Transcript of address by Western Cape Premier Helen Zille in reply to the debate on her State of the Province Address, Western Cape legislature, Cape Town, Thursday, February 27 2014
The SPEAKER: I recognise the hon Premier of the province.
The PREMIER: Thank you very much indeed, Mr Speaker. First of all, Mr Speaker, I would like to thank everyone who participated in the debate and I would particularly like to thank our honourable Opposition for the wonderful testimonial they gave to this government during the debate, because Mr Speaker, after five years in office, the only criticism - the only valid criticism of this administration after a full five years in office - is one word that I used in one tweet once only and for which I have apologised.
There is no other valid criticism in any one of their speeches here today. None of them holds water and in fact in many of the points that were raised particularly by the hon member Mr Ozinsky, the answers have been given in this House time and again, but because they have nothing else to raise they keep on raising old hoary issues, and that is spelt h-o-a-r-y just for Hansard's sake, old hoary issues that in fact have been addressed a long time ago and found to be without foundation.
Now, Mr Speaker, it is clear that the only thing the ANC has left and the only thing at all is the race card.
Mr M OZINSKY: Carien du Plessis.
The PREMIER: Well, no-no, Carien du Plessis, and I am coming to her. I am coming to that.
Mr M OZINSKY: She worked for the ANC years ago [Inaudible.] ^p
Ms L BROWN: She is [Inaudible.]
The PREMIER: She absolutely is.
Ms L BROWN: She [inaudible] two days.
The PREMIER: She absolutely is. Now Mr Speaker, I will come to that.
The SPEAKER: Order hon members!
The PREMIER: I will come to that because journalists play the race card all the time. For example they argue that I cannot be the leader of the Democratic Alliance because I am white. What is that if it is not playing the race card?
Mr M OZINSKY: Because you need a black leader for your party.
The SPEAKER: Order hon member Mr Ozinsky, order.
The MINISTER OF TRANSPORT AND PUBLIC WORKS: Why do you need a black leader for your party? Are you playing the race card?
The SPEAKER: Hon members, order!
Ms L BROWN: Which party do you have Carlisle? [Interjections.]
Mr M OZINSKY: Well the party in which [Inaudible.] [Interjections.]
The PREMIER: Now we have just heard Mr Speaker ... [Interjection.]
The SPEAKER: Hon Minister, hon members. [Interjections.]
The PREMIER: Mr Speaker we have just heard the hon member Mr Ozinsky play the race card again.
Mr M OZINSKY: Well why did you need a black leader? [Interjection.]
The PREMIER: And Mr Speaker ... [Interjection.]
The MINISTER OF TRANSPORT AND PUBLIC WORKS: There is Carol [Inaudible.]
Ms L BROWN: She is not. What are you talking about?
The PREMIER: This is quite extraordinary, because actually I feel quite ... [Interjection.]
The SPEAKER: Hon member, hon member Mr Ozinsky order.
Mr M OZINSKY: Sorry, hon Mr Speaker, the Premier was addressing me directly so I thought just to [Inaudible.] [Interjection.]
The SPEAKER: It does not mean that you have to respond on that hon member Mr Ozinsky. [Interjections.]
Ms L BROWN: Do not talk again when she speaks to you.
The PREMIER: Mr Speaker, [Interjection.] I feel genuine pity for the hon member Mr Ozinsky. He is the only member of the Opposition who has given this government a run for its money in this term of office. We have experienced him often as manipulative and although he knows the answers to questions he twists them and raises them in this Parliament again and again, but nevertheless, despite his tactics I think he is a person of integrity and I think his real motivation for being here is that he wants justice in South Africa. Now I know that sounds like an obituary, Mr Speaker, and it is a political obituary because the irony is, Mr Speaker, that although the hon member Mr Ozinsky is the only person who has acted as an opposition in this House during this five years, he will not be coming back, Mr Speaker. [Interjections.]
Ms M TINGWE: How do you know? [Interjections.]
The PREMIER: He will not be coming back, Mr Speaker [Interjections.] because that is how it works in the ANC, Mr Speaker. The quality of your work is irrelevant. [Interjection.]
The MINISTER OF TRANSPORT AND PUBLIC WORKS: Because he is not one of you. That is why. [Interjection.]
The PREMIER: Completely irrelevant. [Interjections.] The only criteria Mr Speaker, is if the person who can dispense patronage likes you or not. [Interjections.]
The SPEAKER: Order! Hon Minister, order. Order! Order hon Premier. Hon Minister, hon Minister Carlisle [Interjections.] No. We cannot hear the Premier. It is too loud. Please.
Mr M SKWATSHA: He is threatening me.
The MINISTER OF TRANSPORT AND PUBLIC WORKS: He is [Inaudible.] out of a strategy.
Me J WITBOOI: Hayi!
Mr M SKWATSHA: He is threatening me.
The SPEAKER: Continue hon Premier.
The PREMIER: Because, Mr Speaker, the only criterion for getting onto a list in the ANC is whether the person who dispenses patronage likes you or not and as we all know Mr Marius Fransman does not particularly like most of the members on the other side of the House.
The MINISTER OF HEALTH: Does that mean I am on the hon member Mr Ozinsky's side?
The PREMIER: Me too, that is why ... [Interjections.]
The SPEAKER: Order! Order hon.
The PREMIER: Me too. That is why I am saying nice things about him, Mr Speaker.
The SPEAKER: Order. Hon member Mr Skwatsha is it a point of order?
Mr M SKWATSHA: Yes, is the Premier allowed to mislead the House?
The SPEAKER: What do you mean? Order!
The PREMIER: I am telling the truth and you know it.
†Ndithetha inyani niyayazi man. Hlala phantsi.
*I am telling the truth man and you know it. Sit down.
The SPEAKER: Order! Okay take your seat. Hon member Mr Skwatsha, that is not a point of order.
Mr M SKWATSHA: But I am asking the question.
The SPEAKER: That is not a point of order.
Mr M SKWATSHA: Is the Premier allowed to mislead the House which is now ... [Interjection.]
The SPEAKER: That is not a point of order. She is allowed, but if you say deliberate [Interjections.] deliberately. The Premier is not deliberately misleading anyone.
The SPEAKER: Take your seat honourable. Take your seat honourable.
†UNKsz PREMIER: Somlomo, ndithetha inyani. Niyayazi, niyayazi. Ndithetha inyani. Hhlala phantsi.
*The PREMIER: Mr Speaker, I am telling the truth. You know that. You know that. I am telling the truth. Sit down.
The SPEAKER: Take your seat honourable, hon members, hon members.
Mr M SKWATSHA: On a point of order.
The SPEAKER: Hon take your seat. Hon member Mr Skwatsha.
Mr M SKWATSHA: On a point of order.
†UNKsz PREMIER: Hlala phantsi.
*The PREMIER: Sit down.
The SPEAKER: I have answered your point of order. That is not a point of order. Please take your seat.
Mr M SKWATSHA: I am raising the point of order.
The SPEAKER: Hon Minister Carlisle.
Mr M SKWATSHA: I am raising the point of order.
The SPEAKER: Order! Take your seat. Minister Carlisle.
The MINISTER OF TRANSPORT AND PUBLIC WORKS: I would like to address you on this point of order that the hon member Mr Skwatsha raised. [Interjection.]
Ms J WITBOOI: No! No! [Interjections.]
The SPEAKER: Order! Order! Minister, Minister, order! [Interjections.] Minister, order! I have made the ruling on this matter. Can you take your seat also?
The MINISTER OF TRANSPORT AND PUBLIC WORKS: I have got to say ... [Interjection.]
The SPEAKER: Hon Minister take your seat!
The MINISTER OF TRANSPORT AND PUBLIC WORKS: We know that she was not misleading. We know that.
The SPEAKER: Take your seat Hon Minister. I have made a ruling on this matter. [Interjections.] Over to you, Premier.
Mr M SKWATSHA: On a point of order sir, on a point of order. [Interjection.]
†UNKsz PREMIER: Bayoyika.
*The PREMIER: They are scared.
The SPEAKER: Hon member Mr Skwatsha, I have made a ruling on this matter.
Mr M SKWATSHA: I am raising a point of order. [Interjection.]
The SPEAKER: What is your point of order?
Mr M SKWATSHA: A point of order.
The MINISTER OF TRANSPORT AND PUBLIC WORKS: A new point?
Ms C F BEERWINKEL: It is in the rules that you can.
Mr M SKWATSHA: Am I hearing the Speaker saying that the Premier is allowed to mislead the House? [Interjections.]
The SPEAKER: Order! I did not say that hon member Mr Skwatsha.
Mr M SKWATSHA: What did you say?
The SPEAKER: Thank you. Hon Premier, please continue with your speech.
The MINISTER OF TRANSPORT AND PUBLIC WORKS: You told me about it. How could you ... [Inaudible.]
The SPEAKER: Minister Carlisle! [Interjections.] Over to you Premier.
The PREMIER: Thank you, Mr Speaker. The truth that I was telling and the hon member Mr Skwatsha knows it is the truth, is that the struggle stalwarts on that side of the House are gone, to make way for someone that we were told yesterday did not know who President Mandela was until he was released from jail, and for a whole range of other people, who were in the National Party when the hon President Mandela was released from jail. [Interjections.]
Ms M TINGWE: You say that you ... [Interjection.]
The PREMIER: And that is what this great movement has become. Now, Mr Speaker, apart from it being very unfair to keep the list of the ANC hidden from the voters it is equally unfair to hide it from the hon members and the only person in the ANC that we know for sure is standing for election is the hon, the President Mr Jacob Zuma. Nobody knows who the ANC's Premier candidates are. Nobody knows who is on their lists. [Interjections.]
The MINISTER OF HEALTH: It is a mystery affair. [Interjections.]
The PREMIER: And I really feel very sorry for the hon members on the other side... [Interjection.]
Ms L BROWN: Why?
The PREMIER: ... because it must be terrible to be in such insecurity. [Interjections.]
Ms L BROWN: We feel sorry for you.
The PREMIER: To be in limbo and so ...[Interjections.]
Mr M OZINSKY: Unlike the DA [inaudible] to rule by itself. [Inaudible.] the presidential candidate by yourself as well. [Interjections.]
Ms L BROWN: We have been around for 20 years now [Inaudible.] [Interjections.]
The PREMIER: And, Mr Speaker ... [Interjection.] You know if you are feeling as insecure ... [Interjections.]
The SPEAKER: Order! Order hon members!
The PREMIER: ... and as much in limbo as they all must be feeling, we have to make allowances for their pedestrian performance in the debate, and I do. Apart from that, this is the very first time, Mr Speaker, in this debate that I have ever heard the hon member Mr Ozinsky use the race card and we all know from inside the ANC's caucus that the hon member Mr Ozinsky has often pleaded with his colleagues not to use the race card ... [Interjections.]
Ms M TINGWE: Haibo!
An HON MEMBER: What?
The PREMIER: ... because it undermines the ANC's tradition of non-racialism. But now for the first time the hon member Mr Ozinsky has obviously concluded that if you cannot beat them you have to join them and so he started playing the race card probably because he is so desperate to get some kind of position after this election.
Ms M TINGWE: Really!
The PREMIER: That if he does not play the race card he knows he has not got a chance. [Interjections.] Because you know, Mr Speaker, we all in this House know about something called an "oyster card". An "oyster card" is what one uses on the London underground to use any train to anywhere.
Mr M OZINSKY: We are not [Inaudible.]
The PREMIER: But let me tell you, I will explain why it is so relevant to people like you. The race card is the ANC's oyster card, wherever they want to go, whatever arguments they want to make, whatever gravy train they want to catch, they just use the race card and it is a free pass to anywhere.
Mr M OZINSKY: That is why [Inaudible.] bad leadership in your party.
The PREMIER: And that is why, Mr Speaker ... [Interjection.]
The SPEAKER: Order hon members!
The PREMIER: ... the hon member Mr Ozinsky is using the race card now, but even with an oyster card your credit eventually runs out and so the credit will run out of the race card and it will do so very soon.
Mr M SKWATSHA: Chase him away [Interjection.]
The PREMIER: So we heard.
Mr M OZINSKY: [Inaudible.] another marriage partner.
The PREMIER: So we heard ... [Interjection.] Are you talking about President Zuma with another marriage partner? Good.
Mr M OZINSKY: That is what you call the [Inaudible.]
The SPEAKER: Order hon member Mr Ozinsky.
The PREMIER: Ja.
An HON MEMBER: Number 11.
Mr M OZINSKY: The race card, the [Inaudible.]
The SPEAKER: Hon member Mr Ozinsky. [Interjections.]
The PREMIER: For example, Mr Speaker, the hon member Mr Ozinsky refers to the hon Lindiwe Mazibuko as black "cannon fodder".
Mr M OZINSKY: Yes!
The PREMIER: As black "cannon fodder".
Mr M OZINSKY: Why is she not a presidential candidate?
The PREMIER: That white DA people deliberately put in the front of the battle to be shot down by the enemy.
Mr M SKWATSHA: But that is what we see.
The PREMIER: Now apart from the fact that no-one deployed Lindiwe to the position as Leader of the House on the DA's side in the National Parliament, amazingly ... [interjections]
Mr M OZINSKY: Oh she [Inaudible.]
The PREMIER: Amazingly she chose to stand for that position and she fought a very good election battle inside the DA to get that position.
Ms L BROWN: Not without [Inaudible.]
The PREMIER: But you know it is a total misnomer to call anyone in the DA "cannon fodder". Anyone. Because to be "fodder", Mr Speaker, there has to be a cannon. [Interjection.]
Mr M SKWATSHA: Call Julius.
The PREMIER: There is absolutely no ANC cannon in the National Assembly.
Mr M OZINSKY: Your obviously do not spend any time there.
The PREMIER: I certainly do because I often go and watch debates, unlike most ANC members there who are not in the House, but we will leave it at that. [Interjections.] Mr Speaker, you will recall that Dennis Healey once said of Sir Geoffrey Howe that being attacked by him ... [Interjections.]
Mr M OZINSKY: He is another colonialist.
The SPEAKER: Order, hon member Mr Ozinsky.
The PREMIER: Being attacked by him in politics was like being savaged by a dead sheep. That is exactly what the so called ANC cannons in the national party are like. [Interjections.] In fact the hon Mazibuko drives them all like a sheep to slaughter and does it very well.
Ms M TINGWE: And Ramphele?
Mr M OZINSKY: Then why is she not a presidential candidate if she is so good?
The PREMIER: But then we had the classic ... [Interjection.] Then we had the classic case of the hon member Mr Ozinsky saying that "we would let the Princess Vlei development go ahead because it is in a black area." That is what he said. [Interjections.] Now I have heard everything, Mr Speaker. I wish to remind the hon member Mr Ozinsky that it was under the ANC's watch that the Princess Vlei development was put out to public tender.
Mr M OZINSKY: But we did not resurrect it [Inaudible.]
The PREMIER: Without even applying their minds to the complex zoning issues, and of course the hon member Mr Ozinsky would know that when a tender is awarded, the successors in government have to respect people's legal rights.
Mr M OZINSKY: It was an unsolicited bid. It was not a tender.
The PREMIER: Well, whether it was ... [Interjection.]
Mr M OZINSKY: It was not a tender [Interjections.]
The PREMIER: Whether it was a tender or ... [Interjection.]
Mr M OZINSKY: It was an unsolicited bid [Inaudible.]
The PREMIER: ...or whether it was an unsolicited bid the ANC signed the documents, Mr Speaker.
The SPEAKER: Hon members, especially hon member Mr Ozinsky. I have warned you several times. Please.
The PREMIER: And we know ... [Interjection.]
'n AGBARE LID: Jaag hom uit!
The SPEAKER: Can you ... No.
The PREMIER: We know, Mr Speaker ... [Interjections.]
Mr M OZINSKY: Mr Speaker, on a point of order. Yet again, the Premier addressed me directly.
The PREMIER: I was being straight forward.
Mr M OZINSKY: She said "the hon Ozinsky knows." Well, the hon Ozinsky does not know, because it was not a tender. [Interjections.]
The PREMIER: Well, the hon member Mr Ozinsky should know. [Interjections.]
The SPEAKER: Order! Order! Order, hon member, take your seat please. [Interjections.]
The PREMIER: Mr Speaker. [Interjections.] Mr Speaker, as the honourable ... [Interjections.]
The SPEAKER: Order hon members!
The PREMIER: As the hon member Mr Ozinsky knows the deal was done under the ANC and as the hon member Mr Ozinsky also knows, Mr Speaker, [Interjection.] successive governments have to honour the legal obligations of previous governments.
An HON MEMBER: Yes.
The PREMIER: And he also knows what the argument was that the ANC used at that time when they rushed with undue haste to do an unsolicited bid. He said at the time ... [Interjection.] The ANC said at the time, Mr Speaker, that the DA was only opposing that development because we did not want people in black areas to have a mall. So you see, Mr Speaker, the race card is an all purpose oyster card. It will take you wherever you want to be even on trains that are simultaneously going in the opposite direction. [Interjections.]
Me J WITBOOI: Nie waar nie.
The PREMIER: When the ANC wanted the development they said the DA's opposition was because we were racist and when we have to respect at least the legal obligations that we inherited from them, they say we do not want to cancel it because we are racist. So you cannot win with them. They find a race angle in every single thing. [Interjections.]
Mr M OZINSKY: When will you cancel it?
The PREMIER: But they have to do it. They have to do that, Mr Speaker, because the ANC knows why every tender or every unsolicited bid is put in place by them and they do not need us to tell them [Interjection.] because the Reverend Frank Chikane has already told the whole world that every single tender and every single unsolicited bid under the ANC is there with the purpose of making someone in the ANC rich.
The MINISTER OF HEALTH: Ja.
The PREMIER: And that is exactly what lay behind Princess Vlei at the time. [Interjections.] So, Mr Speaker ... [Interjections.]
Mr M G E WILEY: How can you not believe the Reverend? He is a Priest.
Mr M OZINSKY: Why did he not cancel it then? He had the power [Interjections.]
Ms M TINGWE: The Priest is always right.
Mr M G E WILEY: Who, the Reverend? [Interjections.]
The SPEAKER: Hon members, Order!
Mr M OZINSKY: [Inaudible.]
The SPEAKER: Hon member Mr Ozinsky! Hon member Mr Ozinsky.
Mr M OZINSKY: Yes sir.
The SPEAKER: It seems you now totally undermine my authority.
'n AGBARE LID: Ja.
The SPEAKER: I have requested order several times but you carry on. Premier, you may continue.
The PREMIER: Thank you very much, Mr Speaker. I also notice from his speech that the hon member Mr Ozinsky has been counting toilets in the city despite the fact that most of them are white and that does not seem to bother him. I am amazed that he has not played the race card on the colour of toilets yet, but that is coming. What the hon member Mr Ozinsky will not tell you, Mr Speaker, is that the number of toilets in informal settlements under the Democratic Alliance government has increased by 280% since we took over the city in 2006 from the ANC. What he also will not tell you is what vandalism of toilets costs the ratepayers. Just this year [Interjections.] Just this year [Interjections.] Just this year, Mr Speaker, in this financial year the City of Cape Town has spent an estimated R112 million on the vandalism of sanitation infrastructure. No wonder that people have to march to express their rage.
The MINISTER OF TRANSPORT AND PUBLIC WORKS: The new ANC.
The PREMIER: Yes. Now, we saw the ex-ANC members, Andile Lili and Loyiso Nkohla organise a march here today and that march was considered to be illegal. We on this side of the House do not like the notion of an illegal march in a democracy. We believe the people should have free speech and be able to march under most circumstances in a democracy and we will always defend people's rights to do that because it is a constitutional right. But this march was prohibited because - and I am reading from the police sworn affidavit based on intelligence:
"That the applicants had lied in their application and had presented themselves as representing an organisation that was under different leadership from the one that they actually are under."
So, they lied in material respects. They misrepresented their relationship to ex-ANC councillors Andile Lili and Loyiso Nkohla and then on the basis of a video taken while the hon Lili - or the dishonourable Lili may I say and the equally dishonourable Nkohla - were mobilising for this march in which they again threatened to make the city ungovernable, Mr Speaker, and in which they again threatened violence. On the basis of that the police affidavit read that the march poses a real threat to the safety of participants, traders, formal businesses in the area as well as the public in general and if the march were to go ahead there would be a risk of serious injury, disruption to traffic and injury and extensive damage to property.
Now, this is on the basis not of a thumb-suck, Mr Speaker, but of intelligence sources monitoring the mobilisation for this march and monitoring the language used by the organisers who then tried to hide their involvement in the march with a falsified submission to the City of Cape Town, seeking permission. Now that is the ANC method and that is how they work and looking at the Twitter pictures that came across to me of all the people being arrested, I noticed that they were all the pooh-protestors, all the buddies of Lili and Nkohla, again on a mission to make this city ungovernable.
Of course that is absolutely true. [Interjection.] Of course it is absolutely true and I would like to commend ... [Interjections.] Mr Speaker, I would like to commend the SAPS and the Metro Police and the traffic authorities for containing this ungovernability campaign.
An HON MEMBER: Hear-hear!
The PREMIER: And if the ANC wonders why we cannot deploy all the security to Manenberg and other places where they are sorely needed it is because people who live in proper houses or university residences and have access to proper toilets ... [Interjections.]
The SPEAKER: Order! Hon Premier. [Interjections.]
The PREMIER: ... are mobilising their fellow South Africans to make this city ungovernable and to vandalise infrastructure. [Interjections.]
The SPEAKER: Hon Premier. Is it a point of order?
Mr K E MAGAXA: Mr Speaker, is it in order for the Premier to address Lili while he is expected to respond to our questions? [Interjections.]
The SPEAKER: Honourable ... [Interjections.]
Mr K E MAGAXA: There is no Lili ... [Inaudible.] He is not here.
The SPEAKER: Take your seat honourable. That is not a point of order. [Interjection.] Hon members.
The MINISTER OF TRANSPORT AND PUBLIC WORKS: Go and read your book of rules.
The SPEAKER: Hon members, order! Minister, order. [Interjections.] That is not a point of order. The Premier is making... Continue, hon Premier. [Interjections.] Continue, hon Premier. You may continue.
Mr K E MAGAXA: Sorry, Mr Speaker. Mr Speaker what is it because it is more than five minutes ... [Interjections.]
The SPEAKER: That is not a point of order.
Mr K E MAGAXA: That is more than five minutes. [Interjections.]
An HON MEMBER: [Inaudible.] not sorry, Chair.
Mr K E MAGAXA: The Premier for more than five minutes is addressing the issue of Lili [Interjections.] And we have not raised any issue about [Inaudible.] [Interjections.]
The SPEAKER: Order! Order! Hon Minister Madikizela let me give you a chance and we stop. [Interjections.] Order!
The MINISTER OF TRANSPORT AND PUBLIC WORKS: Where is my book?
The SPEAKER: Order! Minister Madikizela.
The MINISTER OF HUMAN SETTLEMENTS: Mr Speaker, is that why the hon member ... [Interjections.]
The SPEAKER: Order! What is it, hon? Honourable, is it a point of order, Minister Madikizela?
The MINISTER OF HUMAN SETTLEMENTS: Yes.
The SPEAKER: What is your point?
The MINISTER OF HUMAN SETTLEMENTS: It is a point of order, Mr Speaker. [Interjections.]
The SPEAKER: What is your point Minister?
The MINISTER OF HUMAN SETTLEMENTS: Through you, Mr Speaker, I just want to raise a point of order on the issue that was raised by hon member Mr Magaxa.
Ms M TINGWE: The Speaker has ruled.
The SPEAKER: What is it hon Minister? [Interjections.]
The MINISTER OF HUMAN SETTLEMENTS: The point of order from my side to him is that ... [Interjections.]
Ms L BROWN: Think quickly. Think quickly now!
Mr P UYS: He cannot think quickly. [Interjection.]
The MINISTER OF HUMAN SETTLEMENTS: The point of order from my side ... [Interjections.]
The SPEAKER: Take your seat. Take your seat, hon Minister. Hon Minister, please.
The MINISTER OF HUMAN SETTLEMENTS: I am addressing you Mr Speaker. [Interjections.]
The SPEAKER: Please take your seat.
The MINISTER OF HUMAN SETTLEMENTS: I am addressing you on a point of order.
The SPEAKER: You do not have to respond to his point of order, hon Minister. Thank you very much. [Interjections.] Thank you Minister.
The MINISTER OF HUMAN SETTLEMENTS: Is that why the SACP attacked the ANC for dismissing Lili?
The SPEAKER: Thank you, honourable Minister. Thank you very much. [Interjections.] Order hon members! Hon Premier, over to you.
The PREMIER: Thank you very much.
Mr M SKWATSHA: No.
The SPEAKER: No-no-no hon member Mr Skwatsha, I did not allow you to stand. Can you take your seat please. Hon member Mr Skwatsha, take your seat. I will allow you to ... [Interjection.]
Mr M SKWATSHA: The rules allow for a point of order.
The SPEAKER: Hon member Mr Skwatsha, take your seat.
Ms L BROWN: Not in this House. In any other [Inaudible.]
The SPEAKER: Continue hon Premier.
Mr M SKWATSHA: No. A point of order, Mr Speaker. A point of order.
The SPEAKER: What is your point of order?
Mr M SKWATSHA: Yes, it is allowed.
The SPEAKER: What is your point of order?
An HON MEMBER: What is your point of order?
The SPEAKER: What is the point of order hon member Mr Skwatsha?
Mr M SKWATSHA: Is the hon Minister allowed to embarrass the Democratic Alliance?
The SPEAKER: Take your seat. Hon members order. [Interjections.]
The MINISTER OF HEALTH: You are a joke!
The SPEAKER: Hon members. You are called "hon members" because people respect you.
An HON MEMBER: Yes.
The SPEAKER: And what you are doing now in this House is really totally unacceptable and we have guests who are sitting there, who I think expect better than what you are doing in this House. [Interjections.]
An HON MEMBER: Better [Inaudible.]
The SPEAKER: Please, please hon members, behave as hon members. Thank you. You may continue hon Premier.
The PREMIER: Thank you very much, Mr Speaker. I love the hon member Mr Magaxa's speeches, I really do, because they remind me of the Marxists that I mixed with at university in the 1970s, in industrial sociology, one SA, and it is always the same every single time.
Ms M TINGWE: Haibo!! Yes.
The PREMIER: Now, I just have to remind the hon member Mr Magaxa that the Berlin Wall collapsed over a quarter of a century or almost a quarter of a century ago, and it is time he woke up to the fact that his ideology has been overtaken and left very far behind.
The MINISTER OF TRANSPORT AND PUBLIC WORKS: [Inaudible.] mistaken as a wish.
The PREMIER: Now, apart from playing ... [Interjections.]
Mr M OZINSKY: It is about time [Inaudible.]
The PREMIER: Apart from playing the race card [Interjections.], Mr Speaker, the ANC relies on another strategy and that is manufacturing outrage. They manufacture outrage and I found a wonderful definition of manufactured outrage in the following. It says:
"Manufactured outrage is a falsified outrage to claim the moral high ground and to denigrate your opponents in a cynical bid to increase your own support."
Now let us look at the one thing that the ANC can hold against me during my term of office and that is the use of the word "refugee."
Mr M OZINSKY: Which you never apologised for.
The PREMIER: Which I ... [Interjection.]
Mr M OZINSKY: You apologised to the DA [Interjections.]
An HON MEMBER: Ah, come on man!
The MINISTER OF HEALTH: Sorry Ozinsky, hoor!
The PREMIER: That I apologised for, Mr Speaker, on national television. [Interjections.] That I apologised for on national television, because I realised that it was really hurtful to some people and I felt very bad about that, because in my own family we use the word "refugee" for the people that we love the most, my parents and grandparents, and I have never ever seen it as an insult, but when I realised that there are people who do [Interjections] it was a very painful thing to me and I apologised without reservation.
The SPEAKER: Order!
Mr M OZINSKY: Do so now.
The PREMIER: But why do I say, Mr Speaker, that the ANC's outrage is entirely manufactured? The reason that I say that is because it is so selective. Last year when Minister Nathi Mthethwa was trying to explain why crime statistics had gone up in the Western Cape, particularly murder and attempted murder, he said that it was because of the presence of so many economic refugees in this province and I did not hear one single peep of outrage from the ANC [Interjections.] So you can see how selective it is and how manufactured the outrage is.
Ms L BROWN: He was not referring to the Eastern Cape. He was referring to [Inaudible.]
Mr M OZINSKY: Yes, precisely!
Ms L BROWN: He was referring to [Inaudible.] [Interjection.]
The SPEAKER: Order! Order!
The PREMIER: No!
Ms L BROWN: [Inaudible] are refugees.
The PREMIER: No. He put them in another category. [Interjections.]
The SPEAKER: Hon Leader of the Opposition, Ms Brown, order.
The PREMIER: In fact ... [Interjections.] The hon Ms Brown is entirely wrong because he spoke of two lots of people. He said "people who came from other countries and economic refugees", so he put people who were asylum seekers and then he said "and economic refugees". He added them on as a separate category.
Mr M OZINSKY: [Inaudible.] the refugees on [Interjections.]
The PREMIER: That is what he was doing, but it is quite clear to me Mr Speaker that the hon people on the other side of the House think it is fine to blame murder and attempted murder on asylum seekers, and it shows just how xenophobic that side of the House is. So, whatever Minister Mthethwa meant, and he was certainly not talking about people from other countries in Africa, but whatever Minister Mthethwa meant there was enough room for outrage but they all kept quiet because ... [Interjections.]
Mr M OZINSKY: What is your point?
The PREMIER: Because it is entirely selective and the outrage with me was manufactured outrage and you can hear that it still is.
The MINISTER OF HEALTH: Skande!
The PREMIER: And let us hear what the hon Nomvulo Mokonyane said in her State of the Province Address two years ago. She was explaining why the health system in Gauteng is so dysfunctional and she said that the reason was, Mr Speaker, that "health migrants" kept coming up and clogging Gauteng's Hospitals.
Mr M OZINSKY: That is not like refugees.
The PREMIER: Well when I spoke about "migrants" in my State of the Province Address there was another lot of manufactured outrage. So, Mr Speaker, you know that outrage is manufactured when it is selectively applied.
Mr M OZINSKY: Well just apologise.
The PREMIER: And I have not heard Minister Mthethwa apologise and I have not heard Premier Mokonyane apologise and the bottom line is that the ANC has not even asked them to apologise. Dead silence! [Interjections.] I would like to recommend that they go and listen to the song "Refugee of the heart", it is a very nice song by a guy called Steve Winwood. You might have heard of him.
The SPEAKER: Order! Hon member Ms Hani, order.
The PREMIER: And when I went to Brazil last year I heard many people speaking about the traffic refugees from Sao Paulo who go and live in Rio de Janeiro, and we all know that on this issue the honourable Opposition in this House have been refugees from reason, Mr Speaker.
Ms L BROWN: From where?
The MINISTER OF TRANSPORT AND PUBLIC WORKS: Refugees from us too. [Interjections.]
The PREMIER: Yes.
Ms M TINGWE: Haibo. [Interjections.]
Mr M OZINSKY: Well we have gone very far.
The PREMIER: Refugees from reason - that is what they are. Let me say that I was, and this is serious, Mr Speaker, I was very moved by the hon member Mr Skwatsha's account of growing up and the difficulties that his parents faced under the migrant labour system and the pass laws of apartheid, and those stories are borne like scars in our land still today and had a devastating effect on families and family structures with all the incredibly ghastly social consequences that we still see today.
My own mother, and I was happy and lucky enough to grow up in a family with two parents...My own mother volunteered every single day at the Black Sash Advice office in Johannesburg and in the evening she would tell us these horror stories of what she had worked on during the day and so we - unlike many other young white South Africans - learnt a great deal about the impact of apartheid on the lives of people like Mr and Ms Skwatsha.
I want to say to the hon member Mr Skwatsha that it is good that his parents told him about his own history and that of many others. I know how important it is to come and to face the pain of your past and I do not like to be self-referring in the context, but in my case we only really found out the depth of the pain of the past when we read my grandfather's memoirs, after he died, that he left for us. Then we learnt all about Kristallnacht and my grandfather's imprisonment and all the family members who were not lucky enough to get to England or any other place in the world as refugees and the lucky ones became refugees, believe me.
I remember looking at my grandmother's photo-album in her tiny little flat in Hillbrow and when I asked who her 13 siblings were she would go through them and say: "Well he died and she died and Tant Eleni had this and this one died". She never once told me that they died in the concentration camps. I had to learn that afterwards. Mr Speaker, I have often wondered why my parents have never told me about that or why my grandparents while they were still alive never spoke about that, and there were some good things about it and some bad things about it.
One thing I am very grateful for is that having come here in absolutely penury with nothing and us having started our lives in poverty in a house with corrugated iron walls with pit toilets and a school with bucket toilets, they did what they had to do to ensure that we got an education, that we knew the meaning of hard work and there was one thing that was never allowed in our house and that was self-pity or self-indulgence.
Mr Speaker, we have to face the past and we have to look at it honestly, but no-one has the monopoly on suffering - no-one. It is what shapes us and we have to face it and acknowledge it and apologise for it if we were in any way involved, but now our task is to build one nation with one future.
Mr Speaker, the hon member Mr Skwatsha had another complaint that I was not as sympathetic with. He says that when he goes into restaurants he does not believe there are enough black people there. Now quite frankly I do not think he has been then to Cubana, but he would not go there because that is the place frequented by Marius Fransman.
The MINISTER OF TRANSPORT AND PUBLIC WORKS: They all better get used to it. These ones.
The PREMIER: But I wonder ... [Interjections.]
Ms L BROWN: We like Cubana. We go there every Friday. [Interjections.]
The PREMIER: But I wonder whether the hon Fransman wants us to pass a law in this province to make restaurants demographically representative or whether they have to be every night or whether we can balance out dinner and lunch.
Ms L BROWN: You spoke so well earlier; and now you do not understand.
The PREMIER: And if he does that ... [Interjections.]
An HON MEMBER: There is your solution.
Ms L BROWN: You spoke so well earlier.
The PREMIER: If he does that, Mr Speaker, he will create a whole new class of people called "restaurant refugees" and he would not want to do that, would he? Can you imagine what Mzoli would say if we applied a quota to his restaurant? So, Mr Speaker, let me get on to what a few other people said in this debate. Let us get on to the hon leader of the opposition, Ms Brown.
She started off by refuting claims that we do not get the funding we need for the massive demographic shifts that we face in this province.
Ms L BROWN: Yes.
The PREMIER: But she is quite wrong, because the Fiscal and Finance Commission's formula, Mr Speaker, works in retrospect and so when the Census was done in 2011 and it was found that our population had grown almost 30% in ten years in this province, the adjustments to the budgets that we get according to the formula were made and only came into operation, I think it was last year. It is actually this year.
An HON MEMBER: It is being phased in.
The PREMIER: And so it is going to be phased in so that there is not too much of a shock to the national system given the extent of the demographic shifts to the Western Cape and Gauteng.
Ms L BROWN: No it is to the provincial system.
The PREMIER: It is to the national system actually, because if they shift all the money there will be a shock nationally as every province loses huge amounts of money except Gauteng and the Western Cape so the money follows where the people are, and so that is why they are phasing it in. She does not understand the fiscal system.
Ms L BROWN: All funding happens over [Inaudible.] years at a time. [Interjection.]
The SPEAKER: Order! Order! Hon Ms Brown.
An HON MEMBER: It does not.
The PREMIER: That was the direct quote that was made in the letter to me that we had to "prevent a shock to the system", because it would cause too much disruption of services in the provinces that had lost so many people. [Interjection.] That is the reason.
Ms L BROWN: So did you get the money or did you not?
The PREMIER: The money is now being phased in ten years later.
Ms L BROWN: But that is not [Inaudible.]
The PREMIER: And already since [Interjection.] Already since the Census, just this year, Mr Speaker, just this year, and they will only be counted at the next Census. Just this year we have had 10 000 new learners coming into this province from the Eastern Cape, desperate to find schools.
Ms L BROWN: 7-billion.
The PREMIER: And we are supporting them and helping them and battling to ensure that they can get into school and get a decent education. [Interjection.]
The point is that the formula of the Fiscal and Finance Commission does not take account of the real time movement of people. It works retrospectively and it does not take account of circular migration at all because people come to the Western Cape for hospital treatment or to have a baby and then go back to their homes and we do our best, and who would not come here? I mean you know I have read reports of what is going on in the health system in the Eastern Cape. Just recently I read the most heartbreaking report of twins who were born blind [Interjection.] because a piece of equipment was not working and those kids were born blind. They took a case of medical malpractice and they won R6.6 million in compensation, but to fix the machine or to buy a new one would have cost a fraction of that amount, and that is why I can understand entirely why people do not want to give birth in the Eastern Cape and do not want to go to hospital in the Eastern Cape. We are saying we would love to welcome and give them the best possible service. We need the money that is earmarked, to do so.
Now, we have the hon member Ms Brown saying that the Western Cape leads the nation's housing backlog. Now let us look at that statistic. Since human beings modernised the caves of the Southern Cape and those humans, those early humans who modernised the caves of the Southern Cape were thought to be the first domesticated humans in the world, Mr Speaker. Since then 1 068 572 formal dwellings have been built in the City of Cape Town so just over a million since people were in caves.
If we had to eradicate all informal dwellings by 2040 we would need to build just as many houses as have been built in recorded history. That is how great the challenge is. We have to double the number of houses in the city and that is the extent of the challenge and that is why we have to upgrade where people are currently living. Now according to Stats SA's labour market stats in the last year of recording, according to the hon member Ms Brown, she said the Western Cape lost 37 000 jobs. The hon Ms Brown also said it was the only province to shed jobs in this period. Then the hon Ms Brown said again that the official unemployment figure in the Western Cape had slipped to 23.9% compared to the 24.9% national average.
An HON MEMBER: That is it.
The PREMIER: Now that is completely wrong, Mr Speaker. I am not going to say the hon Ms Brown was misleading the House because I do not think she did so deliberately.
Mr E J VON BRANDIS: She is confused.
The PREMIER: But she is either confused or some researcher is writing her fairytale for her, Mr Speaker.
An HONOURABLE MEMBER: Sy is deurmekaar.
The PREMIER: Because she took ... [Interjection.]
Ms L BROWN: You cannot imagine that I write myself.
The PREMIER: I met the person who writes your speeches. [Interjections.]
Ms L BROWN: [Inaudible.]
The SPEAKER: Hon member Ms Brown.
Ms L BROWN: Anybody else ...[Inaudible.]
The PREMIER: I am sure that is racist. I am sure that is racist.
The SPEAKER: Hon Ms Brown, can you give the Premier a chance to reply to ... [Interjections.]
The PREMIER: I met the guy who told me he writes your speeches so I was just taking it firsthand from a researcher that you have got there. You have got to actually upgrade his research skills, hon member Ms Brown.
Ms L BROWN: I do not have a researcher.
The PREMIER: Because they were cherry-picking from very old information.
Ms L BROWN: No-no from [Inaudible.]
The PREMIER: The hon member Ms Brown ... [Interjections.]
The SPEAKER: Hon member Ms Brown, order.
The PREMIER: Unlike her researcher the hon member Ms Brown knows that the employment stats for the whole of 2013 are out in the latest Stats SA quarterly labour survey and this is what it looks like. In the whole of South Africa ... [Interjections]
An HONOURABLE MEMBER: Jy moet mooi luister.
The PREMIER: ... the unemployed population has grown by 141 000 in one year since the end of 2012. That is the whole of South Africa. The narrow unemployment rate in the whole of South Africa - that is the narrow unemployment rate which does not include those who are so discouraged because they cannot find work that they have given up looking. The narrow unemployment rate in the whole of South Africa currently stands at 24.1%. The broad unemployment, which also includes those who are no longer seeking work because they are so discouraged by their failure to find work, that broad unemployment rate Mr Speaker is 36%. That is over a third of the population under the ANC Government nationally. Now let us hear what is happening in the Western Cape, Mr Speaker, in those same statistics. In the Western Cape, while a 141 000 more people in the rest of South Africa lost their jobs, a 132 000 more people were employed here in the same period.
An HON MEMBER: Yes, put that in your [Inaudible.]
Mr M OZINSKY: It is seasonal. It is farm workers.
The MINISTER OF TRANSPORT AND PUBLIC WORKS: Oh rubbish man. [Interjections.]
The PREMIER: And of all the jobs created in the whole of South Africa in that period even though the net loss was in the rest of South Africa, 20% of all people employed during that period were in the Western Cape. One out of nine provinces. The Western Cape's unemployed shrunk by 48 000 since that period.
Mr M OZINSKY: In June / July [Inaudible.]
The PREMIER: And our narrow unemployment rate currently stands at 21%, not 23.9% as alleged by the hon member Ms Brown and far lower than the national narrow unemployment rate of 24.1%.
Now listen to this, Mr Speaker, because this is the most important thing. The Western Cape's broad unemployment rate is almost exactly the same as the narrow unemployment rate and that is very, very significant because it says to us that people in the Western Cape, Mr Speaker, have not given up looking for work ... [Interjection.]
The MINISTER OF HEALTH: Yep, there is hope.
The PREMIER: ... because they are not desperate because they believe and they know that they can get work because employment is going up.
The MINISTER OF HEALTH: The DA gives them hope.
The PREMIER: So, in the Western Cape the broad unemployment rate is 22% as opposed to 21%, only 1% difference. The broad unemployment rate is 22% according to Stats SA, compared to the national broad unemployment rate of 36%. 22% in the Western Cape; 36% nationally, Mr Speaker.
In addition, if we had to remove the Western Cape figure from the national average the national broad unemployment rate would be nearly 38%.
Mr M OZINSKY: Lies, bad lies. [Interjection.]
Ms L BROWN: More lies.
The PREMIER: That is absolutely true and that is the truth from Mr Pali Lehohla, the Statistician General who walks around in a yellow suit. [Interjections.] And he walks around in a yellow suit I am sure not because he is an ANC supporter, but just because he likes yellow. It is clear why the hon Ms Brown chose to cherry-pick from Stats when you look at these figures.
Mr M SKWATSHA: What is the point you are making about the yellow suit?
The PREMIER: I love the yellow suit. You know the big bird in Sesame Street. Just like that. Now, Mr Speaker, the hon member Ms Brown claims that new factories opened in Atlantis and that the Saldanha IDZ is because of national government interventions and that the only reason why the Saldanha IDZ is showing real strides and is working is because of the national government. Now, let me read you a little story from City Press.
Ms L BROWN: From where?
The PREMIER: City Press. It is not a DA newspaper.
Ms L BROWN: Did you...[Inaudible.]
Mr M OZINSKY: That is where Carien works.
The PREMIER: The Department of Trade and Industry [Interjections.] The Department of Trade and Industry ... [Interjections.]
Ms L BROWN: I cannot be called patronising. Do not worry.
The SPEAKER: Order! Order hon members, order, order!
The PREMIER: The Department of Trade and Industry has publicly... and if I were you Hon member Ms Brown, I would blame the researcher for writing such nonsense as was in your speech, because if you are so bad at research then it really gives me an opening to be patronising. Thank you, Mr Speaker. Now, the City Press article ... [Interjection.]
Ms L BROWN: You see I am so used to being patronised by you. It is quite alright. Go ahead, Madam Premier.
The PREMIER: I will. If you leave me one moment, I will go ahead. Thank you very much, Mr Speaker.
"The Department of Trade and Industry has publicly admitted that all three operating industrial development zones in Coega, East London and Richards Bay have not performed. Marked by pomp and ceremony at its launch in Port Elizabeth in 2000 many in Nelson Mandela Bay and throughout the Eastern Cape hope the Coega IDZ at the Port of Ngqura just outside Port Elizabeth would be an economic saviour that would create much needed jobs and deliver the area's inhabitants from abject poverty. Others however were pessimistic. They saw a white elephant. [Interjection.]
Then they say how that has failed and they also look at the Richards Bay IDZ and how that has failed."
So, I come to the point, Mr Speaker. Why is the Saldanha IDZ performing so well? What is the difference between all the other IDZs and the one in Saldanha? The difference Mr Speaker is that the one is under DA government and the other three are under ANC government.
Ms L BROWN: Coega is doing very well and you know that.
Mr E J VON BRANDIS: Ag, come on!
Ms L BROWN: Very well!
The PREMIER: Now, Mr Speaker, the hon Opposition has this quaint logic that says that just because the money comes from the central fiscus these are all ANC projects. The money to every single province in South Africa comes primarily from the central government fiscus so the question is what is the difference between a province that is working to grow jobs, to grow employment, and the eight others that are going in the opposite direction. Mr Speaker, the difference is DA government and the way that money is managed makes an enormous difference to the outcomes that you get from that management.
The MINISTER OF HEALTH: Hear-hear!
The PREMIER: And so, Mr Speaker, if the ANC wants to supply this completely false logic of saying that if the money comes from the central fiscus it must be ANC projects and ANC delivery well why do they not just continue that false logic a little bit backwards and do a pro rata analysis of which parties' supporters pay pro rata more tax and then we will see who is funding all these projects.
Ms L BROWN: What?
The PREMIER: But you see that is their faulty logic [Interjections.] And if they are going to use false logic [Interjections.] If they are going to use false logic ... [Interjections.]
The SPEAKER: Order! Order hon members.
The PREMIER: I will take their own false logic to its own false conclusion.
The SPEAKER: Order!
The PREMIER: I will take its own false logic to its own false conclusion.
Ms L BROWN: But that is [Inaudible.]
The PREMIER: We all pay our tax unlike one Julius Malema. [Interjections.] We all pay our tax ... [Interjections.]
The SPEAKER: Order hon members!
The PREMIER: We all pay our tax unlike people like Julius Malema and we are all delighted that our tax is used for massive redistribution to the poor. [Interjections.]
Mr M OZINSKY: Talk about the race card.
The PREMIER: And as you can see in this province we spent 76% of the budget on the poor. That is what we want. That is right. [Interjections.] But the ANC must not come with false logic that this is ANC money. It is not ANC money and if they claim it is we can easily do the calculation and trace it back to the source, to get a false conclusion from their false logic, so.
Ms L BROWN: And where is your source; in my researcher?
The PREMIER: I would never use your researcher. I promise you, even though he says he was trained by my husband.
Ms L BROWN: I am going to hire my researcher from you.
The SPEAKER: Order! hon member Ms Brown order.
The PREMIER: Alright, now ... [Interjection.]
Ms L BROWN: My researcher. [Laughing.]
The PREMIER: Mr Speaker, we are very committed to ensuring that we cut red tape and make the Western Cape a good destination for investment and we are committed to improving skills in our province. In this term we have spent R1.7 billion on skills development projects, almost eight times what the President has spent on Nkandla, which is great. It shows you how much Nkandla cost. R1.7 billion on skills development programmes, and we have provided training to 98 327 people, most of them who are young. We focused on rooting out corruption, which I think we did very well, and the hon member Ms Brown has a lot to say about the fact that we accuse the ANC administration of being corrupt, but when we came to office no-one was convicted. [Interjections.]
Ms L BROWN: Not ANC officials, not ANC officials.
The PREMIER: Let me repeat, let me repeat that we have ... [Interjection.]
Ms L BROWN: Arrested.
The PREMIER: We have ... [Interjections.]
Mr M OZINSKY: [Inaudible.]
Ms L BROWN: Lynne Brown.
The PREMIER: We have sent to the South African Police Service dossiers for investigation of 120 people that we believe are corrupt.
Ms L BROWN: How many were ANC officials as you always say?
The PREMIER: Well you saw the report from Mr Brian Williams.
Ms L BROWN: I am talking about ANC officials [Interjections.]
The PREMIER: He numbered a whole slew of ANC officials who were corrupt.
Ms L BROWN: No-no that is not ... [Interjection.]
The SPEAKER: Order hon member Ms Brown.
Mr M OZINSKY: Why did you ... [Inaudible.]
The PREMIER: And before they could go to their disciplinary hearings they all ran away and got redeployed to top positions across the government nationally.
Ms L BROWN: We are talking about ANC officials.
The SPEAKER: Hon member Ms Brown, order.
The PREMIER: Well no-one gets deployed to top positions in the national government unless they are ANC cadres.
Ms L BROWN: Really?
The SPEAKER: Hon member Ms Brown.
The PREMIER: Absolutely and we know exactly where they are.
Ms L BROWN: You tell this fairytale all the time. [Interjection.]
The PREMIER: So out of the 120 ... [Interjection.]
The SPEAKER: Hon member Ms Brown, order.
The PREMIER: Out of the 120 matters that were registered with the South African Police Service [Interjection.] We have not been able to get any feedback [Interjections.] whatsoever. No feedback from the police and sometimes the cases that we believe should be watertight are not prosecuted by the prosecuting authority, so we know exactly what is going on there Mr Speaker, but to suggest that we have not followed up by laying charges of corruption or other criminal charges is completely wrong. Nothing has come of the brown envelope case, of the Hip-Hop case ...[Interjection.]
Mr M OZINSKY: But there was nothing wrong in their appointment according to [Inaudible.] [Interjection.]
Ms L BROWN: But nothing happened. It did not happen.
Mr M OZINSKY: There was nothing wrong with their appointment. You said so yourself.
Ms L BROWN: Exactly.
The PREMIER: Now, we come to the fables of the hon member Ms Beerwinkel. Oh my goodness, the fables of the hon member Ms Beerwinkel. There are so many that I can actually refute and I think she must use the same researcher as the hon member Ms Brown [Interjections.], because I can refute almost every sentence in her speech. [Interjection.] Firstly she says we have hired the same bus company that was involved in the Rheenendal ... (intervention)
The MINISTER OF TRANSPORT AND PUBLIC WORKS: Carols by Candlelight.
The PREMIER: Carols by Candlelight. That is for sure. No, I will not make a pun on her surname either, because my mom told me that you never do that. We have hired the same bus company involved in the Rheenendal bus accident to transport learners in the area. That is completely not true, because the Western Cape Education Department placed a restriction on signing any new contracts with the bus company after the accident for three years, in line with our procedures.
An HON MEMBER: Jo! That is deliberate ... [Inaudible.]
The PREMIER: The Western Cape Education Department could not legally cancel other contracts that the department had with the company at the time ... [Interjections.]
Ms L BROWN: [Inaudible.] the Western Cape Department.
The PREMIER: And we sought legal opinion on the matter.
Mr M OZINSKY: Now you say you did not ... [Interjection.]
The PREMIER: Textbooks and furniture not being delivered to schools. [Interjections.]
The MINISTER OF TRANSPORT AND PUBLIC WORKS: Ah, come on!
The PREMIER: I said we did not give new contracts. Then the hon member Ms Beerwinkel made the wild allegation that we did not deliver textbooks and furniture to schools [Interjections.] The Western Cape Education Department delivered all textbooks ordered by schools in time for the start of the 2014 year. The department has placed top-up orders for additional textbooks for schools that experienced unexpected growth because people did not apply for their children to be there or people are still arriving at schools without registering, without applying, without doing any of that. So, we can only provide as much as schools order and if far more pupils arrive than were anticipated, obviously we have to make contingency plans subsequently, but that is not the fault of the department. The department also delivered 99.5% of furniture requested by schools and the deliveries cover all major items requested by the schools. The Western Cape government has replaced one supplier who must have been an ANC cadre who defaulted on orders and expects to deliver the remaining supplies very shortly.
Then there was the allegation - another fable - that there is a shortage of teachers in De Doorns. Now there are 33 learners per teacher on average in the De Doorns area. This is below the national norm but nevertheless most schools are coming under increasing pressure because of new arrivals coming into the area and the department has allocated two more posts to Van Cutsem Combined School and one more to Hexvallei Secondary with another post under consideration, and we will consider applications for growth posts carefully as required.
Then there is this bizarre notion that there are 78 learners in classrooms in Barrydale. Yes, there was one point at which one Grade 10 class at Barrydale High had 77 learners, but we have since then allocated two more teaching posts to Barrydale High and the school now has 33 learners per teacher which is below the norm of 35. [Interjection.]
Ms L BROWN: [Inaudible.]
The PREMIER: So then why were you complaining when there are 33 learners in a class and you bring fairytales here?
Ms C F BEERWINKEL: I said the parents acted.
The PREMIER: Parents are supposed to act. It is not a huge sacrifice for parents to act. That is why we have governing bodies.
Ms L BROWN: Nobody ever acts [Inaudible.] at Grove Primary.
The SPEAKER: Order!
The PREMIER: Of course they do. I had to take the whole government to court at Grove Primary School. Parents really have to act at Grove Primary School.
Ms L BROWN: We are talking about a long time ago. [Interjections.]
Mr K E MAGAXA: There is transformation.
The PREMIER: I promise you parents are so active at functional schools, which is why they are functional and I thank the parents of Barrydale. [Interjections.]
The SPEAKER: Order hon members.
The PREMIER: But they are not martyrs. That is what parents do everywhere.
The SPEAKER: Hon member Mr Magaxa order.
Mr K E MAGAXA: [Inaudible.]
The SPEAKER: Order hon member. [Interjections.]
The PREMIER: Then the other fable, Mr Speaker, of the hon member Ms Beerwinkel is that R70 million has been taken away from the ECD infrastructure budget to fund Quintiles 4 and 5 schools so that they could be classified as no-fee schools. This is not true, Mr Speaker. It is a fairytale.
Ms L BROWN: Why do you budget on ... [Interjection.]
The PREMIER: The department will use funding from the National Treasury to fund no-fee schools in Quintiles 4 and 5. The provincial Minister of Education has discretionary powers to allocate this funding, but the department cannot use non-recurrent once off funding from an infrastructure budget to fund a recurring expenditure that must be sustainable and no‑fee‑schooling is a recurring expenditure, Mr Speaker. [Interjections.]
And then we come to the biggest fable of all that newspapers picked up as they helped to manufacture the outrage and that was that there are 900 learners still waiting placement in schools in Mitchells Plain. [Interjections.]
The SPEAKER: Hon members!
The PREMIER: Well the hon member Ms Beerwinkel added one nought too many and even for the least numerically literate people they will know that there is a difference between 900 and 90. Our figure says 90. Hon member Ms Beerwinkel's figure says 900 and we know that ours is the correct one.
Ms L BROWN: We live there so we know it is 900.
The PREMIER: You do not live in there. Let me tell you.
Ms L BROWN: It is 900.
The PREMIER: It is 90.
Ms L BROWN: It is 900. You are clueless about it.
The PREMIER: We have traced everyone except 28. So, 28 of the 90 are untraceable and the balance of 62, 50% of them are in Grade 8 and have only contacted the department in the last 14 days, and all of them are being placed. Many of them have come late into the schooling system and many of them have been offered other schools, but they want to get their school of choice because parents are obviously chasing quality as any sensible parent would and they do not want the schools that they have been offered. They want schools in Mitchells Plain and are therefore there, Mr Speaker.
Mr Speaker, there are many other points that hon members made.
Ms L BROWN: So you want to go line by line.
The PREMIER: There are many other points that speakers made, Mr Speaker. I would like to thank all the speakers on this side of the House for analysing various aspects of our governance in making the Western Cape "Better Together."
Mr M OZINSKY: We are not saying anything about ... [Inaudible.]
Mr E J VON BRANDIS: Ag, come on, man!
The PREMIER: I would like to thank all of the speakers across the board and Mr Speaker, thank you very much indeed for enabling me to reply to this debate and I rest my case. Thank you. [Applause.] [Interjections.]
The SPEAKER: Order! Thank you. Order hon members! That concludes the debate of the Premier's State of the Province Address. The business of the House will be suspended for ten minutes to allow the guests to leave the gallery. Thank you very much.
The House adjourned at 15:18
Source: Hansard, February 27 2014
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