Hon Speaker, last week on Friday was the anniversary of the Marikana massacre. It was the day on which the democratic government of the ANC decided that those who threaten the monopoly of their alliance should be ruthlessly annihilated. It was a sad day when the democratic ANC- led government decided that those who honestly demand a living wage were enemies of the revolution and therefore had to be executed. [Interjections.]
The absence of the government at the memorial service is clearly indicative of the arrogance of the ruling party. [Interjections.] Their actions speak louder than their words. Let those without ears see. The ANC says that they are the government, of the ANC, by the ANC, for the ANC. They do not care for anybody other than those who agree with them. Let those with ears hear and those with eyes see. The ANC is for the mine owners and Cosatu unions which take their cue from Luthuli House only.
The question is: Will the ANC do the same to Numsa members who are now on strike? To the ANC, Marikana was not a tragedy; it was only a public relations inconvenience. What we are experiencing is a revolution betrayed by revolutionary rhetoric. The question is: Will the ANC assure all of South Africa that Marikana will never be repeated? [Interjections.]
Mr Speaker, on a point of order: The hon Kganare in his statement said that the ANC-led government had deliberately decided to eliminate people. [Interjections.] Now, we assume that by "government" he meant the national executive, as defined in the Constitution of the Republic. That national executive is made up of members of this House. He is implying that members of this House sat as a collective, as a constitutional structure, and took the decision to murder people. [Interjections.] I would submit that that is unparliamentary. [Interjections.] [Applause.]
I will study the Hansard and come back with a ruling. It certainly does sound unparliamentary to me, but I will come back with a formal ruling. [Interjections.] Order, hon members!