Hon Speaker, I hope you will allow me to respond to four statements. Firstly, there is the issue of employment equity that was raised by the ANC and DA members. I want to say to the hon member from the ANC that that is the reason we have amendments to force those who don't want to comply with the laws of the country, particularly by increasing the fines and I believe that Parliament is going to deal with that particular issue when passing legislation.
On the question raised by hon Van der Westhuizen, the figures that we gave as the Department of Labour were the figures that were submitted by the chief executive officers of the companies and the directors-general or the head of departments from various government entities. [Interjections.]
Order, hon members! Order!
Therefore you must ask the director-general of the province of the Western Cape to give the correct figures because those figures were given by the director-general of this province. In that note, you must not mislead this House and you must also understand that when we are giving a report of the Commission of Employment Equity, CEE, it is for the 2011-2012 financial year. I do believe that you will understand that, particularly as the member who is serving in the Portfolio Committee on Labour. [Interjections.]
Order, hon members!
The other issue, hon Speaker, is the issue raised by hon M E George. I thought hon George would know better, because he was once the Deputy Minister of the SA National Defence Force, that some parts of the Defence Force deal with the creation of a peaceful environment; they are trained specifically for that. That is why these soldiers are deployed in Marikana to deal with that specific issue of creating a peaceful environment in the area. Therefore, if the hon member does not understand that, then I will have a serious problem.
Lastly, it is the issue that was raised by the hon Lindiwe Mazibuko and the hon member from the IFP, that the President doesn't understand democracy. [Interjections.]
There is a point of order, hon member. Yes, hon member.
Hon Speaker, on a point of order: The Minister asked to respond to four statements and according to the Rule Book, it says, "The Minister may be given an opportunity to respond to any statement directed to that Minister in respect of that Minister's portfolio. I submit that the statement made by the hon Mazibuko does not fall within the Minister's portfolio.
On a point of order, Mr Speaker.
Yes, Member of Parliament.
Speaker, on a point of order: I think you would allow us and the Minister to proceed because I don't think what is raised by hon Kalyan is correct. The issue here is that there has been precedence whereby Ministers have replied and responded to statements that do not fall within their portfolio and the opposition has never raised any issue on that. [Interjections.]
Order, hon members! Order!
It is an issue of precedence and ordinarily they will complain when the Ministers do not respond. So, I am not so sure what is expected.
Hon members, I really don't want a debate on this issue. According to the rules, in the absence of a Minister who may respond to a statement as envisaged in subrule 6, the relevant Deputy Minister or any other Minister must be given an opportunity to respond on behalf of the absent Minister. [Applause.] Order, hon members! Please, hon member, conclude.
Let me also remind the Ministers that the responses should not exceed two minutes and the maximum of six Ministerial responses are allowed. Conclude, hon Minister.
May I address you on a point of order, Speaker.
Yes, Ma'am.
I was referring to the subrule 6(105) and you are referring to subrule 7(105). I was making a point in terms of that and I would like a ruling on that point of order that I made.
Thank you. I will study the Hansard. Hon Minister, please conclude.
Hon Speaker, I think hon Kalyan probably doesn't understand the laws of the country. The issue that was raised by the two hon members relates in particular to the AMCU which is a union that is registered under the Labour Relations Act which I am responsible for administering. We are not going to allow the hon members to deviate from the laws of the country. The AMCU does not have the membership at Lonmin and they will not be allowed to negotiate on behalf of the workers in terms of the Labour Relations Act. Thank you, hon Speaker. [Applause.]