Madam Deputy Speaker, with our prayers, may Nelson Mandela continue to make his way towards a full recovery. We owe it to him, more than ever, to make this the most moral Parliament in the world in his time.
By the Mandela gold and platinum yardstick, unsavoury remarks made in this House last week against leaders of the opposition violate Mandela's legacy. By the same gold and platinum yardstick, Nkandlagate is an affront to moral principles. The Protection of State Information Bill, in the wake of the United States, US, National Security Agency spying scandal, highlights why the Protection of State Information Bill, the so-called Secrecy Bill, violates everything Mandela ever stood for; never ever would he have put his signature to this anathema to transparency.
We will not support Vote No 1 because, first of all, gross national debt will be over one and half trillion in 2014; effective leadership is lacking; quality skills training is wanting; employment opportunities are unavailable; the youth subsidy remains unimplemented; accountability and transparency are diminishing; the bucket system and bad sanitation linger; the Ministerial Handbook remains unrevised; the rule of law is being devalued; and secrecy is being chosen over transparency.
The President and the government he leads stand indicted on all of the above serial failures. We cannot in good conscience support Vote No 1. We will vote against it. Thank you.