Hon Speaker, hon Deputy President, I move without notice:
That the House -
1) notes with deep sadness that on 16 December 2009, the hon Dr Manto Tshabalala-Msimang passed away at the age of 69 at the Charlotte Maxeke Hospital's Gordon Institute in Johannesburg, due to complications from her liver transplant;
2) recognises that Manto's entire life has been a selfless sacrifice to the people of South Africa and that even her harshest critics cannot argue this fact and that she as a young woman displayed a political awareness and maturity beyond her years;
3) further recognises that she left the country in September 1962, to continue the fight for liberation from outside the borders of the country and that during her time in exile she continued her studies and obtained her medical degree from the First Leningrad Medical Institute in the former Union of Soviet Socialist Republics in 1969, in 1972 completed a Diploma in Obstetrics and Gynaecology from the University of Dar-es-Salaam in Tanzania and also completed a Master's degree in Public Health at the University of Antwerp in Belgium;
4) remembers that Manto was a pillar of strength and touched our lives in her various capacities - as a comrade, a dedicated medical doctor, a distinguished servant of the people, a gender activist and a humanitarian - and from Tanzania to Botswana to South Africa used her skills to assist those in distress and in need of medical care and emotional support, especially in the MK camps;
5) further remembers that even after her return from exile in the early 90s, she worked tirelessly and selflessly to build a nonracial society, a nonsexist and democratic South Africa, guided by the supremacy of the Constitution and the rule of law, hence she is regarded as one of the founding members of a democratic Parliament in 1994;
6) recalls that her career in government began when she was appointed as the first Deputy Minister of Justice and Constitutional Affairs and later served as Minister of Health and in 2008 was redeployed as Minister in the Presidency;
7) further recalls that, at the time of her death, she was an NEC member for both the ANC and the ANC Women's League, the Chairperson of the Social Sector Cluster of the South African Cabinet Committee and the African Union Goodwill Ambassador and Champion for Africa's Movement to improve Maternal Health and Promote Child Survival and Development in Africa beyond 2015;
8) acknowledges the numerous accolades Comrade Manto received as a testament to her unwavering commitment to the improvement of public health in South Africa and that in July 2008 she received the Walter Sisulu Award for Leadership Excellence from the South African Students Congress, and further acknowledges that, on behalf of the health professionals of South Africa, in July 2005, the Medical Education for South African Blacks honoured Manto for her contribution to health care delivery in South Africa, in 2005 the National Aids Trust Fund honoured her for the work she did in the prevention, care and treatment of HIV and Aids, that she also received an award from the World Health Organisation in 2004 for her commitment and delivery on intercountry and cross-border collaboration on Malaria, and that the American Cancer Society bestowed on her the Luther L Terry Award in 2000, for her effective work in tobacco control;
9) believes that she discharged her responsibilities with dedication, discipline, diligence and humility and that the life of this great leader epitomises heroism and commitment to the cause of the poor; and
10) conveys its heartfelt condolences to her husband, Mr Mendi Msimang, her family, friends and comrades in the African National Congress and the Alliance.
Speaker, I want to say to the House that if one reads the CV of Dr Manto Tshabalala-Msimang the one thing that strikes one is that she was a remarkably able and committed person who worked extremely hard for the ideals for which she stood.
Certainly, from a young age through her 28 years in exile and until she passed away, she was committed to improving the plight of the poor and fighting for the rights of women and children. I want to say to the House that no one should doubt this.
It is not for me to go through her CV, which today is the prerogative of her own party; rather I would like to talk about her as I remember her. She was a controversial Minister of Health - there can be no doubt about it - and the DA was critical of her on many counts, especially with regard to her policies on HIV and Aids. However, Mr Speaker, that is not at issue today. Today we remind ourselves of the tremendous amount of good she did in her life and her real and undoubted commitment to the country, her family and her party.
I have remarkably pleasant memories of Manto, as I knew her way back in 1994, when she was the chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Health. She was an extremely good chairperson who bound the committee together. There we were, Mr Speaker - a group of some 15 or 16 MPs who hardly knew each other, all working together in the spirit of conviviality from the start, and she was our chairperson.
There were some tough moments in those early days, not least of which the Sarafina 2 saga, involving the then Minister of Health, Dr Dlamini-Zuma, and Dr Tshabalala-Msimang was undaunted by the fact that the Minister at the time was annoyed by this issue. She stood her ground and allowed the opposition parties to have their say, which indeed we did.
I also remember visiting provinces with Dr Manto Tshabalala-Msimang and often having dinner with her in the evenings after a long day in the field and talking to her about health matters and about life in general. She was a very interesting woman and I treasure those memories.
I also remember going to London with her to visit pharmaceutical factories there. That was in 1995 when her husband, Mr Mendi Msimang, an absolute gentleman, was a High Commissioner there. And I remember that she personally took me to the High Commissioner's house and gave me a tour of that beautiful home; and that too is a very pleasant memory.
When she became the Deputy Minister of Justice in 1996, I personally was very disappointed. I used to write notes across the floor of Parliament to Manto asking her when she was going to take over as Minister of Health because I was convinced she would be a very good Minister of Health. Of course, Dr Dlamini-Zuma and I had our own particular relationship which wasn't that good in those days, but it has certainly been patched up remarkably well over the years - and I am very glad to say that! [Laughter.]
Such was our relationship that when she did become the Minister of Health - I make no bones about it - I was delighted. I remember paying her a visit in her office and personally congratulating her and wishing her all the best in her new job.
Politics intervened, and as I was no longer the health spokesperson of the DA, I had less and less direct contact with her. Naturally, I watched her very closely. And I must say, Mr Speaker, she had her disappointments and there were the concerns of many that some of her decisions as a Minister appeared not to be based on sound evidence or judgment. But I knew her, and while my party and I may have disagreed vociferously with her at times I never doubted that she said and did what she genuinely believed in, and she stuck to those beliefs in true Manto style.
I want to say that we also remember some of the most amazing hats that she used to wear during the opening of Parliament. She certainly never failed to impress and sometimes amazed in that regard. She certainly had her own style.
The passing away of someone always means that there are people who are close to that person who would be deeply saddened, and we as the DA offer our sincerest condolences to her family at this time. We also offer our condolences to the ANC of which Dr Manto Tshabalala-Msimang was a very proud and devoted member for many years. Thank you. [Applause.]
Hon Speaker, on behalf of Cope, I'm honoured to pay tribute to the late Dr Mantombazana Tshabalala-Msimang. She was a passionate and dedicated professional who executed her duties with determination. Together with other ANC doctors such as the late Dr Mvelang, she had the responsibility to take care of the health of ANC cadres in exile.
Based in Tanzania most of the time, her responsibility included looking after MK cadres, students of the Solomon Mahlangu Freedom College and the ANC community at large. This meant travelling long distances to reach the camps, sometimes at night.
Her contribution extended to the Tanzanian communities since she also worked at the Muhimbili Hospital in Dar-es-Salaam. It was during her stay in exile that Comrade Manto came into contact with international work in health, as she participated on behalf of the ANC in numerous activities organised by international health bodies.
On her return to South Africa, she and Dr Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, working with NGOs, were instrumental in piloting what has now unfolded as the government's HIV/Aids programme.
As the first chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Health in the democratic Parliament of South Africa, she had the difficult task of building and encouraging teamwork among MPs with different backgrounds - we from the liberation movement and a somewhat doubting opposition. However, because of her efficient, balanced and professional approach in handling the work of the committee, she gained the confidence of all its members.
She ensured that transformative legislation emanating from the department, at the time led by Dr Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, was indeed passed by Parliament. Later, as Minister of Health, she ensured the implementation of the very same legislation.
As the Deputy Minister of Justice, she proved her qualities as a gender activist as she initiated progressive laws to protect women and children. Dr Manto was truly loved and respected by people far and wide, locally and internationally. Against what sometimes seemed to be extreme adversity, she stood her ground with courage and showed her commitment to implementing her assigned tasks.
The outpouring of love and support for the Msimang family following her demise came from a diverse range of constituencies, professional bodies, political parties, international organisations, business circles, friends and family. This demonstrated the profound impact that she had as a professional, a politician, a wife, a mother and grandmother, a comrade, an aunt to the younger generation and a sister in her own generation.
Cope extends its condolences to her organisation, the ANC; her husband, Comrade Mendi Msimang; her daughters, Zuki and Pulane; and the entire family.
Sithi lalani ngenxeba bantu bakwaTshabalala nabakwaMsimang; akuhlanga lungehlanga. [We say to the Tshabalala and Msimang families, may you find solace during this difficult time; time heals all wounds.] Thank you. [Applause.]
Mr Speaker, hon members, hon Ministers, on behalf of the IFP and its president, Prince Mangosuthu Buthelezi, I rise to add my voice to the many who offered condolences to the family, colleagues and friends of the late Dr Tshabalala-Msimang. Our thoughts have been with her husband and her two daughters during this trying time of mourning. We pray that their dark night will quickly give way to a dawn of happiness.
We in this House feel the absence of Dr Tshabalala-Msimang. Today we pay tribute to a woman who dedicated her life to the cause of political liberation. Once it was achieved, she served our nation as a Member of Parliament and Minister. Dr Tshabalala-Msimang was an intelligent woman and a patriot. While in exile, during the banning of the ANC, she acquired an education in medicine which she brought back to South Africa in 1990.
After South Africa's liberation, Dr Tshabalala-Msimang spent many years in the spotlight of public service. Her words and actions were closely watched and reported on across the world. At a time in which South Africa was losing the battle against HIV and Aids and tuberculosis, Dr Tshabalala- Msimang was given the unenviable task of leading the Ministry of Health.
For several years, Dr Tshabala-Msimang herself struggled with some kind of illness and her life was eventually cut short because of it. It is sad that she lived only two years after undergoing a life-saving operation, giving us another reminder of the fragility and gift of life.
Dr Tshabalala-Msimang focused South Africa's attention on preventative medicine. Yet her passing draws our thoughts to yet another aspect of the health portfolio, that of palliative care. There are so many of our people living with pain, discomfort, or the prospect of death. How do we, as parliamentarians and leaders, extend hope or comfort to them? She bequeathed to us the responsibility to enhance the standard of life of all our people. After all, living with sickness is exponentially more difficult when one is also struggling with poverty, ignorance or despair.
Dr Tshabalala-Msimang shouldered an onerous burden in service to our nation. She accepted the position to fill the role that would inevitably be scrutinised by the world. There are not so many with the leadership ability to face such a responsibility. This House has indeed lost a woman of great courage. I quote from the funeral oration of Pericles:
The living have envy to contend with, while those who are no longer in our path are honoured with a goodwill into which rivalry does not enter. May her soul rest in peace. [Applause.]
Hon Speaker, on behalf of the ID, we would like to extend our heartfelt condolences to the Tshabalala family and to the ANC. We've lost a comrade, a sister, a mother, a friend and a colleague.
It is such a pity that she will only be remembered by some for the controversy around HIV and Aids, and not for the role that she played in our struggle days. We hope that the family and the entire country will find solace in the fact that she has contributed to achieving our freedom and democracy. May her soul rest in peace. Amandla!
Mr Speaker, Deputy President and Members of Parliament, on behalf of the UDM, I offer our condolences to the family, friends and colleagues of the late hon Tshabalala-Msimang. Our thoughts are with you during this time of bereavement.
She was a long-serving member of the government and had dedicated many decades of her life to her political party, the ANC. During my tenure as a Deputy Minister in the previous administration, I had occasion to interact with her from time to time. It was always clear to me that she was fiercely committed to her political party and its policies. May she rest in peace. Ke a leboga. [I thank you.] [Applause.]
Agb Speaker, Dr Manto Tshabalala-Msimang was 'n senior lid van hierdie Huis en sy het hier gedien sedert 1994. In daardie tyd het ons haar almal goed leer ken deur die bydrae wat sy gemaak het. Sy was 'n politikus wat die voorreg gehad het om die ideale wat sy nagestreef het oor baie jare te sien verwesenlik, toe sy na die Parlement toe kom. Met haar benadering kon sy deel wees van die regering waarvoor sy gewerk het en waarin sy geglo het.
Dr Tshabalala-Msimang was 'n politikus teenoor wie niemand regtig neutraal kon staan nie. Ek dink mense het of baie van haar gehou of glad nie van haar gehou nie, want sy het altyd sterk standpunt ingeneem. Sy het geweet waarvoor sy staan en sy was een van daardie persone wat in hierdie Huis 'n verskil gemaak het. Sy het geglo daar moet gereageer word op wat sy ges of gedoen het en dit was op verskeie wyses hanteer.
Namens die VF Plus wil ons ons opregte medelye oordra aan haar gesin, die party, haar kollegas en aan ons nasie wat hartseer is oor 'n Minister wat 'n bydrae gemaak het, maar wat vandag nie meer daar is nie. Baie dankie. (Translation of Afrikaans speech follows.)
[Dr C P MULDER: Hon Speaker, Dr Manto Tshabalala-Msimang was a senior member of this House and she served here since 1994. During that time, we all got to know her very well through the contribution she made. She was a politician who had the privilege of seeing the ideals she had pursued over the years realised when she came to Parliament. With the type of approach she had, she could be a part of the government she had worked for and believed in.
Dr Tshabalala-Msimang was the kind of politician towards whom no one could actually adopt a neutral position. I think people either liked her a lot or did not like her at all, because she always took a strong line. She knew what she stood for and she was one of those people who made a difference in this House. She believed that there should be a response to whatever she said or did, and this was dealt with in several ways.
On behalf of the FF Plus, we would like to convey our sincere condolences to her family, the party, her colleagues and our nation which is mourning a Minister who had made a contribution, but who is no longer with us. Thank you.]
Deputy Speaker, the ACDP conveys our sympathy to the family and friends of the late hon Dr Manto Tshabalala-Msimang.
Dr Tshabalala-Msimang's absolute devotion and loyalty to serving her country and her President was always very evident. Close friends describe her as a person who worked tirelessly to improve the lives of South Africans and as a person particularly dedicated to the needs of women, children and the poor.
I came to Parliament in 1999 and became a member of the Health portfolio committee not long after she became Minister of Health. As Minister of Health during President Mbeki's administration, Dr Tshabalala-Msimang was in an unenviable position and her decision to embrace the President's views regarding HIV and Aids meant she became directly responsible for the devastating results of such a view. While Dr Tshabalala-Msimang often seemed dismissive of concerns, she bravely faced unrelenting personal attacks.
Much of what Dr Tshabalala-Msimang achieved is, therefore, overshadowed by the great sadness surrounding this very trying period emanating from her absolute devotion to what became her cause. On occasion Dr Msimang had referred to her involvement with her church and the ACDP hopes she found peace in her turmoil and that she has gone to be with her Maker. Thank you.
Deputy Speaker, Dr Manto Tshabalala-Msimang was one of the women of rarest quality that South Africa has ever produced. She was a competent, professional, confident and dignified lady who served South Africa with great love and dedication.
When news of her passing was announced, the UCDP felt the sadness and great loss for this country of a true patriotic daughter of the soil. We send our heartfelt condolences to her family, friends and her political party, the ANC. The UCDP says, "Goodnight Manto, for we shall meet tomorrow. Goodnight!"
Deputy Speaker, on behalf of the MF, we extend our heartfelt condolences to the family, friends and loved ones of the beloved Dr Tshabalala-Msimang. Dr Tshabalala-Msimang had experienced South Africa through the difficulties of apartheid to the liberation of a democracy.
We are each given this life for a reason, purpose and meaning. We offer our condolences to the ANC on the loss of this great comrade and pray that her work and influence will be carried through. Dr Tshabalala-Msimang is also reported to have been a great academic and active in politics.
May she be an example to so many South African women and families to see the value in investing in female education. We pray that peace be granted to her and may her soul rest in peace with the grace of God Almighty. Thank you.
Deputy Speaker, hon Deputy President, hon members, life is a journey none of us ever chose to start. It is also a journey that very few ever decide to end.
Hon Mantombazana Edmie Tshabalala-Msimang's life ended on 16 December 2009, on Reconciliation Day. Her health had begun to fail, but she bore her illness with fortitude and courage and never stopped doing what needed to be done. The journey of our lives is like a tapestry that we weave every minute of our lives through our deeds.
Hon Manto's life is a rich tapestry of courage, dedication and service. Hailing from Mvume, in KwaZulu-Natal, she dedicated her entire life to the service of this country, both during the struggle for liberation and then in the creation of a better life for all. She understood then as we do now that education is not only essential but has to be life-long.
Having left the country after responding to the call of the ANC leadership, armed with a BA degree, she went on to become a medical doctor. Later she obtained her Master's in Public Health. She was fluent in English, isiZulu, Russian and Kiswahili. She was an intellectual and she loved intellectual debates. It was therefore not an accident of history that she was an hon member of this hallowed Parliament from the dawn of a democratic South Africa until the end of her days.
Having spent nearly three decades as one of the selfless soldiers in the ANC, who belonged to the esteemed Luthuli detachment, she was more than ready to be part of this House. Notwithstanding her academic achievements, she continued to participate within the ranks of the movement in exile and was one of the founder members of the ANC health department, which was to play a critical role in the formulation of the future health policy in a democratic South Africa. It also ensured that health workers were mobilised in all the regions and rendered services to all the regions of the ANC and in the MK camps.
As a member of this Parliament, she first served as a chair of the Health portfolio committee. That committee had some of the stalwarts like the late Adelaide Tambo, Mama Albertina Sisulu, Bertha Gxowa, hon Macho Njobe, the now ambassador, Abbey Nkomo, Mike Ellis, as he has said, and many others.
She was a dignified, disciplined and hardworking chair of that committee, who never forgot that this was an important terrain of struggle for a better life for our people.
Hon Manto Tshabalala also never lost sight of the centrality of the struggle of the emancipation of women. Neither did she forget the role of women in the liberation struggle. Hence, during the transitional period, Comrade Manto, like most members of the ANC Women's League, demanded that the ANC be true to its belief in the principle of nonsexism by ensuring representation of women during the Codesa negotiations.
Some will remember that period when women were not part of the negotiations at Codesa and Manto was one of the people who made sure that eventually women from all parties participated. Comrade Manto mobilised women in other political parties to ensure that the voice of women was heard during the negotiations and also during the writing of our Constitution.
We are proud that our Constitution today reflects the nonsexist character of the society that we wish to build, thanks to contributions of people like the late Comrade Manto Tshabalala-Msimang.
When former President Nelson Mandela appointed her as the Deputy Minister of Justice, as a committed gender activist she brought that fresh perspective to Justice. She is also widely accredited for the campaign of 16 Days of Activism for No Violence Against Women and Child Abuse, a significant event in the country's calendar.
Later, former President Thabo Mbeki appointed her as the Minister of Health. In her role as the Minister of Health, Comrade Manto touched the lives of thousands of our citizens. She endeavoured to transform the health sector into one that recognised the right of every citizen to a life of dignity and equality.
Dr Tshabalala-Msimang was able to improve basic services and reduced the price of medicine by bringing generic medicines to the fore. She continued with the antismoking campaign. She played a pivotal role in the Global Anti- Tobacco Treaty. In 2000 the Luther L Terry Award from the American Cancer Society was bestowed on her for her effective work in tobacco control. She received an award from the World Health Organisation in 2004 for her commitment and delivery on intercountry and cross-border collaboration on malaria. She was also a goodwill ambassador of the AU to promote maternal child health and promote child health survival and development in Africa beyond 2015.
Of course, hon Manto was also a very disciplined cadre and she stuck to discipline in her work. And I want to quote Comrade Joel Netshitenzhe on what he said about Manto when it comes to the Aids debate:
It is this steadfastness to principle, sometimes to a fault, that pitted Manto against many in the debates on HIV/Aids - and she insisted on separating the two because she argued quite logically that infection was not the onset of the syndrome. People can and should lead normal, healthy lives even if they have the virus. Precisely because it attacks the immune system and because there is no cure, the HI virus needed to be confronted first and foremost in prevention, secondly in strengthening the immune system through a healthy diet and lifestyle, and thirdly, through a combination of these elements, the treatment of secondary infections, and antiretroviral medication. This was and remains government policy.
Hon Manto Tshabalala was also a chair of the Social cluster of Cabinet, a task that she undertook with enthusiasm and resolve. In 2008 she was appointed, by former President Kgalema, as the Minister in the Presidency and even there we know that she insisted on equality in everything that was done in the quest for nonsexism. At the time of her death she was a backbencher, a position she accepted with the humility and discipline of a true cadre of our movement.
Comrade Manto loved the ANC. Her protector, Mr Motaung, at the night vigil, told all of us a story about how Comrade Manto would be working till late at night and when the protector showed irritation when they left the office and she still wanted to go somewhere, she would then stop when he asked, "Where are we going next, madam?" She would keep quiet and start singing the song I-ANC iyasetshenzelwa [You work hard for the ANC] [Applause.]
She would sing this song for a couple of minutes until she realised that the protector had calmed down, and understood that it was not her personal work but the work of the ANC and of the nation. That's how she loved her movement - but that meant she loved her own people and her country. [Applause.]
She was an exemplary Member of Parliament. I don't remember this House ever calling on her to improve her discipline. She was always disciplined. And of course she added colour to the decorum of the House. She was a lady, she liked style and indeed she was like many other Members of Parliament with their hats at the opening of Parliament. Parliament has indeed lost an exemplary member, but the ANC and the alliance have lost a stalwart, a heroine of our people.
Indeed, as we continue to work towards building a democratic country, built on the rights that are enshrined in the Constitution, let us reflect on our collective achievements, challenges, valuable lessons learnt, and let those propel us forward. And let us honour the memory of Comrade Manto Tshabalala- Msimang, by carrying on what she did, and did so well - the struggle for liberation and the emancipation of women; the struggle to push back the frontiers of the poverty that is still rife amongst our people.
Let us fight for education and make sure that our children are as educated as she was. Let us also carry on with the courage that Manto had. She was a very courageous comrade. Few are as courageous as she was.
She also had a sense of humour. As Joel wrote in his piece, towards the end, when she wasn't feeling well, she would say: "Ayi, engathi lesi sibindi asingithandi." [Uhleko.]["No, it seems like this liver does not like me." [Laughter.]]
She was truly an ANC cadre, and let us follow in her footsteps. It does not mean that if you are a true ANC cadre everybody will agree with you. That will not happen, but you must stick to what you know, what you believe in, what your organisation wants you to do. [Applause.]
As Parliament dips its banner in honour of this heroine, we extend our heartfelt condolences to her husband, Uncle Mendi, her brother and sisters, two daughters, sons-in-law, grandchildren and the entire Mali, Tshabalala and Msimang families.
May her soul rest in peace! Long live the spirit of Comrade Manto Tshabalala, long live! [Applause.]
Will members please rise and observe a moment of silence in memory of the late hon Dr Manto Tshabalala-Msimang.
The condolences of the House will be conveyed to the Msimang family and to the ANC.
Debate concluded.
Motion ageed to, members standing.