Speaker, die gebeure die afgelope tyd in ons land se politiek het aan ons gewys hoe selfs 'n regerende party se arrogansie in sy gesig kan ontplof, maar dit is nie net die regerende party wat met probleme sit nie. (Translation of Afrikaans paragraph follows.)
[Mr S SIMMONS (NA): Speaker, the events taking place in recent times in our country's politics, showed us how even a ruling party's arrogance could blow up in its face, but it is not only the ruling party which has its problems.]
This past weekend we saw one of South Africa's biggest acts of desperation from the DA. They should have renamed themselves the "Desperate Alliance". [Laughter.]
The Business Day earlier this year reported that the DA is struggling with infighting in its parliamentary caucus. This was followed by the City of Cape Town Councillor Grant Pascoe's confirmation of the racist tendencies within the DA. The same goes for the ID. They are unfortunately not here today. They should call themselves the "Idiotic Democrats". [Laughter.] [Interjections.]
Die OD het van dag een af probleme ervaar. Die onlangse bedanking van die voormalige onderburgemeester van Kaapstad, Charlotte Williams, oortuig my dat Mitchells Plain verlore is vir die OD. Die NA sal dit met graagte oorneem, dankie! (Translation of Afrikaans paragraph follows.)
[The ID has been experiencing problems since day one. The recent resignation of the former deputy mayor of Cape Town, Charlotte Williams, convinces me that Mitchells Plain is lost to the ID. The NA will gladly have it, thank you!]
Madam Speaker, on a point of order: If the hon member is referring to our caucus, can he just explain who he is representing because I don't know that he has caucus members. [Laughter.]
Aan die agb De Lille wil ek s: as jy vir my iets wil s, kom s dit vir my persoonlik en nie vir my personeel in die gange nie. Die twee genoemde partye het nooit belanggestel om die voortslepende diskriminasie teen ons mense, onder andere die bruinmense en Indirs, te ontbloot nie, maar ons mense sal antwoord by die stembus. Ek dank u. [Applous.](Translation of Afrikaans paragraph follows.)
[Mr S SIMMONS (NA): To the hon De Lille I would like to say: if you wish to tell me something, say it to me personally and not to my staff in the corridors. The two parties referred to were never interested in exposing the ongoing discrimination against our people, amongst others the coloureds and Indians, but our people will answer at the polls. I thank you. [Applause.]]