Speech by Andile Mngxitama MP, EFF spokesperson on Rural Development and Land Reform, in the debate on President Jacob Zuma's State of the Nation Address, Parliament, June 18 2014

Mr J A MNGXITAMA: Deputy Speaker, the Commander in Chief, hon members, ...

Setswana:

Ke tlhaloganya gore rre yo o fetsang go bua fa, rre wa kwa Bokone Bophirima yo ba mmitsang Jesu Keresete kwa a tlhagang teng...

English:

... and I'm not going to go there, but let's just deal with this.

Hon Sisulu, I am going to try to say this with as much respect as possible, there is nothing that our President, Mr Jacob Zuma, can say or think that can possibly fly above the head of the commander in chief. And I say this with all the respect that I can muster. [Interjections.]

I also want to say that we are not interested in the ongoing howling here, we are interested in setting a national agenda. And that agenda has to go against an alliance against the people which we have witnessed over the past 20 years. [Interjections.]

The DEPUTY SPEAKER: What are you rising on?

Mr R J TAU: It is a pity that we are disadvantaged here, as the NCOP, that we cannot rise on orders and so on. But insofar as "commander in chief" in this institution is concerned, it would only make sense if it is used to refer to the President of the Republic.

The DEPUTY SPEAKER: Very well, hon member. We will look into that.

Mr J A MNGXITAMA: No problem. Let us do this. Let us deal with the alliance against the people. We are shocked when we see that both the ANC and the DA agree on the capitalist National Development Plan. We are shocked when we see the ANC and the DA agreeing on labour brokers. We are shocked when we see the ANC and the DA agreeing that workers' wages must be kept low because they believe it is the only way to attract foreign investors. The DA and the ANC agree that mines must remain in the hands of multinationals. The DA and the ANC both provide open toilets for our people. The DA and the ANC agree that land should continue to be owned by a view white people.

Mr J M MTHEMBU: Deputy Speaker, on a point of order: There is no agreement on these issues raised between the DA and the ANC - none whatsoever. It can't be found anywhere.

The DEPUTY SPEAKER: That is not a point of order. Please proceed, hon member.

Mr J A MNGXITAMA: Deputy Speaker, I think these points of order are just used to take up my speaking time. This is no true. If the ANC does not agree with the DA, then there is a gift we want to give you. I spoke to the commander in chief, the hon Malema ... [Interjections.] Here is the gift.

Mr R J TAU: Deputy Speaker, on a point of order: There is one commander in chief, and that is the President of the Republic.

Mr J A MNGXITAMA: Withdrawn.

The DEPUTY SPEAKER: Hon members, order!

Mr J A MNGXITAMA: There is a gift that has been given by hon Malema to the ruling party. The gift is this: Here is the two-third majority required to change the Constitution, particularly the property clause to make sure that we are able to take land and distribute it to our people without paying a cent. [Applause.]

Mrs M T KUBAYI: Deputy Speaker, on a point of order: I would like to urge you to request members of the EFF not to whistle inside the House as it is unparliamentary.

The DEPUTY SPEAKER: Very well.

Mr J A MNGXITAMA: And, unfortunately, this gift is a gift that I want to urge you not to undermine. Don't belittle it. Take it, because this is the only way we can return the land that was stolen from our people. This is the only way can return dignity to our people. [Applause.] This is a gift from this party, an important party in this House. You will not understand this.

There is a national consensus that land in South Africa is stolen property. There is a national consensus that there is no land reform in South Africa. After 20 years, only 8% of the land has been bought back by R50 billion. We are buying stolen property. We are involved, as this House. We as black people should not be debating this issue. We should be agreeing. Our land was stolen and it should not be bought back. It must be redistributed to our people. Some workers remain slaves in this country. As the EFF we say, let us pay them R5000 minimum wage. Let us give them land, but you have heard. We have given you a gift, you must take it. [Time expired.]

The DEPUTY SPEAKER: Hon members, you can't whistle in the House. You may interject and be happy, but don't whistle in the House. It is unparliamentary. Don't do that.

Mr N F SHIVAMBU: Hon Deputy Speaker, you are repeating the mistake made by the hon member from the ANC that side that it's EFF members who are whistling. It's not true. Which member of the EFF whistled? [Interjections.] Who exactly whistled? Please do not jump to the wrong conclusions. None of us did so. We are not intimidated by this thing that is happening. You don't know what is happening, really. Please.

The DEPUTY SPEAKER: Hon members, allow the Deputy Speaker to do his job. I said hon members should not whistle in the House. I did not mention in specific party. So, please ...

Mr J S MALEMA: Hon Deputy Speaker, you must call hon Jackson Mthembu to order, because Jackson Mthembu makes a serious allegation that we are whistling here and we are not whistling.

The DEPUTY SPEAKER: Hon Malema ...

Mr J S MALEMA: Jackson Mthembu makes an allegation that the EFF is whistling and we are not whistling, so you must call him to order. [Interjections.]

The DEPUTY SPEAKER: Hon Malema, he is hon Jackson Mthembu.

Mr J S MALEMA: Hon Jackson.

The DEPUTY SPEAKER: Hon members, do not make the House impossible to run. Let's allow hon members to speak. Unless we allow the decorum of the House to be observed, we will not be able to do a good job of this debate. Let's not divert. Let's focus on the substance of the debate, and if there are any interjections, let them be useful and quiet - if they can be. Please, let's allow the debate to proceed.

Mr F A MBALULA: Hon Deputy Speaker, I do not want to describe the physique of a person, but there is an hon member with a Scotch jacket, and if that hon member belongs to the EFF, he is whistling the whole time.

The DEPUTY SPEAKER: Hon Minister, please. We have made the ruling. Hon members, let us desist from doing that.

Mr G A GARDEE: Deputy Speaker, on a point of order: Can we run the tape to see and hear who was whistling. He was not whistling, my hon member.

Mr N S MATIYASE: Deputy Speaker, I rise to call for calm in the House; and secondly, let members of the ruling party not provoke us into offering what the hon Zokwana offered to do when he said "you will march naked". We don't want to offer that here. Can you please call them to order and restore calm?

The DEPUTY SPEAKER: The House will be in order. Let's proceed.

Source: Unrevised transcript, Hansard.

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