We don't want to be a failed democracy; let's always remember that.
The NCOP also has a crucial role to play in the oversight of the executive. I hope that every member of this House, regardless of political affiliation, will strive to hold this government to account when it falters. This is our duty to the citizens of this country. It must come before any political loyalties or affiliation. It is not a question of my leader or my party, right or wrong. It is our duties to the Constitution and to the voters that matter.
A constitutional democracy such as ours requires that every institution designed to provide a check and balance on power abuse does so all the time, and we have seen the consequences already of some failures to do just that.
We are mindful that the Western Cape is the only province not to be governed by the ruling party nationally. I would like to take this opportunity to assure the members of this House that we will, at all times, work with every other sphere of government in the spirit of co-operative governance as we are enjoined to do in the Constitution. But we will expect that the letter and spirit of the Constitution are also demonstrated towards us as well.
Finally, we congratulate you, hon Mahlangu, on your re-election as Chairperson. We trust that you will continue to use your office to ensure that the NCOP fulfils its constitutional mandate and that it exercises oversight of the executive without fear or favour.
Chairperson, we believe that you have done a good and competent job in your role in the past. That is why we did not oppose you in this election and, indeed, we stood to applaud you. But may I also say that at this time it was completely wrong for some hon members to chant "ANC", which illustrates that a lot of people have a lot to learn about the separation between the party and the state, and the role of this august House. [Interjections.] And they certainly, Chairperson, do not understand your role as an independent Chair of this House. Thank you very much. [Applause.]
UMntwana M M M ZULU: Sihlalo, Mabhoko, ngiyakuhalalisela egameni leqembu leNkatha Yenkululeko ukuthi ubuye, futhi bakwethembe kule Ndlu ukuthi uhole umkhankaso wokuthi uphucule izimpilo zabantu bakithi. Ngithi kungumsebenzi wethu sonke malunga ahloniphekile ukuba sisebenzele ukwethembeka ezweni elihle eNingizimu Afrika.
Ukwethembeka kwethu kofuneka ukuthi sikwenze ngokuthi singakwazi ukuthi siphazamisane ngezinhlelo zokusebenza. Thina njengabantu ebebecindezelwe kuleli lizwe kufuze ukuba kubekhona ukubambana noma kuthiwa imibono yethu yehlukene ukuze sikwazi ukufeza izidingo zaleli lizwe.
Ngikhuluma lapha hhayi njengenkosi yakwaZulu kodwa njengobukhosi bakwaZulu. Hhayi njengenkosi Mhlonishwa Sihlalo, kusho ukuthi kubhaleke ngendlela ekabi ngoba omunye umuntu uma esekubona uyokhuluma ukuthi ngafika ngathi ngiyinkosi lapha, but I am a member of the Zulu Royal family [kodwa ngiyilunga lase Ndlunkulu yobukhosi bakwa Zulu] kungakho ngithi Mabhoko ngoba ungu mukhwe wethu ngokwakithi kwaZulu.
Ukuthunyelwa yisiFundazwe sa KwaZulu-Natali ngithi ku bafowethu esihambisana nabo kofuneka sisebenzele izidingo zabantu ba KwaZulu-Natali. Ukuthi imiqondo yethu yehlukene ngengokuthi iKwaZulu-Natali yiSifundazwe esisodwa esingaphansi kweNingizimu Afrika eyodwa kofuneka sisebenzele izidingo zabantu ba KwaZulu-Natali. Ukuhlukana kwemiqondo kuyobe kuxoxwa kuSishayamthetho sa KwaZulu-Natali kodwa uma sesilapha kufuneka senelise izidingo zabo bonke abantu ba KwaZulu-Natali ngengoba b eyakhele.
Ngithi Mabhoko ngiyakuhalalisela mnewethu esikhundleni sakho ukuba ukwazi ukuphatha iqembu lakho likwethembe ukuthi uphathe iminyaka eyisihlanu. Ngithi halala Mabhoko! [Ihlombe.] (Translation of isiZulu speech follows.)
[Prince M M M ZULU: Chairperson, Mabhoko, on behalf of the Inkatha Freedom Party, I congratulate you on being redeployed to your position and on this House electing you to lead the campaign of making the lives of our people better. I submit that it is the responsibility of all of us, hon members, to strive for integrity in this beautiful country, South Africa.
We should strive for integrity in a manner that does not interfere with the processes of service delivery. We, as the people who were oppressed in this country, should be united regardless of having different views so that we are able to meet the needs of this country.
I am speaking here not as the Zulu king, but as a member of the Zulu royal family; not as the king, hon Chairperson, which means there was a error in the writing of my title, because if someone sees this they will say I came here to Parliament and introduced myself as the king, but I am a member of the Zulu royal family, which is why I say "Mabhoko" because you are the father-in-law to the Zulu royal family.
As delegated by the province of KwaZulu-Natal, I would like to say to my colleagues from the province that we will need to work for the needs of the people of KwaZulu-Natal. The fact is that we have different views, such as that KwaZulu-Natal is one province which belongs to one South Africa, but we should work for the needs of the people of KwaZulu-Natal. Our different views will be debated upon at the KwaZulu-Natal legislature, but when we get here we need to fulfil the needs of all the people of KwaZulu-Natal as citizens.
I am congratulating you, Mabhoko, my brother, on your position that allows you to lead and on your party entrusting you with this duty for five years. I say congratulations, Mabhoko! [Applause.]]