Thank you very much, Madam Deputy Speaker. I want to say that when one makes a farewell or says goodbye to people there is usually somebody to say goodbye to, but the House is so empty this afternoon it all seems a little bit hollow.
I want to say right upfront how strange it is to say farewell to an almost empty House, but it really has been the most fascinating year. It started off with the local government elections, and the pace did not seem to subside after that at all. All of a sudden we are here at the end of the year, saying farewell, and I must say the prospect of some well-earned leave is in sight. It has been a fascinating year. It is difficult to even remember the beginning of the year, with those local government elections hanging over us. One other thing is that there has been a great deal of work during the course of the year. The local elections played havoc with the parliamentary programme and we certainly had to play catch-up to a large extent.
There are a number of other things that have happened during this year as well. For example, we have had the trial of a senior party office bearer of a particular party on rape charges, the imprisonment of prominent members of a particular political party on fraud and corruption charges, the unwillingness of a certain political party - in fact two political parties - to accept defeat in the local government elections and their extraordinary attempt to regain power at all costs.
All of these and many other matters have actually influenced and affected the political landscape during the course of the year, but here in Parliament there have been other matters as well, not least of all the ongoing saga of Travelgate with all its ramifications; the Oilgate issue and all that is happening around that now; the Civil Union Bill, with special mention of the extraordinary manner in which it was handled and then, of course, the extraordinary motion of censure of the DA Chief Whip, brought about by the ANC Chief Whip. I am sure we will all accept that there is a particular lesson to be learned from this incident. We are aware that we have an absent friend here today in the form of the same ANC Chief Whip, who seems to have mysteriously disappeared from the scene. Lots of rumours persist, of course. Most of the year he has been present in the Chamber, which at times has taken on the appearance more of a lynch mob than the highest debating Chamber in the land.
But I would say that the important lesson to be learned is this: Be careful who you injure on the way up because you never know when and how you might need them on the way down.
Indeed, it has been a fascinating year. But quite frankly, the fighting is over for a while and it is time now to contemplate a well-earned rest. In doing so, however, we must again bear in mind that when we return next year we will not have the steadying, highly professional hand of Kasper Hahndiek to guide us and again we wish him well in his retirement and thank him for all he has done over the 36 years he has spent in Parliament.
It is also appropriate now to say thank you to other people who have played an important role in Parliament this year.
I want to begin by thanking the ANC very sincerely indeed. This year they have given us so many opportunities to attack them and it has been absolutely wonderful. We have enjoyed every one of them. Thank you for a job truly well done. We look forward to next year, which we are sure will be more of the same. You really do have some big issues to resolve and we look forward to watching you do so. To the ANC, you have made our job most enjoyable, thank you very much indeed. I want to thank the staff of the National Assembly for their hard work. They are a close-knit and professional team. Thank you all for your assistance at all times. While we will miss Mr Hahndiek, we know that you will do the job superbly after he has gone and you will continue his fine tradition. Of course, I do say to the Table staff that a little bit more bias towards opposition parties will be very much appreciated.
I also want to thank the presiding officers and the House Chairs for their role. I am sure that they may have noticed that the DA does not always agree with all their rulings or, certainly, all their decisions but we do acknowledge and accept that they wield the authority and we respect that and consequently toe the line. A lot of important things have happened this year, apart from Mr Van der Merwe's cake and, quite honestly, I want to say to the House - because a great deal of interest has been shown in this particular cake - that it looked a lot better than it tasted and I do have to stress again to the hon Koos that the quality of the candle was totally inappropriate. To bring a candle of such poor quality into this House, I believe, was shocking, but a great deal of this was initiated by Madam Speaker and Madam Deputy Speaker during the course of the year.
I do want to say sincerely that for me one of the highlights of the year was working on the committee established by Madam Speaker on the Moseneke Commission and chaired by the hon Geoff Doidge. It was a great experience. But I would like to say that I hope that committee's work will bear much fruit in the new year.
I also want to thank all my fellow Whips, both from my own party and from other parties. We have worked well together this year and as it is the end of the year and therefore in the spirit of Christmas, I would like to thank hon Sam Louw, who is not in the House at present. Okay, I do recognise him now. Sam, thank you very much for making programming meetings particularly interesting. I also want to thank hon John Jeffery just for being what he is. Certainly, these two gentlemen have helped to make some meetings very interesting, and of course the hon John Jeffery has also helped to make some meetings very boring, but that is another matter all together. And of course I do want to thank hon Margaret Rajbally for just being Margaret.
To the service officers, to the staff, to the security services and everyone associated with Parliament - even Public Works, believe it or not - thank you for what you have done this year and have a good break.
But especially to all of us, Members of Parliament, the DA wishes you all well and a safe and very happy festive season.
Madam Deputy Speaker, I wish to pay tribute to all these tired members who have waited until 18:00 to adjourn for the year. I am very hesitant to refer to candles and cakes in view of who is in the Chair at the moment. May I say this: If you people really want something to work, bring a cake into the House, because I have been notified that I will surely see President Mbeki.
Yet another year is over, Madam Deputy Speaker - a hard year in which we worked hard. I want to contribute by saying we want to go home. I am not going to use all my five minutes. I am dedicating three minutes to you and I am only going to speak for two minutes.
I believe that these end-of-the-year speeches close the door on any conflict or unpleasantness that we have experienced. I believe it is a golden opportunity for Members of Parliament to be just human beings for a while and forget about our political differences, our conflicts and our criticisms against one another. This is the opportunity to just be colleagues. We have worked hard and we are going on leave.
Therefore, we in the IFP wish to thank all our colleagues and the parliamentary staff for a year of excellent co-operation, a very successful year. I agree with everything that the hon Mike has said. I am not going to repeat all those thanks.
We wish all our colleagues and the staff a merry Christmas and a prosperous New Year. May you all rest well and return next year, ready to address the challenge of securing a better life for all South Africans, which is the duty of each and every one of us. Be careful on the roads, we want to see you all back next year. Go well, until next time.
Madam Deputy Speaker and hon members, it is that time of the year when we bid farewell to each other before departing for our constituencies and homes. As always, we can look back upon the year and note that many important decisions and laws were made by Parliament. Once again we must thank each and every hon member, irrespective of political ideology, who participated in the parliamentary process and ensured that vibrant, participatory democracy occurred.
It is also apt that we remember and pay tribute to the many members of staff who support our efforts and keep the wheels of this institution oiled and turning.
When we take the year in review we must also note that we have bid farewell to a number of hon members and staff who passed away. Our thoughts are with their families and friends as they approach this festive season, when the absence of deceased loved ones is often felt most keenly.
This has been a particularly sad year for the many prominent people who passed away, especially in the music industry, where we have lost many of our leading talents.
It is appropriate that as we approach this festive period we take note of the many lives that our roads claim; not only the famous and talented, but more than 10 000 South Africans from every walk of life die on our roads every year. Countless more are maimed and injured. We appeal to all hon members and staff to take special care during this festive season, to travel safely and encourage everyone they meet to follow suit. The carnage must stop.
To our Christian brothers and sisters, we hope that the Christmas celebration will deepen your faith, and to everyone, we hope that the holidays will reinvigorate you and bless you with the company of family and friends. God willing, we will meet in the new year to proceed enthusiastically with the second half of this parliamentary term. I thank you. [Applause.]
Madam Deputy Speaker, on behalf of the ACDP I would like to associate ourselves with the sentiments already expressed. Our sincere thanks to the presiding officers - you, Madam Deputy Speaker, and the House Chairpersons - and Table staff for your kindness and graciousness. Also to the Secretary of Parliament, and all committee, administrative, library, service, security, catering and cleaning staff, a heartfelt word of thanks.
I also wish to thank the media for their ongoing and in-depth coverage of Parliament. It is much appreciated and we trust that they too will have a good rest. We've had a long and challenging year. We've dealt with hugely controversial issues, not least of which was the Civil Union Bill, which might see us returning before Christmas. At all times we in the ACDP have prayed for wisdom and believe we have contributed to robust and hearty debate. At the end of the day we all have the best interests of our nation and our people at heart.
The ACDP wishes you all a very blessed and peaceful Christmas filled with the love of our Lord Jesus Christ. Our prayer for all parliamentarians is: The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make His face shine upon you and be gracious to you; the Lord lift up His countenance upon you and give you peace. I thank you. [Applause.]
Madam Deputy Speaker, we have come to the end of a very long and exhausting year in terms of our parliamentary agenda. I'm of the view that on this occasion with farewell speeches we must realise that it's not the time for parties to blame one another, but rather to reflect as individuals on what each one of us has done in the past year with regard to fulfilling our obligations as a representative of our people and as a Member of Parliament.
Ek dink ons moet besef dat die werklikheid ook is dat daar dinge gebeur het in ons parlementre stelsel wat miskien vraagtekens plaas oor die geloofwaardigheid van ons Parlement as instelling. Ek dink nie ons moet illusies daaroor h dat daar by die publiek sekere persepsies mag bestaan wat nie noodwendig altyd positief is oor wat ons doen en wat ons hier verrig nie. Mag dit vir ons elkeen 'n uitdaging wees wanneer ons volgende jaar terugkom om juis daaraan te werk dat ons die werklike beeld van die Parlement voorhou as 'n instelling waarop elke Suid-Afrikaner kan trots wees. (Translation of Afrikaans paragraph follows.)
[I think we must realise that it is also a reality that things have occurred in our parliamentary system which perhaps raise questions about the credibility of our Parliament as an institution. I do not think we must have any illusions concerning certain perceptions that may exist among the public which are not necessarily always positive about what we do or what we accomplish here. Let it be a challenge to us all when we return next year to work on presenting the true image of Parliament as an institution of which each South African can be proud.]
I would also like to use the opportunity to thank my colleagues in the caucus of what has become known as the "caucus for the smaller parties". Those are all the smaller parties, with the exception of the DA and the IFP, which meet on a regular basis once a week to discuss issues. I know it's a laden term, which may be dangerous to use, but we just may become what could be known as the "third force," but in a positive sense. [Laughter.] We are working on that!
Ek wil ook dankie s vir die dienste van die Parlement. [I also want to say thank you to the services of Parliament.] These include the protection services, the SA Police Service, the service officers, the cleaners, the catering staff, each and every member of Parliament's staff who work tirelessly to make our stay here as Members of Parliament pleasant. Thank you very much. Sometimes you may think that we do not see that, but we do.
Aan almal 'n Gesende Kersfees en 'n voorspoedige Nuwejaar. Die geveg gaan volgende jaar voort, dan gaan ons weer vorentoe. Baie dankie. [Applous.] [To everyone a merry Christmas and a prosperous New Year. The struggle continues next year, and then we move forward again. Thank you. [Applause.]]
Deputy Speaker and hon members, as we come to the end of yet another year it is important that we exchange greetings as we head for the season of joy, peace and giving. Surely, this has been a good year, thanks to the talent and effort of the team. One would ask who the members of the team are.
They are the hon members in this House, the presiding officers - all five of them - the Whips, the chairpersons of committees, and employees of Parliament, from the Secretary to the least of all, the junior members of staff. It is this joint effort of all the above that has made this a good year.
We thank the Speaker and the Deputy Speaker for the leadership they have given. The three House Chairpersons have eased the yoke of the Speaker, and in the process they have enhanced the function of this institution. In gratitude we must, of course, applaud the Speaker for having seen fit to ensure that at her discretion she invited members of smaller parties when she undertook some of her overseas visits.
The Chief Whips' Forum has functioned like a properly lubricated machine despite its size and the varying political philosophies it has to contend with. It has been putting the interests of the country above all. Hopefully hon Louw and his committee will consider granting more time to the other parties in the interests of the country.
Parliament has gone through a gruelling period, taking into account the matter of the Travelgate scandal that still has to be resolved, but we know that no hurdle is insurmountable. We need to note that those who live in glass houses should refrain from throwing stones. Changes that have been brought into being tended to tempt one to feel that, surely, today is better than yesterday and hopefully tomorrow will supersede the rest in brightness.
Thanks to the Table staff, the service officers and the orderlies without whom this House would not function at all. We call on all to ensure that during the festive season we hasten slowly to arrive alive. We in the UCDP wish you all a fine festive season and as we part we say: God be with you till we meet again; Neath his wings securely hide you, Daily manna still provide you; God be with you till we meet again.
I thank you. [Applause.]
Madam Deputy Speaker, we have concluded another year that has driven us even closer to the true democracy that we so crave. It has been a challenging, eventful, fruitful and promising 2006. We look forward to 2007 and to being as effective and determined in turning our wheels of democracy to transform the nation and deliver to the people.
I take this opportunity on behalf of the MF to thank Madam Speaker, the Deputy Speaker and all the House Chairpersons for an auspicious 2006. Our gratitude and applause are extended to the entire House, the NA Table, all parliamentary staff, security and support staff for their fabulous contribution making our ends worthwhile, attainable and successful.
This year we have laid many of our dear members to rest and I once again offer our prayers and condolences to all the bereaved families and loved ones of the deceased.
I once again take this opportunity to thank Mr Hahndiek for his great contribution to the House and wish him well on his retirement. We also welcome Mr Mansura to the House as our new Secretary to the National Assembly, and we look forward to steering our ship in the new year with him.
We wish all a merry Christmas, an Eid Mubarak to our Muslim community and a prosperous New Year. May the season be restful and celebrated wisely and safely in the company of friends and loved ones. We wish all our matrics the best of success and a bright road ahead with great ambitions.
May we return to this podium in 2007 with determination and enthusiasm for the challenges and mission that will await us. May we return to our constituencies carrying our progress for 2006 and return in 2007 with desires, needs and wants so that this democracy may be a true representation of the people.
To all our political parties: Dear colleagues, go out there and remember to give to those who don't have, and make a difference to the have-nots this festive season. To the hon Mike Ellis I want to say thank you very much for your thoughts and I bless you. [Applause.]
Deputy Speaker and hon members, on behalf of the FD, I wish to bid you and all presiding officers farewell until 2007. I would also like to thank you, Deputy Speaker, and all presiding officers without exception for the manner in which the National Assembly meetings were conducted. Meetings were often very lively and vibrant, as an earlier debate today illustrated, and in response presiding officers were challenged to take a firm stand to maintain the decorum of the House.
If there is one member who must get an award for the most graphic and original speech, it has to be the hon Koos van der Merwe, who takes the cake with icing, and candle, included, of course!
Allow me to thank all party-political leaders, presiding officers, Chief Whips and all parliamentary staff for a job well done. A special vote of thanks goes to Mr Kasper Hahndiek for over 30 years of work well done at Parliament.
We have come to the end of a very busy year and the time has come for us to return to our constituencies to complete our constituency work. We must never forget that we are here because of them. Our lives as MPs would be empty and futile if we could not have a positive impact on the lives of our constituents.
As we enter this festive season and have our huge meals, we must be mindful that there are still millions of people without proper housing, without electricity and water, or basic services. Our job is not done until we ensure that all the laws we have passed and all the reports we have accepted, when implemented, will significantly improve the quality of life for all our people.
May God bless you and your families as you take a well-deserved rest, and may all those who celebrate Christmas have a blessed Christmas and a happy New Year. I thank you.
Deputy Speaker, this is not the opportunity to do annual reports, but just very briefly I'd like to say that during the course of this year, which was quite a momentous and tumultuous year, we did succeed in advancing the vision of a People's Parliament that works for the creation of a better life for all.
Even though this is not the opportunity to do an evaluation of the year, I think there are certain landmarks that we should remind ourselves of, for example the fact that we, as a nation, went to the polls again in local government elections and further consolidated our democracy; the fact that we celebrated the 50th anniversary of the Women's March; there was the centenary of the Bambatha Rebellion; and there was the 30th anniversary of the June 16th uprising.
At a parliamentary level there was also the People's Assembly that we held that, I think, stands out. On the international front there was our hosting of the SADC PF and our participation in the DRC elections. Of course, there was also the election of South Africa to the UN Security Council.
As a Parliament we continued to pass transformative legislation. I can mention the Further Education and Training Colleges Bill and the Civil Union Bill, and we came so close to passing the sexual offences Bill but, hopefully, will do so in the near future.
I think we also continued to strengthen our oversight role. We ensured that greater resources were allocated for constituency work. We engaged in a very thorough debate around a parliamentary oversight model and, I think, all of these things are taking us forward as a Parliament.
I think we need to also pay tribute to those of our colleagues who walked with us, but are not seeing the end of the year with us. We think in particular of the late hon Stella Sigcau, the hon Vincent Mabuyakhulu and the hon James Kati. We pay tribute to them.
We would like to thank the presiding officers, the Secretary and the staff of the parliamentary service; in short, everyone who contributes to making Parliament work in the way that it does. In particular, we would like to thank the Whips of all parties with whom we work so closely in the Chief Whips' Forum. Despite many appearances of animosity, we actually are very united in serving the best interests of Parliament and our people. We would also like to thank the people of South Africa who have sent us here with the mandate that we have.
Lastly, I just want to say to everyone we hope that somewhere in the next couple of weeks you will have some rest, you will reintroduce yourselves to your families and you will just generally have a good festive season. Thank you very much. [Applause.]
Thank you, Deputy Chief Whip. Order, hon members! I would also like to take this opportunity, on behalf of the Speaker and the House Chairpersons, to wish all members a fruitful constituency period and a restful and peaceful recess. May you and your families enjoy the festive period.
The year has been difficult and the hard work of members and staff has not gone unnoticed. We have passed 26 Bills - some of them very, very complicated - during this year and we have done much oversight work. We successfully hosted the Youth Parliament, the Women's Parliament and the People's Assembly. We processed many appointments in respect of institutions that support democracy. We considered international agreements and reports of the numerous organs of state.
So, dear members, I know that as you move back to your constituency offices, much more work awaits you, but the holiday period will soon bring some relief. Although there is a slim chance that we may have to return to consider the Civil Union Bill should the NCOP propose amendments, let us think positively and hope that this is our last day in Parliament for this year.
I wish you and your families well. God bless and goodbye.