Mr Speaker, to the hon Smuts, it was late but it worked. It is now common knowledge that Adv Mpumlwana was expelled by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, TRC, after a disciplinary inquiry and, therefore, we are now debating this new appointment of Dr Gladstone Sandi Baai today.
The ANC must be congratulated for not sweeping this under the carpet or covering it up. This is a good example, even late, where a debate in the House has played a positive role - a rare example. Let us all gathered here today realise that one's speech in a debate can make a difference. It happened in this case.
Honesty and integrity must always be the prerequisite if you want to be a custodian of human rights. It was wrong for the committee to appoint a wrong candidate at the beginning. I don't know why it happened. I was not part of that committee. Dr Gladstone Sandi Baai was, at that time, the correct candidate and still is now, in front of this House, the correct one.
The point is that the SA Human Rights Commission is not there to protect government or to declare their decisions invalid. It must promote and protect the human rights of ordinary people. Therefore, commissioners should be there with the right credentials, and not because they have the right political connections. Cope will support the appointment of Dr Gladstone Sandi Baai and we wish him well in this new job.