Chairperson, I am not misbehaving. I am merely stating facts. Here is another fact: We had an FET summit with the presence of, amongst others, employers. We had a skills summit, again with the presence of the employers, and we all agreed on the necessity for Sector Education and Training Authorities, Setas. Everyone agreed. We said that if we are to improve the functionality of the FET colleges, we need to get the Setas to facilitate the placement of college students and graduates in the workplace and that the Setas are important. The declaration that I have submitted here today, contains exactly that.
None of the employers said that they don't want the Setas. None of the other stakeholders said that, so who are you speaking for? That is the question because they are the stakeholders. You pay the price for not taking the opportunity when we invite you to engage with us. You don't come and therefore you don't understand what is happening out there.
Because we are an activist government that is on the ground, we are able to understand better than you what the people are saying. Also, I am worried that there is complete confusion here in understanding not only the relationship, but also the distinction between the Setas and FET colleges. You cannot close down the Setas and assume FET colleges must do that. They perform two different functions.
Setas are intermediaries and FET colleges deliver programmes. To actually have the link that the DA claims it wants between a college and a workplace, the Setas are important. If Setas have problems, you don't cut them off; you deal with the problems as we are dealing with the problems of the Setas in this Department. We have identified what the problems are and we have a plan in place - not in theory - to deal with this.
We accept the challenge that has been put before us. I must say that I don't understand the opposition to this one Bill or the problem that it was not published in the gazette. All three Bills were not published in the gazette.
Why do you only pick up on one; for a wrong reason? The three of them were not published because they are dealing with technical changes. It, therefore, means that it is a continuation of grandstanding. Even though you are an opposition party, you must be principled in your opposition, rather than being opportunistic. [Applause.] I understand that the opposition will try everything to discredit government. I suppose that is all they are paid to do, but at least they should be principled about it. Don't have this kind of opportunism that doesn't take us anywhere.
Bab' uMpontshane noMam' uVukuza ... [Hon Mpontshane and hon Vukuza ...]
... thank you for your proposals. We will take the issues you are raising seriously. We will continue the debate on the difference between a teacher and an educator.
Kodwa-ke kukhona amanye amagama angasemnandi kahle, asuke asikhumbuze izinsuku ezimbi njengokuthi ungumhloli nje uyabona. Asikhumbuza leziya zinsuku ezindala ababefika kungafanele ... [But there are some titles that are no longer pleasant these days, because they remind us of the bad old days - titles like school inspectors. These titles remind us of the past where these inspectors would just come unannounced ...]