Deputy Chairperson, I hereby give notice that on the next sitting day of the House I shall move on behalf of Cope:
That the Council -
(1) notes with interest the endeavours of President Zuma and Deputy President Kgalema Motlanthe to meet with executive mayors and mayors from all of the country's 283 municipalities to discuss the strengthening of the local government sphere;
(2) further notes government's acknowledgement of the general lack of local government capacity in the third sphere of government and of the prevalence of corruption there, and of its desire to seek solutions to these challenges; and
(3) therefore calls on government for coherence, and to end its policy of cadre deployment and to put into posts and positions in government those who have the required qualification, expertise, capability and motivation to manage municipalities professionally.
Hon Deputy Chair, that motion has not been put for us to either accept it or not accept it.
Okay, these are motions of ... [Interjections.] We are not going to vote on these.
Chair, it's a notice of a motion, not a motion without notice, so there is no voting.
Mr Watson, I had not even pointed you out to talk.
Deputy Chairperson, I hereby give notice that, on the next sitting day of the House, I shall move on behalf of Cope:
That the Council -
(1) notes with alarm that the situation in Snake Park in Maokeng, Kroonstad has degenerated to such a point, on account of lack of delivery, that the people there are planning to take the law into their own hands;
2) further notes that the breakdown in law and order has led to an unacceptable increase in burglaries, housebreaking, rapes and murder; and
3) therefore calls on government to urgently and decisively address the concerns of the citizens of Snake Park by immediately establishing a satellite police station in the area, deploying more police and taking every other measure to retain the credibility of government.
Chairperson, I hereby give notice that I shall move on the next sitting day of the House: That the Council -
(1) notes that President Jacob Zuma has appointed Adv Thulisile Madonsela as the country's next Public Protector;
(2) further notes that Adv Madonsela, who replaces Adv Lawrence Mushwana and whose non-renewable seven-year term expires at the end of October, has extensive experience in constitutional, human rights and equality law and recently served as a full-time member of the South African Law Reform Commission; and
(3) takes this opportunity to congratulate Adv Madonsela on being appointed as the country's first female Public Protector.
Chairperson, hon members in the House, on behalf of Cope I give notice as follows:
That the Council -
1) notes with disgust and disquiet the intemperate outburst of the Deputy Minister of Police, hon Fikile Mbalula, in responding to legitimate and reasoned criticisms raised by a former ANC NEC member and recently retired Minister of Education, Kader Asmal;
2) further notes that the level of political discourse in our country has degenerated to such a considerable extent, thanks to the ANC, that it has become a blight on our politics; and
3) therefore calls on government to immediately restrain its senior members from being mere brawlers lacking in substance, refinement and political tolerance.
Voorsitter, ek stel die volgende met kennisgewing voor:
Dat die Huis -
1) kennis neem dat Emeritus-aartsbiskop Desmond Tutu 'n toekenning van die Europese Parlementarirs vir Suid-Afrika ontvang het vir sy bydrae tot die stryd teen apartheid;
2) verder kennis neem dat hierdie liggaam nou saamwerk met parlemente in Afrika om demokrasie op die kontinent te bevorder en te sorg dat Afrika-sake hoog op die politieke agenda in Europa bly; en
(3) Emeritus-aartsbiskop Desmond Tutu geluk wens en hom ook voorspoed toewens met sy gewaardeerde en volgehoue werk om demokrasie te bevorder. (Translation of Afrikaans draft resolution follows.)
[Mr M J R DE VILLIERS: Chairperson, I hereby give notice as follows:
That the Council -
(1) notes that Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu has received an award from the European Parliamentarians for South Africa for his contribution to the struggle against apartheid;
(2) notes further that this body operates closely with parliaments in Africa so as to promote democracy on the continent, and to ensure that African issues remain high on the political agenda in Europe; and
(3) congratulates Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu and wishes him well with his much-appreciated and sustained efforts in promoting democracy.]
Hon Chairperson, I hereby give notice that on the next sitting day of the House, I shall move on behalf of Cope:
That the Council notes that -
1) Cope won Ward 4 in a municipal by-election held at the Renosterberg Municipality on 14 October 2009 in which four parties, including the ANC and the DA, were contestants;
2) Councillor John Havenga is the fourth elected Cope local government representative to be elected since the establishment of Cope in South Africa;
3) this is no mean achievement considering the fact that, last year this time, Cope had not been formed; and
4) due regard be given by the ANC government to the serious disgruntlement regarding failed service delivery, inefficient local government, wide-scale ineptitude and indifference by the citizens and taxpayers of South Africa.
Hon members, Cope wants it to be noted that the summit on the performance of local government held in Khayelitsha yesterday will yield results. [Interjections.]
Chair, I rise on a point of order: Is it procedurally correct for a member to address us when speaking, when you have given the member the opportunity to address you? I think the member must learn that he is addressing you, and not us. Thank you.
I thought I was addressing the House.
Hon members, could we please try to behave ourselves and give each and every member a chance to express themselves. Please continue.
I hereby give notice that I shall move:
That the Council -
(1) notes that -
(a) We have been told that most municipalities in the country are in a shambles and can't deliver basic services to our people;
(b) about 56 local municipalities - 11 of them in the Eastern Cape - are on the National Treasury's financial distress list, and the majority of these municipalities are led by the ruling party, the ANC;
(c) in the Western Cape the ANC-controlled municipalities are a disgrace, because their mayors and their municipal managers focus their energies on fighting over positions instead of rendering services to our people on the ground; (d) it was further reported that almost half of those municipalities were found guilty by the Auditor-General of unauthorised and wasteful expenditure;
(e) based on the wasteful expenditure I have just mentioned, again the government is wasting taxpayers' money by hosting hundreds of delegates from all over the country. [Interjections.] [Time expired.]
Voorsitter, ek stel die volgende met kennisgewing voor:
Dat die Raad -
1) kennis neem dat die hulplyn van die President, mnr Jacob Zuma, geensins aan die verwagtinge wat die President by die kiesers geskep het, voldoen nie;
2) verder kennis neem dat die Premier van die Wes-Kaap, mev Helen Zille, in die provinsiale Parlement ges het dat sekere navrae vanaf die presidensile 17737-hulplyn na die bestaande provinsiale hulplyn by 0860 142 142 verwys word;
3) verder kennis neem dat die party binne 'n tydperk van 13 dae die presidensile hulplyn altesaam 42 keer gebel het sonder enige sukses; en 4) die presidensile hulplyn versoek om sy organisasie en administrasie in orde kry sodat dit nie net nog 'n produk is om voor te gee dat die ANC-regering omgee vir die kiesers nie. (Translation of Afrikaans draft resolution follows.)
[Mr J M G BEKKER: Chairperson, I hereby give notice as follows:
That the Council -
(1) notes that the helpline of the President, Mr Jacob Zuma, is in no way fulfilling the expectations that the President has created among the voters;
(2) further notes that the Premier of the Western Cape, Mrs Helen Zille, has said in the provincial legislature that certain queries are being transferred from the 17737 presidential helpline to the existing provincial helpline 0860 142 142;
(3) further notes that within a period of 13 days the party has called the presidential helpline 42 times in total, without any success; and
(4) request that the presidential helpline should get their organisation and administration in order, so that this does not become merely another product to pretend that the ANC Government cares about the voters.]
Chairperson, I hereby give notice that, on the next sitting of the House, I shall move:
That the Council -
1) congratulates the Free State Cheetahs rugby team on their wonderful, beautiful and stunning win last Saturday;
2) acknowledges that, after a poor start in the competition, the Cheetahs have won six matches in a row; and
3) further congratulates the Cheetahs on reaching the finals to be played on 31 October 2009. May the best team win!
Hon Chairperson, I hereby give notice that I shall move on the next sitting day of the House:
That the Council -
1) congratulates Nelson Mandela Metro University scientist Prof Richard Cowling on being awarded one of the most prestigious medals for scientific merit in Southern Africa, the Southern Africa Association for the Advancement of Science (S2A3) South Africa Gold Medal for 2009;
2) notes that Prof Cowling, as a botanist and a world leader on threatened ecosystems, has in his research on ecological and evolutionary patterns provided insight into the diversity of these systems;
3) recognises his work on the development of conservation plans with explicit targets and his widely acclaimed research for achieving the goal of biodiversity persistence in the face of human-induced change;
4) also congratulates him on his foresight in involving other role- players to target features that deliver ecosystem services and in addition secure several hundred thousand hectares of otherwise threatened ecosystems for conservation management; and
(5) acknowledges that the award ceremony will take place at the Sci- Enza building at the Discovery Centre, University of Pretoria, on 4 November 2009 where Prof Cowling will give a memorial lecture.
Chairperson, I hereby give notice that I shall move on the next sitting day of the House:
That the Council -
(1) notes that yesterday, 21 October 2009, the President of the Republic of South Africa, Jacob Zuma, accompanied by Deputy President Kgalema Motlanthe, met with executive mayors and municipal managers from all 283 municipalities in South Africa, as well as Ministers, MECs, directors-general and leaders of the SA Local Government Association, to discuss the strengthening of the local government sphere, at the Oliver Tambo Hall in Khayelitsha, Cape Town;
(2) further notes that the meeting was a sequel to previous service delivery improvement sessions that the President has had with various stakeholders, to improve dialogue and to find solutions to achieve the goal of a better life for all;
(3) acknowledges that this meeting highlighted the ANC government's determination and commitment to improving local government and the delivery of quality services to all our people, as well as finding decisive measures to tackle poor performance and corruption at local government level; and
(4) takes this opportunity to congratulate the President on this important initiative, as a crucial and further step in the process of improving the functioning and co-ordination of the various spheres of government, to deliver quality services to our people.
Hon Chairperson, I hereby give notice that on the next sitting day of the House, I shall move on behalf of the DA:
That the Council -
(1) notes the situation regarding fraud in the Department of Education in the North West province;
(2) requests a very serious investigation into the alleged fraud by the Head of the Department of Education and some of his officials, as well as the possible involvement of the MEC, Mr Tselapedi.
Chairperson, I stand to propose that we spend no more time on the motions and that we continue with the agenda of the day. We can't spend the whole day on motions.
Honestly. Hon member, I am addressing you, sir. We have 20 minutes allocated to this, and we still have time. If we run out of time, I will gladly notify the House to that effect. Thank you. [Applause.]
I want to raise a point of order. I am not addressing you. Madam ... Yes, Madam.
Mr Watson, could you take your seat?
I am requesting ...
Could you take your seat?
It is not against you, Madam.
Mr Watson, could you take your seat? Thank you.
Hon Chairperson, I hereby give notice that I shall move on the next sitting day of the House:
That the Council -
1) notes the resignation of Bafana Bafana coach Joel Santana on Monday, 19 October 2009;
2) further notes that Santana's troubled 17-month spell saw Bafana Bafana fall from 68th to 85th position on Fifa's world rankings, with only a few months to the hosting of the 2010 Soccer World Cup when the global spotlight will be on our nation regarding the performance of Bafana Bafana in the tournament, as well as our nation's hosting capabilities, as the first African country to ever host a Fifa World Cup; and
3) urges the SA Football Association to implement a comprehensive team development strategy that will not only focus on filling the vacant coach position but also on the development, recruitment and scouting of quality players, as well as the commitment of players to carry our national flag and represent our continent in 2010.
Hon member, with all due respect, we have now really run out of time. Thank you. Can we proceed?
Madam Chair, I rose a couple of minutes ago on a point of order, to which I am entitled, in terms of Rule 53. May I now address you on that point of order, please?
Continue, Mr Watson.
The point of order that I wanted to raise, Chair, is that you should rule whether it's in order for a member, sitting over there, when addressed by the Chair, to remain seated and not to stand, as determined by the Rules. The Rules very clearly state that if a delegate in this House is able to do so, that delegate must stand when addressed by the Chair. The delegate sat while you addressed him, and that is the point of order, Madam.
Thank you, Mr Watson, for teaching some of us some manners. It is accepted. Thank you. [Applause.]