UNREVISED HANSARD JOINT SITTING MONDAY, 19 FEBRUARY 2018 Page: 1 MONDAY, 19 FEBRUARY 2018 ____ PROCEEDINGS AT JOINT SITTING ____ Members of the National Assembly and the National Council of Provinces assembled in the Chamber of the National Assembly at 10:06. The Speaker took the Chair and requested members to observe a moment of silence for prayers or meditation. PASSING ON OF MEMBERS OF PARLIAMENT (Announcement) The SPEAKER: Hon members, during the recess period we learnt of the passing on of Mr Laloo Chiba, a former Member of Parliament, MP. We convey our condolences to the Chiba family. UNREVISED HANSARD JOINT SITTING MONDAY, 19 FEBRUARY 2018 Page: 2 We have also learnt with shock of the passing on last night of Ms Beatrice Ngcobo, a serving MP in the National Assembly since 2005. She did not recover after undergoing an operation in early February. We will now request hon members to stand and observe a moment of silence in memory of our former members. Thank you. Please be seated. Condolence motions in respect of our former colleagues will be considered at the appropriate time. We have also learnt of the passing on, after a short illness, of Mrs Connie Bapela, the wife of Deputy Minister Obed Bapela. We convey our condolences to the Bapela family. MASEKELA FAMILY MESSAGE OF THANKS (Announcement) The SPEAKER: Hon Members, I have received a copy of the President’s address delivered at the Joint Sitting on UNREVISED HANSARD JOINT SITTING MONDAY, 19 FEBRUARY 2018 Page: 3 16 February 2018. The speech has been printed in the minutes of the Joint Sitting. Before I turn to the list of speakers, I wish to share a message I got on Friday night immediately after receiving the President’s speech. It reads: Do tell President Cyril how touched the Masekela’s are by his tribute to Hugh. My brother is smiling. It was a brave and rousing speech. So much work to be done. This is a message I got from sis Barbara. [Applause.] The CHIEF WHIP OF THE MAJORITY PARTY: Hon Speaker, the Chair of the National Council of Provinces, His Excellency the President of the Republic of South Africa hon Cyril Ramaphosa, and MPs from both Houses, it is an honour for us to stand here today, but we also stand here proud of being South African. [Applause.] We stand here this morning in great shock and deep sadness after having learnt of the passing of our MP in the National Assembly yesterday, Comrade Beatrice Ncgobo. UNREVISED HANSARD JOINT SITTING MONDAY, 19 FEBRUARY 2018 Page: 4 Ncgobo had recently undergone surgery and regrettably did not recover. Her untimely departure is a heavy blow to the ANC caucus and to Parliament. We will miss her contribution, particularly at this new dawn. Hon Speaker and Chair of the National Council of Provinces, as the ANC caucus in honour of Comrade Beatrice Ncgobo and many other public representatives from this House who have passed on, we commit our full support to work together with His Excellency the President of the Republic of South Africa, in continuing the vision of Madiba to build a South Africa of our dreams. We publicly say to the people of South Africa, that as the ANC caucus and members of this Parliament, we are ready. Thuma mina. [Send me.] [Applause.] On Monday 9 May 1994 at 11:00 in this Chamber of the National Assembly, umama Nontsikelelo Albertina Sisulu, who was an MP then — a stalwart of our struggle who is remembered for her strength, compassion and tireless commitment to the people of this country; a prominent leader of the ANC and ANC Women’s League, the Federation of SA Women and the United Democratic Front who UNREVISED HANSARD JOINT SITTING MONDAY, 19 FEBRUARY 2018 Page: 5 represented the epitome of selfless service to the people with her outstanding contribution to the cause of freedom and democracy — rose to nominate Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela as our first democratically elected President. Our newly elected President, His Excellency President Cyril Matamela Ramaphosa, rose to second that nomination 24 years ago. [Applause.] Only one candidate was nominated on that day, namely Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela, who was duly elected the first President of the Republic of South Africa in a democratic order. On 24 May of that same year, Nelson Mandela gave his first and the first state of the nation address in this Chamber. He said: The time will come when our nation will honour the memory of all the sons, the daughters, the mothers, the fathers, the youth and the children who, by their thoughts and deeds, gave us the right to assert with pride that we are South Africans, that we are Africans and that we are citizens of the world. UNREVISED HANSARD JOINT SITTING MONDAY, 19 FEBRUARY 2018 Page: 6 On this Monday, 19 February 2018, 24 years later, we celebrate the centenary of the late mama Albertina Sisulu and the late tata Nelson Mandela under the Presidency of Cyril Ramaphosa as the fifth democratically elected President of the Republic of South Africa. Today we stand at the edge of a new dawn full of hope and possibility, and full of optimism. It’s a new dawn which recognises that: We, the people of South Africa, recognise the injustices of our past; honour those who suffered for justice and freedom in our land; respect those who have worked to build and develop our country. Borrowing from the words of the Freedom Charter, this Preamble of our Constitution which I am quoting from goes on to state that we “believe that South Africa belongs to all who live in it, united in our diversity.” As we stand here to debate the historic state of the nation address as delivered by President Cyril Ramaphosa last Friday, we join him in thanking former President Jacob Zuma for his years of service to the liberation of UNREVISED HANSARD JOINT SITTING MONDAY, 19 FEBRUARY 2018 Page: 7 our country and his contribution to building our young democracy. IsiZulu: Sithi, siyabonga Nxamalala. English: As we sat in this House on Friday evening we could feel the spirit of Nelson Mandela amongst us. A state of the nation address delivered which laid out his vision for the Republic of South Africa; a vision wherein South Africa is a place for all who live in it. I quote from his speech delivered in this Parliament in 1995: The nation has set itself the task of reconstruction and development, nation-building and reconciliation. It expects from its representatives in these hallowed Chambers, the seriousness of purpose and the application to duty, which success requires. On my part, I call on all parties to join us in working for a better life for all South Africans. That is what Madiba said. UNREVISED HANSARD JOINT SITTING MONDAY, 19 FEBRUARY 2018 Page: 8 Thus the task of a democratically elected government is to focus on the agenda of reconstruction and development to address the great social needs. The agenda will thus reflect this as a developmental state which will require an approach that acknowledges the need for fundamental transformation of society, socially and economically. When we assess the state of the nation we are essentially providing a framework for analysing where we are as a nation. The important concepts in the analysis are social cohesion, social capital and social justice. Social cohesion refers to the extent to which a society is coherent, united and functional in providing an environment within which its citizens can grow, develop and reach their potential. In our pursuit of social cohesion, our mission remains the revival of an activist citizenry engaged in patriotism and nation-building. We thus welcome the President’s announcement of a social- sector summit during the course of this year in recognising the critical role of nongovernmental organisations and community-based organisations in tackling poverty, inequality and related social problems. UNREVISED HANSARD JOINT SITTING MONDAY, 19 FEBRUARY 2018 Page: 9 Social capital refers to the assets accumulated, based on trust, which enable people to work together to achieve common goals. The President’s announcement of the implementation of the National Minimum Wage bears testimony to what is possible when all social partners work together in the interest of our great nation. In his state of the nation address, the President committed to engaging with all stakeholders on the Mining Charter to ensure that it is truly an effective instrument to sustainably transform the face of mining in South Africa. We therefore welcome yesterday’s announcement that the Chamber of Mines will postpone its court application, in respect of the reviewed Mining Charter, to allow parties space to engage and find an amicable solution in resolving the impasse. [Applause.] It is through the spirit of ongoing engagements on critical matters that we shall be a nation as one. The ANC commits to the people of South Africa that we shall isolate and root out corrupt tendencies in the public and UNREVISED HANSARD JOINT SITTING MONDAY, 19 FEBRUARY 2018 Page: 10 private sectors. We echo the sentiments shared by President Ramaphosa when he said ... IsiZulu: “Amasela eba imali kaHulumeni mawaboshwe.” English: We are with you there. Delegates to the 54th national conference committed themselves to play a more proactive role in enhancing the values and integrity of the movement, and society to act decisively where there are breaches. Dr M Q NDLOZI: Point of order! The SPEAKER: Hon Ndlozi, what is the point of order? Take your seat hon Chief Whip. Dr M Q NDLOZI: Thank you hon Speaker.