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DA: Herman Groenewald: Address by DA Member on Joint Standing Committee on Intelligence, during the budget vote debate on State Security, Parliament (26/04/2016)

DA: Herman Groenewald: Address by DA Member on Joint Standing Committee on Intelligence, during the budget vote debate on State Security, Parliament (26/04/2016)

26th April 2016

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Honourable Speaker

Members of Parliament

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Daniel Cole Said: “Leadership is not domination, it is the art of persuading people to work toward a common goal.”

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If we look at the analysis of the Constitutional Court judgement at the end of the Nkandla Road, it is clear in the Constitutional Court’s finding that President Jacob Zuma failed to comply with the remedial actions as specified by the Public Protector and broke his oath to uphold the Constitution.

There is no other option, no other court of appeal, short of giving up on the rule of law and governing by might alone.

Then there is the Gupta scandal where a family’s influence on the economy boils down to the hijacking of the state, but that is not where the saga ends. Oakbay Resources and the withdrawal from South African banks doing business with the Gupta’s, the allegation WRT Nuclear power and the latest WRT contracts need serous investigation by all the security entities in this country.

All around us are people who break the law on a routine basis.  Because of the rotten relationship between the President and the corrupt Gupta family, it seems that it is a norm within the ruling party where influential members are implicated in fraudulent tender allocations.

How many times have we seen the blue light brigades breaking the speed limit or Maserati’s outside the ANC event s without number plates, or someone unfit being appointed as head of the National Prosecuting Authority or the Hawks?

How many times have we all just shook our heads and thought that simply cannot be right?

One of the reasons so many people feel so good about this Constitutional Court Ruling, is that it confirms what we have known all along. The man at the top doesn’t obey the law, and he has set the example for so many others in the ANC.

A matter of big concern is the suspected ISIS agents visit to a Durban school on Wednesday, 13 April 2016. The questions then is whether ISIS was on a recruitment drive at a Durban School that day.

Parents of children at Northwood High School raised their concern after two visitors at the school from Saudi Arabia, accompanied by a South African, handing out DVDs and pamphlets to some of the Grade 12 learners.  Parents fear that they promote extremisms and it could be seen as an attempt to recruit members to Islam State.

If one looks at the challenges on the South African borders, this incident is typical and can easily relate to our poor border control.  There is not enough personnel available to defend the influx of undocumented immigrants to South Africa.

It is no wonder that there is rumours that extremist find a safe harbour in South Africa.

This Minister, needs serious investigation and you need to assure our residents that this is not the case.

Border posts are under-staffed and some even lack the basic facilities to undertake effective border policing such as facsimile machines, a consistent electricity supply, and proper living quarters for police, customs and immigration officers, vehicles and proper search and storage facilities.

There is a lack of communication between the agencies working in the same field resulting in the loss of valuable information on crime and crime syndicates.

Corruption is a fact that needs to be dealt with immediately as South Africa loses revenue as a result of border crimes that lead to non-payment of duties.

Firearm-related crime is increasing at alarming rates in South Africa and some of these illegal firearms enter the South African markets as a result of smuggling activities across the borders.

Cybercrime is becoming a bigger and bigger threat to the safety of all South Africans as well as Government.

Vernon Fryer, Chief Technology Security Officer, at Vodacom, presented alarming statistics from the Vodacom Cyber Intelligence Centre revealing a 150% increase in the number of distributed denial of service (DDOS) attacks in the past 18 months in South Africa.

The country has suffered the most cyber-attacks in African during the course of the last year and the African Union convention has shown that South Africa is far behind when it comes to cyber security trends and implementation.

Government as well as the private sector must work together in this regard.

The task of maintaining the safety and security of society is critical to the success of all government programmes.

Therefore the focus must be on matters of national interest, including terrorism, sabotage, subversion and organized crime.

How is it possible that thieves rob a SAPS crime intelligence unit in 2015 while it is supposed to be one of the most secure buildings in Cape Town? The building houses crucial information in investigation into organized syndicates, gangs and drugs. There have been five break-ins in the last year alone from within the crime intelligence offices, which is supposedly as secure as Parliament.

Further, the importance of filling the vacant Intelligence General of Intelligence post with the correct candidate cannot be overstated and in this position is in the interest of all South Africans.

I thank you.

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