Chairperson, parliamentary villages provide accommodation for the following categories of inhabitants: Members of Parliament; sessional officials employed by the Public Service; departmental officials per park to perform standby duties; aides and assistants to members with disability; and protectors to members.
We have measures in place to account for the number of people who reside in each village. Once people in the categories above take residence, the identity numbers, names and surnames of all adults, youth and children residing in a particular house or unit are recorded. The parliamentary villages management board has put in place policies and regulations that ensure that people who fall outside the mentioned categories do not reside in parks. These are enforced in collaboration with the national protection service and the SA Police Service.
There are five nonreturning members staying in the villages. These are exceptions to the rule. Each case was reviewed separately, and their stay in smaller units was extended for a limited period. As of this week, the state attorney is dealing with these cases on our behalf.
Whips of the various political parties allocate houses to their members according to their own policies. However, once the parliamentary villages board has been reconstituted, this will be revisited.
The answer to section 5 of the question is the same as the last answer I have given. Thank you. [Applause.]
Chairperson, Minister, this question was posed to illustrate to what extent the ANC government has increasingly blurred its role between political parties and the state. Seven nonreturning ANC MPs were granted special permission to stay on until the end of June. Yet, they flaunted all the regulations and unilaterally extended their stay at a cost to taxpayers until August. Only now, as a result of a court ruling, will the department conduct an audit of those who reside in parliamentary villages to ensure that units meant for MPs and parliamentary staff will be utilised for that purpose and not for the ANC, their staff, families and friends. I thank you. [Applause.]
Chairperson, obviously the hon member's inside information was incorrect this time. I said that these were exceptional cases. These are cases where a member has produced a medical certificate to say that they were unable to move out of the residence. These are cases that have been outlined in my response.
The issue you are raising is irrelevant, because the policies are in place. It is an agreement between parties to allocate and to decide on the criteria for housing. The department does not get involved in that. So, I'm sorry about your information, Sir. It is incorrect. [Applause.]
Chairperson, I would like to know how often the Department of Public Works makes inspections at the parks, because there are so many people staying at these parks who are neither MPs nor officials.
Chairperson, I think this is a repetition of what I have already responded to. I said that once the inhabitants take occupation of the houses, we then go into a registration process. It might help the hon member if I add a bit to the replies given. We are busy looking at the legislation that governs the parliamentary villages management board. We are going to reconstitute that board and ask from the Speaker's Office that somebody be delegated to chair that particular board with the Deputy Minister of Public Works so that we have MPs playing a role in the management of the parks. Members of Parliament need to get their act together and make sure that their residence committees are elected. You can't blame the Minister of Public Works if you are not prepared to look after the parks that you live in. I think they are there for you to reside in. You must make yourself safe and comfortable. We are there to support you.
Order! Before I call the hon M C Manana, let me just remind members that they must please press the talk button from their own seats. Do not use other members' seats, because you are confusing the records.
Chairperson, hon Minister, as you may know, parliamentary villages have become our second homes as hon Members of Parliament. In light of the many cases reported to be criminal in the parks in recent years, what measures and plans does your department have in place to beef up security and ensure proper and ideal access control for all residents in the parks? Thanks.
Chairperson, the security in the parks is of serious concern to our department, and I do get approached by several members on this issue. I must just quote from a report that has been given to me. It indicates that we also need the residents in the park to be serious about crime. For instance, there was a charge of malicious damage to state property. The person who witnessed this - I won't mention the name - identified the suspect, but declined to register a case for further investigation. Now that doesn't help us. The second one is trespassing. Again the person who reported it does not wish the case to be registered for trespassing. On the matter relating to the disturbance of peace, no further action was taken by the member. We also have a problem where the SA Police Service is called out on numerous occasions. For instance, in the month of August, 190 alarms were activated. When the SA Police Service went to those residences, it was to find that somebody had pressed the alarm button or the panic button by accident. That is a waste of an available resource that could be deployed in other areas to fight crime.
On the issue of assets, this is something that the Auditor-General has raised with us. When the audit report comes to Parliament, members will be able to see what action we are taking. It is of serious concern that our assets are being moved around in the park without any monitoring or tracking. That is something we are addressing. Thanks.
Chairperson, hon Minister, normally it is the park manager who calls the first meeting. I would just like to ask you that the particular official of your department should call the first meeting so that we as Members of Parliament can gather.
I would, however, like to ask the hon Minister whether all of these five cases he mentioned are because of medical reasons and whether they will pay a market-related rent for their prolonged stay in the parks?
Chairperson, the answer to the latter part of the question is yes. But, hon members, I think it might be important for us to look at these particular cases. We have cases where former Members of Parliament did not return, but left their children in the houses. How do we as a Department of Public Works evict school-going children when there is no adult in that house?
This is a serious issue and therefore the department did give an extension. As I said, the state attorney is now dealing with these cases. I think we should leave it to that process.
Steps taken to implement ISRDP programme and to eradicate poverty in rural areas
81. Mrs D G Nhlengethwa (ANC) asked the Minister of Rural Development and Land Reform:
(1) Whether his department has taken any steps to implement the Integrated Sustainable Rural Development Programme (ISRDP); if not, why not; if so, what steps;
(2) whether he has taken any steps to co-operate with other government departments to eradicate poverty in rural areas, particularly traditional communities; if not, what is the position in this regard; if so, what steps?