Deputy Chairperson and hon members, the safety and security of teachers and learners at school do not receive adequate funding on the budget. There are currently only 48 schools identified on the National School Safety Framework, NSSF, programme that will be monitored in order to attain a safe and violence-free school environment. However, this is not adequately emphasised in the Annual Performance Plan.
The learners and teachers are being slaughtered by gangsters and there seems to be no immediate solution to this problem. The integration of the SA Police Service, Saps, into the education system is imperative and there is no integration mentioned in the Annual Performance Plan, APP. Our teachers and learners need support. Social workers and nurses have a supporting role to play in our schools. A [Inaudible.] solution needs to be found to this enormous problem compromising education everyday. Our children deserve to learn in an environment that is safe so that they can realise their full potential and live a full and happy life contributing to the growth and development of South Africa.
There are yet daily reports of learners falling prey to crime, drugs, gangsterism and unsafe school infrastructure such as pit
latrines as they continue to claim young lives. Secondly, the President's failure to address to address Early Childhood Development in his state of the nation address and the department's inability to implement the Early Childhood Development programme is especially concerning. Given the infrastructural challenges experienced in schools across South Africa, any decision to bring very young children onto unsuitable school premises would open unconstitutional challenges and create several reputational and management problems.
The failure to implement is mainly caused by lack of co-ordinated provision of services to our children. Child nutrition, early language development and inclusive education should be a concerted effort by the department of education working in collaboration with the Department of Social Development. Without serious attention to these critical issues the results would not be pleasing in the future. Thank you.
Deputy Chair, I must say that I am shocked and appalled by the toenadering [get together], the get together between the right wingers in South Africa. It shows here in this House that the right wing is getting together to oppose the progressive move to get our children improve their lives through education. This is
really shocking to find that the people who claim to be representing the poorest of the poor find themselves voting with the Freedom Front Plus and the DA. Shame unto you! Any young person who voted for the EFF and the DA would have to change their stand after this.
Hon Nchabeleng, one moment.
Mr S F Du TOIT: Yes, I have a point of order, Deputy Chair.
I am listening.
Mr S F Du TOIT: Initially when the hon gentleman started to speak, he referred to some members as right wingers colliding with ... we were quiet because I am not aware of any right wingers in this House. Then, the gentleman referred to the FF Plus and the DA. So, he is basically insinuating that we are a right wing group that is bringing division in this House. I humbly request ...
... sorry, hon member. I really didn't hear. We will go to Hansard and come back to you.
Mr S F Du TOIT: Deputy Chair, I am really appalled that it seem as if some people when they have selective hearing, they are only hearing what they want to hear in this House.
I hope that is not a reflection on me. I really didn't hear because I was here you saw me, I was just doing something. I didn't hear that and I am saying that we will consult Hansard and will then come back to you on that one. I didn't hear the issue of right wingers. I really didn't hear. If I didn't hear, you will not really beat me up to hear what I didn't hear. Can I have EFF?
Chair, the hon member must withdraw what he just said. It is just that as EFF, we don't want to find ourselves ... because they have a tendency ... their hands are very quick. So, we don't want ... we just object to corruption ... not the budget ...
... hon member, I am sure that what you are saying is in the same vein of what was raised by the FF Plus ...
... he must just withdraw ...
... no, the issue is that I haven't heard what he said and I don't know what you want him to withdraw. That is, you haven't said what you want him to withdraw. That is why I am saying, no, I don't know what he said. No, no, I cannot be that you will be the advocate for everyone. Please, hon Koni, seat down, seat down. You cannot be the advocate for everyone. So, can we continue? You must know that this is a very cumbersome process and you become a bit confused when we are not continuing. It is a little bit of a cumbersome process all of you can agree. Hon Nchabeleng, you may continue.
Deputy Chairperson, the guilty are afraid. That is all that I can say. I just want to say that those who ... those who ...
... hon Nchabeleng, continue with your declaration.
Those who care for our children's education will support this Budget Vote. Education remains an apex priority for the ANC government with education and skills being critical for the development and growth of our people and the economy. The premise of the type of education and training system ... [Interjections.]
Thank you very much, hon Nchabeleng is free to do or to make his declaration, but he must not come here and grandstand and mislead the masses out there. The EFF objects to this vote because we are tired of corruption in this country. It is The EFF that is actually fighting corruption and for the free education in this country ...
... hon Nchabeleng, can you continue ...
... so, this guy must not come here to grandstand and be dramatic ...
... you still have time, you may continue.
... and lie about us ... Why does he think he is able to speak on behalf of the EFF? ...
... hon Koni! ...
... who mandated him to come here and speak on behalf of the EFF? Mnx. He must not speak about the EFF ...
... hon Koni, you are free ... you are free to disagree ...
... he must not speak about the EFF, he must speak about the corruption that is in the ANC. He must not tag us.
... you are free ... you are free to disagree ... I don't know why you want to really defend if you don't agree. You don't agree, you are free the Constitution guarantees your right to disagree. Hon Nchabeleng, can we continue?
Madam Deputy Speaker, the truth hurts. This government deliberately and consciously declared improved quality basic education as top priority. We deliberately did that. It therefore, tells all of us to make an extra ordinary effort so that this objective is realised for the benefit of all our children of our country irrespective of economic background and the area they find themselves; rural, farm or township without any discrimination.
President Cyril Ramaphosa in his state of the nation address committed government to ... committed to a conducive environment for teaching and learning. He indicated that the accelerated school infrastructure delivery initiative is part of the national
infrastructure plan. He further stated that the national infrastructure development programme continue to be a key job driver and catalyst for economic growth. In principle, the ANC fundamentally agree with the focus of the department to improve the quality of life of education, eradicate improper structures, prepare for the ...
... continue ...
... and expand the access of education to all our people. Madam Chairperson, there is no noise that will make people to change them. You know the question of ... [interjections.] ... it doesn't belong ... interjections ... whether it belongs to you or not it doesn't matter, the fact is that there is the right wing in South Africa and I did not even refer to any person by name. [Time expired.] Down with [Inaudible.] of the right wingers. We will bury them alive. [Applause.]
Can I explain? Hon members, this is not a debate where someone is participating in it. There is a declaration. Each and every political party is allowed three minutes for a declaration. So, if you interrupt the member, we will stop the clock and we will allow him his three minutes. That is what will
happen. So, don't use that tactic in this one because it is not working here. Now, after the declarations ... [interjections.] ... thank you ...
Deputy Chairperson, you actually mentioned something very correct now. You said that it is not a debate, then I object that the hon member been referred back to me in objection. If it is a declaration we are making then he must make his declaration without declaring back to me.
For the whole of the better part of the day, it has been done from both sides. Therefore, what is happening we are allowing it. Yes, because that is the thing, we are consistent as the Chairperson. We are consistent. Can we continue. We will vote now. We are very consistent here in the Presiding Officer's chair.
Hon members! Hon members, can I just request that all of us or some of you will tell me later ... I still have a flight to catch, but you are doing this ... [Interjections.] ... okay. No, it is fine I am not fighting I am just requesting that we be time conscious. Can we now continue? The next step that we have agreed to today is that, after the declarations any calls for a division ... Luthuli...
I am presiding over this House and there was a ... [Interjections.] hon members, it is impossible to Chair this House if you continue shouting like that, no, man! Are we in the sports grounds or are we in the hon House of the NCOP? Please, toe, please. I want the little girl from Kuruman to really declare what she is saying now ... [Laughter.] ... There was a suggestion that we divide the House. Are there those who are in agreement, Can you just show? There is an agreement, we have four and half people that are in agreement ... [laughter.] ... with the issue of division of the House. We will allow the bells to ring for two minutes. He knows he did this, that is why I am saying four and a half ... [Laughter.] ... We are allowing the bells to ring for two minutes. ... [Interjections.] ... The half is the one that want to vote with both hands ... [Laughter.] All flights will leave tomorrow.
Division demanded.
The Council divided:
Afrikaans:
Onthou, ons is oor vyftig. Ons raak deurmekaar as daar so baie geraas word.
Ayes 37: [Take in from minutes]
Noes 25: [Take in from minutes]
Vote agreed to (Democratic Alliance, Economic Freedom Fighters and Freedom Front Plus dissenting).
Vote 14 - Basic Education
We have requested objections first. We are continuing and I am putting Vote 15 of Higher Education and Training in front of the House.
Vote 15 - Higher Education and Training - put.
DA, EFF and FF-Plus objects.
Declarations of vote:
Ms D C Christians: Hon members the National Student Financial Aid Scheme, NFSAS is one of the key institutions that government uses to help financially disadvantaged students to access tertiary education. Without this scheme many South Africans would have been without any form of tertiary qualification. However, we must note
and acknowledge that administrative hurdles at NFSAS currently face. These include: late funding disbursements; clearance of historical student debt; students still waiting for appeals; and lack of accommodation.
Furthermore, the following issues relate to NFSAS funding: accumulating student debts and the financial exclusion of students at universities and TVET colleges; student accommodation crisis, including student transport and student health services. It does not help that students' course fees are paid for but students are without viable accommodation and transport to their campuses. Making enough funding available for students with disabilities compromise student safety and security at campuses and ensuring funding is made available for security services at all institutions.
It is imperative for this department to pursue the undertaking of fixing NFSAS so that it can function more effectively for students and ensure a far smoother university career for our South African students. Thank you. [Applause.]
Hon Deputy Chairperson, you know it is so nice to be an opposition in a democratic state because their responsibility and duty is to oppose and reject everything that the ANC has to offer as
the solution to masses of our people in general. Let me greet the people of South Africa in general and hon members of the House. The ANC appreciates the injustices of the past and seeks to redress them through education. We believe that it is only free education and training where we can advance and develop as a society into greater heights.
Free education should no longer be rhetoric and must be rolled out through all the universities and NFSAS should be more effective and accessible to all the students. We welcome the progressive move by the department to set aside R150 million for TVET colleges to prepare students for industry requirements and drafting of the gender-based violence in institutions of higher learning. We appeal to the department to quickly finalise the drafting.
We are still making a plea to the department to increase capacity of universities and be billed for students to access higher education equally. The government should build and own student villages to prevent harassment that students face from the landlords that equally happens when the expropriation of land without compensation happens in South Africa. This is because you cannot build anything on heaven but a land to build student villages.
The Department of Higher Education and Training must be at the centre of development of society. All types of professionals that universities and TVET colleges must be able to resolve the challenges of today. The education attained at the institutions of higher learning must prepare the students for conditions of our people and therefore provide the solutions to them.
Hon Chairperson this is no doubt that the ANC-led government is committed to uplift our people through higher education and training and this is noticed by when our government prioritise education as a fundamental force of change for development of society. Indeed education should not be a commodity. The ANC supports this vote because it directly addresses the needs and aspirations of poor students and gives access to higher education and training for them to self development and self determination as a country. Thank you very much Deputy Chairperson.
You used your three minutes very well and I was just afraid that you will not give the whole message but you got it.
Hon Deputy Chairperson, on a point of order: I do not want to insinuate but I know for a fact that if it was any other
member not from the ANC, you would have called them to order for speaking too closely to the microphone because it makes it difficult for us to hear the speakers. [Interjections.] But now that it is hon Ntsube he had to go and almost finish his declaration then you called him to order because I was signalling. The same hon Ntsube still brought the microphone back after he got the assistance from you. We can still hear him; he does not need to shout. We do not have a problem with our ears. [Interjections.]
We are going to continue and that is definitely not a point of order. It is a point of keeping us here for longer. Can we continue and in continuing we are going to the point where we will ask members to vote.
Voting.
Division demanded.
Hon members, let me remind you that it does not follow automatically that there is a division of the House. I am not going change things to the extent that I do things automatically. I will still try to follow and be in keeping with the rules. Just remember that. So, there is a request for a
division of the House and that request must be seconded by no less than four members.
House divided.
Bells rung for 2 minutes.
Voting.
Motion agreed to in accordance with section 65 of the Constitution.
Vote 16 - Health - put.
DA, EFF and FF-Plus objected to the question.
Declarations of vote:
Deputy Chair, supporting this budget will be like accepting the status quo of the failing health care by the ANC-led government. The department is going to disburse R47 billion to provinces. However, there are no stringent measures of monitoring and accountability in place. A case in point: Mpumalanga, KwaZulu- Natal and the Northern Cape have received qualified audits from the Auditor-General of South Africa for five years in a row, since 2014,
with no consequences. To support this budget, it will be giving the ANC another cash cow through the National Health Insurance, NHI, like the other state-owned enterprises. This will do nothing in improving the current health care, both private and public. As the DA, we stand firm on universal health care.
IsiXhosa:
Sifuna ezempilo ezibeka abagulayo phambili kwento yonke eyenzekayo.
English:
That will be affordable within the current budget. That will not lend in self-to-mass corruption. That will place the patient at the centre of its conception. The DA's Sizani Health Care is the answer to South Africa's failing health care system. We support quality universal health care for all South Africans, but we don't need to follow the NHI model that will ultimately nationalise health care, lead to a brain drain and cripple the economy. That is why we will not support the NHI in its current form. We would further implore the Minister of Health to publicise the outcomes of the NHI Pilot projects which we believe were a dismal failure across the country.
Fix the management of public health facilities and address the shortage of doctors and other health care professionals. Shortage of
medication must be addressed and ill treatment of patients in health facilities be addressed with immediate effect. As the DA, we do not support this budget. It is not in the interest of ordinary South Africans. Thank you, Chair.
Hon Deputy Chairperson, the ANC rises in support of the appropriation of Vote 16 on Health, because it is aligned with our people's manifesto commitment. We welcome the amount of R51, 46 billion that has been allocated to this vote in the 2019-20 budget. Health continues to be an apex priority of the ANC and in South African Government.
We welcome the following interventions as announced by the Minister of Health in his 2019 Budget Speech to improve the health services, which will be implemented simultaneously with preliminary steps to introduce the National Health Insurance: Equitable funding for the public health sector; the shortage of staff; supply of medicines; quality improvement; improving management and governance; infrastructure building; strengthening PHC and reorganising the district health system; stakeholder management; implementation of National Health Insurance; and health programmes.
The ANC will continue implementing NHI because the current health model has proved to be the most expensive system and not the NHI, contrary to the view of the opposition. It is estimated that 4,4% of the NHI will be far less than the current cost, as the NHI will seek to address the current skewed funding model and equalise services for all South Africans.
It is for this reason that the National Health Insurance's implementation is consistent with the National Development Plan Vision 2030 because it will provide access to an equal standard of care, irrespective of a person's socioeconomic status. It is with this in mind that the ANC is in support of the appropriations' vote on Health. I thank you. [Applause.]
Voting.
Division demanded.
The Council divided: