1 THURSDAY, 10 MAY 2018 PROCEEDINGS OF THE WESTERN CAPE PROVINCIAL PARLIAMENT The sign † indicates the original language and [ ] directly thereafter indicates a translation. The House met at 14:15 The Deputy Speaker took the Chair and read the prayer. The DEPUTY SPEAKER: You may be seated. [Interjections.] Order! I see the Chief Whip first. (Notice of Motion) Mr M G E WILEY: Thank you, Mr Deputy Speaker. I give notice that I shall move: That, notwithstanding the provisions of Rule 198, precedence be given to the Subject for Discussion. Thank you. The DEPUTY SPEAKER: Thank you. No objection to that? Agreed to. 2 We will then start with the Subject for Discussion in the name of the hon member Gillion. I see the hon Gillion. †Mnr Q R DYANTYI: Hoor-hoor! [Mr Q R DYANTYI: Hear-hear!] Ms M N GILLION: Mr Deputy Speaker, 2018 marks the tail -end of this administration’s term and the DA’s decade of misrule is representative of a period of regression in service delivery for the poor. Reality is that th is protracted period of disservice to our people has been marked by the deteriorating living conditions for the poor and marginalised, which forced thousands of people to take to the streets on Freedom Day, calling on the DA Government to break with the past and focus on service delivery. The most pressing challenges faced by the people in this province include inadequate living conditions, crime, poverty, dread diseases and unemployment. These challenges seem to be colour -conscious as they affect the black majority, while the minority is well taken care of. The flooding and the informal settlement fires will continue to kill people for as long as the DA remains in power, as its only response to the housing cri sis is sending people to Wolwerivier and Blikkiesdorp. In addition, further empty promises about the Better Living Model Game-Changer, we must ask the question: how many houses were built by this Province through this Better Living Model Game-Changer? We all know what the answer is. It is 3 nothing! Today is the time to evaluate how the DA has delivered on its mandate. What have been the failures of key service delivery departments? In 2017 Crime Stats revealed that the Western Cape is home to a third of the country’s police stations where the most killings are recorded and is also home to South Africa’s long-standing murder capital Nyanga. Seven out of the top ten police stations where the highest numbers of murders are recorded, are also in the Western Cape. Gang violence is out of hand, while the highest increase percentage in rape cases are reported in this province. More than 81 children have been murdered since last year to date. The response by the Provincial Government through the MEC of Community Safety has been to chastise SAPS and National Government for all the province’s challenges. [Interjections.] Mr Q R DYANTYI: They always do that. Ms M N GILLION: There has been little to nothing done by the Provincial Government in response. †Mnr Q R DYANTYI: Skande! [Mr Q R DYANTYI: Disgrace!] 4 Ms M N GILLION: Lest we forget that millions were spent in the Zille Commission, which yielded no positive outcomes as this Government failed to fully implement its recommendations. The Premier and the Social Development MEC... [Interjection.] Mr Q R DYANTYI: The absent Premier. Ms M N GILLION: ...who have been forced to institute a Children’s Commissioner, are now trying to persuade NGOs to back down on their calls for an inquiry into the hike in child murders. Cape Town estimates more than a quarter of a million households live in informal settlements. There are more than 400 informal settlements in this province, yet we have an MEC that does not want to build proper houses for the poor. No wonder under his watch Cape Town fails to spend the Urban Settlement Development Grant and order funds and other funds annually. This year the DA -run metros lost nearly R540 million meant to cover costs of provision of infrastructure to poor households due to non-performance. Members of the public say closing the Provincial Department of Human Settlements would not make a difference because it is useless. Health is one of the worst run department s in this Province. During the Budget debate I highlighted the key issues which the MEC chose to be emotional about instead of addressing it. [Interjections.] The unannounced oversight visit by the NCOP to the Khayelitsha District 5 Hospital discovered that service at this hospital was in a state of collapse. There are shortages of beds and staff and this is only the t ip of the iceberg. Patients say the entire healthcare system in this province is in a state of paralysis. The MINISTER OF TRANSPORT AND PUBLIC WORKS: Do you believe it to be? Ms M N GILLION: We are still waiting for the MEC to tell us where the replacement hospital is that was promised to the Manenberg community to replace G F Jooste. The crisis in the forensic services and EMS is set to worsen as the MEC continues cutting down staff. The responses of the Provincial Government to all these challenges were the so called Game-Changers, which have not changed anything. It seems like the DA administration thinks improving the lives of our people is a game. For a party claiming clean and good governance its infighting negatively impacts on service delivery. The investigation by the Hawks in some of the DA municipalities... [Interjection.] Mr Q R DYANTYI: Like George. Ms M N GILLION: ...for fraud and corruption proves the opposite. Look at 6 what they have done to the City of Cape Town and George Municipali ties. [Interjections.] The DA’s inability to deal with racism has caused multiple incidents of racial tensions across the Western Cape. [Interjections.] Mr Q R DYANTYI: When they are racist themselves, how can they deal with that? Ms M N GILLION: The DA is obviously to blame for the violence between Siqalo informal settlement and Mitchells Plain residents... [Interjection.] Mr Q R DYANTYI: Yes. Ms M N GILLION: While this ANC is committed to the preamble of the Constitution, which focuses on South Africa’s unity in diversity, the DA continues to sow racial divisions through colonialism -praising Tweets or defending of white privilege by Natasha Mazzone. [Interjection.] The DEPUTY SPEAKER: Order! Just one second. Mr Q R DYANTYI: Just to ask the member, Mr Deputy Speaker... The DEPUTY SPEAKER: Whether she wants to take a question? Mr Q R DYANTYI: Yes, a question. 7 An HON MEMBER: Do you want to ask a question? Mr Q R DYANTYI: Yes, can I ask the member a question? The DEPUTY SPEAKER: The member is prepared, yes, you may. The MINISTER OF FINANCE: You must ask for a caucus. [Interjections.] Mr Q R DYANTYI: Are you saying, hon member Gillion... The DEPUTY SPEAKER: Order! Mr Q R DYANTYI: Are you saying, hon member Gillion, that all of these social ills are happening in the best-run DA Government... [Interjection.] Mr D JOSEPH: You are away from the topic. Mr Q R DYANTYI: ...that gets a clean audit every year? [Interjections.] Mr D G MITCHELL: Can you speak to the Speaker? Ms M N GILLION: Mr Deputy Speaker, the answer is yes. †Mnr Q R DYANTYI: Sies, sies! [Tussenwerpsels.] [Mr Q R DYANTYI: Siss, siss! [Interjections.]] 8 The DEPUTY SPEAKER: Hon member Gillion, are you finished with your speech? An HON MEMBER: Yes. The DEPUTY SPEAKER: I see the next speaker, hon member Botha. [Interjections.] The MINISTER OF AGRICULTURE, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND TOURISM: Is that all? An HON MEMBER: That is all. Ms L J BOTHA: Thank you, Mr Deputy Speaker. The MINISTER OF AGRICULTURE, ECONOM IC DEVELOPMENT AND TOURISM: ...for her whole debate? Ms M N GILLION: I am talking facts here. [Interjections.] The DEPUTY SPEAKER: Order! Order! †Mnr Q R DYANTYI: Kom nou Lorraine, kom! [Mr Q R DYANTYI: Come on now, Lorraine, come on!] 9 Ms L J BOTHA: Mr Deputy Speaker, it is understandable why this is an ANC sponsored debate. When you are a master in failure you are constantly looking for others to be part of your failing circle. [Interjections.] An HON MEMBER: Oh please, Lorraine. †Mnr Q R DYANTYI: Daai is nie, Lorraine! [Mr Q R DYANTYI: That is not so, Lorraine!] Ms L J BOTHA: What is important though would be for us to understand what is meant by the topic - the DA’s failure to address social challenges in the Western Cape. [Interjection.] †Mnr Q R DYANTYI: Julle kan nie eers water kry nie, man. Wat gaan julle doen? [Mr Q R DYANTYI: You cannot even get water, man. What are you going to do? ] Ms L J BOTHA: In fact before we get there, we must ask the question what is meant by social challenges. [Interjection.] †Mnr Q R DYANTYI: Waar is die water? [Mr Q R DYANTYI: Where is the water?] The DEPUTY SPEAKER: Hon member Dyantyi, please! 10 Ms L J BOTHA: This can be defined as issues such as poverty, inability to access schooling, access to the public health sector, access to basic services such as water, sanitation and electricity, access to social grants, access to other social services such as drug rehabilitation centres, access to early childhood development centres, access and care fo r the elderly and access to job and skills development opportunities for not only young people, but also those who are unemployed and unskilled.