Hon Speaker, hon Deputy President in absentia, hon Members of Parliament, our guests in the gallery and my family up there, thank you for coming. [Applause.]
Let me begin by extending my heartfelt gratitude to our glorious movement, the ANC, and to our people for affording me the opportunity to serve our country in this our tribune, indeed the activist Parliament, of a democratic South Africa. It is a choice our people made, after careful consideration, to consciously build a South Africa that belongs to all who live in it.
Our forebears did not only seek to eradicate apartheid, but above all they sought to build a society that is based on humane values, yes, the values of ubuntu.
The Constitution, which is the product of serious negotiations, is a testament to and an embodiment of the aspirations of our people. Human dignity, equality and freedom are not only values that underpin our Constitution and are therefore couriers of the spirit of our Constitution, but they are also the direct antithesis of apartheid's values of racial discrimination, economic exclusion and gender oppression.
It therefore remains our mission to obliterate from our society not only the acts of discrimination, but also the effects thereof. Therefore, it is unconscionable for anyone, for any political party and for whatever reason, to persist with the fallacious argument that the pursuit of formal equality through equal opportunities can eliminate poverty, inequality and unemployment. These challenges require that we pursue equality of outcomes, even substantive equality, through affirmative action and employment equity, and anything short of this is but a mirage and fiction.
Our forebears and posterity alike have imposed on us the responsibility to reverse the legacy of apartheid. From this responsibility we should not shrink. This responsibility we must take on with zeal and tenacity. My dear colleagues, from this responsibility we cannot be released. We dare not fail our forefathers, and yes, we cannot fail our children, either.
Our electoral system has been designed to ensure a multiparty democracy that includes even small parties. However, I must mention that democracy is nothing if it does not ensure that the voice of the minority is heard, but, even greater, that the will of the majority prevails.
The double-pronged nature of democracy obligates both sides of this House to promote the fulfilment of the whole and not only a part thereof. As much as the majority party must ensure that the voice of the minority is heard, even more so, the opposition as well as the ruling party have the responsibility to build our nation and society. [Applause.] The point I am making is that nation-building and social cohesion are not only the responsibility of the ANC, but of all Members of Parliament and other leaders in society. [Applause.]
Let me illustrate my point through an anecdote that was related by King Sabata Dalindyebo. According to the story, two men were fighting. It was a stick fight. These men were very angry and their wives were urging them on. The wife of man A shouted:
What's the matter, my husband? You are much stronger than him and a better fighter, but he is defeating you. You are losing because you only have a stick in one hand, while the other hand is useless for fighting because it is stupidly holding a blanket to cover your nakedness.
[Laughter.]
Drop the damn blanket ... [Laughter.]
... forget your nakedness and fight with both hands!
[Laughter.]
I want to urge Members of Parliament to mind both the stick and the blanket. [Laughter.] Debates may be hot, contradictions may sharpen and interests may collide, but we should at all times preserve the integrity of this House ... [Applause.] ... the integrity of our people and the integrity of our country. Yes, we should criticise, but constructively. We should never ever seek to demean others or border on using backward tactics, like exploiting the genuine fears of some of our people in order to score narrow political points and advance selfish interests.
This is an era in which all of us must join hands together as one to move South Africa forward to a future in which one's skin colour, sex, culture or religion shall have no bearing on the heights to which we can ascend.
Come on! Come, my dear colleagues or, shall I say, my dear children. Your country, South Africa, needs you. Let us go to our people and tell them the truth about their country. Let us be truthful to ourselves and to our people.
The democratic project to transform our society and liberate our people from the legacy of apartheid and colonialism continues. Remember, as we do so, that the blanket matters as much as the stick does. The end should never justify the means. The journey is as important as the destination.
To all of you, my colleagues, at the end of the 20 years I have been mandated to serve our people, I wish you all the best in your future endeavours.
Ho ya ka makgoro ha se ho lahlana. Tselatshweu. [Going our separate ways does not mean we will never meet again. Go well.]
I think I am fortunate in that I did not create enemies here - on both sides of the House. [Applause.] I have good friends among the opposition members as well as in my own organisation. I am not aware of any enemies from the opposition. One of my best friends whom I have been working with for 20 years is hon Donald Lee, a great friend of mine, and Dr Pierre Rabie. Where is he? I don't see him.
Anyway, thank you very much, comrades and Mr Speaker. I hope members who are coming back will continue to work together harmoniously. Remember that when you do criticise, please let your criticism be constructive. We should not just criticise for the sake of criticising as that won't help us, but if you say, "I don't like this, because of this and that, and a better method of doing it is this way", that is what I call constructive criticism. Thank you very much. [Applause.]
I thank our hon veteran Bab'uMlangeni. We want to say to the family that now we can release him. He can go home. If in future he comes home late and he says he is from Parliament, that would not be true. [Laughter.]
Hon Speaker, it is indeed a great honour, as a last duty in this House, to take part in these farewell speeches. I think it is my eleventh farewell speech, considering that in some years we have two farewells. However, this is, indeed, a last farewell and not just a goodbye, as most of the other farewells have been.
This year marks my 50th year in active politics ... [Interjections.] ... so it is about time for me to bow out gracefully. Of these 50 years, I spent 14 years in local government and, since 1994, as a Member of Parliament, initially representing the National Party for five years and, for the past 10 years, as a very proud member of the DA.
During those many years as a representative and as an activist, my path crossed those of thousands, who are obviously too numerous to mention in person. They included not only many important and high-placed people, but also thousands who sought no compensation, no recognition or glory, but who steadfastly worked for a better society and a truly democratic political dispensation. It is them that I wish to applaud today, because, even though it is a proverb based on communist beliefs, I believe it is true that it is not the hero, nor the personality, but the people who are the moving force of history.
I do, however, also wish to acknowledge that in my time here in Parliament, especially these last past years in the National Assembly, many individuals have made lasting impressions on me and certainly played a role in the way in which I traversed the rough and sometimes slippery roads of the political landscape. I salute all those individuals, but in particular I wish to pay tribute to the hon M J Mahlangu, Chairperson of the NCOP, with whom I worked for many years and, of course, to you, hon Speaker, for your impartiality, wise leadership and your wisdom in considering matters that were brought to your attention. I thank you for that, I wish you well and, as so many other speakers have said, I think you should carry on to be President one day.
I also wish to thank your support staff, the other leaders and particularly the staff in both Houses. The support staff sometimes have the most thankless jobs, but they never let us down. I thank them sincerely. [Interjections.] Cheers! I have always wanted to say "Cheers!" at the podium and now I have had the chance.
In the past few weeks, we have had the unfortunate incidents where my party has had to show their protest by walking out in reference to events that had taken place. Please do not take that as disregard for this House, but as an action of our right to a democratic protest. That, however, does not take away from us and, particularly from me, the reverence with which we regard this august House, its leadership and particularly those who sit in the Chair. I thank you, hon Speaker, in particular.
This is not only my farewell speech. Quite a number of my colleagues are also retiring and I would like for them to join me in this farewell speech. I am referring to the hon Ian Davidson, who left earlier because of the impact of the terrible capping of long-service members in respect of their pensions. I also refer to the hon Dene Smuts, who has contributed immensely in this House. [Applause.] Yes, you may applaud her. [Applause.] I also refer to my great friend and colleague, the hon Stuart Farrow ... [Applause.] Clap at the end, you're using up my minutes!
I also refer to my dear friend, Donald Lee, with whom I have had many, many years of interaction. [Applause.] Unfortunately, I haven't got the time to go into details, but I did tell my colleagues the other day that there was a time when I was the leader of the back bench and he was my Chief Whip. I didn't think I would come back to be a real Chief Whip.
I also refer to the hon Pierre Rabie and Marius Swart, who have already said their farewells, and to our great friend and hard worker in the community - nobody has ever worked like her, to my knowledge - Helen Lamoela ... [Applause.] ... as well as to Butch Steyn, the doyen of housing, to Marti Wenger, who has done so much, not only for her home town as the mayor there, but also in this Parliament, to Manie van Dyk, to my friend Donald Smiles, to Patty Duncan, George Boinamo, Deetlefs du Toit, Dr Ena van Schalkwyk and Dr Lourie Bosman. I have asked some of those who haven't said goodbye yet to share a message, which I can share with you, and I do so with pleasure. Stuart Farrow, at the end of his 15 years of collegiality, as he calls it, has asked me to thank in particular Jeremy Cronin, Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Transport before becoming Deputy Minister, with whom he had a good rapport and who had always been willing to listen to his differing viewpoints.
I shall have to shorten some of these messages, unfortunately, colleagues, because time is running out. He also wishes to thank the current Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Tourism, Donald Gumede. He says that with chairpersons like those, who are always prepared to hear an alternate voice, it gives one hope for the future of our multiparty democracy. [Applause.]
The very same Dene Smuts, who departs after 20 long years of devoted service in this Parliament ... [Interjections.] I am sorry, it is 24 years - oh, she was somewhere else for four years; I didn't know. I have only been here for 20 years. She has asked me to say that it is no fault of hers that she is so annoyed and furious today, because the committee reports on her very important private member's constitutional amendments Bill have been kept below the line for more than a month now. She is furious and totally disappointed about that. However, she says that parliamentary friendships forged in spite of, or during our fights, outlast everything and she is actually very, very fond of the ANC Justice MPs. She said that friendship is sometimes forged in fury. [Interjections.]
Pierre Rabie has said his goodbyes, but he also asked me to add that it is important for him to say that he departs not as an enemy, but as a friend of everybody. Helen Lamoela has had long and distinguished service outside Parliament and has been here for the past 10 years, first in the NCOP and now here. She has added her words of thanks. I am sorry, the time is running out. Marti Wenger has added her message. It will be captured in the Hansard, I am sure. So have Donald Smiles and Patty Duncan.
Dr Ena van Schalkwyk het ook haar woorde hierby gevoeg. [Dr Ena van Schalkwyk also added her words to this.]
For myself, I wish to thank my own party and colleagues most sincerely for their collegiality, friendship and support.
Die uitsonderlike ondersteuning tydens my afwesigheid die afgelope twee weke tydens my vrou se ernstige siekte het weer bewys dat ons inderdaad 'n familie is wat vir mekaar omgee. [The exceptional support during my absence the past two weeks due to my wife's serious illness proved once more that we are indeed a family who cares about one another.]
I particularly wish to thank the parliamentary leader, Lindiwe Mazibuko, who is absent because she has been quite ill. She had a very serious operation, but we thank the Lord that she is progressing very well.
I particularly want to thank the chairperson of our party, nationally, and also the chair of our caucus, Dr Wilmot James, for his guidance and his help; and also Sandy Kalyan, my Deputy Chief Whip, and all the hardworking Whips. I thank all the colleagues for their collegiality. [Applause.]
I want to end by saying I have an admission to make. I don't have a good story to tell ... [Laughter.] ... because we, in the DA, don't tell stories. We stick to the facts! I thank you. [Laughter.] [Applause.]
Hon Speaker, hon members of this august House, Deputy Speaker, honourable presiding officers and hon Ministers, allow me to thank first of all the staff members that are serving this House. I think many people would have choked here at the podium if there was no water. So, the staff members have been very useful in providing an essential service to members of this House.
I also want to recognise MaNjobe who is a veteran of this House and the struggle for liberation. [Applause.] I'm glad I am finishing five years in this House. I was first sworn in, in this House, as a member of the ANC in 1994. I only stayed here for three weeks, because it was not my intention to be a Member of Parliament. I wanted to go to the Public Service, and I still wish to go back there. I therefore want to let you know that I am also leaving Parliament for that purpose.
Hon Speaker, allow me to thank all of you for the sterling work you have done in the past five years. I further wish to single you out, hon Speaker, for the outstanding performance in the execution of your task, in allowing debates on controversial and contentious issues, like the one on the Marikana killings and the debate we had yesterday on the use of marijuana as a possible cure for cancer. You and the Deputy Speaker, together with the House Chairs, have played a significant role in maintaining the dignity and the decorum of this House.
The political parties that make up this House, although they arrive here carrying their specific mandates, based on their election manifestos, when they sit within these walls, symbolise a diverse but unified voice of the people of South Africa. They tacitly or expressly surrender their individuality to the Rules governing this institution which, of necessity, limit their unfettered freedom. The manner in which and the extent to which they perform their functions within this House are circumscribed by the Rules regulating the behaviour of hon members, regardless of their party affiliation.
The issue of poor attendance by members on both sides of the House gave rise to the development of the attendance policy by the Joint Whips' Committee. This policy, without negating the rights of parties to discipline their members, places the ultimate responsibility for ensuring the discipline of members on this House.
Hon Speaker, this House is tasked, among other things, with passing legislation, and performing oversight over the executive. It cannot be seen to be legislating for others if it cannot apply the same rules to itself. For this institution to preserve its dignity and for the public to respect its members, it must abide by the same standards it expects others to abide by.
In addition, hon Speaker, whilst the rights of political parties to engage in rigorous debates in this House should never be undermined, this has to be done in the spirit of patriotism and in defence of the common good. The notion of unity in diversity must assume political, social and economic meaning for the country to move forward. Members of political parties come to this House with mandates from their caucuses to debate difficult issues that affect the nation. They present positions to this House in the belief that they will be able to persuade other political parties to move to their position. They too should expect that other parties are determined to persuade them to move to their own position. This is the essence of democracy. If you are not ready to persuade and be persuaded, there is no justification for you to be in the House. Individuals and political parties come and go, but this institution will remain in place for generations to come.
In conclusion, I must confess that I came to this House with less knowledge than that with which I leave. I now feel better equipped to face the world and to continue putting building blocks in the development of our nascent democracy. I wish all those members of this House who are not coming back good luck in their endeavours. To those hoping to come back, good luck in the forthcoming elections. I thank you. [Applause.]
Hon Speaker, hon Ministers, hon Deputy Ministers, comrades, and hon Members of Parliament, I stand here before you feeling fulfilled and humbled to have been favoured with the opportunity to serve our people in a representative capacity. Indeed, the 18 years I have spent within these august walls will remain etched in my memory.
I will always recall that the ANC worked hard to transform an institution that was legally legitimising a system which the United Nations declared a crime against humanity. I will recall with fulfilment that the representatives of the aspirations of our people did not only repeal laws that were inconsistent with our Constitution, but passed laws which not only freed our people from the shackles of apartheid, but also restored the dignity of the downtrodden and empowered the vulnerable.
Hon members, I shall never forget how I was part of the team in the history of our people, the team that ensured that South Africa, our beloved country, became much better than it was before 1994. Yes, I agree with the President that it is a good story to tell. [Applause.] It is a story we shall continue to tell our people, the story of how taking electricity to rural areas has freed our women from taking their precious time to hew wood, many of whom had to balance logs of wood on their heads.
Ba ile go rwalela dikgong kwa nageng. [They went to hew wood in the veld.]
These women have gradually been released from the burden of cooking outside under harsh conditions. The ANC has, through using its position as a governing party, built houses for the homeless and brought potable water to our people.
Ha re sa ya dinokeng re ilo kga metsi. [We no longer fetch water from the rivers.]
The dignity of our people has been restored and women released to pursue more fulfilling ventures.
Hon Speaker, what brings joy to us is to have been part of a team that worked hard to extend access to permitting documents. We have witnessed the joy of people receiving smart identity document cards for the first time. [Applause.] Our government is now rolling out the smart identity document cards, beginning with our senior citizens, many of whom had been dehumanised by the apartheid government by forcing them to carry "dompasses" and "specials", and virtually turning them into pariahs in their own land. The roll-out also begins with the young who, though affected by the harsh legacy of apartheid, have been spared its direct indignities.
Hon members, our democracy demands of us to be in contact with the people we represent. It is therefore necessary that we strengthen our constituency work. We should also dedicate more quality time to oversight work, because theory cannot be divorced from practice, and knowledge without experience is always at the risk of being irrelevant. In the period I have been in Parliament, I have to say that the people's Parliament under the leadership of the ANC has done a lot to reverse the legacy of apartheid, yet more still needs to be done.
Let me take this opportunity to wish all hon members well in their future endeavours. In particular, I want to thank the ANC for affording me the golden opportunity to serve our people. I also thank the members of the Portfolio Committee on Home Affairs and the staff; the office of the Minister, the Deputy Minister and the Department of Home Affairs; the office of the Chief Whip and the Deputy Chief Whip for their support; and lastly, I thank the entire ANC family here in Parliament. It was warm to be in the ANC. [Applause.]
Ho lona bohle ke re di sa kopaneng ke dithaba. [I say to you all, till we meet again.]
Ntumelele Mmusakgotla ke re: Gape nna ke motlhakola o montsho wa mampa'Modise, more mophyegisa manong. Magodi ga a akelwe. Ke motho yo o ntseng a re tlou, tlou. Ee, le e bone e tlhaga e tshaba eng? Ke setlogolwana sa Bakwena. Ke a leboga, Mmusakgotla. [Legofi.] [Praise poem]
Mr Speaker, I want to say to Baba Mlangeni ...
Oom Andrew, u het baie mooi gepraat. U moet mooi loop! [Uncle Andrew, you spoke very well. Do take care of yourself!]
I want to thank all people who have helped to make a success of our Parliament and who have been kind to me. I also want to pay tribute to my colleague, Mr Peter Smith, who is retiring. He was a brilliant politician. He is a very intelligent person and it is a pity that we are losing him.
Mooi loop, ou Peter! [Applous.] [Go well, old Peter!] [Applause.]
Today is a historic day in my life. In fact, it is the last time that I will be speaking in Parliament as I am retiring. [Applause.] [Interjections.] There is another highlight in my life. Today, as my sons and my wife are celebrating birthdays, I promised them that I will refer to them in my speech. Please, allow me to do so.
Aan my seun Jacobus Hercules van der Merwe, wat vandag 48 word, baie geluk, Jaco! Aan my kleinseun Jacobus Hercules van der Merwe, wat vandag 18 word, geluk, klein Jaco! Aan my ander kleinseun Andries Hendrik van der Merwe, wat op 10 Maart 16 geword het, baie geluk, Anri! En aan my vrou Annette, wat op 17 Maart verjaar, baie geluk! Sy en ek is vanjaar 55 jaar gelukkig getroud! [Applous.] (Translation of Afrikaans paragraph follows.)
[To my son Jacobus Hercules van der Merwe, who turns 48 today, congratulations, Jaco! To my grandson Jacobus Hercules van der Merwe, who turns 18 today, congratulations, young Jaco. To my other grandson Andries Hendrik van der Merwe, who turned 16 on 10 March, congratulations, Anri! And to my wife Annette, who will be celebrating her birthday on 17 March, congratulations! This year she and I have been happily married for 55 years!] [Applause.]
Yes, I am retiring. I have come to the end of more than 60 years of being an activist. With Watty it was 50 years, and I have been one for 60 years. I remember that I was distributing pamphlets and putting up posters during the elections in 1948. However, I have been in Parliament for 37 long years ... [Interjections.] ... but they went past like a bullet. I will be writing about my life in Parliament, from the days of apartheid until now, because I have seen the whole movie.
I was privileged to have served under seven heads of state: Mr Vorster, Mr P W Botha, Mr F W de Klerk, Madiba, Mr Mbeki, Mr Motlanthe and President Zuma. I also served for 18 years on the Judicial Service Commission. For me as a lawyer, this was a pinnacle of my legal career, the one I am most proud of, assisting to build a solid South African judiciary.
I wish to pass one or two pieces of advice to our members. Always be respectful to your parents, your grandparents, your teachers, your employers and the elderly. Be respectful. Discipline is the second one. You must always arrive on time, properly prepared so as to make meaningful contributions. In short, the main one is to be humble, as humility is the road to political success.
I want to thank the Almighty for granting me the privilege to have served so long in Parliament.
Mhlonishwa Somlomo, ngiyambonga uNkulunkulu ngaleli thuba. [Hon Speaker, I thank the Almighty for giving me this opportunity.]
Ke leboha Modimo ka monyetla wa ho sebetsa mona Palamenteng. [I thank God for an opportunity to work in Parliament.]
Hemelse Vader, ek dank U vir die voorreg wat U my gegun het om byna 40 jaar lank lid van di Parlement te wees. [Heavenly Father, I thank You for the privilege You have granted me to have served for almost 40 years as a member of this Parliament.] [Applause.]
It is time for me to say goodbye. Goodbye! Tsamayang hantle! Nihambe kahle!
Fluit-fluit, my storie is uit! [Well, that's the end of my story!] [Applause.] [Laughter.]
I wish to thank hon Van der Merwe. We will definitely miss you! [Interjections.] [Laughter.] Thank you very much, hon Koos van der Merwe.
Hon Speaker, hon members, we have been meeting in committees and coming to this House for the past five years. We have learnt to understand each other as family members do. It is therefore indeed very emotional to stand here knowing well that I am seeing some of these faces for the last time in my life.
I am short of words in thanking the UDM for deploying me in this Parliament to represent the people of South Africa, a duty I am satisfied I have done to the best of my ability. I am also grateful for having had the opportunity to meet these wonderful people.
My gratitude goes to all the chairpersons of the committees in which I served. They created platforms that enabled greater convergence and coherence of our best intellectual resources, contributing to more far- sighted legislation and effective implementation. In all the committees that I served in, we were like family members tolerating each other. An outsider would not even notice that we came from different political parties. Mr Speaker, I do not know how Parliament was in the previous terms because this is my first term. However, one thing that I am sure of is that you made this term a very interesting one. You maintained your neutrality as a presiding officer right through, and you also maintained the quintessence of politeness even in trying times. You have the patience of Job. This also goes for your Deputy Speaker and the House Chairs. They did a very good job. I commend them for that. [Applause.]
Hon members, my dear colleagues, regardless of what may happen to us in the next term, let us thank our parties for choosing us amongst all their members to come and represent South Africans here. This is an enormous and valuable experience that we could not have gotten anywhere else except here. Nobody will ever take it away from us. To those members who are not coming back, but are willing to come back, do not despair. This is not the end of the world. To frustrate yourself with something that you cannot change is very unfair to yourself. There is a proverb that says, "The die is cast."
Kwatshiwo emyezweni kwathiwa siza kufa ngokufa. Ayisoze itshintshe ke loo nto! [It was said from the garden of Eden that man will die and turn into dust. That can never be changed!]
I am not saying "niza kufa" [you will die]; all that I am saying is: Do not frustrate yourself with something that you are not going to change. You must always try to maintain a positive attitude even when things get tough. This reminds me of a quotation from the great Mahatma Gandhi:
Keep your thoughts positive because your thoughts become your words. Keep your words positive because your words become your behaviour. Keep your behaviour positive because your behaviour becomes your habits. Keep your habits positive because your habits become your values. Keep your values positive because your values become your destiny.
Your destiny is in your hands and not in anybody else's hands. If there are any who say, "We will see", prove them wrong! From the bottom of my heart, I would really love to see you in life after Parliament, the same people that you are now, of course, with reasonable wear-and-tear, because the age is catching up. Thank you. [Applause.]
Mr Speaker, many years ago, Mark Twain said the following: "Reports of my death are grossly exaggerated." [Laughter.]
I want to say that the reports of my retirement are also "grossly exaggerated". [Laughter.] I find it very difficult to retire. So, what I am going to do - indeed, I wrote to you this morning, Mr Speaker -as I leave the seat here, is that I would like you to reserve a seat for me up there! [Interjections.] [Applause.] Then, I shall be looking down on the House and exercising my right of oversight. [Laughter.] [Applause.] So, be careful, I shall be around!
You see, Mr Speaker, it is rather difficult to get rid of me. I live in Cape Town. I have an office across the road in Plein Street, and I shall be working on the journal, New Agenda, that I have been editing for 10 years. That journal is going to keep me very busy. That is why the word "retirement" does not fit nicely in my mind. As I am here and across the road, I shall be exercising oversight and monitoring this House. So, please pay attention, because I shall be sitting up there across the road keeping an eye on everybody.
I need to say a few words about my experience in this House. I enjoy speaking; I do not enjoy listening. So, I found a trick to use when I speak here at the podium. The trick is this: When you see that the House is not paying attention, all you have to do is to provoke the DA. [Laughter.] And as you provoke them, they rise like fish to the bait. [Interjections.] [Laughter.] They attack you! And as they attack you, the whole House listens! [Laughter.]
I want to confess that I have used that trick many times, especially in the days of the hon Mike Ellis. [Applause.] [Laughter.] Mike was really a fish who rose to the bait. [Laughter.] If I called him a capitalist, he would call me a communist. Then the whole House would be in a furore! [Laughter.] So, I want to thank the DA for this entertainment. [Laughter.] [Applause.]
I want to say a few words about the ethics of the House. This morning the Joint Committee on Ethics and Members' Interests met. We passed the new code of ethical conduct. If I look back on my period of 20 years in the House, I think I am going to be very proud of the fact that this committee has set a new standard for behaviour in this House. I want to thank all the members of that committee for their co-operation. [Applause.]
To get cross-party co-operation and participation in this House is not easy. You have got some troublesome people on both sides. We managed to bring them all together. We have passed this code of conduct, and I am very pleased about that. I think it will act as a beacon for future conduct here.
I also want to say a few words about how I see the politics of this place and indeed of the country. Let me confess that when I was a young student and a young militant, I was very radical. What we talked about in the struggle, led by the ANC, to which I committed myself as a student and a young radical, was taking power. The ANC and the liberation movement had the vision that we had to take power. I think we have matured a little bit. What we see now is that we have a multiparty democracy in this House, which is very important and vibrant.
The taking of power is now really in the background, because we are here to share the power of this House and of this country across party lines. I think that is very important. As for myself, let me say that I no longer think in terms of taking power. I think in terms of developing a consensus across the country, a consensus which is a multiparty consensus and which deals with the basic issues facing the country.
I have been working with economic policy for many years. I see that the challenge for us in this House is to focus on economic development, and not only growth. Growth in itself - I see the Minister of Finance is here - is not enough. It has to be not only inclusive, but also developmental. I want to put that as the basic issue which should unite the House, because it is really noncontentious. It means that we should develop the country as a whole.
We have complex challenges for this country which cannot merely be handled in simple financial terms, because the social consequences of all our policies should be before us all the time.
My final message to the House is this: I shall be watching from there, but you have a huge responsibility of developing this country for all our people. You must take account, not only of the mechanics of making money and of running the system, but also of the social consequences of our decisions. We have, all of us, a huge responsibility before history.
Finally, I would like to give advice to all the veterans who have been talking here, and talking about retirement. My advice to you is: You may leave the House, but don't retire. There is a lot to be done! Thank you all. [Applause.]
Hon Speaker, hon colleagues, we have come to the end of another term. Five years have gone, and we are all going to leave rather soon to go back to our constituencies and our electorate for the next election. I want to start off by saying on behalf of my party and all of us, a word of sincere thank you to all the people who are working in this parliamentary precinct and this institution to make it possible for us as members to do our work.
Baie keer word daardie werk nie raakgesien nie. Dit is werk wat in stilte gedoen word en ons aanvaar dit as vanselfsprekend, maar ons moet opreg daarvoor dankie s.
Ek kyk vandag in die Huis rond na al die verskillende politieke partye soos hulle hier sit. In elke party sien ek kollegas wat vandag hier gestaan en ges het dat hulle uittree. Ek sien ook kollegas wat ons weet wat uittree uit die politiek, maar wat nie vandag noodwendig gepraat het nie. Ek sien hulle in alle politieke partye. Hulle is kollegas wat oor die jare heen vriende geword het. Baie van ons mense daar buite verstaan nie die dinamiek wat in hierdie Huis heers nie, waar ons aan die een kant politieke opponente is, maar aan die ander kant ook individue en mense wat vriende van mekaar word, wat mekaar se harte kan verstaan en wat saam 'n sekere pad kan loop in belang van waarmee ons besig is.
Ek wil vandag vir elkeen wat uittree, s sterkte en baie dankie vir die bydrae wat u gemaak het. Ek is bly die Speaker het nie na my verwys as 'n veteraan nie. Ek dink nie dit sou gepas gewees het nie! Die feit dat daar aan vandag se debat soveel veterane deelgeneem het wat totsiens ges het, moet ook vir ons 'n boodskap deurgee. Daar is iets in die lug, en u moet dit kan aanvoel. Dis 'n gevoel wat vir my baie dieselfde is as di van 1994, toe ons vir die eerste keer hier gekom het. Dis 'n gevoel wat s dat wat in hierdie verkiesing gaan gebeur 'n totale nuwe spel gaan meebring. Dit gaan 'n nuwe spel wees wat tot 'n groot mate met nuwe kollegas wat nog moet kom, gespeel gaan word, wat 'n groot verandering gaan meebring, en waarvoor ons gereed moet wees om dit op die regte manier te hanteer n die verkiesing.
Ons as Parlementslede moet een ding besef: Elkeen van ons wat hier is, is nie hier om vir onsself op te tree of te dien nie. Ons is selfs - al is ons politici - nie eens hier om noodwendig ons partye te dien nie. Die Grondwet s ... (Translation of Afrikaans paragraphs follows.)
[That work is often not recognised. It is work that is done in silence and we take it for granted, but we have to express our sincere gratitude for it.
I look around the House today at all the political parties as they are seated here. In each party I see colleagues who have stood up here today and announced that they will be retiring. I also see colleagues whom we know will be retiring from politics, but who did not necessarily speak today. I see them in all political parties. They are colleagues who have become friends as the years have passed. Many of our people out there don't understand the dynamics that are at play in this House, where, on the one hand, we are political opponents, but, on the other, also individuals and people who become friends, who understand one another's hearts, and who can traverse a specific road together in the interest of that which we are busy with.
Today, I would like to wish everyone who is retiring all the best and say thank you for the contribution you have made. I am glad that the Speaker did not refer to me as a veteran. I don't think it would have been appropriate! The fact that so many of the veterans have participated in today's debate and said goodbye should also send us a message. There is something in the air, and you should be able to sense it. To me, it bears a strong resemblance to that feeling in 1994, when we came here for the first time. It is a feeling that is indicating that whatever is going to happen in these elections is going to bring about a whole new ball game. It will be a new ball game that, to a large extent, will be played with new colleagues who are yet to arrive, which will bring about an enormous change that we have to prepare for in order to manage it in the correct manner after the elections.
As Members of Parliament we have to realise one thing: All of us here are not here to act on our own behalf or to serve ourselves. Actually, we are not even here - although we are politicians - necessarily to serve our own parties. The Constitution states that ...]
... we are here to represent the people of South Africa, all the people, not this group or that group. We represent all the people and because of that, we have a very huge responsibility. So let us go out to campaign and to take our message to the people so that they will decide on 7 May who to vote for.
From the FF Plus point of view, I want to say thank you to each and every one of you. We are not saying goodbye; we will be back - most of us will be back - and then we will take our responsibility further to serve our country and the people of South Africa. Thank you. [Applause.]
Hon Speaker, I heard a conversation in the House yesterday that went something like this, "She insults us for five years, then, with a smile and no further thought, she thinks she can become one of us." Now, who could they have been referring to? It was Harold Wilson who was famously quoted as saying, "A week in politics is a long time." That was back in the 1960s. I think most of us may be tempted to make that a day or even an hour.
What stayed in my mind was, however, the word "insults". As we know - and saw today - often these words fly around the House, usually leaving the one doing the insulting looking smaller in everyone's eyes. So, I wondered what we would say to each other if we were back in the day when insults said in the English language had a little more class, before the days of four- letter words, etc.
Let me start with the ACDP. Winston Churchill might have said, "They have all the virtues I dislike and none of the vices I admire." But then, of course, we could have said the same about him, too. We know the FF Plus has a sense of humour, so I will interrupt my train of thought with a story about my sister's grandson. On his first day of school not so long ago, he told the teacher: "My father is Afrikaans, and my mother is normal." [Laughter.] Yes, good! I also found that funny!
This is something that MPs can all identify with, because we have the privilege of being sought out by people who insist that we read or hear every thought that crossed their minds throughout their entire lives. If we were Moses Hadas, we could genuinely say to them, thank you for sending me a copy of your book, I'll waste no time reading it.
Andrew Lang could have insulted us all so nicely with these words he spoke in the 1800s, "They use statistics as a drunken man uses a lamp post - for support rather than illumination." [Laughter.] Oscar Wilde is a personal favourite of mine and this is probably how most politicians feel at party listing time. But I am thinking of hon Lekota right now, I am not sure why. Wilde said, "He has no enemies, but is intensely disliked by his friends." [Laughter.]
Because we become addicted to people, even obnoxious and insulting ones, this is definitely what the ANC members will say when some of the DA members do not return, "I feel so miserable without you, it's almost like having you here." [Laughter.]
If the hon Watson had given as horrendous a farewell speech this year as he did last year, I was determined to quote Samuel Johnson, who said, "He is not only dull himself, he is the cause of dullness in others." [Laughter.] But after your singing at hon Skosana's memorial service, all is forgiven.
I know from where I sit that the ANC has a great sense of humour, but I am not keen to test whether they are up to laughing at themselves just yet. So, I will pick on the Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries. She doesn't listen anyway. [Laughter.] Walter Kerr puts it like this, "She had delusions of adequacy. Fortunately - and I must say this - she is the exception and not the rule." So that I do not suffer serious self-doubt over the lack of laughter on that particular comment, I will quote myself, "I have a great sense of humour; it is just different to everyone else's." [Laughter.]
Hon Kenneth Meshoe, hon Steve Swart and I - you may have noticed - expect to be back here very soon, so we're not being as sentimental about this farewell as we might otherwise have been.
You know we love you all and really appreciate everything you have brought to our lives, the good, the bad and the amazing. I could single out so many people who have impacted my life, but it would not be fair to my colleagues as they will not get the chance to do the same. I will just say that so many of you, like hon Ben Turok, have been my teachers and mentors, though you may not have any idea that you were. Others have been like brothers and sisters, especially those who have seriously given me a hard time. I have loved you all and I hope I have stretched you a little, too.
To the officials and staff of Parliament, we thank you sincerely for all you have done to assist us in our work. You are a blessing and we are grateful for you.
Finally, I hope these words of Oscar Wilde will never be said about any of us, "Some cause happiness wherever they go, others whenever they go." [Laughter.]
The ACPD is working hard and praying for a peaceful 2014 election. I am praying for grace and a heightened sense of humour for us all. God be with you till we meet again. Thank you. [Applause.]
Somlomo, mandithathe eli thuba ndiyibulele kakhulu inxaxheba i-ANC ethe yandinika yona yokuza kusebenzela uluntu lwesizwe sethu. Kananjalo ndibulela namaLungu ePalamente onke ngenkxaso athe andinika yona ukufika kwam ngowama-2009. Ndifike apha ndingazi nto kwaphela ngezinto zomthetho, ndingazi nokuba xa ndiqala ndiza kuqala phi na, kodwa ngoku ndiphuma ndiyingcaphephe kwezomthetho. [Kwaqhwatywa.] (Translation of isiXhosa paragraph follows.)
[Ms J MANGANYE: Speaker, let me take this opportunity to express my greatest gratitude to the ANC for the opportunity it has given me to come here and work for society. I also thank all Members of Parliament for the support they gave me when I arrived here in 2009. When I arrived here I knew nothing about legal matters, and I didn't even know where to start in dealing with them, but now I am a legal expert. [Applause.]]
Hon Speaker, the profound change of the past 20 years made the distance traversed seem so short and the end sudden. Yet with the epoch-making progress that has been made, this period could have been decades. South Africa is in a momentous process of change, blazing a trail towards a secure future, as opposed to what the prophets of doom are saying.
We came here today to bid farewell to one another, and as you are all aware, some of us, after the 7 May election, willingly or reluctantly will not be able to return to this august House as our political parties will be deploying us somewhere else or at branch level. We will remain focused. We will still serve the community with humility and modesty in every corner of our beloved country where we will be deployed.
Go maloko a Ntlo eno, nko ya kgomo mogala tshwara ka thata e se re go utlwa sebodu wa kgaoga. Ke lebisitse ditebogo go modulasetilo yo ke ne ke dira ka fa tlase ga gagwe e leng, Rre Johnny de Lange. O nthusitse thata gore fa ke emeng teng fano ke bo ke itse mosola wa gore metsi ke eng. Ke tlile fano ke itse gore metsi ke a a nwa a le mo lebotlolong, fela ke ne ke sa tlhaloganye. Jaanong, ke a go leboga Johnny, le kwa o tla yang teng, Modimo a go thuse.
Ke leboga le banka e e kwa morago ele ya bana ba bannye bao ke ne ke nna le bona, ba tlhola ba tlhodiile, ka re le ithute ka thata bongwanake le sa ntse le le bannye. Mokgatlho o wa rona o rata go bona ditiro tse dintle tse di dirwang ke lona le le bokamoso jwa rona jwa set?haba, gore batho ba rona le ba bangwe ba ba le latelang ba bannye ba gole ba bona metlhala ya lona. Ka Setswana re a re: Dint?wanyana di bonwa mabotobotong. Ngwana o mmona go sa le gale gore a o phuthetse kgotsa a ka phuthela. Ka jalo, ka re le dire ka thata bongwanake le tle le re goge kamoso, e sere re ntse kwa gae ra eletsa gore nkabo re ntse fa godimo fano re ntse re le konopa ka sengwenyana go le gopotsa gore ga se ka mokgwa o mokgatlho o re romileng ka teng. A re direng ka thata.
Ke rata go raya maloko otlhe, Ntlo ka fa lethakoreng la ANC le ka fa makokong a boganetsi, ke re ke le eleletsa matlhogonolo a gore ditlhopho tse di tlang di se nne le dikgogakgogano. Jaaka mekgatlho ya dipolotiki, re na le gore fa re kopana re ile go ngoka batlhophi, re bo re lwa. A re direng ka naatla gore re neelane ka serodumo gonne mafatshe a a kwa ntle a lebeletse gore batho ba Aforikaborwa ke batho ba ba ntseng jang. Ga go na mokgatlho wa sepolotiki o o tla itsholeletsang kwa godimo o re ona ka kwa ntle o buiwa sentle. Fa ba bua ANC maswe, go raya gore le lona lotlhe ka fa, le tla bo le le maswe. Re tshwanetse go dira mmogo go bipa boatla jwa rona. Go teng fa re tshwanetseng go ngapana gona. Re ka ngapana fa re ntse ka fa Ntlong ka fa, mme re ngapanela go tsweledisa bokamoso jwa batho ba ba re romileng fano pele. Ga re a tla re rwele dibaki tsa rona re tla fano, re tlile re romilwe ke maloko kgotsa baagi. Ka jalo, a re direng gore se baagi ba re romileng sona, re kgone go se diragatsa. Ke akgola mokgatlho wa gaetsho wa ANC o e rileng fa o simolola ka 1994 wa bo o na le moono o o reng: Together we have won the right for people to vote. Ka 1999 wa boa gape o re: Together in every sector fighting for change. Ka 2004 ra re: A people's contract; e e leng gore re ne re bua gore re tla tlisa ditiro re bo re lwantsha le bona bohuma. Re tla gape monongwaga mme re a re: Together, we move South Africa forward.
Fa ke laela, Modulasetilo, ka re, Motswana wa maloba fa a bua a re: Moremogolo go betlwa wa taola, wa motho o a ipetla. Ke a leboga. [Legofi.] (Translation of Setswana paragraphs follow.)
[To the members of this House, I would like to say that no matter how difficult things may be, never give up. I would like to pass a word of thanks to my former chairperson, Mr Johnny de Lange. He helped me a lot and it is because of him that today I know the importance of water. I came here only knowing about water in the bottle that I drink, but I did not understand. I thank you, Johnny, wherever you are, may God bless you.
I would also like to thank the back bench of the youth brigade I always sit with. They always make noise, but please learn while you are still young. Our party loves the good work you are doing as our nation's future, so that other youth that follow you should grow seeing your footprints. You can spot early whether a child has a bright future or not. Therefore, I would like to say, please work hard so that you can lead us in the future. When we are at home we do not want to wish we were still leading to remind you of the party's mandate. Let us work hard.
To all members, on the ANC's side and the oppositions' side of the House, I wish you all the best on the upcoming elections and hope there will be no controversy. As political parties, we have a tendency of being violent to each other when we are campaigning for elections. Let us work hard to have smooth campaigning and elections so that other countries can see how good South Africans are. There is no political party that will present itself as the only good one to other countries. When they talk bad about the ANC, it means all of you here are bad. We should work together to cover our recklessness. However, there are moments when we fight each other. We can fight here in the House, and we fight for the progress of the people that mandated us. We did not come here by ourselves, but we were mandated by members of the public. Therefore, let us ensure that we do what the public mandated us to do.
I would like to compliment our party, the ANC, which when it started in 1994 said: Together we have won the right for people to vote. In 1999 it said: Together in every sector we are fighting for change. In 2004 we said: A people's contract; in which we said we will provide jobs and fight poverty. This year we are saying: Together, we move South Africa forward.
As I depart, Chairperson, I would like to say: Masterpieces can be created, but human beings create their own destiny. Thank you. [Applause.]]
Mohl Spikara, Ditona t?e di lego gona mo, Maloko a Palamente kamoka go t?wa mekgatlong ye e fapanego, ke a le tami?a, ke re khut?o ga e be le lena. [Greetings to you, hon Speaker, hon Ministers and all members from the various political parties. May peace be with you.]
It is a great honour to be placed in the position of serving the people, especially when those people come from slavery, dispossession and marginalisation, and are now free and looking forward to a great life for themselves and their progeny.
This has been a fruitful session for me personally and the Pan Africanist Congress, PAC, of Azania. The co-operation I have enjoyed and the friends I have acquired are an indication that the next session will be a friendlier one. Gone are those days when a party like ours would be booed and degraded in this House. Our Parliament is truly coming to maturity and the PAC will continue with efforts to build co-operation and friendliness in this House.
Although we are composed of several parties, we are, in fact, representatives together of all the people of South Africa, making one set of laws for the people of South Africa. For this reason, we cannot afford to show division amongst ourselves. We must inspire our people with a common vision, as that will generate social cohesion, without which the unity of a country such as ours, coming from violent divisions, cannot be sustained.
Politically we have differences, of course, but socially we need to encourage cohesion even among ourselves as role models.
We are approaching a different set of circumstances after the elections. In the next session, there will be a new advent of political realignment right across the board. We therefore have to change our mindsets, knowing that there will be new opportunities to build new friendships and a more compact shared vision.
I wish you all a fruitful time during the elections and call not only for tolerance, but also for acceptance of one another as compatriots.
Ka mant?u ao, ke re a re yeng go ?oma. Mokgatlo wa PAC o tla ?oma le lena, bjale ka ge le tseba gore selokene sa rena se re: "Khut?o gare ga MaAfrika, ntwa kgahlanong le lenaba!" [Let us go and work. The PAC will work with you, as you know our slogan of "Peace among the Africans, fight against the enemy".]
Mr Speaker, firstly I would like to extend my sincere gratitude for the opportunity to express a few words of farewell to my colleagues, friends and the support staff of Parliament in both Houses. It has indeed been a privilege to serve the MF, my community and all minority groups in this august House.
I want to take this opportunity to pay tribute to my mentor and role model, the former leader of the MF, Mr Amichand Rajbansi, who elevated me to the position of a national Member of Parliament in 2004. I had become his prodigy and he hand-picked me to lead the fight for minority rights on a national level.
He was a man who played an integral role in the transition to democracy through his participation in the Convention for a Democratic South Africa, Codesa, talks. He was an inspiration to us all. He has worked with great leaders like Inkosi Albert Luthuli, Moses Mabhida and the great giant, Nelson Mandela. To Mr Rajbansi, the Bengal tiger, I owe a huge debt of gratitude for the faith and guidance he always gave.
I also want to say thank you to the ANC that, under the stewardship of the great Madiba, gave us political freedom. [Applause.]
Today, we can all hold the highest office in this country, which is certainly a mammoth achievement, and all this has come about because of Madiba's incarceration of 27 years on Robben Island. When I met Tata Madiba, I was humbled by his spirit of humility. Because of his sacrifices, we can all serve our country in Parliament unfailingly, uncompromisingly and unyieldingly.
In this House, we do not represent ourselves, but rather the people of this country. This is and should always be the centre of what we do.
I also want to thank all the support staff of Parliament, from all walks, from the NA Table to the cleaning staff. They have made it easy for us to be responsible, respectful and dignified leaders.
I now turn to the DA, and believe me I do this on a light note, so please, don't raise a point of order. [Laughter.] I think the DA should change their name to the point of order party. [Laughter.] If I got through one day without a point of order from them, it was a great achievement. [Laughter.]
I think that we all realise that we stand here as representatives of the masses out there. They have entrusted us with the responsibility to fully represent them, so things were never personal, just political. Of course, that does not mean to say that the MF won't give you a thrashing at the polls on 7 May! [Laughter.]
As we break for elections and intensify our campaigns, let us be mindful of those serious levels of unemployment, poverty and inequality. And when some of us come back rejuvenated, let us take the mandate of our people from where we have left off.
We must always remember that the fragrance of a flower blows in the direction of the wind, but the good we do unto mankind will spread in all directions. I want to leave you with the beautiful Zulu proverb, "Umuntu ngumuntu ngabantu." We are who we are, because of other people. In the Indian language it's all about:
roti, kapra, makaan, paani aur bijli. [bread, clothing, housing, water and electricity.]
Namal ke mukke maanam paro vele vedu tanni saapede velichen. [There must be bread, work, water, homes and electricity for all.] Until we meet again, goodbye. Thank you. [Applause.]
Hon Speaker, hon Ministers and Deputy Ministers, hon Members of Parliament, distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen, it is with humility and honour that I stand before you and bid farewell to everyone. We served this Fourth Parliament with diligence and integrity. We argued and shared the views of our different political parties. I want to thank the ANC for what I am today and I also want to thank it for bringing life to so many of our people.
We had heated debates, to the extent that we sometimes even pointed and howled, but all that ended in this House. When we meet outside this House, we are different people, who carry no grudges. This will always remain vivid in our minds, especially those of us who are retiring.
It has been a pleasure working with you and serving in different committees with different characters. What an experience! Hon Speaker, I will certainly miss your saying, "Order! Order, hon members!" [Laughter.] I will also miss, "Point of order, Mr Speaker" and, lastly, "Mr Speaker, the DA calls for a division." [Laughter.]
Let me take this opportunity to express my sincere gratitude to the Speaker and all other presiding officers, Ministers, Deputy Ministers and hon Members of Parliament. It has been a pleasure working with you.
There just doesn't seem to be an easy way for me to say goodbye to you. Goodbyes are not forever. They are not the end. I will miss you until we meet again. [Applause.] To those who are coming back, continue representing our people, because they do have confidence in us.
It is extremely joyous and easy to meet, but hard to say goodbye. Allow me to quote William Shakespeare when he said, "Farewell, thou art too dear for my possessing."
Let me end by saying: Follow your dreams, work hard, practice and persevere. Make sure you eat a variety of food, get plenty of exercises ... [Laughter.] ... and maintain a healthy lifestyle. I want to say that, whilst I am retiring from Parliament, rest assured that I am not retiring from ANC politics. I thank you. [Applause.]
Hon Speaker, hon members, guests in the gallery, I came to Parliament in the middle of 2010, following the retirement of the hon Dr Mosibudi Mangena. By the time I arrived, other members had been here for more than a year. Comrade Mangena did his best to show me around and orientate me. He spent the whole week with me, making sure that I settled in.
My first priority was locating the venues of meetings. I had difficulty knowing what each letter before a room number meant - NCOP, Old Assembly or New Wing. On more than one occasion I had to abandon the search and go back to the office. With time I settled in. In this House and in the committees on which I served, I met strangers who later became friends, comrades and, in some cases, brothers or sisters. I have enjoyed my time here. I am grateful to Azapo for giving me this opportunity and privilege. This is not a task I took lightly.
I want to extend my thanks to the parliamentary staff for the support that they render to all members. I extend special thanks to the staff in our parliamentary office, Miss Nomgcobo Soxutywa and Comrade Nkutshweu Skap Motsawa, and to the staff in our constituency offices. Some of you may not know that Skap Motsawa was involved in an accident that rendered him a quadruplegic, but he continues to serve the party with distinction.
On behalf of Azapo, I thank the people of our land for the mandate. We hold the view that we did our best in everything we did and that at all times Azapo always punched above its weight. Azapo has been faithful in the small things given to it and we believe that our people will give us a bigger responsibility.
I say thank you to the chairpersons in the committees on which I served, the hon Peter Maluleka, the hon Hope Malgas and the hon Adv Malale, and former chairpersons the hon Chohan and the hon Fransman. To all members, thank you very much for your friendship. Thank you for being who you were in my life.
I want to end by also quoting Shakespeare: "Fare thee well. If we meet again, we shall smile. If we don't, it was a parting well made."
Re a le boga Afrika borwa. [Thank you, South Africa.] Thank you. [Applause.]
Hon members, the farewell speeches we give today at the end of this Fourth Parliament call for us to be gracious in bidding farewell to all members, yet also expect us to be circumspect when looking back on the past five years.
It seems as if much time has passed since we hosted the very successful 2010 Fifa World Cup tournament. Indeed, we had a good story to tell then, and we could say proudly that South Africa was a better place in 2010 than it was in 1994.
In 2011 we hosted the successful 17th Conference of the Parties climate change talks in Durban, and we said then that we had a good story to tell and that the country was a better place than it was in 1994.
In 2012 Dr Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, this country's former Minister of Home Affairs, was the first woman to be appointed to the critical post of Chairperson of the African Union Commission. Who could argue against this good story? And we all felt extremely proud that we had come so far since 1994.
Last year we hosted the fifth Brics Summit, Brics being the Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa group of nations, under the theme: "Brics and Africa: Partnership for Development, Integration and Industrialisation". This summit completed the first cycle of Brics summits and was the first time that the summit was hosted on the African continent. This had specific relevance, given that it coincided with the 50th anniversary celebrations of the Organisation of African Unity, which is now the African Union. Again, we can take pride in the path we have travelled since 1994. These achievements and many others are proof that we have many good stories to tell and that we have progressed as a nation in the past 20 years.
The story of this institution is also one in which many changes have been effected to bring this institution closer to the people. A critical question we must ask, though, as we move into the third decade of our democracy and into the Fifth Parliament is: Has the transformation of this institution given effect to our national democratic revolution and become responsive to the needs of our people?
The ANC-led government has always been guided by the need to transform Parliament by developing more efficient political structures and by ensuring that all Members of Parliament are more actively involved in, and empowered by, the transformation process. The strategic goal of the building of an activist and people-centred Parliament has been entrusted to the capable hands of all ANC deployees in Parliament, who have been tasked with defining the national transformation agenda.
These past five years have seen many key pieces of legislation being passed, much monitoring and evaluation of implementation through oversight visits, constituency work and committee work. The able leadership of the Speaker and the Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly, of the Chairperson and the Deputy Chairperson of the National Council of Provinces, of the House Chairpersons of both Houses and of the Secretary and Deputy Secretary to Parliament has steered us through some very contentious waters, and we would like to express our deep gratitude to them. [Applause.]
We commend Parliament for the advances that were made during this term and in taking forward the vision to build an effective people's Parliament that is driven by the ideal of realising a better quality of life for all the people of South Africa. We commend it in particular for launching the campaign to get the public involved in crafting the Public Participation Framework to ensure that public participation is meaningful and not confined only to providing the public with avenues to express their views on specific issues.
The successful hosting of the Globe International World Summit of Legislators on Climate Change in December 2011, which was held for the first time in South Africa, focused on climate change-related legislation in Globe's 17 partner countries. By all accounts that forum concluded on a positive note.
The sectoral Parliaments were hosted in this institution. In this regard, the Women's Parliament generated ground-breaking resolutions in 2012 in favour of mainstreaming gender equality. Another ground-breaking act was the establishment of the Budget Office in February last year, which will help to build the capacity of members to engage on economic and budget issues through regular training and workshops and to ensure that their work in overseeing the Budget is much more effective. The latter part of this term saw us embark upon a review of the Rules of Parliament. This has been long overdue, given the fact that over the 20 years of democracy Parliament's Rules and lessons learnt along the way necessitated a review. More recently, we adopted Parliament's leave and attendance policy. Here, again, the issue of discipline, particularly in this term of Parliament, rose to the fore because of a lack of discipline of members from all parties. We hope that in the Fifth Parliament the issue of attendance does not rear its head.
The same can be said of the code of ethics, which required the urgent attention of all political parties during this term. The ethics committee tabled the revised code of ethics document for discussion. This revised version has been given to all political parties.
In as much as these and many other developments speak to the strengthening of this institution, we should be frank in where they have not done so. In bidding goodbye to this term, we are aware that it would be remiss of us not to assist in constructively calling for improvement.
The issue around the quality of legislation and law-making gained prominence during this term, particularly when the weaknesses in many pieces of legislation were pointed out. We implore the next Parliament to invest more resources in developing law-making processes. In addition, the quality of committee reports must also be reviewed. The standard of the drafting and recording of all committee reports and minutes should be elevated, as the poor quality of these reports gives rise to many inaccuracies.
I cannot finish my speech within my given time. Thank you very much to you, the DA. It doesn't matter how hard you fought, it was a good fight in your own opinion. We respect the fact that you are not a sweetheart opposition. You are a good fighter. Thank you very much. [Applause.]
To my colleagues, thank you very much for entrusting me with the task of guiding members who go astray. Thank you very much. [Applause.] To the ANC, thank you, my organisation, for making me what I am. Thank you very much. [Applause.]
Chief Whip, you still have a couple of minutes left.
[Inaudible.]
Hon members, I would like to thank on your behalf and my behalf the Chief Whip of the Majority Party. I would also like to announce that while we are saying goodbye to each other, I wish to remind members that in terms of section 49 of the Constitution, the National Assembly remains competent to function until the day before polling day. This effectively means that this might not be the last sitting of the term.
If necessary, we might have to sit to consider matters that are returned to us by the National Council of Provinces. Technically, today is the last sitting day, but in reality it is not going to be the last day, which also means that I will reserve my farewell speech for that occasion, because I will be the only speaker and I will be the last speaker on that occasion. [Laughter.] [Applause.] Thank you for your understanding.
On a good note, members are reminded of the cocktail function. Is the Minister of Finance here? No. Members are reminded of the cocktail function which the Chairperson of the National Council of Provinces and I are hosting immediately after this sitting. You are all invited to proceed to the Old Assembly dining hall for the function. I bid a very good evening to you all.