Chairperson, I thought it would be important for government to comment on the matter of fetal alcohol syndrome. It is a very serious problem in the country, and something must be done to address this. Various attempts and programmes have been implemented by both the previous government of the Western Cape as well as the Health department nationally.
But I think concern must be expressed along with the hon member of the ACDP at the sentiment she expressed that there is a proliferation of alcohol licences being granted in communities as a step towards 2010. The year 2010 is a soccer festival and not an alcohol binge. Therefore, I do think that hon members have a responsibility to look at this process of the granting of licences, but more particularly to look at the issue of the plight of farmworkers who are often the victims of this abuse of being given pure alcohol as payment for their work on many of the farms throughout our country. [Applause.] Therefore, it is vital that all of us as members of Parliament do take up this matter because the lives of many, many children of many families are being harmed by this abuse, particularly those of rural persons by giving them this pure and very poisonous alcohol.
Chairperson, I also want to say that we welcome the congratulations that have been expressed as well as the sympathy to those who have now become victims of violence by certain individuals who, it is alleged, are associated with the taxi industry in response to the very valiant and important step taken by the government of Gauteng to introduce a viable, affordable public transport system for the people of Gauteng. We hope that all provinces will act to ensure that we have a public transport system that works for the people rather than against them. We praise the government of Gauteng for having implemented Rea Vaya. We see that the public is infused, and it's an important development for South Africa. [Interjections.] [Applause.] [Time expired.]