Speaker, two years ago President Zuma made an appeal to all political parties in this House to join him in celebrating our national holidays in a truly nonpolitical and inclusive manner. The ID supports this call, as we firmly believe that our history is a shared one and the commitments that we made to a new democratic dispensation in 1994 were made by most, if not all, South Africans. It is important that our national holidays are used to bring us together instead of dividing us.
The ID is thus shocked at the treatment given to the Acting Premier of the Western Cape, Patricia de Lille, at a government event yesterday to celebrate Human Rights Day. [Interjections.]
Order, hon members! Order!
The unruly behaviour of ANC supporters when they the ID heckled the acting premier made a mockery of the President's call for unity. Those people showed no respect for the Office of the Premier. The City of Cape Town, in good faith, set funds aside for this event. However, the event was used as nothing more than an ANC rally. We are saying that we are highly disappointed that the President allowed this to take place and that he showed a severe lack of leadership in failing to call the crowd to order. [Interjections.]
Order, hon members! Order!
The ID therefore demands an immediate condemnation from the ANC ...
... en nie net, soos die agb lid van die ANC ges het, dat hulle dit verwerp nie. Ons s tree op, want daardie mense was lede van die ANC wat ANC T-hempies gedra het. Tree op. Dan sal ons glo dat hierdie regering ernstig is oor transformasie. [Tyd verstreke.] [Applous.] (Translation of Afrikaans paragraph follows.)
[... and not just, as the hon member of the ANC said, that they condemn it. We are saying that action is needed, because those people were members of the ANC who wore ANC T-shirts. Take action. Only then will we believe that this government is serious about transformation. [Time expired.] [Applause.]]