... I must acknowledge the presence of the MECs from almost all the provinces. The MEC from the Eastern Cape, hon Pemmy Majodina, MEC Mokomela-Mothibi from the North West [Applause], MEC Botes from the Northern Cape, MEC Fritz from the Western Cape, MEC Dr Norman Mabasa from Limpopo, MEC Thusi from KwaZulu-Natal, and I can see that MEC Mayathula is gone.
Firstly, let me also thank all the contributions and accept those criticisms that are constructive. I have a few issues that I would like to raise. Firstly, some of the issues that the DA has been raising are issues that have been asked from the department and we have responded to those questions, and you are saying them as they are. I really think that we need innovation. We need new ideas; we need constructive ideas. So repeating things that we have said to you are our challenges is not going to take us forward. So let's move a bit forward.
So, one other thing ... you want to talk about the DA government. You know, there are things that are happening here that I have been following - the issue of staffing in the department here in the province. There is a programme called "Fit for purpose" that our people have interpreted as, that for purpose. They are translating it like that because Africans are replaced by white people. [Interjections.]
I think we should look into that because, right now in the department in the province, there are three Africans and three other groups and then nine whites at senior management staff level. [Interjections.]
I have been doing a follow-up. If there are opportunities for everyone, let there be opportunities for everyone.
And then, the issue of social workers ... We can't just wait and not implement the Children's Act because they are not in our social workers. Otherwise we won't go and work.
Furthermore, we have been trying ... do you know that while we try to look at things, you just come up and destroy all that?
The MEC in the last Minmec raised the issue of interns; that qualified social workers in the province are going to be interns. You know, we were still looking into the possibility of that, but now you are forcing us to say this is in contrast with working conditions. You can't be a professional social worker, go to school, and be made an intern thereafter. This is against workers' rights.
Now, because you are not raising these issues or not discussing in good faith, we have to raise these issues here. So, these are qualified professionals and you want to employ them as interns and this is going to disillusion social workers. We are saying social work is a scarce skill, and we have asked for funding from Treasury. They are going to think that we are joking because the same thing that we are prioritising, you are turning it into something else.
The advice centres they have played a role in keeping communities together. You are saying those offices are not important. You have closed them, and they were helping people to understand their rights - both horizontal and vertical rights. They are closed now, and we know that our people from rural areas townships, and farming areas do not understand their rights? Is that not a loss? [Interjections.]
I don't want to talk a lot about substance abuse. [Interjections.]