Chairperson, hon members, Premiers and MECs present, and, of course, hon special and permanent delegates, I am quite humbled, I must say, by the expression of confidence that has been shown in me. I take this to mean that, of course, like my co-chair has said, as a collective, a lot will be expected from us.
The heartbeat of the NCOP or of Parliament, as we all know, is the question of effective oversight. It is through effective oversight that we will be able ensure that, with the respect we have for the executive, we'll make the executive implement legislation in a way that will ensure, at the end of the day, that the lives of our people are improved.
It is a responsibility that I am, therefore, given and, of course, it is not in isolation from the broader programmes of the National Council of Provinces. Together with our provincial legislatures and together with our local municipalities, it is our responsibility to ensure that oversight is effective, our machinery oiled, and that we start now. The work must benefit the poor and especially those in the rural areas. Chairperson, thank you very much and we hope not to disappoint. [Applause.]