...use the microphone hon member, you are not audible, just yes...yes you are not audible, ...
MR S ZAMNDELA: ... is it? No, the must just listen and not talk...
The DEPUTY CHAIRPERSON (Ms S LUCAS)...they are, we are, all of us are listening, but you are really not audible.
MR S ZAMNDELA ... my voice, yah, it's fine. For five years we have seen how this separation of powers and these systems of accountability have protected our democracy. At the forefront of that is the fight with the office of the Public Protector by the ruling party, but it seems that in this country and this very Parliament, there are people who do not respect Chapter 9 institutions unconditionally and as a matter of principle, EFF is the only organisation in this Parliament that has consistently defended the constitution and the office of the Public Protector.
The Public Protector is the constitutional body established in terms of section nine of the constitution, yet the constitutional delinquent, Pravin Gordhan who have been find to have violated the constitution on multiple occasions, continue to be the member of this Parliament. We can not continue to allow political parties and individuals, particularly office bearers and the executive to discredit the office of the Public Protector and undermine our constitution, but protecting the office of the Public Protector is the only way that things that need to happen in this term of office, in Sixth Parliament to be precise.
There are number of issues that need to be urgently addressed and top of the list is the release of all political prisoners. All
prisoners who are in jail for political reasons more specifically the struggle for liberation need to be released. We can not continue to have butchers like F W De Klerk walk free while freedom fighters languished in jail. Secondly we need to pardoned all Fees must fall activists who are currently in jail or who have to regularly appear in court for fighting for free education. You and all of us, here as members we supported the struggle for free education, so you must allow yourselves to be guided by your revolutionary conscience and release all Fees must fall activists.
There is also an urgent need to introduce measures to strengthen the Judiciary Service Commission to ensure the filling up of the judiciary vacancies. We can not continue to have vacancies in our judiciary and justice system - because that reduces capacity and the people's overall trust in the state to deliver justice. So EFF objects the Budget. Thank you.