Chairperson, hon members, recognising that Act 108 of 1996 provides for the right to health care services and requires the state to take legislative and other measures to achieve the progressive realisation of that right, this Bill then is clearly a step towards meeting that basic requirement, and, further, shows determination by Government and the Minister of Health to ensure that it is adhered to.
We believe, as a province, that this Bill is a step in the right direction as it further seeks to provide for the establishment of professional boards, and to facilitate accountability and democratisation of the council. This is quite an important piece of legislation that the nation enjoys. It can be associated with the transformation process of the laboratory services sector. In fact, the Bill purports to unify laboratory services in the country, and it also constitutes part of the rationalisation process of integrating former TBVC states' laboratory services.
As the province of the Eastern Cape, we were honoured to be part of the process involved in considering this piece of legislation, and we have done that successfully.
We wish to thank key stakeholders in our province for their input when developing our views around this piece of legislation. Whilst we, as a province, are faced with many challenges with reference to health care facilities, it is noted that the main objectives of this Bill outline positive solutions which will be implemented to combat the challenges we confront today.
We further note, and welcome, the inclusive nature of the council. Stakeholders will be part of the process of decision-making and direct the processes of this new council. The labour movement in this country has also been reflected in the proposed Bill, in that it will be part of the decision-making process, and we welcome that.
The health sector is the most critical area which we need to give priority into this country, as it seeks to establish academic standards and criteria for registration, and the right to practice in the profession. We want to congratulate the Minister and the Government on taking that direction. The South African community will participate in the council, and this development represent the realisation of our constitutional mandate as a province.
We salute the Minister of Health for the role she plays towards the realisation of this health need in our country. We also note the fact that currently South Africa, particularly its health sector, is confronting critical challenges, and we believe, as a province, that we need to provide the necessary support so that we can realise our basic interventions in the life of the country.
We also, in conclusion, want to accept the intervention in order to make sure that there are no duplications of services in South Africa. We have experienced this kind of exercise, precisely because we were constituted by two former homelands, and the Cape provincial administration, which provided these services separately. We also wish to make sure that we cannot proceed alone in isolation from Africa.
We note the fact that this service will not only provide for South African citizens, but will be a service for the entire region. We believe this is within the context of realisation of the African renaissance as a Government programme. Therefore, we believe, this Bill is very progressive and we support it as a province. [Applause.]