Chair, humanity towards others is certainly one of the most important values that we need in South Africa in order to bridge the divides of the past. All South Africans have a general consensus on this issue. But the question that needs to be asked is: How much is ubuntu a reality in South Africa?
Every person, especially here, would claim that they embrace the morality that flows from the values of ubuntu. Again, I have to contest whether certain members of this government really embrace the value of humanity towards others. I have found that, especially with Ministers, when they are questioned in this House and have to think on their feet, their lack of ubuntu becomes abundantly clear.
For instance, when a coloured member of this House - and that is me - asks for understanding regarding the situation in respect of the Employment Equity Act and the undesirable effect it has on the coloured community, the hon Minister of Labour reacts with a total lack of ubuntu by saying, and I quote:
Unfortunately, this thing about coloureds and other things, it's your problem, not ours.
This is the most blatant disregard for the morality that flows from the values of ubuntu.
Net so het die agb Minister van Veiligheid en Sekuriteit onlangs dieselfde gebrek aan medemenslikheid, oftewel ubuntu, geopenbaar toe hy mense kwansuis die land uit wou jaag bloot omdat hulle hul ontevredenheid met die misdaadsituasie in die land te kenne gegee het. (Translation of Afrikaans paragraph follows.)
[Similarly the hon Minister of Safety and Security recently displayed the same lack of humanity, that is to say ubuntu, when he ostensibly wanted to drive people out of the country for merely expressing their dissatisfaction with the crime situation in the country.]
Chair, I want to say to the hon Chief Whip of the Majority Party that he has a long way to go to make his comrades in the Cabinet understand the true spirit of ubuntu.
In conclusion, as a Christian, I know the ubuntu value system referred to here as the love referred to in Corinthians 13, verses four to five. [Time expired.] I thank you.