Dan sal u begin optree! Dankie. (Translation of Afrikaans speech follows.)
[Mr P J GROENEWALD: Hon Chairperson, I just want to say to the hon member that if she is going to get rid of certain bad apples, she is going be shocked, because she will realise that in some instances she will have to throw away the whole bag. [Laughter.]
The subject of this debate is the urgent need to address the challenges of local government. We are deceiving ourselves. It is not about the challenges that there should be a discussion, but rather about the crises! I will go as far as saying that the topic should be "the urgent need to address the total collapse of local government".
The hon Tsenoli came here and he boasted that the problem of corrupt officials is being addressed and that action is being taken against them. I want to congratulate him, but from this very same podium I have asked the hon Minister on several occasions already to issue regulations stipulating that when a particular official is facing disciplinary action at one municipality, such official may not be appointed at another municipality until that disciplinary hearing has been concluded.
A typical example is the municipal manager of Klerksdorp. I have already mentioned it here so many times! He was accused of theft, fraud and corruption and, before his case was concluded in Kroonstad, he was appointed as municipal manager of Klerksdorp.