Where I part ways with the hon Swathe is in relation to his view of the Department of Public Works and indeed of the entire state it is in. [Interjections.] He said that it was totally dysfunctional and should be scrapped. That is not the case. There are productive areas in the department. The EPWP is a case in point. Our professional services unit includes highly skilled people. Despite its flaws and in the face of negativity, the Department of Public Works soldiers on because of the hard work and the commitment of the officials. My job is to help create the right environment that is conducive to that commitment.
The negativity and hopelessness purveyed by the DA is not going to help us. What is required here is clear direction and strong leadership - even here in Parliament, even in the portfolio committee and even from you, hon member. That is also what we are providing at the national department. So we are dealing with those issues.
For the record, hon Dreyer, the issues of Du Noon and Grabouw were raised with me by both the Premier and the Mayor of Cape Town. I was a very important man. For the first time, both of them came into my office. For the record, they raised this issue with me on 16 February this year. I indicated to the premier that I would follow up on the matter in terms of procedure. That did not mean that just because the case came from Madam Premier Zille, I had to jump. It did not mean that. As with all other requirements from all the provinces, procedures have to be followed.
Remember, the question of land is not an easy one, because state land from other spheres cannot simply be transferred unprocedurally. You have to do a lot of investigating. You need to know everything about the particular piece of land, what it is going to be used for and whether there is no alternative land. You must do all that investigation. We need to investigate and, above all, satisfy ourselves. Transferring that land is also a concurrent function with Land Reform. [Inaudible.] Just because the madam has spoken, we must jump. We're not going to do that. [Applause.] [Interjections.] I want to be very honest. You are a messenger to those who have sent you - and they must be honest. They must not get excited by what they see in the media and then become all populist. They even go to the extent of saying that they phoned the Minister but he was still asleep. It doesn't mean that if you don't get me on the phone at seven o'clock, I am still asleep. Don't get excited by what you see in the media, just for the sake of getting excited. Just stick to the facts. [Interjections.] Don't lie. So that is what I am trying to say. Convey that particular message.
We are processing those issues according to procedure. If, as you are threatening, you have other means, you are free to use them, but we will not jump because the madam has spoken. So we are dealing with this matter as the department. Very interestingly, why would the premier want to run the portfolio of another MEC? Is the MEC of Public Works afraid of me or of dealing with these issues? It shows the type of governance you have: other people are just being made into toys. The premier wants to run everything. [Interjections.]
Lastly, the DA should be the last to complain because here in Athlone in the Western Cape, the DA provincial government has been sitting for almost three years on an application to approve a building becoming a Thusong building. They have not yet approved the application because it is ANC people. [Interjections.] If you are asking the question of how you can trust this department and how you can trust me because of what has happened, then let me ask you a simple question: Why did you give me the CV of an engineer when I called for technical people to help me? Why did you give me that CV if you don't trust us? [Interjections.] Thank you very much. [Applause.]
Debate concluded.