Madam Deputy Speaker, the word democracy is abused by many countries that are not democratic at all. Communist East Germany was called the German Democratic Republic.
It is also easy to call yourself a democrat when your party has 70% of the vote. The real test comes when your party might lose power in the next election or might lose control of a province and has to hand over the keys of the Union Buildings.
Do you keep to the rules and accept this, or do you start all sorts of undemocratic actions to ensure that you stay in power? [Interjections.] Mr Mugabe is a very good example of how this is done. This Bill must be judged against that background.
The SABC is South Africa's public broadcaster; it is not the ANC's or the government's broadcaster, it is a public broadcaster with the public paying licence fee. This Bill enables the ANC to get rid of the SABC board. Public interest is not the same as government interest or ANC interest. The FF Plus supported the amendment, but will vote against the Bill.
Die VF Plus het 'n brief aan die President geskryf oor daardie aspekte van die wetsontwerp wat ons as ongrondwetlik beskou het. Daarom is ons dankbaar dat die President die wetsontwerp terugverwys het en dit inderdaad daardeur verbeter is.
Die feit dat die wetsontwerp so verbeter kon word, bewys weereens die belangrike rol wat opposisiepartye in die Parlement speel. Ongelukkig is die wysigings nie genoeg om die kern van die probleem van hierdie wet reg te stel nie.
Demokrasie is nie net die reg om gereeld te mag stem of jou mening vrylik te kan uitspreek nie. Instellings soos howe, die media en spesifiek die openbare uitsaaier is belangrike instrumente wat 'n reuse rol speel om ware demokrasie instand te hou.
As 'n regering met hierdie instrumente begin peuter, met die spesifieke doel om die instrumente gedienstig aan die regering van die dag te kry, dan begin die alarms afgaan - en dis presies wat met hierdie wysiging gebeur. Die ANC kry met hierdie wetgewing die reg om 'n swaard oor die kop van die openbare uitsaaier, en spesifiek die SABC raadslede, te hou. Tree enige van die SABC raadslede nie op in belang van die regerende party nie, dan val hierdie swaard en dan word daar van die betrokke SABC raadslid ontslae geraak. Dis onaanvaarbaar. Dit laat rooi ligte flikker en dit behoort nie toegelaat te word in 'n ware demokrasie waar jy nie bang is vir verkiesings en demokrasie nie. Daarom sal die VF Plus daarteen stem. Ek dank u. [Applous.] (Translation of Afrikaans paragraphs follows.)
[The FF Plus wrote a letter to the President concerning those aspects of the Bill that we regarded as unconstitutional. We are therefore grateful that the President referred the Bill back and that it was indeed improved because of this process.
The fact that the Bill was improved in this manner once again demonstrates the important role of opposition parties in Parliament. Unfortunately, the amendments are not sufficient to rectify the essence of the problem of this Bill.
Democracy not only implies the right to vote on a regular basis or the right to express your opinion freely. Institutions such as the courts, the media and specifically the public broadcaster are important instruments which play a huge role in maintaining a true democracy.
If a government starts tampering with these instruments, with the specific goal to have them become subservient to the government of the day, then the alarm bells start ringing - and that is exactly what is happening with this amendment. The ANC, by means of this amendment, acquires the right to hold a sword above the head of the public broadcaster, and specifically the SABC board members. If any of the board members of the SABC do not act in the interests of the ruling party, the sword falls and the member concerned is sacked.
This is unacceptable. The red lights start flashing, and this should not be allowed in a true democracy where elections and democracy are not feared. The FF Plus will therefore oppose the Bill. I thank you. [Applause.]]