Deputy Chairperson, at the outset I want to thank all the members for the very positive and constructive spirit in which this budget has been debated in the NCOP. I also want to reiterate our thanks to the members of the select committee for the ongoing co-operation, support and oversight that we receive from them. Thank you, hon member Mofokeng and members of the select committee.
I want to touch very briefly on a number of points that have been made. Firstly, I want to thank the hon Mofokeng for the manner in which he outlined so clearly the vision that continues to guide us - that of consolidating the vision contained in the Constitution - and for giving us the history that led to the formulation of that vision. I think it is also appropriate that as we move towards celebrating the centenary of the ANC in 2012 we highlight the development of the vision of constitutional democracy, human rights and access to justice that has developed over that century. With regard to the question of access to justice and the Constitution, I would like to share one anecdote with members.
Recently I was in the Western Cape, participating in a maintenance imbizo in Blue Downs. It was attended by about 800 people, mainly women. Blue Downs is a poor, working-class area. The Department of Justice and Constitutional Development and a number of other departments, such as Social Development, the National Prosecuting Authority, NPA, and some of the university clinics, had tables there.
After the event I went to speak to the staff who had been at those tables. I asked them: "What issues did people raise, and what information did they take away?" Obviously, because the forum related to maintenance most of the questions were related to maintenance. However, they said there was a very important trend that they had noticed there, and also at the celebration of Human Rights Day, which had taken place here in Cape Town. The thing that members were most interested in, the thing that they all took away, was copies of the Constitution. I think that sends out a very clear message that for all people in our society, rich and poor, the Constitution has become a central guiding document in their lives.
People no longer view the Constitution as an academic legal document; they view it as something that has a direct impact on their day-to-day lives. I think it's up to us as public representatives and as departments to build on that and make sure that people have access to justice, to our courts and to all of the institutions that help make real the rights that are set out in the Constitution.
The questions about the independence of our courts which were raised by the hon Mofokeng are absolutely vital. That is why we have embarked on the process of giving the judiciary greater control over the administration of our courts. That is also the reason why the President has established the office of the Chief Justice with the status of a department.
The issue of job creation is very important. That is why the Minister has indicated to the department that he wants all vacant positions in the department to be filled as a matter of urgency. However, it is also through the way in which we as the Department of Justice and Constitutional Development do our work. We also promote job creation.
Hon Abrahams, you raised a number of very important and valid points regarding Correctional Services. On a lighter note, I can say that before 1994 the Department of Justice and Constitutional Development was the Department of Justice and Correctional Services under the late Minister Kobie Coetzee, but that is not the case any more. As I said, that's on a lighter note. [Interjections.]
On a serious note, the Minister of Justice and Constitutional Development is the co-ordinator of the Justice, Crime Prevention and Security cluster and we have an extremely tight and close working relationship with all departments in the cluster. That is why, if you were to raise issues of justice with the Minister of Police or of Correctional Services, I'm sure that he or she would also be able to respond. That is why I have no hesitation about talking on Correctional Services matters.
I can say that the Department of Correctional Services does have programmes that focus on rehabilitation. One of the key outcomes in the performance agreement that has been signed by the cluster and the President is the whole question of reducing recidivism and increasing the rehabilitation programmes in our correctional facilities.
I would also like to say that through the Child Justice Act all of those departments in the cluster are co-operating and have developed a national implementation plan and protocols to ensure that children who are in conflict with the law are treated in the manner that our Constitution prescribes and their interests are paramount. I think we have seen the very quick manner in which the Child Justice Act has come into operation. The very first cases that have been dealt with in terms of that Act bear testimony to that.
As far as the hotline is concerned, I would concur with the hon Mokgobi that this hotline is indeed very hot. [Applause.] On the part of the Department of Justice and Constitutional Development our response rate stands at 65% at the moment. There were 80 matters relating to Justice that were logged, and 70 of those were queries. The other 10 were problem areas that were finalised within weeks.
Deputy Chairperson, I hear an unpleasant noise there! I would have wanted the opportunity to deal at length with each of the issues that have been raised, but time does not seem to permit that.
In conclusion, let me say to the hon Makhubela that I was a little bit disappointed. I forgot for a split second that I was in the NCOP and that seating is according to province and not according to party and when I saw him sitting where he was, I started to get very happy! But maybe the future will bring good things. [Interjections.]
With regard to the Limpopo High Court, there is, in fact, a magistrate's court building which has been revamped and is operating as a High Court. Also, the construction of the building is already 30% complete. As the Department of Justice and Constitutional Development, we sing as we work! So, our songs are not promises, but we sing in order to encourage ourselves to speed up the work. It is anticipated that that court will be finished by 2012.
Let me also deal with the issue of language. The department has implemented - if my memory serves me correctly - 22 pilot projects throughout the country, in which indigenous languages are used in those courts. This is in order to test how we can expand that further. We also want to do away with an absurd situation where in a court in the middle of a predominantly Venda, Xitsonga or Zulu-speaking area, the magistrate, the prosecutor, the defence attorney, the accused, and everyone's home language is, for example, Tshivenda, but in court they come and speak to each other in English! We want to move away from that absurd situation.
Hon members, thank you very much for a very constructive and engaging debate. Thank you very much. [Applause.]
Debate concluded.