Hon Chairperson, hon members and fellow South Africans, we have come to the end of the Fifth Parliament term and I ask myself what it is that I would like to say to whom at the end of the five year journey in the NCOP.
Firstly, I would like to say thank you to all parliamentary staff, committee staff and political parties staff for your patience, sharing
your experience and knowledge with us as well as guiding members in our daily duty of serving the people who voted us into Parliament. I can recall a few robust discussions on legal aspects in various committees as well as heated opinions when the NCOP conducted provincial weeks and taking Parliament to the people. All those moments contributed to enabling us as members to fulfil our roles as we continue with our work in Parliament.
A special word of appreciation to the Table and Chamber staff to the many extended hours of service in the NCOP. Secondly I would like to thank our colleagues of all other parties for interesting discussions, sometimes heated debates and the conjugality.
I always knew when the ANC colleagues wanted to pass some tricky issues in the multiparty works group. The indicators were that everyone normally fighting me in meetings were very friendly and even compliment me.
Hon Thandi Modise I thank you for the experience that could have served in the NCOP under your stewardship. Your ability to listen, search for facts and discern between right and wrong enabled us all to bring some changes to the functionary of the NCOP in this Fifth Parliament.
Hon I will always appreciate you for your ability to listen and find solutions in a calm and reasonable way. The process of adjusting the speaker's time as well as the way the way debates are now being determined and introduced in the NCOP are examples thereof.
I would also not be true to myself if I do not refer to the issues that are still a challenge to the NCOP and need to be addressed in the Sixth Parliament. I am only going to summarise and name a few of them: keeping the executive accountable; revising the existing model of oversight that currently is a blue print of the role and functions of the NA; revisions of the rules of the NCOP has many grey areas or lack of guidance were discovered and the more we fulfilled our role with regard to procedures and processes of legislation. The model of provincial weeks and taking parliament to the people to focus on determining the impact of legislation on the lives of our people. High level panel reports are currently the only significant method of feedback on whether legislation have a good or a bad impact on our people.
The NCOP has to check and balance of Parliament should ensure efficient and progressive oversight and I use that by a lack of a better word over legislation. The procedures and processes followed in the NCOP committees when legislations are being processed specifically focusing
on public participation process with regard to section 76 legislation. We need to apply our minds critically on the input received by the people through this public participation processes as illustrated by the process of the Minerals and Petroleum Resources Development Bill to mention one example.
The reasons and motivations for instituting interventions. Hon House Chair I also want to convey my deep felt gratitude to my DA colleagues for being a team to be proud of including the special delegates from all provinces. We met through many memorable experiences and I know we will look back to this term in the NCOP as one of our highlights in our role as MPs. I would also like to say thank you to every member's family for your support and sacrifices. I wish everyone well in their future endeavours
Hon Chair, lastly, I want to remind all of us as well as our citizens that although we are representing different parties, we are all living in our beloved country South Africa. Our share of responsibility is to uphold the Constitution, the rule of law and the bill of rights enshrined in our Constitution. The end of the term automatically indicates an election, therefore, I call on all South Africans to reflect on the way the party they are voting for makes you feel, to
reflect in the way if you can trust the Constitution, the rule of law and the Bill of Rights in the hands of the party you vote for.
It is important that we as members of the Fifth NCOP Parliament go out, ensure and reflect on what is our role did each and everyone of us did our utmost best when we represented our people in the committees, when we represented the issues of our provinces in our committees, when we applied our minds in the discussions on each and every legislation and come to a decision. I wish for those of us who are returning to the NA, other legislatures and or the NCOP to take this as an example to build on to what we have achieved. Those of our colleagues who choose not to come back or it happens that you cannot come back, I wish you well on all your endeavours. Thank you very much.
Xitsonga: