Deputy Chairperson, as we were fellow Members of Parliament, I knew and respected Comrade Sicelo Shiceka for his diligence, fair- mindedness and understanding of local government matters. Cope is saddened by his passing away.
In his time Comrade Sicelo Shiceka was an outstanding mobiliser of people and his contribution to the struggle cannot be challenged by anyone. He fought against the oppression of the people by an apartheid state bent on dehumanising the people of our country. He stood tall and strong in that struggle, where many perished, so that today we can all enjoy equality, freedom of speech, freedom of the press and freedom of association. With today being World Press Freedom Day, it is fitting that we salute those who stood for media freedom. I also personally remember him as a great champion of nonracialism and nonsexism.
Unfortunately, near the end of his life, when he was seriously ill, the Public Protector found against him on a number of governance issues and although he was expected to challenge these findings, he did not live to do so. Life is a short span and each death of a comrade challenges us to ask questions about our own lives and our own decisions, so that we can leave the world with a legacy that a future generation can be proud of.
I wish on behalf of Cope to extend our sincerest condolences to all his colleagues, friends, comrades and family members. We valued him highly. With his passing away, we retain in our memories what he stood for and fought for. His contribution will continue to motivate us, because freedom requires new champions in every age.
Deputy Chairperson, I want to say to his family and comrades that anyone who has not made mistakes is the one who can point a finger first. I thank you.