Chairperson, hon Minister, MECs, colleagues, H W Longfellow once said, and I quote:
Through this toilsome world, alas! Once and only once I pass; If a kindness I may show, If a good deed I may do To a suffering fellowman, Let me do it while I can.
These words apply to each and everybody in this House. I would like to stress that the elderly, the poor and the frail are the responsibility of every member. We need a more caring society. We need a change of heart and attitude, and we need to build a better life for all, now. We have been quoting the Presidents many times this afternoon. The Minister quoted President Mbeki's words ``hope has taken the place of despair''.
I want to quote the President in his address at the start of the second term of Parliament where he said, and I quote:
... our practical actions must ensure that none can challenge us when we say - we are a nation at work to build a better life!
Now, a year later, we are not at work, we are not building a better life and we are not caring for our people. I have the facts and the figures to confirm this statement. The main responsibility of a government is the welfare of its people. If the government is not capable of even working and spending according to its budget, the future looks bleak, indeed. The Auditor-General's figures showed huge amounts that were simply not spent on various projects. These are as follows: In 1996-97, R52 million spent; in 1997-98, R110 million unspent; in 1998-99, R353 million unspent; and in 1999-2000, R203 million unspent.
Other irregularities are as follows: Prepayments totalling R766 000 were made to 13 organisations without the required treasury approval; R350 000 was paid to an organisation before the contract was entered into; R50 000 was paid to a project not related to welfare - and I can go on and on.
We need ministerial guidance to oversee effective management. I hear what the MEC from the Eastern Cape, Ms Kondlo, is saying and I know that she really has problems and challenges in the Eastern Cape. She must please do what she can, because I know of shocking stories about what is happening in the Eastern Cape. The fact is that these incidents are happening because the poor and the elderly simply cannot survive on their own and are being exploited by criminals in society.
In die lig van bogenoemde syfers en verslae van die Ouditeur-generaal stem dit 'n mens opnuut tot kommer as dit duidelik word dat dit deur nalatigheid, agtelosigheid en onbekwaamheid is dat ons armes en bejaardes die slagoffers word van gewetenlose skurke wat jag maak op ou en verswakte mense.
So kan die voorsitter van die Sterkspruit-komitee vir bejaardes getuig van talle bejaardes wat verwaarloos is omdat hulle niemand het om hulle te versorg nie, want hulle kan nie pensioen kry nie, bloot omdat daar 'n fout op hulle geboortesertifikaat is. Bejaardes kan nie veilige huisvesting bekostig nie en dan word hulle in hierdie onveilige skuilings verkrag.
Ek kan van nog baie gruweldade teenoor ons bejaardes vertel, maar laat ek liewer weer die agb Minister herinner dat mense in die Oos-Kaap nog steeds baie ure moet wag vir hulle pensioengeld. Ek het egter gehoor die Minister s hy gee aandag daaraan, en baie dankie daarvoor.
Dit is ook onder my aandag gebring hoe moeilik dit geword het om net 'n aansoekvorm om pensioen by die regte amptenaar te kry. Ek weet van 'n dame in Schauderville in Port Elizabeth wat nou al - agb lede sal my nie glo nie - ses weke lank probeer om onder die eerste 40 persone in die aansoekry te kom sodat haar vorm aanvaar kan word. Die wortel van die kwaad in die Departement van Welsyn is die onbeholpenheid en gebrek aan doelgerigtheid en doeltreffendheid van die amptenare.
Ek dink ons moet ophou om die simptome te probeer genees. 'n Verhoging van R20 in die pensioen maak nie eintlik s 'n verskil nie. Ek wil s, wat wel 'n verskil kan maak aan die lewenskwaliteit van ons mense is 'n menswaardige behandeling, dissipline by die uitbetalingspunte, presiese administrasie en onbevooroordeelde hantering van aansoeke. Ons mense moet die Departement van Welsyn sien as 'n vriendelike, hulpvaardige instelling en as 'n vriend in nood. Hulle moenie in vrees lewe vir di dag in die maand wanneer hulle moet gaan om te vra vir wat hulle reg is nie.
Ek wil afsluit waar ek begin het. Kom ons probeer almal om uit te reik en te doen wat ons kan om ons medemens se ellende te verlig. Kom ons dring aan op doeltreffende administrasie sodat ons ons mense en kinders naby ons hou sodat daar nie dalk 'n dag aanbreek wanneer niemand meer hoop het nie. Ek haal Kahlil Gibran aan:
Die hoogtepunt van ellende is om 'n le hand na jou medemens uit te steek en niks te ontvang nie. Die hoogtepunt van hopeloosheid is egter om gevulde hande na jou medemens uit te hou en daar is niemand wat iets wil neem nie. (Translation of Afrikaans paragraphs follows.) [In the light of the above figures and reports of the Auditor-General one is once again concerned when it becomes clear that it is through negligence, carelessness and incompetence that our poor and elderly are the victims of unscrupulous villains who prey on the old and the frail.
Thus the chairman of the Sterkspruit committee for the aged can testify that many aged people are neglected because they have no one to look after them, because they cannot receive a pension, merely because there is an error on their birth certificate. The aged cannot afford safe housing, and are then raped in these unsafe dwellings.
I can give many more examples of atrocities committed against our elderly, but let me rather remind the hon the Minister again that people in the Eastern Cape still have to wait many hours for their pensions. However, I heard the Minister say that he is giving attention to this, and I want to thank him most sincerely for that.
It has also been brought to my attention how difficult it has become merely to get an application form for a pension from the right official. I know of a lady in Schauderville in Port Elizabeth who has been trying - hon members will not believe me - for six weeks to be one of the first 40 people in the application queue to get her form accepted. The root of the trouble in the Department of Welfare is the ineptness and lack of purpose and efficiency of the officials.
I think we should stop trying to cure the symptoms. An increase of R20 in the pension does not really make such a big difference. I want to say that what can make a difference to the quality of life of our people is humane treatment, discipline at the pay points, accurate administration and unprejudiced handling of applications. Our people should regard the Department of Welfare as a friendly, helpful institution, and as a friend in need. They should not live in fear of the day in the month when they have to go and ask for what is rightfully theirs.
I want to conclude where I started. Let all of us try to reach out and do what we can to relieve the misery of our fellow men. Let us insist on efficient administration so that we keep our people and children close to us so that the day never dawns when no one has hope any longer.
Kahlil Gibran said that the height of misery was to extend an empty hand to one's fellow humans and to receive nothing. The height of hopelessness, however, is to hold out full hands to one's fellow humans and there is no one who wants to take something. [Applause.]]