Comrade Chair, Ministers, Deputy Ministers present, comrades, colleagues and fellow South Africans, we have come a long way with this Bill. Indeed, the road ahead looks good to the deserving activists of our revolution, whose sacrifices can never be equated with money of any kind. The freedom for which they fought so hard is a priceless gem.
We are talking of comrades, the bulk of whom are going to be beneficiaries, and those of our veterans whose surviving spouses will also benefit from these amendments. Our Constitution's preamble affirms this role by calling for the recognition of the injustices of our past and the honouring of those who suffered for justice and freedom in our land.
Furthermore, our principal Special Pensions Act of 1996 confirms that the special pension is paid to persons who made sacrifices or served the public interest and the cause of establishing a democratic constitutional order.
These are the Young Lions of President O R Tambo; some of whom survive while others are no more. I speak here of Andrew Zondo, Nunu Kheswa, Ivan Parage, Emma Sathekge, Bongani Khumalo, Thlabane Mogashoa, Livingstone and Nomfanelo Ntlokwana, Titi Mzimazi and Boyce Gcina, all of whom are children of our mother, Mama Gcina. The list is too long to mention all those who paid the supreme price for our freedom.
They all declared: "Freedom or death. Victory is certain." Lest we forget, Leader of the Opposition, we must not make the mistake of thinking that we shall forget our history. Yes, we have forgiven, but we have not forgotten the days when Judge Raymond Leon, the father of our own hon Tony Leon, sentenced some of these Young Lions to suffer and die, as a result of his decisions as a judge. We shall never forget the actions of the army and police captains.