Sihlalo, angiguquke ngikhulume ngolimi lwakwaMthaniya. Lo Mthethosivivinywa ulinga ukulungisa ukuthi uma isungulwa iKhomishini yamaLungelo esiNtu yamiswa ngomthetho 54 we-1994. Ngaleso sikhathi uMthethosisekelo obekade ukhona uMthethosisekelo wesikhashana. Ngakho-ke njengoba manje sesinoMthethosisekelo okunguwona osebenzayo kubonakele ukuthi ake kuchibiyelwe iKhomishini yamaLungelo esiNtu ukuze ihambisane nalo Mthethosisekelo esiwusebenzisayo manje.
Okunye engifuna ukukusho ukuthi siyikomidi lezoBulungiswa nokuThuthukiswa koMthethosisekelo sike sazibuza kabanzi ukuthi: Yiziphi ezinye izinguquko ezilethwa yilo Mthethosivivinywa?
Kubonakele-ke ukuthi uma sekuthiwa le Khomishini inikezwa amandla okuthi ingahle ingenelele uma kukhona ulwazi olufunekayo. Kwase kuba khona ukuphakama kwamaphaphu. Abanye bathi: Hhawu uma kunjalo ke kusho ukuthi isinamandla angaphezulu. Ngizothanda ukuthi ake sehlise amaphaphu ngoba la mandla okukhulunywa ngawo, phecelezi i-search and seizure abekade evele ekhona kodwa kuze kube manje ibingakaze iwasebenzise.
Mhlawumbe omunye umbuzo ungathi: Pho kuyobe sekutheni uma seyizowasebenzisa manje? Asikhumbule ukuthi akuyona kuphela iKhomishini yamaLungelo esiNtu enala mandla. Nayi iKhomishini yokuLinganisa ngokoBulili kanjalo namaphoyisa banawo la mandla. Esikushoyo siyinhlangano kaKhongolose ukuthi kufanelekile futhi kuhle ukuthi lo Mthetho uphasiswe. Kanjalo-ke sithi siyaweseka lo Mthethosivivinywa namhlanje. Ngiyabonga Sihlalo. (Translation of isiZulu paragraphs follows.)
[Mr J B SIBANYONI: Chairperson, let me switch over to isiZulu. This Bill is aimed at amending the Human Rights Commission Act that was passed in 1994. The Constitution that was in place then was the Interim Constitution. Therefore the Act should be amended to comply with the current Constitution. Another question that we asked ourselves as the Portfolio Committee on Justice and Constitutional Development is: Which other reforms will this Bill bring about?
When it was made known that the commission would be given authority to intervene when it was necessary, that was not well received. Some felt that it was being given more powers than it had previously had. I would like everyone to calm down. You must understand that they have always had the authority for search and seizure which they have never exercised up to now.
Maybe another question would be under which circumstances they would be required to use that authority. We must be reminded that it is not only the Human Rights Commission that has this authority. The Commission for Gender Equality and the police also have it. The ANC advocates the Bill to be passed. We support this Bill today. Thank you, Chairperson.]