Deputy Speaker, I move:
That the House -
1) notes with sadness the untimely passing of a Member of Parliament and Minister of Public Service and Administration, Mr Collins Chabane, and his two protectors, Sergeants Lesiba Sekele and Lawrence Lentsoane, in a motor vehicle accident on Sunday, 15 March 2015;
(2) recalls that Minister Chabane previously served as Minister in the Presidency responsible for Performance Monitoring and Evaluation as well as Administration;
3) further recalls that he developed the new Department of Performance Monitoring and Evaluation within a short space of time and was able to ensure that the monitoring and evaluation function became a crucial part of government work and was a distinct feature of the fourth administration;
4) acknowledges that he was a true servant of the people, who joined the struggle for liberation at a very young age and then went on to continue the fight in exile;
5) further acknowledges that he was an ardent and passionate lover of the arts, having developed his love for music while in incarceration;
6) believes that through his premature and tragic passing, the nation has indeed lost a remarkable individual who served and led with kindness, great humility, humbleness, dedication and energy;
7) further believes his passing leaves a huge void within the ranks of government and the African National Congress, which he served with loyalty and selflessness for decades; and
8) extends its heartfelt condolences to the family and friends of Minister Chabane, Sergeant Sekele and Sergeant Lentsoane.
May their souls rest in peace.
Hon members, before we proceed, I would like us to acknowledge the presence in the gallery of members of the Chabane family and to say to them that we are honoured by their presence, even on this sad day. You are welcome. [Applause.]
Deputy Speaker, on behalf of the DA, I would like to express our deepest condolences to the families of Minister Collins Chabane, in particular his wife, Mavis, as well as the families of Sergeant Lesiba Sekele and Sergeant Lawrence Lentsoane, following their deaths in a car accident in the early hours of Sunday morning.
In 2012, I was tasked with the responsibility of oversight on the Presidency. It was during this time that I got to know Minister Chabane well when he was Minister in the Presidency for Performance Monitoring and Evaluation as well as Administration. In 2014, Minister Chabane was appointed as the Minister of Public Service and Administration. My party again offered me the opportunity to shadow Minister Chabane's new portfolio.
I have immense respect for his work, his commitment, his fairness and his openness. His efforts in improving the Public Service machinery have not gone unnoticed. The Portfolio Committee on Public Service and Administration can today attest to these above-mentioned facts that Minister Chabane, together with his Deputy Minister, was no stranger to our portfolio committee meetings. He led with zestful energy and made himself available to encourage robust debates and contribute to bettering the lives of all South Africans.
After my move to his portfolio following President Jacob Zuma's announcement of the new Cabinet, Minister Chabane informed us that he was not new to issues related to the performance of the Public Service. When I congratulated him on his move to the department, he smiled and said, ``Hon McGluwa, so you are following me. Tell me what is this thing of yours called a shadow Minister of the DA''. Before I could respond, he hinted at the challenges within the Public Service. His sense of humour therefore was unmatched.
He spent his first few months in office visiting front service staff at various departments to interact with public servants on a mission to understand their challenges. During these visits, he urged public servants to report corrupt activities so that they could be investigated. In situations, for example, where you have to help people and you realise that you don't have all the instruments, he encouraged public servants to be creative, innovative and to resolve problems. I engaged extensively with Minister Chabane on some of the most pertinent issues in the department, some of them being the duplication of functions by the department, transversal service, functions transferred from one department to another and powers of the Public Service Commission. He would listen carefully and respond by saying, ``There are quite a number of issues mentioned here today, and we will correct some of these issues as time goes on. Government is very complex; let's not spend time on the problems, and look for solutions and assist departments to correct them''.
This actually formed part of his characteristics to make a difference in the Public Service domain. This was the essence of his character. He admitted fault, never took criticism personally and did his best to find solutions.
In fact, hon Deputy Speaker, if memory serves me well, Minister Chabane's last engagement with me in this House was a point of order he raised a few days ago. His dedication and commitment to his responsibility in his capacity as a Member of Parliament should serve as an example for all of us. All who interacted with him will sorely miss him.
My thanks and appreciation go to my leader, Mmusi Maimane, as well as the hon John Steenhuisen for the opportunity afforded me to participate in this debate. May his soul rest in peace.
Hamba Kahle. [Go well.]
I thank you. [Applause.]
Deputy Speaker, the EFF wishes to take this moment to express our sincere condolences to the families of Minister Chabane, Sergeant Lentsoane and Sergeant Sekele. We also want to express our condolences to the ANC, the political party of the late Minister who, together with his bodyguards, perished in a car accident on Sunday morning.
Road accidents in South Africa have become a serious national problem that must be tackled head on. The research findings from the Brain Function Research Group at the University of the Witwatersrand revealed that truck drivers sleep less than four hours per day. According to this survey, three quarters of truck drivers are reported being tired on the job due to long working hours, working approximately 93 hours per week.
These revelations are a clear indication that the transport industry needs to be seriously looked into and that proper legislation should be put in place to deal with the service conditions of truck drivers in South Africa. This, however, does not excuse the conduct of people who drive under the influence of alcohol.
Sisonke kufuneka sithi kwanele kubantu abaqhuba benxilile kwaye sithi kwanele kubantu abathatha imiphefumlo ezindleleni. Utywala sebuthathe abantu abaninzi. [Together we must say, enough is enough to drunken drivers who kill people on the roads. Alcohol has killed many people.]
According to the World Health Organisation's Global Status Report on Road Safety 2013, 50% of deaths related to road traffic incidents involve alcohol as indicated by the high volume of alcohol in the bodies of those who have been found dead or driving on the roads.
Lala ngoxolo mnumzana uChabane. Enkosi. [Rest in peace Mr Chabane. Thank you.]
Deputy Speaker, hon Ministers, hon Deputy Ministers, and hon members of the Assembly, South Africa has been shocked profoundly by the sudden and tragic passing of the hon Minister Collins Chabane.
When we awoke to the news of the accident on Sunday morning, it seemed quite impossible that something so terrible could have befallen one of our esteemed colleagues in this House, but as the painful fact continued to make headlines, it became clear that a time of mourning was before us. Now, in this House, we have the opportunity to stand and honour Minister Chabane, to praise his commitment to governance, and to express our appreciation for all he did in the service of this country.
On behalf of the IFP and particularly those in our caucus who worked with Minister Chabane during his most recent tenure as Minister of Public Service and Administration, I express our condolences to the Chabane family, both here and his extended family, to His Excellency the President of the Republic, to our colleagues in Parliament, and to the ANC. Minister Chabane was an asset to South Africa's Cabinet, and his contribution to the governance of our country will be missed.
Having served as the Minister in the Presidency for Performance Monitoring and Evaluation as well as Administration, Minister Chabane understood the challenges of government and what was required to meet them. He served his country both before democracy and since, playing the role given to him by his party. He was faithful to the ANC and must be commended for his loyalty. He paid the price for his commitment to the struggle. In 1994, he began serving in the Limpopo legislature and entered Parliament in 2009. I shall miss his participation in the debates of the National Assembly where, despite being on different sides of the House, we respected one another and worked well together. I will miss his humility.
We in the IFP are deeply saddened that a road accident has claimed yet another valuable life. This happens all too often on our roads and brings tremendous pain to our country.
Today we pay tribute also to Minister Chabane's two protectors who lost their lives in this accident. We express our condolences to their families and to their colleagues in the SA Police Service in this terrible time of loss.
May the hon Minister Collins Chabane rest in peace. [Applause.]
Speaker and hon members, it is with sadness that today we mourn the death of Minister Chabane and his protectors. On behalf of our leader, the hon V Z kaMagwaza-Msibi and the NFP, I convey condolences to the family of Minister Chabane, his relatives, next of kin, and the ANC which he served for many years. The NFP also wants to convey its condolences to the families of his VIP security officers.
When he was nearing his departure, the Apostle Paul wrote and said:
I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith. Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day - and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing.
Minister Chabane and his VIP protection officers met death in the call of duty. They were running the race, and they were fighting the good fight. Their memories will be with us for a long time. We are all mourning; South Africa is mourning. Their death is a loss to all of us.
Minister Chabane was indeed a freedom fighter and a true patriot. From an early stage, together with others, he made a choice not to sit back but decided to fight for the liberation of our country. Minister Chabane was imprisoned and even went into exile for this good cause. Minister Chabane was imprisoned, and he unflinchingly carried on with the struggle in spite of the torture and suffering at the hands of the oppressors. He served as MEC in various portfolios. He used his skill and expertise to give direction and shape to the Performance Monitoring and Evaluation portfolio. He also served very well in the Department of Public Service and Administration during this brief period.
It is crystal clear that Minister Chabane served this country with honour, honesty, humility, dedication, and energy. He respected everyone. Minister Chabane never settled for mediocrity. He was a hard worker. He was really dedicated to the cause of nation-building. South Africa has become poorer because of the passing of Minister Chabane. He will be sorely missed, also as a musician and artist of note. We only cherish one hope, and that hope is that there is life after death.
Let there be a full investigation into this accident, with the report being presented very soon.
May his soul and those of his protectors rest in peace. Thank you, Madam Speaker.
Speaker, hon members, and Collins Chabane's family, the late Collins Chabane was an officer and a gentleman of our time.
I am speaking of a man who was a thinker and a strategist. Some people would notice him as a person who was quiet, but in meetings, when you listened to him speaking, you would have a different view. His eloquence and articulateness would make you to want to listen more to him. I am saying this because I had an opportunity during the mid-90s to be in many meetings with him.
This is a sign that he was indeed a man with knowledge and experience of the struggle. Mr Chabane was a stalwart through and through. As far as I can recall, he never used the struggle for self-aggrandisement and enrichment.
His contribution ever since he became a Member of Parliament and a Minister will never be forgotten, and this country has lost a leader indeed. Our souls are deeply saddened by his sudden death. Our Parliament and the country have lost an extraordinary leader.
To his wife and immediate family, the family of his security assistants, the ANC, colleagues, and friends, we are all witnesses of his telling contributions; he batted well during his innings. As painful as it is, this is not a time to cry but rather celebrate a well-lived life. I hope the way he conducted himself sets an example to be emulated by the current generation.
May his soul rest in peace. Thank you.
Speaker, the FF Plus has noted with shock the sudden passing away of Mr Collins Chabane and his protectors.
For five years, I got to know him in my role as a Deputy Minister within the Cabinet setup. Whenever he made a contribution in Cabinet or in this House, you had to listen because it was always well thought through. I experienced him - we were on two trips together - as a pleasant and likeable person with an exceptional sense of humour and a love for music, as the CDs he made will testify.
In my experience, one of his most important contributions was that he helped to establish an evaluation system in Cabinet through which Ministers and departments could be evaluated from time to time to establish whether they had reached their goals. It was a serious effort from his side to make government more effective. If you summarise, I think his political life and talents were devoted to the care and betterment of others.
I wish to express the sympathy of the FF Plus to his family and the government on this loss.
Speaker, hierdie is nie die tyd of die plek vir 'n debat oor verkeersveiligheid nie. Soos baie van ons, ry ek vanwe ons verpligtinge baie in die nag. Ek sien geen of min verkeersbeheer na werksure en in die nag op ons paaie. Die gevolg is al meer vragmotors en motors met net een lig of geen ligte nie soos verkeersrels gegnoreer word. Ons sal in hierdie Huis by 'n ander geleentheid hieroor moet praat, want dit gaan nog soortgelyke ongelukke veroorsaak.
Namens die VF Plus wil ek graag ons troos en ondersteuning oordra en toewens aan mev Mavis Chabane en aan die familie. Baie dankie. (Translation of Afrikaans paragraphs follows.)
[Speaker, this is not the time or the place for a debate on traffic safety. Like many of us, I drive at night a lot because of my responsibilities. I see no or very little traffic control on our roads after working hours and at night. The result is that more trucks and cars with just one light or no lights are ignored like traffic rules. We will have to discuss this at another time in this House, because it will cause similar accidents.
On behalf of the FF Plus I would like to convey our sympathy and support to Mrs Mavis Chabane and the family. Thank you very much.]
Hon Speaker, we feel a great sense of anguish at the untimely death of Minister Collins Chabane.
Like his beloved family, the ANC and the people around the country, we too are bereft at his being snatched away from us.Comrade Collins was young, humble, honest, principled, ethical and brilliant and some of us knew that. This is why we, as a patriotic opposition, are so distraught.
His younger brother, Percy, made the most telling point of all. He stressed in television interviews that Comrade Collins repeatedly urged his family to keep in mind that he was in government and therefore never to do anything that would besmirch his name. He did not use his government position to gain wealth or fame by whatever means. He valued integrity above everything else. That is what made him so special and so different.
In government he stood out as a towering figure in the demand for accountability. It was because of his unswerving adherence to values that he endeared himself to us.
He had it all and now he is gone. We needed him. The country needed him. His family needed him. We say to all those who loved him: Follow in his footsteps and serve the people with a clear conscience.
Cope expresses its heartfelt condolences to his family, friends, the nation at large, as well as the families and friends of Lesiba Sekele and Lawrence Lentsoane. We understand that they are all inconsolable at the moment but we hope they will regain hope.
I must say that I knew him very well, and if I were to go back to 1990, my comrades of course will remember what happened at the University of the North where he played a major role in making sure that things were all right. I hope things will be fine. Sorry about this whole thing. Thank you very much.
Madam Speaker, hon members, I rise on behalf of the ACDP to support the motion printed on today's Order Paper in the name of the Chief Whip of the Majority Party.
The untimely death of our former colleague, Minister Collins Chabane, came as a shock to us all, as nobody could have predicted that such a young, capable and dynamic Minister would leave us so soon.
Indeed, it is not only his family, the government and the ANC that have lost a dedicated and steadfast member, but the nation has lost a caring, humble and remarkable man, who served and led with kindness, loyalty and passion.
When I got the news about Mr Chabane's tragic death on Sunday morning, the first thought that came to my mind, after the initial shock, was ``Life is very short''.
I was with the late Mr Chabane on Friday evening, 13 March, at the 5th Global Fund for Jesus Annual Banquet in Sandton, where he was scheduled to speak on behalf of government. He did not use his prepared speech at all. He told attendees that he was a committed Christian and an active member of his church. He further said that his family policy, which his wife often reminded him of, was to be at church first before attending to any business on Sunday and that as a politician, he would like to be involved in an initiative like the Global Business Roundtable that is committed to bringing about social transformation. We regret that he left before he could be involved with this initiative.
Hon members, life is indeed very short. Scriptures say, ``You do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes.'' Time is not on our side. While we have breath in us, let us make right with God and prepare for eternity. Now is the time to find out more about how to attain salvation that is found through Jesus Christ. Our colleague has left us unexpectedly. We who remain should not only continue with the excellent political work he was doing, but let us also commit ourselves to the God he was committed to.
My prayer is that the God of all comfort will comfort and strengthen us all as we convey our heartfelt condolences to the ANC and the families and friends of Minister Chabane, Sergeant Sekele and Sergeant Lentsoane.
Hon Speaker, I am very fortunate to speak after the Reverend.
As the AIC we join the nation in conveying condolences to the Chabane family, relatives, friends and his organisation on the death of this humble son of the soil, hon Minister Collins Chabane.
The nation is bleeding; we have lost a man, a diligent person, very devoted and humble. His contribution to the struggle for liberation cannot be forgotten. He was always for the poor and the people at grassroots level. The mere fact that he died together with his bodyguards is a symbol of his humbleness and his connection to the people at grassroots level. He had to wait to be put on the same level with his bodyguards by death, which is the leveller. Chabane's family, relatives and friends must keep on hoping for good. It is done and it cannot be undone. He could not avoid his day.
However, the behaviour of these three categories of drivers - taxi drivers, bus drivers and truck drivers - need to be looked into. These are the people who keep on intimidating people on the roads. They always regard themselves as bosses of the roads; that cannot be correct. Their attitude and mindset should thoroughly be monitored.
We hope that the late hon Minister will be remembered for the good that he has done for the nation. Unlike that popular view of William Shakespeare that says, ``The evil that men do lives after them, and the good is oft interred with their bones.'' Let it not be the case with this young and honourable son of the soil.
Death always comes as a shock; if the date of our death were to be revealed to us, the world as we know it would be chaos. People would be running up and down, trying to hide. May the soul of this beloved son and his bodyguards rest in peace. I thank you.
Hon Speaker, in moments like this, you become confused because you have to accept that the ANC is blessed with true warriors, and Minister Collins Chabane was one of them. You end up asking yourself if, really, Mr Collins Chabane was one of those people.
O kile a mpot?a gore ke ipshine ka mengwaga ye mehlano ya go ba ga ka mo Palamenteng ka lebaka la gore ka morago ga yona nka se sa boa. O ile a mpot?a gore ke se ka tshwenyega ka gore yena o tla nthwala.
O be a kgona go bolela le nna bjalo ka motswadi a lebet?e gore ke tlile fa ka Agang SA. Ka mant?u a ke leboga ba ga Chabane ge ba ile ba dumelela senatla se go tloga ge a be a sa na le mengwaga ye 17, go tloga Turfloop kua Limpopo go tsenela mokgatlo, a re lwela gore le rena re be re kgone go ba mo Palamenteng. Ke leboga le ANC ge e dumet?e gore mokgalabje yo a re thu?e ka talente ya gagwe.
Legatong la Agang SA, re lla le lena. Re kwele bohloko. Re tshepa gore se se diraget?ego se tla re ruta gore re leke go thibela dikotsi t?a mebileng. Ke a leboga. (Translation of Sepedi paragraphs follows.)
[He once told me to enjoy the five years as a Member of Parliament because when the term expires I will no longer have that opportunity. He also promised to provide me with a job after the term expires. He always addressed me as a parent despite the fact that I am here as a representative of Agang SA.
I would like to thank the Chabane family for sharing this hero with us, as a nation, from the age of 17 when he was a student at the University of Limpopo, where he joined the party to fight against the apartheid regime. We have now gained freedom and we are in this House now because of his contribution to the struggle. My sincere gratitude to the ANC for affording this man the opportunity to serve his country.
On behalf of Agang SA, I extend heartfelt condolences to his family. We share in your loss. We believe that what happened will teach us to be cautious on the road. I thank you.]
Hon Speaker, comrades and hon members, I join the House in passing our heartfelt condolences to the family of the late Minister Chabane, the village of Xikundu where he was brought up, and the government and the party to which he belonged. It was with shock and sadness that we learnt of this tragic accident that took his life. He served his country well - firstly as a freedom fighter, when he went into exile and ultimately to Robben Island, and secondly as a public servant in the province of Limpopo as well as here in the National Assembly.
Comrade Chabane set a good example of loyalty, discipline, working hard, being humble and, in short, a mensch. He passes away at a time when government is engaged in negotiations with the trade unions on conditions of service for public servants. We hope, as the APC, that his passing away does not impact negatively on these processes, and that there is a speedy resolution to the negotiations.
We also want to pass our condolences to the families and colleagues of officers Sekele and Lentsoane who, as protectors, worked long hours to ensure that their principals were safe and well, and able to do their work.
As the APC we make a call, especially to the Minister of Transport who is present, that substantive action be taken to curb the carnage on our roads because road accidents do not only cost lives but also cost the economy. We believe that there is no reason why a demerit system should not be introduced to ensure that those who are not fit to be on the roads are taken out. May the memory of Minister Chabane spur us in that direction. May his soul and that of his two officers rest in peace. Thank you.
Hon Speaker, hon Deputy Speaker, Ministers, Deputy Ministers, hon members of the National Assembly, the family of Comrade Collins Chabane, comrades and friends, a huge baobab tree from Xikundu village in the northeast of South Africa and Limpopo province has fallen. Even though he was small in stature, Comrade Collins was a political baobab tree. I am one of those who often complained to him that some of us have to always watch our diet whenever we eat. He would just load a big pile of pap and meat on his plate and devour it all with no fear of any repercussions, unlike those of us who are unlucky.
A true descendent of Nghunghunyani, Sekhukhune, Makhado , Mzilikazi, Shaka and other kings and warriors of our nation has indeed fallen. The animal, inyamazana [animal], isilwane [animal], as we knew him - is no more. His heart stopped beating at around 01:15am on Sunday, 15 March 2015. As I say this to you, hon members, I must admit that this still sounds unreal even though I saw the accident scene and also saw his mortal remains at the Polokwane Hospital mortuary on Sunday morning.
The ANC dips its banner of honour for one of our best, hon Collins Chabane - a well-rounded cadre nourished from his teens by some of our finest leaders, exuding all the values of our movement such as commitment to service to the people, honesty, integrity and discipline. He was a multiskilled and a multitalented individual. He was an intellectual, a debater, an organiser, an administrator, a soldier, a political commissar and a musician. But, above all, he was a humble servant of the people of South Africa, Africa and the world.
At the age of 54 - soon to be 55 next month - as the ANC, we expected a lot more from Comrade Collins Chabane. We were discussing at the funeral of the late hon Diale on 18 January, where we were both speakers, that the passing of the elders presents a serious challenge to us, the generation of the 70s and 80s and that, increasingly, the burden of guiding and leading the ANC is falling on our shoulders. But today we are one short; we are short of the hon Minister Chabane.
The year 2015 has not started well for us as the ANC. Since January we have been burying many of our leaders. Limpopo province suffered the most with the passing of comrades such as the hon Diale and the honourable Thembi Nwendamutswu, the former MEC for Education. Also, at national level, we have buried quite a number of our leaders since the beginning of the year.
Hon Collins Chabane is a product of the vibrant, defiant and militant youth of the 1976 uprising. Clearly, the heroic uprisings at the time when he was only 16 years of age had a major influence on his political outlook. That is why at the age of 17 years he was already in the trenches. After completing his matric at Shingwezi High School in 1978, he enrolled for a Bachelor of Science, BSc, degree at the University of Limpopo, Turfloop, in 1979. There he immediately joined in with other student activists such as the hon Ngoako Ramatlhodi, the Minister of Mineral Resources, the late Peter Mokaba, Tom Nkoana, Pitsi Moloto and many other young lions at the time.
In 1979 he was part of a Turfloop contingence at the formation of the Azanian Students Organisation. This was a very difficult period of political ideological transition from black consciousness to the nonracial outlook of the ANC at the black university campuses. Those of us who were in Natal were reluctant to participate as we saw this as giving resurgence to black consciousness. But, after the launch in December 1979, through the intervention of comrades in the ANC underground, we were given the assurance that these were indeed comrades within the congress movement.
We soon joined hands and reworked the Azanian Students Organisation, Azaso, constitution and, in June 1981, we were able together to wrestle the organisation away from the Black Consciousness and from Azapo and fully into the fold of the ANC, where some of us were elected to lead that structure together with Comrades Abba Omar, Comrade Aaron Motsoaledi and Comrade Sefularo who passed away.
In the meantime, hon Collins Chabane, Peter Mokaba, Pitsi Moloto and other comrades had left South Africa for military training under the ANC in Angola. Comrade Chabane came back into the country with a number of comrades in 1981. Some of the comrades did not last long before they were arrested, but Comrade Collins operated as area commander in the far north and north-eastern Transvaal for a full three years before he was detected by the apartheid police in 1984. He was put in solitary confinement for one year and in 1985 he was sentenced to nine years on Robben Island where he joined, and he was also later joined by, a number of old and older comrades in addition to comrades from among his peers in Azaso such as, amongst others, Dr Sibongiseni Dhlomo, the current MEC for Health in KwaZulu-Natal and Dr Vijay Ramlakan, former Surgeon General, to name but a few who joined him at Robben Island.
He started new academic studies at Robben Island where he completed an N4 Diploma in Electrical Engineering: Heavy and Light Current. He also started the N2 Diploma in Aircraft Maintenance, which shows the calibre of his mind. However, he could not graduate because it was impossible to do aircraft maintenance at Robben Island, otherwise he would have become an aircraft engineer by the time he left the island.
After his release following the Groote Schuur Minute, he was tasked with starting from the scratch the ANC regional conference of the northern Transvaal in the then Pietersburg under the chairmanship of Comrade Thabo Makunyane. He was assisted in starting the office by, amongst others, the current chief executive officer, CEO, of Transnet Mr Brian Molefe and the current Governor of the Reserve Bank, Mr Lesetja Kganyago.
In December 1990, at the first regional conference of the northern Transvaal, hon Chabane was elected the first regional secretary of the then northern Transvaal which later became Limpopo. This was a post which he held until 1998 - a regional secretary and provincial secretary after 1994 when it became a province. He served under the chairmanship of Comrade Joel Netshitenzhe for the first time and later under Comrade Ngoako Ramatlhodi as the chairman of the province. I had the pleasure of working with them as part of the top five of the Limpopo province from 1992 until 1998. Throughout that period, Comrade Chabane was the cornerstone of our region and the province, carrying the organisation on his broad but small shoulders.
As in any organisation, there would be times when there would be some tensions and disagreements, and Comrade Collins would always speak at the end of any debate after having listened to all the views. Even when it was very tense in the discussion, he would lighten the moment with his famous laugh, and all of us would then relax.
He was elected into the national executive committee, NEC, in 1997 in Mafikeng and served right until his passing on Sunday. He was elected in all four subsequent conferences and took on many tasks within the NEC, including in the disciplinary committee, constitutional committee and lastly, in 2008, he was appointed to head the task team which was looking at the reorganisation of government.
As a public representative, his track record is well known. In 1994 he became a member of the National Assembly and the Constitutional Assembly which drafted our Constitution which was concluded in 1996. In 1997, he was redeployed to the Limpopo legislature where he was appointed MEC in the Premier's Office. In 1999 he became MEC for Public Works, Roads and Transport where he established the Limpopo Road Agency. In 2004, he became MEC for Economic Development. In 2009, as we all know, he became the Minister in the Presidency in charge of Performance Monitoring and Evaluation as well as Administration. At the time of his passing, he was the Minister of the Department of Public Service and Administration.
Hon Chabane was also a committed family man and also part of a bigger Chabane family clan. He leaves behind his wife and two children. As the ANC, we pass our heartfelt condolences to his wife and family, close friends and the ANC and its alliances. We also pass our condolences to the protectors who perished with him and to the families of Sergeant Sekele and Sergeant Lentsoane.
Fare thee well, my brother and comrade. Robala ka khut?o mogale wa bagale [Rest in peace, hero amongst heroes]. kha vha edele nga mulalo[Rest in peace], etlela hi ku rhula nhenha ya tinhenha[Rest in peace, hero amongst heroes]. Inkomu. [Applause.]
Debate concluded.
That concludes the speakers' list on this matter. I take it that there are no objections to the motion being adopted? Members must rise to observe a moment of silence in memory of the late hon Chabane. Agreed to, members standing.
The presiding officers associate themselves with the motion. The condolences of the House will be conveyed to the family of Minister Chabane, and also the families of Sergeant Sekele and Sergeant Lentsoane. A book of condolences is available in the National Assembly foyer to enable members to share their messages of support.
The presiding officers have already signed the book of condolences and encourage all the members to sign. Thank you.