Agb Speaker, die President van Suid-Afrika word nie gekies deur die ANC nie. Die President van Suid-Afrika word kragtens artikel 86 van die Grondwet gekies deur hierdie Raad, die Nasionale Vergadering. As ons gaan kyk na Bylae 3 dan is dit ook baie duidelik dat die President gekies word deur 'n geheime stemming, nie deur die ANC nie. Juis daarom is die President verantwoordelik en verantwoordbaar en het hy sy verpligtinge teenoor die Nasionale Vergadering.
Dit is hoe dit behoort te wees. Daar is 'n leemte in die Grondwet in terme van artikel 102(2) wat s dat as daar 'n mosie van wantroue bespreek word dat dit nie ook in geheim is nie. Want, ek dink, die ANC en die President sal 'n verrassing kry as daar wel 'n geheime stemming is en daardie leemte moet ook reggestel word.
Die agb President hardloop weg van sy verantwoordelikhede. In hierdie Raadsaal was daar 'n bespreking en 'n debat gewees oor soldate van Suid- Afrika wat gesterf het in die Sentraal-Afrikaanse Republiek. Waar was die President? Hy's nogal die opperbevelhebber van die weermag - hy hardloop weg van sy verpligtinge; hy's nie hierso nie.
Daar was 'n debat in hierdie Raadsaal gewees oor sy vriende wat ongemagtig op Waterkloof gaan land het. Die debat vind plaas; waar is die agb President? Hy hardloop weg van sy verpligtinge en verantwoordelikhede teenoor hierdie NV. Daar was 'n debat gewees in hierdie selfde Raadsaal en vrae wat gevra word oor Nkandla, sy persoonlike huis; hy sit hierso. Ek vra vir hom verlede week, ``antwoord die vraag'', maar hy hardloop weg. Hy antwoord nie sy vrae nie. Hier is vandag 'n debat oor 'n mosie van wantroue in die agb President; waar is hy? Hy hardloop weg. Ons het 'n vlugtende President in Suid-Afrika. (Translation of Afrikaans paragraphs follows.)
[Mr P J J GROENEWALD: Hon Speaker, the President of South Africa is not chosen by the ANC. The President of South Africa is elected by this Council, the National Assembly, in terms of section 86 of the Constitution. If we consider Schedule 3, then it is very clear that the President is elected by secret ballot, not by the ANC. That is why the President is responsible and accountable and his obligations are to the National Assembly.
This is how it should be. There is an omission in the Constitution in terms of section 102(2), which does not state that when a vote of no confidence is to be debated, it should be held in secret as well. Because I think that the ANC and the President would be in for a surprise if a secret vote was to be held and that omission rectified.
The hon President is running away from his responsibilities. A discussion and debate was held in this Chamber about the South African soldiers who died in the Central African Republic. Where was the President? He is after all the commander in chief of the army - and he runs away from his responsibilities; he is not here.
There was a debate in this Chamber about his friends who landed at Waterkloof without authorisation. The debate takes place; where is the hon President? He runs away from his duties and responsibilities to this National Assembly.
A debate was held in this very Chamber, and questions were asked about Nkandla, his personal house; he sat here. I asked him last week, ``answer the question'', but he runs away. He does not answer his questions. Today a vote of no confidence in the hon President will be debated; where is he? He runs away. We have a runaway president in South Africa.]
Hon Speaker, you know, in Hollywood they made a movie entitled Runaway Bride. It's about a bride who couldn't accept the responsibilities and the accountability of a marriage. And on her wedding day she ran away - the runaway bride.
In South Africa, we have a runaway President. He runs away from debates on the Central African Republic; he runs away from a debate on the Gupta scandal at Waterkloof. We have a runaway President when it comes to answering questions on spending of taxpayers' money on Nkandla.
The runaway President of South Africa. Unfortunately, the difference between Hollywood and South Africa is that, in South Africa, it's a reality. The FF Plus cannot trust a runaway President. I thank you. [Applause.]