e theiwa, e be e le toro ye nngwe yeo ANC e bego e nyaka gore setšhaba sa Ma-Afrika Borwa se kgone go itirela gore se be le tsebo le bokgoni gore bao ba tšwelelago ba thome go iphediša - e sego gore mmušo o tla ba rwala go ya go ile, mohlomphegi Douglas. Mmušo o ba ruta go itirela ka matsogo a bona. Re a duma bjalo ka mokgatlo wa ANC go bona batho ba tšwela pele ba kgona go itirela, ba phela go swana. Se se dira gore re re le bona bao ba hwetšago mešomo ya motšwaoswere ba kgone go tseba gore ge ba tloga ba eya go dira seo ba se rutilwego, ba ema kua mebileng, re ba thekga ka go reka tšeo ba di dirago. Ke ka mokgwa woo e lego gore le ge EPWP e sa kgone go tlhola mešomo ya go ya go ile, yona yekhwi ya motšwaoswere e ba kgontšha go beya borotho tafoleng, bana ba je. Re thabela seo, motlhomphegi Tona.

Mmušo wo o eteletšwego pele ke ANC o tseba seo Ma-Afrika Borwa a se nyakago. O tseba gore o tšwa kae le Ma-Afrika Borwa. Ga o thome go ba le Ma- Afrika Borwa lehono. O tseba moo o tšwago gona, motlhompgei Tona. Ke ka moo o itlamilego gore wena le kgoro ya gago le tla direla Ma-Afrika Borwa. Re a tseba gore badudi ba Afrika Borwa ba tseba dintlo t šeo di nyakago go lokišwa le tšeo di timeletšego gomme ba swanetše go botša kgoro ka ga tšona. Gape re a tseba gore batlhankedi ba kgoro ya gago ba a tseba ka ga tšona le gore ba gare ba a di nyaka. Tšeo di fetotšwego matopa di tlo lokišwa gomme ya ba madulo a batho a makaone gore mang le mang yo a lego Mo- Afrika Borwa a kgone go ipetha sefega gore: “Ke modudi wa Afrika Borwa yo a kgonago go ba le boroko ge a robetše. Ga ke lale ke tsenelelwa ke madimo le go nelwa ke pula”. Ke a leboga. [Legoswi.] (Translation of Sepedi paragraphs follows.)

[You are really facing a very difficult situation, mother of the nation. The goals of the ANC are to empower the nation, fight crime, eradicate poverty and to create jobs. This is what the organisation has committed itself to by working in alliance with South Africans during the 2004 election campaign – commitment to the people.

We try to encourage South Africans to stop resting on their laurels. They must learn to acquire the relevant skills so that they are able to sustain themselves.

Initially when the Expanded Public Works Programme, EPWP, was formed, it was the ANC’s dream to equip South Africans with knowledge and skills so that they are able to help themselves and not rely on government forever, hon Douglas. The government enables them to be independent. As the ANC, we’d like to see progress – people being able to do things for themselves and being able to put bread on the table. This means that even those who are temporarily employed should know that when they go out there to apply the skills that they have acquired – selling their products on the street- we will give them support by buying from them. That is why we say, even though the EPWP is unable to create permanent jobs, these temporary ones enable them to support their families and to put bread on the table. We appreciate that, hon Minister.

The ANC-led government knows what South Africans need. We know that we have come a long way together. You know where you come from, hon Minister, and that is why you and your department have committed to serve South Africans. We are aware that the community knows about the houses that need renovations and those that are untraceable. They must inform the department about them. We know that the officials in your department are aware of them and they are busy trying to trace them. Those that are dilapidated will be renovated so that every South African can take pride in the houses they live in. Thank you. [Applause.]]

The MINISTER OF PUBLIC WORKS: Chairperson, Deputy Minister, hon members, senior officials present, I would like to agree with Ms Matlanyane that our task is huge. Sometimes when people say that they work 24/7, it is said as a joke but indeed some of us do experience such things.

If a light globe is not working in Acacia Park, regardless of the fact that it is nine o’clock at night, regardless of the fact that it is beyond the eight hour working day that each worker must work, my officials do get a call from a parliamentarian saying that his or her globe is not working. They have never said no. They try to do what they can.

However, we do accept that responsibility because we understand that it goes with the nature of the work that we are doing, and sometimes when certain things are not done, the blame comes to Public Works. This morning I got an SMS from my colleague saying that South Africa works because of Public Works. He then sent a message below that sentence: Does it mean if I don’t have a job I must come to Public Works? I replied and told him: No, not necessarily, but with regard to the EPWP, you can come to Public Works.

I must say that while the slogan may be ridiculed by some, it has done a lot for people to know the Department of Public Works and what our intentions are. We may not have reached that goal but our idea is to indeed make sure that South Africa works because we do.

I must say that I was heartened by Mr Watson’s intervention, particularly when he was quick to say I must not answer the way I answered in the National Assembly. Thank you for listening to our debate yesterday. What excites me is the acknowledgement that the previous regime had failed. The embracing of the new government, I must say, makes me very happy. There were times when I came into this House and doubted where you stood on that matter but today I know that you actually embrace this change and the new government. [Interjections.]

You cannot embrace the future without the present. But let me say, hon Watson, indeed the issues you have raised on skills development are critical and important. It is interesting that our debate actually followed the Department of Education’s debate in this House. It dealt a lot with what they are trying to do to improve the quality of education, because the skills base that we are talking about that is required in the built environment cannot happen without the throughput from the foundation phase. If maths and science are not taught in schools, you cannot change that student to actually go into engineering, when he or she has never been exposed to mathematics and science. I was therefore happy that the Department of Education is doing all that it can, that even if students are not likely to choose scientific subjects, maths literacy is actually compulsory at school. That will gradually assist us when we have to deal with this skill level within our environment.

For me, that is the foundation. Some of the measures we can do later are only but interventions to build on what the Department of Education at its foundations phase would have done. I also want to say that the proposal you have made on the bursary process was already started by us. We can also take on some of the proposals you have made. With regard to other measures, I must say that between ourselves and the Department of Education, as well as some of the universities, we have established a task team to see to what extent we can even look at the existing institutions and see whether or not we can move beyond only five institutions that are providing for engineering in South Africa. It is not that we have a shortage of universities but some of them may not be at a level where they can provide these studies. We need to look at what we can do to ensure that Fort Hare, the University of the North-West and others can actually increase their throughput of educated professionals that we need.

As an intervention in the interim, we have also attracted foreign skills: 57 Cuban professionals landed on our shores in January. They are already in our provinces and deployed there. We also have internships to ensure that some of those young students who have finished their academic careers, particularly in architecture and engineering, are mentored and we have attracted them within our department so that indeed they can increase this pool.

We have also been working with the Joint Initiative for Priority Skills Acquisition, Jipsa, process and the Deputy President’s Office to ensure that some of the students can be placed with some of the companies to fast- track their skills development. Some 20 engineers, not only from the department, but from across our society were actually taken by Areva in France and have finished their year in project management, assisting in their basic knowledge received at university. Al1 20 of them excelled and they are back in the country.

With regard to the rental and the nonpayment of rent, I just want to remind hon Watson that we in this House agreed on the devolution of budgets to departments. Departments are no longer have Public Works as an agent to pay for them. They now have their own budgets. Even for capital budgets, they are the ones who tell us what infrastructural changes they make and therefore transfer the money to us. With regard to the issue of payment, I think it is important for me to explain that.

Let me also indicate an issue, which sometimes, for me, indicates maybe a failure of appreciation on our side – and I cannot blame you for that. What happens when a budget like the R2 billion has been given to the Department of Education for improvement of mud schools and unsafe structures? When that money has been transferred, the department concerned must give specifications to us on what is needed as infrastructure. We take that, we do the designs and we give them back to confirm whether indeed this is what they want or whether they need to alter it. It is only then that we go on to tender and it is only then that the department concerned transfers the resources needed. Part of the challenge has been that the department will come to the Department of Public Works in June. We do the designs. They take time to look at them and they only approve it in September. The allocation of resources comes in September – only then can we go out on to tender, adjudicate and the contractor only goes on site in December. We all know that, in South Africa, construction companies close in the second week in December.

The programme that I was explaining earlier, namely the improvement delivery cycle that we have introduced, is to try and assist departments to do their planning a year ahead, so that by 1 April we start spending instead of starting to plan only then. We are improving on it. It may not be the best that we have now but I must say that we are starting to see slowly the changes in attitudes, as well as in orientation with regard to infrastructure delivery.

I’d like to thank the chairperson for the note of encouragement and the issues that you have raised. I agree with you. We need to continuously deal with the confusion that is sometimes there in understanding the Expanded Public Works Programme and the National Youth Service. We will continue to do so.

I would also like to indicate to you that we are continuously improving on how we can reduce the space between training and the deployment of those learners into the existing projects or projects that still need to be started. We are trying to find a sequence in the recruitment, the training and the deployment. We have noted that as a concern and we are working at improving that.

For access for people with disabilities we have earmarked resources this year to fast-track that process. I also want to indicate that I have taken note of the issues raised around gender, especially in terms of our recruitment strategy. We have tried and we will continue to do so. Sometimes it is not easy but it is not something that we must actually be complacent about. It is one of our objectives that we must meet.

I’d like to say to hon Mzizi, with regard to lack of control as it relates to asset management, indeed we took note of the Auditor-General’s concern. We made a plan which we presented to them, which they have agreed to, and we are improving to ensure that we can improve our capacity for the control of our assets and the management thereof.

The issue raised about the magistrates’ courts in Ekhurhuleni will be followed up. I am happy that the senior officials are here as well as the Chief Operations Officer, COO, and the Deputy-Director General, DDG, for operations to follow-up on those matters.

I would like to thank the Gauteng representative for the input made on behalf of the province. With regard to the question by hon Douglas: Public works, by its very nature, all over the world - not only in South Africa, but anywhere in the world- has always been a short-term programme; even the well-praised programme of Roosevelt in the USA was a short-term programme for the building of the infrastructure. When that was concluded, those workers found self employment; some of them even created their own jobs. It is for that reason that, in our context, we said that we would endeavour to infuse training or make training mandatory as part of our EPWP to ensure that as those people exit the programme, they become self-employed.

It is also for that reason that we as government are concerned that sometimes job opportunities are too short, so that the kind of training that you give within that short period cannot actually enable somebody to exit with portable skills that he or she can use to survive. As part of our phase two proposal on how we could modify the programme, we are also taking those issues into consideration.

I couldn’t agree with you more, Ms Matlanyane, with regard to the need for fast-tracking that Expropriation Bill in order to deal with issues of equity in our society as it relates to land dispossession. I am sure that when the legislation comes here, you will assist us to make sure that we meet the deadline for this year and we are able to pass and make the Bill into law, following our Polokwane resolutions. I know we might miss that deadline that we had set for ourselves in June. We are a participatory democracy and therefore we allowed for participation in this process by as many people as possible. If we miss that deadline, it is not going to be too long – I suppose.

With regard to the suspension of the housing programme, I will raise the issue with the MEC for housing in North West, so that we can understand better what the reasons are. It is not necessarily a matter for MEC Thabethe’s department but we can assist by checking with hon Yawa what may be the problem with regard to the issues on the suspension of the housing programme.

On tender allocation, where there might be issues of nepotism or corruption, it would indeed assist us if we could get some of the specific examples so that we can follow-up where necessary.

On the whole, hon Chairperson and members, thank you very much for participating in this debate and thank you for supporting our Budget Vote. The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Mr T S Setona): Hon Minister, on behalf of this august House, I want to take the opportunity to thank you once more for your leadership and support to this House.

Debate concluded.

        NATIONAL REGULATOR FOR COMPULSORY SPECIFICATIONS BILL

                           STANDARDS BILL

           (Consideration of Bills and of Reports thereon)

The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Mr T S Setona): In terms of the speakers’ list before me, I will call up on hon J M Sibiya. Hon members may I take this Order first, please? May I please bring it to the attention of hon members that these two are section 75 Bills and we are already a little bit paralysed in terms of quorum. I don’t think it will be fair to adjourn the House to wait for members who are outside. Immediately after the hon member has made his speech, we will have to proceed with voting. May I please advise members to be patient. Thank you.

Mr J M SIBIYA: Hon Chairperson, colleagues, comrades, ladies and gentlemen, I think it will be important to first present the crucial elements about the two Bills, which are the Standards Bill and the National Regulator for Compulsory Specifications Bill. These Bills together address the holistic creation and maintenance of a sound and sustainable domestic technical support infrastructure for standards, quality, accreditation and metrology for the benefit of the South African industry, commerce and local consumers. The clear separation of responsibilities for standards creation and the subsequent use of such compulsory specification by a regulator as contained in these two complementary Bills is an important new development, especially given that the South African Bureau of Standards, in line with many, if not all of its peers, also offers conformity assessment services on a commercial basis.

These allow for a level playing field for all the relevant domestic and private as well as public providers of conformity assessment, including those provided by the SABS to prove their competence to perform tests and inspect against local compulsory specifications through the vehicle of accreditation to such regulatory authority. This Standards Bill aims to provide for the use of measurement units of the International System of Units and certain other measurement units. It seeks further to provide for the designation of national measurement units and standards as well as to keep and maintain the National Measurements Standards and Units. In addition, it provides for the establishment and functions of the National Metrology Institute, regulates the repeal of certain laws and provides for matters connected therewith.

The objectives of this Bill could be summed up as follows: It looks into the need for the international metrology system as the foundation for the South African Measurement System. It will also look at the need to strengthen the metrology system as a key component of the technical infrastructure that is aligned with international best practices. It looks at ensuring that South Africa maintains national measurements standards and demonstrates its comparability to international standards and measurements.

It also looks at the importance of a need for support of our enterprises, competing in a fast-paced global economy and for public policy objectives with regards to compliance issues in terms of health, safety and the environment. The government is committed to providing a supportive legal environment for a national metrology system in order to disseminate traceability in the South African industry and deepen industrialisation.

The Bill is enacted against the background of ensuring that South African business practices are in line with international business practices and ensuring that our industries remain internationally competitive, whilst promoting the further development of local industry and entrepreneurship and development of small, medium and micro enterprises, SMMEs. The main thrust of our government this year focuses on identifying Apex Priorities in all three spheres of government. We must cover these spheres which are linked to the Standards Bill. It also focuses on accelerating economic growth and development and looks at speeding up the process of building infrastructure that enhances our goals of achieving good economic growth and to be able to meet our social goals. We mention, even in previous years, that we will realise the core aspirations of our people to attain a better life for all. One of the targets is to improve the effectiveness of our interventions that are directed at building the second economy and eradicating poverty.

The Standards Bill also focuses on protecting the public on health, safety and environmental issues. This is one of the challenges that have been reflected in the state of the nation address which President Thabo Mbeki imparted. It is clear on the fact that we need to accelerate our advance towards the achievement of the goal of health for all.

This Bill will provide the legal environment for a national metrology system by introducing an internationally recognised system as the foundation for the South African measurement system. It will also ensure that South African products are compliant with international measurements. It is on the basis of all that had been said above that the Select Committee on Economic and Foreign Affairs unreservedly supports the Bill and urges the House to do the same.

Regarding the National Regulator for Compulsory Specifications Bill, the Bill is for the establishment of a national regulator for compulsory specifications in South Africa in order to provide for the administration and maintenance of compulsory specifications in the interests of public safety and health or for environmental protection and also to provide the matter connected therewith.

This Bill, for its part, is drafted in line with the modernisation of technical infrastructure policy and also seeks to establish the NRCS as a public entity that is responsible for compulsory specifications. It will provide for market surveillance by the national regulator in order to ensure compliance with the compulsory specifications and to provide for sanctioning and for noncompliance.

The National Regulator focuses on examining any samples and has it tested and analysed in order to determine whether the article, its components, materials or substances concerned comply with or have the characteristics of or have been manufactured in accordance with the requirements of any compulsory specification applicable in terms of this Act.

The results of any examination, test or analysis of any sample of commodity product manufactured or service supplied in respect of which compulsory specifications are enforced are regarded to be valid for the whole consignment or batch from which the sample was obtained or to the similar services by the supplier.

The main aim of this Bill, for its part, is to provide the legal framework for the development, promotion and maintenance of standards in the Republic and rendering of conformity assessment services and related activities. In the context of industrial policy, this Bill strengthens elements of market access regarding issues such as specific nontariff barriers. The Bill also seeks to ensure that the National Regulator for Compulsory Specifications operates optimally in pursuit of the national interests and has a strategic direction. The Bill is critical to industrial upgrading in the sense that quality requirements and customer safety needs need to be met. Also, low quality import control that prevents undercutting of industrial productivity will be served hereby.

We need to understand that we are challenged by the globalisation process and therefore there are increasing demands on the trading economies which we need to look upon for managing the safety of products. In a nutshell, the Bill has the same aspect of enterprise development, particularly at SMME level, and it is one of the keys to economic growth and employment creation, while at the same time ensuring that most citizens participate in the economic mainstream. Some examples of the use of standardisation within the key sectors that are identified by the Accelerated and Shared Growth Initiative for South Africa, Asgisa, include the following: Chemicals, which national standards have developed which incorporates the international system of chemical classification and levelling. This has allowed the Department of Labour to introduce these requirements into South African law through the simple regulatory process.

On the other hand, we need to realise that climate change presents a significant challenge for the economy and the country. Standards dealing with energy efficiency in greenhouse gas measurements need to be developed. The benefit to key manufacturing sectors and the value of the regulatory system in pursuit of key government social development objectives should also not be overlooked. Increasingly technical standards are used to enforce compliance with a range of safety, health and environmental requirements.

Certainly, in the context of financing, the Select Committee on Economic and Foreign Affairs supports the Bill unreservedly, and urges this august House to do the same, 100%. Thank you.

Debate concluded.

Bills agreed to in accordance with section 75 of the Constitution.

The Council adjourned at 18:01. ____

            ANNOUNCEMENTS, TABLINGS AND COMMITTEE REPORTS

                        MONDAY, 31 MARCH 2008 ANNOUNCEMENTS

National Assembly and National Council of Provinces

The Speaker and the Chairperson

1. Draft Bills submitted in terms of Joint Rule 159

   (1) Financial Intelligence Centre Amendment Bill, 2008, submitted by the Minister of Finance. Referred to the Portfolio Committee on Finance and the Select Committee on Finance.

   (2) Social Assistance Amendment Bill, 2008, submitted by the Minister for Social Development. Referred to the Portfolio Committee on Social Development and the Select Committee on Social Services.

National Council of Provinces

1. Referral to Committees of papers tabled

   1. The following paper is referred to the Select Committee on Public Services for consideration:

      (a) Report and Financial Statements of the Road Traffic Management Corporation for 2006-2007, including the Report of the Auditor-General on the Financial Statements and Performance Information for 2006-2007.

   2. The following paper is referred to the Select Committee on Education and Recreation:

      (a) Strategic Plan for the Department of Science and Technology for 2008-2009.

TABLINGS

National Assembly and National Council of Provinces

1. The Minister for Agriculture and Land Affairs

   (a) Strategic Plan for Ncera Farms (Pty) Ltd for 2008-2009 [RP 29- 2008].

                    WEDNESDAY, 2 APRIL 2008
   

ANNOUNCEMENTS

National Assembly and National Council of Provinces

The Speaker and the Chairperson

1. Classification of Bills by Joint Tagging Mechanism (JTM)

(1)    The JTM, in terms of Joint Rule 160(6), classified the following
     Bills as section 75 Bills:

      a) Defence Amendment Bill [B 6 – 2008] (National Assembly  –  sec
         75).

      b) Castle Management Act Repeal  Bill  [B  9  –  2008]  (National
         Assembly – sec 75).

(2)    The JTM, in terms of Joint Rule 160(6), classified the Reform of
     Customary Law of Succession and Regulation of Related Matters  Bill
     [B 10 – 2008], introduced in the National Assembly, as a section 76
     Bill and as a Bill falling within the ambit of section 18(1)(a)  of
     the Traditional Leadership and Governance Framework Act, 2003  (Act
     No 41 of 2003).

1. Referral to Committees of papers tabled

(1)    The Appropriation Bill [B 3—2008] is referred to the following
     joint monitoring committees for consideration in terms of their
     mandate:


     (a)      Joint Monitoring Committee on Improvement of Quality of
         Life and Status of Women; and


     (b)      Joint Monitoring Committee on Improvement of Quality of
         Life and Status of Children, Youth and Disabled Persons.
(2)    The following paper is referred to the Joint Monitoring
     Committee on Improvement of Quality of Life and Status of Women and
     the Joint Monitoring Committee on Improvement of Quality of Life
     and Status of Children, Youth and Disabled Persons for
     consideration of the relevant programmes of the Memorandum:


     (a)      Memorandum on Vote No 1—‘‘The Presidency’’, Main
         Estimates, 2008-2009.

TABLINGS

National Assembly and National Council of Provinces

1. The Minister in The Presidency (a) Strategic Plan of Government Communication and Information System (GCIS) for the Medium-Term Period 2008-2011.

                       MONDAY, 7 APRIL 2008
   

ANNOUNCEMENTS

National Assembly and National Council of Provinces

The Speaker and the Chairperson

1. Draft Bills submitted in terms of Joint Rule 159

   1) Medical Schemes Amendment Bill, 2008, submitted by the Minister of Health. Referred to the Portfolio Committee on Health and the Select Committee on Social Services.

TABLINGS

National Assembly and National Council of Provinces

1. The Minister in The Presidency

   (a) Strategic Plan of the Media Development and Diversity Agency (MDDA) for 2008-2011.

2. The Minister of Education

   (a) Strategic Plan of the Department of Education for 2008-2012 and the Operational Plans of the Department of Education for 2008/9.

3. The Minister of Environmental Affairs and Tourism

   (a) Government Notice No R341 published in Government Gazette No 30904 dated 28 March 2008: Regulations for the prohibition of the use, manufacturing, import and export of asbestos and asbestos containing materials, in terms of the Environmental Conservation Act, 1989 (Act No 73 of 1989).

   (b) Government Notice No R343 published in Government Gazette No 30907 dated 28 March 2008: Amendment of regulations in terms of the Marine Living Resources Act, 1998 (Act No 18 of 1998).

4. The Minister of Trade and Industry

   (a) Report and Financial Statements of the Small Enterprise Development Agency (SEDA) for 2006-2007.

                       WEDNESDAY, 9 APRIL 2008
   

ANNOUNCEMENTS

National Assembly and National Council of Provinces

The Speaker and the Chairperson

1. Assent by President in respect of Bills

   1) Division of Revenue Bill [B 4 – 2008] – Act No 2 of 2008 (assented to and signed by President on 31 March 2008).

2. Draft Bills submitted in terms of Joint Rule 159

(1)    Traditional Courts Bill, 2008, submitted  by  the  Minister  for
     Justice and Constitutional Development. Referred to  the  Portfolio
     Committee on Justice and Constitutional Development and the  Select
     Committee on Security and Constitutional Affairs.

1. Classification of Bills by Joint Tagging Mechanism (JTM)

(1)    The JTM on 7 April 2008 in terms of Joint Rule 160(6) classified
     the following Bill as a section 77 Bill:

      a) Taxation Laws Amendment Bill [B 13 – 2008] (National  Assembly
         – sec 77).


(2)    The JTM on 7 April 2008 in terms of Joint Rule 160(6) classified
     the following Bill as a section 75 Bill:


      a) Taxation Laws Second Amendment Bill [B 14  –  2008]  (National
         Assembly – sec 75). 4.    Introduction of Bills


 (1)    The Minister for Justice and Constitutional Development


      a) Traditional Courts Bill [B 15 –  2008]  (National  Assembly  –
         proposed sec 76) [Explanatory summary of Bill and prior notice
         of its introduction published in Government Gazette  No  30902
         of 27 March 2008.]


         Introduction  and  referral  to  the  Portfolio  Committee  on
         Justice  and  Constitutional  Development  of   the   National
         Assembly, as well as referral to the Joint  Tagging  Mechanism
         (JTM) for classification in terms of Joint Rule 160.


         In terms of Joint Rule 154 written views on the classification
         of  the  Bill  may  be  submitted  to  the  JTM  within  three
         parliamentary working days.

1. Referral of Bill to National House of Traditional Leaders

The Secretary to Parliament has, in accordance with  section  18(1)  of
the Traditional Leadership and Governance Framework Act, 2003 (Act  No.
41 of 2003), referred the Reform of Customary  Law  of  Succession  and
Regulation of Related Matters Bill [B 10 – 2008] (National  Assembly  –
sec 76) to the National  House  of  Traditional  Leaders,  which  must,
within 30 days from the date of the referral (8 April 2008),  make  any
comments it wishes to make.

                       TUESDAY, 15 APRIL 2008

ANNOUNCEMENTS

National Assembly and National Council of Provinces

The Speaker and the Chairperson

1. Introduction of Bills

 (1)    The Minister of Public Works


      a) Expropriation Bill [B 16 – 2008] (National Assembly – proposed
         sec 75) [Explanatory summary of Bill and prior notice  of  its
         introduction published in Government Gazette No  30963  of  11
         April 2008.]


         Introduction and referral to the Portfolio Committee on Public
         Works of the National Assembly, as well  as  referral  to  the
         Joint Tagging Mechanism (JTM) for classification in  terms  of
         Joint Rule 160.


         In terms of Joint Rule 154 written views on the classification
         of  the  Bill  may  be  submitted  to  the  JTM  within  three
         parliamentary working days.

TABLINGS

National Assembly and National Council of Provinces

             1. The Minister of Finance

(a)    Government Notice No R.250 published in  Government  Gazette  No
     30826 dated 29 February  2008:  Amendment  of  Schedule  No  1  (No
     1/1/1356) in terms of the Customs and Excise Act, 1964 (Act  No  91
     of 1964).

(b)    Government Notice No R.254 published in  Government  Gazette  No
     30829 dated 7 March 2008: Amendment of Schedule No 1 (No  1/1/1358)
     in terms of the Customs and Excise Act, 1964 (Act No 91 of 1964).

(c)    Government Notice No R.255 published in  Government  Gazette  No
     30829 dated 7 March 2008: Amendment of Schedule No 3 (No 3/631)  in
     terms of the Customs and Excise Act, 1964 (Act No 91 of 1964).

(d)    Government Notice No R.256 published in  Government  Gazette  No
     30829 dated 7 March 2008: Amendment of Schedule No 1 (No  1/1/1357)
     in terms of the Customs and Excise Act, 1964 (Act No 91 of 1964).

(e)    Government Notice No R.302 published in  Government  Gazette  No
     30875  dated  20  March   2008:   Exchange   Control   Regulations:
     Appointment of  an  authorised  dealer  in  foreign  exchange  with
     limited authority: Albaraka Bank limited, in terms of the  Exchange
     Control Regulations.

1. The Minister for Public Enterprises

   (a) Amendment to Eskom’s pricing structure, tabled in terms of section 42(4) of the Local Government: Municipal Finance Management Act, 2003 (Act No 56 of 2003), and supporting documents required in terms of section 42(3) of the same Act.

2. The Minister of Safety and Security

   (a) Strategic Plan of the Independent Complaints Directorate (ICD) for 2008-2011.

3. The Minister of Trade and Industry

   (a) Memorandum of Understanding between the Government of the Republic of South Africa and the Government of the People’s Republic of China on Promoting Bilateral Trade and Economic Cooperation, tabled in terms of section 231(3) of the Constitution, 1996.

   (b) Explanatory Memorandum to the Memorandum of Understanding between the Government of the Republic of South Africa and the Government of the People’s Republic of China on Promoting Bilateral Trade and Economic Cooperation.

4. The Minister of Water Affairs and Forestry

   (a) Report and Financial Statements of Namakwa Water for the year ended 30 June 2007, including the Report of the Independent Auditors on the Financial Statements for the year ended 30 June 2007.

Committee reports

National Assembly and National Council of Province

CREDA PLEASE INSERT COMMITTEE REPORT IN ATCs – PAGES 549-560

                        MONDAY, 21 APRIL 2008 ANNOUNCEMENTS

National Assembly and National Council of Provinces

The Speaker and the Chairperson

1. Assent by President in respect of Bills

   (1) Transport Agencies General Laws Amendment Bill [B 27B— 2007]—Act No 42 of 2007 (assented to and signed by President on 15 April 2008).

TABLINGS

National Assembly and National Council of Provinces

1. The Minister of Defence (a) Strategic Business Plan of the Department of Defence for 2008/09 to 2010/11.

2. The Minister of Finance

   (a) Government Notice No 355 published in Government Gazette No 30915 dated 31 March 2008: Re-allocation of 2007/08 Municipal Infrastructure Grant in terms of the Division of Revenue Act, 2007 (Act No 1 of 2007).

   (b) Government Notice No 384 published in Government Gazette No 30941 dated 1 April 2008: Notice setting out excluded arrangements for purposes of section 80 N (4) of the Income Tax Act, 1962 (Act No 58 of 1962).

   (c) Proclamation No 384 published in Government Gazette No 30941 dated 1 April 2008: Fixing of date on which section 5(1) and 6(1) shall come into operation in terms of the Revenue Laws Second Amendment Act, 2006 (Act No 21 of 2006).

3. The Minister of Transport

   (a) Strategic Plan of the Department of Transport for 2008-2011 [RP 45-2008].

4. The Minister in The Presidency

   (a) Strategic Plan of the International Marketing Council (IMC) for 2008/9-2010/11.

5. The Minister of Safety and Security (a) Annual Performance Plan for the South African Police Service for 2008/2009 [RP 35-2008].

                   WEDNESDAY, 23 APRIL 2008
   

ANNOUNCEMENTS

National Assembly and National Council of Provinces The Speaker and the Chairperson

1. Introduction of Bills

 (1)    The Minister of Social Development


     (a)      Social Assistance Amendment Bill [B 17 –  2008]  (National
         Assembly – proposed sec 76) [Explanatory summary of  Bill  and
         prior notice  of  its  introduction  published  in  Government
         Gazette No 30891 of 28 March 2008].


         Introduction in the National  Assembly  and  referral  to  the
         Portfolio Committee on  Social  Development  of  the  National
         Assembly, as well as referral to the Joint  Tagging  Mechanism
         (JTM) for classification in terms of Joint Rule 160.


         In terms of Joint Rule 154 written views on the classification
         of  the  Bill  may  be  submitted  to  the  JTM  within  three
         parliamentary working days.


                       THURSDAY, 24 APRIL 2008

ANNOUNCEMENTS

National Assembly and National Council of Provinces

The Speaker and the Chairperson

1. Draft Bills submitted in terms of Joint Rule 159

(1)    General Financial Services Laws Amendment Bill, 2008,  submitted
     by the Minister for Finance. Referred to the Portfolio Committee on
     Finance and the Select Committee on Finance.

1. Translations of Bills submitted

   1) The Minister for Justice and Constitutional Development

   a) Umthetho Oyilwayo Wokuguqulwa Komthetho  Wesintu  Wobundlalifa
      Nokulawulwa Kwemicimbi Ehlobene Nawo [UO 10 – 2008]  (National
      Assembly – sec 76).
   

   This is the official translation into isiXhosa of the Reform of Customary Law of Succession and Regulation of Related Matters Bill [B 10 – 2007] (National Assembly – sec 76).

   b) Umtsetfosivivinyo Wekuguculwa Kwemtsetfo Wesintfu Webundlalifa
      Kanye Nekuphatfwa Kwemitsetfo Lehambisana Nawo [Um 10 –  2008]
      (National Assembly – sec 76).
   

   This is the official translation into siSwati of the Reform of Customary Law of Succession and Regulation of Related Matters Bill [B 10 – 2007] (National Assembly – sec 76).

TABLINGS

National Assembly and National Council of Provinces

1. The Minister for Justice and Constitutional Development

(a)     Report on the provisional suspension  of  a  magistrate:  Ms  A
    Bacharam, an  additional  magistrate  at  Scottburgh  in  terms  of
    section 13(3)(a) of the Magistrates Act, 1993 (Act No 90 of 1993).

(b)     Report on the  confirmation  of  provisional  suspension  of  a
    magistrate:  Mr  X  R  I  Masimini,  an  additional  magistrate  at
    Queenstown in terms of section 13(4)(a)  of  the  Magistrates  Act,
    1993 (Act No 90 of 1993).

                       TUESDAY, 29 APRIL 2008

ANNOUNCEMENTS

National Assembly and National Council of Provinces

The Speaker and the Chairperson

1. Introduction of Bills

 (1)    The Minister of Finance
      a) Financial Intelligence Centre Amendment  Bill  [B  18  –  2008]
         (National Assembly – proposed sec 75) [Explanatory  summary  of
         Bill  and  prior  notice  of  its  introduction  published   in
         Government Gazette No 30917 of 4 April 2008.]


         Introduction  and  referral  to  the  Portfolio  Committee  on
         Finance of the National Assembly, as well as referral  to  the
         Joint Tagging Mechanism (JTM) for classification in  terms  of
         Joint Rule 160.


         In terms of Joint Rule 154 written views on the classification
         of  the  Bill  may  be  submitted  to  the  JTM  within  three
         parliamentary working days.

1. Translations of Bills submitted

   1) The Minister of Defence

   a) Wetsontwerp op die  Verbod  op  of  die  Beperking  van  Sekere
      Konvensionele Wapens [W 7 – 2007] (National Assembly – sec 75).
   

   This is the official translation into Afrikaans of the Prohibition or Restriction of Certain Conventional Weapons Bill [B 7 – 2007] (National Assembly – sec 75).

                   WEDNESDAY, 30 APRIL 2008
   

ANNOUNCEMENTS

National Assembly and National Council of Provinces

The Speaker and the Chairperson

1. Withdrawal of paper tabled

   Request by the Minister of Safety and Security to withdraw a nomination made in terms of section 51 of the South African Police Service Act, 1995 (Act No 68 of 1995), for committees of the Parliament to consider a suitably qualified person for appointment to the office of the Executive Director to head the Independent Complaints Directorate.

National Council of Provinces

The Chairperson

1. Referral to Committees of papers tabled

   (1) The following papers are referred to the Select Committee on Economic and Foreign Affairs for consideration and report:

      a) Additional Protocol  on  Trade,  Development  and  Cooperation
         Agreement  between  the  Republic  of  South  Africa  and  the
         European Community and its Member States.
   
   
      b) Explanatory Memorandum to the Additional  Protocol  on  Trade,
         Development and Cooperation Agreement between the Republic  of
         South Africa and the European Community and its Member States.
   

TABLINGS

National Assembly and National Council of Provinces

1. The Minister of Safety and Security

   a) Proclamation No R 29 published in the Government Gazette No 30382 dated 19 October 2007: Notification by the President in respect of entities involved in terrorist and related activities identified by the United Nations Security Council, made in terms of section 25 of the Protection of Constitutional Democracy Against Terrorist and Related Activities, 2004 (Act No 33 of 2004), tabled in terms of 26 of the Act.

   b) Proclamation No R 30 published in the Government Gazette No 30382 dated 19 October 2007: Notification by the President in respect of entities involved in terrorist and related activities identified by the United Nations Security Council, made in terms of section 25 of the Protection of Constitutional Democracy Against Terrorist and Related Activities, 2004 (Act No 33 of 2004), tabled in terms of 26 of the Act.

   c) Proclamation No R 49 published in the Government Gazette No 30634 dated 31 December 2007: Notification by the President in respect of entities involved in terrorist and related activities identified by the United Nations Security Council, made in terms of section 25 of the Protection of Constitutional Democracy Against Terrorist and Related Activities, 2004 (Act No 33 of 2004), tabled in terms of 26 of the Act.

   d) Proclamation No R 1 published in the Government Gazette No 30704 dated 30 January 2008: Notification by the President in respect of entities involved in terrorist and related activities identified by the United Nations Security Council, made in terms of section 25 of the Protection of Constitutional Democracy Against Terrorist and Related Activities, 2004 (Act No 33 of 2004), tabled in terms of 26 of the Act.

   e) Proclamation No R 2 published in the Government Gazette No 30705 dated 1 February 2008: Notification by the President in respect of entities involved in terrorist and related activities identified by the United Nations Security Council, made in terms of section 25 of the Protection of Constitutional Democracy Against Terrorist and Related Activities, 2004 (Act No 33 of 2004), tabled in terms of 26 of the Act.

   f) Proclamation No R 11 published in the Government Gazette No 30939 dated 2 April 2008: Notification by the President in respect of entities involved in terrorist and related activities identified by the United Nations Security Council, made in terms of section 25 of the Protection of Constitutional Democracy Against Terrorist and Related Activities, 2004 (Act No 33 of 2004), tabled in terms of 26 of the Act.

   g) Proclamation No R 12 published in the Government Gazette No 30939 dated 2 April 2008: Notification by the President in respect of entities involved in terrorist and related activities identified by the United Nations Security Council, made in terms of section 25 of the Protection of Constitutional Democracy Against Terrorist and Related Activities, 2004 (Act No 33 of 2004), tabled in terms of 26 of the Act.

                      MONDAY, 5 MAY 2008
   

ANNOUNCEMENTS

National Assembly and National Council of Provinces

The Speaker and the Chairperson

1. Draft Bills submitted in terms of Joint Rule 159

(1)    Protection of Information Bill, 2008, submitted by the  Minister
     for Intelligence.


(2)    South African National Space Agency Bill, 2008, submitted by the
     Minister of Science  and  Technology.  Referred  to  the  Portfolio
     Committee on Science and Technology and  the  Select  Committee  on
     Education and Recreation.

1. Introduction of Bills

   1) The Minister of Trade and Industry

   On request of the Minister, the following Bill was introduced in the National Council of Provinces by the Select Committee on Economic and Foreign Affairs: a) Consumer Protection Bill [B 19 – 2008] (National Council of Provinces – proposed sec 76) [Explanatory summary of Bill and prior notice of its introduction published in Government Gazette No 31027 of 5 May 2008.]

      Introduction and referral to the Select Committee on  Economic
      and Foreign Affairs of the National Council of  Provinces,  as
      well as referral to the  Joint  Tagging  Mechanism  (JTM)  for
      classification in terms of Joint Rule 160.
   
   
      In terms of Joint Rule 154 written views on the classification
      of  the  Bill  may  be  submitted  to  the  JTM  within  three
      parliamentary working days.
   

 (2)    The Minister of Science and Technology


      a) South African  National  Space  Agency  Bill  [B  20  –  2008]
         (National Assembly – proposed sec 75) [Explanatory summary  of
         Bill  and  prior  notice  of  its  introduction  published  in
         Government Gazette No 30220 of 31 August 2007.]


         Introduction  and  referral  to  the  Portfolio  Committee  on
         Science and Technology of the National Assembly,  as  well  as
         referral  to   the   Joint   Tagging   Mechanism   (JTM)   for
         classification in terms of Joint Rule 160.


         In terms of Joint Rule 154 written views on the classification
         of  the  Bill  may  be  submitted  to  the  JTM  within  three
         parliamentary working days.

                         TUESDAY, 6 MAY 2008 ANNOUNCEMENTS

National Assembly and National Council of Provinces

The Speaker and the Chairperson

1. Classification of Bills by Joint Tagging Mechanism (JTM)

(1)    The JTM, in terms of Joint Rule 160(6), classified the following
     Bill as a section 75 Bill:

     (a)      Expropriation Bill [B 16 – 2008] (National Assembly –  sec
     75).

  2) The JTM, in terms of Joint Rule 160(6), classified the  Traditional
     Courts Bill [B 15 – 2008], introduced in the National Assembly,  as
     a section 76 Bill and as a Bill falling within the ambit of section
     18(1)(a) of the Traditional  Leadership  and  Governance  Framework
     Act, 2003 (Act No 41 of 2003). TABLINGS

National Assembly and National Council of Provinces

1. The Minister of Labour

(a)    Preliminary Report of the Department of Labour for 2007-2008 [RP
    41-2008].

National Council of Provinces

1. The Chairperson

The referral of the Minister of Safety and Security’s nomination of the
person to be appointed as the Executive  Director  to  the  Independent
Complaints Directorate Affairs, which appeared in the ATC of  Thursday,
1 November 2007, is withdrawn.

                        WEDNESDAY, 7 MAY 2008

ANNOUNCEMENTS

National Assembly and National Council of Provinces

The Speaker and the Chairperson

1. Translations of Bills submitted

   1) The Minister of Correctional Services

   a) Wysigingswetsontwerp of Korrektiewe  Dienste  [W  32  –  2007]
      (National Assembly – sec 75).
   

   This is the official translation into Afrikaans of the Correctional Services Amendment Bill [B 32 – 2007] (National Assembly – sec 75).

TABLINGS National Assembly and National Council of Provinces

1. The Speaker and the Chairperson

(a)    Report of the Auditor-General on a performance audit of  housing
    subsidies to municipal employees and the administration of low-cost
    housing projects by certain provincial housing departments –  March
    2008 [RP 47-2008].

1. The Minister of Labour

(a)    Strategic Plan of the Department of Labour for 2008-2011 [RP 43-
    2008].

1. The Minister of Environmental Affairs and Tourism

(a)    Strategic Plan of the Marine Living  Resources  Fund  for  2008-
    2011.

1. The Minister of Trade and Industry

(a)    Annual Report of The Office of  Consumer  Protection  for  2006-
    2007.

COMMITTEE REPORTS

National Council of Provinces

1. Report of the Select Committee on Security and Constitutional Affairs on the Judicial Service Commission Amendment Bill [B50 -2007], dated 6 May 2008.

   The Select Committee on Security and Constitutional Affairs, having considered the subject of the Judicial Service Commission Amendment Bill [B50 -2007 (National Assembly – sec 75), referred to it, reports the Bill with proposed amendments as follows:

                           CLAUSE 12
   

   1. On page 7, to omit “the National Assembly” wherever it occurs in lines 43 and 44, 48, 49, 50, 53 and 56 and to substitute “Parliament”.

                         CLAUSE 13
      

   2. On page 8, to omit “the National Assembly” wherever it occurs in lines 42 and 43, 45, 46 and 47 and 50 and to substitute “Parliament”.

                         CLAUSE 19
      

   3. On page 13, in line 6, to omit “16(4) (c)” and to substitute “16(4) (b)”.

                         CLAUSE 29
      

   4. On page 16, after line 32, to add the following subsection: (3)(a) Notwithstanding subsection (1), the Tribunal President may, if it is in the public interest and for the purposes of transparency, determine that all or any part of a hearing of a Tribunal must be held in public. (b) A determination contemplated in paragraph (a) must be made in consultation with the Chief Justice. (c) Subsection (2) does not apply if a determination is made under paragraph (a), but the Tribunal President may prohibit the publication of any information or document placed before the Tribunal if that publication is not in the public interest.

                         CLAUSE 35
      

   5. On page 18, in line 1, to omit “the National Assembly of” and to substitute “Parliament”.

   6. Report of the Select Committee on Security and Constitutional Affairs on the South African Judicial Education Institute Bill [B4 -2007], dated 27 March 2008.

      The Select Committee on Security and Constitutional Affairs, having considered the subject of the South African Judicial Education Institute Bill [B4 -2007] (National Assembly – sec 75), referred to it, reports the Bill with proposed amendments as follows:

                         CLAUSE 7
      

      1. On page 4, in line 26, to omit “and”

      2. On page 4, in line 27, to omit “must be members of the public” and to substitute “are”.

      3. On page 4, in line 29, after “Justice” to omit “.” and to substitute “; and”.

      4. On page 4, after line 29, to add the following paragraph:

       (m)    one traditional leader designated  by  the  National
             House  of  Traditional  Leaders  referred  to  in  the
             Traditional Leadership and Governance  Framework  Act,
             2003 (Act No. 41 of 2003).
      

      1. On page 4, from line 30, to omit “(k) or (l)” and to substitute “(k), (l) or (m)”.

      2. On page 4, from line 33, to omit “(k) or (l)” and to substitute “(k), (l) or (m)”.

                     CLAUSE 15
         

      3. On page 7, in line 3, to omit “the National Assembly” and to substitute “Parliament”.

                     CLAUSE 20
         

      4. On page 7, in line 26, to omit “2007” and to substitute “2008”.

               THURSDAY, 8 MAY 2008 ANNOUNCEMENTS
         

National Assembly and National Council of Provinces

The Speaker and the Chairperson

1. Referral of Bill to National House of Traditional Leaders

The Secretary to Parliament has, in accordance with  section  18(1)  of
the Traditional Leadership and Governance Framework Act, 2003 (Act  No.
41 of 2003), referred  the  Traditional  Courts  Bill  [B  15  –  2008]
(National Assembly – sec 76)  to  the  National  House  of  Traditional
Leaders, which must, within 30 days from the date of  the  referral  (8
May 2008), make any comments it wishes to make.

National Council of Provinces

The Chairperson

1. Message from National Assembly to National Council of Provinces in respect of Bills passed by Assembly and transmitted to Council

(1)     Bills  passed  by  National  Assembly   and   transmitted   for
     concurrence on 8 May 2008:


     (a)       National  Environmental  Management:  Integrated  Coastal
         Management Bill [B  40B  -  2007]  (National  Assembly  –  sec
         76(1)).
         The Bill has been referred to the Select Committee on Land and
         Environmental Affairs of the National Council of Provinces.


     (b)      National Environmental Management: Waste  Bill  [B  39B  -
         2007] (National Assembly – sec 76(1)).


         The Bill has been referred to the Select Committee on Land and
         Environmental Affairs of the National Council of Provinces.


     (c)      Housing Development Agency Bill [B 1B  -  2008]  (National
         Assembly – sec 76(1)).
         The Bill has been referred to the Select Committee  on  Public
         Services of the National Council of Provinces.

TABLINGS

National Assembly and National Council of Provinces

1. The Minister of Finance

(a)    Strategic Plan of National Treasury for 2008/11.

(b)    Work Programme of Statistics South Africa for 2008/09-2010/11.

COMMITTEE REPORTS

National Council of Provinces

1. Report of the Select Committee on Economic and Foreign Affairs on the Standards Bill [B 46B – 2007 (Reprint)] (National Assembly – Section 75), dated 7 May 2008:

   The Select Committee on Economic and Foreign Affairs, having considered the subject of the Standards Bill [B 46B – 2007 (Reprint)] (National Assembly – Section 75) referred to it and classified by the Joint Tagging Mechanism as a section 75 Bill, reports that it has agreed to the Bill.

2. Report of the Select Committee on Economic and Foreign Affairs on the National Regulator for Compulsory Specifications Bill, [B 49B-07 (Section 75)], dated 7 May 2008:

   The Select Committee on Economic and Foreign Affairs, having considered the subject of the National Regulator for Compulsory Specifications Bill [B 49B-07 (Sections 75)] referred to it and classified by the Joint Tagging Mechanism as a section 75 Bill, reports that it has agreed to the Bill.

                      FRIDAY, 9 MAY 2008
   

TABLINGS

National Assembly and National Council of Provinces

1. The Minister of Environmental Affairs and Tourism a) Strategic Plan of Environmental Affairs and Tourism for the period 2008/2009-2010/11.

COMMITTEE REPORTS

National Council of Provinces

1. The following item replaces item 2, published in the ATC of 8 May 2008 on page 602:

   Report of the Select Committee on Economic and Foreign Affairs on the National Regulator for Compulsory Specifications Bill [B 47B – 2007] (National Assembly - sec 75), dated 7 May 2008:

   The Select Committee  on  Economic  and  Foreign  Affairs,  having
   considered the subject of the National  Regulator  for  Compulsory
   Specifications Bill [B 47B - 2007 (sec - 75)] referred to  it  and
   classified by the Joint Tagging Mechanism as a  section  75  Bill,
   reports that it has agreed to the Bill.
   
   
                      MONDAY, 12 MAY 2008
   

ANNOUNCEMENTS

National Assembly and National Council of Provinces

The Speaker and the Chairperson

1. Draft Bills submitted in terms of Joint Rule 159

(1)    General Law Amendment Bill, 2008, submitted by the  Minister  of
     Safety and Security. Referred to the Portfolio Committee on  Safety
     and  Security  and   the   Select   Committee   on   Security   and
     Constitutional Affairs.


(2)     National  Railway  Safety  Regulator  Amendment   Bill,   2008,
     submitted by the Minister of Transport. Referred to  the  Portfolio
     Committee on Transport and the Select Committee on Public Services.

1. Classification of Bills by Joint Tagging Mechanism (JTM)

(1)    The JTM in terms of Joint Rule 160(6) classified  the  following
     Bill as a section 76 Bill:

      a) Social Assistance Amendment  Bill  [B  17  –  2008  (Reprint)]
         (National Assembly – sec 76).


(2)    The JTM in terms of Joint Rule 160(6) classified  the  following
     Bill as a section 75 Bill:


      a) Financial Intelligence Centre Amendment Bill  [B  18  –  2008]
         (National Assembly – sec 75).

TABLINGS

National Assembly and National Council of Provinces

1. The Minister of Water Affairs and Forestry

a) Consolidated Business Plan of the Department of  Water  Affairs  and
   Forestry for April 2008 to March 2008.

                        TUESDAY, 13 MAY 2008

ANNOUNCEMENTS

National Assembly and National Council of Provinces

The Speaker and the Chairperson

1. Assent by President in respect of Bills

   1) Rental Housing Amendment Bill [B 30B – 2007] – Act No 43 of 2007 (assented to and signed by President on 8 May 2008).

2. Classification of Bills by Joint Tagging Mechanism (JTM)

(1)    The JTM in terms of Joint Rule 160(6) classified  the  following
     Bill as a section 75 Bill:

      a) Prevention of Illegal Eviction from and Unlawful Occupation of
         Land Amendment Bill [B 8 – 2008] (National Assembly – sec 75).

1. Introduction of Bills

 (1)    The Minister of Finance


     (a)      Financial Services Laws General Amendment  Bill  [B  21  –
         2008] (National  Assembly  –  proposed  sec  75)  [Explanatory
         summary of Bill and prior notice of its introduction published
         in Government Gazette No 30998 of 21 April 2008].


         Introduction in the National  Assembly  and  referral  to  the
         Portfolio Committee on Finance of the  National  Assembly,  as
         well as referral to the  Joint  Tagging  Mechanism  (JTM)  for
         classification in terms of Joint Rule 160.


         In terms of Joint Rule 154 written views on the classification
         of  the  Bill  may  be  submitted  to  the  JTM  within  three
         parliamentary working days.

TABLINGS

National Assembly and National Council of Provinces

1. The Speaker and the Chairperson

(a)    Report of the  Parliamentary  Oversight  Authority  on  proposed
    policies on Parliamentary Travel and Computer and  other  Equipment
    for Members of Parliament, dated 4 October 2007.


  CREDA PLEASE INSERT REPORT - T080513 – Insert 1 – PAGES 613-627


(b)    Report on the  Parliamentary  Oversight  Authority  on  proposed
    policy on Parliament’s Budget, dated 8 April 2007.


  CREDA PLEASE INSERT REPORT - T080513 – Insert 2 – PAGES 628-641

1. The Minister for the Public Service and Administration

(a)    Strategic Plan  of  the  South  African  Management  Development
     Institute (SAMDI) for 2008/09-2010/11.

1. The Minister for Justice and Constitutional Development

(a)    Report on Monies in Trust kept in the Guardian’s Fund for  2006-
    2007, including the Report of  the  Auditor-General  on  Monies  in
    Trust kept in the Guardian’s Fund for 2006-2007 [RP 122-2007].

1. The Minister of Water Affairs and Forestry

(a)    Consolidated Business Plan of the Department  of  Water  Affairs
    and Forestry for April 2008 to March 2009.


     Please note: The above item amends item 1 under the entry “Tablings
     – The Minister of Water Affairs and Forestry”,  published  on  page
     606 of the Announcements, Tablings and Committee Reports of 12  May
     2008.

                       WEDNESDAY, 14 MAY 2008

TABLINGS

National Assembly and National Council of Provinces

1. The Minister for the Public Service and Administration

(a)     Strategic  Plan  of  the  Department  of  Public  Service   and
    Administration for 2008-2011.

1. The Minister of Correctional Services

 a) Strategic Plan of  the  Department  of  Correctional  Services  for
    2008/09-2012/13.

                        THURSDAY, 15 MAY 2008

ANNOUNCEMENTS

National Assembly and National Council of Provinces

The Speaker and the Chairperson

1. Draft Bills submitted in terms of Joint Rule 159

(1)    National Prosecuting Authority Amendment Bill,  2008,  submitted
     by  the  Minister  for  Justice  and  Constitutional   Development.
     Referred to the Portfolio Committee on Justice  and  Constitutional
     Development and the Select Committee on Security and Constitutional
     Affairs.

TABLINGS

National Assembly and National Council of Provinces

1. The Minister of Transport

(a)    Rural Transport Strategy for South Africa – December 2007.

1. The Minister of Arts and Culture

(a)    Report and Financial Statements of Luthuli Museum for 2006-2007,
    including the  Report  of  the  Auditor-General  on  the  Financial
    Statements for 2006-2007 [RP 207-2007].

National Council of Provinces

1. The Chairperson

(a)    Taking  Parliament  to  the  People:  Report-Back  on  Visit  to
    Limpopo.

CREDA PLEASE INSERT - T080515E-insert1 – PAGES 651-676

(b)    Taking  Parliament  to  the  People:  Report-Back  on  Visit  to
    Northern Cape.

CREDA PLEASE INSERT - T080515E-insert2 PAGES 677-703

(c)    Taking Parliament to the People: Report-Back on Visit to Western
    Cape.

CREDA PLEASE INSERT - T080515E-insert3 – PAGES 704-748

                         FRIDAY, 16 MAY 2008 ANNOUNCEMENTS

National Assembly and National Council of Provinces

The Speaker and the Chairperson

1. Bills passed by Houses – to be submitted to President for assent

(1)    Bill passed by National Assembly on 16 May 2008:


      a) National Gambling Amendment Bill  [B  31D  –  2007]  (National
         Assembly – sec 76(1)).

National Council of Provinces

The Chairperson

1. Message from National Assembly to National Council of Provinces in respect of Bills passed by Assembly and transmitted to Council

(1)     Bills  passed  by  National  Assembly   and   transmitted   for
     concurrence on 16 May 2008:


     (a)      Social Assistance Amendment Bill  [B  17B-2008  (Reprint)]
         (National Assembly – sec 76(1)).


         The Bill has been referred to the Select Committee  on  Social
         Services of the National Council of Provinces.

COMMITTEE REPORTS

National Council of Provinces

1. Report of the Select Committee on Finance on the Convention on Temporary Admission (Istanbul Convention), dated 15 May 2008:

The Select Committee on Finance, having considered the request for approval by Parliament of the Convention on Temporary Admission (Istanbul Convention), referred to it, recommends that the House, in terms of section 231 (2) of the Constitution, approve the said Convention.

Request to be considered.

                         MONDAY, 19 MAY 2008

ANNOUNCEMENTS

National Assembly and National Council of Provinces

The Speaker and the Chairperson

1. Classification of Bills by Joint Tagging Mechanism (JTM) (1) The JTM in terms of Joint Rule 160(6) classified the following Bill as a section 76 Bill:

   (a) Consumer Protection Bill [B 19 – 2008] (National Council of Provinces – sec 76).

(2)    The JTM in terms of Joint Rule 160(6) classified  the  following
     Bill as a section 75 Bill:

      a) South African  National  Space  Agency  Bill  [B  20  –  2008]
         (National Assembly – sec 75).

1. Draft Bills submitted in terms of Joint Rule 159

(1)    Liquor Products Amendment Bill, 2008, submitted by the  Minister
     for  Agriculture  and  Land  Affairs.  Referred  to  the  Portfolio
     Committee on Agriculture and Land Affairs and the Select  Committee
     on Land and Environmental Affairs.

1. Bills passed by Houses – to be submitted to President for assent

(1)    Bill  passed  by  National  Assembly  and  National  Council  of
     Provinces:


     (a)      Correctional  Services  Amendment  Bill  [B  32B  –  2007]
     (National Assembly – sec 75).

TABLINGS

National Assembly and National Council of Provinces

1. The Minister for the Public Service and Administration

(a)    African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM) – Country Review Report  No
    5, September 2007.

                        TUESDAY, 20 MAY 2008

ANNOUNCEMENTS

National Assembly and National Council of Provinces The Speaker and the Chairperson

1. Classification of Bills by Joint Tagging Mechanism (JTM)

(1)    The JTM in terms of Joint Rule 160(6) classified  the  following
     Bill as a section 75 Bill:

     (a)      Financial Services Laws General Amendment  Bill  [B  21  –
         2008] (National Assembly – sec 75).

TABLINGS

National Assembly and National Council of Provinces

1. The Minister of Finance (a) Agreement between the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development and the Government of the Republic of South Africa on the IDF Grant for University of Pretoria: Faculty of Law, enhancing access to legal information (IDF Grant No TF 090558), tabled in terms of section 231(3) of the Constitution, 1996.

(b)      Explanatory  Memorandum   to   the   Agreement   between   the
   International  Bank  for  Reconstruction  and  Development  and  the
   Government of the Republic of South Africa  on  the  IDF  Grant  for
   University of Pretoria: Faculty of Law, enhancing  access  to  legal
   information (IDF Grant No TF 090558).

(c)     Government Notice No R.492 published in Government  Gazette  No
   31012 dated 25 April 2008: Amendment of Schedule No 2 (No 2/298)  in
   terms of the Customs and Excise Act, 1964 (Act No 91 of 1964).

(d)     Government Notice No R.493 published in Government  Gazette  No
   31012 dated 25 April 2008: Amendment of Schedule No 4 (No 4/312), in
   terms of the Customs and Excise Act, 1964 (Act No 91 of 1964).

(e)     Government Notice No 462 published  in  Government  Gazette  No
   30988 dated 25 April 2008: Amendment  of  Regulations  in  terms  of
   section 70 read with section 45 of  the  Short-term  Insurance  Act,
   1998 (Act No 53 of 1998).

(f)     Government Notice No 516 published  in  Government  Gazette  No
   31021  dated  9  May  2008:  Prescribing  Standards   of   Generally
   Recognised Accounting Practice (GRAP) in terms of section 91 of  the
   Public Finance Management Act, 1999 (Act No 1 of 1999).
(g)     Government Notice No 436 published  in  Government  Gazette  No
   30978 dated 14 April 2008: Allocations  per  municipality  for  each
   Schedule 3, 4, 6 and  7  allocation  to  local  government  and  the
   framework for each Schedule 4, 5, 6 and 7 allocation, made under the
   Division of Revenue Act, 2008 (Act No 2 of 2008).

(h)     Government Notice No 456 published  in  Government  Gazette  No
   30987 dated 25 April 2008: Call for nomination of competent  persons
   to serve as Board Members  of  the  Co-operative  Banks  Development
   Agency, in terms of the Co-operatives  Banks Act, 2007 (Act No 40 of
   2007).

(i)     Government Notice No 457 published  in  Government  Gazette  No
   30987 dated 25 April 2008: Determination  of  an  increased  maximum
   amount of  benefit  to  be  provided  by  a  “Friendly  Society”  as
   envisaged in section 7(2)(b) of the Long-term  Insurance  Act,  1998
   (Act No 52 of 1998).

(j)     Government Notice No 458 published  in  Government  Gazette  No
   30987 dated 25 April 2008: Determination  of  an  increased  maximum
   amount of  benefit  to  be  provided  by  a  “Friendly  Society”  as
   envisaged in section 7(2)(b) of the Short-term Insurance  Act,  1998
   (Act No 53 of 1998).

(k)     Government Notice No 459 published  in  Government  Gazette  No
   30987 dated 25 April  2008:  Determination  of  the  maximum  amount
   contemplated in the definition of  “Assistance  Policy”  in  section
   1(1) of the Long-term Insurance Act, 1998 (Act No 52 of 1998).

1. The Minister of Environmental Affairs and Tourism

(a)    Annual Report of the Committee  for  Environmental  Coordination
    for 2007, in terms of section 10(3) of the  National  Environmental
    Management Act, 1998 (Act No 107 of 1998).

1. The Minister of Home Affairs

   (a) Strategic Plan of the Department of Home Affairs for 2008/2009- 2010/2011.

COMMITTEE REPORTS National Council of Provinces

1. Report of the Select Committee on Social Services on the Films and Publications Amendment Bill [B27B – 2006] (National Assembly – Section 75), dated 20 May 2008:

The Select Committee on Social Services having considered the subject of the Films and Publications Amendment Bill [B27B – 2006] (National Assembly – Section 75), referred to it and classified by the JTM as a Section 75 Bill, reports the Bill with proposed amendments as follows:

                              CLAUSE 1

1. On page 3, in line 15, to omit “visual presentations or descriptions of any”.

                           CLAUSE 19
   

2. On page 9, in line 45, after the first “a”, to insert “bona fide”. 2 On page 9, from line 45, to omit “the Newspaper” and to substitute “Print Media”.

3. On page 9, from line 48, to omit subsection (2) and to substitute the following subsection: “(2) Any person, except the publisher of a newspaper contemplated in subsection (1), who, for distribution or exhibition in the Republic creates, produces, publishes or advertises any publication that— (a) contains explicit sexual conduct which— (i) violates or shows disrespect for the right to human dignity of any person; (ii) degrades a person; or (iii) constitutes incitement to cause harm; (b) advocates propaganda for war; (c) incites violence; or (d) advocates hatred based on any identifiable group characteristic and that constitutes incitement to cause harm, shall submit, in the prescribed manner, such publication for examination and classification to the Board before such publication is distributed, exhibited, offered or advertised for distribution or exhibition.”.

4. On page 10, from line 12, to omit “visual presentations, descriptions or representations of or amounting to”.

5. On page 10, from line 22, to omit “visual presentations, descriptions or representations of or amounting to”.

6. On page 10, in line 30, after “of”, to omit “sexual or domestic” and to substitute “extreme”.

7. On page 10, in line 34, after “merit”, to insert “or is on a matter of public interest”.

8. On page 10, from line 38, to omit “visual presentations, descriptions or representations of”.

9. On page 10, in line 42, after “merit”, to insert “or is on a matter of public interest”.

10. On page 10, from line 46, after “contains”, to omit “visual presentations, descriptions or representations” and to substitute “material”.

11. On page 10, from line 58, to omit “visual presentations, descriptions or representations of, or amounts to,”.

                            CLAUSE 21
    

12. On page 11, in line 20, after “contains”, to omit “depictions or scenes of”.

13. On page 11, in line 34, after “of”, to omit “sexual or domestic” and to substitute “extreme”.

14. On page 11, from line 43, to omit “visual presentations, descriptions or representations of”.

15. On page 11, in line 51, after “contains”, to omit “scenes” and to substitute “a scene”.

16. On page 12, in line 4, after “contains”, to omit visual presentations, descriptions or representations of, or amounts to,”.

17. On page 12, after line 7, to insert the following subsection: “(6) A broadcaster who is subject to regulation by the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa shall, for the purposes of broadcasting, be exempt from the duty to apply for classification of a game or film and shall, in relation to a film or game, not be subject to any classification or condition made by the Board in relation to that film or game.”.

                            CLAUSE 27
    

18. On page 14, from line 24, to omit subsection (3).

                            CLAUSE 29
    

19. On page 16, from line 26, after “offence” to omit “and liable, upon conviction, to a fine or imprisonment for a period not exceeding 10 years or to both fine and such imprisonment”.
20. On page 16, from line 36, after “offence” to omit “and liable, upon conviction, to a fine or imprisonment for a period not exceeding 10 years or to both fine and such imprisonment”.
21. On page 16, from line 39, to omit subsections (3), (4) and (5).

22. On page 16, from line 59, after “offence”, to omit “and liable, upon conviction, to a fine or imprisonment for a period not exceeding 10 years or to both fine and such imprisonment”.

                     WEDNESDAY, 21 MAY 2008
    

ANNOUNCEMENTS

National Assembly and National Council of Provinces

The Speaker and the Chairperson

1. Draft Bills submitted in terms of Joint Rule 159

(1)    Air Services Licensing Amendment Bill, 2008,  submitted  by  the
     Minister of Transport.  Referred  to  the  Portfolio  Committee  on
     Transport and the Select Committee on Public Services.

(2)    Constitution Fourteenth Amendment Bill, 2008, submitted  by  the
     Minister for Justice and Constitutional  Development.  Referred  to
     the Portfolio Committee on Justice and  Constitutional  Development
     and the Select Committee on Security and Constitutional Affairs.

(3)    Constitution Fifteenth Amendment Bill, 2008,  submitted  by  the
     Minister for Justice and Constitutional  Development.  Referred  to
     the Portfolio Committee on Justice and  Constitutional  Development
     and the Select Committee on Security and Constitutional Affairs.

(4)    General Matters Amendment Bill, 2008, submitted by the  Minister
     for  Justice  and  Constitutional  Development.  Referred  to   the
     Portfolio Committee on Justice and Constitutional  Development  and
     the Select Committee on Security and Constitutional Affairs.

(5)    Insurance Laws Amendment Bill, 2008, submitted by  the  Minister
     of Finance. Referred to the Portfolio Committee on Finance and  the
     Select Committee on Finance.


(6)    Special Pensions Amendment Bill, 2008, submitted by the Minister
     of Finance. Referred to the Portfolio Committee on Finance and  the
     Select Committee on Finance.

1. Introduction of Bills

 (1)    The Minister for Agriculture and Land Affairs


     (a)      Liquor Products Amendment Bill [B  22  –  2008]  (National
         Assembly – proposed sec 75) [Explanatory summary of  Bill  and
         prior notice  of  its  introduction  published  in  Government
         Gazette No 31050 of 12 May 2008.]
         Introduction  and  referral  to  the  Portfolio  Committee  on
         Agriculture and Land Affairs of the National Assembly, as well
         as  referral  to  the  Joint  Tagging  Mechanism   (JTM)   for
         classification in terms of Joint Rule 160.


         In terms of Joint Rule 154 written views on the classification
         of  the  Bill  may  be  submitted  to  the  JTM  within  three
         parliamentary working days.


 (2)    The Minister for Justice and Constitutional Development


     (a)      National Prosecuting Authority  Amendment  Bill  [B  23  –
         2008] (National  Assembly  –  proposed  sec  75)  [Explanatory
         summary of Bill and prior notice of its introduction published
         in Government Gazette No 31037 of 8 May 2008.]


         Introduction  and  referral  to  the  Portfolio  Committee  on
         Justice  and  Constitutional  Development  of   the   National
         Assembly (the Committee to confer with the Portfolio Committee
         on Safety and Security), as well  as  referral  to  the  Joint
         Tagging Mechanism (JTM) for classification in terms  of  Joint
         Rule 160.


         In terms of Joint Rule 154 written views on the classification
         of  the  Bill  may  be  submitted  to  the  JTM  within  three
         parliamentary working days.

                        THURSDAY, 22 MAY 2008 ANNOUNCEMENTS

National Assembly and National Council of Provinces

The Speaker and the Chairperson

1. Bills passed by Houses – to be submitted to President for assent

(1)    Bills passed by National Council of Provinces on 22 May 2008:


      a) Standards Bill [B 46B – 2007 (Reprint)] (National  Assembly  –
         sec 75).


      b) National Regulator for Compulsory Specifications Bill [B 47B –
         2007] (National Assembly – sec 75).

National Council of Provinces

The Chairperson

1. Message from National Assembly to National Council of Provinces in respect of Bills passed by Assembly and transmitted to Council

(1)     Bills  passed  by  National  Assembly   and   transmitted   for
     concurrence on 22 May 2008:


     (a)      Jurisdiction of Regional Courts Amendment Bill  [B  48B  -
         2007] (National Assembly – sec 75).


         The Bill has been referred to the Select Committee on Security
         and  Constitutional  Affairs  of  the  National   Council   of
         Provinces.


     (b)      Taxation Laws Amendment  Bill  [B  13  -  2008]  (National
         Assembly – sec 77).


         The Bill has been referred to the Select Committee on  Finance
         of the National Council of Provinces.


     (c)       Taxation  Laws  Second  Amendment  Bill  [B  14  -  2008]
         (National Assembly – sec 75).


         The Bill has been referred to the Select Committee on  Finance
         of the National Council of Provinces.


     (d)      Financial Intelligence Centre  Amendment  Bill  [B  18B  -
         2008] (National Assembly – sec 75).


         The Bill has been referred to the Select Committee on  Finance
         of the National Council of Provinces.

TABLINGS

National Assembly and National Council of Provinces

1. The Speaker and the Chairperson (a) Submission of the Financial and Fiscal Commission on the Division of Revenue Bill for 2009-2010, tabled in terms of section 9(1) of the Intergovernmental Fiscal Relations Act, 1997 (Act No 97 of 1997).

2. The Minister of Minerals and Energy

(a)     Strategic Plan of the Department of  Minerals  and  Energy  for
    2008/2009-2010/2011.