Agbare Voorsitter, dit is 'n ope geheim dat die staatsdiens in Suid-Afrika die afgelope 15 jaar onder die ANC se bewind dramaties agteruitgegaan het.
Weinig staatsdepartemente, Minister, kan vandag getuig dat hul vlak van dienslewering tans op die standaard is wat van 'n goeie staatsdepartement verwag word.
Die Minister vir die Staatsdiens en Administrasie en die portefeuljekomitee se verantwoordelikheid sal in die vierde Parlement se termyn wees om nuwe vlakke van dienslewering en administrasie te bereik, of hulle gaan die politieke prys betaal.
Die nuutgestigte Palama met sy nuwe gebou sal moet wys dat die SAMDI van die verlede begrawe is en dat ons klaar is daarmee.
Die Departement van die Staatsdiens en Administrasie sal moet erken dat sy vier jaar lange poging om die enkelstaatsdienswetgewing deur die Parlement te voer die land miljoene rande gekos het, met geen noemenswaardige vooruitgang nie.
Die DA het die enkelstaatsdienswetgewing in die afgelope vier jaar met hand en tand beveg en was verheug toe die nuwe Minister uiteindelik die lig gesien het en dit aan die einde van 2008 van die tafel verwyder het.
Die rol van die Staatsdienskommissie moet versterk word en die DA steun die onlangse besluit van die Parlement dat die portefeuljekomitees departemente tot orde sal roep ten opsigte van aanbevelings wat deur die Staatdienskommissie gedoen is. Dit is ook baie duidelik en ons weet daarvan - en die Minister moet dringend daaraan aandag gee - dat Sita besig is om in chaos te verval.
Ek was bevoorreg om vanaf 1980 tot 1993 vir die voormalige administrateur van Transvaal, dr Willem Cruywagen, asook vir oudpresidente P W Botha en F W de Klerk te werk. Vanaf 1995 tot 2003 was ek 'n stadsraadslid en vanaf 2004 tot vandag was ek bevoorreg om as 'n lid van die DA onder die bekwame leiding van Tony Leon en later Helen Zille in hierdie Parlement te dien.
Min van u sal dit weet, maar 'n goue oomblik in my loopbaan was toe ek en 'n kollega vroegoggend op 2 Februarie 1990 die finale toespraak aan oudpresident F W de Klerk in Westbrooke oor 'n koppie koffie oorhandig het. Toe ek daardie oggend die president by die deur van die ampswoning afsien, het ek geweet Suid-Afrika sal nooit weer dieselfde wees nie. Dit is wonderlik om deel van hierdie nuwe Suid-Afrika te wees.
Ek huldig graag vandag diegene wat ek reeds genoem het vir die invloed wat hulle op my loopbaan en op my as mens gehad het en nog steeds het. Verder huldig ek graag die inwoners van my kiesafdeling, Centurion, wat ek vanaf 2005 dien, en bedank ek hulle vir hulle lojaliteit. My dank en waardering ook aan al die nuwe vriende wat ek in die Parlement gemaak het aan beide kante, en baie spesiaal, my kollegas in die DA. Aan my vrou, Annaleen, my kinders en kleinkinders en my moeder op Graskop, "Dankie vir julle ondersteuning en onderskraging". Ek groet u en wens u alle voorspoed toe. Mooi loop! [Applous.] (Translation of Afrikaans speech follows.)
[Mr K J MINNIE: Hon Chair, it's an open secret that the South African Public Service deteriorated dramatically during the past 15 years under the ANC government.
Minister, today few government departments can testify that their level of service delivery is currently at the standard of what is expected from a well-functioning government department.
During the term of the fourth Parliament, the responsibility of the Minister for the Public Service and Administration and that of the portfolio committee will be to achieve new levels of service delivery and administration, or they will pay the political price.
The newly established Palama, with its new building, will have to show that the SAMDI of the past has been buried and that we are done with it.
The Department for the Public Service and Administration will have to admit that its four-year-long effort to pass the single Public Service legislation through Parliament has cost the country millions of rands without any progress worth mentioning. During the past four years the DA fought the single Public Service legislation tooth and nail, and we were delighted when the new Minister eventually saw the light and removed it from the table at the end of 2008.
The role of the Public Service Commission must be fortified, and the DA supports the recent decision by Parliament that the portfolio committees will call departments to order with regard to the recommendations made by the Public Service Commission.
It is also apparent and we are well aware of it - and the Minister should attend to it urgently - that Sita is falling into chaos.
I was privileged to work under the former administrator of Transvaal, Dr Willem Cruywagen, as well as former presidents P W Botha and F W de Klerk from 1980 to 1993. From 1995 to 2003 I was a city councillor, and since 2004 I have been privileged to serve as a member of the DA under the competent leadership of Tony Leon and later Helen Zille in this Parliament.
Few of you will have knowledge of this, but a golden moment in my career was when a colleague and I handed over the final speech to former president F W de Klerk over a cup of coffee early on the morning of 2 February 1990 in Westbrooke. That morning, as I bade farewell to the president at the door of the official residence, I knew that South Africa would never be the same again. It is wonderful to be part of this new South Africa.
Today I gladly honour those whom I have mentioned already, for the influence they had - and still have - on my career and on me as a person. Furthermore, I gladly honour the residents of my constituency, Centurion, whom I have served since 2005, and I thank them for their loyalty. I also give thanks and appreciation to all the new friends I made in Parliament, on both sides, and especially my colleagues in the DA. To my wife, Annaleen, my children and grandchildren and my mother in Graskop, thank you for your support and assistance. I take my leave and wish you success. Go well! [Applause.]]