Angithome ngokuthokoza uSekela Somlomo, ngilotjhise iSekela lakaMongameli, aboNgqongqotjhe abakhona namaSekela wabo nakini noke maLunga aHloniphekileko. Ngithi, lotjhani! Nginendaba ehle khulu kwamambala begodu ekarisako namhlanjesi kukulumonipikiswano le ngoMthethomlingwa othi ... (Translation of isiNdebele paragraph follows.)
[Mr J B SIBANYONI: Let me start by thanking the Deputy Speaker, Deputy President, Ministers, Deputy Ministers, and all hon members present. Good day. I have an interesting story today about this Bill entitled ...]
... the Determination of Remuneration of Members of Constitutional Institutions Laws Amendment Bill. But first, let me share a lighter moment with you. I want to tell you that some people say I look like President Zuma, and others say that President Zuma looks like me. All I can say is, judge for yourself. [Laughter.] I now want to deal with Chapter 9 Institutions.
AmaZiko wesiGaba seThoba woMthethosisekelo la, enzelwa ukuvikela amalungelo wobuntu ngebanga lobudisi nomtlhago okhabe ukhona ngaphambi komnyaka we- 1994. Ihloko leya ubaba wethu uNelson Rholihlahla Mandela, uMadiba, wathi lokho ekhabe kukhona ngaphambi komnyaka we-1994, kungasabuyi kube khona godu. Wathi, ngiyamdzubhula ... (Translation of isiNdebele paragraph follows.)
[Chapter 9 Institutions are meant to protect the rights of people, keeping them from the difficulties and challenging experiences of the years before 1994. Our late father, Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela, Madiba, also said that we are not to experience what happened before 1994. I quote:]
Never, never and never again shall it be that this beautiful land will again experience the oppression of one by another ...
This is the statement of the former ANC President, Nelson Mandela, at his inauguration as the first black President of the country on 10 May 1994.
Secondly, I want to deal with the mischief to be addressed by this Bill.
Sekusikhathi eside soloko kunokuhlubayela ngebanga lokungalingani kwemirholo yalabo abasebenza emaZikweni wesiGaba seThoba, [Chapter 9 institutions] begodu nehlelo elilandelwako lokubuyekeza imirholo nobujamo bemisebenzi. UMongameli ngokubonisana neKhabinedi nguye obeka imirholo yamalunga weKomitjhini yamaLungelo woBuntu [SA Human Rights Commission] kanti iNdlu yesiBethamthetho seNarha [National Assembly] iqalene nokuhlela imirholo nobujamo bemisebenzi yoMhloliincwadi-Mazombe [Auditor- General],uMvikeli woMphakathi [Public Protector] kunye neSekela lakhe.
Kwesithathu ngifuna ukukhuluma ngomqopho walomThethomlingwa. UmTthethomlingwa lo unqophe ukulungisa iintjhijilo engikhuluma ngazo lezi ngokwenza kubekhona ikambiso ekhambelanako [uniform procedure] yokubeka umrholo nobujamo nokukhambisana kwemisebenzi begodu nokufanele kutholwe mVikeli womPhakathi neSekela lakhe,beKomitjhini yamaLungelo woBuntu begodu neKomitjhini yokuLinganisa bembhaji nabengubo ngokuthuthukisa nokuvikela amaLungelo wamaSiko, wezeKolo newamaLimu.
Kwesine uMthethomlingwa lo unqophe ukutjhugulula nasi imithetho: ... (Translation of isiNdebele paragraphs follows.)
[For a long time there have been concerns about disparities in respect of the remuneration of officials working for Chapter 9 Institutions and procedures that were followed to review the remuneration packages and their conditions of service. The President and the Cabinet members are the ones who determine the remuneration packages for the South African Human Rights Commission members. The National Assembly is tasked with the determination of the remuneration and reviews of the conditions of service of the Auditor- General, the Public Protector and her deputy.
Thirdly, I want to speak about the aim of this Bill. This Bill seeks to provide solutions to address the discrepancies and challenges I have alluded to, so that we have a uniform procedure for the determination of remuneration and the conditions of service for the Public Protector and her deputy, the SA Human Rights Commission and the Commission for Gender Equality by developing and protecting their cultural, religious and linguistic rights.
Fourthly, the Bill seeks to rectify the following laws.] I now want to deal with the legislation that is to be amended, namely the Public Protector Act of 1994, Human Rights Commission Act of 1994, Commission on Gender Equality Act of 1996, Electoral Commission Act of 1996 and, lastly, the Commission for the Promotion and Protection of the Rights of Cultural, Religious and Linguistic Communities Act of 2002.
Fifthly, I want to deal with the proposals in this Bill. The Determination of Remuneration of Members of Constitutional Institutions Laws Amendment Bill, in brief, proposes a method in terms of which the Independent Commission for the Remuneration of Public Office Bearers shall investigate and make recommendations to the President on salaries, allowances and conditions of service of various office bearers.
Sixthly, on the independence of the Chapter 9 Institutions, these Chapter 9 Institutions enjoy constitutional independence and operate free from the interference or influence of other organs of state. Really, today it is better to live in South Africa than it was before 1994. This is a good story to tell.
Lastly, there is the matter of the benefit of this Bill. After this Bill is passed, uniformity will exist in the procedures for determining the salaries, allowances and benefits of the Chapter 9 Institutions that protect constitutional democracy - those are the watchdogs of human rights.
I want to join my colleagues in saying farewell to the hon Dene Smuts. It is now a fact that she won't be returning to Parliament after the elections on 7 May. I would like to join my fellow comrades in saying goodbye. We will miss you, hon Smuts, in our portfolio committee meetings and in the oversight that the committee had. We had only a few examples of oversight due to the busy schedule of passing the Bills.
One of the overseas visits that I will never forget is the one we undertook to Germany. As I was chairing the meeting we had with the South African Ambassador to Germany, Rev Makhenkesi Stofile, I said to the ambassador that he should keep his address very brief, because some of us can sleep and listen at the same time. I think you recall that, and you objected to my utterances. The ambassador understood, because he said I should speak for myself and not include other people!
Before 1994 we used to sing "I can shoot and run at the same time." Now, if we had been allowed to sing, I would have sung you a very beautiful song. But I will just recite its words as you are leaving. The song says:
Maba hambe aba hambayo, thina sosala siyi ncenga
Otherwise you can say:
Maba sale aba salayo, so phinde sibonane.
We learn that there is a certain Ms Glynnis Breytenbach who will be joining the Justice portfolio committee.
Stuur groete aan haar en ek wil vir haar s dat ons vir haar wag ... [Convey my greetings to her, and I want to say to her that we are waiting for her ...]
... in the Justice portfolio committee.
The ANC supports this Bill. I thank you. [Applause.]