Mhlalingaphambili, ndiyabulela, ndibhotisa kananjalo. [Thank you Chairperson and greetings to you all.]
This is the first time that I will be deliberating or standing here in the absence of my colleague, my friend and a comrade, Comrade Yusuf Bhamjee, who has been redeployed to Kwazulu-Natal. I hope that he will move from stride to stride there in Kwazulu-Natal.
Somlomo ohloniphekileyo, baPhathiswa abahloniphekileyo, malungu ahloniphekileyo nani maqabane. Le ntetho ndiyinikela kubafundi abangamalungu eCosas beminyaka yama-'70. Aba bafundi bathatha uMqulu weNkululeko bawenza umkhomba-ndlela wabo. Yaba luxanduva lwabo ukuba baseke amasebe olutsha kwiilali, iidolophana, iidolophu, iinqila neengingqi zoMzantsi Afrika jikelele. Loo nkqubo yenza kwaba lula ukusekwa kombutho owaba ngugalel' ebhayini, iSayco, eyongamela yonke imibutho yolutsha apha emhlab' uhlangene.
Lo mbutho wasekwa ngomnyaka ka-1987 apha eKapa, kwaye wathi wazimanya nombutho wabahlali i-United Democratic Front. Isikhokelo sayo yonke le mibutho neenkqubo zayo zazisekelwe kuMqulu weNkululeko. Ndifuna ukugxininisa kumhlathi othi: "Abantu baya kwabelana ngobuncwane beli lizwe."
Elinye lamagunya aqulathwe kuMgaqo-siseko weli lizwe lithi amalungu athe anyulwa ngabantu, kulilungelo lawo ukuba aphumeze imithetho eya kwenza inguqu kweli lizwe loMzantsi Afrika. Kwinkongolo ye-ANC eStellenbosch ngomnyaka ka-2002, lo mbutho wathi waphawula ukuba izimbiwa zeli lizwe zisaweliswa iilwandle ukuba ziye kugqityezelwa khona, nto leyo ebangela ukuba abantu beli bangaxhamli kwizimbiwa zeli.
Lo Mthetho uYilwayo uthiwe thaca apha uzama ukulungisa oko. Inkqubo yale Ndlu ibekekileyo isinika igunya lokuba siwuphumeze lo Mthetho uYilwayo. Lo Mthetho uYilwayo uthe wahliwa amahlongwane yikomiti, saze savumelana ngamxhelomnye ngawo. Ngoko sibongoza le Ndlu ibekekileyo ukuba iwamkele.
Lo Mthetho uYilwayo uguzula amasolotya oMthetho ka-1986, uMthetho onguNombolo 56, kwaye unika igunya lokuba iidayimani ezikrwada ezifumaneka emhlabeni nakwizimbiwa zeli zilungiswe, zigqityezelwe kweli ukuze noosomashishini abasakhasayo bakwazi ukuxhamla.
Urhulumente oxhuzula imikhala we-ANC, ugweba indlala kwaye lo Mthetho uYilwayo uza kuvula amathuba emisebenzi nakwimizi-mveliso esakhasayo ukuze nayo iphuhle, de ifikelele kwinqanaba loosomashishini ekukudala bexhamla.
Ngokuphumeza kwethu lo Mthetho uYilwayo, liya kuba liphelile ithuba koongxowa-nkulu ababehlawula ama-50 ekhulwini njengerhafu. Kwaye babe neendlela abebesithi ngazo bakwazi ukuphepha ukuhlawula ezi rhafu. Ngoku wonke ubani othi ashishine ngeli litye linomthika uya kuhlawula irhafu esisihlanu ekhulwini. Liphelile ithuba lokuba athi ubani xa ethe walizuza eli litye kufuneke ukuba asimbele isinqe aye koo-De Beers, bona bamvuze ngendlela abathanda ngayo. Loo nto ibibangela ukuba abantu bakuthi balithubelezise eli litye baye kulithengise kumazwe angaphandle.
Ngoko ke, ngokumisela kwethu lo mthetho, sithi wonke umntu weli lizwe uvumelekile ukuba axhamle kolu shishino. Kambe, senza isilumkiso kubantu abaza kuthi gqolo bethengisa eli litye linomthika kumazwe angaphandle ngelithi baya kudibana neembila zithutha.
Ndimvile umhlekazi obe suka apha esithi oo-De Beers noobani bavumile, kodwa manditsho ukuba bekungemnandanga, kuba kaloku bebexhamla. Sixambulile phambi kokuba bavume oo-De Beers, ukuze kube nokuxhamla wonke ummi weli. Kodwa ke, ngokukhokelwa ngusihlalo wethu, siye savumelana ngamxhelo-mnye ngalo Mthetho uYilwayo uthiwe thaca apha.
Njengommi nomhlali wephondo loMntla Koloni, ndiziva ndinemincili xa kusenzeka ezi nguqu. Wagwetywa ndlala!, kuba kuza kuvuleleka amathuba emisebenzi ze kuphuhle nezakhono. UMphathiswa ebesetshilo ukuba i-Indiya ithi ikulungele ukuba ithumele amagosa ayo ukuba aze kusifundisa indlela yokupolisha nokusika, ukugqibelelisa iidayimani zethu.
Kubantu baseKimberley, Barkly West, Richtersveld, Longlands, nabezinyee iidolophu kwamanye amaphondo, ndithi: Indlala igwetyiwe! Nali ithuba, masilisebenzise. Umbutho wesizwe, iNkongolo, uyawamkela lo Mthetho uYilwayo kwaye ubongoza le Ndlu ibekekileyo ukuba nayo yenjenjalo, iwamkele. Camagu! Enkosi. [Kwaqhwatywa.] (Translation of isiXhosa paragraphs follows.)
[Madam Speaker, Ministers, hon members and comrades. I dedicate my speech to the learners who were members of Cosas of the 1970s. These learners took the Freedom Charter forward and used it as their guideline. They took it upon themselves to form new youth organisations in villages, in towns and cities, in regions and districts all over South Africa. Because of these initiatives it was very easy to form the umbrella organisation which was called Sayco, which in turn brought all youth organisations under its banner in this country.
This organisation was formed in Cape Town in 1987 and it joined forces with the community organisation called United Democratic Front. The foundation for all of these organisations was based on the Freedom Charter. I want to emphasise this phrase: "The people shall share in the country's wealth."
One of the key responsibilities contained in the Constitution for the members who have been elected by the people is to see that they pass laws which will bring change here in South Africa. In the ANC conference in Stellenbosch in 2002, the ANC acknowledged that minerals of this country are still exported in order for beneficiation abroad and this leaves the people here suffering because they do not benefit anything.
This Bill aims at correcting that. This House gives us the right to pass this Bill. The committee looked at this Bill thoroughly and we finally agreed on it. We therefore ask this august House to accept this Bill. This Bill is an amendment to Act No 56 of 1986 and this it gives the right not to export our raw material so that the small business of this country could benefit.
The ANC-led government is opening doors for growth even to small companies and this Bill will create business opportunities for small business and they will also grow their businesses like the other businesses.
When this Bill is working the chances of bigger companies paying 50% will be over. They also have the chance of not paying the tax. Now everybody who is dealing with diamond will pay the same amount of tax which is 5%. De Beers is no longer going to enjoy the privilege of taking part in diamond dealing and pay what ever amount to compensate. Because of the heavy burden of tax people were taking these materials secretly and sending them to other countries.
Through this Bill everybody is getting a chance to enjoy this trade. We are warning people against selling these materials to other countries because they will be in end trouble.
I heard the hon member who spoke here earlier on saying that De Beers and others agreed to the conditions but I must mention that they were not happy because they had previously always enjoyed the privileges. We did struggle before De Beers and others agreed to ensure that everybody in this country enjoys the fruits. Through the leadership of our chairperson we eventually agreed on the Bill currently being debated.
As the resident of the Northern Province myself, I feel very happy to see all these changes. There will be no hunger because there will be more job opportunities and economic growth. The Minister did tell us that India is willing to send expects to come and show us how to polish and cut our diamonds.
To the people of Kimberley, Barkley West, Richterveld, Longlands, and other towns in other provinces I would like to say: There shall be no more hunger! Here is our chance, let us use it. The ANC supports the Bill and asks this House to do so as well. Well done! Thank you. [Applause.]]