Hon Speaker, the social cohesion and nation- building programme of the government and society is still on track. The tragedy should strengthen our resolve to build a better society than the one we have had. I appointed a commission of inquiry to establish the facts about what transpired in Marikana.
The terms of reference were gazetted yesterday. Work is ongoing to sort out the logistical arrangements to enable the commission to begin work very soon. Government continues to support the families of all 44 people who were killed in Marikana through the Inter-Ministerial Committee led by Minister in the Presidency, Mr Collins Chabane.
We also acknowledge the support provided by religious leaders. Hon members, the tragedy has further highlighted the deepening levels of poverty, unemployment and inequality in our country and the frustrations that this generates. The reminder from the Marikana tragedy is that meaningful social cohesion will be achieved when we succeed in addressing socioeconomic inequality, poverty and unemployment. Our economy must grow and create more jobs to absorb the many unemployed and improve the standards of living. Meaningful economic transformation also has to be visible.
The finding of the Employment Equity Commission that there is still a remaining gross underrepresentation of black people, women and people with disabilities in key areas of the labour market, for example in management, should worry all of us.
The Western Cape province, in which we are meeting just now, is said to be the worst performing province both in the public and private sector in respect of employing black people, both men and women. Together we must ensure that transformation takes root in order to promote economic and social development in our country.
Another lesson from Marikana is the need to accelerate the transformation of the mining sector and to strengthen the sector, which has been the backbone of our economy for more than a century. The sector provides half a million direct jobs and a similar number of indirect jobs and is central to the country's developmental goals.
We should work together as government, labour, business, political parties and all stakeholders to promote adherence to the Constitution and laws of the land in dealing with labour disputes in the mining sector.
The worker demands for better wages can and should be addressed within the country's labour relations framework. The illegal strikes, the incitement and intimidation will not assist workers; instead, they will make them and the country worse off. The Department of Labour and institutions under its control such as the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration, CCMA, stand ready to assist in mediating between the parties. Government is also continuously engaging mining companies to assess the implementation of the provisions of the Mining Charter to improve living conditions of workers.
In terms of the charter, companies are required to implement measures to improve the standard of housing and living conditions for mine workers. They must convert or upgrade hostels into family units, ensure one person per room and facilitate home ownership options for mine workers by 2014. We continue working with the sector to monitor progress through the Department of Mineral Resources.
Fortunately, hon members, we met recently at the social cohesion summit in Kliptown in Soweto. We agreed at the summit that we must build a caring and proud society based on the values enshrined in our Constitution, together. We must put our country first and defend South Africa from the opportunism that will set us back many years to come. I thank you. [Applause.]
Hon Speaker, I thank the hon President for the well-thought- through response to this august House. The ANC supports you and remains committed to nation-building and the creation of a nonracial, nonsexist, prosperous and democratic society. Therefore nation-building and social cohesion remain part of this agenda. The ANC welcomes the prompt intervention by the President in establishing the judicial commission of inquiry following the Marikana tragedy. The ANC further supports the freedom of association and the right to strike by workers, legally, as it is enshrined in the Constitution of our country, but we condemn violence and intimidation during these strikes at all costs.
The question is, hon President, is it not only proper for all of us to wait for the outcome of the inquiry instead of pre-empting it? I thank you. [Applause.]
Hon Speaker, I think it is very proper that we should wait for the commission of inquiry. It is absolutely important to note that a very big tragedy happened and we don't know the actual details. Therefore it is important to wait for the commission to establish facts and give a report and its recommendation. It is then that we can debate the matter from an informed position. I think that is the only correct way to do it.
If, in this country, we say: "Let us find a solution to a problem", whilst we are searching for the facts, and we begin to make our own comments that are in fact judgments about what has happened, I don't think it will assist this country in going forward. So, I totally agree, we should be patient and wait for the results of the commission. It would be the correct thing for us to do. Thank you. [Applause.]
Hon Speaker, arising from the hon President's reply, most of us in this House acknowledge that Mr Malema is a Polokwane political Frankenstein created by yourself in order to achieve your objective to become a President. Now, like all Frankensteins, he is uncontrollable and he is perceived to be a threat to the security of the country to the point that your Minister of Defence and Military Veterans, who has now unconstitutionally put the army on high alert, feels jittery.
Does this mean that, in the eyes of government, Mr Malema's activities can be equated to planning a coup d'tat? Again, Mr President, can you explain why you and your government blame Lonmin mine for not providing housing for miners, while lack of housing and basic services is a serious problem all over South Africa as a result of the ANC's failure to deliver? [Applause.]
Hon Speaker, I produced no person, as it is claimed, for Polokwane, not at all. So, I shouldn't be blamed for somebody who has certain characteristics of his own. It is not my fault. I never participated in the production of certain persons. [Laughter.]
I think you should not make the mistake of confusing ANC members who behave in a particular way at a particular time for very specific reasons and then say if they behave in that way they have been created by others. The ANC is a very democratic organisation where people differ in their views and they also have views about the leaders they prefer to lead them. Now, if somebody prefers a particular leader it doesn't mean that that leader created that person because they are exercising democracy and you should know this. Have you forgotten in just a few years? [Laughter.]
With regard to the conditions in the mines, I think it will be an unfair mistake to compare what government is doing and what the mines have been doing over the centuries. I think it will be an unfair comparison. Conditions in the mines had been terrible all the time, especially in that area which is owned by companies, not by government.
You also know that the question of housing for the majority of this country under previous governments was also horrible. We are addressing that legacy insofar as the country is concerned. It is being suggested that it is the ANC that is not giving people houses, as if it is the ANC that, once it came to government, dispossessed people, and therefore it is its problem now to give people houses, instead of appreciating that the ANC, ever since it came into power, has had programmes and built houses. But you cannot resolve that issue overnight because it is a huge issue spanning over centuries. So, to link that to the conditions in the mines, and you all know what those conditions are, I think is an unfair comparison. We cannot stop criticising companies that have money. We have made policies that they should change housing from being hostels, as you know them, into family houses. Some other mines are doing it, and that's why you are able to stand and criticise Lonmin mine, because the progress there is not like that of other mines. Those are the facts. Therefore we have a right to criticise Lonmin mine. Thank you. [Laughter.] [Applause.]
Hon Speaker, it is true that the tragedy at Marikana has revealed serious fault lines in our country today, but this is because of big business and big governments and big unions working together to keep the rules of the game working in favour of a small, connected elite at the centre. This has served to keep everybody else out and has enflamed tensions in the mining industry. At the moment, the current labour relations regime states that union representation thresholds must be set at 51%, which led to a situation where the Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union, Amcu, was not a recognised union at Lonmin mine. The Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union was therefore excluded from wage negotiations, empowering the ANC-affiliated National Union of Mineworkers, NUM, to establish a monopoly at the mine.
My question is about labour negotiations and relations in general, which are critical to social cohesion. Does the President believe that smaller unions should be empowered to negotiate on behalf of their members and not be excluded by big unions like NUM in a winner-takes-all scenario? Does the President believe that this can avert the tension and the possible violence that is now posing a threat to South Africa's mining sector? Thank you very much. [Applause.]
Hon Speaker, we operate within a regulated society. I think between workers and the employers there have been negotiations and agreements, and those agreements must be respected. The kind of laws that have been made or regulated has been on the basis of the participation of all.
I think, as the hon member is aware - and she has said many times that she is a democrat - in a democratic situation it is the majority that prevails. [Applause.] I can't change the rules because you want to make a particular point. You can't then say smaller unions must be compared to the bigger unions in the same way. [Interjections.] Exactly, that is why you sit in that bench all the time. You can't move to this side. [Laughter.] You can't. It is impossible. [Applause.]
No, I am telling you that you should appreciate that we are in Parliament as political parties and not as workers. I am talking about what governs the unions. All of their workers are working. Workers who do not join the unions can't have the same kind of privileges. Of course, they might benefit if those in the majority and those who are unionised win the gains in the negotiations, but they can't be the same. You can't have a union of half a dozen people because you have declared the union and then expect to have the same rights. [Interjections.] Sorry? We have more rights here because we are a majority. You have fewer rights because you are a minority. Absolutely, that's how democracy works.
So, it is a question of accepting the rules within democracy and you must operate within them. It doesn't matter if it so happens that you are in a small party or defending a small union, and that is none of my business. [Laughter.] You sympathise with them. Absolutely, it's a democracy. Thank you very much, hon Speaker. [Applause.]
Mr President, we accept that you have established a commission of inquiry, however, it is abundantly clear that there is growing tension, dissatisfaction and frustration starting to emerge. The Marikana tragedy is an indirect eruption of such tension and frustration. My question to you, sir, is: How does your office intend to stabilise the growing unrest in the mining industry, bearing in mind that it has a direct impact on the economy of our country, as this needs urgent attention, and not to allow the situation to get out of control, as the mines are demonstrating following the strikes?
Hon Speaker, it is absolutely true that there are some kinds of activity that are not acceptable, and as the government we have been looking at them. I have engaged with the Ministers concerned to discuss how we would deal with this issue, and very soon we will be able to let the public know, because it can no longer be accepted. You know that it is not just the miners who are striking, but it is also certain people of a certain description who are going there to instigate miners to operate in a particular way, and that cannot be accepted. Therefore we are looking into that and we are going to act very soon. [Applause.]
Position regarding meeting of education targets by government
16. Ms N Gina (ANC) asked the President of the Republic:
Whether, given the recent challenges that have been experienced in the Basic Education sector, he has found that, since his replies to question 3 on 15 March 2012 and question 11 on 20 May 2012, the Government is on course in meeting its targets in respect of education being one of the Government's five priorities; if not, what is the position in this regard; if so, what are the relevant details?