Hon Chairperson, if the term society means ANC members and ANC supporters, then the hon Chief Whip of the Majority Party has indeed mobilised them towards consolidating democracy and freedom. However, that is not what society means. Society goes way beyond the ANC and its supporters.
They are also currently experiencing, what I would like to call, the spectacle of the ANC and DA who are both fighting for a better past ...
... oor en weer, oor wie die grootste stryd in die verlede gevoer het. [... back and forth, over who waged the most significant struggle in the past.]
What South Africa needs are proposals, plans and enthusiasm to create a better future.
Hierdie debat gaan oor die mobilisering van die gemeenskap ter konsolidering van demokrasie en vryheid. [This debate is about mobilising the community towards consolidating democracy and freedom.]
The Chief Whip, in his speech this afternoon, said we should stop harping on the past and that we should get on with it.
Ek het sy toespraak so oninspirerend gevind. Waar is die boodskap van hoop wat mense inspireer en saamsnoer wat hy namens die ANC oorgedra het? Suid- Afrika glo en dink ons is die nommer een in Afrika. Maar hou maar dop, Nigeri sal ons verbygaan as ons nie wakker word nie.
Die ANC glo sosiale kohesie en nasiebou moet en kan net op die ANC se model, op die ANC se siening van die geskiedenis en op die ANC se visie vir die toekoms, geskied. Dan is die ANC verbaas dat miljoene nie-ANC ondersteuners nie eintlik daardeur genspireer word nie.
Na 19 jaar van ANC-regering is die staat soos 'n siek hond wat so gepak is met bosluise en vlooie dat hy beswaarlik langer kan aangaan.
Ons kort iemand in die regering wat die kragdadigheid van onverantwoordelike vakbonde, wat almal hul skuiling binne die ANC en Cosatu se mag vind, kan breek. Ons sit met 'n aandrang op salarisverhogings van 18% terwyl die inflasiekoers 6% is. In sekere sektore van die openbare sektor word daar salarisse betaal wat tussen 30% en 40% hor as in die privaatsektor is.
Ons sit met die een staking na die ander. Gisteraand verneem ons van een van Eskom se base dat ons onsself in die winter vir "blackouts" [verdonkerings] gereed moet maak, maar intussen gaan die een staking na die ander voort by die nuwe kragstasies wat gebou moet word.
Mre gaan die onderwysers staak, onder leiding van die Suid-Afrikaanse Demokratiese Onderwysersunie, Sadou, wat deel van die regerende koalisie is. Ons dink aan die mynwerkerstaking van verlede jaar, ander stakings in die arbeidsektor, die staking van die busbestuurders en die vragmotorbestuurders. Die een sektor na die ander word lamgel.
Ware demokrasie beteken baie meer as verkiesings waar elkeen stem, maar die meerderheid daarna domineer. Ware demokrasie, en wat hierdie land nodig het in gevolge die Grondwet, sal eers gevestig wees wanneer geen enkele politieke party meer as 50% van die steun kry nie en wanneer daar 'n verpligte koalisie is, en natuurlik, verkieslik, as die ANC nie deel van so 'n koalisie sal wees nie. Ek dank u. (Translation of Afrikaans paragraphs follows.)
[I found his speech so uninspiring. Where is the message of hope that inspires people and makes them join forces that he delivered on behalf of the ANC? South Africa believes and thinks we are the number one in Africa. But watch out, Nigeria will pass us by if we do not wake up.
The ANC believes social cohesion and nation-building should happen and are only possible according to the ANC's model, the ANC's point of view regarding history, and the ANC's vision of the future. Then the ANC is surprised that millions who are not ANC supporters are not really inspired by that.
After 19 years of ANC government the state is like a sick dog covered with ticks and fleas to the extent that it is hardly possible to continue for much longer.
We need someone in the government who would be able to break the forcefulness of irresponsible unions, who are all finding refuge within the power of the ANC and Cosatu. We have to deal with salary increase demands of 18% while the inflation rate is 6%. In certain sectors of the public sector salaries paid are between 30% and 40% higher than those in the private sector.
We are faced with one strike after the other. Last night we heard from one of Eskom's bosses that we have to prepare for blackouts during winter, but in the meantime the strikes continue one after the other at the new power stations that need to be built.
Tomorrow the teachers are going on strike, organised by the South African Democratic Teachers' Union, Sadtu, who is part of the governing coalition. We recall the mineworkers' strike of last year, other strikes in the labour sector, the strike of the bus drivers, and that of the truck drivers. One sector after the other is brought to a halt.
True democracy means much more than elections where everyone votes, but the majority dominates afterward. True democracy, and what this country needs in terms of the Constitution, will only be established when no single political party gets more than 50% of the support, and when there is an obligatory coalition, and of course, preferably, when the ANC will no longer be part of such a coalition. I thank you.]