SIXTH SESSION

THIRD SITTING		NORMAL		17, 18 AND 19 MARCH 1999

VOLUME 2

[There is two minutes Mageba].
(pg 22 ln 8)

[Oh! why are you depriving me so much].
(pg 22 ln 10)

[It is the clock that has deprived you Mageba]
(pg 22 ln 12)

TRANSLATION:  I wish to express my gratitude because the Government of this Province, has, at the end, provided for the budget of His Majesty the King of the Zulu people.

We were not comfortable in seeing our King beg for milk from other households, and yet he owns this land.  The Zulu kingdom is important.  Therefore, it is necessary that Government respects it, Amakhosi of the Royal line, who are the pillars of this Monarchy, as well as the people.

The Monarchy is being misdirected with the aim of destroying its dignity, which it has had since it was established by iLembe and other Kings who succeeded iLembe. And Kings who contributed in perpetuating the work accomplished by iLembe, such as the King of Mgungundlovu, such as the King of Nodwengu, such as the King of Ondini, such as the King of Nobamba, Dinuzulu, the King of uSuthu.

It is disheartening to see members of the Royal House participating in a campaign to destroy the dignity of the Monarchy by misleading it and diminishing its importance.  These members of the Royal House are extinguishing the spark, which was rekindled by the Prime Minister of the Zulu people, the Prince of Kwa-Phindangene, and Amakhosi of the Royal line, members of the Royal House and the entire Zulu nation.  We died for this Monarchy.

If I can just ask from this House, whatever happened to the all overflowing love of nationhood and the Monarch, which was evident when celebrations of the highest level which were revived by His Majesty, the King himself, working in co-operation with the Prime Minister, Amakhosi of the nation, Royalty from various houses and the entire nation?

It is not just the members of the Royal House that I mentioned earlier in my speech, but you would remember that there was also a political element that had a hand in attempts to destroy the dignity of the Monarchy.

There were members of the Royal House who were telling us about this thing, they were telling us about the Royal Council.  Where is it today?  And where is that old goat who led that campaign?

During the days of the country's Constitutional negotiations, over there at Skukuza, near the Kruger National Park, the African National Congress proposed that the King sign an agreement with the African National Congress.

HON MEMBERS: INTERJECTION.

PRINCE G L ZULU: (Minister of Social Welfare):  You, do not be crazy.  At that time, His Majesty rejected that view.  It was proposed that there should be a Royal Council that would have a representative.  We all know that it was Mr Sifiso Zulu.  Where is he now?

It is now history that, that black person was employed to destroy Royal co-operation, nationhood and the unity of the nation.  We would be delighted to hear from Mrs Mary de Haas, who was using the media to impose the importance of Sifiso upon us.  She praised this man, proclaiming him a member of the Royal House.  I wonder how she knew that?  That was not at all true.

We would be happy to establish from Mrs de Haas, exactly who paid the expenses of this old goat, Mr Sifiso.  Where did the guards who were policemen come from?  Who paid for the house in which he lived, as well as all the equipment he used?

Chairperson, I would like to say that the Zulu Monarchy defeated the British.  The Zulu Monarchy defeated apartheid.  They tried to lure us, using large sums of money, telling us to take up independence.  We rejected that.

It would be good for the government of the day to know that we will never be satisfied as long as our King is not sitting in the seat of the Monarchy of his forefathers.

We are saying, the Zulu Monarchy should be enshrined in the country's Constitution, and not just reflected in these 10 lines that make reference to the Monarchy as if they are dealing with the issue.  Amakhosi of KwaZulu were political prisoners.

The King of Ondini, the King of Dlamvuzo, Cetshwayo, the descendant of Mpande was imprisoned in Cape Town in a castle.  He ended up on Oudemolen farm where His Majesty crossed over to meet the Queen and the parasites who came from abroad to drink the blood of his people.  They met regarding the King's country.

His son, King Dinuzulu, was imprisoned at St Helena and other members of the Royal House, Prince Ndabuko the descendant of Mpande, Prince Shingane the descendant of Mpande as well as Nkosana Zungu.  

On his ill-fated return, the King was again arrested and imprisoned in Newcastle, where at the mercy of Prime Minister Louis Botha, he was transferred to Middelburg, where he was sold off.  That is where he was imprisoned until his death.  He returned in a coffin for burial at Kwa-Nobamba.

We would be happy if the dignity of the Monarchy could be restored.  We would be happy and satisfied if the boarders of Zululand could be returned to the Zulu nation under the auspices of the Monarchy.  If that does not happen, history will repeat itself.

When we were gathered at Nyokeni, on September 19, 1994, the State President said that the Zulu Monarchy was far superior than any other existing Monarchies in South Africa.  Those were his words he just said independently, without pressure from anyone.

This year, the President said all Monarchs are equal and any nation which claims that its Monarch is superior to others would have to pay that Monarch's salary.  Therefore, those statements were made by one person, who is respected by the country and the world.  They puzzle us.

I would like to say, we are silently aware that our King and the Monarchy are being used in campaigns.  In political campaigns, there is mud slinging.  Why is the Monarch drawn into situations where there is mud slinging?  As far as we are concerned, the King is above politics.

People died for this Monarchy and people are still going to die for it.  The Monarchy will not cease to exist with this current Monarch.  Amongst his children will rise a son who will be our King.  Therefore, we do not want our King to be led astray and used as lead oxen during campaigns intended to draw supporters.

Many things have been said regarding the Prime Minister of the Zulu Nation.  There are those who say there has never been anything of that sort.  That is a disgrace coming from people who are Zulus.  

They know full well that for the King of Bulawayo, it was Ngomane of the Mdletshe people, it was Mdlaka.  For the King of Mgungundlovu, it is well know that it was Ndlela the descendant of Sompisi.  For the King of Kwa-Nodwengu, it is common knowledge that it was Masiphula the descendant of Mamba and Mnyamana the descendant of Ngqengelele.  Therefore, those who are saying that there has never been a Prime Minister are not telling the truth.

The KwaZulu Monarchy is similar to the Swazi Monarchy and the Lesotho Monarchy.  There is a Prime Minister in Swaziland.  There is a Prime Minister in Lesotho and there is a Prime Minister in England.  Therefore, no Monarchy can survive without a base.

Efforts that were and that are still being made to put a wedge between Prince Buthelezi and his son will never succeed because Zulu history was created, and it will never be altered by people who want to accomplish their own objectives.

I do not know if my brother Burrows is here as well as Mr Schutte.  Mr Burrows told us in last weekend's newspaper that Premier Mtshali wants to revive the Zulu Monarchy. 

Now, Mr Burrows says Mr Mtshali wants to revive the Zulu Monarchy.  For your information Mr Burrows... T/E
(pg 22 ln 18- pg 24 ln 29)

TRANSLATION:  Chairperson, I will start by commending the Premier's report.  The manner in which he presented it, makes it seem as if he is an old hand at this thing.

I will also sound a warning because our presence here is a mirror for the people we lead regarding the manner in which we interact.  Do we choke and offend each other with our statements?  It is improper to criticise one person using, as an example, the actions of another, as Mr Xaba did when comparing Dr Ngubane with our new Premier.  That is distasteful because it is sewing seeds of conflict.

He is warning against the rage he speaks of, and yet, he is sewing seeds of conflict.  We request that such statements be sieved.

There is no doubt about the enormity of the Monarchy and its necessity to black people.  All African nations believe in Monarchies.  The Xhosa, the Zulus, the Mpondos, the Sothos and all others, including the Shangans and the Ndebeles, all originated from  Monarchies.

If we were to discard our Monarchy, we would be destroying our very essence because that was where our minds were created.  We would be behaving like bats, taking up things that are foreign to us.

When we examine white nations, we see that they too originated from Monarchies.  England today is governed by a King or a Queen.  In Germany there were Kings, such as the Kaiser.  Although in our Government here in KwaZulu-Natal, there were doubts about the situation of the Monarchy, about financially taking care of His Majesty, the King, it became clear that it was necessary.  

For a long time, there were a lot of difficulties in the Premier's Committee.  Sometimes during discussions one would mention the King, and there would be howling and confusion to an extent that it would become apparent that what was being discussed was useless and had to be stopped.

There were discussions which led to the agreement that the King's budget, in fact the Monarchy's budget, should be clearly stated, so that it would be clear how much would be allocated for taking care of the Monarchy.

The needs were then assessed by the Committee.  It was revealed exactly what they were so that the Royal House could leave comfortably because that is where we owe our allegiance.  We can divert in all directions, speaking English, and speaking English.  But, in the end, there is only one language for us, the Zulu language.

People used to ridicule the fact that His Majesty, the King, has farms, saying what would the money be used for because the King is a farmer?  The money provided for the King's farms would be wasted.  But, I am pleased that, ultimately, in the meeting it was agreed that His Majesty's budget should be clarified so that His Majesty, himself, would know his limits as he went about utilising his funds for his needs as our King.

That is why there was agreement on the allocation of
R12 240,000 so that His Majesty, the King, could live comfortably.

With these words, I commend the way in which the budget was allocated, and I support it.  Thank you.  T/E (pg 28 ln 20-pg 29 ln 18)

[We thank the hon member]
(pg 29 ln 20)

[a grown up girl is wooed using lies],
(pg 31 ln 34)

[Hon Mr Mantshinga].
(pg 32 ln 1)

TRANSLATION:  Mr Speaker, I am grateful for this opportunity.  There are people in this House who continue to sling mud at other Africans.  When they see you talking with other parties, they say you belong to those parties.  Yet, they themselves meet and cuddle with other parties in private.  Therefore, to us pure Africans, that is immaterial because to us, all Africans are the same.  T/E
(pg 32 ln 22-24)

TRANSLATION:  I speak that way as an older person who acts as a mediator.  First of all let me thank Mr Premier on that in the end, we have resolved the problem of His Majesty's budget.  Everything that is stated and that will be done for His Majesty is pleasing.  It was bad to attempt to ration, bit by bit, the allocation of His Majesty, when he owns this land.  He is the owner of everything in existence: sugar cane fields, forests, the land, rivers and everything else.  We are grateful.  We hope it will continue that way. 

We in the PAC, as pure Africans, we respect the entire Monarchy.  That is why we do not understand why in Africa Amakhosi are referred to as Traditional Leaders.  And then reference is made to English Royalty.  That is why we are saying that ours, is Royalty and it should always be respected and its members should respect themselves.

Some people are just talking, yet they would not have this country were it not for Amakhosi who fought for it and defended this country from annexation.  It would be like other countries.  But, Amakhosi, led by the Kings of that time, fought.  I can count them as the Prince did.  Some Amakhosi led battles, others were izinduna in battle.  Therefore, that has to be remembered and Amakhosi should be respected.  T/E
(pg 33 ln 6-15)

[Let me proceed Chairperson and say],
(pg 33 ln 17)

[There is one minute Mahlobo].
(pg 39 ln 10)

[Mahlobo's time is up]. 
(pg 39 ln 22)

[Thank you, sir.  I am not going to sit down because you had said there were two minutes left]
(pg 39 ln 24)

.  [No it is up Mahlobo].
(pg 39 ln 27)

TRANSLATION:  Let me say thank you, Chairperson, that as an elderly person, at sunset, I am getting an opportunity to speak.  Firstly, let me say thank you for the presentation by the hon Premier of the Province of KwaZulu.  I commend it.

Before I commence with my prepared speech, Chairperson, let me express disappointment at the talk of democracy, democracy, which permits young children such as the hon Cyril Xaba to disrespect an older man, by attacking him.

What I know is that this evening it will all be on radio, as my brother in the African National Congress has said, the radio belongs to them.  The things that Cyril Xaba said when attacking the Premier of the Province of KwaZulu will be broadcast today.

Chairperson, let me say that today, in commending the honourable's speech, firstly, I am grateful for his presence here to lead our KwaZulu Government.  I am grateful for the presence of the hon Ms E N Shandu, who is in charge of the Department of Education.

It is disheartening for me to hear some people saying that the hon Mtshali is new, saying that the hon E N Shandu is new.  Let me say this is an old hand.  We saw him alongside the Prince of Kwa-Phindangene, leading the KwaZulu Government.

He will not learn anything new.  He was trained, properly trained, and he will lead from experience.  Today I speak under the Department of the hon Hlabangane.  Even the Department of His Majesty, the King, uNomthebe, is under the Department of the hon Hlabangane.

You will remember that in all the provinces under this Government of National Unity, in which the IFP is also involved, there is no other province with a King.  It is only this Province led by Hlabangane.

Mr Speaker, I know that in all the provinces there is a law authorising provinces to have casinos for gambling.  That gambling also falls under the Department of the Premier.

Speaker, I would like to delve only into the issue of casinos and gambling.  I remember the days of the Government led by the Prince of Kwa-Phindangene, Dr M G Buthelezi.  He had it extremely difficult, facing the apartheid Government, which was led by Afrikaners under the auspices of the National Party.

He also faced oppression by the African National Congress, which was advocating for the imposition of sanctions against this country.  Yet the Prince of Kwa-Phindangene led this Government up until today.

Hon Chairperson, hon Premier, first of all, in all your life, you grew up in this country.  You were educated in this country and you qualified in this country.  Not even for one month did you sleep in the wilderness.  Not even for six months were you away from this country.  You stayed in this country.

You have never once been confused as to where your home is located.  You never got lost.  You are living in a place that is familiar to you.  I, David Ntombela, do not want anyone to think that you ever slept in the wilderness with animals and rabbits.  You have never done that Mageba.

The Afrikaner Government used to give the KwaZulu Government very little money.  With that money, the Prince of Kwa-Phindangene would build the schools that are here today.  There is not even one school that was built by this Government of National Unity, which is led by the African National Congress, not even one.

My hon one sitting in that Chair, I would like to say that Hlabangane was here in charge of the Department of Education as a Minister.  Today, it surprises me that anyone can come up and say Hlabangane is the one inciting conflict.  Do you even know what type of an animal an AK-47 is?

Today, Sir and your hon House, I say this is an expert.  This is an expert.  Speaker, I will focus my speech on the distinguished leader, Dr Buthelezi who faced the African National Congress and ministers of religion who were campaigned for economic sanctions against this country.  Even ministers of religion were saying that people should die.

Yet today, the African National Congress and the ministers of religion are the ones occupying the seats of the African National Congress.  Today, the African National Congress will say that the people who voted for it, people who died due to sanctions, should reincarnate and vote for it again.  Those fools died in 1994, those fools are no longer here.

It bothers me today, Mr Chairperson, that we have a problem of firms closing down, and we know who closed them down.  Today, people are unemployed, and it is known exactly who closed them down.  It is common knowledge that the African National Congress closed down firms, it is because of them that there are no factories.

Even ministers of religion, bishops, were supporting the African National Congress.  Today, even the broadcasters that I spoke of earlier, broadcasters we were suspicious of, are they today not in the African National Congress?  Are they not talking about AIDS?  We used to say that they were partial and aligned to an organisation.

Today, others are yet to be revealed.  There are many of them there.

Mr Chairperson, in the Department led by the Premier, casinos and gambling are very important because people who are dying of hunger will get some money and be able to feed their children.

I support you, Mr Chairperson, our hon Mr Premier, in that we should encourage the opening of casinos so that people will be able to get jobs.

I know that when the casinos open, many hawks will run in the forefront because there is money involved.  They will forget that they said firms should close down and leave.  You will see, their names will be there clamouring for inclusion in casinos.

I am saying, they should be watched so that they are prevented from getting the casinos they want.

Thank you Sir.  I am now going to sit down because you had said there were two minutes left.

I Know that there is a lot of work facing the hon member in charge of safety and security, Inkosi Ngubane, who is supposed to employ police.....  T/E
(pg 39 ln 310 pg 41 ln 26)

[The hon member should sit down, time is up. [LAUGHTER] You will again get your chance.  We are still here in Maritzburg].  I now call upon the hon member Mr Burrows to address the House for six minutes.
(pg 41 ln 28)

TRANSLATION:  Chairperson, I will not collaborate the hon Gwala's statement that Sifiso Zulu is like a Rasputin because it is something he does not know.

We, in the Democratic Party, are also pleased that the vote of the Royal House has been consolidated because we will see what happens to this vote.

Now, going back to Prince Gideon Zulu's speech, he spoke at length about the Monarchy.  I would like to tell him that there are many of us who envy the culture and traditions of the Zulu people, for their respect.  We also envy them.

Proceeding, I want to say that there is conflict between the Monarchy and the election of a democratic government.  There is no other way I can express this, except to say that there is conflict between these two things.

There is conflict because the powers accorded the democratic government are in conflict with the powers you want to give to Amakhosi.  We have heard several times that there is support for the Monarchy, yet when I listen to the speeches of the African National Congress every year, I see that they look down upon the Monarchy.  But, on the other hand, they are bribing the Monarchy.

When we look at this budget, we see that the budget for the salaries of Amakhosi is R20 million.  The budget for the Royal House is R12 million and together they amount to R32 million.  However, the budget supporting the tribal courts and the House of Traditional Leaders together amounts to R6 million.

I am saying, this demonstrates only one thing, that on one hand we are paying salaries to Amakhosi and yet on the other hand, we are digging deep to ensure that structures are unable to function properly.

The ultimate consequence of this will be the downfall of the Monarchy, which is something we have to prevent.  T/E
(pg 46 ln 15-35)

TRANSLATION:  If you just take a look Chairperson and your House, there is good co-operation.  The clinics are covering the mountains of KwaZulu.  Hospitals that were crumbling have been renovated and made new.  The hospital for specialists known as the Durban Academic Hospital is over there covering the hill-side of Cato Manor.  This is the work of the Department of Works.  T/E
(pg 73 ln 33-35)

[That impressive work of the National Department of Works was done by a son of KwaZulu-Natal, the hon Minister Jeff Radebe, who worked with the lady who is now with us, Mrs Shandu.  It was nice to see them working with Minister Mtetwa].
(pg 74 ln 8)
 
[We miss them, as one person says]
(pg 74 ln 25)

[There is a pit at that school]
(pg 77 ln 1)

[It is in his home area, Kwa-Mthethwa, he cannot go and renovate schools in his area, therefore it is better if he renovates other schools in another area].
(pg 77 ln 7)

[No, for now, I am just looking at them Nyambose].
(pg 80 ln 23)


TRANSLATION:  Chairperson, let me say thank you, Sir, for this opportunity to respond to speakers who have presented contributions.  I am particularly grateful that my children understand their duties.

Firstly, let me say that although these are times of disagreements and conflicts all over the world, what they have said is that a lot has improved regarding their suspicions.

But, I do not take their suspicions, although much of that is about companies and partisanship.  I often accept it because all this suspicion arms one.

When old chaps such as Burrows speak, they have come a long way.  They used to be the United Party until they dropped and became something else. [LAUGHTER]

You see, they know that the issue of governing a country is no child's play.

Volker and others started off as the National Party, today they are the New National Party. [LAUGHTER]

You see, Chairperson, besides jokes, I often say, we African people, such as Makhaye and Cele who are always ready to attack, what we are dealing with, my children, is something extremely difficult.  Miller knows this.

You must be careful that everything you say should be based on well considered ideas of really improving yourselves, and not about the laws of this Department of Public Works.  If we waste time on party politics - that is what delayed the National Party and the parties such as the DP.  Yet, God had given them such a wonderful opportunity.  Never in my life on earth have I seen any group of people given such a wonderful opportunity as the previous Governments had.

HON MEMBERS: INTERJECTION

Ask Sir, what they were given.  Mediate over here Chairperson.

THE CHAIRPERSON:  No, for now, I am just looking at them Nyambose.

REV C J MTETWA: (Minister of Public Works):  Just tell me, people to whom God gave brains for building ships, building aeroplanes, making guns, making all this, God gave them all the wit to out-smart us, the money became theirs, mealie meal was theirs and they had free labour, yet they still failed to govern this country.

Now they are still advising us to take the route that led them to failure.  My children, I am saying, Nkombose was no fool.  She looked at the rock and decided that no, one should not go under it no matter how much mealies was placed near it.  You will find yourselves in a trap because you get mesmerised by the beauty of the English language that you speak.

Chairperson, let me thank Mr Hamilton's for his speech.  Although I will not be able follow everything he said one by one.  He expressed the ideas of a real bald man.  An older person speaks honest words that befit his age.

Let me thank my friend, the one with a moustache, Ainslie here.  Ainslie is my friend.  We just reject each other at day time [LAUGHTER].  T/E
(pg 82 ln 3- pg 83 ln 2)

[What do you do at night].
(pg 83 ln 4)


REV C J MTETWA: (Minister of Public Works):  Oh, now am I suppose to tell you all that?  You know, in his heart and mind he knows that I take all his advice and the suspicions he express in our own way that is demonstrative of falling in and out of love.  I receive them with an open heart.  I promise him that I will do as he says, only where its proper.

Mr Naicker over there also stated some very important things.  Besides him being a Nationalist, he spoke of very proper issues.  

Mr Mzobe always speaks frankly and straight.  He is a politician, but his politics is straight.  In everything he said, nothing was out of line.  I promise him that all his advices did not go to waste.

Mr Burrows is a person who always has constructive criticism and sound advice.  Even today, he did so.  But, there is one thing I cannot assist him with at this time, and that is the question on why officials of the Department were suspended.

I do not have the power to suspend officials of the Department.  They were suspended with the authority of the Cabinet.  Therefore, you must write down that question and I will respond appropriately.

Doctor Mtalane talked about the process and the state of the Department of Public Works, despite the fact that other people criticise it.  But, what she expressed are things that are really taking place and that are common knowledge, beside the fact that there is disagreement since it is that time for disagreements.

Do you know of the time for disagreements?  Cele are you here?  Mrs Galea, the hon member also expressed some very important things that are being done by the Department.  When she expressed gratitude, she commended the work of the Department.  She stated things that are really being done, things that have been done and those that are yet to be done.  I commend her thinking.

The hon member, Mr Mkhwanazi also touched upon Mr Burrow's issue of suspended officials.  There too, Sir, the answer is the same.  The suspension of officials is not within the powers of the Minister, it is within the authority of the Cabinet.  Therefore, that can be responded to by way of an appropriate question.

I can say that the hon Mr Vezi, as far as I know him, is careful in his speech and he is clear about what he says.  He touched on the issue that my friend here said I do not attend MINMEC meetings.  I am not certain how sure he is of that.  When he spoke regarding that statement, even there what Mr Vezi said is acceptable.  He did not get out of line.

Going back to the hon member, my friend, Mr Xaba here.  In everything that Mr Xaba said, today he demonstrated maturity.  He has matured.  He was not expressing party politics.  He was stating a fact.  Therefore, praise must be afforded where it is due, so that he can continue to progress and not regress.

You see, my friend Cele and I are fighting over the fact that the Cele people ran away from the Mtetwa people.  No, my boys are maturing.  There is nothing, Chairperson, I can say was improper in what was said. 

The hon members expressed, what in their views, what they believed should be expressed given the circumstances.

When people are wooing a grown up girl, they do not all say the same thing.  No one goes to her and say Mhlomi, whose proposal have you accepted, has he cattle at home.  Everyone says Mhlomi does not have cattle, therefore come to me.  Everyone who spoke selected only negative things that are done by the Department of Public Works.  There were a few people who said positive things.  People want to ensure that in future, they will be selected as Ministers of Works.

Chairperson, with these few words, thank you.  T/E
(pg 83 ln 36- pg 84 ln 8)

[he places his friends in positions and people with whom he socialises over refreshments under a tree.  You find that it is just a particular club](pg 132 ln 23)

[You find that he is the one who knows all the programme of events taking place in the entire world].
(pg 133 ln 18)

[you failed to control your own children and then you come and act foolishly towards us].
(pg 133 ln 23)

TRANSLATION:  Let me begin by expressing gratitude and congratulate all those schools that had a 100% pass in their matric examinations last year.

That is commendable work.  Those schools must continue the good work.  I also congratulate those schools who had 70% to 90% pass in matric last year.

I encourage those schools that had below 50% to 60% pass to do better this year.  Yes, their work is good but it has not yet reached a satisfactory level.  They can still do better than that.

I also wish to congratulate the Minister, my predecessor, Dr Zulu, for his work in completing the amalgamation of five Departments of Education in this Province of KwaZulu-Natal.  I think it was not an easy task.  I am saying, Mageba you must stand, forever, firm.

I also wish to thank, on my behalf, all my teachers.  I want to tell KwaZulu-Natal and the entire country of South Africa that as a Minister today, I am a product of teachers who were dedicated to their work, teaching me.

I am a product of people such as Miss Nicholina Sibiya, the very one who had passed standard one.  They taught me in 1950.  Miss Sellina Msibi, the very one, who had passed standard two.  I must also highly commend the work of Samuel Makhanya of Georgedale, who taught me standard three, standard four, standard five and standard six.  T/E
(pg 135 ln 35- pg 136 ln 12)

TRANSLATION:  Thank you Chairperson.  I will speak only in Zulu.  Education in our schools, particularly black schools, has many problems that require the co-operation of parents, teachers and the Government.  By the Government, I mean the Department of Education.

The Department is led by the hon Minister, who is working in co-operation with a team of educational experts, people who are also extremely experienced in education and administration.

At that level, is where regulations are because that is the information centre.  That is why the Committee on Education was concerned when they could not get an answer on the number of teachers in this Department.  We had a perception that there was an official in charge of personnel in this Department, who was not doing his or her job.

He or she relied on the fact that it was the Minister who would be blamed and that official would hide behind him.  As adults, we constructively implore that the officials of the Department should do their work with honesty, so that their Minister could be proud of them.  So that she could walk tall, with her head held high.

Parents are now involved in governing councils.  They have been empowered, and they now have increased authority compared to previous committees.  It would be good for communities to select people to these committees with honesty and base the selection on talents instead of partisanship.                   
Now that these councils are a reality, there should be unity within the community.  Let us witness schools changing, becoming clean, being decorated with flowers and lovely trees.  Let us see children enjoying education, and having pride in their schools.

In that way, we will be properly nurturing our young nation.  It would be good for parents to involve themselves in sports and cultural functions.  Children should not be by themselves, staring each other in the face.  Parents should be present, clapping hands and encouraging them.

It would be good to see schools fenced and each having a gate, and children wearing name tags.  Parents and teachers should make an effort in ensuring safety in our schools.  The Government cannot do all this at once, although it is thought of as a "big, rich man."  But when teachers take ownership of a school and raise funds through soliciting contributions, they are able to improve what belongs to them.  Parents have to refuse to see their schools destroyed by unruly people.  Unruly people coming from the community itself.  

Towards the re-opening of schools, there often is a lot of noise amongst leaders of the various sectors of government regarding the delivery of books to schools before they re-open.  Yes, it has to be so.  However, that cannot happen without a storeroom and a school caretaker or even an appropriately built and safe school principal's office.

Let us comment carefully and constructively about education.  We should make National Education our responsibility, regardless of whether or not one has a child at school.  Often there is comment that the defunct KwaZulu Government worked at a chameleon's pace.  But, this is because it refused to take up independence, and was not given sufficient funds.  They took people who had failed even in Pretoria and made them Heads of Departments, dumping them in areas Governed by black people.

The Nationalists ensured that there was no progress, using todays language, young people would be remote controlled by the pace of progress.

In urban areas they built cheap schools.  The Nationalists ensured that near a school, there would be a bottle store and a beer hall.  There were no sports grounds nor libraries because in their view, we did not deserve that.  

In rural areas people would try to make ends meet, and build schools.  If it were not for that, there would be no schools.  One hopes that school councils would take a step towards uniting communities, so that they become familiar with each other and engage in discussions with superintendents of local schools.  They should talk to teachers and be familiar with them as well as with regional directors.

To me this relationship is vital in strengthening community ownership of schools.  One wishes to implore teachers to teach parents to inspect their children's school work and sign it.  

One becomes encouraged to talk in this manner because our teacher's children, in black schools, do not attend the same schools where they teach.  Many of them are being educated at multi-racial schools.  

They get summoned, as parents, to meetings and they attend.  Even at night, at 7, they are summoned and they attend.  They are not in too much haste to get off.  It would be good for them to also meet with their pupils' parents, because they recognise the value of those meetings.

One should be able to convey the acquired knowledge to others with whom one interacts, particularly to poor parents who are unable to take their children to multi-racial schools.  Let us build our nation.  No one will build our nation for us.  We will have to build it ourselves.  

When I reflect on the work done by the radio, particularly the famous radio Ukhozi, which has many wings, I see that it plays a major role in education.  We thank Ukhozi for that.

I have a complaint here.  There is an educational programme that comes on at about a quarter to three on weekdays.  Since it starts while children are still on their way home, is it not possible to start it a bit later because it addresses very important things.

THE CHAIRPERSON:  The member is only left with one minute to wind up.  Thank you.

DR L J T MTALANE:  We also ask broadcasters to assist in ensuring that the public speaks proper Zulu.  People say "Ngikhonzela [I send greetings to] yet, they are the ones sending the greetings.  It is the same as when a young man speaks to a young girl.  He would say "will you please greet your heart for me." That is just a form of speech.  

Broadcasters can rectify that.  I say this because their leader, Bhodloza, corrected many words, telling the public about: ukufisela [to wish someone something], unwele olude [long live], ukuhalalisela [to congratulate].  If he was able to do that, others could do it too.  It only requires patience and placing on oneself a responsibility to teach others. 

Chairperson and your hon House, it is our responsibility to work together in improving education in our country.  We thank the Prince of Nkombabantu, Dr V T Zulu, for the work he did for this land of Mthaniya, despite having the burden of being heavily criticised.  But, he persevered.

We wish the hon Minister Mrs Shandu and the Superintendent-General, the gentlemen here, Dr M Jarvis and all his staff in this Department well.  I wish for increased success this year.  Thank you Chairperson, I support the budget.  T/E
(pg 158 ln 35- pg 160 ln 30)
[Thank you Sir]. (pg 168 ln 17)

[I would like to ask, Chairperson, whether the hon Nonkosi will take a question]. (Pg 170 ln 2)

[I apologise, I will not be able to accept my Inkosi's question].(pg 170 ln 7)

[We are now moving to the stage of concluding this task].
(pg 175 ln 31



