Deputy Speaker, hon members, allow me to offer best wishes to two special women on their birthdays: our Deputy President, who celebrated her birthday this past Saturday, and hon Helen Suzman, a special lady who celebrates her 90th birthday today. Best wishes to them, and may they stay young for a very long time.
Agb lede, baie, baie jare terug het agb Dene Smuts, in samewerking met agb Sue Vos, in ons komitee onder voorsitterskap van Ned Kekana, baie keer aangevoer, en soms gesmeek, dat daar gekyk moet word na die ho pryse van telekommunikasie. Natuurlik was dit somtyds gemeng met destydse DP-politiek en vandag se DA-politiek, maar niemand kan ontken dat dit die waarheid was dat die pryse te hoog was nie.
Dit was ook meer as eenmaal aangehaal deur ons President. Ek onthou dat die President ten minste drie keer in sy staatsrede die ho Telkompryse aangehaal het en ges het dat dit moet verminder as ons enige direkte buitelandse beleggings wil h, en ook binnelandse kompetisie wil stimuleer. So die President het dit baie keer genoem, maar niemand het blybaar aandag daaraan gegee nie. (Translation of Afrikaans paragraphs follows.)
[Hon members, many, many years ago in our committee chaired by Ned Kekana, the hon Dene Smuts in co-operation with the hon Sue Vos, many times argued and sometimes pleaded, that the high prices of telecommunication should be looked into. Of course it was sometimes mixed with the then DP politics and today's DA politics, but nobody can deny that it was the truth that these prices were too high.
It was quoted more than once by our President. I can remember that the President in his opening address quoted the high prices of Telkom at least three times and said that it must be lowered if we want any direct foreign investments, as well as stimulate domestic competition. So, the President mentioned it many times but apparently nobody paid any attention.]
Neotel and Usals, the underserviced area licences, were there, but still very little downward movement was seen in terms of prices. Neotel on its own experienced, and is currently experiencing, serious challenges and hopefully the differences between Neotel, the Department of Public Enterprises and the Minister will soon be resolved.
We need state intervention to ensure that we drive down prices aggressively and further stimulate competition. But most importantly, we need to take infrastructure and services to the poor, the rural and the marginalised.
Nou is die tyd om 'n beter lewe, 'n lewe op 'n ander vlak, aan al ons mense te gee, ongeag ras, kleur, seks of gestremdheid. Ek wil graag beklemtoon wat Telkom nie doen nie, veral in ander gebiede soos die platteland en die armer gebiede van ons land.
Suid-Afrika is 'n land van baie moontlikhede. Ons mense lewe in 'n periode van hoop en ek kan waarlik s hul hoop staan nie beskaamd met die staat se tussentrede nie.
Die vraag wat ek graag wil vra, agb Minister, is: Is Infraco die voertuig wat die uitdaging moet aanvat en aanpak? Ek dink daar is 'n deel en daar is plek vir die privaatsektor. As hulle saam met Infraco hierdie kwessie kan aanpak, sal die goed baie vinniger gebeur en teen baie goedkoper pryse. My probleem is dat, as ons net na Infraco kyk, gaan ons moontlik nie die mas opkom nie.
Hierdie voorgestelde wetgewing gee die Minister tyd om gouer aan sekere uitdagings aandag te skenk, veral na samesprekings met en goedkeuring van haar kollegas in die Kabinet.
Namens die groot en magtige ANC hou ek hierdie voorgestelde wetgewing voor. [Applous.] (Translation of Afrikaans paragraphs follows.)
[Now is the time to give a better life, a life on another level, to all our people, irrespective of race, colour, sex or disability. I want to emphasise what Telkom does not do, especially in other areas like the rural and the poorer areas of our country.
South Africa is a country of possibilities. Our people are living in a period of hope and they can truly say that their hope is not in vain with the government's intervention.
The question that I want to ask, hon Minister is: Is Infraco the vehicle that will undertake and tackle the challenge? I think there is a part and place for the private sector. If they undertake this issue together with Infraco things will happen much faster and with cheaper prices. My problem is that, if we only look at Infraco, we might not make it.
This proposed legislation gives the Minister time to look at some challenges sooner, especially after the discussions and approval of her colleagues in the Cabinet.
On behalf of the mighty and powerful ANC, I hold before you the proposed legislation. [Applause.]]