Hon Speaker, the IFP notes with sadness the passing of Florence Nyanda, a strong member of the Women's League in Mpumalanga. She was a campaigner for the recognition and implementation of the rights of women, the right of gender equality and the rights of children. It is only fitting that we honour her today when we are debating the very rights of women, children and people with disabilities that she fought for in this House.
We celebrate her life as a comrade and friend who espoused the highest ideals and fought for everything that we hold dear in our new democratic dispensation. Her tireless pursuit of the protection of rights should be an example to us all of how to conduct ourselves in public office.
The IFP once again extends its heartfelt condolences to the friends and family of a true South African heroine.
UmaFlo ngiyengamazi nje ... [I just knew maFlo ...] ... as a colleague.
Sasimane sithi nje uma sihlangana sincokole naye. Futhi ubethanda ukungibiza uNtombizodwa. Ngingatholi kahle ukuthi kungani, kodwa ngemukele. Njalo nje uma ngihlangana naye, wayethi: Ntombizodwa. Ngihlangene naye ngesinye isikhathi eDurban Airport, wathi, Ntombizodwa, ngiwile ngaphazamiseka - wayehamba ngama-crutches.
Engangiye ngikubuke kuyena ukuthi kwakuyintombi ezithandayo uFlo. Kwakuthi noma ubona ukuthi ukufa kuthanda ukumphazamisa kodwa kuthi uma ehleli laphaya, ubone ukuthi le ntombi iyazithanda.
Ngithi-ke kini mantombazane oMbutho: Ahambile amantombazane - siyabala. Ayahamba nje, ayasishiya nje, asishiya nenselelo. Ngithi-ke kufanele thina siphakamise amasokisi sibone ukuthi siyabalingisa kukho konke ekade bekwenza. Kufanele sizikhalele thina esisasele ngoba bona sebeye ekuphumuleni. Ngiyabonga. [Ihlombe.] (Translation of isiZulu paragraphs follows.)
[We would joke whenever we met. She also liked calling me Ntombizodwa. I couldn't understand why, but I accepted it. Whenever I met her she would say, "Ntombizodwa". I once met her at Durban Airport and she said, "Ntombizodwa, I fell and got hurt" She was on crutches.
What I used to notice in her was that Flo was an impressive-looking woman who loved herself. Even when you saw that the illness was getting the better of her, when she was sitting over there, you would see that this lady loved herself.
I'm saying to you, the Women's League: Women have left us and we are counting them. They are just leaving, and they are leaving us with a challenge. What I'm saying is that we must pull up our socks and see to it that we emulate them in everything that they did. We who are left behind must mourn for ourselves because they have already gone to their resting place. Thank you. [Applause.]]