This is a piece of legislation that puts before us the responsibility to ensure that all citizens of our country - black and white, young and old, local and abroad - participate in strengthening our hard-fought democracy. This Bill falls short in addressing the crucial issue of the principle of one person, one vote, because South Africans who will find themselves elsewhere outside their voting districts will not enjoy their right to free franchise. This undermines democracy and puts our country on the back foot.
We need the votes to ensure that everybody enjoys one provincial vote and one national vote. What is difficult in ensuring that this happens? [Applause.] We have explored every way possible to ensure that ...
... siyaxoxa ngale nto kwikomiti kwaye i-ANC ibivumelana nathi ekomitini. [Uwele-wele.] Eminye imibutho ayiyi nokuya ekomitini kodwa ilapha ize kuxoxa apha. Abanye bafika emva kwexesha ekomitini, bahlale nje imizuzu emibini baphinde babaleke, kodwa namhlanje baxoxa nathi apha. Sifuna ukuqinisekisa ukuba la majoni siwathumela kula mazwe ayakwazi ukuvotela iphondo kunye nozwelonke.
Kukwafuneka nokuba siqinisekise ukuba aba bantwana nibathumela ukuba bafunde emazweni, kwiindawo ngeendawo nabantu abaya kusebenza bengoosomashishini nabo bayakwazi ukuvotela iphondo nozwelonke. [Uwele- wele.] Abongikazi abajikeleza lonke eli lizwe kuba i-ANC ingakwazi ukuza neemeko zengqesho ezisisiseko nezifanelekileyo nabo kufuneka bakwazi ukuvotela iphondo nozwelonke. [Uwele-wele.] (Translation of isiXhosa paragraph follows.)
[... we debate this issue in committee meetings, and we were on the same page with the ANC. [Interjections.] Some parties do not even attend committee meetings, but they are present today to take part in the debate. Others are coming late for meetings, they come and stay for two minutes and they vanish after that, but today they are debating with us here.
We want to ensure that those soldiers who are deployed to other countries enjoy their right to vote for the provincial and national governments. We must also ensure that those children who are abroad in different parts of the world for their studies, and people who are there for their business purposes could also be able to vote for the provincial and national governments as well. [Interjections.] Nurses who explore the world looking for greener pastures, all because the ANC government cannot provide basic and appropriate work conditions, must also be able to vote for the provincial and national governments. [Interjections.]]
Now, where is the nation-building of the ANC? Where is the patriotism of the ANC? [Interjections.] It is clear that this is another ANC. It is not the same ANC that fought for freedom in this country. We need a different regime in South Africa. [Interjections.] We need a new government, and you will see it next year. [Interjections.] You will see that government in Tlokwe Local Municipality, Madam Minister of Social Development. [Interjections.] That government is already in the Western Cape. That government will be in Gauteng in 2014. [Interjections.] It is clear that the ANC does not want this country to grow; hence, today we say that South Africa deserves better, and we cannot and we will not accept this Bill.
Sithi thina abantu kuqala. Kuqala abantu. Qina mhlali, qina! Qina mhlali, qina! Uza kuthi shuuu, Sunduza! [Uwele-wele.] Into esiyifunayo kukuqinisekisa ukuba wonke umntu okweli lizwe ufumana ilungelo lakhe lokuvota engangcikivwa ngokuba esuke wandwendwela eSomalia, China okanye eNgilane. (Translation of isiXhosa paragraph follows.)
[We say, people first. People must be the first priority. Viva comrade, viva! Viva comrade, viva! Watch out, hon Sunduza! [Interjections.] We want to ensure that everybody in this country has the right to vote without any reproach because he or she visited Somalia, China or England.]
They must enjoy the right to vote, Minister. In conclusion, I need to say that the DA will prove you wrong next year. Thank you. [Time expired.] [Applause.]