Hansard drops Sonjica - report

Johannesburg - Hansard, the official record of Parliamentary proceedings, does not agree with Buyelwa Patience Sonjica's version of recent events, the Sunday Independent reports.

Sonjica, the Minister of Minerals and Energy, denied on Tuesday that she had said in Parliament on January 30 that all South Africans should go to bed earlier so that they could grow and become "cleverer".

Sonjica said that she was merely chastising the Democratic Alliance's Tony Leon, the former leader of the official opposition, who was heckling her.

"She said her comments to him had been taken out of context and used against her," the newspaper said.

"Unfortunately, a very good message was trivialised," the Minister stated.

Different story

But Hansard, the official, verbatim record of Parliamentary debates and proceedings, tells a different story.

"It reveals that, when she made her comments about going to sleep early, Sonjica was not addressing Leon at all, but was listing her 10 ways of conserving electricity," the Sunday Independent said.

Hansard reads: "Hon members, I want to conclude by introducing these tips - a 10-point plan that will go towards changing our behaviour in the consumption of electricity.

"All appliances must be switched off ... (interjections) ... at the wall, and not the remote control. We can save about 40MW there.

"Switch off all lights in the home when not in use and go to sleep early so that you can grow ... (laughter) ... and be cleverer.

"Boil only as much water in a kettle as is needed. Don't fill up the kettle when you need only two cups."

Leon has read the record.

"Not only is Hansard clear," he said, "but anyone who was there would have noticed that the Minister was reading from a prepared text and not speaking extempore."

- SAPA