Voorsitter, mnr die Adjunkpresident, dames en here, my klankapparaat het nie gewerk nie, maar ek het wel gehoor dat mnr Khompela so twee keer die DA se naam, asook my kollega, Debbie Schfer, se naam genoem het. So ek aanvaar maar hy het ons geprys, en ek hoop maar dat dit in di gees sal wees dat ons die dinge sal doen.
Sport is veronderstel om vir beide die toeskouers sowel as die spelers plesier te verskaf, maar male sonder tal het sportbyeenkomste regoor die wreld rampspoedige gevolge gehad.
Die jongste sulke gebeurtenis in Suid-Afrika is die ramp wat by 'n sokkerwedstryd op Ellispark in Johannesburg op 11 April 2001 plaasgevind het. (Translation of Afrikaans paragraphs follows.)
[Mr T D LEE: Chairperson, Mr Deputy President, ladies and gentlemen, there was a problem with my sound equipment, but I heard Mr Khompela mention the DA once or twice, as well as the name of my colleague Debbie Schfer. Therefore, I assume that he praised us and I can only hope that we will do these things in this spirit.
Sport is supposed to generate pleasure for the audience as well as the players, but on many occasions throughout the world sporting events have led to disasters.
The most recent event of this kind to take place in South Africa was the disaster at Ellis Park in Johannesburg on 11 April 2001, which occurred during a soccer match.]
I will never forget the day we had a wreath-laying ceremony, a few days after the Ellis Park tragedy. The anguish and sorrow of the parents who had lost children and family members will remain with me for as long as I live.
In sy toespraak by hierdie geleentheid, het mnr Tony Leon, die destydse leier van die DA, ges dat ons alles in ons vermo moet doen om 'n herhaling van die Ellispark ramp te voorkom. Hy het ook ges dat, indien wetgewing nodig sou wees, dit so gou as moontlik deurgevoer moet word. (Translation of Afrikaans paragraph follows.)
[Mr Tony Leon, former DA leader, said in his speech on that occasion that we will have to do everything in our power to prevent a repeat of the tragedy at Ellis Park. He also said that if legislation was necessary it must be adopted as soon as possible.]
Chairperson, South Africa has become a favourite destination at which to host international sporting events. Since 1994 we have hosted rugby and cricket World Cups, as well as the Fifa Confederations Cup and the Africa Cup of Nations. We will shortly be hosting the Soccer World Cup.
While South Africa has an admirable record in the preparation for and the delivery of safety and security at major events, the challenge that we are currently faced with is the following: that there is no consistent application of these safety and security protocols.
The law that we are passing here today will give us the opportunity to do just that.
As daar nog mense is wat twyfel oor die wenslikheid van die wetgewing, wens ek dat hulle kon geluister het na die inset van mnr Erasmus, die destydse hoof van Rampbestuur van die Johannesburg Metropool en ook die man wat daardie aand aan diens was tydens die sokkerwedstryd op Ellispark toe die ramp gebeur het.
Hy is vas oortuig dat, as di wet daar was en noukeurig toegepas is, baie lewens gered kon word. (Translation of Afrikaans paragraphs follows.)
[If there are still people who have misgivings about the desirability of the legislation, I wish that they could have listened to the input of Mr Erasmus, the former head of disaster management of the Johannesburg Metropole, as well as the man who was on duty during the soccer match at Ellis Park when the disaster occurred.
He was convinced that if this legislation had been in place and enforced properly, many lives could have been saved.]
My colleague, hon Japie van der Linde, will elaborate on the content of the Bill, while I will concentrate on the process.
Allow me to congratulate the chairperson of the committee, Mr Butana Komphela - and perhaps it is strange that I am congratulating the man - for conducting a thorough consultative process. It was thorough. It is also the first time, as far as I know, that we really listened to the people. Where they made sensible suggestions, they were accommodated in the Bill. Hierdie wet kan dus deur alle belangegroepe wat insette gelewer het, geien word. Die konsultasieproses was dus nie 'n klug nie, maar 'n opregte poging om die gewone burgers by hierdie stuk wetgewing te betrek en te akkommodeer.
Ek wil ook die voorsitter loof vir hoe hy na alle partye se standpunte en bydraes geluister en in die wetgewing geakkommodeer het. Soveel so, dat twee van die klosules as die Debbie Schfer - 'n DA-kollega van my - klousules bekend staan. Dit is die gees waarin ons hierdie wetgewing behandel het.
Een van die Debbie Schfer-klousules handel oor mediese dienste, terwyl die ander oor die reg tot appl gaan.
Deur hierdie optrede, het die voorsitter gewys dat hy die veelpartydigheid van die komitee sowel as die Parlement verstaan en respekteer. Dis vir my baie belangrik dat ons die veelpartydigheid van die komitees moet verstaan.
Dis om bogenoemde redes dat die DA hierdie wetsontwerp steun. Al kwelling wat ek oor die wet het is die volgende: Ek wil graag weet en wil nog graag uitvind hoe hierdie wet die kostes van sportgeleenthede benvloed. Ek dink byvoorbeeld aan die Comrades Marathon tussen Durban en Pietermaritzburg. Maak hierdie wet daardie soort sportgeleentheid baie duur, al dan nie? Maar dan moet 'n mens jouself afvra of jy geld met die lewens van mense kan vergelyk. Speaker, ek doen 'n beroep op alle organisasies wat byeenkomste rel om by die wet te bly, om sodoende rampe, soos die een by Ellispark, te vermy.
Laastens wil ek die amptenary wat gehelp het om gestalte te gee aan hierdie stuk wetgewing, bedank. Hier sien ek teenwordig die Direkteur-Generaal, mnr Petersen. Baie dankie vir u hulp en ondersteuning aan die komitee. Dan was daar ook twee regsgeleerdes wat gehelp het. Hulle is Adv Gideon Boshoff en Patrick Ronan. Aan hulle is ons ook baie groot dank verskuldig.
Ek hoop en glo dat, as hierdie wetgewing deel word van die wette van hierdie land, as dit toegepas gaan word, sal ons verhoed dat rampe soos die Ellispark ramp weer sal plaasvind. Dankie. (Translation of Afrikaans paragraphs follows.)
[All interest groups who made inputs can therefore lay claim to this legislation. Therefore, the consultation process was not a farce, but a sincere effort to involve ordinary citizens with regard to this piece of legislation and to accommodate them.
I also want to praise the chairperson for the manner in which he listened to the positions and contributions of all the parties and accommodated them in the legislation. So much so that two of the clauses are known as the Debbie Schfer clauses - named after a DA colleague of mine. That was the spirit in which we worked on this legislation.
One of the Debbie Schfer clauses has to do with medical services, while the other is about the right to appeal.
Through his conduct the chairperson demonstrated that he understands and respects the multiparty nature of the committee and of Parliament. It is very important to me that we understand the multiparty nature of the committees.
For the above-mentioned reasons the DA supports this Bill. I only have one concern regarding this legislation: I would like to know - and find out - how this legislation will influence the cost of sporting events. For instance, I am thinking of the Comrades Marathon between Durban and Pietermaritzburg. Will this legislation have a costly impact on that type of sporting event or not? But, then one has to ask oneself if one can compare money with the lives of people.
Speaker, I am appealing to all organisations that organise events to comply with the law in order to prevent any disasters, such as the one at Ellis Park, from happening.
Finally, I want to thank the officials who aided in formulating this piece of legislation. I am referring to the director-general, Mr Petersen who is present here. Thank you for your help and support to the committee. Two lawyers also rendered assistance. They are Adv Gideon Boshoff and Patrick Ronan. We also owe them a great debt of gratitude.
I hope and trust that as this legislation forms part of the laws of this land and is implemented, we will be able to prevent disasters, such as the Ellis Park disaster, from happening again in future. Thank you.]