Agb Voorsitter, dit gaan so as 'n mens in twee debatte moet praat wat gelyktydig plaasvind.
Die agb Minister is 'n nuwe Minister en daar l uitdagings vir hom voor. Dit gaan nie help om nou met hom te baklei nie.
Ek wil wel vir die agb Minister s dat as daar nie streng opgetree gaan word teen korrupte amptenare in plaaslike regering nie, gaan die stelsel nie net in duie stort nie - want dit is klaar besig om in duie te stort - maar daar gaan totale anargie op plaaslike regeringsvlak plaasvind.
Laat ek 'n voorbeeld gee. Die Provinsiale Wetgewer van Noordwes het so pas 'n kabinetskommeling gehad. Dit is so dat die ANC "musical chairs" speel, soos hulle s. Een oomblik is jy 'n Lid van die Uitvoerende Raad, en die volgende oomblik is jy op straat. Een oomblik is jy op straat, en die volgende oomblik is jy 'n LUR.
Wat gebeur in die Noordwes? Die voormalige uitvoerende burgemeester van die munisipaliteit Matlosana - dit is Klerksdorp - is uit die stadsraad weg omdat hy nie die vermo en kundigheid gehad het om daardie stadsraad te bestuur nie. Hy het die munisipale bestuurder in so 'n mate beskerm dat die VF Plus 'n klag by die polisie moes indien ten opsigte van die oortreding van munisipale wette wat finansies betref.
Wie het hom beskerm? Niemand anders as die burgemeester nie, wat nou die LUR vir plaaslike regering en tradisionele sake in die Noordwes is. [Tussenwerpsels.] Al die munisipaliteite in die Noordwes word deur die Spesiale Ondersoekeenheid ondersoek, want by almal is daar ernstige probleme. Die nuwe LUR het egter 'n rekord dat hy die vorige munisipale bestuurder beskerm het toe hy die wette oortree het.
Dink u dat u dan skoon administrasie gaan kry? Dink u werklik dat u dan plaaslike regering gaan regruk? Nee, agb Minister, u gaan net verder probleme skep wat nie opgelos kan word nie en die mense wat daarvoor sal moet opdok, is die belastingbetalers. [Tussenwerpsels.] Dit is as gevolg van agterstallige dienstegelde.
Kom ons praat oor dienslewering. Volgens die Minister van Polisie was daar verlede jaar amper 12 000 insidente van mense wat in optogte teen swak dienslewering deelgeneem het. Dit behoort vir u 'n baie duidelike boodskap te gee.
Vandag s ek vir u dat daar net een rede daarvoor is, en dit is as gevolg van onbevoegde en korrupte amptenare. As u nie teen daardie amptenare gaan optree nie, dan mors u net die belastingbetalers se tyd en gaan u nie deur middel van 'n omkeerstrategie daarin slaag om u doelwitte te bereik nie. Ek dank u. [Applous.] (Translation of Afrikaans speech follows.)
[Mr P J GROENEWALD: Hon Chairperson, this is what happens when one has to participate in two debates taking place simultaneously.
The hon Minister is a new Minister and there are challenges that lie ahead of him. There is no point in fighting with him now.
However, I do want to say to the Minister that if decisive action is not taken against corrupt officials in local government, the system will not only collapse - is already is - but it will also lead to total anarchy at the level of local government.
Let me give an example. The North West Provincial Legislature reshuffled its cabinet just recently. The ANC plays musical chairs, as they say. One moment you are a Member of the Executive Committee, the next you are out on the street. One moment you are out on the street, the next you are an MEC.
What happened in the North West? The former executive mayor of the City of Matlosana Local Municipality - this is Klerksdorp - left the city council because he did not have the competence and expertise to manage that city council. He protected the municipal manager to such an extent that the FF Plus had to lay a charge with the police for the violation of municipal laws in respect of finances.
Who protected him? None other than the mayor, who is now the MEC for local government and traditional affairs in the North West. [Interjections.] All the municipalities in the North West are being investigated by the Special Investigations Unit, because all of them have serious problems. However, the new MEC has a record clearly indicating that he protected the former municipal manager when he violated the law.
Do you think it is possible for you to have a clean administration when this is the case? Do you really think that you will be able to straighten out local government? No, hon Minister, you will only create further problems that cannot be solved and the people who will have to shoulder the burden are the taxpayers. [Interjections.] This is because of outstanding service fees.
Let us talk about service delivery. Last year, according to the Minister of Police, there were almost 12 000 incidents of people participating in protests against bad service delivery. This should give you a very clear message.
I say to you today that that is the result of one reason only: incompetent and corrupt officials. If you fail to take action against such officials, then you are simply wasting taxpayers' time and you will not succeed in achieving your goals by means of a turnaround strategy. I thank you. [Applause.]]