PREMIER'S RESPONSE
Mr Speaker, to paraphrase the Honourable Member Mr Hatch:
Never in the history of this Legislature have so many been forced to listen to
so much hot air from a party with so few ideas.
It is the height of opportunism and a bad attempt at rewriting history for the Honourable Member Mr Hatch to claim that his party championed the cause of the oppressed and the dehumanized.
There was no Democratic Party in 1958, Honourable member Mr Hatch. Unless you want to say to us that the United Party were your forebears.
Mr Speaker, sometimes no matter how eloquent the facts may be, they cannot always speak for themselves. They can be appropriated and twisted to deceive the people. So is the truth, often too a victim of those who consider it a bitter pill to swallow.
But as always, our people shall be the judges. They pronounced their judgement in April 1994 and again last June. Their verdict was simple and clear: an overwhelming vote of confidence in the performance of ANC government over the last five years and in our new vision and plans for the new millenium.
Yesterday, I dedicated over two-thirds of my address to concrete issues of delivery for the betterment of the lives of our people. Yet today, some Honourable Members, in responding to that speech, reduce it to simple and trivial matters.
One wonders why they are not talking about those things that matter most to every person in the street: clinics, hospitals, roads, jobs, schools, and a better life for all.
This explains why on both occasions when our people had to pronounce their Judgement they gave an overwhelming victory to the ANC. Yet, we have a semblance of opposition in this House, four Members representing four political parties in a province of three million people.
Our agenda shall be set by the people, not by individuals who represent themselves and their friends. I cannot but agree with Honourable Mthembu that our province can do better. We have so much to offer.
Mr Speaker, there are those who say that I did not say how I was going to deal with corrupt Members of the Executive and this legislature. It is not my fault that the understanding of the word "Corrupt officials" by some Honourable Members does not include duly elected representatives and servants of the people.
Admittedly, Mr Speaker, there is a heavy backlog in the delivery of social services in this province. But we are bound to significantly reduce that in the next five years.
This is a solemn pledge I make.
Mr Speaker, I have apologised to the people of this province and this country for the unfortunate remarks. I am presently working with the Public Protector, Advocate Selby Baqwa, to ensure that his investigation into this matter comes to a close as a matter of urgency in the interest of good governance, not only in this province but also in the country as a whole.
It is indeed the Premier's constitutional prerogative to appoint his cabinet even without consulting a single soul in this country. But in my case, I did consult extensively in putting together this team that I am happy with.
I am not aware of, and neither am I in possession of any conclusive proof or concrete evidence incriminating any of my MEC's in wrongdoing.
I wish to invite any person who may have such information to make it available to me and I promise to act decisively on that should that evidence warrants it.
Let us not turn this province into a drunken brawl. Let us fold our sleeves and get back to work to deliver on the basic needs of our people.
Work, work and work! This is a battle call. This is what our people want.
I thank you.