Chairperson, the IFP joins all other speakers who have thanked those people who have worked very hard over the past year in the justice system. Having only three minutes to speak, I will only raise one or two issues.
We do not understand why hon Johnny de Lange was axed. He was an excellent Deputy Minister, and his only sin appeared to have been his honesty in publicly admitting that the criminal justice system is dysfunctional. We have maintained that for many years, and we obviously agreed with him. The justice system is poorer without Johnny.
I think the new Deputy Minister is an excellent choice. I wish to offer him some well-intended advice. Andries, you must never forget that you are, firstly, a lawyer, and that your loyalty should be to the justice system, which is much more important than one's loyalty to a political party. Political parties come and go, but justice is forever, and it is to be fearlessly protected by all, particularly us who are lawyers.
As far as the Minister is concerned, I think you made a very good speech, which convinced me that you have a firm grip on the department, and we wish you well. I particularly agreed with the comments that you made about language. However, some eyebrows are being raised, Minister, about your request to postpone the Judicial Service Commission and your remarks about transformation.
Transforming the judicial system has, in fact, been very successful. Over just 15 years since 1994, the entire image of the Bench has, in fact, been transformed. Today, there are more black judges than white judges, and that trend is continuing, also in appointing female judges, and the same transformation is evident in the department. That is clearly an indication of the requirement of section 174 of the Constitution, which says, as you have done, Minister, that the judiciary must reflect broadly the racial and gender composition of South Africa.
There is something being said which I sincerely hope is not true; it is being whispered that the Minister's real agenda in respect of transformation is to transform the South African judiciary into a judiciary which broadly reflects ANC loyalty.
In conclusion, there are many other important questions I need to ask, which I will do in the portfolio committee. For instance, is the criminal justice system functional - referring back to Johnny de Lange's statement? And then, what is being done about judges who reserve judgments for very long periods - up to three years - and don't deliver those judgments? And it's not good enough to say that the Judicial Service Commission does not have teeth; it does. I think the time has come to impeach a few judges who don't do their work.
I would like to know if an IT system has been installed in all the courts, especially in the North Gauteng High Court where nobody knows how many judgments are outstanding?
Chairperson, we wish the justice system, the Minister and the Deputy, and the department a very bright 2009-10 and even further. [Applause.]