But I think the hon Member of Parliament has, on three occasions, explained this to you, as well as how it works. It is only when the Hawks are told to rectify it. Do you know the Hawks? See, you have forgotten about them ...]
And we are going to - as I said - go back to the drawing board to rectify that and also ensure, as the member said, that the concern of the ministerial committee in the eyes of the Constitutional Court makes things independent. We will correct that.
Hon Ramatlakane, the former MEC of safety and security, regarding the point you began with: the Fifa World Cup issue, I couldn't agree with you more. In fact, to remind all of us: when we were preparing for this we had already been told about option B and even the country. We were also told that South Africa was not going to be able to host the World Cup and that Australia was option B. But Australia was amongst the first countries that came to South Africa and experienced something they had never experienced before. Even the Fifa executives said so. [Applause.]
Hon member, it did not end there. They then touted the so-called xenophobia and drummed it into the ears and minds of people in such a way that anyone who would have listened to them would have concluded that South Africa was unfit to host the World Cup. We proved them wrong, but even before the World Cup itself - a few weeks before the World Cup - we were told about terrorist attacks in South Africa. So all sorts of spooks were thrown our way, but we soldiered on. So I am glad that the hon member noticed that, but it did not end there.
Some of us were able to go to other developed nations of this world, particularly Europe. This perception persisted especially because they were saying most of these things come from your country; it is your fellow countrymen and women who are saying these things. So how are you going to deal with these things?
Now, when we went back after the World Cup, it was a changed atmosphere altogether. I also noticed that they even knew about Bafana Bafana. They were talking about Bafana Bafana. [Interjections.]
Yamnandi lento we Bab' uRamatlakane. [That is very nice, Mr Ramatlakane.]
Now, you raised two other matters regarding not politicising the police and that of senior officials accused of criminality. I want to say regarding the latter that it is not only senior but junior too: any member of the Police Service should not be accused of criminal acts, because if it happens, it means that person does not belong in the service. I agree with you on the issue of politicising the Police Service. It is well documented. I have dealt with that a number of times and we have been receiving support from the public.
To the hon Kohler-Barnard, first and foremost I think the hon member is living in her own world. These men and women in blue ... bayasebenza, ubabona bela bayasebenza. [... are working, as you see them here, they are working.]
And they are not going to be distracted by your comments; not today, not tomorrow. You can scream and do all sorts of things; they will soldier on because they know that there is a task at hand and nobody will distract them. Let me recap on what I said last year: people who make such comments as you do, hon member, people who want to distract the police from what they do, must know that they are not going to succeed. Those who say it cannot be done should not distract those who are doing it.
Siyenza manje ... [We are doing it now ...]
Tomorrow, I am going to tell you the same thing. We are working and we are not going to be deterred. In the bigger scheme of things, I do not see you fitting in in the fight against crime, or taking a positive stance in the fight against crime. This is because everything about the police to you is wrong, is bad. The only good person is yourself; you know, when you look at yourself. [Laughter.] But every other thing is wrong. If one of your colleagues were to say something is wrong with the police, we would attend to it. But with you ... yonk'into yimbi. Babi laba bantu ... [Uhleko.] Abazukufika ndawo. [... everything is bad. These people are bad ... [Laughter.] They are not going to succeed.]
They are not going to get anywhere. In fact, I am going to advise you that more and more people are not going to take you seriously on whatever you say. That is what you are going to be remembered for, because whatever you say is of no consequence. To support my statement, you can ask the MECs - I can see some of them amongst us.
In fact, in the Western Cape you can ask the former MEC what these men and women are doing. He will tell you a good story, which will tell you that you are living in your own world. Go and ask the current MEC what we are doing and what the police are doing that you see as wrong and everything else. They will tell you exactly what is happening. And this is not going to end there. You can ask your leader, the Premier of this province, Madam Helen Zille. In terms of the police and the management of this province - Petros, and now Lamoer, who is the PC in the province - she sings the praises of both of the managers and she has done so on more than two occasions. So, this tells me that you are living in your own world.
Uziphilela emhlabeni wakho nje wedwa, Lungu lePhalamende eliHloniphekile futhi lokho kungenza ngiphatheke kabi kakhulu ngizibuze ukuthi konje singasiza ngani bakwethu ukuze iLungu lePhalamende likwazi ukubona ukuthi umhlaba uya ngakuphi. (Translation of isiZulu paragraph follows.)
[You are living in your own world, hon Member of Parliament, and that worries me and it makes me wonder what we can do so that the hon Member of Parliament can see which direction the world is heading.]
The National Commissioner you are referring to is the first National Commissioner who is producing results in the fight against crime. [Applause.] He leads the service from the front. He does not sit in his office and hide behind his desk. Unfortunately, you will not see him because you are in your office.
Hon Chairperson, I am very grateful for the wise words from the wise Members of Parliament, but those words that lack wisdom, I will not take into consideration. Thank you very much. [Applause.]
Debate concluded.