House Chairperson, we want to thank members for the robust debate that they have engaged in. I would also like to say that there is a marked difference in the quality of the debate that takes place here and the one which takes place in the National Assembly. [Applause.] By and large, people are focused on the issues. Their eyes are on the ball, not on a person. I would not want to say "a man" because I am trying to be politically correct; hence I use the phrase "a person". [Laughter.] I must say that even the DA focused on the issues. There were some skirmishes here and there, but, by and large, they were on the issues.
As far as Cope is concerned indoda ifuna ukubuyela ekhaya, [a man wants to go back home].
Kgutlela hae. [Go back home.] You are lost there. You don't belong there. [Interjections.] In that way, we would say that you tried to play politics. You were supposed to say that it's Cope's view that mayors should be directly elected, and not play politics which are neither here nor there.
Regarding the views that were expressed by the MEC from the Eastern Cape around drought, the Western Cape on the progress and the programmes that they are implementing, as well as KwaZulu-Natal in relation to the progress that has been registered in their programmes, projects and the challenges, we will take up all these issues. We will get them from Hansard because Hansard officials are here. We will ensure that we find a way to respond and engage on these things.
Discussions and debates are supposed to assist us to improve on what we are doing, and commend the good work that has been done. We should not raise issues as if everything that has been done is wrong. In that way, we reduce debates to something other than what it is supposed to be. From our point of view, we would want to have a situation where we would not be talking about the same issues next year. We want to talk about new issues that are qualitatively and quantitatively different from what has been done.
Equally, we think that the NCOP must begin to look at the possibility of creating themes for debate. Let's assume that what we want to hear in South Africa is what we have done and how far we have gone with the programme of clean audit as a campaign.