Deputy Chairperson of the National Council of Provinces, I must express the fact that I am privileged to be invited to speak here. It is the first time that I am speaking in public. I said I couldn't miss coming to speak in the NCOP, irrespective of my state of health. As long as I am able to talk I'll come and speak here - even though one is coming from the jaws of death! But I have survived and I am here now!
On the question put by hon Sinclair on the issue of whether we have statistics in a register of people who were dismissed from one municipality and have gone to another, the response is that there is no requirement or obligation in terms of statutory requirements that a municipality must keep records of dismissed persons.
What is happening is that we have identified the problem; we have submitted the Local Government: Municipal Systems Act to the National Assembly where we are amending that. We want to ensure in regulation that if you are dismissed from one municipality because of wrongdoing, you can't be employed by another municipality.
As we speak, it is happening. For example, in one municipality, called Moretele, an employee stole money and a decision was taken by the High Court in Mafikeng about the punishment of this employee. This employee thereafter applied for work at Kungwini. He was employed at Kungwini, without any checking - a person who is a thief, having been found guilty by a court of law!
We are saying therefore that we are addressing the issue, but at this point in time there is no legislative requirement, which means therefore there are no statistics available in municipalities. Thank you.