In response to a member's statement, the Minister for the Public Service and Administration also referred to the hon Maynier as possessing "a flea-infested body". I think that with hindsight the Minister will accept that her remarks reflected on the character of the member, and cannot therefore be appropriate.
Hon members, the hon Minister is not present in the House today, but I have decided to deliver this ruling now in the interest of discharging the responsibility of the Speaker to rule timeously on points of order. I will ask the Minister to formally withdraw her statement at the first opportunity in 2013.
Hon members, recently the Deputy Minister of International Relations and Co- operation, hon Fransman, referred to the leader of DA in the Western Cape as being "soos 'n werfbobbejaan" [like a lackey]. [Laughter.] I hope my Afrikaans is all right. Hon Farrow enquired whether it was parliamentary to refer to a member this way. I must indicate that the Rule only applies to members of the House, and the leader of the DA in the Western Cape is not a member of the National Assembly. [Laughter.] Order!
Consequently, while I find the remark in question, and indeed all references to people as less than human, distasteful, it is not strictly unparliamentary, as it would have been if directed at another member. I would, nevertheless, urge members to refrain from using insulting language, as it does not contribute to the quality of the debate.