Minister, Deputy Ministers and hon members, gone are the days when state security was employed to serve the interests of a minority group that viewed the majority of the citizens of this country as a threat to their security. We all know that. [Applause.] However, in the past few weeks an incident which severely undermined our national security occurred. Here I am referring to the controversial use of Waterkloof military air base to land private planes for the wedding guests of the Gupta family. [Interjections.] Add to this the claims that state officials were bullied by this family when these violations of our laws occurred. In my language we say ...
... ntlo lerole ga e tswale kgo?i. [... we will not achieve much if we do not resolve these issues.]
Government, and State Security in particular, are duty-bound to take decisive action on this matter and to make it clear to all and sundry that our state security is not for sale. This is important for State Security ... [Interjections.] Yes, I think you have a problem. [Laughter.] This is important for State Security in redeeming the department's image, however intense the political pressures of the day. [Interjections.] You believe in the microphone and not in your ears! [Laughter.]
Another important matter requiring urgent attention under State Security relates to the Speaker's controversial decision to have the report on Nkandla by the task team of the Department of Public Works discussed by the Joint Standing Committee on Intelligence behind closed doors. The UDM is completely opposed to this decision. We believe that, instead of blacking out the entire report and keeping it from the public, only the sections of the report that have the potential to jeopardise the security of the President should not be made public.
This is because, like our sister opposition parties, we believe that the decision not to make the report public is an attempt to ensure that the public never gets to know what really went wrong in the Nkandlagate scandal, and once that occurs ... [Inaudible.]