Chair, hon Minister, Deputy Ministers and hon members. The success or failure of any state department is measured not only by what it does or fails to do, but also by the feelings and concerns of the citizens. This too applies to the newly established Department of State Security. Accordingly it is incumbent upon this department to allay the people's fears by addressing their concerns, albeit within the stringent confines of the secretive and sensitive nature of information that intelligence deals with.
Let me illustrate by means of only two issues of concern. The first pertains to the protection of South Africa's porous borders and the other deals with the Fifa World Cup tournament. Regarding the issue of our borders, it must be pointed out that the concern is not only the infiltration of our borders by illegal immigrants, but also the criminal elements that are associated with the influx of illegal immigrants. By way of example, I cite the unfortunate and ever-increasing number of murders of farmers and farmworkers in our country.
This has led to serious concerns being expressed by the youth wing of AfriForum in a memorandum which contains a list of 1 600 people who have been murdered on South African farms in recent years. The AfriForum youth drew a connection between the said list and the pursuant singing of the Kill the Boer song by Julius Malema. To those who compiled the memorandum, each name listed was sacred, representing a loved one who was untimely and brutally removed from the land of the living. The way in which the memorandum was received by the youth league must be condemned with contempt. The lists of victims were scattered in the street and trampled on the ground. It is under circumstances such as these that the Department of State Security must come forward and assure the farmers, whites and blacks, that their lives are important to the state and that they, too, are entitled to protection by the state, as the Minister has just said in his debate.
We, in the IFP, congratulate the Minister of State Security on his appointment as the chairperson of the newly-established South African National Border Management Agency. We would like to believe that, with him at the helm, cross-border crime and illegal entry of foreigners into our country will be minimised. The Minister accordingly needs to take the people of South Africa into his confidence by, amongst other things, media briefings and public statements that their concerns are receiving attention.
With regard to the upcoming 2010 Fifa World Cup, the recurrent and persistent concern raised by the local and international community is whether it will take place in a crime-free and safe environment. Media reports which highlight the fact that some individuals are planning to use this joyous occasion to line their pockets are alarming, to say the least. We, however, appreciate the swift action that was taken against these individuals.
Another concern is expressed by those who have invested their hard-earned money in projects connected to the World Cup showpiece. Their concerns relate to whether the recently quoted figures of 373 000 tourists to our country, which have gone down from the previously estimated 483 000, will still be realised. This is pursuant to the fact that of the 3 million tickets produced, only about 300 have been purchased by soccer enthusiasts outside South Africa. Have the rest been discouraged by prophets of doom, including some British journalists who are dissuading people of the world from coming and experiencing the Fifa World Cup in South Africa?
We are well aware of the capacity of our security agencies to ensure security and stability during the time of major international events in our country. Examples range from the Rugby World Cup in 1999 and culminate in the Fifa Confederations Cup which took place in an atmosphere of peace in 2008. In spite of this, for the sake of doubting Thomases, we need this department to publicly dispute the claims of the prophets of doom and encourage the whole world to come to South Africa. The IFP supports the Budget Vote. [Time expired.] [Applause.]