Speaker, on behalf of the Chief Whip of the Majority Party, I move:
That the House -
1) notes with deep sadness the passing on of Ms Ntombizodwa Florence Nyanda, who was fondly known as "Mam Flo", on Saturday, 5 May 2012, in her home province of Mpumalanga, after a long battle with illness;
2) remembers that she began her political activism in the Eastern Transvaal (Mpumalanga) by working as a member of the underground African National Congress structures and later, after the unbanning of the ANC in 1990, she immediately joined the ANC and became a BEC member of the Kanyamazane branch in 1992;
3) further remembers that in 2003 Mam Flo served in various capacities, including as Member of the Provincial Legislature in Mpumalanga, Member of Parliament deployed to the National Council of Provinces (NCOP) and then to the National Assembly where she participated in various parliamentary portfolio committees, including in the Portfolio Committee on Safety and Security and the Portfolio Committee on Justice and Constitutional Development;
4) recalls that as a longstanding member of the ANC Women's League she played a key, active role in the Women's League for many years and served in different capacities within its structures, including as regional chairperson, provincial executive committee member and provincial co-ordinator in Mpumalanga;
5) further recalls that she was also very committed to women's issues and championed women's rights, gender equality and the rights of children;
6) believes that she has lived her entire life in the service of our people and remains an inspiration and a symbol of hope for women in our country as a true servant of the people, a people's person, who was always found amongst the community she served;
7) acknowledges her commitment, courage, selfless service, political wisdom and discipline; and
8) conveys its heartfelt condolences to the family of Mam Flo, friends, colleagues and members of the African National Congress.
Mr Speaker, the DA associates itself wholeheartedly with this motion of condolence for Florence or, as we knew her, Mam' uNyanda. It was my privilege to serve with Mam' uNyanda on the Portfolio Committee on Correctional Services.
As those of you who have served on this committee know, it is not for the faint-hearted. If you are a member of this committee, you go on a lot of site visits. You see and experience situations and circumstances that are profoundly depressing - of overcrowding, gang activities and reoffending.
You see heartbreaking cases of young offenders who have lost their way through drug addiction; of fathers who have stolen food to keep their families alive; and of mothers who are serving sentences for stealing clothes for their babies. These situations and circumstances can easily make one cynical or discouraged; but that was not my experience of Mam' uNyanda. While she was very critical of those who had broken the law, she always believed that people, given the right opportunity, could be rehabilitated and reintegrated into society. Perhaps because of her background in the ANC Women's League she believed, in particular, that women and children stood the best chance of being rehabilitated and was determined that they be given the opportunity to be so rehabilitated. At the same time, she also spoke her mind uninhibitedly and very directly. She called a spade a spade.
She was appalled at the incidents of corruption and abuse of power that occur in our prisons. She confronted the department very directly with these allegations and was never satisfied until they had been properly answered and investigated. On one occasion she went to a prison herself to investigate circumstances where there was an allegation of abuse, and provided a very full report to the department, which resulted in the suspension and eventual dismissal of an official of the department.
She was a highly dedicated and conscientious Member of Parliament and of the committee. As we all know, she had been in a poor state of health for some time and in a great deal of pain. Notwithstanding that, she did her duty to the committee. She went on the oversight visits using crutches and, in some cases, a wheelchair. She felt a sense of duty that she put ahead of her own pain and discomfort. I have nothing but the most profound respect for that.
She had a long career of service to her church, to her party, to the ANC Women's League, and to local, provincial and national government. We are inspired by her sacrifice and dedication. We salute her memory, and offer our condolences to her family, friends and colleagues in the ANC. May she rest in peace. [Applause.]
Hon Speaker, hon members, it is indeed with great sadness that Cope expresses its condolences to the family of the late Mama Florence Nyanda on their loss of a beloved sister, mother and grandmother, as well as to the members of her party, the ANC, as she was a cherished comrade, and to all of us as Members of Parliament, because she was a colleague and former fellow parliamentarian.
I got to know Comrade Florence when she joined Parliament in 2004 as a member of the NCOP. We both stayed at the Pelican Park Parliamentary Village. Every morning and at the end of each working day, we boarded the bus together to and from Parliament. We shared moments together as residents of Pelican Park, as women, as parliamentarians and as South Africans. I will always remember her as a quiet but friendly person, a dignified and disciplined cadre of her movement, and a person who took her responsibilities as a Member of Parliament very, very seriously.
Her experience as an activist cut across many aspects of the struggle for the liberation of our people - her people. As a member of her party, the ANC, she worked as an underground activist during the time of apartheid, thus risking her own life and those of her family.
She was a fighter for women's rights. She became a councillor and it was known that she ensured that she kept in touch with her constituency. She was deployed as a member of the legislature in Mpumalanga. She served as a member of both Houses of Parliament and, above all, she was a dedicated community worker.
What always struck me about Comrade Florence was how, in spite of her disability, she performed her task, as was expected of any other Member of Parliament. She was someone who never complained. She was calm and dignified and showed commitment and dedication to her cause. To me personally this is an example of the fact that one should never allow one's shortcomings or disabilities to stand in the way of what one wishes to achieve in life. It shows that with determination all is possible. She was indeed an incredibly amazing person. Cope wishes to say ...
... kumbutho wakhe i-ANC, makakhululwe uqabane aphumle ngoxolo kuba indima yakhe uyigqibile kwaye nogqatso lwakhe kweli hlabathi ulufezile.
Kusapho lwakwaNyanda lulonke sithi, lalani ngenxeba mawethu akuhlanga lungehlanga, akuhlanga lungehliyo. Myekeni aye kumawabo kuba kakade lento ingumntu yinto ehlal' ihlal' igoduke. Ndiyabulela. [Kwaqhwatywa.] (Translation of isiXhosa paragraphs follows.)
[... to her party, the ANC: May her soul rest in peace - she made a tremendous contribution and ran a good race.
To the Nyanda family as a whole, please accept what has happened as fate and may you be comforted. Let her soul rest in peace because we are all destined to depart from this world to be with our creator. I thank you. [Applause.]]
Hon Speaker, the IFP notes with sadness the passing of Florence Nyanda, a strong member of the Women's League in Mpumalanga. She was a campaigner for the recognition and implementation of the rights of women, the right of gender equality and the rights of children. It is only fitting that we honour her today when we are debating the very rights of women, children and people with disabilities that she fought for in this House.
We celebrate her life as a comrade and friend who espoused the highest ideals and fought for everything that we hold dear in our new democratic dispensation. Her tireless pursuit of the protection of rights should be an example to us all of how to conduct ourselves in public office.
The IFP once again extends its heartfelt condolences to the friends and family of a true South African heroine.
UmaFlo ngiyengamazi nje ... [I just knew maFlo ...] ... as a colleague.
Sasimane sithi nje uma sihlangana sincokole naye. Futhi ubethanda ukungibiza uNtombizodwa. Ngingatholi kahle ukuthi kungani, kodwa ngemukele. Njalo nje uma ngihlangana naye, wayethi: Ntombizodwa. Ngihlangene naye ngesinye isikhathi eDurban Airport, wathi, Ntombizodwa, ngiwile ngaphazamiseka - wayehamba ngama-crutches.
Engangiye ngikubuke kuyena ukuthi kwakuyintombi ezithandayo uFlo. Kwakuthi noma ubona ukuthi ukufa kuthanda ukumphazamisa kodwa kuthi uma ehleli laphaya, ubone ukuthi le ntombi iyazithanda.
Ngithi-ke kini mantombazane oMbutho: Ahambile amantombazane - siyabala. Ayahamba nje, ayasishiya nje, asishiya nenselelo. Ngithi-ke kufanele thina siphakamise amasokisi sibone ukuthi siyabalingisa kukho konke ekade bekwenza. Kufanele sizikhalele thina esisasele ngoba bona sebeye ekuphumuleni. Ngiyabonga. [Ihlombe.] (Translation of isiZulu paragraphs follows.)
[We would joke whenever we met. She also liked calling me Ntombizodwa. I couldn't understand why, but I accepted it. Whenever I met her she would say, "Ntombizodwa". I once met her at Durban Airport and she said, "Ntombizodwa, I fell and got hurt" She was on crutches.
What I used to notice in her was that Flo was an impressive-looking woman who loved herself. Even when you saw that the illness was getting the better of her, when she was sitting over there, you would see that this lady loved herself.
I'm saying to you, the Women's League: Women have left us and we are counting them. They are just leaving, and they are leaving us with a challenge. What I'm saying is that we must pull up our socks and see to it that we emulate them in everything that they did. We who are left behind must mourn for ourselves because they have already gone to their resting place. Thank you. [Applause.]]
Hon Speaker and hon members, I did not personally know the hon Nyanda but, as always when a Member of Parliament passes away, one is again faced with the impermanence of our existence under the sun. As MPs we all try to play a role in this lifetime and for most of us it is to create a better world for now and the future. At some point that role comes to an end. It is one of the few certainties that we have, although not a pleasant one, unless one believes in God. It is indeed in God that we find solace in the belief that there is life after death.
What is also true is that the passing away of any MP is a sad loss to Parliament and our society. The FF Plus convey their condolences to and prays for strength for the family. [Applause.]
Mr Speaker, the ACDP joins the House in conveying its sincere condolences to the family and friends of the hon Florence Nyanda, who passed away this past Saturday due to illness.
Hon Nyanda, affectionately known as Mama Florence, will be remembered for her contribution to the liberation of South Africa and the post-apartheid reconstruction process. She also served as a Member of Parliament in the National Assembly from 2004, participating in various committees, including the Parliamentary Portfolio Committees on Safety and Security and on Justice and Constitutional Development.
Our thoughts and prayers are with the Nyanda family, colleagues and friends during this time of their bereavement, and we pray that the peace of Jesus which transcends all understanding will guide their hearts and minds at this time. Times such as this remind us of our own mortality and what will happen to us when we die. Our comfort and hope lie in our faith.
It is also an opportune time to remind members about the parliamentary prayer group. Parliament can be a very lonely place, particularly for members who are far from home. This is a place where members can share across political lines, encourage each other, have fellowship and pray for one another. I am encouraging members to join us and to contact other members of the prayer group or me for more information. Rest assured that this group will be praying for the Nyanda family. I thank you. [Applause.]
Mr Speaker and hon members, the UCDP joins other political parties in lamenting the death of Florence Nyanda. In most cases, as Christians, we say that a person has been promoted to glory when they are no more and we have no doubt that this is so in the case of Florence Nyanda.
The fact that I did not know her from a bar of soap, although I was also here from 2004 to 2009 before my sojourn in the province, is proof that she was not controversial. She kept to her place and minded her own business.
Her diligence cannot be denied when one takes into account the portfolio committees she served on, and particularly the roles she played and offices she held in the community and in her party, the ANC. She has run the whole marathon as an elected representative: councillor, member of the provincial legislature and, finally, Member of Parliament. Like Florence of old, she bore the lamp to show that diligence yields results.
We in the UCDP convey our condolences to all the people directly affected by her death, such as her next of kin, the community she served with dedication, and the ANC. We say they should be strong in the Lord. May her soul rest in peace.
Hon Speaker, it seems it never rains in the house of Luthuli but it pours torrents of grief and sorrow. On this sorrowful occasion the PAC wants to assure Comrade Florence Nyanda's family and the ANC that they are not alone in this moment of grief.
Comrade Florence was more of a stateswoman than just a politician. Politicians seek positions before they can render service to the communities, but statesmen and -women serve humanity with or without positions.
As a great community worker, she served community members irrespective of their political affiliations. Hamba kahle, Comrade Nyanda [Go well, Comrade Nyanda.] Thank you. [Applause.]
Mr Speaker, there is no doubt that we all truly and entirely live through the grace of God Almighty. Also, no language can express the power, beauty, heroism and majesty of a mother's love. This is precisely what the late hon Mama Florence Nyanda had.
On behalf of the MF I convey my heartfelt condolences and messages of strength to the immediate and extended family and friends of the late outstanding hon Florence Nyanda who are saddened by her death.
There is no doubt whatsoever that she was an architect of bringing people together. She made boundless contributions to the liberation of the country. She was passionate about women's rights and brought about the reality of the 50:50 representation which came about due to her hard work and persistence. Undoubtedly she made the slogan, "A better life for all", a progressive reality.
Being a full-time mother is one of the hardest jobs in life and accolades must truly be awarded to Mama Nyanda for her unselfish commitment and dedication to serving the most deserving, suffering masses. She reminds me of Madiba's words that as long as there are tears and suffering, our work as leaders is not over.
This was the kind of impeccable leader Mama Nyanda was. Right until her dying day she strongly believed that if you had to wage a war against poverty, between the worlds, you first had to start with the women and children.
To the ANC we say, we are saddened by your loss, but remember, if you had a mother like the late Florence Nyanda, there would be no way you would be likely to go where a prayer has not already been. The real strength of the world comes from a woman, and, indeed, Mama Nyanda will be sadly missed by all who cared so dearly for her soul.
Mama Florence Nyanda fought a good fight. She finished the race and indeed kept the faith of the ANC. Those who have been taken away by the Lord will be crowned with everlasting joy. Pain and sorrow will disappear and they will be filled with joy and gladness. May her soul rest in peace. I thank you. [Applause.]
Hon Speaker and colleagues, it is with great sadness that we yet again bid farewell to one of our own. Mama Florence Ntombizodwa Nyanda passed away on 5 May 2012, after having contributed to the struggle for human emancipation which saw South Africa being liberated from its oppressors, and having helped in the ushering in of a new democracy.
Very few people knew that mam'Flo, as she was commonly known, was a professional nurse. She joined the nursing fraternity during the time when nursing was a calling and not just an easy way of generating income.
She understood the art of service. That is why she worked in, amongst others, places like the farm areas. That is when there were no resources allocated for such activities. That is the same spirit of activism that saw her volunteering to serve as an organiser for the women of Mpumalanga. This did not just start after the unbanning of the liberation movements, but during the times when people did not want to associate themselves with the underground activities of the organisations fighting for the liberation of the oppressed.
She was a true organiser. Together with certain comrades, some of whom are no more, like the late Comrades Ntombizodwa Shope, Thoko Mabena and Christine Methule, she helped in forming and shaping the women's movement in the province of Mpumalanga. She served in women's organisations supporting the underground activities of the ANC. If you still remember, those who were in Mpumalanga, these included the Eastern Transvaal Women's Organization, which later made the establishment of the Women's League structures in the province of Mpumalanga easy.
Many people did not and still do not understand and appreciate the difficulties associated with working in a province adjacent to neighbouring countries such as Swaziland and Mozambique, during and after the liberation movement period. It is when you understand that, that you begin to appreciate today's challenges associated with our social security programmes in the country, especially in the provinces sharing borders with neighbouring countries such as the Free State, Limpopo, Mpumalanga and others.
Mam'Flo understood such challenges; hence she also volunteered to serve in the local structures tasked with the responsibility of helping pensioners during pension pay-out days. Colleagues should remember that she did all of this during a period and time when we were not getting any stipends or allowances. That's what we call the true spirit of volunteerism.
When she was serving as an organiser of the ANC Women's League, there were no resources. I'm sure many comrades who were organisers then will remember the difficulties associated with that. That did not act as a hindrance to mam'Flo. She would use public transport. However, you have to understand the vastness of the rural areas, coupled with the poor transport and the infrastructure challenges of that time to appreciate the value of the work she did.
Hon Speaker, the person we are paying tribute to today understood the role of women in our society. She truly embraced the fact that as a woman you multitask - you organise, you manage, both in your family and in the community, you advise, and you negotiate on your own and on behalf of others. That's why we need to celebrate her heroic life of selflessness, passion and dedication to work and family.
She didn't let her body's aches keep her away from work. She had a passion to know more about her work and community. She was very critical of those who did not do their work. She was very disciplined and despised those who acted in an ill-disciplined manner.
She was a true revolutionary. Her obituary says it all - a tireless organiser, a community builder and a patriot for life.
We will dearly miss her in the ANC, especially we who are from Mpumalanga, because she used to keep us abreast of information and issues affecting our province. She would call you whenever she saw you in the corridors to update and advise you.
Who could have said mam'Flo was in her late sixties? She never looked it. She really was positive about herself. This showed in the way she dressed and her hairstyles. You can see from the picture there. She adored her family. She really excelled in multitasking. She was a true woman.
We want to say to her family: ...
Akwehlanga lungehlanga. [Please accept what has happened as fate.]
We are all at a loss. We find solace in the fact that she lived her life to the fullest as a true daughter of the soil. She dedicated her life to the betterment of all South Africans.
To us here, especially in the ANC, let us continue where she has left off and remember that the triple-oppression factor is still alive. Let's continue fighting for the total emancipation of the girl child and women in general. Allow me to read this poem for all those who were and are mourning her death, in loving memory of Mam'uFlorence Nyanda. It is entitled The Final Flight and the author is unknown:
Don't grieve for me, for now I'm free, I'm following the path God laid for me. I took his hand when I heard his call, I turned my back and left it all.
I could not stay another day, To laugh, to love, to work, to play. Tasks left undone must stay that way, I've found that peace at the close of the day.
If my parting has left a void, Then fill it with remembered joy. A friendship shared, a laugh, a kiss, Ah yes, these things I too will miss.
Be not burdened with times of sorrow, I wish you the sunshine of tomorrow. My Life's been full, I savored much, Good friends, good times, a loved one's touch,
Perhaps my time seemed all too brief, Don't lengthen it now with undue grief. Lift up your heart and share with me, God wanted me now, he set me free.
Sithi lala ngoxolo qhawekazi lombutho. Malibongwe igama lamakhosikazi! [Ihlombe.] [We say, rest in peace, heroine of the League. Let the name of women be praised! [Applause.]
Debate concluded.
I thank the hon speakers. I take it that there are no objections to the motion. Will members please rise to observe a moment of silence in memory of the late hon Mama Florence Nyanda?
Motion agreed to, members standing.
Please be seated. The Deputy Speaker and I also join the House in expressing our deepest condolences. The condolences of the House will be conveyed to the Nyanda family and to the ANC.