Agb Voorsitter, ek wil vir die agb Minister s sy departement se strategiese raamwerk vir 2010 tot 2014 het 12 prioriteite wat hulle daarstel. Die eerste prioriteit is dat die departement verklaar dat hy sy rol in spesifiek Grondwetlike Ontwikkeling gaan versterk. In Program 3 maak hy selfs daarvoor voorsiening dat 'n kantoor gevestig word waar vier amptenare nog voor die einde van die jaar aangestel sal word. Die VF Plus verwelkom hierdie benadering.
Daar is baie van die mense wat vandag hier sit wat nie weet wat die gees was met die vestiging van die 1996 Grondwet nie. Daar is bitter min van die lede in die Parlement en spesifiek van die ANC wat weet wat alles daar gebeur het. Daar is sekere ooreenkomste gesluit. Daar was 'n sekere gees wat geheers het met die vestiging.
Daar is mense wat dink dat ons Grondwet 'n finale Grondwet is en dat dit nou daargelaat kan word. 'n Grondwet is 'n lewendige dokument. Ek wil vandag vir die agb Minister s dat daar opvolggesprekke moet plaasvind, en die VF Plus is van mening dat daar 'n opvolgskikking moet plaasvind wat betref sekere aspekte in die Grondwet. Ons het nou 15 jaar gehad van di Grondwet. Ons kan sien wat die positiewe dinge daarin is en wat die negatiewe aspekte is. Die negatiewe aspekte moet dan aangespreek word om dit 'n nog beter Grondwet te maak. So ons sal, wat dit betref, met die Minister skakel.
Agb Minister, dit is so dat die klem gewoonlik op Justisie is, en dat Grondwetlike Ontwikkeling partymaal uit die oog verloor word. Maar dit is ook so dat, as ons gaan kyk na die misdaadsituasie - en ek het geluister na wat u ges het oor die strafregstelsel, en ons weet van die vorige Adjunkminister wat twee jaar gelede daarmee begin het, ens - die werklikheid in Suid-Afrika nog steeds is dat slegs ongeveer 10% van misdaadsake wat aangemeld word, suskesvol in ons howe eindig. Dit beteken 'n misdadiger het 'n 90% kans om weg te kom met misdaad in Suid-Afrika. Ons verwelkom die stappe wat u neem, maar ek wil vra, agb Minister, dat u dit sal moet versnel, want die misdadigers het nie tyd om te wag nie; inteendeel, hoe langer daar gewag word, en hoe meer tyd dit neem om die prossesse in werking te stel, hoe beter vir hulle.
Daar is ook 'n ander aspek. Die verhoor en die regskoste van mnr Jackie Selebi word gefinansier deur die belastingbetaler. U departement gee die magtiging dat hy staatsgeld mag kry, maar die Departement van Polisie behoort dit te betaal. Nou, agb Minister, ek ht al 'n vraag in di verband vir u gevra. Ons wil graag weet: wat is die kriteria? Hoe is dit moontlik dat 'n persoon soos mnr Jackie Selebi, wat aangekla word van misdrywe wat geensins verband gehou het met sy werk en die uitvoering van sy ampspligte nie, toegelaat word om belastingbetalers se geld vir sy regsonkostes aan te wend? Dit skep die indruk dat ons nie misdaad beveg nie, maar dit bevorder. Dankie. (Translation of Afrikaans speech follows.)
[Mr P J GROENEWALD: Hon Chairperson, I would like to say to the hon Minister that with his department's strategic framework for 2010 to 2014 they have formulated 12 priorities. As a first priority the department declares that it is going to intensify its role in specifically Constitutional Development. In Programme 3 it even provides for the establishment of an office where, even before the end of this year, four officials will be appointed. The FF Plus welcomes this approach.
There are a number of people sitting here today who have no knowledge of the spirit in which the establishment of the Constitution came about in 1996. There are very few of the members in this Parliament and specifically of the ANC who are knowledgeable about everything that transpired there. Certain agreements were signed. There was a particular spirit that prevailed with this settlement.
There are people who deem our Constitution to be a final Constitution and that we should now leave it at that. A Constitution is a living document. I would like to say to the hon Minister today that there should be follow-up discussions taking place, and the FF Plus is of the opinion that a follow- up settlement needs to happen concerning certain aspects of the Constitution. We have now had 15 years with this Constitution. We can identify the positives therein and what the negative aspects are. The negative aspects would have to be addressed to make it an even better Constitution. Therefore, on this score, we will liaise with the Minister.
Hon Minister, it is a fact that the focus is usually on Justice, and that sometimes we lose sight of Constitutional Development. But it is also a fact that, if we look at the crime situation - and I have heard what you said about the system of criminal law, and we know about the former Deputy Minister, who started with this two years ago, etc - the reality in South Africa is that it is still only about 10% of those criminal cases that have been reported that end up being successfully concluded in our courts. This means that a criminal has a 90% chance of getting away with crime in South Africa. We welcome the steps that you are taking, but I want to appeal to you, hon Minister, that you should speed this up, because criminals don't waste time; on the contrary, the longer we wait and the more time it takes for us to implement the processes, the better it is for them.
There is also one other aspect. Mr Jackie Selebi's trial and the legal costs are being financed by the taxpayer. Your department gives the authority that allows for him to access public funds, but the Department of Police should be paying for it. Now, hon Minister, I have previously asked you a question with regard to this. We would like to know: What are the criteria? How is it possible that a person such as Mr Selebi, who is being charged for crimes which are in no way connected to his work or to the execution of his official duties, is allowed to use taxpayers' money for his legal costs? It creates the impression that we are not fighting crime, but promoting it. Thank you.]