I think this should be a reflection of how you are going to approach the work of this department.
I will not say a lot about everything, but I would just like to say that it is true that everyone should expect proper service when they go to a Home Affairs office, and this is not yet happening. Not all the officials are giving such service. But I think what will help us is if, when you to go to an office, or someone tells you they have been to an office, you tell us the name of the official you dealt with. We can only respond when we get feedback from yourselves and the public. Indeed, I take seriously the suggestion that there should be an office where all complaints are received. Officials should know that there are consequences to the actions they take. [Applause.]
The team is sitting here, and the FeverTree team is sitting there. They heard what you said, and they must implement it. Because then we will know who is doing what, which office is working well, and which officials are not. We have to engage the trade unions, that indeed we are going to sack officials who do not comply. [Applause.] But we need your help. We need everybody's help. Indeed, that is the only way you can deal with Home Affairs. If we just keep saying, "Please, do this", it will not work. You have said yourselves, it is deep-seated. It has been like this since time immemorial. Those who come from KwaZulu-Natal, where I grew up, know this corruption is not new, and it exists not only in Home Affairs, but generally. There was a thing where you say ...
... Heyi! Unjani umsebenzi wakho? Likhona igwinya? Uma uthi hhayi alikho. Hawu uhlaleleni? Ngiwushiyle loya msebenzi awunalo igwinya. [... "Hey! How is your job? Do you receive any bribes?" And if you say no, "Why are you still working there? I left that job, it does not have bribes."]
"Igwinya" means something that you get on the side. So, it is very important that you assist us. We cannot do it alone. You have to assist us. You and the general public have to assist us. [Applause.]
In terms of refugees, of course we have an obligation, not only because of international law and our own laws, but also because of our own humanity. We must treat human beings as human beings. I agree with hon Mnqasela that maybe we should visit these areas. Parliament had visited before when there were xenophobic attacks. Maybe we should agree that a parliamentary delegation or portfolio committee members should visit these places and see what is going on, so that we are not taken by surprise. He is an hon member. If he says he is seeing the seeds of this reoccurring, we must take it seriously, and work, and go there and see. [Applause.] That is my view.
Also, hon member Terblanche, I think you take your work very seriously. And we have to work, all of us, the opposition and ourselves. This is a critical national matter, Home Affairs. We cannot use it as a political football. We will co-operate with you, just as much as you co-operate with us, and we are happy that you have taken that attitude. [Applause.] We will have regular interactions. We have noted the issues.
Regarding the questions that hon Mda has raised about mobile units and all that, I think it is unfair to say the mobile units are partisan. We will be using these mobile units. If you listened closely, you would have heard that I said we do not want to be put under pressure for IDs during elections. We want to do it now. We want to have a campaign now, for the next two years, so that come 2011, we are not going to be put under pressure. We will not allow any of you to put us under pressure. But that means you have to work with us now to do it. [Applause.]
We are not partisan. We have a responsibility to every citizen in this country, and we will maintain that. The ANC will sack us if we become partisan. If I start being partisan and giving IDs to ANC members and not to anyone else, the ANC will be the first to say, "Minister, you have lost it - out!" You must just understand that. And you yourselves must not be partisan when you deal with this matter. Let's all work together.
I am not saying don't criticise. Of course, you have to criticise. That is your responsibility. You criticise and you give solutions, and we work together, constructively. [Applause.] [Interjections.]