Deputy Chairperson, hon Ntwanambi and hon members, my office has not had any discussions with the National Stakeholder Advisory Council on Electricity and the National Electricity Response Team, Nert, regarding a contingency plan for high electricity demand during the 2010 Fifa Soccer World Cup tournament. Certainly, in the case of the advisory council, this matter has not arisen as the structure is mainly preoccupied with policy issues.
However, through Nert, government has put in place plans to promote energy efficiency and manage consumption demand. These include: replacing incandescent lighting with energy-saving lights, which has been completed in most host cities' high-density areas and has reduced demand by at least 700 megawatts; supplying solar water heaters to reduce the electricity load relating to water heating, as part of a 1 million solar water heating programme; and an investment of R1,2 billion by government over the past three years in a programme to rehabilitate the host cities' electricity distribution infrastructure.
Furthermore, members should note that all stadiums will run on diesel generators. The electricity grid will serve as backup. Regulations to regulate or manage the price of liquefied petroleum gas have been finalised. These aim to assist households to meet their thermal needs of space heating and cooking.
We are confident that these instruments, among others, will enable the country to manage electricity consumption demand during the peak winter period that coincides with the hosting of the 2010 Fifa Soccer World Cup. Eskom has also assured us that there will be no power interruptions during the World Cup. Coal stocks have been replenished and the summer maintenance programme is running smoothly. Thank you, Deputy Chairperson.
Chairperson, given the comprehensive set of measures that the Deputy President has announced, can he give a guarantee to industry or to Fifa that there won't be any blackouts during the 2010 Fifa Soccer World Cup?
Hon member, I think we can definitely give the guarantee that there will be no blackouts unless, of course, a major natural disaster occurs in this day and age of climate change. We cannot be more powerful than nature itself, but all man-made problems have been attended to sufficiently. Thank you.
Engagement of Presidency with Commission for the Promotion and Protection of the Rights of Cultural, Religious and Linguistic Communities and matters relating thereto
2. Ms N D Ntwanambi (ANC) asked the Deputy President:
(1) Whether the Presidency has any engagement with the (a) Commission for the Promotion and Protection of the Rights of Cultural, Religious and Linguistic Communities, (b) Moral Regeneration Movement and (c) leaders of any (i) political party and (ii)(aa) religious and (bb) cultural groupings regarding measures that our country can put in place to promote cultural, religious and linguistic tolerance among our people; if so, to what extent do such measures plan to engage schools as a foundation phase for instilling new sets of values in our citizens;
(2) whether he considers it necessary for our nation to engage in such an initiative; if not, what is the position in this regard; if so, what are the relevant details;
(3) to what extent does this link up with the proposed debate on our national shared moral values by the President and the mandates of the cultural, religious and linguistic communities and the Moral Regeneration Movement? CO67E
Deputy Chairperson, hon members, hon Ntwanambi, government has ongoing engagements with many institutions established to protect and promote culture, language and the religious rights of all South Africans. Particular attention is given to aspects of culture, language and religious rights of population groups who previously could not exercise their rights due to oppressive laws of discrimination.
Also, government continues to engage nongovernmental organisations that operate in the same space. We find that, challenges notwithstanding, efforts of government are greatly enhanced by relentless contributions of public bodies established to promote equality and equity, as well as those of nongovernmental actors.
As the hon member might be aware, the Moral Regeneration Movement was established to lead social mobilisation at national and provincial levels in favour of promoting social values that enhance healthy families and cohesive communities. This section 21 entity is funded by the Department of Arts and Culture and boasts professionals, celebrities, religious leaders and community activists on its board. The highlight of their work is the adoption and implementation of the Charter of Positive Values that lays the basis for family, community and national conversations on what constitutes positive social values. I wish to encourage all members of this House to support the proliferation of the Charter of Positive Values. Your constituencies will benefit greatly from such a document.
This, hon members, is in addition to the schools pledge introduced by the then Education Minister, Ms Naledi Pandor. The schools pledge encourages learners to embrace, appreciate and promote social values that protect the integrity of the state, public property, etc. All these measures are meant to foster social cohesion, the basis of which begins at schools, and in families and communities where we live.
We do encourage members of this House and all sectors of society to heed the call by our President, Jacob Zuma, for all South Africans to openly debate and mould values that characterise a united, nonracial, nonsexist and prosperous South Africa. This is not meant to be a panacea for all social ills prevalent in our communities. It does, however, strengthen a foundation for a tree whose fruits will nourish our children and future generations.
Finally, the national dialogue that the President has called for is not meant to supplant other important initiatives of government, civil society and constitutional bodies; rather, it is meant to complement and support them. I thank you.
Deputy Chairperson, in terms of the Rules I think the person who asked the question has got the privilege to ask the first follow- up question.
Hon member, I have looked around, which I am still doing right now, and Mr Watson is not here. I've done that work but I will announce the final decision after we have finished what we are doing right now.
Chair, I thought Mr Sinclair was rising on a correct point of order. Nevertheless, let me ask a follow-up question.
Sekela-Mongameli, njengoko usitsho - nanjengoko nombuzo wam ubusitsho - eyona njongo kukuba ekugqibeleni abantwana bethu bashiyeka noMzantsi Afrika omnye nomanyeneyo njengoko thina sesibadala kwaye sisondele engcwabeni. Kodwa ke, ndingathanda ukuqonda ukuba ingaba le ndlela urhulumente enza ngayo phaya phezulu iyenzeka na apha emaphondweni ethu. Ndibuza lo mbuzo kuba sisenawo amaphondo acinga ukuba aziziqithi. Ndiyabulela. (Translation of isiXhosa paragraph follows.)
[Deputy President, as you have mentioned and as my question stated, the main aim is for our children to be left with a legacy of a united South Africa because we are old and about to die. However, I would like to know if there is consistency between the national and provincial governments. I ask this question because we still have provinces that work in isolation from others. Thank you.]
Deputy Chairperson, I thank the hon member for the follow-up question. This issue is really the responsibility of all sections of the South African population. That is why the call is made to all of us - whatever we are - at all spheres of government to contribute towards the definition of positive values for our country. This will ensure that we leave this country on a very firm foundation that will enable future generations to live far better lives than we do today.
Therefore, as I have already said, all structures throughout the three spheres ought to contribute towards this national discourse and ensure that we emerge and shape the values that would keep our nation together. Such contributions would guarantee that tomorrow will be far better than today in order for the country to prosper. Thank you.
Deputy Chairperson, arising out of the Deputy President's response, I would like to ask whether he would argue that the promotion of mother-tongue education would assist in these values that he just referred to. Thank you.
Deputy Chairperson, my answer to the hon member's follow-up question is in the affirmative. In fact, our Constitution and Bill of Rights guarantee the development of all languages. Also, many educational experts do confirm that instruction in one's mother tongue, particularly at the cognitive stage of the development of the child, is far more effective than if the child were to struggle with its second language as a medium of instruction.
So, indeed it does contribute to a better understanding of who we are. Therefore the instruction of the learner who is at the cognitive stage in his or her mother tongue would shape that particular learner to become a better South African.
Deputy Chairperson, I would like to ask whether the Deputy President does believe that the President's conduct can affect the credibility of the national debate on moral values.
Deputy Chairperson, I would like to inform the hon member that I happen to chair the SA National Aids Council, Sanac, and last week we were doing work in the province of KwaZulu-Natal. In attendance were the former President of Mozambique, Mr Joaquim Chissano and the former President of Botswana, Mr Festus Mogae, who shared with us the wisdom of their years when a question arose as to whether the message of the President on World Aids Day is undermined by this or that negative report about his private life.
In response to that, the two wise leaders said that we - as people who are religious believers - live in a world where even priests from time to time are found guilty of this or that indiscretion or mistake; and yet we continue to listen to the Word and the message. When we deal with matters of such import, nothing but nothing must distract us from understanding the core of the message
So, I would say such a debate would not be undermined by anything attributed to the President. I think it is of such importance that none of us should be distracted by that. However, we should meaningfully engage in the debate. Thank you.
Madam Chair, the Deputy President correctly said that in many cases people do things that may not morally be the right thing to do but we forgive them and continue to listen to them. I would like to know whether, through that statement, the Deputy President is indicating to this House that he agrees that the President's behaviour has been such that it hasn't been morally acceptable and there needs to be forgiveness.
Deputy Chairperson, I think the President actually made a public apology and that should allow us to focus on the message. Thank you. Measures put in place by government with regard to proposed subsidy to employers to limit casualisation of workers and perpetuation of disparity between temporary and full-time workers, prevention of exploitation of young people for tax benefits and implementation of subsidy for benefit of young people in rural areas
3. Mr R J Tau (ANC) asked the Deputy President:
(a) What measures is the government putting in place to ensure that the proposed subsidy to employers does not expand a renewed focus on casualisation of workers and perpetuate the disparity between temporary workers and those working full-time, (b) to what extent will the government ensure that young people employed through this programme are not exploited for tax benefits and discarded without prospects for long-term employment and (c) how will this subsidy be implemented to ensure that it also benefits young people in the rural areas?