The MINISTER OF INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS ANDCO-OPERATION: No,

it is evidence that has been provided by a range of nongovernmental organisations, both in Israel and Palestine, because we don't only speak to Palestinians, we speak to peace-loving Israelis as well. Weknow that there is a lot of fake news that attempts to cast Palestinians in a bad light. It has been admitted, even from the White House spokesperson, that that statement that was made at the highest level was actually proven not to be factual. So, hon member, I've responded to your question. And it is important, as I said at the start of my contribution, that when we speak on these matters, let us speak being honest and factual.

The facts are The people of Palestine are denied the right to exist as human beings. They are denied the right to enjoy the freedoms and rights we so love as South Africans - the rights and freedoms we fought so hard for, the rights and freedoms we united on as a diverse South African people. Today some of us in this House believe these rights belong to some and not to others. That is not the South African way. We believe all human beings enjoy the right to exist in freedom, enjoying justice and humanity, and that is the message that has to come out of this House.

This House cannot stand up for abuse. It cannot stand up for the infringement of other human beings, no matter who those human beings are. We've never sought retribution. I have the story that my grandfather died of a broken heart. He was a tailor and he had worked very hard - his fingers down to the skin to make enough money to buy a House in Durban and they got that House - my grandfather and my grandmother. Two years after they got it, the area was declared a white area. They lost that House without compensation and he essentially died of a broken heart. I have no retribution because today I am part of seeking to build a better South Africa. Our role must be to seek to build a better world that that benefit we enjoy of human rights, of a fantastic Constitution, of having institutions that are democratic and work for all of us - that privilege is not just for us, it must be for everyone. In any debate we have, if we are true to ourselves, if we are true to our history, if we are true to what we have achieved, we will stand up and say what is being done to the people of Palestine is wrong, is intolerable and we will not pretend to accept it. I thank you, Chairperson.

Debate concluded.

## CONSIDERATION OF BUDGETARY REVIEW AND RECOMMENDATION REPORT OF PORTFOLIO COMMITTEE ON HEALTH ON PERFORMANCE OF NATIONAL DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND ENTITIES 2022-23

There was no debate. The Chief Whip of the Majority Party moved: That the Report be adopted.

#### Declarations of vote:

Mrs MBHICKLIN: House Chair, the public health sector is in severe crisis and in need of a major turnaround strategy. There is no indication that the national Department of Health has any tenacity in achieving fiscal stability through controlled government expenditure and debt reduction. Just look at the medico- legal claims of R77 billion under the department and expenditure that was returned in the financial year of nearly R1,7 billion. At this stage the public health system is on life support and there is no political will to fix it. Instead, the ANC government is touting the National Health Insurance, NHI, which is totally unachievable in this economic climate.

This ANC government speaks about protecting vulnerable South Africans, but the decline of the health system year on year is dismal. The lack of sufficient management of funding and resources has resulted in an overburdened system that struggles to meet the basic health care needs of citizens.