Speaker, the EFF rejects the Budgetary Review and Recommendation Report. The Department of Home Affairs has been problematic for a while because of the inability of government to properly locate the strategic and objective roles of the department in advancing the developmental ideals of the country and the continent.
This means that our government is unable to successfully execute its mandate because it is caught wanting on what is to be done. If properly located, this department could be the most strategic department for our renewed focus to foster Pan-African unity and development. It can be an enabler in promoting, maintaining and sustaining the rich African culture, a culture of unity and oneness and give legitimacy to colonial establishment.
Instead of playing this revolutionary role in our conception of nationhood within the context of Pan- African unity, the department has relied on colonial prescripts in order to undermine the oneness of African people, a culture of trade relations and economic stability. This department undermines a primary tradition inherent in African people; a tradition of common
courtesy, of compassion, effectiveness and efficiency. This is demonstrated by undermining our African people to long queues which do not allow our people to access permits on time so that they can participate meaningfully in the heritage and economy of our land.
We are not shocked that other people of the world are granted unlimited access to our land as if they are indigenous people. This is the state of Africans in Africa, a state of refugee and discomfort at the hands of their own African siblings. It must be no surprise, therefore, that this attitude get extended to other sectors of society and we get engulfed in xenophobic sentiment as the country. We want the Department of Home Affairs that is welcoming to African people, that does not treat African people as if they are unwelcome in a land that is in reality theirs. [Time expired.] This department must make sure that it checks and balances our ... [Inaudible.]