Chairperson, hon Minister, hon Deputy Minister, hon members, departmental officials and distinguished guests ...
Ke rata go thoma ka go tshepi?a ba mphato - ke ra ba ka lehlakoreng la ka - gore dillo t?a lena di kwaget?e. Re na le batswadi mo, gomme ba kwele dillo t?a lena. Sepedi se re tsebe ga e na sekhurumelo. (Translation of Sepedi paragraph follows.)
[I would like to start by assuring members of the political party I belong to - I am referring to those on my side - that your voices are heard. In our midst we have relevant people who are in charge, and they have heard your grievances. In Sepedi it is said that the message has not fallen on deaf ears.]
Allow me to give food for thought for the day. Decide today to be a master of change rather than a victim of change. I am saying this because the ANC- led government ...
... o bone bohlokwa bja go fa batho magae, e sego dintlo. Tona ya rena mohlomphegi Sexwale o re, ke a mo tsopola: "Legae ke moo o humanago batho, t?hirelet?o le borutho. Ka gare ga ntlo o ka hwet?a go se na motho." Sejahlapi se re ... (Translation of Sepedi paragraph follows.)
[... deemed it important to give people homes and not just houses. Our Minister, hon Sexwale, said, and I quote: "Home is where you find people, security and warmth. A house might just be empty." In English it is said that ...]
... there is no better place than home.
Human settlement goes beyond housing. It's like a magnet attracting objects.
Re leboga pono ya Mopresidente wa rena ge a ile a bona gore o swanet?e go okelet?a kgoro ye maikarabelo. Bjalo ka komiti ya photefolio, re ile go kgonthi?i?a gore basadi ba t?wela pele go hlohlelet?wa go ba bengdikontraka. Bengdikontraka ba basadi ba swanet?e go t?wet?a pele menyetla yeo e lego gona ya bonnyane bja 30%. Re ra gore menyetla ye e swanet?e go oket?wa go feta mo. (Translation of Sepedi paragraph follows.)
[We thank our President for seeing the need to add more responsibilities to this department. As a portfolio committee we will ensure that women continue to be encouraged to become contractors. Women contractors must increase the existing opportunities that are currently at a minimum of 30%. By this we mean that the opportunities are to be further optimised.]
Through the legislative measures post-1994, there's been a great change in the allocation of houses. For instance, women have applied in great numbers, and we applaud the ANC-led government for undertaking such initiatives.
The portfolio committee is committed to enhancing monitoring of the implementation of youth programmes in the human settlement sector in an integrated manner, to sustain the livelihood adopted with regard to youth development and employment. Preferential legislation procurement policies and co-operatives should also benefit the youth, and cover specific needs of the youth as well as sufficient access to finance and resources. As a committee we will make sure that we put extra effort into this so that these issues are seriously attended to.
Still on youth issues, we have child-headed families, and there is no clear integration. We support youth mobilisation and volunteering to encourage the youth to do community work.
Ka Labohlano leo le fetilego, la di 26 June 2009, re be re le Kwa-Zulu Natal go Mmasepala wa Mlalazi, Eshowe. Baswa ba gona ba aga dintlo ntle le tefo. Ba agela batho ba ba golo. Se ke mohlala go baswa diprofenseng t?e dingwe. [Magoswi.] Ba a kwe?i?a gore ... (Translation of Sepedi paragraph follows.)
[Last Friday, 26 June 2009, we were at Eshowe, at the Mlalazi Municipality in KwaZulu-Natal. The youth there build houses for free; they do it for the elderly. This serves as an example to the youth of other provinces. [Applause.] They understand that ...]
... together we can do more; nothing is impossible.
We have not done well for people with disabilities. There is a need for improvement to ensure representation and participation.
Re bona dikhamphani di ba ?omi?a bjalo ka tsela ya go ikgakanya. Ba bangwe ba bona ga ba tsebe le ge e le maloko a dikhamphani t?eo. Sepedi se re: Le ge o ka buela leopeng magokobu a a go bona. (Translation of Sepedi paragraph follows).
[Companies use their names for window-dressing. Some of them are not even aware that they are members of those companies. In Sepedi it is said that no stone shall be left unturned.]
These people are committing fraud. It is totally unacceptable and corrupt.
We are proud to say that progress has been made in ensuring accessibility to buildings by people with disabilities. For the purpose of poverty reduction and economic empowerment programmes, we have been unable to get the proper figures and the committee has to make a follow-up.
A lot has been done by this democratic government to improve issues of women, the youth and people with disabilities. The Freedom Charter says: "There shall be houses, security and comfort." The ANC supports Budget Vote 26. Ke a leboga. [Thank you.] [Applause.]