Ons indruk is, Minister, dat Minmec nie naastenby sy rol vervul het nie, en dat hierin vir u 'n geleentheid l om kapasiteit te bou. Maar dan sal die LUR'e vir Plaaslike Regering in die verskeie provinsies ook moet uitstyg bo die ANC-partyverband, en sonder aansien des persoons moet optree teen burgemeesters en raadslede wat oortree. (Translation of Afrikaans paragraph follows.)
[Mr W P DOMAN: Our view, Minister, is that Minmec has not even roughly fulfilled its role and that herein lies an opportunity for you to build capacity. However, the MECs for local government in the different provinces should then also rise above the ANC party lines and take action without fear or favour against mayors and councillors who transgress.]
Therefore the DA is dead against any eroding of the powers of provinces or municipalities as contemplated in the draft Constitution Seventeenth Amendment Bill. Provinces were a constitutional agreement, and contemplating the abolishment of provinces goes against the very spirit of that agreement. Abolishment won't improve service delivery. The DA will prove in the next five years in the Western Cape how a province can perform. [Time expired.] [Applause.]