Thank you, hon member. Hon members, before hon Gunda takes the podium, I would like to make a ruling on a point of order put by hon Watson during the plenary of 31 August 2010. In respect of the point of order put by hon Watson, my ruling is as follows.
During the debate on the Social Assistance Amendment Bill, hon B V Mncube spoke the sentence: "Setlhare sa motho e motsho ha se lekgowa, empa ke ANC!" Hon Watson put a point of order that hon Mncube should withdraw the sentence, "Setlhare sa motho e motsho ha se lekgowa, empa ke ANC!" [Laughter.] According to the hon member this sort of sentence was hate speech. I then undertook to study the Hansard in order to give a ruling at a later stage.
I have had the opportunity to consider the Hansard, as well as section 16(2) of the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa and cases decided on by the Constitutional Court regarding the use of hate speech.
The translation of the Hansard reflects that the sentence, "Setlhare sa motho e motsho ha se lekgowa, empa ke ANC!" directly translated into English means, "A black person's solution does not come from a white man, but from the ANC!"
In the case of Freedom Front v South African Human Rights Commission and Another, the Constitutional Court found that: -
In terms of section 16(2)(c), expression will amount to hate speech if it is advocacy of hatred that is based on race, ethnicity, gender or religion and that constitutes incitement to cause harm ...
The phrase "hate speech" is not a phrase of casual connotation. To promote hatred or hate speech is to instil detestation, enmity, and ill will.
In determining whether the statement made during hon Mncube's speech constituted hate speech, I applied the following test: whether a reasonable person assessing the advocacy on the stipulated grounds within its context, and having regard to the consequences thereof, would objectively conclude that the statement constituted hate speech.
The sentence in question, "Setlhare sa motho e motsho ha se lekgowa empa ke ANC!" when subjected to the above-mentioned test does not instil detestation, enmity, or ill will, nor does it advocate hatred in any way or form.
I would, however, like to take this opportunity to encourage members, as public representatives, to promote the provisions of the Constitution when making statements in the House.
My ruling is therefore that the point of order raised by hon Watson cannot be upheld.
Chairperson, and hon members ... [Interjections.]
Madam Chair, I just want to say that I accept your ruling and I bow to your knowledge. But the mere fact that your colleague, the House Chairperson, enjoyed listening to that phrase so much proves that I was right. [Laughter.]
Hon Chair, hon Minister, hon members, ladies and gentlemen, in his Heritage Day speech in 1996 former President Nelson Mandela said:
When our first democratically elected government decided to make Heritage Day one of our national public holidays, we did so because we knew that our rich and varied cultural heritage has a profound power to help build our new nation.
The Constitution of our beloved country states clearly that:
We, the people of South Africa ... Believe that South Africa belongs to all who live in it, united in our diversity.
South Africans do things in unique ways, which is most evident in the way we strive for winning solutions. Our collaborative spirit in dealing with some of our challenges has led South Africa to participate in many peace initiatives on our African continent.
Our remarkable rebirth and transformation is perhaps the most tangible proof that the manner in which we do things is the key driver of our success as a nation. September is the time to learn more about each other's cultures in order to open our eyes to the rich diversity of the South African people.
The Khoisan term: "!ke e: /xarra //ke", meaning "unity in diversity", serves as a living testimony to the choice we made 16 years ago, which is to find peaceful and productive ways of resolving our differences and this has led to all of us living together as one nation. That choice makes it possible for us to proudly speak of "unity in diversity".
However, we have largely forgotten the contributions and the rich cultures of the Northern Cape's Khoisan and other indigenous people. Chair, let me say this in Afrikaans.
Die Khoisan en inheemse volke was die eerste inwoners van ons land. Daarom is dit kommerwekkend dat in 16 jaar van demokrasie daar feitlik niks aan hul ekonomiese en sosiale omstandighede verander is nie. Hulle word selfs op politieke gebied uitgesluit as ons hulle vergelyk met ander tradisionele leiers vir ander bevolkingsgroepe, wat wel hul regmatige erkenning kry in Suid-Afrika, deurdat hulle glad nie jaarlikse toelaes en ander byvoordele ontvang nie. Erfenis beteken om iets te besit. Wat het die Khoisan en inheemse volke om te bewys dat hulle wel 'n erfdeel van Suid-Afrika besit? (Translation of Afrikaans paragraph follows.)
[The Khoisan and indigenous peoples were the first inhabitants of our country. It is therefore worrying that in 16 years of democracy virtually no changes have been made to their economic and social circumstances. They are even excluded on a political level in comparison with other traditional leaders of other population groups, who do receive their rightful recognition in South Africa, in that they receive no annual grants or other perks at all. Heritage implies the possession of something. What do the Khoisan and indigenous peoples own which demonstrates that they are in possession of a hereditary portion of South Africa?]
As a nation, we must not turn our backs on our Khoisan brothers and sisters. Instead we must always show our gratitude for the respectful and caring way in which they were the custodians of our land before any of us arrived.
We have also not done enough to ensure that all schools teach at least one indigenous language. Heritage month is a time to reflect on our constitutional responsibility to develop South African culture, and part of this is nurturing our indigenous languages and supporting South African literature. We must develop all languages so that they have equal status in our day-to-day lives and not just equal status in our Constitution. I thank you. Ke a leboga. Baie dankie. Siyabonga. [Applause.]
Greetings, Chairperson. It was disheartening to hear the hon Watson saying to the hon Mashamaite that English is not his first language. Yes, of course, you were blessed to be where you were when you grew up, and actually you are in the election mood right now and that is why you are trying to score politically ...
Order, hon member! You must address hon Watson through me.
Okay, I am sorry. Chairperson, August was Women's Month, and although it is now a month later, the celebration of women as an anchor and a rock of our liberation struggle should continue all the time. We salute all the women who contributed to the liberation struggle and to those who have passed we say, "A luta continua [The struggle continues]! Amandla! [Power!]"
African weddings are characterised by singing, dancing, and women ululating as an expression of joy. The ululating is accompanied by poetry, where the bride and the groom are called by their clan name, and all their ancestors. Therefore, today is the day that reminds us of the African wedding and I feel like saying, Halala! Halala! Lilili! Lilili! Kwakuhle kwetfu! [Siswati expression of gratitude and happiness.]
Music, poetry and art have always been part of the African culture, and therefore I am honoured to be given the opportunity to acknowledge our living treasures who dedicated their lives to the liberation of the people of South Africa.
Colonialism and apartheid deliberately sought to negate our cultural heritage, to deny us our own sense of identity and continuity. For many centuries racism has been a defining feature of our society. During the colonial and apartheid time our museums and monuments reflected the experiences and political ideals of a minority, to the exclusion of others.
The racist system sought to destroy everything that would give the indigenous majority a sense of identity and continuity. They had to contend with a historical reality that sought to deprive them of their cultural heritage, transmitted from generation to generation. It meant the virtual loss of intangibles such as cultural norms like communal life, human solidarity and ubuntu, which were the non-material expression of the material conditions of precolonial society.
Until recently, museums represented the kind of heritage which glorified mainly white and colonial history, and the small glimpse of black history largely painted a racist and stereotyped picture. Museums excluded and marginalised most of our people, and whenever cultural institutions did go to the trouble of recognising the existence and heritage of the indigenous populations, they were depicted as lesser human beings.
The coming of democracy has given us as South Africans the opportunity to ensure that our institutions reflect history in a way that respects the heritage of all our citizens. When our museums and monuments preserve the whole of our diverse heritage and when they are living to the public and interact with the changes of all around them, they strengthen our attachment to human rights, mutual respect and democracy.
We must all participate in the process of our continuing effort to give birth to a caring human society. One of those critical elements is our diverse and common sense of identity and continuity. The objective of a better life for all not only refers to the material, but also encompasses the spiritual, and the intangible.
Cultural heritage does not end at museums and monuments, but includes traditions or living expressions inherited from our ancestors and passed on to our descendants. Although fragile, intangible cultural heritage is an important factor in maintaining cultural diversity in the face of growing globalisation.
The importance of intangible cultural heritage is not the cultural manifestation itself, but rather the wealth of knowledge and skills that is transmitted through it from one generation to the next. In the field of literature, music and art there are many who have earned themselves the title of "living treasure", people who through the apartheid years responded to the denial and distortion of their heritage with their own affirmation by celebrating their heritage outside of the sphere of the country's museums and monuments.
Women have always been on the receiving end of the apartheid regime, as husbands were taken to jail, and children fled into exile. The worst time was from 1959, when apartheid was at its worst, to 1989 when the apartheid regime started to collapse.
During this era a lot of talent emerged from the South African people, like Miriam Makeba. She was a woman dedicated to the liberation of her people and had a "never say die" attitude. She received a lot of accolades from the international community. Her immense contribution reached a crescendo when she went to the UN and informed them about the unjust system of apartheid. Her songs and music appealed to Africa and the rest of the world because she saw that the liberation of Africa would mean a total defeat of the colonialists. The approach she took was beyond women's issues, which enabled her to get the respect of her peers and world leaders. The songs she sang touched the heart and soul of all Africans. A song that comes to mind is A Luta Continua, which speaks about the continuation of the struggle for liberation in the SADC countries.
Our living heritage consists of the practices, representation, expressions, knowledge, skills, instruments, objects and cultural spaces that our nation's communities and groups recognise as part of their cultural heritage.
As far as the building of social cohesion through heritage, arts and culture is concerned, the ANC Polokwane conference emphasised the need to accommodate diversity in our national heritage, and the need to restore the proud heritage located in South Africa and the continent at large as the cradle of humankind and early forms of human civilisation.
As I conclude, let me say that, as with any nation, South Africans will continue to have multiple identities based on class, gender, age, language, geographic location, religion and so on. In a national democratic society, such diversity should feed into an overarching national identity. In its own unique way, South Africa should emerge as a united African nation, adding to the diversity and identity of the continent and humanity at large.
We must, through heritage, affirm and acknowledge the relationship between those who were oppressed and heritage. This is especially of significance in the context of nation-building. As we seek to build a nation by integrating South African society across racial, language, ethnic and other barriers, we are also engaged in the process of developing those individual elements that distinguish these various communities from one another.
Thirteen years ago, in his Heritage Day address on Robben Island, our venerable ex-President Nelson Mandela said that in affirming a joint heritage we are reminded that today's unity is a triumph over yesterday's division and conflict a triumph that must have concrete content if it is to have real meaning. They must entrench the conditions in which each of us can participate in building our collective democratic future; speak our own language, have pride in our culture and our heritage.
I thank you.
Chairperson, in Cope we have a very strong belief in the rights of individuals and communities to live by religious views and to uphold their cultural heritage. This is because we stand for the rights that are guaranteed in our Constitution.
Erfenisdag moet 'n deurslaggewende rol speel in ons proses van nasiebou. Elke Erfenisdag behoort as 'n mylpaal te dien om te sien hoeveel struikelblokke ons oorkom het as 'n nasie en ook om vir ons leiding te gee op die pad na 'n sterker gemeenskaplike nasionale identiteit. (Translation of Afrikaans paragraph follows.)
[Heritage Day must play a decisive role in our process of nation-building. Every Heritage Day should serve as a landmark to show how many obstacles we have overcome as a nation, as well as to guide us on the road to a stronger common national identity.]
We conceived Heritage Day as a way to reinforce the political compromises we had reached. This Heritage Day we can afford to set aside political affiliation, creed, race and religion to share our culture and to learn from one another.
Gedurende die Fifa-sokkerwreldbekertoernooi in 2010 het ons gedemonstreer hoe trots ons is as Suid-Afrikaners. Daar was eenheid onder alle Suid- Afrikaners, ongeag ouderdom en ras. Ons almal wil Suid-Afrikaners wees, want ons verstaan die belangrikheid en betekenis van 'n gemeenskaplike band wat ons bind as een nasie, ten spyte van ons verskille. (Translation of Afrikaans paragraph follows.)
[During the Fifa World Cup Tournament in 2010 we demonstrated how proud we were as South Africans. There was unity among all South Africans, regardless of age and race. We all want to be South Africans, because we understand the importance and significance of a common bond that binds us as one nation, regardless of our differences.]
South Africa today is the world's most unequal society. Millions of our people are out of work. The dreams of a better life for all have turned into living nightmares. Heritage Day must give us time to pause and reflect on whether this is the kind of society we set out to forge in 1994.
Eenheid en nasionale identiteit is terme wat almal verstaan. Oor die hele wreld is daar by nasies 'n behoefte om saam te staan, ongeag geskiedenis, ras, ouderdom of kultuur. In die Verenigde State, byvoorbeeld, vier hulle 'n hele maand lank die bydrae van Spaanse Amerikaners, van 15 September tot 15 Oktober. Gedurende di tydperk word Spaanse erfenis en kultuur gevier en erken. (Translation of Afrikaans paragraph follows.)
[Unity and national identity are terms which everyone understands. Across the world there is a need within nations to stand together, despite history, race, age or culture. In the United States, for instance, they celebrate the contribution of Spanish Americans for a whole month, from 15 September to 15 October. During this period Spanish heritage and culture are celebrated and acknowledged.]
I want this House to ponder for a moment the implications of such a move in our country. We have so much to offer because we are such a diverse group of people and in the process we could create good tourism. We are a unique country, because the cradle of human society is right here on our doorstep. We are also unique in being the first country ever to settle deep political divisions around a negotiating table, not having to resort to a destructive war to settle the conflict.
Op hierdie dag is dit nie net belangrik om potjie, stampmielies en 'n heerlike bak Maleise kerrie te maak of 'n lekker braai te hou nie, maar ook om terug te kyk na ons geskiedenis en te dink aan diegene wat geveg het vir die kulturele en rassevryheid wat ons vandag ondervind. (Translation of Afrikaans paragraph follows.)
[On this day it is not only important to make a potjie, samp and a delicious Malay currie or to have a nice braai, but also to look back on our history and consider those who fought for the cultural and racial freedom which we now enjoy.]
It is proper and fitting that the Most Reverend Desmond Tutu, Archbishop Emeritus, has been decreed patron of this day. What a major role he has played in fighting for liberation and then consolidating democracy in South Africa!
He was the first black South African Anglican Archbishop of Cape Town, and Primate of the Church of the Province of Southern Africa. He has been active in the defence of human rights and uses his high profile to campaign for the oppressed. He has campaigned to fight Aids, TB, poverty and racism. Tutu received the Nobel Peace Prize in 1984, the Gandhi Peace Prize in 2005, and the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2009. He was inducted into the Golden Key International Honour Society as an honorary member in 2001 by the University of Stellenbosch. Thank you, Chairperson. [Time expired.]
UMntwana M M M ZULU: Sihlalo, uNgqongqoshe okhona phakathi kwethu, amalungu ahloniphekile ale Ndlu,abasebenzela lo Mnyango, ngimi la njengenye yamadodana eNingizimu Afrika ngihalalisela ukuthi lena yinyanga ebaluleke kakhulu kithi eNingizimu Afrika ngoba niyazi ukuthi ngasohlangothini lwesifundazwe engiphuma kuso, umbumbi wesizwe samaZulu, iNkosi uShaka kaSenzangakhona, wawakha ngejozi ehlanganisa wonke umbuswana owawungaphandle wawenza umbuso owodwa ongenalo ubandlululo. Bonke bakholwa yiculo elilodwa lokwakha isizwe.
Ngikusho ngingehlonize ukuthi iNkosi uDingane kaSenzangakhona, laba bokuhamba abamhlasela emzini wakhe eMgungundlovu bethi bamzomtshela okuthile wafika wabavumbeka ngejozi, ngoba wayebona ukuthi ngabathakathi okwakufuneka babulawe ngoba kukhona okuthile ababephezu kwakho. Kuwo wonke amakhona aleli lizwe kwaba khona ukubulalana kwabantu;kodwa-ke ngokwamasiko- isiko kufanele silihambise phambili. Sasingeke sikwazi ukubulalana ngoba isiko lidalula ukuthi kufanele kuhlonishwane; angikhathali noma ngabe ukuphi. Kule nyanga esikuyona, bathi yinyanga yamagugu, laphaya sibambe umkhosi wesizwe samaZulu, siholwa yinkosana yendlu kaMpande, uZwelithini kaBhekuzulu, lapho bekunezintombi zesizwe sizoyalwa khona ukuthi kufanele siziphathe kanjani njengesizwe ukuze sikwazi ukuphumelela. Kuye kungabhekwa zona zodwa izintombi, kuye kubhekwe nezinsizwa uqobo lwazo;ukuthi uma usuyindoda uye uziphathe kanjani ebudodeni ukuze ungagqobhozi amafasitela emizi yabantu, uziphathe kahle.
Njengesizwe, singeze saphumelela uma izilimi zakithi e-Afrika zingenikezwe amandla, laphaya eMelika nje, ningangifakazela ukuthi noma ngabe wenza ziphi iziqu zemfundo ephakeme kufanele uwazi kahle umlando wakho ukuthi usuka kuphi ukuze wazi ukuthi uyaphi. Uma ungazi ukuthi uyaphi, awusona nhlobo isizwe, uyisilahlwanaboya nje, ngesikithi.
Ngqongqoshe, kufanele ukuthi uMnyango wakho uxhumane nowezemfundo, nikwazi ukubambisana kulolu limi engilukhulumayo nezinye zaseKoloni nakwamanye amazwe nezizwe zalapha ngoba siyizizwe okufuneka ukuthi izilimi zakhona zikhulunywe. Lapha sisePhalamende labantu uCetshwayo kaSenzangakhona walwa elwa namaNgisi, elwela khona ukuthi ayeke ukusiqinela njengesizwe. Iminyaka emihlanu nje ebusa, wenza umnikelo obalulekile kuleli lizwe, enikela kuleli lizwe eliseMpumalanga nezwe laseNingizimu Afrika. Ngiyabonga. (Translation of isiZulu speech follows.)
[Prince M M M ZULU: Chairperson, hon Minister present here, hon members of this House, and officials of this department, I am standing here as one of the sons of our soil celebrating the most important month in the South African calendar. As you know, in the province that I come from, the founder of the Zulu nation King Shaka kaSenzangakhona built this kingdom through war - he brought together the smaller nations to build one democratic nation; they all believed in one thing - nation-building.
Let me say without a doubt that King Dingane kaSenzangakhona attacked the people who came to his kraal in Mgungundlovu under the pretext of telling him something, because he was aware that they were up to no good. They were witches who deserved to be killed. People killed each other in all the corners of this country, but culturally - culture must come first - we could not go on killing each other because culture encourages us to respect each other irrespective of where we are.
This month is regarded as Heritage Month. We held a celebration of our Zulu nation led by the heir of Mpande's kraal, King Zwelithini kaBhekuzulu, where young maidens of our nation were to receive guidance about how they should conduct themselves in order for the nation to succeed. Usually, it is not only the young maidens who are attended to, but young men also get this attention where they are taught how to conduct themselves when they enter into manhood so that they should not engage in sexual activities before marriage - they need to behave themselves.
We will not succeed, as a nation, if our African languages are not developed. For example, in America, and others can bear witness to this, whatever degree you are pursuing - to those who are learned, you need to know your history well - you must know where you are coming from so that you know where you are heading to. If a nation does not know where it is heading to, it is not a nation at all but a good-for-nothing nation.
Hon Minister, your department must meet with the Departments of Education so that you can work together on this issue of the language that I am speaking and other languages of the Cape, as well as those of other provinces and ethnic groups of this country. Our indigenous languages need to be utilised. We are here in the people's Parliament, because King Cetshwayo kaSenzangakhona fought the English; he fought them to force them to stop dominating us as a black nation. And in just five years on the throne, he made a very important contribution to this country as well as to the eastern part of South Africa. Thank you.]
Agb Voorsitter, agb Minister, agb lede, as ons praat oor ons kultuurskat en -erflating, moet ons eers al ons mense gelukwens dat hulle ons verskeidenheid so mooi verteenwoordig het met die 2010 sokkerskouspel. Ons is met rede trots op ons land en sy mense vir die welslae wat behaal is met hierdie geleentheid om ons land as vertoonvenster te kon gebruik om ons uiteenlopende dog gesamentlike kultuurbelewenis aan al die lande uit te stal. (Translation of Afrikaans paragraph follows.)
[Mr F ADAMS: Hon Chairperson, hon Minister, hon members, when we speak of our cultural treasure and cultural legacy, we have to firstly congratulate all our people on having done such a good job at displaying our diversity during the 2010 soccer spectacle. We have every reason to be very proud of our country and its people for the success we achieved in utilising this opportunity to showcase our country to the world and to present our diverse, yet collective cultural experience.]
Yes, we are proud of all our people and the rich heritage that we have. We have just returned from a provincial week, and I must say that I was, once more, exposed to the reality of how little the party that the hon Watson belongs to, the DA, and the DA-led provincial government, care about the culture of all our people in my own province, the Western Cape. It is as if culture is not a priority to the DA.
In the provincial government, the DA gave this very important portfolio to a junior partner in its coalition. A year into this administration's term the MEC has had to go and has been replaced by another MEC who has been demoted from one of the critical portfolios. Clearly, cultural affairs is the stepchild of the DA in the Western Cape. That is how they treat everything - as a stepchild - if you are not a member of the DA.
This was even more glaringly evident when the outgoing MEC last week, in a mini debate, had to admit that there were problems with the awarding of tickets to children from poorer areas to have the once-in-a-lifetime experience of going to the 2010 soccer spectacle. They only ended up being disappointed. Seemingly the tickets landed in the hands of family and friends who belong to a certain political party in the Western Cape. This scandal and abuse of power needs closer examination.
I realise that this year the theme of Heritage Month is: "Celebrating our Living Human Treasures and Heritage". It is also celebrating South African craft. However, I also had to learn that this very important job creation tool has been scaled down in the Western Cape, where the DA, to which the hon Watson belongs, is in control.
Let me tell the hon Watson, through you, Chair, that in the City of Cape Town, one of the first things the then Mayor, Helen Zille, did was to throw the craft market out of the Civic Centre, where it had helped to provide an opportunity for a number of entrepreneurs to display their handwork and earn a living. It was deemed to have been an ANC project and that is why they threw it out. Again to the hon Watson, through you, Chair, during the soccer celebrations many crafters on the parade were also pushed aside into obscurity. They were not even afforded a chance to showcase their handmade wares like utility articles, shoes and clothing to the visitors on the Fan Walk or on some of the streets closed off for pedestrians.
One would expect that the Western Cape province would stimulate crafting more and create opportunities for the small traders. Instead, it is cutting funds and assistance to these kinds of undertakings, if you don't know, hon Watson, through you, Chair. Like with the RED Door project, it is moving away from the global trend of building cottage industries to focusing instead only on existing industries that the ANC has put there.
Dan praat ons nie eers van die afskeping van ons eie Kaapse kultuur en erfenis nie. Die Kaapse Klopse is eiesoortig aan die Kaap en meer geleenthede behoort geskep te word op verskillende vlakke om vryetydsbesteding vir sulke mense so te kanaliseer dat mense hulle energie kan gebruik om selfgeldend 'n eie identiteit te koester en uit moedeloosheid te ontsnap, agb Watson.
Ek wil die wens uitspreek dat die Wes-Kaap meer mededinging tot stand sal bring, behoorlike befondsing sal verseker, en veral, dansbedrywighede sal aanmoedig om die jeug van die straat en dwelms weg te hou. Die DA het nie eers so 'n plan nie, agb Watson. Dan is daar die skynbare nepotistiese verskynsel, agb Van Lingen, deur u, Voorsitter, met die Wes-Kaapse leier, Theuns Botha, wie se singende seun telkens by verskeie geleenthede opduik om op te tree. Dan is die DA, Voorsitter, hard om te praat oor nepotisme, maar kyk wat maak hulle.
Toevallig sing die jonge Willem Botha by talle geleenthede wat deur die stad of die provinsie geborg word - soos die aanskakel van kersliggies, die Top Tiener wedstryd en selfs feeste waar pa en seun nou al die publisiteitswa bestyg het om saam-saam onderhoude toe te staan, agb Groenewald. 'n Mens kan maar net wonder of hy so dikwels sou kon optree as dit nie was vir sy pa se party wat in beheer is en kitaar slaan oor wie genooi kan word nie. Dis nepotisme, Voorsitter. (Translation of Afrikaans paragraphs follows.)
[Then we are not even speaking of neglecting our own Cape culture and heritage. The Cape Minstrels are unique to Cape Town and more opportunities should be created on various levels so that the leisure time of these people can be channelled in such a way that the people can utilise their energy to assert their own identity and to escape from despondency, hon Watson.
I would like to express the wish that the Western Cape should create more competition, ensure decent funding and especially encourage dancing activities to keep the youth off the streets and away from drugs. The DA does not even have a plan to this effect, hon Watson. Then there is the apparent phenomenon of nepotism, hon Van Lingen, through you, Chairperson, with the Western Cape leader, Theuns Botha, whose singer son pops up time and again at various functions to perform. Then, Chairperson, the DA is quick to raise the issue of nepotism. However, look what they are up to.
By chance the young Willem Botha has performed at functions sponsored by the city or the province - like the switching on of the Christmas lights for instance, the Top Tiener [Top Teenager] competition and even festivals where both father and son have now appeared on the public platform and given interviews together, hon Groenewald. One can but wonder whether he would have been able to perform as often had it not been for his father's party being in control and determining who should be invited. That is nepotism, Chairperson.]
I also wish to address another matter, and that is the need for proper and better indigenous sites.
Sorry, Madam Chair. May I ask the speaker a question, please?
No, no, I haven't mentioned his name, and that's why ...
I just want to know if he has got a good voice to sing for us, perhaps. I think he is singing, Madam Chair. Thank you.
Answer the question.
No, I am not prepared to take ...
He wants to know whether he may ...
No, I did not mention his name. That is why he wants to ask me a question. No, I have not got time for that now, Chair.
I would just like to know if I may ask the hon Freddie a question.
Chair, can I carry on? His surname is not ...
He says no.
No. Thank you, then I suppose he cannot sing. Thank you.
His surname is not Botha, Chair; neither is it Zille.
I also wish to address another matter, and that is the need for proper and better indigenous sites, like those for cultural activities, initiation or ritual slaughtering. I would have thought that the Western Cape, as the self-proclaimed leader - and I re-iterate, as the self-proclaimed leader, because it is not even a leader in its own right - and an example of innovation and service delivery, would have formalised facilities like this for reasons of safety, health and hygiene. Let me mention his name, Chair, through you - hon Faber.
But, what can one expect of a province and party that cannot even get sanitation in Makhaza right? What can a person expect from a party like that, that cannot even build proper walls for toilets and cannot even cover toilets?
I also want to urge the provincial government of the Western Cape to get its act together to preserve the heritage of our slave history. Too often one still receives reports of evidence destroyed, like slave bells, poles, housing and rings where slaves were tied down. No such traces of this very important part of our diversity may be allowed to perish. That is a warning to the DA. What is the DA doing to preserve it? Nothing! Or is it also indulging in the practice of denial and covering the tracks of the so- called masters, as they are always in denial, the DA?
This also ties in with recording and keeping alive the tradition of storytelling.
To digress for a moment, there was the denial when the hon premier said in the House last week that she had never paid for any advertisement. Then afterwards it came out that she had paid R2,2 million for advertisements - R2,2 million to get advertising space! You are always in denial, hon Faber and hon Watson.
Many of the older folks are the bearers of a wealth of oral tradition, but it is going to die with them unless we take it down and take steps and hold competitions to hear it, in order to keep it alive for future generations to benefit from.
I want to humbly request the Minister to assist us with archives and study material about the history of the ANC, please. We can make it compulsory for every person in South Africa to study it, for every schoolchild to study it. If we can get hold of those people who have been in the trenches, Minister, it would be good if we could get their stories on CDs, records and DVDs, so that we can treasure them and give them to those who are still growing, for them to treasure as well. Thank you. [Applause.]
Chairperson, I will not waste my time with Mr Watson's lamentations. I think he was not prepared, since he did not understand the subject. As a result he started to rant, huff and puff, and spout hot air in the House, which did not really address the subject of the day. Therefore, I will not waste any time on that.
I want to thank all the members for their contributions, starting with hon Makgate and then going on to the rest of the members.
I agree that culture and education were distorted and destroyed by the colonial and apartheid governments of the past. It was done systematically and became part of the legal system. Indeed, many laws were passed to ensure that we lost our culture, heritage, indigenous knowledge systems and religion. Since 1994 this government has passed a number of laws and drawn up policies that have sought to reverse that damage.
Hence, on Thursday we shall be launching the Social History Centre at the Iziko Museum in Cape Town. The centre will play an important ... [Interjections.] Hon Watson, you had your time to speak.
The centre will play an important role in the preservation of our culture, history and heritage. Mr Watson, it will reverse all the damage you did in your youth. Now we are trying to reverse the centuries of damage.
Indeed, I agree with hon Makgate and other members that the 2010 World Cup was a great success. That is why our theme for National Heritage Day is also: "Celebrating our Successes during the 2010 Fifa World Cup, our Heritage". It is important for us to claim the success of the 2010 World Cup as part of our legacy and heritage going forward. We will be celebrating this day at the Moses Mabhida Stadium in Durban, where we had many of the 2010 World Cup matches, on 24 September.
As government, it is an opportunity for us to say a very big thank you to the people of South Africa for their contribution and participation in the 2010 World Cup. We believe that we should sustain the spirit of the 2010 World Cup, where black and white South Africans came together and rallied behind our team, Bafana Bafana, and our flag, singing our national anthem together with passion. We need to sustain this unity, nationhood and patriotism that were demonstrated by many South Africans.
Our guests were warmly received during the tournament and we demonstrated the spirit and values of ubuntu. The doubting Thomases who had not wanted to come because they had been told all sorts of lies about South Africa told us when they finally came that they had had the time of their lives, and that they would come back again with their families, children and friends. They are now our ambassadors.
Mr Watson, a little bit of patriotism is needed to maintain that momentum. If we love this country, not just for ourselves or for this government, but for our children and future generations, we ought to sustain that spirit and ensure that it makes South Africa the best tourism and investment destination in the world. We should not just stand here and oppose for the sake of opposing. We should stand here as South Africans and say that this World Cup was good, not for the ANC, and not for the government, but for the people of South Africa.
And how do we maintain that spirit of cohesiveness and unity, going forward? I agree that we need facilities that will help us to preserve and promote our culture, especially in the disadvantaged communities where there are no theatres and playhouses. We need to start where there is absolutely nothing.
Regarding xenophobia, in looking at the 2010 World Cup, we saw how South Africans were actually xenophiles. We did not see any xenophobia. In fact, we supported African teams, including Ghana, to the very end.
Kufanele ukuthi siyibheke kahle lendaba yodlame olubhekiswe kwabokufika kuleli ngoba inobugebengu ngaphakathi. Kukhona laba abayibumbayo bayibumbe bayibumbe basinike yona siyidle. Kufanele siyibhekisise ukuthi lendaba yodlame olubhekiswe kwabokufika iqala nini futhi isukaphi. (Translation of isiZulu paragraph follows.)
[We must look carefully at this issue of xenophobia because it has an element of crime in it. There are these people who fabricate stories relating to xenophobia again and again and then feed them to us. We must look at where these stories originate from.]
The 2010 World Cup tournament was held here and many African countries came. We did not have any problems. At the end of 2010 ...
... ngoba izindaba ezazitshelwe abantu ngathi azibanga khona lwaqala udlame olubhekiswe kwabokufika lapha eNtshonalanga Kapa. Kungani iqala la? Kufanele sizibuze leyo mibuzo. [... the stories told to people about us did not materialise; xenophobia then started manifesting itself in the Western Cape. Why did the outbreak start here? We must ask ourselves these questions.]
I believe that through our social cohesion programmes, sport and arts, we are able to bring our communities together. Let us use culture. If you are a Nigerian, your music is good. If you are Zimbabwean or Mozambican, song and dance can bring us together. That is something that can actually unite us in action.
I want to inform hon Gunda that this department has been working very closely with the Khoisan communities. We have brought back the remains of Sarah Baartman. From 1994 on we fought for her to come back and be given a dignified reburial in her motherland. In August - last month - we launched the Sarah Baartman Centre of Remembrance, which will be a repository for the Khoisan people. They will have a centre of remembrance where they can do research; develop their language and culture; and research their indigenous knowledge system, which one sees is vast when one looks at the plants, their closeness to nature, the knowledge they have and, of course, their culture.
We are also developing a national liberation route for the Khoisan people, which will start in the Northern Cape, move down to the Western Cape, and go right through to the Eastern Cape. We are doing this in consultation with the Khoisan people and their leadership. A lot is being done in that regard.
Ngizophinda-ke ngingangeni lapho. [Again I am not going to venture into that.]
We are doing a lot of research on rock art. We have a centre at the University of the Witwatersrand which is looking at how to preserve it and teach our children about that heritage. [Interjections.]
Hon Minister, your time has expired.
Angizukhuluma nge-Cope. [I shall not be speaking about Cope.]
There was a lot of confusion in Cope. They did not even understand the topic.
Ngizondlula lapho bese ngithi ngibonga kakhulu. [I will move on and say thank you very much.]
The last comrade was talking about job creation and economic development, that this is critical for arts and culture. There are vast opportunities. We can use our music, song, dance, film and crafts to create job opportunities for our people. I thank you. [Applause.]
Debate concluded.