The ACDP is concerned that the appointment of the nominee, Mr Errol Magerman, will compromise the impartiality and independence of the Public Service commission. It also flies in the face of government’s commitment to professionalise the public service and build a capable state.

And one of the things we do not address enough is how to rehabilitate youth, and how to use restorative justice to rehabilitate young offenders and offer them a way out of gangs.

Our nation cannot be allowed to become one of illegalities. We have illegal electricity and water connections, illegal drug and gun smuggling, and illegal mining on the rise.

The years of secrecy and hidden corrupt activity, must be exposed. According to the Zondo commission, theft of more than 57-billion rand of public funds was involved by the alleged architects of state capture, the Gupta family, who personally raked in at least 15 and a half billion rand.

The consequences of this proposed legislation will be far-reaching and very costly, with the inevitable consequence that we may face an exodus out of the country by medical corporations and human capital.

It is disgraceful that female law professionals should be regarded as less competent or not suited for certain types of law on account of their gender. In addition, women of colour often face additional discrimination by virtue of their race, alongside that of gender. This is wrong. 

Article 18 of the African Charter of Human Rights, to which South Africa is a signatory, states that, “The family shall be the natural unit and basis of society. It shall be protected by the State which shall take care of its physical health and moral. The State shall have the duty to assist the family which is the custodian of morals and traditional values recognized by the community.”

Mr President, government should support and encourage all our farmers and farm workers to produce more food for the country and increase their livestock. We don’t want poisonous meat produced in a laboratory somewhere that is now promoted by the global elites. We want real meat from cattle, sheep and goats raised on farms, and not from laboratories.

There is a critical need for a round-table on the plight of vulnerable children, and the urgency for this Committee to increase oversight on the work of the Department in this sector. We have requested a round-table Minister, in Committee, and want to reiterate that call here today.

The central role of the state is to protect its citizens. Sadly, citizens do not feel safe in their homes, public, at schools or places of employment. We see criminal syndicates also targeting our SOEs, such as Eskom and Transnet. We also see so-called construction mafia, preventing much-needed infrastructure being built.

The housing projects intended for the three under-utilised military airports in Cape Town which would provide homes for 67 000 households is mired in the apparent lack of policy coordination between DPWI, Human Settlements, Defence and the Housing Development Agency.

It is not right for rape victims to face their rapists in court before the DNA results are finalised. Detectives should be empowered to finalise cases by providing them with complete forensic evidence. Prosecutors are frustrated when court cases are withdrawn because of DNA delays.