Hon Chairperson, hon Minister Lulu Xingwana, chairperson of the portfolio committee, hon colleagues, members of society and members of the department, in accordance with the Freedom Charter, the National Democratic Revolution and documents of strategy and tactics, the ANC-led government's strategic objective is the creation of a united, nonracial, nonsexist and democratic society. In pursuit of this objective, the ANC-led government will continuously change its tactics to adapt to the ever- changing environment it operates in. This is for the purpose of bettering the lives of South African citizens, with greater focus on the vulnerable groups, which are women, children and people with disabilities.
To the people who have spoken here about "the mandate", like the hon Dudley, hon Robinson and hon Duncan, I don't know why you always talk about "the mandate" of this structure or that department. We know that Chapter 2 of the Constitution, which is the Bill of Rights, the cornerstone of our democracy, actually talks about how the values and culture of the people of South Africa should be respected. That is exactly what this department is trying to do - deepen and reinforce the democracy of this country.
Women are regarded as vulnerable and it is through departments such as this that the ANC-led government feels that what is in Chapter 2, the Bill of Rights, will be reinforced. The mandate that you continuously ask about is actually to bring respect to women; to see that women are no longer vulnerable. I don't know how long you will ask this question. Maybe you should go back and read your Constitution and that's when you will understand. You will also understand that this has come about because of the voices of women who have been saying: "We want a Ministry that will deal with the issues faced by women; a Ministry that will monitor and evaluate whether or not legislation that is put forward is being implemented in order to better the lives of the women of South Africa." [Interjections.]
Furthermore, there was an outcry from the women of South Africa, who said yes, there was legislation, but it was not being implemented. Government then committed to the establishment of a Department of monitoring and evaluation. That is why this government had to come up with this department.
On the other hand, it is a well-known fact that this ANC-led government signs treaties nationally, regionally and internationally. We know that there are organisations like the Sub-Saharan International Development Organisation, Sido, which represents a commitment to the empowerment and development of women in all spheres.
To further enhance its commitment to empowering and developing women, the ANC-led government established a Ministry focusing specifically on women, children and people with disabilities, with the sole and ultimate goal of ensuring that all the people of South Africa, irrespective of gender, will enjoy their fundamental freedom, dignity, and human rights, as stated in Chapter 2 of the Bill of Rights.
Hon Dudley raised the issue of the social cluster. Hon Robinson, we should not let our emotions cloud the facts. Instead of crying that we as women don't have a Ministry or department, we should acknowledge the fact that the Presidency and the ANC-led government committed to this by placing this department in the social cluster so that it can be an independent department which will receive its own budget. [Applause.] Maybe this explanation will help you understand that it just because the department has been placed under the social cluster, doesn't mean it will become a social welfare department. I am sure you all know that even here in Parliament we work in clusters. Don't make me as a woman start worrying that maybe women don't understand how government functions. Government functions in clusters. That is why we have clusters. It's actually an integration of national clusters and the clusters that we have in our portfolio committees.
Coming to what hon Duncan said - no, it was hon Robinson. You called this government a "superficial plaster"; a government that is failing its target and uses campaigns instead of programmes. Let me tell you something. We have just had elections, on 18 May. We all know this department is for monitoring and evaluation, and its strategy is to promote gender equality and equity, which will one day be achieved and maintained. You talk of a government that is failing its target. [Interjections.] You talk of a government that is failing the disabled with a target of 2%. You talk of campaigns and programmes, but what happened to your leader, Madam Zille, during campaign time? She is a woman, but a woman who has no passion for other women. She's a woman who wants to see ... [Interjections.] ... herself ascending the ladder of power, leaving other women behind. I can justify what I'm saying. We all saw that on the placards she had three women. It was the very madams you saw. But after the elections, after she had scored some votes and when she went to the Cabinet, she forgot those women. She only used those women to front on the posters to make us believe, as other women and parties, that she has the passion. [Applause.]
Comrade Duncan, I mean hon Duncan, ... [Laughter.] ... I know you are passionate about the development and empowerment of women. Please try to start with your madam number one. Make her see what the Constitution says. She should not be above the Constitution. She should actually join the ANC in the promotion and protection of gender equality. [Interjections.]