Mhlonishwa Somlomo woMkhandlu kaZwelonke, mhlonishwa Sihlalo woMkhandlu kaZwelonke weziFundazwe Baba uMahlangu, oNdunankulu beziFundazwe abakhona phakathi kwethu, abaholi bamaqembu aphikisayo ePhalamende likaZwelonke, ngithi sihlangene lapha namhlanje sizobhonga emswanene ngokudlula emhlabeni kweqhawe, uBaba wesizwe, uDkt uNelson Mandela.
Mina njengomuntu okholelwa edlozini ngikholelwe ukuthi uma lithi ukusinethanetha ekuseni namhlanje bekubonakala ukuthi bekuyisibusiso ukuba khona kuka Tata uMandela phakathi kwethu. Noma bengikuqonda kahle ukuthi emndenini wakwaMandela ukuthi izinhlungu abakuzo zingakanani ngokuhamba emhlabeni kuka Tata uMandela ngoba ukuhamba komuntu akulula, kuyakhalisa. Ngiyabakhalisa oMama bakaMandela, ngiyayikhalisa iNkosi yesizwe sakwaMandela, uZwelivelile Mandla Mandela, ngoyisemkhulu wayo ebimthanda.
Nathi njengesizwe sisonke sibhubhile, safa olwembiza ngokuhamba kwaleli qhawe. Izinkulungwane zabantu emhlabeni ziyohlala zimkhumbula uBaba uMandela ngemisebenzi yakhe ayenzele izwe laseNingizimu Afrika. Akukho noyedwa lapha endlini obengagqunywa ejele iminyaka engamashumi amabili nesikhombisa abuye alale embhedeni owodwa nalowo muntu owayemgqume iminyaka engamashumi amabili nesikhombisa ejele, ngoba lowo muntu wayeyisitha sakhe soqobo.
Ngibonga abantu abadala abalapha endlini ababemqonda kahle engingabala kubo uMntwana weNkosi kanye noBaba uMlangeni ngoba bona babemqonda kahle ukuthi indlela yakhe yayiqonde kuphi ekwenzeni izinto ayezenza.
Ngibuye ngithi laphaya kwelikababa omkhulu selibhubhele abantu bakababomkhulu ubusuku nemini. Ngiyakhumbula ngesikhathi kade ephuma ejele ngomhla wama-25 kuNhlolanja lapho afika khona kwenye yezinkundla zemidlalo eThekwini wafika washo ukuthi: Uma unesibhamu sakho, unomkhonto wakho, unakho konke okungahle kugile imikhuba kufanele uhambe uyokulahla olwandle.
Mangibonge futhi Mageba ukuthi uyakuveza ukuthi uBaba uMandela ubengumholi wakho futhi njengomuntu omdala kuwe kufanele abe ngumholi wakho, nokuthi washo elaphaya esigodlweni ekhaya wathi: Noma ngabe kuthiwa niphambene kangakanani kodwa uma senibizene, nahlala phansi, uyakwazi ukuthi umbone.
Ngiyabonga ukuthi mhla ziyi-13 kuNcwaba ngonyaka we-1993 wahamba wayokufakazela ukuthi udlame ulunyanya kangakanani laphaya endaweni yaseThokoza lapho isizwe esasibhubha khona. Ngeke ngikwazi ukusho ukuthi umuntu oyedwa angakwazi ukwenza umehluko, akwazi ukukhuluma nabanye abantu ukuthi mabayeke imihlola.
Ngithi-ke mhlonishwa Sekela likaMongameli wezwe kusezandleni zenu ukuthi uBaba uMandela lapho elele khona ukuthi iphupho lakhe lokuxolelana nokubuyisana kufanele nilifeze ngoba ngeze saphambana ngesidingo sokuthi nje siphambene ngemibono yokuthi leli phupho sizolifeza kanjani sekuyofuneka sibe yizitha zangunaphakade.
Kodwa kusemahlombe enu ukuthi nimele amaqiniso nokuthi konke enicabanga ukuthi kungenzeka kufanele kwenzeke. Mangibonge futhi inhloko yombuso wobandlululo uMnu de Klerk owayemi kuyo leNdlu, emi khona la engime khona esho ethi: Uzivula zonke izinhlangano zombusazwe imilomo nokuthi bonke abasekudingisweni babuyele ekhaya, wase encoma ukuthi wena weSilo wenze umehluko ngokwazi ukumeluleka ukuze aphume nalelo qhinga ngoba vele ukwelulekwa yikona okukwenza ukuthi ukwazi ukwenza umuntu ahambe indlela eqondileyo.
Ngithi emndenini wakwaMandela, bakithi anibhubhelwanga nodwa. Sibhubhelwe sonke njengesizwe. Egameni labantu bakababamkhulu ngiyakhala, ngiyababaza ngithi: Ulale kahle Madiba futhi uhambe kahle. Ngikhalela isizwe sabaThembu, ngikhalela inhloko yezwe neSekela layo, kanye nabo bonke abasenhlanganweni ebiholwa uTata uMandela. Siyabonga mphathisihlalo. [Ihlombe.] (Translation of isiZulu paragraphs follows.)
[Prince M M M ZULU: Hon Speaker of the National Assembly, hon Chairperson of the National Council of Provinces Mr Mahlangu, premiers in our midst and leaders of opposition parties in the national Parliament, we are gathered here today to mourn the passing of the father of the nation, Dr Nelson Mandela.
As someone who believes in ancestors, when it rained this morning it was an indication to me that Mr Mandela's presence amongst us was indeed a blessing to us. I however understood the pain that the Mandela family was experiencing for losing him, because it is never easy to lose a family member; it is always a very sad time. I send my condolences to his wife and his ex-wife. I also send them to the chief of the Mandela clan, Chief Zwelivelile Mandla Mandela, for losing his beloved grandfather.
The whole nation has lost its national hero. Mr Mandela will always be remembered by thousands of people across the globe for what he did for South Africa. Not even one of you in this House would spend 27 years in jail and afterwards reconcile with his oppressors after his release as he did, because they had been his worst enemies.
I thank the elders in our midst, including Chief Buthelezi and Mr Mlangeni, who understood him well. They understood what he was doing and what his goals were.
I am reminded of the political violence that was at its peak in KwaZulu- Natal when he was released from prison. He visited the province on 25 February 1990 and held a rally at one of the soccer stadiums in Durban. He instructed everyone who attended to throw their guns, their spears and other weapons into the ocean.
I also wish to thank you, Mageba, [clan name], for saying that Mr Mandela was your leader and he was supposed to be, since he was your elder. When he visited the royal house he said: No matter how bad the conflict between two people is, but when you invite each other, sit down and talk about it; you can resolve your differences.
I also thank him for speaking out against violence in Thokoza where political violence led to the murder of many people. He did that on 13 August 1993. I will not say that one person could make a difference and successfully change other people's bad behaviour.
Hon Deputy President of the country, it is in your hands to see to it that Mr Mandela's dream of reconciliation is realised. Our differences of opinion regarding the methods of attaining this dream do not mean that we should be enemies for life.
It is your responsibility to stand firm for the truth and also ensure that you do all that you think is supposed to be done. I also wish to thank the former apartheid president, Mr de Klerk. He stood right where I am standing now, in this House, and said that he was unbanning all the previously banned political parties and that all political exiles should come back home. He also praised you, Your Highness; you made a difference by giving him advice that made him make that resolution. Obtaining advice is essential for one to do what is expected of them.
To the Mandela family: The loss is not only yours but it is felt by the whole nation. I lament on behalf of my tribe: Rest in peace, Madiba, and farewell. I send my condolences to the abaThembu clan, the President and his Deputy, and all the members of the ANC which was under the leadership of Mr Mandela. Thank you, Chairperson. [Applause.]]