Hon Deputy Chairperson, on behalf of the ANC I would like to make the following farewell statement as we, as members of the Council, conclude our parliamentary tasks for this year.
The ANC would like to convey its sincere appreciation to us all for work well done by the MPs in the NCOP, as well as the Presiding Officers and the support staff who do an excellent job quietly behind the scenes.
The year 2011 has been a long, very busy and challenging year for all of us but, despite all that, I would like to believe that we managed to accomplish a lot. Yes, sometimes we tried so hard to achieve more but fell short. That does not mean we have failed, but just that we could not do more than we did.
Yes, our people expected a lot from us in regard to changing their lives for the better, and our task here was to ensure that we did exactly that and that all the programmes we undertook, the legislation we passed and the reports we adopted during the course of this year, whether as individuals or as parties, were aimed at addressing that fundamental task.
As we take this break, let us all ensure that we do indeed rest, in order to regain the power, the stamina and the sweat we have lost over the past year. This is so that in 2012 we can continue together and pick up our mandates from where we left off.
The ANC wishes each and every one of us, our families and our constituencies a very peaceful and joyous festive season and hopes that we will all meet again in Mangaung on the big day, 8 January 2012, to celebrate the centenary of our glorious movement, the ANC. We, in the ANC, will be having a double celebration over the next month - the New Year celebration and also the centenary, which will be the mother of all celebrations. Let me remind drivers not to drink and drive. I thank you. [Applause.]