Chairperson, hon members, promoting human rights and fighting poverty are both very important objectives. Therefore, it is quite ridiculous to suggest that these important matters can be constructively discussed in 60 seconds. What, indeed, is the purpose of the debate and of the parliamentary theme "Let's deepen the debate"?
There is really no point in cramming a few platitudes into one minute and then calling that a proper engagement with the topic. The ANC knows its own views. Why should it get vast portions of each so-called debate in order to listen to itself and to repeat itself? The point of the debate is obviously to hear alternative views, but these can never be properly expressed, or seriously considered, if they are crammed into brief sound bytes.
Indeed, it is insulting to the many people that live in poverty who also happen to represent a sizable portion of our constituency, to pretend that anything useful can be said or changed about their plight or upliftment in the space of one minute. Thank you. [Time expired.]