Hon Speaker, personally, it is with real sadness that I express my condolences on the death of the hon Bishop Jack Tolo. The hon Tolo was a very special man, and we experienced it in that way in this House.
He had a special love for his mother tongue, Sepedi. He was proud of his people's history and of their culture. We had long discussions, specifically on these issues, and the important role that one's mother tongue plays. We agreed on these issues, specifically on how important the mother tongue of everyone in South Africa is, for the dignity of everyone in our country.
Ek sal, daarom verder in Afrikaans praat en die agb Tolo sal dit juis baie goed verstaan en aanmoedig. Ons het baie keer ook so in Afrikaans met mekaar gepraat.
Ons, in die VF Plus, was sedert 1994 saam met hom hier in die Parlement en ons tel dan ook onder daardie 26 wat oorgebly het. Daarom het ons mekaar oor 'n lang tyd leer ken.
Hy was altyd vriendelik en aangenaam, maar mens moes dit nie met swakheid verwar het nie. Hy het nie gehuiwer om vir sy mense in Sekhukhune hier te veg en na hul beste belange om te sien, sover hy dit kon regkry nie.
Ek het hom by Binnelandse Sake en by Landbou, wat vir hom belangrik was, leer ken, waar hy altyd belangrike bydraes op 'n aangename manier gemaak het. As 'n Cope-stigterslid het ons hom bewonder vir die moed om volgens sy oortuigings op te tree in daardie moeilike tyd in 2009, net voor die verkiesing.
Ons wil van die VF Plus se kant af die hoop uitspreek dat die misdadigers deur die polisie gevang sal word, sodat ons die volle waarheid oor sy onnatuurlike dood sal kan vasstel.
Ek is dankbaar dat sy familie hier teenwoordig is om ook die hulde te kan hoor wat ons, wat hom hier leer ken het, bring. Ek dra graag die simpatie van die VF Plus, maar ook van die hele Huis oor aan sy vrou, Salome, en aan sy kinders en kleinkinders. Waar biskop Tolo as 'n Christen aktief in sy kerk betrokke was as 'n oortuigde gelowige, bid ons as mede-Christene vir troos vir sy vrou en kinders. Ek dank u. (Translation of Afrikaans paragraphs follows.)
[Therefore, I will continue in Afrikaans and the hon Tolo would certainly understand it very well and encourage it. Likewise, we also conversed with each other on many occasions in Afrikaans.
We, in the FF Plus, joined him here in Parliament in 1994 and we can consequently be reckoned amongst those 26 people who remain behind. Hence we came to know each other over a long period of time.
He was always friendly and pleasant, but one did not regard this as a sign of weakness. He did not hesitate to fight here for his people in Sekhukhune and took care of their best interests, in so far as it was within his power to do so.
I got to know him at Home Affairs and Agriculture, which were very important to him, where he always made important contributions in a pleasant manner. As a founder member of Cope we admired him for having the courage of his convictions during that difficult time in 2009, just before the elections.
On behalf of the FF Plus we would like to express the hope that the police will apprehend the criminals in order for us to ascertain the whole truth about the unnatural way in which he died.
I am grateful that his family is present here, also listening to us, who got to know him here, paying tribute to him. I readily convey the sympathy of the FF Plus, but also that of the entire House to his wife, Salome, and his children and grandchildren. Where Bishop Tolo as a Christian was active in his church as a committed believer, we pray as fellow Christians that his wife and children may be comforted. I thank you.]