Madam Deputy Speaker, hon Ministers, Deputy Ministers and hon colleagues, the DA was saddened by the news that broke on 30 April 2012 about the untimely passing of Sicelo Shiceka, the former Minister for Co- operative Governance and Traditional Affairs in President Zuma's Cabinet.
Hon Shiceka passed away at St Mary's Private Hospital in Mthatha after a long illness bravely fought. His passing has robbed the ANC and its alliance partners of a very hardworking comrade who worked tirelessly for the liberation of people. His enthusiasm and commitment were remarkable, and his absence will be greatly felt.
Whilst he was not perfec, like none of us is, his passion and energy in the manner he executed his duties can never be taken away. His heart and soul were in the movement and he was unstoppable when he put his mind towards achieving a certain goal. He was like a speed train heading for the station where he knew the challenge lay. He had to get there fast and felt he had to do something about it. His rise in the political structures is testimony of this as well as his hard work and ambition.
In 1980 he joined the Congress of South African Students, Cosas, in Soweto. In 1987 he was elected as the Azanian Students Organisation leader. In 1989 he was an organiser for the Paper, Printing, Wood and Allied Workers Union, becoming Gauteng provincial secretary in 1990. In 1991 he became deputy chairman of the South African Communist Party in Johannesburg. In 1992 he became Congress of South African Trade Unions provincial secretary in Gauteng and co-convener of the Pretoria, Witwatersrand and Vaal Economic Development Forum. In 1993 he became deputy chairman of the ANC's Kyalami region. In 1996 he became a member of the Gauteng ANC's provincial executive committee. In 1999 he became the chairman of the safety and security committee of the Gauteng provincial government.
In 2004 he was elected as a Member of Parliament and served on the local government and constitutional development committees. In 2007 he became a member of the ANC's national executive committee. In 2008 he became Minister of Provincial and Local Government and served until February 2011, after which he embarked on extended sick leave, and was removed from his position as Minister in October 2011.
I knew the hon Shiceka for 17 years. The first time I met him was in 1995 in Gauteng, which is where I come from. I recall the day very clearly. We were in Germiston attending a provincial development meeting which he was going to chair. Expectations were high by all the newly elected councillors and municipalities as we all wanted to put our best foot forward, make an impact on local governance and do our best.
He probably had the same ideas and expectations and could not wait to get going. When he arrived there was a sudden buzz, lots of laughter and noise, and most of the delegates went outside to meet him. He suddenly filled the whole venue with his presence and personality. One, of course, could see that he was very popular.
In came a tall, handsome young man dressed to the nines in the latest fashion, wearing the most polished shoes that I have ever seen in the latest style and with a huge smile on his face. He embraced everyone in his vicinity and chatted to them, and one could see how much he loved life and people.
From the outset of that meeting he stamped his authority on the proceedings. He had a strong sense of direction and determination to succeed. His enthusiasm at times was infectious and people around him always wanted to impress and succeed.
In the following years we continued to meet and discuss various issues and problems relating to local government, which we both loved and still do. Many a time we could come to an agreement, but many a time we could not. An informal settlement named after him called Sicelo in Midvaal was one of the times we could not agree. To date, I'm still not certain whether our disagreement was to do with the name of the settlement as the area was certainly not suitable for development owing to the dolomitic formations. However, it was there to stay, there it stayed, and I will never know.
The implementation of the turnaround strategy was hailed as a great initiative in order to force nonconforming municipalities to perform their duties better and to hold them accountable. Sadly, the hon Shiceka will not be around to see the outcome of this initiative, but I do hope that this initiative will continue to achieve the outcomes he envisaged and not go to the grave with him.
We must never underestimate his love of South Africa and its people, his lasting contribution to the fight of liberation and his fight for the labour movements and their workers whom he understood and loved very much.
On behalf of the DA I would like to convey our sincere condolences to the entire Shiceka family, his friends and colleagues who, no doubt, will miss his enthusiasm, his vibrancy, his dedication and hard work and, most of all, his friendship and laughter.
Rest in peace.
Pust zemja jemu budt puhom [Rest in peace], Comrade Shiceka. [Applause.]