Chairperson, the Minister said that she is not a doctor and that she cannot give the gift of hearing to disabled young children. That is a disappointing answer, Chairperson. She has got a very big budget in her department that she can use to help disabled children get the life changing surgery they need.
The fact is the Western Cape government, where this party is in power, has budgeted R8 million, the same amount of money spent by the Minister to fly to New York, to give those children the kind of life-changing surgery they need. That is why the Minister and her department flew luxury class to New York. Will, the Minister agree that this is shameful and that her department should be embarrassed by that kind of expenditure?
The MINISTER OF WOMEN, YOUTH, CHILDREN AND PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES: Chairperson, it is a lie that I spent R9 million to fly to New York. It is a lie and the distortion of the truth completely. Secondly, I would like to assure the hon member that we are working together with various departments to ensure that children with disabilities, children who need medical care - in fact I have signed a memorandum of agreement with the Minister of Health to ensure that we work together on these issues.
I would just like to highlight to the DA that last year with Premier Zille we visited a blind woman in Khayelitsha who does not have a house. Today, she still does not have a house whereas she promised her that she will be a priority.
We also visited a family of whom both the husband and wife are in wheelchairs. He had a stroke and does not have a house. They live in a shack that has no water, toilet or electricity. Their 11-year-old boy must take a bucket and throw it away for them.
The whole area does not have water, electricity or toilets. They have to go to the next section in a wheelchair to access toilets. So, I am saying that if the DA cared about people with disabilities, those people would be properly housed and cared for. Thank you, Chairperson.