Chairperson, I will not make a distinction as if communists were beyond the pale. First of all, I do not know who the communists are, unless we are going to have a witch-hunt, at which the NP is very great. I do not know who the Communists are who were there. All I know is that people who made enormous sacrifices, unlike Mr Marais, and whose lives were in jeopardy and whose families were killed, took part in what is a great glory of South Africa, namely our own constitutional arrangements to make South Africa fit for all of us.
If that is the view of the DA, then we will have to fight them on their terms. This was a great compromise, a great compromise that gave us the freedom, the liberty, the protection of property - which they wanted very much. All these things were achieved. If there are communists who protect property, then, of course, it is a remarkable agreement that we have reached in South Africa. We will not allow anyone, particularly circus clowns, to diminish the extraordinary role of our Constitution. We cannot rant and rave about this. It is a serious matter, when someone is ranting and raving in election mode. Therefore, we are not paralysing the educational system.
If Mr Williams had travelled through the whole of South Africa he would know that the Hottentots Holland Mountain Range is not the end of South Africa; he should remember that. There is an enormous South Africa beyond that. He may think that the Hottentots Holland Mountains are the end of South Africa. The post-apartheid generation in primary schools are working with their teachers and there is an enormous resolution of issues. I am very proud to relate to them, as I am very proud to go to Bonteheuwel to open an extraordinary computer centre where young people, stunted in their growth because of poverty, are now finding enormous pressure and enormous pleasure in doing things. That was a private-public sector arrangement.
Great things are happening in our country. It is not a question of being paralysed. What we are doing with these Bills is changing the nature of the debate about education. The more we do so together, the more we will be able to break the so-called ``half a person'' syndrome that Mrs Witbooi referred to, which I refer to as disempowerment. All the members referred to this in their wonderfully evocative way. But there is one thing I would like to share with the House, and that is that the electorate are not stupid.
It is the stupid who elected the NP from 1948 onwards. It is the stupid who voted for the House of Delegates with 5% of the votes. It is the stupid who voted for the House of Representatives with 3,5% of the votes. They were graduates. They were all people with a high school education. But hon members must remember! There is no connection between illiteracy and stupidity. After all, Hitler was supported by the big army generals, the industrialists and the social elite who were born with silver spoons in their mouths, let alone in their saucers. Stupidity and illiteracy must never be coupled. There is enormous good sense in people who are not able to read and write because of the folly and infamy of the governments prior to 1994. We must join hands with them, with the churches, with the unions and with the places where there are buildings and offices.
I say this very carefully: We will not break the back of illiteracy unless we do have a national mobilisation. The Adult Basic Education and Training Bill does not only cover illiteracy, but also covers training. Our training in South Africa is going to be unique, because the training that is provided for will allow the Abet certificate holders to go on to higher education. That is the important thing. No country in the world has succeeded in this. As a former academic, I know that universities and higher education institutions look down on certificates obtained elsewhere. We will make sure that life-long learning is not, in fact, a clich, ie something we say every now and then when we are drinking whisky or port and feeling very good about things.
Life-long learning must be there. I am trying to get the universities to admit people over the age of 25 who were never able to go to a university or higher education institution. They are not yet moving in that direction. We have been trying, like other countries in the world, to change things for women here, both black and white, who took part in the banquet of life, as one pope called it, that is by having children - and could not go to the universities or technikons. It seems irrational to me when people are penalised for taking part in the banquet of life. Let us get continual education.
I commend this Bill, and I thank members very much for their support for these two measures. Let us work together to ensure that they are implemented. [Applause.]
Debate concluded.
Adult Basic Education and Training Bill agreed to in accordance with section 65 of the Constitution.
Education Laws Amendment Bill agreed to in accordance with section 65 of the Constitution.