Deputy Chairperson, I hereby give notice that at the next sitting of this House I shall table the following motion:
That this House, noting that -
1) the ruling party held its 52nd national conference in Polokwane in December in 2007;
2) the lead-up to this conference was characterised by bitter in- fighting between the two factions that eventually emerged, and that service delivery in many parts of the country was brought to a standstill as a result;
[Interjections]
3) the conference itself was characterised by unruly behaviour including booing and disrespect shown towards the chairperson, which portrayed a negative image of our country to the world;
4) the conference resolved ...
[Interjections.]
Can I have some protection, Deputy Chairperson? I am reading a motion.
Hon members, thank you! Can you please give the hon member a chance to complete his notice?
Thank you very much.
4) the conference resolved to disband the Scorpions, the most effective crime-fighting unit in our country in living memory; and 5) a number of individuals were elected to the National Executive Committee after having been found guilty of defrauding Parliament, and further noting that, as a consequence to the Polokwane struggle, speculation is rife that a further purge of senior office holders in this august House is imminent;
6) therefore resolves -
i) not to allow the struggle for the soul of the ANC to affect the effective functioning of this House, and its indispensable oversight role; and
ii) to call on Luthuli House to respect the leadership in this House of the hon M J Mahlangu.
Thank you very much, Deputy Chairperson. I would request that, in future, the Table staff should alert the presiding officer if the Chief Whip's hand has been put up first when we deal with notices of motion.
Deputy Chairperson, I would like to put a notice of motion:
That the Council -
1) notes that - a) the ANC held its 52nd national conference at the University of Limpopo, in the great north of our country;
b) this occasion provided an opportunity to reflect on the achievements of this great movement as it has worked, together with the masses, first to defeat the apartheid system, and then to vanquish the legacy of racial oppression and gender inequality; and
c) for five days the country and nations across the globe observed the vibrant democratic debates about the future of our movement and the nation it leads;
2) takes this opportunity to congratulate the newly elected leadership of the ANC, which includes, among others, members of the NCOP, the hon Mr Sicelo Shiceka and the hon Ms Nosipho Ntwanambi, who are collectively fired up with passionate selflessness and steeped in the vintage traditions of our movement to bear the huge responsibility to catalyse our people's aspirations for a social order and commitment of continuing our work to liberate our people from the consequences of poverty and the entanglements of the legacy of apartheid;
3) also takes this opportunity to congratulate the ANC for successfully hosting such a watershed conference and the newly elected President of the ANC, Jacob Zuma, for his election as the 12th President of the ANC, succeeding an illustrious list of names such as John Langalibalele Dube, Sefako Mapogo Makgatho, Pixley ka Isaka Seme, Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela, Oliver Reginald Tambo and many more;
4) however, notes the barrage of vicious personal attacks and public conflations by certain leaders of the opposition who designated themselves "spokespersons" of the ANC and featured quite prominently in the mass media, commenting on proceedings and decisions of the ANC in Polokwane with the sole intention of waging vicious attacks and smear campaigns against the character of the ANC and its leadership; and
(5) takes this opportunity to condemn such behaviour that was intended to undermine and distort the fundamental key and historical ideals within which the ANC elects its leaders.
Thank you. [Applause.]
I just want to correct something before you speak, hon member. There is nothing in the Rules that says you have to speak first, Chief Whip, and notice was not given to me that you would speak first. Thank you.
Madam Chair, I did rise on the point of order, but you asked me to wait. The point of order is that the Rules determine that no member may make a motion on the subject of a motion that has already been stated. I ask you to check the Rules, and to make a ruling at your leisure. Thank you.
Does any other member wish to give notice of a motion? You may proceed, sir.
Dankie, mev die Voorsitter. Ek gee hiermee kennis dat ek namens die Demokratiese Alliansie by die volgende sitting van die Raad die volgende mosie gaan stel:
Dat die Raad -
1) met skok kennis neem van die onaanvaarbare toestande wat steeds heers in die Plaaslike Munisipale Raad van Mbombela in Nelspruit, hoofstad van Mpumalanga;
2) kennis neem dat ondanks -
a) talle pogings die afgelope twaalf maande, sedert Februarie 2007;
b) herhaalde vermanings van die DA-raadslede;
c) my eie toesprake, versoeke en onderhoude met die provinsiale en nasionale leierskap; en
d) uiteindelike ingrypings van die provinsiale wetgewer ingevolge artikel 139 van die Grondwet -
die Mbombela-raad steeds lamgel is weens onduidelikheid oor die wyse en besondhede van die beoogde ingrypings en die gevolglike minagting van raadsbesluite deur mnr Dladla, die munisipale bestuurder; en
3) die agb Voorsitter van die Raad derhalwe versoek om opdrag te gee aan die betrokke Gekose Komitee om 'n dringende in sito-besoek aan Nelspruit te bring en om toe te sien dat sake genormaliseer word om dienslewering te herstel. (Translation of Afrikaans notice of motion follows.)
[Mr A WATSON: Thank you, Madam Chairperson. I hereby give notice that at the next sitting of the Council, I will move the following motion on behalf of the DA:
That the House -
1) notes with horror the unacceptable conditions which still prevail in the Mbombela Municipality in Nelspruit, the capital of Mpumalanga; 2) notes that despite -
a) various attempts over the past twelve months, since February 2007;
b) repeated warnings by DA councillors;
c) my own speeches, requests and interviews with the provincial and national leadership; and
d) eventual interventions by the provincial legislature in terms of section 139 of the Constitution -
the Mbombela Council continues to be incapacitated because the process and details about the planned interventions were unclear, resulting in municipal manager Mr Dladla's disregard for council decisions; and
3) therefore requests the hon Chairperson of the Council to instruct the concerned select committee to pay an urgent in sito visit to Nelspruit to ensure that matters are stabilised and service delivery is reinstated.]
Hon Deputy Chairperson, I will move at the next sitting of this House:
That the Council notes -
1) that the 52nd national conference has come and gone;
2) that this conference has once more reaffirmed the centrality of the ANC in the body politic of South Africa; and
calls on all small opposition parties to mind their own business and says: "Hands off the ANC!".
[Applause.]
Dankie, Adjunkvoorsitter. Ek gee hiermee kennis dat ek op die volgende sittingsdag sal voorstel:
Dat die Raad kennis neem dat -
1) die gebrek aan kundigheid in ons administrasie die land in chaos gedompel het;
2) die elektrisiteitskrisis die ekonomie reeds miljarde rande gekos het en dit terwyl kundige mense by Eskom uit hul poste ontslaan is;
3) ons onderwysstelsel klaaglik misluk terwyl bekwame onderwysers in die privaatsektor werk; 4) die regering nie sy burgers teen misdadigers kan beskerm nie en dit terwyl bekwame polisielede by die huis sit; en
5) ondeurdagte regstellende aksie deur die ANC ons land van kundigheid beroof het terwyl ons infrastruktuur in duie stort.
Ek dank u. (Translation of Afrikaans notice of motion follows.)
[Mr J W LE ROUX: Thank you, Deputy Chairperson. I hereby give notice that at the next sitting I will move:
That the House notes that -
1) the lack of capacity in our country's administration has plunged our country into chaos;
2) the electricity crisis has already cost the economy billions while competent people were dismissed at Eskom;
3) our education system is lamentably failing while qualified teachers are working in the private sector;
4) the government is unable to protect its citizens against criminals while competent members of the police are sitting at home; and 5) ill-considered affirmative action by the ANC has robbed our country of expertise while our infrastructure is collapsing.
I thank you.]
Dankie Voorsitter. Ek gee hiermee kennis dat ek op die volgende sittingsdag sal voorstel:
Dat die Raad kennis neem dat -
1) ondanks die feit dat ons gesondheidsorg groot tekorte aan professionele gesondheidswerkers ondervind, ons nou ook sukkel met vertragings rondom die bou van beplande hospitale - ek verwys spesifiek na Upington waar werkloosheid sevier en waar die bou van die plaaslike hospitaal uitgestel is en dat hierdie stap veroorsaak het dat pasinte nou 300 km ver vervoer moet word vir spesiale mediese sorg;
2) gister, tydens so 'n rit, twaalf pasinte waarvan twee kinders was, op pad na De Aar tragies in 'n ongeluk gesterf het;
3) ons Grondwet voorsiening maak vir gehalte-mediese sorg aan landsburgers en dat dit kommerwekkend is om te besef dat ons weer eens in 'n grondwetlike krisis gedompel is, omdat siek plattelandse pasinte nie hul grondwetlike reg kon uitoefen nie;
4) ons plattelandse dorpe nog steeds swak gesondheidsorg beleef en ons 'n dringende beroep op ons Minister van Gesondheid doen om onmiddellik die nood van die platteland aan te spreek;
5) daar geen plaasvervanger is vir lewe nie en plattelandse pasinte se grondwetlike reg op gehalte-gesondheidsorg gister weer eens benadeel is; en
6) medelye betuig aan die gestorwenes se naasbestaandes en glo dat ons Hemelse Vader se genade alleen die verlies sal kan vul. (Translation of Afrikaans notice of motion follows.)
[Ms H LAMOELA: Thank you, Chairperson. I hereby give notice that at the next sitting I will move:
That the House notes that -
1) despite the fact that our health care is experiencing a shortfall of health-care providers, we are now also struggling with delays around the construction of planned hospitals- I am referring to Upington in particular where unemployment prevails and the construction of local hospitals have been postponed and that this has resulted in patients now having to be transported 300 km away for specialised medical care;
2) yesterday, during such a trip, twelve patients, two of whom were children, died tragically in an accident on their way to De Aar;
3) our Constitution provides for quality medical care for all citizens and it is distressing to realise that we are once again immersed in a constitutional crisis because ill patients from rural areas were unable to exercise their constitutional right;
4) our rural towns are still experiencing inferior health care and we urgently appeal to the Minister of Health to address the plight of the rural districts immediately;
5) life is irreplaceable and yesterday the constitutional right to quality health care for rural patients was, once again, violated; and
6) our condolences are conveyed to the relatives of the deceased with the belief that only the mercy of our Heavenly Father can compensate for their loss.]
Hon Deputy Chairperson, I want to rise on a point of order and want to know whether it is permissible for a member to make a speech whilst rising on a notice of motion. Thank you.
Madam Deputy Chairperson, on a point of order: Is it parliamentary for the hon member to say that ...
... die ANC is ligsinnig? [... the ANC is frivolous.]
That is an insult to the ANC and she must withdraw.
Hon Lamoela, can I have ... [Interjections.] Order! Order! For the last time, order! Thank you!
Hon Lamoela, was that part of your notice?
Yes, because of the comment that came from the hon member from the ANC, I had to say that. These are people! They are human beings and not animals! [Interjections.]
Hon Lamoela, you are wrong. Will you please withdraw what you have said? [Interjections.]
Withdraw!
Hon Lamoela, will you just withdraw that part where you said ...
... hulle is ligsinnig? [... they are frivolous?] [Interjections.]
Hon members, could you please give me a chance, I am busy with Ms Lamoela? I am busy with Ms Lamoela! Will you please sit down? Will you please sit down?
Madam Chair, I will withdraw it, but I will take it up in the media so that everybody can know. [Interjections.]
Order! Members, order! Hon members, I will not call this House to order again! Could you please give one another a chance to state your case?