Hon Speaker, this is, of course, the single moment in every parliamentary year when members give a sigh of relief as most of us here look forward to spending some quality time in our constituencies and some even better time with our loved ones at home.
Sidinwe kakhulu, Sihlalo. Sifuna ukuya ekhaya ngoku. [We are so tired, Chairperson. We want to go home now.]
Dit is natuurlik ook die tyd van die jaar waar ons kan reflekteer oor ons individuele en gesamentlike bydraes en prestasies as parlementslede. Bitter min kan egter op ons eie bereik word, want die aard van ons werk hier is geskoei op gesamentlike beraadslaging en besluitneming. (Translation of Afrikaans paragraph follows.)
[It is of course also the time of the year when we can reflect on our individual and collective contributions and achievements as parliamentarians. However, we can achieve very little on our own, because the nature of our work is based on collective consultation and decision- making.]
Modulasetulo, motho ke motho ka batho ba bang. [Speaker, I am because you are, you are because I am.]
I must therefore thank you, Speaker, your Deputy and the entire team led by you, for all your efforts to facilitate conditions aimed at making our work run smoother and better.
Ons stem natuurlik nie altyd saam met die aksies wat geneem word en die omstandighede waaraan ons onderwerp word nie, maar ons het nietemin waardering vir al die pogings en die meestal aangename wedersydse gees van samewerking wat in hierdie Parlement heers. (Translation of Afrikaans paragraph follows.)
[Of course we do not always agree with the actions that are taken and the circumstances that we are subjected to, but we nevertheless have appreciation for all the efforts and the pleasant and mutual spirit of co- operation that prevails in this Parliament most of the time.]
I also wish to thank all the Members of Parliament for the vigorous interactions, and here, of course, I must single out the ANC and their executive for all the beautiful blunders that gave us the ammunition and provisions to have these lively debates.
I also wish to pay special tribute to my parliamentary leader, Ms Lindiwe Mazibuko, for her guidance and absolutely strong leadership, and I couple with her our caucus Chairs, Whips and colleagues. It has again been a singular privilege for me to have worked with you all this past year, and I thank you for that. [Applause.]
However, at times of farewell, we must be completely honest and sincere with each other so that we depart with a good understanding of what we have achieved and what we have not achieved on behalf of the people of this country. [Interjections.] I think we can all be proud of our Joint Standing Committee on Ethics that engaged with integrity on the issue of the former Minister Dina Pule, her lover and her red shoes. Within all the outstanding recommendations that the report proposed to reprimand Dina Pule ... [Interjections.]
Order, hon members! Order!
... the ANC somehow found a hidden clause that ordered her to be hugged by members of the ANC on the floor of this House.
The committee must also be commended for all their further actions in other deliberations and the resolutions that they reached. It is a great pity, however, that my new-found friend, the new Chief Whip of the Majority Party, Mr Stone Sizane, did not find time after the latest deliberations to apologise to my colleague, Diane Kohler-Barnard, for the accusations that were proved to be false.
Another commendable achievement is our Guptagate snap debate - the first debate of public interest in 13 years of the existence of this 19-year-old Parliament. It is a pity that it took a flight with 150 Gupta guests to get this institution to debate this matter of public importance. I must give credit where credit is due, however, and thank you, Mr Speaker, for holding your nerve and agreeing to a debate on this, "number one" abuse of power.
Speaker, I rise on a point of order: The convention of the House is that when we make farewell speeches, we always avoid being controversial, and do it in the spirit of building the team and thanking each other for being here. The hon Watson has broken the convention. Could he stick to the convention? [Interjections.]
There is no convention. [Interjections.]
Order, hon members! Order! Hon Watson, continue but please stick to the convention.
Speaking of "number one", this Parliament finally achieved - after being stone-walled, and here the pun is intended, for most of the year - a debate on the unconstitutionality of the National Key Points Act. [Interjections.] For an entire 80 minutes, Parliament was engaged and allowed to talk about Nkandla and the President's R200 million kraal and tuck shop. [Interjections.] Not even Ministers Nxesi, Radebe or Mthethwa could get an interdict to prevent this debate. None of these actions and achievements would have been possible without the DA. The DA requested these debates and asked for Dina Pule to be investigated by the committee. [Interjections.]
Oh, I nearly forgot to mention one final scrumptious achievement: Parliament successfully ate its way through R16 million worth of food this past year! [Interjections.] Yet, not even all these cakes and tarts and pastries could entice our ANC colleagues to sit here long enough to pass their own bad Bills. Yes, I am, of course, referring to the ANC not getting enough of its own members to pass its job-killing Labour Relations Amendment Bill and corruption-condoning National Lotteries Amendment Act.
However, there are other, more serious things that Parliament did not achieve this year. It is a grand failure of this Parliament that the Economics Cluster has answered oral questions only once this entire year, at a time when the people of South Africa are desperate for jobs and desperate to know that their leaders are helping them. The reason for this may be simple, however. The last time the President tried to reassure the country on its economy, the rand dropped to 10 against the dollar. Alternatively, perhaps the Economics Cluster has adopted the same approach to Parliament as Minister Shabangu has to the mines - also will not be visited this year, at all. Minister Shabangu, are you here? [Interjections.] Point made. All in all, this is not a very good balance sheet of the achievements and failures of Parliament under an ANC majority.
All is not lost, however. If Parliament were as blue as we are out there amongst the voters, I can promise you that the following things would have been added to our list of achievements this year: We would have debated Nkandla over and over; we would have debated the presence of the South African troops in the Central African Republic; we would not have allowed Parliament to pass the Speaker's naive supply chain management regulations; our Private Members' Bills would have been made law by now, which would have prevented attempted sex offenders from working with children; and we would have ensured that traditional knowledge is properly protected. [Interjections.]
Fear not, however, because as this House rises, a new dawn is breaking. [Interjections.]
Who wrote that speech?
ANC members must enjoy the warmth of their seats while they can, because it is quite evident, particularly from the past weekend's registration drive, that South Africans want to see a nation as blue as the sky and want to see this Chamber filled with competence and not cadres. [Interjections.]
In conclusion, allow me to wish you all ... [Interjections.] You do not want it? [Interjections.]
Order! Order! Order! Order! Order! [Interjections.]
Mr Speaker, if they do not want to hear it, they must close their ears. [Interjections.] Allow me to wish all of you who want to hear it, the very best for the end of 2013 ... [Interjections.]
Order, hon members! Order! [Interjections.]
... and the start of 2014. Please drive safely and carefully. [Interjections.] Above all, may the wonderful message of Christmas find its way into even your hearts and homes ... [Interjections.] ... and into the hearts and homes of your loved ones. [Interjections.]
Order, hon members! Order!
Le tsamaye ka kgotso. Pula! Nala! [Go in peace. Farewell.] [Interjections.]
Hon Speaker, Deputy President, hon Ministers, indeed this is an honour to bid farewell to the hon members of this House and to you, Mr Speaker, for the manner in which you have run this Parliament over the four years or almost five years. I must also thank the chairpersons of the various portfolio committees and of the House for the good manner in which they have run the activities of those committees.
However, the time has come for all Members of this House to not only reflect on the high and low points of the past year but indeed the legacy that we, as members of this Fourth Parliament will leave behind in a few months' time. What is the legacy that we will leave? That bears the question: Did we as the institutions and pillars of our constitutional democracy live up to the legitimate expectations of the people of South Africa? Did we ultimately live up to the onerous responsibilities demanded of us by our Constitution? When we strip away the inevitable and integral elements of politicking, the grandstanding and fiery debates that sometimes amuse and sometimes annoy, what are we leaving behind as a legacy? How far have we progressed to entrench and live the essence of the constitutional democracy in our Parliament? Are we working and living the letter and spirit of our constitutional democracy or do we tend to fall back on parliamentary systems and practices of the Westminster doctrine?
The nature and tone of debates in this House leaves much to be desired. The Constitution in section 42(3) stipulates that this is the national forum for public consideration of issues. This is where contestation of ideas should take place, with mutual respect and retention of dignity. The question is: How has this House contributed to proper public discourse on matters of national importance?
Since I came here I have been asking the question: What is the point of the Notices of Motion in this House? We spend maybe 30 minutes or so raising notices of motions that are never debated. What is the rationale behind this?
People want to retain the relevance of the National Assembly as the House of the representatives of the people. Let us firstly allow for more regular debate and let us avoid mudslinging, racial slurs and labelling of members with difference opinions. Let us all agree to lead by example.
Furthermore, oversight is far more than visits to state entities and to remote areas. Effective oversight means to hold the executive to account in committees and here in the National Assembly. It demands respect for the Constitution and an understanding of the systems of co-operative governance and the functional areas of concurrent legislative competence. It demands all members to achieve portfolio knowledge and experience. For that to happen, it demands skilled, qualified and legal support from staff that support those committees.
Effective oversight over the executive also requires a better understanding of our constitutional role as Parliament from the executive. It is unfortunate that some executive members often appear to be irritated when they respond to questions in Parliament. We have a constitutional democracy with elected representatives from parties other than the majority party. Executive members should respect all members as the elected representatives of the people.
An analysis of replies to written questions indicates that some Ministers perform well while others perform exceptionally poorly. The Minister of Trade and Industry had responded to all 51 questions as at 7 October 2013, 50 of the questions within the timeframe set by the National Assembly Rules. By contrast, the Minister of Basic Education responded to only 19 out of 153 questions within the timeframe set by the National Assembly Rules. The Department of Social Development responded to only eight out of 142 questions within the timeframe of the National Assembly Rules. The offices of the President and the Deputy President also failed to meet the deadline for answers.
What is the reason for this? Does it point to a lack of political will or an absence of a sense of accountability? Has the wrong culture been established in the Ministries and departments, or is it, due to lack of capacity? Whatever the reason, this is unacceptable.
As the national legislative authority, we have passed ...
Hon member, may I remind you that your time has expired. I gave you an extra minute and I am afraid I cannot give you any more minutes.
Thank you very much, hon Speaker. We have passed a total of 37 Bills so far in 2013, compared to 23 and 28 during the previous years of the Fourth Parliament, despite it being towards the end of the Parliament's term. It is not unusual. In fact, in 2008, the year preceding 2009, there was a total of 80 Bills that were passed compared to an average of 40 per year during the preceding years of the Third Parliament. I thank you. [Applause.]
Hon Speaker, the IFP thanks all who have assisted during this year to make a wonderful success of our Parliament. We also wish all members a Merry Christmas and a prosperous New Year, and wish you to return well rested to come and serve our country. Mr Speaker, I am sure you will agree with me that this year flew like a bullet. To me, it feels as if it is still the beginning of the year, while we are at the end of the year. We are also practically at the end of the Fourth Parliament. There will be elections in a few months and many of us may not return next year. So, it is a historic day for us today.
We seldom get an opportunity to speak openly to one another like today. Yes, today is such a day. Today, there is no room for politics - no room for arguments. Today is the day for peace and sharing values with one another. [Applause.]
I want to share with our colleagues about values; to look critically at what values we have as Members of Parliament - what value I am adding, what value you are adding. If you feel that you did not add value, do not run for elections again.
Our country needs public representatives who can successfully add value with respect to the huge challenges facing our country. South Africa needs Members of Parliament who are fit, proper and humble persons who focus strongly on solving South Africa's problems, those who understand that South Africa is a country with many diverse people who have to be dealt with patiently.
An MP must respect all other MPs; should never miss a meeting of the House or a committee; should arrive on time, fully prepared after having done proper research for the meeting; and make valuable contributions that add value. We should therefore ask ourselves this one very important question: Am I adding value or not?
In conclusion, I believe that if we as Members of Parliament remain humble, live a life of respect for others, and are really disciplined Members of Parliament, we will be adding value and will be rewarded with huge successes.
Hambani Kahle! [Go well!]
Tsamayang hantle, mme le tsamaye le Modimo. Re tla bonana ka selemo sa 2014. [Go well, and go with God. We will see each other in 2014.]
Mooi loop. Julle moet soet wees. [Take care. You must behave yourselves.]
Kgotsong! [Farewell!] [Applause.]
Mr Speaker, hon Deputy President, hon members, once more, we have reached the end of another year. This has, without doubt, been a very busy and tumultuous political year. We got down to business as early as possible to ensure that the work of this House was completed on time. We managed to deal with a great deal of business and addressed many important matters. We salute you for your hard work and dedication, colleagues. We wish everyone farewell for the year. We hope you will find joy over the festive season in the company of family, friends and loved ones.
In a month's time, we will be celebrating Christmas. We would like to wish all of you a Merry Christmas and a prosperous New Year. To our Muslim colleagues, we hope you merrily celebrated Eid and wish you a prosperous New Year.
We salute all the late hon members of this House who worked hard to make a difference in our country. May their souls rest in peace!
We appeal to everyone to drive safely on our roads. Let us spread the message of responsible and safe road usage.
Finally, we express the warmest message of thanks to the many staff members of this institution who enabled us to do our jobs. We are eternally grateful to all staff members of this institution. May we return refreshed and inspired to proceed with our work in the New Year and ready for the 2014 elections. I thank you. [Applause.]
Hon Speaker, hon Deputy President, hon colleagues, as I have listened to speeches this afternoon, it became clear to me that there are two things that are quite evident. The first one is that there are maybe many issues that we need to discuss in different politically motivated debates and forums, which we perhaps do not do often enough. The second one is that it is quite clear that the election is clearly in the air.
I want to start off by saying thank you to each and every colleague in this House. We should never forget that we, in terms of section 32(3) of the Constitution, as members of the National Assembly, are here to represent the people of South Africa. We represent the people, all the people of South Africa and all our constituencies and citizens out there. In everything that we do in this House, how we behave, how we prepare, what we do, what we say, we should always be truthful to and worthy of the people that we represent - our citizens out there.
I want to say a word of thanks to the staff of Parliament - to all the staff, the people who work tirelessly behind the scenes to make it possible for us to do our jobs.
A word of thanks to the media - the people who report what we are saying and doing on a daily basis. Without their reports, Parliament would be quite silent.
To the protection services, the people out there in uniform - you make sure that we are safe in this environment, in this complex on a daily basis to do our job - a word of thanks.
Aan die agb Speaker en die ander voorsittende beamptes, 'n woord van opregte dank vir die wyse waarop u die Parlement hanteer, en vir die wyse waarop ons onsself hier kan handhaaf en saam met u werk op die pad vorentoe. (Translation of Afrikaans paragraph follows.)
[To the hon Speaker and the other presiding officers, a word of sincere thanks for the way in which you handle Parliament, and for the way in which we can assert ourselves here and work with you on the road ahead.]
We are all colleagues, and that is why we are talking to one another. Although not blood related, you are the special people in our lives and are all part of our journey as we continue to grow and move on in our lives and our careers. We should never forget that. We may differ on many things, but in the end, we are colleagues, we represent the people out there.
I want to say as a conclusion, enjoy your holidays, and enjoy Christmas and the festive season. Go out and rest, because we all know that when we return next year, it will be election time and it will be a different ball game. Let us do that, but let us do that in a way that is worthy of the people we represent. [Applause.]
Hon Speaker, in the short time that I have been here, I have had to face the proverbial sink-or-swim scenario. There was no time for orientation, as seen from my previous short walk to the podium; and so swim it was. [Laughter.]
I am thankful, and I am certainly grateful for the friends that I have made across political lines and in particular those in the Economic Development Department, and the Trade and Industry Portfolio Committee, as friends at the bus stop in Acacia Park, and here in my short tenure in Parliament.
The ACDP is safely cognisant of the great potential our nation has, having on many occasions proved the doomsayers wrong, such as when we faced our first democratic elections in 1994 when many said ...
... die swartes kan nie regeer nie. [... blacks cannot govern.]
Again, in 2010, when they said we could not host the World Cup. Well, that is history; we have, to a large extent, proven the doomsayers wrong.
The Goldman Sachs report disagrees with it and puts forward some truisms that others may not want to hear. The ACDP does note some areas of concern which, if not addressed, have the potential to derail the great strides we have made in the past 19,5 years. These are service delivery protests, our crime statistics, our key efficiency of some 0,7 and unemployment at just under 25%.
In addition to that, we sit on a moral knife-edge, where babies are raped and mutilated, and grandmothers are also raped, beaten and left for dead. Our women are under threat of rape, with some 3600 being raped every day.
If we fail to recognise the sanctity of life while still in the mother's womb, I believe that we sow the wind and begin to reap an immoral whirlwind.
George Carlin once said:
The paradox of our time in history is that we have taller buildings, but shorter tempers; wider freeways, but narrower viewpoints; we spend more, but have less; we buy more, but enjoy it less. We have bigger houses and smaller families; more conveniences, but less time; we have more degrees, but less sense; more knowledge, but less judgment; more experts, yet more problems; more medicine, yet less wellness.
On behalf of all in the ACDP, we wish our colleagues in the national Parliament well over the Christmas period, as the prophecy comes true:
For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and His name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.
May you all return in the New Year refreshed, invigorated and prepared to serve our nation with integrity as carriers of the flame of good governance. I thank you. [Applause.]
House Speaker, hon Deputy President, and hon members, after that fine sermon, I think I can just as well sing the grace. [Laughter.] One is not sure whether it is by mere coincidence or by desire that we meet on the 13th day of this month in the 2013th year of our Lord to bid one another goodbye.
This has been a year in which there was awakening from all angles of Parliament. We in the opposition, individually and collectively, have made our presence felt. We ensured that legislation that was repugnant to the public should not be passed with ease, to the extent that we were vindicated by the President on what we termed the Secrecy Bill when he returned it.
We also have to give the thumbs-up to the Presiding Officers, who have been masterly in presiding over the business of the House and running the institution. It is through them that the voice of the opposition was heard when colleagues on the right were obsessed with their majoritarianism. The Speaker put his foot down and said, "Let us hear different opinions in the three minutes they are allocated." And we are grateful.
Our only regret is that the plural voices of the opposition, as assisted by the Speaker, have since been smothered by reducing the representatives of these parties - the Rules Committee. We take this as only a temporary setback.
Our appreciation goes to all functionaries of Parliament. The Secretary and his staff have kept us abreast of developments, even those from other instances who required information about even our political access. We have seen facilities being improved considerably through the available resources.
We owe it to the National Assembly staff and their administration. They kept us up to date with all we required; notes among us have been delivered promptly. Sometimes, while sitting there, I would see the exercise reminding me of what we used to do when we were at school - when we sent similar letters from one end of the classroom to the other. I can see even at this stage that it still goes on that way.
This was a splendid year and we look forward to more sweat as we would be going campaigning. May we depart from this place in peace. Our plea is that as we go out, may our herd boys and girls not fight in the grazing fields. They should agree to differ.
Adieu, adieu. Fare thee well. [Applause.]
Proceed hon member, you are protected. Order, hon members, order!
Hon Speaker ...
... Mopresidente wa Afrika Borwa, Maloko a Kabinete le Maloko ka moka a Palamente, ke re naga ke ya rena! [... hon President of South Africa, Members of Parliament and members of the Cabinet, the land belongs to us!] [Interjections.]
Unless it is not your land, then you will never respond. The PAC wants to send ...
What point are you rising on, hon member?
I was just admiring the scarf. [Laughter.]
You will not get a Christmas present. [Laughter.] Take your seat, hon member. Proceed, sir.
The PAC wants to send its condolences to the people of Vlaklaagte in Mpumalanga, where an accident took place. We are saying maybe the ruling party should change the name of the road from Moloto to someone else because people are dying there. We do not know, maybe the Moloto family wants to be paid something. But this is unacceptable.
I am new to Parliament and have spent only a short time here but I have learned so much from all of you as you came up to this podium to speak on various occasions. I shall use my holidays to reflect on this new knowledge that I have acquired thus far.
I feel really useful, having taken part in the deliberations and I am proud that I have this great opportunity to serve my people in this way. I am looking forward to getting even deeper into helping to build this young but great democracy. We must together set an example to our people that, even though we may be different, we can still listen and talk to one another as brothers and sisters, Africans that we truly are.
Social cohesion is one of the most important objectives that the PAC seeks to achieve from this country and I am confident that we shall all embrace that approach as we come back after this festive season.
Let me then wish all of you a good rest and a peaceful period during the Christmas holidays, which will usher in the New Year. I am appealing to you that when you are home, please, do not use your status and drink and drive around. Stay away from alcohol so that we may all come back to this lovely Parliament. May God bless you all! I thank you. [Applause.]
Hon Speaker, hon Deputy President and hon members, as we draw to a close this year, I think we all can agree that it has been one of the busiest, especially as our election campaigns gather speed. This year has not been without its high-lights and its low-lights, and I am not making reference to anyone's hairstyle when I say this.
In this House, we have had our fair share of arguments, debates, engagements and sometimes a little hysteria when we discussed crucial issues. We stopped short of throwing punches at one another, but we took the word "robust" to a whole other level. We did this within the healthy space of tolerance and, for the ANC, always with the overwhelming sense of duty to ensure that we created a better life for all our people.
As we approach our national elections next year, in the same year that we celebrate 20 years of democracy, every one of us sitting here, irrespective of the party one belongs to, must be honest enough to admit that South Africa in 2013 is a far better place than in 1994. [Applause.]
As the dawn of 1994 beckoned, there were many, some even in this House, who forewarned about the end of days or Armageddon if the ANC took over. When the ANC proved that it sought to improve the lives of all of South Africa's people, both black and white, the doomsayers appeared muted. Now that our fifth national election is approaching, the doomsayers are back in all bluster, forewarning of all sorts of doom and gloom, and they cannot bring themselves to acknowledge the vast progress we have made.
We have changed lives in 19 years. Access to electricity, water and sanitation has been increased tenfold for those who knew no such comforts; and nobody can deny this. Through the national subsidy scheme, we have housed around 11 million people since 1994. Nobody can deny this. [Applause.] Since 1994, the ANC government has redistributed 7,950 million hectares of the country's arable land to the previously disadvantaged. And since the inception of the restitution programme in 1995, 79 696 claims have been lodged and 77 334 have been settled. Nobody can deny this. [Applause.]
Over R600 billion in Black Economic Empowerment transactions have been recorded since 1995, and here I must thank the DA for its inadvertent support for the Employment Equity Amendment Bill. [Applause.] Never mind all the flip-flopping talk doing the rounds. Our public health care system works, education levels are up, and our adult literacy rate has been increasing steadily over the past 10 years. You cannot know this because you do not know much of South Africa. Proudly brought to you by the ANC! [Applause.] No one can begrudge us because of these achievements. [Interjections.]
Order, hon members!
However, we have a long way to go. We do not need a "know your ANC campaign" to tell our people who we are. Everyone knows.
Speaker, on a point of order: With great respect, the hon Chief Whip is making a political speech. It has nothing to do with a farewell speech. [Interjections.]
Speaker, on a point of order: When the Chief Whip of the DA was speaking, the hon Kubayi rose on a point of order and said that it is a convention to be convivial in a farewell speech, and it was a convention. Now, I submit that this political report is not in keeping with the spirit of a farewell speech. [Interjections.]
Speaker, on a point of order: I would like to say, we should not have double standards. In fact, we should listen to our own Chief Whip because the very Chief Whip we are referring to indicated - and it is recorded on Hansard - that there is, in his view, no convention; thus, take the medicine. Thank you. [Applause.]
Hon Chief Whip, you may proceed, but please also remember that it is a farewell speech.
Everyone knows what our policies are and what they have always been. We neither re-branded our logo, reinvented untrue attachments to the struggle icons, had a fashion makeover with tasteless berets, nor learned new dance moves to prove our commitment to our people.
People usually talk of the festive season as the silly season. However, with the electioneering in full swing, the silly season takes on an added flavour. New political parties have sprung up, some who now criticise affirmative action whilst being the beneficiaries of this policy and acquiring great wealth in this process; others who spew vitriol whilst pursuing unattainable, but short-term political objectives meant to benefit just themselves. Electoral opportunism brings out strange characteristics; the silly season indeed.
Hon members, reflection is always good. In these Chambers, when we reflect on progress and demand accountability and transformation, perhaps we should also interrogate how transformed are these hallowed walls of Parliament within which we are working? There are still many relics of the past and, the hon Koos van der Merwe, I do not mean you, which we need to change in Parliament. The review of the Rules is the most pressing concern. When we will be celebrating 20 years of democracy next year, we will also look at how considerably Parliament has transformed in the past 20 years.
The hallmark of our participatory democracy is that of adopting an inclusive approach and partnering with each other to arrive at a common future. As the ANC, we believe that the responsibility entrusted to us by the people of South Africa is not to be taken lightly. Our approach of consultation, engagement, interaction and collaboration is in recognition of the fact that we learn and grow together. All parties are to be commended for the spirit with which they have worked together and mutually co-operated to take forward the programme of this Parliament. Maybe among the lessons to be learned is that the judiciary cannot be used to dictate to Parliament what decisions should be taken.
As representatives of our people who mandated us to be here, the job of negotiating, debating and disagreeing on key matters before the House has to be our responsibility within this institution. Nobody has said that it would be easy, but equally, we cannot bring in the judicial arm of the state to solve these problems.
The separation of powers dictates that one branch of the state must not take over the functions of another branch of the state. This year, members have worked tirelessly, especially with regard to the legislative programme of Parliament. The exchanges and debates were a testimony to our democracy. We all know, as elected public representatives seated here, that we share a common mission, which remains the creation of a united, nonracial, nonsexist, democratic and prosperous society.
This Parliament and its programmes must be premised on people- centred and people-driven change and its capacity to lead in the definition of a common national agenda in mobilising all of society to take part in its implementation. A Parliament that is not representative of the political will, of the social diversity, and of the ethno-demographic realities of its people; Parliament that is not active and effective in its constitutional functions at all levels - local, national and international - and which is not accountable to the citizens it represents, will not take forward or entrench the principles of democracy and socioeconomic development of a country.
In this vein, no activist Parliament can exist without an activist civil society and activist citizenry. Parliament will never completely become an activist one unless there is a dynamic interaction with our civil society. Our citizens should be both encouraged and supported to continue to exercise their democratic rights, to be fully engaged in the political decision-making processes and in shaping the present and the future of our country. This should not only be during election times, but at all times.
There is a saying which says: The opposite of an activist Parliament is not an inactive Parliament, it is an indifferent Parliament. The opposite of an active civil society is not a passive civil society; it is an indifferent civil society.
Our constituency work and Parliamentary Constituency Offices, the PCOs, are the link to ensure that we solidify our relationship with our people. It is through these offices and our visibility on the ground that we can engage on issues and share knowledge on service delivery matters, assist with counselling, advice and referrals, and generally provide assistance where we can.
Hon members, I am that sure we have all had our fill of speeches for the year, and I am certainly not going to delay everybody any more. However, it would be remiss of me not to pay tribute to colleagues and friends whom we have lost this year and who have each made enormous sacrifices and contributions to building our democracy. After the whole nation and the global community were collectively in prayer for our beloved Madiba, we realise how close we were due to his loss.
During that time of reflection, people across the world conveyed what he meant to them. We know what he means to us, and in honouring him we would do well to live with honour ourselves.
Finally, both the Deputy Chief Whip and I would like to thank the Speaker, hon Max Sisulu; the Deputy Speaker, Ms Nomaindia Mfeketo; the House Chairpersons, hon Cedric Frolick, hon Ben Skosana and Ms Fatima Hajaig; the management and staff of Parliament; and the ANC caucus support services, for their assistance and contributions to the work of all members. May you all have a safe, peaceful and restful festive season.
Unfortunately, I am not going to sit down yet. I have 12 minutes to go. The Hon Watson, please remember the hon Botha, the Chief Whip of Cope's question when he said, what is the legacy you are leaving behind? You break conventions, and you ask others not to. You burn bridges because you are no longer coming back here, but remember we have some months in the first part of the year next year. You will come back here. What you left here will come back to haunt you. You lose debates. You lose votes. You lose the prestige of your party. You are taking it out on this House during the injury time. Unfortunately, we have beaten you five nil. [Applause.]
The hon Botha, you copied a poor example of the DA. The farewell speech is not intended to evaluate Ministers. Since you too, like the hon Watson, have lost all debates on all matters we spoke to in this House, a farewell speech sank you. The voters will visit you at the polls. The hon Van der Merwe, Oom Koos, retire in peace; we find you not guilty. [Laughter.] Please ask your friend, Watty, to go home and play with the cat. [Laughter.] Faku, we salute you too, my friend.
The hon Mulder, remember during the debate on the legacy of the 1913 Land Act, I asked you to approach your constituency and ask them to share the land they claimed ownership over with the poor that they call farm workers. Today, I asked you to use the holidays to urge them over a braai, at church services, or at sport festivals to share the land with the poor. [Applause.] It will truly be "regstellende aksie" [affirmative action] and "toenadering" [rapprochement] we all yearned for.
The hon Thring, integrity talks from an honest, truthful witness to the good work the ANC delivers. I thank you. [Applause.] Visit St John, Chapter 3 and verse 11: "We speak of what we know, and we testify to what we have seen." [Applause.]
South Africa, Mr Mpethi, moving from roads to rails will reduce the trucks and taxis on the roads, as goods, loads and passengers will be on trains. The ancestors will be happy when we move people from the road to avoid the trucks and the taxis and put them on the trains. I thank you. [Applause.]
Hon members, let me begin by thanking all of you for your contribution to the work of this Parliament. We have once again reached the end of a fast-paced, robust and eventful year for Parliament. No wonder that lately, even the livelier Members of Parliament seem a bit jaded and a little jaundiced-eyed at times.
All in all, this session of Parliament has been most engaging and has on occasion produced its own moments of high drama and excitement. I am very pleased that the quality of debates in the House has progressively improved, and has been more stimulating and more informative. I assure you that it makes a big difference to those who have to listen to you.
I have also noted a marked improvement in the decorum in the House, and I wish to thank the leaders of the political parties and members for assisting the presiding officers to uphold the Rules of the House at all times. Also, despite the short parliamentary calendar year, the Portfolio Committees managed to complete a vast amount of work with great care and diligence.
Specifically, I wish to express appreciation for the long hours and the tight schedules under which committees worked to compile the good quality Budgetary Review and Recommendation Reports, the BRRRs. We hope these reports will not gather dust somewhere, but will be taken up by the departments in the coming months. These reports are fundamental to our oversight work and the ability of Parliament to meaningfully engage and influence the budget.
We continued to make steady progress with regard to the changes to the Rules and procedures amidst almost no publicity at all, but these will have a profound impact on the workings of Parliament. Furthermore, we anticipate that the redrafted Rules will be ready by the end of November.
Therefore, I am appealing to parties to discuss their positions and have their comments ready as soon as committee work begins in the new year. The rules will address such matters as motions of no confidence and Private Members' Bills, both of which have been the subject of court proceedings. The intention is for the Fourth Parliament to leave a lasting legacy of a comprehensive and updated set of procedures and Rules.
With respect to legislation, 42 Bills have been passed by the House this year; this being the highest number since 2009. Also, in total, portfolio committees held 54 public hearings on a broad range of issues. The spectrum ranged from the Energy Efficiency Bill to the Mental Health Care Amendment Bill. I am also very pleased by the continued interest shown by the public in the legislation and the work of Parliament. The doors of Parliament are indeed open to our people. Moreover, our democracy continues to be accessible, vibrant and very noisy at times.
In keeping with our focus on elevating international relations, in May this year His Excellency President Goodluck Jonathan of Nigeria addressed a Joint Sitting of Parliament. President Jonathan paid a moving tribute to our inspirational patriots such as Chief Albert Luthuli, President Nelson Mandela, Oliver Tambo, Walter Sisulu, Chris Hani and Steve Biko amongst others.
In September, the Speaker of the Assembly of Mozambique, Dr Veronica Dlhovo and her delegation visited Parliament. This was a very successful visit in which we signed a memorandum of understanding and co-operation, which will enable us to collaborate in a number of areas in the coming years. We were also honoured to receive the Prime Minister of Poland, Mr Donald Tusk, in October. These interactions with other parliaments and countries are invaluable and help to expand the role of Parliament in bilateral and multilateral fora. On a more sombre note, it is with sadness that we remember one of our members, Mr N M Kganyago of the UDM, who passed away on 17 July 2013. We remember the contributions of Mr Kganyago with affection and a profound sense of loss.
We have unfinished business that must be completed before we rise at the end of the Fourth Parliament. To this end, we have agreed that committees will reconvene early in January, after 2 January 2014, to specifically finalise legislation and any other business that requires urgent attention.
In addition, the President of the Republic is scheduled to deliver the state of the nation address on 13 February, and the Minister of Finance will have an opportunity to deliver the national Budget Speech before we rise for the 2014 elections. Upon your return in the new year, a newly upgraded high-tech Chamber will be awaiting you. The upgrading of the Chamber is about to commence in the following couple of days.
In conclusion, there are many people whom I wish to thank - the staff and Members of Parliament. We have made our work here in Parliament much easier and enjoyable. I also wish to thank the people who made the Speaker's wine cellar the talk of the continent. The Speaker's cellar is one of the best and the only wine cellar in Africa. [Laughter.] [Applause.] I would like to thank a lot of people for that, including the hon Ellis up there in the gallery. Thank you, the hon Ellis. [Applause.]
I wish to thank the Deputy Speaker, Nomaindia Mfeketo, and the House Chairpersons, Skosana, Hajaig and Frolick for their hard work, and the invaluable contribution that they have made to assist me in the smooth running of this important institution called Parliament. I also wish to extend my gratitude to the Secretary to Parliament, Michael Coetzee and the Deputy Secretary, Baby Tyawa for their sterling work throughout this year. As you might know, Michael Coetzee has not been well. In fact, he is in a critical condition at the Vincent Pallotti Hospital. The Chairperson of the NCOP and I will take your best wishes to him when we visit him tomorrow. Of course, we will wish him a speedy recovery.
I wish to extend my best wishes to all political parties who will be busy campaigning for the elections. Let us not take the act of voting lightly. Our nation and leadership are essential to the cause of human dignity. Therefore, we must act and lead with confidence in our ideas, actions and abiding faith in the character of our people who sent us all here.
Former President Nelson Mandela underscored the values of the vote for all the people of South Africa when he said, and I quote:
I waited over 70 years to cast my first vote ... I voted not only for myself alone but for many who took part in our struggle ... felt that each one of them held my hand that made the cross, helped me to fold the ballot paper and push it into the ballot box.
Let us never ever reach a stage where we take such a simple but powerful act for granted. I hope that there will be time for a short break amidst all the campaigning. I wish you well. Go well. I thank you. [Applause.] Hon members, that concludes the farewell speeches and the business for the year. The House is adjourned. [Laughter.]
Debate concluded.