Hon Speaker, I move without notice:
That the House -
1) notes with deep sadness the passing of former Chief Justice of the Republic of South Africa Justice Pius Langa on Wednesday, 24 July 2013 at Milpark Hospital in Johannesburg;
2) further notes that he had been in hospital for about a month following a long illness;
3) remembers that Justice Langa was among the first judges selected for the Constitutional Court, established in 1994 under the country's first democratic constitution, and was appointed Chief Justice of the Republic of South Africa in 2005;
4) further remembers that, before he served in the Constitutional Court, he served the Department of Justice for 17 years, became an advocate of the Supreme Court of South Africa in 1977 and was appointed to the Bench by former President Nelson Mandela in 1994;
5) recalls that in recognition of his exceptional service in law, constitutional jurisprudence and human rights, on 22 April 2008 the Order of Supreme Counsellor of the Baobab in Gold was bestowed on Justice Langa by former President Thabo Mbeki;
6) believes that South Africa has lost one of its best legal minds, a dedicated human rights jurist and a veteran struggle activist; and
7) conveys its heartfelt condolences to the Langa family, his colleagues and friends on the loss of this pioneer of the judicial system.