Your leader! [Interjections.] The alliance partners, the Congress of South African Trade Unions and the SA Communist Party, also issued statements demanding answers and expressing their concern. Cosatu called for an urgent investigation into who had authorised the landing and called for them to be disciplined. In its statement, the SACP called on government to investigate how it had happened and for those responsible to be brought to book. [Interjections.]
On 2 May 2013, the JCPS Cluster of Ministers instructed a team of directors- general to investigate the matter, giving them seven working days to complete the investigation. In doing this, the Ministers communicated that the buck stopped with them. [Interjections.] They demanded answers and action.
It is also important to note at this point that two Ministers, the Minister of Transport, the hon Martins, and the Minister of Defence and Military Veterans, the hon Mapisa-Nqakula, had said no to the exclusive use of O R Tambo International Airport and no to the use of Waterkloof Air Force Base. [Interjections.] At that point the executive had already fulfilled their responsibility.
Even before the findings of the report were communicated, it was rubbished by the opposition and the detractors of government. The opposition participates in this Parliament. Well, at least they collect their cheques every month, and by that I gather that they accept that this government is a legitimate, democratically elected government. [Applause.] Yet, they will leave no stone unturned to illegitimise government and taint the image of South Africa, no matter the consequences. [Interjections.] But why are we surprised? Why are we surprised?