Speaker and hon members, as we heard in the debate in this Chamber yesterday, the South African government was inspired by the enthusiasm displayed by the people of this country, from all races and walks of life, in the build-up to and throughout the course of the 2010 Fifa World Cup.
To capitalise on the positive mood that prevailed in the run-up and throughout the event, the South African government is in liaison with the International Marketing Council to conceptualise a programme aimed at building on the enthusiasm of South Africans which was expressed in their cohesion as a nation, united under a common flag and anthem. This programme will seek to develop and entrench a national brand of ubuntu, unity through our diversity, innovation and creativity, and of possibilities. A campaign has already been developed and will be launched within the next few weeks.
In addition, government supports other initiatives by the private sector, which are currently under way, that encourage South Africans to build on this spirit even after the 2010 Fifa Soccer World Cup. Some private businesses continue to infuse the flying of the national flag in their campaigns, and we encourage others to do likewise.
We have seen the flying of the flag in the last few days, especially in the build-up to and during the friendly match between our national football team, Bafana Bafana, and their Ghanaian counterparts, the Black Stars, on 11 August 2010. Thank you.
Thank you, Deputy President, for the reply and the steps that you've outlined. Apart from gaining the admiration of the world in staging this very successful event, the 2010 Fifa Soccer World Cup has demonstrated that there is a need and, indeed, a willingness to reach out to one another and work together. As a matter of fact, the 2010 Fifa Soccer World Cup reiterated the motto on our coat of arms: Diverse People Unite.
My question to the Deputy President is: Shouldn't we consider capturing and institutionalising this growth in unity that we have demonstrated by, for instance, establishing a task team in the Presidency within the National Planning Commission? Such a task group can, for instance, identify areas such as sport, education, housing, peace and security, and even tourism in different spheres of government to include all role-players and, especially, to focus on the needs of the poor people because this is where our challenge lies. Thank you.
Hon Koornhof, the idea of establishing a special task team in the National Planning Commission has not been entertained by Cabinet, and it is an idea, perhaps, that you've planted now. I would just like to say that the lessons of the 2010 Fifa Soccer World Cup will not be lost to government because, in preparing for the 2010 Fifa Soccer World Cup, we were able to work within very tight timeframes and to have interspherical co-ordination from national down to host city level, which is local government.
We believe that need we to identify major projects that are catalytic. For example, if we were to say that our next "Fifa World Cup" is to provide poor communities in rural areas and in the townships with bulk economic and social infrastructure so that, as I said, none of our people should be without access to potable water, proper sanitation and an environment that is liveable. If we were to do that and tackle it in the same spirit by harnessing the available talent in the country from engineers, and so on, I think we would enhance our chances of cementing the unity of our nation.
The fact is that the Bulls were able to take the semi-final and final of the Super 14 rugby tournament to Orlando Stadium and, whilst there, then had the privilege of interacting with Sowetans. In Pretoria, a pint of beer costs R25. In Soweto, two quarts of beer cost R30. So, they were very happy, and I think that we can have integration. [Laughter.] We can really have national unity. Our people can live cheek by jowl, and we will be a truly happy nation, if the infrastructure is there. One of the things that cause people to migrate away from the depressed areas is absence of infrastructure. Thank you.
Mr Deputy President, for a short while during the 2010 Fifa Soccer World Cup, South Africans were a very happy family, and South Africa was a very happy place, even for the poor. Why was that, Mr Deputy President? It was because we delivered on time for Fifa. We did everything to please Fifa. We were determined to meet their deadlines. Now, Mr Deputy President, my question to you is: When will the government start showing the same determination to expedite the delivery of services to the poor on time again? When and why don't we stick to timeframes when it comes to the poor? The poor people of this country are becoming restive again. Thank you.
Hon Lee, I couldn't agree with you more that this is what we should do. This is a very important lesson that we need to draw from the experience of hosting the 2010 Fifa Soccer World Cup. There are all of these concurrent competencies, and so on. We need to cut across that administrative and bureaucratic need to account and ensure that we process matters within the shortest possible time and also look at the quality of the projects and what is being delivered.
This weekend I spent time in a place called Namibia in Mangaung, Free State. It is called Namibia, but it is in Mangaung. We're a wonderful country. [Laughter.] A place that used to be an informal settlement is now formalised. There are RDP houses, and the people there are happy. They said to me that their experience of the new sewer system that they have is that they get rain from the ground and not from the heavens because the sewer system blocks. It does so because the pipes used are narrow.
The contract was given and the civil engineering company laid out the sewer system, the pipes, and so on, but cut costs by utilising narrow pipes. It is very clear that they are already blocking today. In the next 10 years when the population density increases, it would be a disaster.
So, the province has to pull all of that out and replace it with pipes of a better quality. That is a lesson that, for every major project, we must have a team that monitors from day one that those who have won the contract deliver in accordance with specifications. That is what we need to do. Of course, as Premier Zille indicated here yesterday, the time taken to process simple applications is just too inordinate for us to be efficient. We need to address those bottlenecks. Thank you.
Speaker, arising from the Deputy President's reply, would the Deputy President agree that there is a duty upon all leaders and politicians to continue with nation-building, particularly by avoiding making inflammatory and ill-considered statements which do irreparable harm to the cause of nation-building in the country? Deputy President, was it not noteworthy that during the successful 2010 Fifa Soccer World Cup, the normally strident voices of certain politicians and leaders were more constrained and constructive, including the silence of a prominent youth league president? Should we not all learn from that process as we contribute? It is not what we say, but how we say it. Thank you, Deputy President.
Hon Swart, I agree with you that it is our duty and responsibility, all of us, to contribute towards nation-building, but, of course, we are who we are. Life would be very dull if we were all the same. In a manner of speaking, there are people who speak with a bit more exuberance. So, we must also learn how to live with such people here. Thank you. [Applause.]
Deputy President, we all agree that the 2010 Fifa Soccer World Cup was a success at many levels, and it taught us many important lessons as a country. One of the most important of these was that we, as a country, performed beyond everybody's expectations when we had very tight and specific deadlines and targets to meet. Are we now setting deadlines for key performance areas in respect of achieving national unity and driving this from the highest office in the land? If so, what are some of the key areas that have been identified?
Hon Dexter, yes there are outcomes that the President has agreed to with his Ministers, and contracts have been signed to that end. But the process of nation-building is an ongoing process; it's not something that would simply admit to strict timeframes. When the Bulls go to Soweto, for instance, that's a major contribution. It conveys, in a very practical way, a more positive message than what you and I can manage in a rally.
Therefore we have to take the contributions of all sections of society towards unity of South Africans as an important matter. Those of us who have public platforms as public representatives and as leaders must utilise these public platforms to convey this message of unity of our people all the time. Even as we differ or as we expose one another's weaknesses, we must not forget to slide in the message that our people need to be united all the time. I think that is a task that we must all carry. Thank you.
Particulars regarding steps taken to establish a code of ethics for business and politics
8. Rev K R J Meshoe (ACDP) asked the Deputy President: Whether, in light of his speech at the Regenesys graduation ceremony on 4 August 2010, he has taken any steps to establish a code of ethics for both business and politics; if not, why not; if so, (a) who are the drafters of the code and (b)(i) how will the code be enforced and (ii) by whom will it be enforced?