Hon Chief Justice, hon Chairperson Mahlangu, hon premiers, permanent and special delegates, friends and guests, it is a very great honour to lead the Western Cape delegation in this august House today. As Premier of the Western Cape, I take this House and our provincial delegations from every province, who have a crucial role here, very seriously indeed.
The National Council of Provinces plays a critical role in ensuring that provincial interests are taken into account in this Parliament. This is your constitutional mandate and one that must be at the heart of every decision that this House takes. You must never forget that federalism, comprising distinct spheres of government, was a key principle agreed to during our constitutional negotiations.
The NCOP, as the conduit from the provinces to the national Parliament, is the living embodiment of this compact. The mandate is to make provincial voices heard. The mandate does not come from Polokwane, and it is essential to begin to understand the distinction between the party and the state if this democracy is to work. [Interjections.] [Applause.] Otherwise, this democracy will fail.