Hon Chairperson, today is indeed a good day since the FFP yesterday won a ward from the DA with a huge majority. The FFP won that ward with more vote than all the other parties combined and that indicate swing towards the FFP continues. Being that as it may, no, it was not.
Hon Minister, allow me to congratulate you on your appointment. You are also a veteran since 1994, and we all know that at the moment there is term used when refer to President Ramaphosa when people talk about Ramaphoria, I would like to suggest that we also look at the term when it comes to our International Relation Department and maybe we speak about Pandorphoria, and what I mean with that is, I think we have a chance, we have got a window; we can continue as we have done in the past couple of years in Parliament or we can turn a new leaf in this department, and I would like to appeal to you to consider that. When Ramaphosa our President refers to nine wasted years, no doubt it must have huge impact on our international image as well. The challenge hon Minister, in front you and the department and I think is a very important challenge is to restore South Africa graphitise and our image in the world in
terms of foreign relations because I have no doubt that the last nine years did have a strong impact on our image internationally, that what a mean. Now hon Minister, you also refer to your speech to the theme for our seat when we occupy the chair of the African Union when you say continuing the legacy working for the just and peaceful world and I understand that.
And I have had in your speech today your twice refer to the Palestinian question and some of the other colleagues as well.
But I did not hear you say that the government is still committed to a two states solution and that you are also committed to respect the self- determination of the people of Israel as well as the right to security, and I think that is very important and I think we should say that and I would like to here that from you.
Hon Minister you said basically when you address the personnel of the Department of Foreign Affairs recently in June you said
you believe in values and ethics, you hate corruption as well as those who abuse other and I understand and support that.
My problem is in South Africa we have become a country without consequences and I want to refer you to two instances, I have to do that. I refer you to the utterance by our ambassador in Demark we all know happened there when hon Ambassador Zinzi Mandela Hlongwane when she basically said - and I'm quoting in Afrikaans, she said ...
Afrikaans:
Wit Suid-Afrikaners is gronddiewe wat soos ongenooide gaste weier om te loop.
Verder het sy aangegaan om wit Suid-Afrikaners uit te kryt as verkragters, afstammelinge van Van Riebeeck.
English:
You reprimanded her and I congratulate you on that. However, since then, she continued, she once again went ahead with further tweets that are extremely offensive to South African
citizens and I really implore you that we cannot act that way. Since then, her appointment has now been extended to the end of the year. Now I understand that is the decision need to be taken in terms of all our ambassadors where there is a change in that regard. But with all due respect I think this a case where we could have done differently and we should act.
The second one deal with our ambassador to Netherland, our ambassador Mr Koloane, we all know the facts, everything in terms of reality points to his involvement in the landing of Waterkloof Air Force Base when the Gupta family came here with the little wedding excursion. What happened to him, he was suspended for two months and then he was promoted and appointed to be an ambassador to Netherland. Currently he is in front of the ZondO Commission but clearly Madam Minster, this is not the situation that we can tolerate and I will implore you to take steps in that regard.
With the few minutes remain, remember, couple of members have mention that already, it is nice to have, there is a difference between nice to have and what we can afford. It's good to have
our representation at across the globe and I understand that. But I'm afraid because of economy reality and in terms of priorities we simply cannot continue in that vein. I know that you will address those issues with the systems of the department as well as the systems of the Treasury, but in the interest of South Africa I implore you to look to that as soon as possible. I thank you very much.
The DEPUTY MINISTER OF INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS AND COOPERATION
(Mr A Botes): Hon Chairperson, our Minister, Dr Pandor, other Ministers and Deputy Ministers present, our portfolio committee chairperson and hon members of the House, our Director General, your excellencies, ambassadors, high commissioners, members of the diplomatic corps and representatives of the international organisations, leaders and members of civil society, distinguished guests, comrades and friends, we are proud of our past and confident about the future. We are proud of our freedom fighters, who did not flinch, who did not submit, and who prosecuted our freedom struggle for a just South Africa and a noble world order.
Today we salute the Rivonia Triaiists, Nelson Mandela, Walter Sisulu, Govan Mbeki, Raymond Mhlaba, Ahmed Kathrada, Lionel Bernstein, Bob Heppie, Arthur Goidreich, Andrew Mlangeni, James Kantor, Dennis Goldberg, Harold Woipe and Elias Motsoaledi, some of whom were arrested on this exact day 56 years ago, in 1963.
The Rivonia Triaiists made a choice to fight for the achievement of the provisions of the Freedom Charter, which contains a clause stating that, "There shall be peace and friendship". The Freedom Charter argued that South Africa shall be a fully independent state which respects the rights and sovereignty of nations ...