Nalo ke isela, nangoku libanjiwe.
English:
Hon House Chair, hon members, we as the UDM indeed, supports the motion. I just want to show you a letter that we wrote, which I personally wrote on behalf of my party on 14 April 2016, where I was raising precisely
some of the allegations which are contained in the order paper and the motion today, requesting the Speaker of Parliament to look into these matters and to investigate them. The Speaker of Parliament at the time responded by saying that they were going to look into the matter and a month and a half later there was a budget vote here Budget Vote 2, where she exonerated Mr Mgidlana of any wrong doing at the time.
I was very upset in that debate, because at the time what was happening is precisely what hon Singh cited earlier to say, the Nehawu workers raised these issues consistently and they were ignored. They were beaten up by the police outside, teargeased for raising these irregularities and the corruption that was taking place because the Secretary to Parliament at the time was getting protection from some people in the executive authority.
As we celebrate this long overdue victory, we have to take steps to ensure that this does not happen again. I want to make another example and say, immediately after I wrote this letter to the Speaker and started making
noise; I was accused by the very same arrogant executive management of Parliament of being naive and not understanding government's issues.
IsiXhosa:
Bathi ingathi simuncu.
English:
I was called for an interview and asked whether I want to respond. I said the Secretary to parliament is my employee. Under no circumstances can I argue with the Secretary to Parliament or his executive management in the media. The person that we were supposed to be speaking to was the Speaker and the executive authority of Parliament. It is these government issues that we must sort out.
The other issue immediately after I raised the issue was, because the Secretary to Parliament is the accounting officer of the funds that we receive. They started trying to find reasons why they could withhold money from the UDM, the quarterly allocation. I raised this issue as well and I said why am I expected to present myself to
the office of my employee and explain the financials of the UDM? Why am I not called by the executive authority of Parliament to do so?
IsiXhosa:
Ngala mandla sibanika wona aba bantu sibaqeshileyo, yenze kubengathi basiqeshile. Andiyazi ukuba niphatha njani kwaye nilawula njani.
English:
You are a government in office but not in power, because...
IsiXhosa:
...kutheni le nto siza kubizwa ngaba bantu sibaqeshileyo.
English:
Even during the study tours I raised this issue. I said, we accompany the executive authority of Parliament on a study but it would appear as if they are the people who are part of the delegation.
IsiXhosa:
Ukhwele iteksi, uMgidlana yena wayekhwela iiBenz zodidi eChina. Amalungu eNdlu akhwela iteksi.
English:
These are the problems we must address...
IsiXhosa:
...singabe siyilungiselela le nto yamasela.