A'udhu billahi minash shaitanir rajim. Bismillahir rahmanir Rahim.
English:
Al Jama-ah was really moved by the outpouring of grief and the celebration of Comrade BV, the Deputy Minister's life when it was presented at the funeral. We would like to thank the ANC and the government for their part, so that we could participate in the befitting funeral and farewell.
South Africa and the African continent has lost a martyr; like the Minister said, a combatant serving beyond her duty. We must learn from her dedication, inspired by the ideology that we should embrace.
Al Jama-ah once again extends our deepest condolences to her family, friends, colleagues and the South African community. Thank you to mama in the gallery, and the family, for attending this session of Parliament, which Al Jama-ah really appreciates. You gave South Africa its greatest daughter in the service of the country. [Applause.]
HON MEMBERS: Malibongwe! Malibongwe! [Applause.]
The MINISTER OF CO-OPERATIVE GOVERNANCE AND TRADITIONAL
AFFAIRS: Thank you very much hon members and a special greeting to the Hlongwa family.
I think today is another sad day where we remember Bavelile, but we must indeed celebrate her life. I just want to say a few things about her. I worked with her when she was in the National Youth Development Agency,
NYDA. She reported to me when I was in the Presidency. I worked with her in the ANC but I just want to give you a picture of the day she died.
I was with her from that morning and I left at about 15h30. I left them to continue in Limpopo. She was just very happy on that day, more than she usually was; very vibrant. When the choir sang she stood up and sang with the choir. She was just, somehow, extraordinarily happy.
At lunchtime she was the same. She moved from this table taking photos. It was like she was saying goodbye but none of us were aware. I remember one of my daughters said to her, BV, please send me the photos that you took with your camera, and she said, okay, I'll send them now, now, now, because if I don't send them now I'll never send them again. We all laughed. We didn't think there was anything. I think she also didn't know what she meant.
So, just before I left I asked her, are you staying or are you sleeping over? She said, no I'll stay for the youth thing but I'll go, and my daughter said, no, I'll
sleep over. And ... [Inaudible.] ... Mahambehlala and other comrades were there and it was just such a happy day.
Again, it was not just a happy day. She was busy with the students ... talking to the students and she was going to be in a youth league event later. So she really died as she lived. She was just the unforgettable Bavelile that we knew.
I just want to say to the family, you know, you become what you get at home. She was respectful but firm. She was very disciplined but, as the Minister said, sometimes with a bit of madness; but not rude. She was just a very well brought up child. She was a beautiful human being. So I just want to say, Bavelile, look after all of us.
This debate was also very unifying and I think she would love that because when she helped the people who were in an accident, she didn't even know who they were or which party they belonged to, but they were human beings to her and she had to help them. I thank you. [Applause.]