At least at the committee level, from the members that were present, we agreed that we need to spend more time with the department to engage with these issues. The absence of ANC members at the crucial meeting highlighted an aspect of the massive Home Affairs crisis and the unwillingness of the ANC as a collective to accept responsibility for allowing Home Affairs to sink into a state of decay.
To deny responsibility will only aggravate the situation. Therefore, I am happy with what the Minister is doing. I am also pleased with the senior management that they appear to be committed to turning the department around. Oversight plays an important role.
At Tuesday's meeting we had a discussion with the chairperson; we will have a brainstorming session to determine priorities of where we will go and what places we will visit. That is something we must do, and we will do. The officials of the department - the hardworking ones and those that are not doing their duty - will know. When we walk through the door we will scrutinise everything that they do. Not only by being there, but also through, I hope, the hotline, which the President is going to set up. I hope that that will also be treated with honesty and integrity so that we can look at the problem in an honest and open way and then address it.
Something that is also of deep concern to me is the way we treat people that are coming across our borders, whether they come in illegally or in a legal way. I've recently had the experience of watching a DVD on the human rights violations that are taking place in Zimbabwe. Hon Minister, let me tell you, if I was living in that country and I was faced with that situation, and if any of my children or my family members were subjected to that type of violence and intimidation - and I've got proof of that; we've got a video to show that and the Speaker of Parliament also received a copy of such a video - I would also consider, maybe, illegally entering another country to try and safeguard the future of my children and myself. [Applause.]
When you exit another country, even if it's illegally, to be faced with uncaring, unsympathetic officials and not be treated with the compassion and the empathy that you need, I think that is shocking and I am grateful for the fact that that is going to be turned around as well.
We should also prevent the shameful xenophobic violence incidents that we witnessed last year. [Time expired.] Thank you. [Applause.]