Hon Deputy Speaker, I want to say to the hon Chikunga ... [Interjections.] ... that when the Scorpions unit was scrapped, the speakers from the ANC were just as sure then as she is today in saying that the scrapping of the Scorpions was constitutional, when in reality it was a different story.
I want to quote from the response of the hon President, Jacob Zuma, on 16 February this year to the debate on the state of the nation address. He said:
But, the fight against crime and corruption continues. We will not become complacent.
I want to say that with this Bill the ANC has become complacent. [Interjections.] In accepting this Bill you are only paying lip service to the people of South Africa when it comes to corruption.
Hoekom s ek dat hierdie wetsontwerp net lippediens aan die publiek van Suid-Afrika is, as dit oor korrupsie gaan? Die rede is dat die ANC 'n gulde geleentheid gehad het om 'n struktuur daar te vestig wat totaal onafhanklik die beste praktyk kon beoefen het om korrupsie in Suid-Afrika te beveg - spesifiek ook korrupsie soos dit in die SA Polisiediens voorkom.
As u met iets totaal buite die SA Polisiediens gekom het, dan sou die regering van die dag vertroue by die publiek van Suid-Afrika geskep het. Dit sou dan vir die publiek van Suid-Afrika ges het dat ons ernstig is om korrupsie te beveg. [Tussenwerpsels.] (Translation of Afrikaans paragraphs follows.)
[Why do I say this Bill only pays lip service to the South African public, when it is about corruption? The reason is that the ANC had a golden opportunity to establish a structure that could, with total independence, exercise the best practices to fight corruption in South Africa - specifically also such corruption as occurs in the SA Police Service.
If you had come up with something that was completely separate from the SA Police Service, then the present government would have created trust among the South African public. It would have indicated to the South African public that we are serious about fighting corruption. [Interjections.]]
However, the ANC has become complacent and that is the problem.
Die tyd aspek wat hier ter sprake is, is 'n bewys daarvan. Daar was amper 'n jaar gewag voordat die wetsontwerp by die Parlement ingedien is. In terme van openbare verhore, was alles gejaagd. Dit was so erg dat hierdie komitee selfs gesit het terwyl belangrike begrotingsdebatte aan die gang was. Dit is eintlik minagtend teenoor die begrotingsdebatte, want ek dink dat een van die belangrikste take van 'n parlementslid is om by begrotingsdebatte teenwoordig te wees, want dit gaan oor belastingbetalers se geld. Daar is ander komitees wat aangaan, maar u het dit net deur gestoomroller. (Translation of Afrikaans paragraph follows.)
[The time aspect that is under discussion is proof of this. Nearly a year passed before the Bill was submitted to Parliament. In terms of public hearings, everything was rushed. It was so bad that this committee was meeting while important Budget debates were taking place. It is in effect disregard of Budget debates, because I think that one of the most important duties of Members of Parliament is to be present at Budget debates, because it concerns taxpayers' money. There are other committees that proceed, but you just steamrollered it through.]
Saying to the people that we went through all the drills and procedures was only window-dressing. [Interjections.]
Ons sal moet wag om te sien - as u so seker is dat u aan die grondwetlike vereistes voldoen - of dit hierdie keer weer die geval gaan wees. Die VF Plus sal nie hierdie wetsontwerp ondersteun nie. Ek dank u. [Tussenwerpsels.] (Translation of Afrikaans paragraph follows.)
[We will have to wait and see - if you are so sure that you meet the constitutional requirements - whether it will once again be the case this time around. The FF Plus will not support this Bill. I thank you. [Interjections.]]