Chairperson, I want to say to the hon Minister, being the former Minister of Home Affairs and now the Minister of Correctional Services, I have a new name for her. She is the "Minister of Troubled Departments". [Interjections.] I say that because both departments, as we know, have numerous problems to be solved.
Dit is departemente wat 'n teelaarde is vir korrupsie. Die agb Minister het nou ervaring van korrupsie in departemente. Die enigste manier om korrupsie behoorlik vas te vat, is om te verseker dat die beste amptenare aangestel word. Sy moet gaan kyk na haar opleidingstandaarde en psigometriese toetse, en dan seker maak dat sy die beste van die beste amptenare kry.
Die Minister ht goeie amptenare in die departement. Sy het hardwerkende, eerlike amptenare, maar dis daardie korrupte amptenare wat hulle 'n slegte naam gee. Die amptenare wat hard werk, wil graag daardie swak appels uit die kas h, sodat hulle hul werk goed kan doen.
Die Minister se department speel 'n belangrike rol in die ketting van die strafregstelsel. Dit help nie u kollega, die Minister van Polisie, se manne en vroue vang die misdadigers en sit hulle in die tronke dan is daar misdadigers wat s dat hulle op die regte plek is nie. Hulle voel dan hulle kan beter hulle misdadige bedrywighede voortsit en hulle kan beter geld maak, want hulle is in die tronk, word beskerm en die polisie kan hulle nie bykom nie. Ek dink dit behoort baie sterk aangespreek te word in die hele ketting van die strafregstelsel.
Die Minister het ges dat die mediese paroolvoorwaardes hersien sal word, dat daar wetgewing sal kom en dat dit deur die Parlement sal moet gaan. Dit is ongelukkig u Achilleshiel. Die gevolge van Schabir Shaik sal nie verdwyn nie. [Tussenwerpsels.] Dit is ou nuus, maar dis warm nuus. Dis nuus wat ons almal raak. [Tussenwerpsels.]
Agb lede moet leer om nie tussen 'n spreker en die Stoel verby te beweeg nie. Hulle moet leer wat die rels s.
Die werklikheid van Schabir Shaik is dat dit 'n skandvlek vir die Departement van Korrektiewe Dienste is. Ek weet die agb Minister het ges dat indien daar nuwe getuienis aan die lig kom, sy dit dan sal oorweeg om sy mediese paroolvoorwaardes te hersien.
Ek wil vir die agb Minister s: Daar is mos baie meer getuienis wat aan die lig gekom het. Almal in Suid-Afrika weet mos dat Schabir Shaik nie terminaal siek is nie. Minister, as dit 'n werklikheid is, dan is daar 'n verantwoordelikheid op u skouers om vir Suid-Afrika te ... [Tussenwerpsels.](Translation of Afrikaans paragraphs follows.) [These are departments that are breeding grounds of corruption. The hon Minister now has experience of corruption in departments. The only way to tackle corruption properly is to ensure that officials of quality are appointed. She has to look at her training standards and psychometric tests and then make sure that she gets the best of the best officials.
The Minister does indeed have good officials in the department. She has hardworking, honest officials, but it is those corrupt officials who give them a bad name. The officials who work hard want to get rid of the bad apples in the basket, so that they can do their work well.
The Minister's department plays an important role in the whole chain of the criminal justice system. It is no use that the men and women in the service of your colleague, the Minister of Police, should apprehend the criminals and put them behind bars if some of those criminals then say that they are now in a place of choice. They then feel that they can continue with their criminal activities and make even better money because they are in prison, they are being protected, and the police cannot get hold of them. I believe this matter needs to be addressed very strongly within the whole chain of the criminal justice system.
The Minister said that the conditions for medical parole would be reviewed, that legislation would be introduced, and that this would have to be passed by Parliament. Unfortunately, that is your Achilles heel. The consequences of Schabir Shaik will not disappear. [Interjections.] That is old news, but this news is still hot. It's news that affects all of us. [Interjections.]
Hon Members must learn not to cross between a speaker and the Chair. They must learn what the rules say.
The truth is that Schabir Shaik is a disgrace to the Department of Correctional Services. I know that the hon Minister said that she would consider reviewing the conditions of his medical parole if new evidence should come to light.
I want to say to the hon Minister: There is indeed a lot of new evidence that has come to light. After all, everybody in South Africa knows that Schabir Shaik is not terminally ill. Minister, if that is a fact, then the responsibility rests on your shoulders to tell South Africa ... [Interjections.]]
Thula wean; uyangxola! [You keep quiet; you are making a noise.]