There was no effort to sweep the incident under the carpet. [Applause.] We welcome the criminal cases that have already been opened and encourage the various departments, as they finalise their investigations, to open more cases if they find that there are more people who should answer to the laws of our country.
As parliamentarians, we need to take cognisance of the weaknesses in the system that were identified through this report. [Interjections.] We should engage with the relevant departments and the members of the executive in order for them to report on how they have corrected those weaknesses in the system, and in order to prevent the reoccurrence of such an incident. [Applause.]
The use of Metro Police officers by a private security company again highlights the need for a single police service ... [Interjections.] ... in the country, which the ANC has voiced over a period of time. [Applause.] The behaviour of the private security company demonstrates and emphasises the need for stronger and more effective regulation of the private security industry. [Interjections.]
There is a need for and a responsibility on us to put in place measures that will ensure that individuals in the Public Service cannot manipulate the system and collude in the way that we have seen happening here. [Interjections.]
Society should engage with the abuse of power, and confront and address that which we see done throughout our daily life by those with money, those who believe that they can bend the rules or that rules do not apply to them. [Interjections.] It embodies itself in various forms within society. [Interjections.] Look at our roads and see how many vehicles are being driven without number plates and speeding recklessly. They are not your average vehicles, but top-of-the-range luxury vehicles. [Interjections.] These people act with impunity and they believe that the rules and laws do not apply to them. [Interjections.] This culture aids and abets corruption. Well, I live in the Western Cape, so I guess it's the Western Cape government. We need to deal with it where it happens, when it happens.
We also need to remind ourselves of what Chapter 10 of our Constitution says about the basic values and principles that must govern our public administration and service. As a country, the executive and Parliament, this is what we should demand from our public administration at all levels. This is how we expect their leadership to behave and to lead. We must demand that public servants have a high standard of professional ethics, that they provide service impartially, fairly, equitably and without bias, and that they are accountable to the people, the executive and Parliament. [Interjections.]
We welcome Minister Radebe's announcement that the report has been given to the Public Protector. Once the Public Protector comes to the same finding as the directors-general, I will personally request the Chief Whip of the Majority Party to ask for a debate in order to provide an opportunity for the opposition to apologise - to apologise to the President, to apologise to the executive, to apologise to the ANC, and to apologise to the people of South Africa. [Interjections.]
We have clearly seen, as demonstrated by speakers before me, what this debate is actually about. The hon Maynier indicated that it was about election fever. The hon Lekota demonstrated rumour-mongering, because he quoted newspapers concerning the report. And then, let's be honest, there was a general hatred of the President. [Interjections.] I wonder how much the hon Lekota actually knows about constitutions, since he cannot follow his own party's constitution. [Applause.] A court needs to tell him to reinstate the hon Ndude. Hon Holomisa, sometimes you must listen when people are speaking. The report was released prior to this debate. The ANC argued that the debate ... [Interjections.] ... The Minister announced it. [Interjections.]