Chairperson, let me take this opportunity to thank all hon members who participated in this debate. I note that the hon speaker from the DP specifically said that the DP did not support the Bill. I suppose it is their democratic right not to support democratic legislation. [Laughter.] [Interjections.]
The hon member proceeded to say that the DP did not support the Bill because Government advocates the establishment of big municipalities. What we know is that the DP, by its various names, was not in the least concerned about the exclusion of people of my type from benefiting from the revenue base which they help to generate. We go to Johannesburg, work there and generate a lot of revenue, but it should not follow us to Soweto, and that is what they mean by the necessity of keeping municipalities small.
The hon member went on to decry the fact that Government did not coerce, as she put it, traditional leaders to accept the forthcoming local government elections. Indeed, the word ``coerce'' does not exist in our political vocabulary. [Laughter.] She also talked about positions taken by the Government which amount to imposing leaders on communities. It takes the unique genius that she is to see what the rest of us do not see, namely the imposition of leaders through democratic elections.
The hon Mr Horne from the New NP complained about what he called the dictatorial powers conferred on the Minister by the Bill. I guess he joined the New NP a bit too late. Perhaps this was because, for a long time, its ranks were not open to him and me. [Laughter.] [Interjections.] They did not tell him about this progressive literature which they banned, which if he had had access to it, he would have known something about the necessity of managing the creative tension that exists between local discretion and national unity. But I suppose he can only blame his own party and not me for that. [Laughter.] I want to repeat what I said earlier in case the hon member Ms Botha did not understand what I said. The responsibility of announcing the local government election date lies with Government, and Government intends to make that announcement this week. [Applause.]
Debate concluded.
Bill agreed to in accordance with section 75 of the Constitution (Democratic Party and New National Party dissenting).