Thursday, 26 February 2015] 213 No 3—2015] SECOND SESSION, FIFTH PARLIAMENT REPUBLIC OF SOUTH AFRICA ———————— MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS OF NATIONAL ASSEMBLY ———————— THURSDAY, 26 FEBRUARY 2015 1. The House met at 14:00. 2. The Deputy Speaker took the Chair and requested members to observe a moment of silence for prayer or meditation. 3. [14:01 ] Notices of motion. 4. [14:11 ] Ms H H Malgas moved without notice: That the House – (1) notes with great sadness the sudden and untimely tragic death of 26-year-old TV personality, Simba Mhere, who died after he was involved in a car accident on William Nicol Drive near the N1 in Johannesburg on Saturday, 31 January 2015; (2) further notes that a friend who was travelling in his car was also killed; (3) acknowledges that Mr Mhere was the youngest presenter of the magazine programme, Top Billing on SABC 3, after he won the Top Billing presenter search in 2010; (4) further acknowledges that his death is a tragic loss of a young person, who was in the prime of his career, a role model and an inspiration to other young people; (5) believes that his charisma, passion, hard work and dedication to entertain, educate and inform the public will be sorely missed; and (6) extends its condolences to Simba Mhere’s family, friends and colleagues. Agreed to. MINUTES: NATIONAL ASSEMBLY NO 3─2015 214 5. [Thursday, 26 February 2015 Mr S C Motau moved without notice: That the House – (1) notes the recent spate of what is believed to be xenophobic attacks on foreign shop owners and residents in parts of our country; (2) further notes that countless foreign-owned shops were looted, businesses vandalised and properties destroyed during the inexcusable attacks; (3) acknowledges that not a single successful prosecution of a South African who has attacked foreigners or looted their shops has taken place; (4) further acknowledges that these alleged xenophobic attacks are shameful and despicable acts that must be strongly condemned by all South Africans; (5) calls for the perpetrators of the violence to be brought to justice; and (6) appeals to all affected communities to end the violence and to adopt an attitude of tolerance and respect towards those who come to South Africa in search of a better future. Agreed to. 6. Mr N Singh moved without notice: That the House (1) recognises that World Rare Disease Day will be marked on 28 February this year and its call and objective is to raise awareness amongst the general public and government about rare diseases and the plight of those living with them; (2) acknowledges that those afflicted and suffering with rare diseases form a small minority in our society and receive little or no help or attention; (3) further acknowledges that 80% of rare diseases have identified genetic origins whilst others are the result of infections (bacterial or viral), allergies and environmental causes, or are the result of degenerative and proliferative conditions, and the results also show that 50% of rare diseases touch children; (4) applauds the tireless efforts of organizations such as the Rare Disease Society of South Africa which is a registered Non-Profit Organisation (NPO) initiated to advocate for patients’ rights and create awareness about various life threatening rare diseases; and (5) calls upon Government and the Department of Health to commit to the ongoing implementation of a better and more comprehensive approach to rare diseases and to the development of appropriate public healthcare policies. Agreed to. MINUTES: NATIONAL ASSEMBLY NO 3─2015 Thursday, 26 February 2015] 7. 215 Mr S C Mncwabe moved without notice: That the House (1) notes that former Bafana Bafana captain, Neil Tovey, was hospitalised in Durban on Tuesday, 24 February 2015, after suffering three heart attacks; (2) further notes that Neil Tovey was the captain of Bafana Bafana when the team won the Africa Cup of Nations in 1996; (3) recalls that Neil Tovey captained our national team, Bafana Bafana, in 29 international games during his career; and (4) wishes Neil Tovey a speedy recovery. Agreed to. 8. Mr N L S Kwankwa moved without notice: That the House (1) notes that the South African under 17 national soccer team, Amajimbos, played against the Nigerian national soccer team on 25 February 2015 and won the match 1-0; (2) acknowledges that this victory books the South African under 17 team’s place in the finals of the competition that will be played on Sunday, 1 March 2015; (3) congratulates the team and the technical staff for their sterling performance; and (4) wishes the team all the best in the finals of the African Youth Championships. Agreed to. 9. Mr A M Mncwango moved without notice: That the House (1) extends its deepest condolences to the families, friends and community of KwaNongoma over the recent tragedy which saw a lightning strike kill 9 people and injure another 17 people attending a traditional ceremony in Mthombeni; (2) further extends its deepest condolences to the families of the victims and communities in Colenso and Paulpietersburg which claimed the lives of 6 people in other lightning strikes; (3) acknowledges that storms of this nature are prone to occur around this time of the year in KwaZulu-Natal and encourages citizens to be mindful of inclement weather and take the necessary precautions when planning gatherings of any kind; MINUTES: NATIONAL ASSEMBLY NO 3─2015 216 [Thursday, 26 February 2015 (4) calls upon Government and the KwaZulu-Natal MEC for Cooperative Governance to ensure that the necessary disaster relief teams are deployed to affected areas and to provide the necessary support to affected families; and (5) applauds the efforts of our disaster relief teams and thanks them for their courageous service to our communities. Agreed to. 10. Mr T Z Hadebe moved without notice: That the House – (1) notes that the 2014 Siemens Report recently featured several South African cities in its Africa Green City Index report; (2) further notes that the report looked at 15 African cities that have committed to improving their environmental footprint and scored each city on issues including land use, transport, waste management, water, sanitation and air quality; (3) acknowledges that the City of Cape Town was well above average in the category of land use and was the top-performing African city in this regard; (4) further acknowledges that Cape Town was recognised as one of the continent’s top cities in the index for superior forms of public transport; and it is one of only three cities in Africa noted for actively promoting greener forms of transport (the other cities are Dar es Salaam and Tunis); and (5) congratulates the South African cities who were featured in this report and encourage all metros and towns to double their efforts to become more environmentally conscious. Agreed to. 11. Mr N S Matiase moved without notice: That the House – (1) notes that the community of Mashaeng, in Dihlabeng Municipality, taps are dry and that they have been experiencing water cuts since 2012; (2) further notes that despite government’s claim that 90% of South Africans have clean water, Mashaeng does not have water and if they do, the municipality cuts water by 12 pm every day; MINUTES: NATIONAL ASSEMBLY NO 3─2015 Thursday, 26 February 2015] 217 (3) recognises that the challenge of water is only experienced in the township and not in Fouriesburg where mostly white residents live; (4) further recognises that water is a basic human right which is denied to the people of Mashaeng because of incompetent councillors; and (5) calls on the Department of Water and Sanitation to immediately intervene to ensure that the people of Mashaeng have clean water and sanitation. Agreed to. 12. Mr M Hlengwa moved without notice: That the House – (1) notes with concern and condemns the violent protests that took place at the University of KwaZulu-Natal’s (UKZN) Westville Campus, which resulted in the burning of property; (2) further notes the lack of constructive engagement by the protesters in expressing their concerns and urge for more responsible protesting in order to allow for appropriate steps to be taken to resolve issues; (3) acknowledges the concerns of the protesting students with regards to the shortage of student funding from National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) and the alleged maladministration surrounding the disbursement of loans; (4) calls upon the Department of Higher Education to interact with the relevant government departments to re-look at funding models, and criteria used so as to better manage the distribution of NSFAS loans; and (5) applauds the efforts the Wits Student Representative Council (SRC) in raising funds in order to help pay for students with no proper access to funding, and encourages the UKZN Westville SRC, as well as other university SRCs, to emulate this model of sourcing funding for students who need it. Agreed to. 13. Ms C N Majeke moved without notice: That the House (1) notes that on Friday, 20 February 2015, a child died after eating chicken dumped by a farmer in Ottosdal, North West; (2) further notes that whilst other children were discharged from hospital, some were reportedly still recovering; MINUTES: NATIONAL ASSEMBLY NO 3─2015 218 [Thursday, 26 February 2015 (3) acknowledges that the North West Department of Health has launched an investigation into the matter; (4) encourages the department to leave no stone unturned in discovering the circumstances which resulted in the loss of innocent life and that the law should take its course; (5) calls on members of the public to exercise extra caution with regard to eating dumped food; and (6) conveys its condolences to the family of the deceased child. Agreed to. 14. Ms D Carter moved without notice: That the House – (1) notes that many students who are eligible for National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) assistance do not have the financial support to make the upfront payment demanded by Wits University; (2) further notes that for these students who are desperate to enrol at university, the window for meeting the registration requirements will close and the university's system will remove their names and thus shatter their dreams; (3) recognises that many of these students worked very hard at school in very trying and difficult circumstances to attain the marks necessary to meet entrance requirements at Wits University; (4) further recognises that the advent of democracy in 1994 gave real hope to formally disadvantaged communities, that henceforth all learners who worked hard and achieved matric exemptions could entertain real hopes of going to universities and achieving their ambitions in spite of personal financial constraints; (5) acknowledges that Wits University has to secure its own financial situation in order for the university to be financially sustainable and for it to remain an institution of excellence; (6) further acknowledges that the NSFAS has been of considerable benefit to thousands of university students, although its administration has not always been as sound as students and society expected; (7) believes that students who qualify for NSFAS should be supported in some way or other to make the initial payment to have their names entered into the system; (8) further believes that the Minister of Higher Education should reach out to social partners to create a revolving fund which can provide bridging finance for students to meet their initial registration obligations; and MINUTES: NATIONAL ASSEMBLY NO 3─2015 Thursday, 26 February 2015] (9) 219 applauds the Student Representative Council (SRC) at Wits for trying to raise R1million to help their fellow students to pay their registration fees and hopes that all students at Wits will give their support to the SRC for this praiseworthy undertaking Agreed to. 15. Mr N Singh moved without notice: That the House (1) recognises Zero Discrimination Day, marked on 1 March this year, which promotes diversity and recognises that everyone counts; (2) further recognises that this day is a UNAids initiative aimed at eradicating the deeply rooted stigma and discrimination HIV infected groups face every day and touches on discrimination in a general sense; (3) acknowledges that organisations like the United Nations (UN) actively promote the day with various activities to celebrate everyone’s right to live a full life with dignity regardless of age, gender, sexuality, nationality, ethnicity, skin color, height, weight, profession, education and beliefs. (4) further acknowledges that many countries have laws against discrimination, but it is still a problem in all layers of society in every country in the world, and that many countries have and still use discrimination as a way of governing. (5) applauds efforts of organizations such the South Africa National AIDS Council (SANAC), who in partnership with a number of organisations and institutions, has taken the first National Stigma Index Survey among people living with HIV in 18 districts across South Africa; and (6) calls upon the Government to pay greater attention to the HIV plight and discrimination therein and in particular the broad disparities in access to evidence-based HIV prevention, treatment, care and support services. Agreed to. 16. Ms H H Malgas moved without notice: That the House – (1) notes that on Wednesday, 21 January 2015, a prominent human rights leader and anti-apartheid struggle activist Reverend Mcebisi Xundu died of pneumonia in Port Elizabeth in the Eastern Cape; (2) further notes that before his death the 80-year-old Xundu was a canon of the Anglican Diocese of Port Elizabeth, and he was a board member of the National Development Agency; MINUTES: NATIONAL ASSEMBLY NO 3─2015 220 [Thursday, 26 February 2015 (3) recalls that he was a fearless leader who made a huge difference in many communities, through projects aimed at uplifting and educating the less privileged; (4) further recalls that Xundu is credited for playing a critical role in the struggle against apartheid as one of the brave clergymen who used the church as a site to fight injustices and human rights violations; (5) acknowledges that he was a former president of the National InterFaith Leaders’ Council, as well as a veteran of the liberation struggle and the civic struggles in KwaZulu-Natal townships, in particular during the 1980s; and (6) extends its condolences to the family and friends of Reverend Mcebisi Xundu. Agreed to. 17. Mr M L W Filtane moved without notice: That the House (1) notes that on 8 February 2015, the Ivory Coast national soccer team won the Africa Cup of Nations 2015 hosted in Equatorial Guinea, beating Ghana in a sudden death penalty shootout after a goalless game; (2) further notes that the Ivory Coast has been crowned champions after several attempts, having previously lost in the 2006 and 2012 Africa Cup of Nations finals; and (3) congratulates the team of “Mighty Elephants” for its victory. Agreed to. 18. [14:49] The Deputy Chief Whip of the Majority Party moved: That the House – (1) notes with great sadness the untimely passing of Yolanda Botha at the new Gariep MediClinic in Kimberley on Sunday, 28 December 2014, following a long battle with cancer; (2) further notes that her untimely death robbed the African National Congress (ANC), the people of the Northern Cape and South Africa as a whole of a dedicated and selfless activist and leader who dedicated her life to the service of our people, especially the poor; (3) recalls that Ms Botha was known for her strong views on gender issues, which resulted in her being elected to the National Executive Committee of the ANC Women’s League; MINUTES: NATIONAL ASSEMBLY NO 3─2015 Thursday, 26 February 2015] 221 (4) further recalls that she made her mark in the legislature and provincial government, as a Member of the Provincial Legislature (MPL) and as head of the Department of Social Development, before returning to national Parliament; (5) thanks her family for having shared her valuable life with the majority of disadvantaged South Africans; (6) believes that as a Member of Parliament she made a notable contribution to building a caring society through her oversight work, her deep understanding of the plight of the poor and her unwavering desire to play a role in achieving an equal society and eliminating poverty, and that she will be sorely missed by those who worked with her; (7) further believes that her mark will be a symbol of determination to be emulated by future generations; and (8) extends its heartfelt condolences to her family, friends and the ANC. Debate concluded. Agreed to, members standing. 19. [15:17 ] The Deputy Chief Whip of the Majority Party moved: That the House – (1) notes that on 19 January 2015, African National Congress (ANC) Member of Parliament Frans Hlakudi “Tommy” Nkoana died at a Pretoria hospital following an illness; (2) further notes that Mr Nkoana was born on 13 September 1963 in Moutse, Sekhukhune Region, received his primary education at Rathoke Primary School, matriculated from Mabake Secondary School and qualified as a teacher at Kwena Moloto College of Education; (3) recalls that Mr Nkoana was elected to the National Assembly in the 2014 general election and he served on the Portfolio Committees on Labour and Communications; (4) further recalls that despite his brief tenure in Parliament, Mr Nkoana was truly a reservoir of political knowledge and his immense contribution to debates, both within the structures of the ANC caucus and Parliament, will be sorely missed; (5) remembers that Mr Nkoana served in various structures of the ANC and its alliance in Mpumalanga, including as the longest-serving regional secretary of the ANC in Nkangala and as branch leader of the South African Democratic Teacher’s Union (Sadtu), as well as being an advisor to Premier D D Mabuza; MINUTES: NATIONAL ASSEMBLY NO 3─2015 222 [Thursday, 26 February 2015 (6) acknowledges that Mr Nkoana was an embodiment of the qualities that are rarely found in one person – a fearless freedom fighter, an astute educator, a skilful organiser, a unifier, a problem-solver and a tireless revolutionary; (7) believes that the people of South Africa have lost a dedicated servant of the people, a selfless patriot and a disciplined activist; and (8) conveys its condolences to his father, his wife, Florah, and his four children. Debate concluded. Agreed to, members standing. 20. [15:45 ] Members’ statements. 21. The House adjourned at 16:20. G MGIDLANA Secretary to Parliament MINUTES: NATIONAL ASSEMBLY NO 3─2015
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