During my visit to at least four provinces last week - this included Gauteng, North West, the Eastern Cape ...
Bayabuza ukuba kusetyenzwa nini. Ndiyanixelela ukuba kuyasetyenzwa ngoku. [Uwelewele.] [There are those who ask when the work will be done and I am telling you that the work is being done as we speak. [Interjections.]]
I came to the conclusion that our borders are in serious crisis. I think everybody agrees and I'm happy that the Minister has said in this House that measures are being put in place to try and do something about it. I was worried and I must say that we are going to cry if something is not done urgently. Our children will be facing a serious crisis. We must remember that not all households are perfect.
Sishiya abantwana emakhaya behleli bodwa. Ngenye imini kufike izigebenga okanye izigilamkhuba, zibathathe. Ngamanye amaxesha ziyabadlwengula okanye ziye kubathengisa esitalatweni. Loo nto ithetha ukuba siza kuba nengxaki yabantwana abazakushatshazwa zizigebenga nezigilamkhuba ezingaziyo ukuba zizokwenza ntoni na apha kweli lizwe. Abanye abazanga kubukela imidlalo kuphela, baze kusebenza. (Translation of isiXhosa paragraph follows.) [We have left children alone. One day criminals or thugs will come and abduct them. Sometimes they rape them or sell them in the streets. That means we are going to have a problem where children, who are going to be abused by criminals, do not know what they want in this country. Some are here not only to watch the games, but have come for business.]
The promise by the department is to address those issues within the framework of 2010. We wish the department could take that beyond 2010.
Let me also say that we need to fast-track the establishment of the border management entity because the current Border Control Operational Co- ordinating Committee, BCOCC, is in a shambles. This will ensure that we have a more effective structure to reassess and investigate a fresh approach to the management of our ports of entry.
Refugee reception centres remain a hotbed of fraud and corruption. This is bad for South Africa. Refugees and asylumseekers wait indefinitely for their legal documents and those seeking appeal are even worse off.
For many people of this country, the Department of Home Affairs has become the department of horror attacks, and that's a very big problem. We do not want to wake up not knowing whether we are married.
Njengoko umama uNosimo Balindlela ebesitsho, ungazi nokuba utshatele kubani na, ufile na okanye uyaphila. [As mama Nosimo Balindlela said earlier, you don't even know whom you are married to, or whether you are dead or alive.]
In conclusion, I need to acknowledge the good work and challenges we experienced as the DA. My colleague Juanita Terblanche mentioned those challenges. I think they were clear and should be taken in a good spirit. We do not have Director-General Mavuso Msimang present here because he has since resigned - retired, thank you. You know, isilungu siyabhida [English can be confusing] So, I need to acknowledge him in absentia for his service to our beautiful land and bid him farewell. We welcome the new director- general, Mr Mkuseli Apleni, and wish him well in his new job.
Ndiyabulelela kakhulu Mhlalingaphambili. Enkosi. [Thank you very much, Chairperson.] [Applause.]