Hon members, just before we start, I want to say that the Old Assembly is our temporary home as we are refurbishing our House. I hope it will be ready very soon so we can go back to the NCOP chamber. We are just here temporarily. I just wanted to notify you about that so that people should not be surprised as to why we are here.
Now, the system here is different. If you want to listen to the interpretation, these are the channels: Afrikaans will be on channel 1, English on channel 2, isiNdebele on channel 3, isiXhosa on channel 4, isiZulu on channel 5, Sesotho on channel 6, Sepedi on channel 7, Setswana on channel 8, Siswati on channel 9, Tshivenda on channel 10 and Xitsonga on channel 11. Notices of motion
Chairperson, I hereby give notice that on the next sitting day of the Council I will move:
That the Council -
1) notes that the President of the Republic of South Africa, His Excellency President Jacob Gedleyihlekisa Zuma - uMsholozi, uNxamalala - delivered his state of the nation address on 10 February 2011 under the theme "Celebrating the legacy of freedom through strengthening the link between Parliament and the People";
2) acknowledges that the President's address has received very positive feedback from South Africans, civil society organisations, academics and political parties for being elaborate and able to respond to the immediate challenges facing our people; and
3) takes this opportunity to welcome the state of the nation address and congratulates President Zuma for reassuring our people that this government will continue to work tirelessly to respond to their needs and ensure that their lives change for the better.
Chairperson, I hereby give notice that on the next sitting day of the Council I shall move on behalf of Cope:
That the Council -
1) notes the toll fee of 66c per kilometre that Sanral, the South African National Roads Agency Limited, wants to introduce in June 2011 without proper consultation with the province and its residents;
2) further notes that in the absence of reliable and efficient public transport the toll system, from which Sanral will earn millions a month, will have disastrous consequences for the people of Gauteng; and
3) therefore calls on Transport Minister, S'bu Ndebele, to review the proposed toll fees.
Chairperson, I hereby give notice that on the next sitting day of the Council I shall move on behalf of Cope:
That the Council -
1) notes the devastation in the Lower Orange District of Upington and surrounding areas as a result of rising water levels and floods; 2) further notes the inability of government and relevant authorities to effectively manage water an/or dam levels in the lead-up to the events that transpired, to soften the effect and the sad state of disaster management, resulting in so many unnecessary lives being lost; and
3) acknowledges the urgent need for government to assist, financially and otherwise, in rebuilding communities, infrastructure and the economy of this region.
Mr S H Plaatjie: Chairperson, I hereby give notice that on the next sitting day of the Council I shall move on behalf of Cope:
That the Council -
1) notes the urgent necessity for each municipality to hold a monthly municipal grievance forum, presided over by the mayor, to prevent such violent protests as are currently taking place in Ermelo, Mpumalanga, where protesters are blocking off roads and destroying public property which cost taxpayers millions;
2) further notes the necessity for such a forum to reduce the grievances as well as to act on the promises, with clear timeframes; and
3) acknowledges the need for the written undertakings to be forwarded to both the provincial MEC and to Cogta for monitoring.
Chairperson, I hereby give notice that on the next sitting day of the Council I shall move:
That the Council -
1) notes that the acid mine drainage situation in the Eastern Basin of Gauteng is worsening by the day, namely -
a) acid mine water is rising daily in the Grootvlei mine;
b) 50 megalitres of untreated water was previously being pumped into the Blesbokspruit, despite a directive against the mine operators to treat the water;
c) all the water pumps underground at the mine are now switched off and have been moved to the surface;
d) the mine, in the absence of pumping, is now filling up at a faster rate;
e) the underground pumphouse will be flooded soon;
f) the likelihood of a decant in Nigel is growing; and
2) therefore calls on the Department of Water Affairs and the Department of Mineral Resources to intervene to force a return to pumping of mine water and ensure that the pumped water be appropriately treated in order to alleviate the already high pollution burden on the Blesbokspruit and Marievale Bird Sanctuary.
Chairperson, I hereby give notice that on the next sitting day of the Council I shall move:
That the Council -
1) notes that the political dramatic soap opera and protracted political battle at the Congress of the People continues unabated between the two presidents of Cope - Mosiuoa Lekota and Mbhazima Shilowa;
2) further notes that Mosiuoa Lekota has since fired his co-founder and co-president Mbhazima Shilowa for mismanagement and won a court order barring him from Parliament and continuing his duties as a member of the flagging party;
3) acknowledges that, since the party's leadership battles, many members and leaders of Cope have since rejoined the ANC; and 4) takes this opportunity to call on all the other disillusioned members of Cope to come back to the ANC where they belong.
Voorsitter, ek sal by die volgende sitting van die Raad namens die DA voorstel:
Dat die Raad -
1) kennis neem dat die skorsing van Leonard Chuene, voormalige voorsitter van Atletiek Suid-Afrika, verwelkom word;
2) verder kennis neem dat die proses weereens bewys dat ons sportstrukture nie persone wat met leuens en ongerymdhede omgaan in hul besture kan beskerm nie, omdat dit groot nadele nasionaal en internasionaal inhou vir die integriteit van ons sportadministrasie;
3) erken dat, as die berig in Die Burger van 15 Februarie 2011, wat dui dat die ANC pogings aanwend om Leonard Chuene te red en te beskerm waar is, dit beteken dat die ANC nie deur die sportunies van Suid- Afrika vertrou kan word nie en dat dit politieke inmenging in sportadministrasie sal wees; en
4) ook kennis neem dat die DA versoek dat die planne laat vaar word en sport in Suid-Afrika toegelaat word om hul eie sake te rel, vry van politieke inmenging. (Translation of Afrikaans notice of motion follows.)
[Mr M J R DE VILLIERS: Chairperson, I hereby give notice that on the next sitting day of the Council I shall move on behalf of the DA:
That the Council -
1) notes that the suspension of Leonard Chuene, former Chairperson of Athletics South Africa is welcomed;
2) notes that the process has once again proven that our sports structures cannot protect persons who run their management with lies and anomalies, because that holds great disadvantages nationally and internationally for the integrity of our sports administration;
3) acknowledges that if there is any truth in the report in Die Burger of 15 February 2011, which indicates that the ANC is attempting to rescue and protect Leonard Chuene, it means that the ANC cannot be trusted by the sports unions of South Africa and that this would amount to political interference in sports administration; and
4) requests that such plans be abandoned and that sport in South Africa be allowed to manage its own business, free from political interference.]