Agb Voorsitter, voordat ek begin, wil ek vir die mense s dat ek baie Afrikaans gaan praat, so as hulle hul oorstukkies wil gebruik, is hulle baie welkom om dit te doen. Ons land is so vol slegte nuus dat ek net graag die volgende goeie nuus met u wil deel. Dit is in Engels. (Translation of Afrikaans paragraph follows.)
[Mr N J VAN DEN BERG: Hon Chairperson, before I start I want to tell the people that I'm going to be speaking a lot of Afrikaans, so if they want to use their earpieces they are very welcome to do so. Our country is so full of bad news that I would just like to share the following good news with you. It is in English.]
I would like to take a moment to congratulate South African Music Awards winners and nominees, especially local musicians Donald Moatshe and Toya de Lazy, on their recent Black Entertainment Television Award nominations this past week. These two stars have been nominated in the Best International Act: Africa category and are shining examples of the exceptional talent that South Africa has to offer. They deserve our support and we will be cheering them on all the way to the top and beyond. [Applause.]
Baie geluk! Ek wil ook vandag al die kunstenaars in Suid-Afrika groet, want hulle speel 'n baie belangrike rol in Suid-Afrika in die voortgang van kuns en kultuur wat so belangrik is.
Ek kan nie mr saamstem met wat die agb Minister ges het nie. Hy het 'n goeie toespraak gelewer. Ek stem 100% saam met die inhoud wat hy gegee het, maar vir my gaan dit dikwels oor die uitvoering van die goed. Daar is nie 'n presiese uitvoering aan al die dinge waarvan hy gepraat het nie.
Net om te antwoord op die agb voorsitter van ons komitee, die agb Sunduza - ons werk baie goed saam in die komitee, maar sy was vanmiddag baie lekker stout met al die uitlatings wat sy hier gemaak het. [Gelag.] Ek vergewe haar, omdat sy nog 'n kind is. Ek weet haar pa en ma sit hier, en julle sal met my saamstem dat hulle die roede meer moes ingel het toe sy 'n bietjie kleiner was. Dan het sy vandag vir ons geluister. Nietemin, ek vergewe haar en ek moet vir haar s dat sy vandag mooi parmantig aangetrek is. Maar pas op vir jou, agb Sunduza. [Gelag.]
Ek wil vir agb Sunduza s sy kan nie met 'n klomp onsin hier vandag in die Parlement vorendag kom nie en s dat die DA die grondhervormingsplan en dies meer teenstaan. Waar kom sy aan die dinge wat sy hier vertel? [Tussenwerpsels.] Sy moet eers met ons kom praat voordat sy hierdie goed loop s. Ek wil nou vandag een ding vir u in hierdie Parlement s. Ek het 'n toespraak heeltemal uitgewerk, maar nou kom krap sy die kaarte deurmekaar. Ek het vir myself ges dat ek nie kwaad gaan word nie; dat ek net rustig met al die mense gaan praat oor 'n baie belangrike saak wat my verskriklik na aan die hart l, want as 'n mens jou stem verhef, dan klink dit asof jy raas en kwaad is. Die agb Sunduza het haar stem vir my verhef, maar ek sal met haar daaroor praat.
Die agb lede van die Parlement moet een ding onthou en dit is dat ons baie versigtig moet wees as ons luister na wat vandag hier ges is. Ek wil die Minister gelukwens met die toespraak wat hy gelewer het en met al die goed wat deur die departement gedoen word, soos onder meer die National Summit on Social Cohesion konferensie wat ons in Kliptown, Soweto, gehad het. Di goed is verskriklik belangrik om ons mense nader aan mekaar te bring sodat ons met mekaar in hierdie land oor die weg kan kom. As ons nie met mekaar in hierdie land oor die weg kom nie, is ons land daarmee heen. Dit is elkeen van ons se plig en verantwoordelikheid. Ons het 'n verskriklike groot verantwoordelikheid, en daarom word ek sommer vies wanneer hierdie verhoog, as dit oor kuns en kultuur gaan, verpolitiseer word. Ons moet nie politiek insleep as ons oor kuns en kultuur, taal en di dinge praat nie. Ek sal netnou nog 'n paar woorde daaroor s.
Ons moet aanvaar dat kuns, taal, kultuur en al di dinge 'n fyn senuweedraad is wat deur almal van ons loop. As u 'n senuwee knyp, dan maak u hom elke keer seer. As u hom seer maak, dan desensiteer u daardie senuwee en naderhand kom u dit nie meer agter nie.
Wat die agb Sunduza ges het oor wat in die verlede verkeerd geloop het in Suid-Afrika, is alles waar en ek ontken dit nie. Daar is mense wat vir hierdie land geveg het sodat ons vryheid mag h. Ek kan vandag s dat dit sedert 1994 vir my lekker is om in Suid-Afrika te bly. Ek kan enige plek in my kiesafdeling daar in Khutsong rond stap. Ek word deur niemand in Suid- Afrika bedreig nie. Die mense van Suid-Afrika aanvaar my. Ek is ook deesdae 'n tata, so s hulle vir my. Ek weet nie hoekom nie! Maar hulle aanvaar my; ek is deel van hierdie land en hierdie Afrika. Asseblief! As agb Sunduza nou praat van "our", [ons], wie is di "ons"? [Tussenwerpsels.] Agb Sunduza, dit is ons almal.
Mense moet baie mooi luister. Die leiers wat na vore gekom het in hierdie land, en ons begin met Genl Louis Botha, wie se standbeeld voor die Parlement staan, sowel as ANC leiers soos Dube en Albert Luthuli, by wie se graf ons was, het ongelooflike bydraes tot die ontwikkeling van Suid-Afrika gelewer. Hulle het suiwere denke gehad en ek is baie jammer dat daar in die verlede nie na hulle geluister is nie. Ek dink die geskiedenis van Suid- Afrika kon bes moontlik 'n totale ander rigting ingeslaan het as daardie soort van vertrapping van mense nie plaasgevind het nie.
Ek wil aanstap. Agb Minister, ek wil 'n bietjie vinger na u toe wys. Die gebeure in die Pan-Suid-Afrikaanse Taalraad, PanSAT, en die Suid-Afrikaanse Erfenishulpbronagentskap, SAEHA, is as gevolg van 'n bietjie swak leierskap. Ek wil sommer na die Adjunkminister ook vinger wys. Hulle is afwesig in die komitee waar ons probeer om 'n oorsigrol te speel. Hulle is nie daar nie, en ek wil vir die Minister s dat die lede van sy departement wat in daardie komitee is, en dikwels teenwoordig is, nie die boodskappe wat ons vir hulle gee, oordra nie.
Ek het nou eendag gevra vir die memorandum van verstandhouding wat geteken is tussen Suid-Afrika en Nederland. Ek wag nou nog daarvoor - en lede van die Minister se departement was in die komitee. Ek wil s die feit dat die Minister en Adjunkminister nie teenwoordig is nie, veroorsaak dat ons oorsigrol daarmee heen gaan. Dit is 'n baie groot probleem. Mense wys vinger na my, omdat ek 'n lid van die Parlement en die portefeuljekomitee is, en dan s hulle dat ek niks doen nie. Dit is onwaar. Ons werk regtig hard, maar ons moet sorg dat die dinge wat ons in die komitee besluit, gedoen word. Ek wil vir die Minister s dat, alhoewel ons 'n verskeidenheid van politieke partye in daardie komitee is, ons vir een doel werk. Dit is dat ons Suid-Afrika as ons s'n moet hou, en dat ons almal moet hoort in hierdie Suid-Afrika.
Nasiebou en sosiale eenheid het items vir spesiale dae geword. Ons moet dit 'n daaglikse werklikheid maak! In ons handel en wandel met mense moet ons deeglik bewus wees wat ons vir hulle s, en op welke wyse ons dit s.
Ek wil vlugtig praat oor nuwe monumente en nuwe dinge wat gedoen word. Ek is bitter dankbaar om te hoor dat daar 'n monument van Madiba by die Uniegebou opgerig gaan word. Ek is baie dankbaar dat dit gaan gebeur. Ek wil net vir agb Sunduza s, ja, Louis Botha staan nou op sy ruiterstandbeed voor die Parlement. Niemand het nog ooit 'n debat gevoer oor of dit die beste plek is nie! Ons wil almal graag vir Madiba hier h. As die Parlement moet ons besluit waar. [Tussenwerpsels.] Weet u wat, elke groep in Suid- Afrika moet iets hier h waarnatoe hy kan stap, aan daardie standbeeld kan vat en s, "Hier is my voorvaders" of "Hierdie is die mense wat vir die San en Khoi geveg het en ek is trots daarop".
Wat baie, baie belangrik is, is dit: Almal van ons, of ons nou oud, grys of wat ookal is, ons wil behoort. Ons wil aan iets behoort. As iemand in 'n land bly, dan wil hy aan daardie land behoort en deel voel. [Tussenwerpsels.] Kyk maar net na u kinders. U kinders wil sien, hoor en voel dat hulle behoort, net soos elke mens in Suid-Afrika. Laat almal van ons wat vandag hier sit, 'n poging maak en almal die geleentheid gee om te behoort in Suid-Afrika. Ons moet vergeet van die nuwe Suid-Afrika. Dit is nie meer die ou of die nuwe Suid-Afrika nie; dit is ons Suid-Afrika waarin ons vandag bly. Kom ons hou dit so. Kom ons bou aan ons demokrasie. [Applous.] Moenie dinge van ander partye s wat nie waar is nie. Kom ons wees lief vir mekaar en bid vir mekaar, want dit is die enigste wyse waarop ons voort kan gaan.
Ek wil byvoeg dat ons aan hierdie hele proses moet werk - die proses waarvolgens almal aan Suid-Afrika kan behoort. Ek wil vir almal vra: as daar in die toekoms name verander word, moet dit nie 'n politieke kwessie maak nie. Moenie probeer stemme werf deur kultuur, taal en dies meer by te sleep nie. [Tussenwerpsels.] Dit veroorsaak verdeeldheid. En wat wil ons h in Suid-Afrika? Ons wil eenheid, versoening en 'n wonderlike nasie aan die suidpunt van Afrika h. [Applous.] (Translation of Afrikaans paragraphs follows.)
[Congratulations! I also want to greet all artists in South Africa today, because they play an important role in South Africa with the advancement of arts and culture, which is so important.
I cannot longer agree more with what the hon the Minister is saying. He made a good speech. I am 100% in agreement with the content he gave, but for me it is often about the execution of these matters. There is no meticulous execution of all the things that he has been talking about.
Just in response to the hon chairperson of our committee, the hon Sunduza - we work very well together in the committee, but she was very naughty here today with all the remarks she made. [Laughter.] I forgive her, because she is only a child. I know her father and mother are seated here, and you will agree with me that they should have laid in a bit more with the rod when she was a bit younger. She would then have been listening to us today. Nevertheless, I forgive her and I must say that she is dressed lovely and jaunty today. But watch out, hon Sunduza! [Laughter.]
I want to tell the hon Sunduza that she cannot come up with a lot of nonsense here in Parliament today, saying that the DA is opposed to the land reform plan and so forth. Where does she get all the things she is saying here? [Interjections.] She should first come and talk to us before she goes and says these things. Now I want to tell you one thing here in this Parliament today. I had a speech totally worked out, but now she has come and messed up the cards. I told myself that I would not get angry; that I would just speak calmly to all the people about a matter that is extremely dear to my heart, because if one raises one's voice, it will sound as if one is raging and cross. The hon Sunduza did raise her voice at me, but I will talk to her about that.
Hon Members of Parliament must remember one thing, namely that we should be very careful when listening to what has been said here today. I want to congratulate the Minister on the speech he made and on all the things the department is doing, such as, amongst others, the National Summit on Social Cohesion conference we had in Kliptown, Soweto. These things are extremely important to bring our people closer together so that we can get along with each other in this country. If we cannot get along with each other in this country, our country will not last. This is the duty and responsibility of each one of us. We have an extremely big responsibility, which is why I get cross when this stage, where it is about arts and culture, becomes politicised. We should not drag politics into it when we are talking about arts and culture, language and such things. In a moment I will say a few more words in that regard.
We must accept that arts, language, culture and all of that is a fine nerve strand that runs through all of us. When you pinch a nerve, you hurt it every time. When you hurt it, you are desensitising that nerve and eventually you will no longer notice it.
What the hon Sunduza has said, about what went wrong in the past in South Africa, is all true and I don't deny this. There are people who fought for this land so that we may have freedom. I can tell you today that since 1994 it has been enjoyable for me to live in South Africa. I can move around anywhere in my constituency of Khutsong. I am not under threat from anyone in South Africa. The people of South Africa accept me. Nowadays I'm also a "tata", [father] or so they tell me. I don't know why! But they accept me; I am part of this country and this Africa. Please! When hon Sunduza therefore speaks of "our", who would this "us" be? [Interjections.] Hon Sunduza, it is all of us. People should listen carefully. The leaders who came forward in this country, and let's start with Gen Louis Botha, whose statue stands before this Parliament, as well as ANC-leaders such as Dube and Albert Luthuli, at whose grave we were, have made unbelievable contributions to the development of South Africa. They were of clear thinking and I am very sorry that they were not listened to in the past. I think South African history in all probability could have taken a totally different direction if that kind of trampling upon people had not taken place.
I want to move on. Hon Minister, I wish to point a finger at you. The happenings in the Pan South African Language Board, PanSALB, and the SA Heritage Resources Agency, SAHRA, are as a result of some poor leadership. I just want to point a finger at the Deputy Minister as well. They are absent in the committee where we are trying to play an oversight role. They are not there, and I can tell the Minister that the members of his department who are in that committee, and who are often present, are not conveying the messages that we give to them.
Just the other day I asked for the memorandum of understanding that had been signed between South Africa and the Netherlands. I am still waiting for it, and members of the Minister's department were in that committee. I am saying that the fact that the Minister and Deputy Minister are not present is causing our oversight role to become a thing of the past. This is a very big problem. People are pointing fingers at me, because I am a Member of Parliament and of the portfolio committee, saying that I'm not doing anything. That is untrue. We really do work hard, but we must see to it that whatever we decide upon in the committee is carried out. I can tell the Minister that, although we are from a variety of political parties in that committee, we are working towards one goal. That is to keep South Africa as ours, and that all of us must belong in this South Africa.
Nation-building and social cohesion have become items for special days. We should make them a daily reality! In our dealings with people we should be thoroughly aware of what we are saying to them, and of the way in which we say it.
I want to talk briefly about new monuments and new things that are being done. I am extremely grateful to hear that a new monument of Madiba is going to be erected at the Union Buildings. I am grateful that this will take place. I just want to tell hon Sunduza that yes, Louis Botha's statue, on horseback, is now standing in front of Parliament. Nobody has ever debated whether that is the best place! We would all love to have Madiba here. As Parliament, we have to decide where. [Interjections.] Every group in South Africa should have something they can turn to, and touch that statue and say, "Here are my forefathers" or "These are the people who fought for the San and Khoi, and I am proud of them".
What is very, very important, is this: All of us, whether we are old, grey or whatever, we all want to belong. We want to belong to something. When someone is living in a country, he wants to belong to that country and feel part of it. [Interjections.] Just look at your children. Your children want to see, hear and feel that they belong, just like every person in South Africa. Let all of us sitting here today make an effort to grant everyone the opportunity to belong in South Africa. We must forget about the new South Africa. It is no longer the old or the new South Africa; it is our South Africa in which we are living today. Let's keep it that way. Let us build our democracy. [Applause.] Do not say things about other parties that are not true. Let's love each other and pray for each other, because that is the only way we can move forward.
I want to add that we have to work at this whole process - the process whereby everyone can belong to South Africa. I want to ask everyone: when names need to be changed in the future, don't turn it into a political matter. Don't try to canvass for votes by dragging in culture, language and so forth. [Interjections.] It causes division. And what do we want in South Africa? We want unity, reconciliation and a wonderful nation at the southern tip of Africa. [Applause.]]