Madam Deputy Speaker, I want to assure this House that there has been no coup. I am not the Chief Whip; I am the Deputy Chief Whip.
We have come to the end of the third and final term of 2009. It has been an extremely busy term, and we have been called upon to perform our public representative duties to the best of our abilities.
Our disagreements over the correct and strategic way forward are natural. In fact, they enrich our young democracy and give it the sharp perspective that it needs if we are to respond to the many, and often contradictory, challenges facing us.
Upon reflection, we have been able to raise the level of debate in this House, but the challenge must be to keep raising this level through the articulation of our policy perspectives, conceptual analysis, wisdom and knowledge.
We have all been through challenging times this term against the backdrop of huge global and local economic challenges. We have debated these matters publicly and I am sure the nation has witnessed our seriousness in seeking to make Parliament part of the solution in the fight against job losses, hunger and poverty. We have spoken to the programmes of action that need to be implemented and how Parliament can play a role in this.
We are the makers of history when it comes to this House. Therefore we carry a huge responsibility and the onus to ensure that we do what our people have called upon us to do.
We would like to thank all members of the House for their dedication and hard work. We would like to take this opportunity to also thank the members of the opposition for their support, especially members of the Chief Whips' Forum. They have really assisted us in the smooth running of this House.
We would like to thank the Speaker and the Deputy Speaker for their exemplary leadership. Sometimes it is not a good idea to deal with the Speaker if your case is not well prepared. We really would like to thank him for his firmness.
We would also like to thank the Secretary to Parliament, the Table staff, and the staff of political parties for their hard work and dedication.
We hope next term will be better than this term. We commit ourselves to continuously improving the services to our people.
It is my privilege to recognise the contribution of all South Africans who have made it possible for this House to function the way it does. We wish to thank our families and friends for their support.
Finally, I wish all members well and urge them to enjoy themselves, so that their constituencies are well-served by their rejuvenated efforts. Thank you.
Madam Deputy Speaker, we are entering a season of peace and goodwill, and so this is the occasion for kind words, for thanks and for holiday good wishes. But, before I get to the good wishes, perhaps you would, on this last day, indulge me a little mischief.
Last year, in my farewell speech, I told a Christmas allegory. You will recall that Parliament was going into recess with elections in the offing. I said that the Christmas season is about giving and receiving - giving and receiving presents. As I looked around the Chamber it reminded me of a family around a Christmas tree on Christmas morning - eagerly awaiting their presents, full of anticipation and excitement. I warned, however, that not everyone's anticipation would be met - some would be disappointed and there could even be tears. We know that Christmas has come and gone, as have the elections, and some of my prognostications were, unfortunately, correct.
I decided to write to Father Christmas and ask him why, for instance, the ANC had not received as many presents as it had anticipated. "Well", he said, "there was too much infighting and they really hadn't performed." [Laughter.]
He had been really pleased with the DA, hence the extra presents - he was even going to make its leader sit on top of a Christmas tree as a little angel! He said he had rewarded Cope generously, but that there was still too much sibling rivalry. He did promise, however, that if they co-operated with the DA, they would in future receive an abundance of presents. [Laughter.]
The IFP, he said, received fewer presents, but that was because they did not do their homework.
As for the Freedom Front Plus ... well ... yes, they did not receive more presents simply because they still believed there could be a white Christmas in Africa. [Laughter.]
I did say to Father Christmas that I was disappointed that he had sent some early presents this year - BMWs and Mercedes Benzes. One Minister was even able to choose the colour of his Mercedes Benz. One went to a Minister, a committed communist, who, I doubt, even celebrates Christmas.
I asked why the poor Minister of Finance only got a suped-up Volkswagen. "Well", said Father Christmas, quoting the Bible, "the poor shall inherit the earth", and with a budget deficit that size, I think the Minister of Finance is waiting for that inheritance to come very quickly!
Well, perhaps once again, this allegory is a bit too complicated for the end of this session, so I will leave it there. So let me just move on and thank, first of all, the House for its full co- operation; the Chief Whips and the Chief Whips' Forum for working so well together; and the Speaker, for being who he is, and for presiding over this House with his customary elegance.
Allow me also to thank the Whippery of my own party, more specifically, my Deputy Chief Whip, Mike Ellis, and all other Whips who help me and make the functioning of my office efficient; likewise my staff, my personal assistant and my various assistants. Indeed, I would like to thank all the Whips of all the parties who co-operate so well in the interest of Parliament.
Allow me also to thank all the presiding officers and all the staff of Parliament from the most senior to the most junior for doing their best to treat us with courtesy and consideration and for giving their best.
Finally, may I take the opportunity to wish the Speaker, the presiding officers and all hon members and staff a happy, blessed Christmas and a very good new year.
Deputy Speaker and hon members, even though the year may have felt long, it is appropriate that, at this point, we appreciate and acknowledge the hard work of many.
Election years are difficult at the best of times, especially with the economic meltdown and all the other challenges that faced us during this year. We have to appreciate the efforts of this House to co-operate and work well together during this period.
I am inclined to believe that, while the summer recess will be most welcome, we are likely to miss one another. Personally, I must say that I loved the spirit of camaraderie that marked relationships in this House.
Some senior members of the ruling party benches warned me quite early on that Cope would have to brace itself for a rough ride in the House. They also said that, beyond the heckles in the House, we would still be wayfarers together in the spirit of the privilege afforded to us collectively by the people of South Africa to represent their best hopes, even when disagreements were sharp and robust. So, I have chuckled merrily under my breath at the parliamentary "hallelujahs" and "amen, mfundisi". [Laughter.]
As I attend Christmas services during this break, I will look forward to the real hallelujahs that will be sung harmoniously and in tune. I trust that the hon members on the other side, who consistently sang hallelujahs, even if out of tune, will also take the time to go and retune their hallelujahs in the true places of worship.
Cope joins the other parties in saluting the Speaker for the even- handedness that sustained the dignity of the House and the focus of the exchanges among its members. Except for the times hon Khompela did so, I can recall only one other time a member mistakenly called the Speaker "Madam Speaker"! [Laughter.] We salute you, Speaker, and wish you a restful summer and Christmas.
Cope wishes our President, the Deputy President, and hon members of the House a happy and restful recess, a blessed Christmas, and, till we meet again, may we be preserved into the new year in 2010.
Mhlekazi uTrollip, umnumzana uyakwazi kanene ukuthetha ethwele umnqwazi endlini? Nam andikholwa. [Mr Trollip, can a man speak in this House wearing a hat? I don't think so.]
Bomme le bontate kajeno ke batla ho bua Sesotho. Kgotsong! Le tsohile? Le nna ke tsohile hantle. Ha ke tsebe ho bua Sesotho hantle empa ke a leka. Ho bohlokwa hore bohle re leke ho bua dipuo tsa Maafrika. Puo ya ka, Afrikaans, le yona ke puo ya Afrika. E ile ya tswalwa hona mona naheng ya rona e ntle.
Bomme le bontate kajeno ke letsatsi la bohlokwa. Ke letsatsi la hore re a leboha ho bohle ba ileng ba etsa hore Palamente ya rona e atlehe. Re leboha haholo ho lona bohle. Hape kajeno ke letsatsi la hore tsamayang hantle. Le kganne ka hloko ha le ya hae hle, le itlhokomele, le phomole hantle. Kaofela ha rona re kgutle re na le matla a ho ema mmoho re rarolle mathata a naha ya rona. Jwale, rona re le IFP re le lakaletsa Keresemese e nang le thabo le selemo se setjha se nang le katleho. [Mahofi.] Eka Modimo a ka ba le lona, tsamayang hantle ho fihlela re bonana ka 2010. Ke a leboha, kgotsong! [Mahofi.] (Translation of Sesotho speech follows.)
[Mr J H VAN DER MERWE: Ladies and gentlemen, today I would like to speak in Sesotho. Hello! How are you? I am also well. I can't speak Sesotho properly but I will try. It is important that we all try to speak African languages. My language, Afrikaans, is also an African language. It was born in this very country of ours.
Ladies and gentlemen, today is a very important day. It is a day that we thank all those who made our Parliament a success. We thank you all very much. Today is also a day to bid each other farewell. Drive safely on your way home, look after yourselves and get a good rest.
All of us should come back strong enough to be able to tackle our country's problems. Therefore we, as the IFP, wish you a merry Christmas and a Happy New Year that is full of success. [Applause.] We hope that the Lord will be with you. Go well until we meet again in 2010. Thank you. [Applause.]]
Deputy Speaker and hon members, since this Parliament was sworn in, time has flown by. Despite a truncated year, we have managed to attend to the most urgent business before the House. During this short time, we have welcomed numerous new members to the House, including myself. We have seen the inauguration of a new President and several new Ministers. We have bid farewell to the Chief Justice and welcomed a new incumbent. Unfortunately, membership of this institution doesn't make us immune to the demands of old age or the whims of misfortune, and so we have also lost colleagues to mortality.
At a time such as this, it is prudent to thank one another, because, even in our differences, we are participants in the science of democracy. Whilst we are expressing gratitude, we need to thank the parliamentary and party officials who work behind the scenes to ensure that this institution functions as it should.
At this time of year, we are in the midst of the 16 Days of Activism for No Violence Against Women and Children Campaign, which we should all promote, as we return to our constituencies. The school holidays and the festive season are nearly upon us. We hope that every member and all staff will spend this time relaxing with friends and family, in order to recuperate for the year that lies ahead. It is also a time when we need to be vigilant about travelling on the roads of our country. Every year the festive season is marred by the deaths of thousands, due to road accidents. In conclusion, to our Christian colleagues and supporters, we wish a blessed Christmas. May your faith be renewed in celebration of the birth of Christ. To all our non-Christian colleagues and supporters, we wish the gift of peace, and to our Speaker, a merry Christmas and a happy New Year. Thank you. [Applause.]
Deputy Speaker and Speaker, we have come to the end of a rather tumultuous year, a year in which we had an election and, if I am not mistaken, of the 400 members in this House, 198 joined us for the first time in April this year. Basically, we have constituted a completely new Parliament for the first time after the election.
We have come to the end of this specific year, a year in which we experienced very interesting things. It is also appropriate, at this stage, to say thank you to all the relevant institutions and divisions of Parliament, be it the catering staff or the financial sector. To all the different divisions, the security people, from the FF Plus' point of view, thank you very much for everything you have done. We appreciate that, and we look forward to a very positive year when we return next year.
To all our colleagues in the different parties, thank you for your co- operation and for your friendship. We are all South Africans in the end, serving the people of our country, albeit from different communities. It makes no difference. We are all South Africans; we are trying to find a solution and a better future for our children.
Deputy Speaker, I would like to conclude with two specific issues, one positive and one not so positive - I would rather say, perhaps even negative, and I want to put them on the table. The first one, the positive thing, that I would like to conclude with is I think that for the last couple of years, the role of Parliament, in the way that I experienced it, was diminished in certain respects, but it has changed.
I want to thank the government in the sense that we are bringing back the relevance of Parliament. The fact that Ministers are coming to this podium to make statements on a regular basis and to inform Parliament first is a positive step to bring Parliament back to where it belongs. It should be done here, not outside to the press. You report to Parliament and the representatives of the people in the first instance, and I think that is very positive.
The second point, Deputy Speaker, is more negative, and I want to address the Speaker himself. Mr Speaker, you will know what it is all about. It is the question that remains outstanding, as far as we are concerned, of seating in this very House. [Interjections.] Mr Speaker, I am addressing you, not that hon member who thinks it is a joke.
Mr Speaker, we have been very patient. I am speaking on behalf of nine political parties who have been pushed to the back of this Chamber, parties that have been very patient in putting our case on the table and saying please address this issue. I am asking you, since it has not been addressed, to please do so. We do not want to come back next year with that matter still unresolved. I am asking you; let's sort it out once and for all.
I want to say to Members of Parliament have a beautiful Christmas, have a wonderful rest out there, and let's all come back refreshed next year. And, Mr Van der Merwe, even you are welcome here. In any case, we will still tolerate you next year. Thank you.
Deputy Speaker, on behalf of my colleagues, the hon Kenneth Meshoe and hon Steve Swart, I thank you Speaker, Deputy Speaker, Ministers, and fellow Members of Parliament. Thank you for your dedication and hard work, and for being you. We have been challenged and inspired, and we do appreciate you.
Thank you, Lord, for the awesome privilege of serving the people of South Africa through the institution of Parliament. Thank you for the institution of Parliament and for the amazing people we cross paths with every day who make it work, the officials, researchers, legal advisers, administrative clerks, Chamber staff, catering staff, security staff, cleaners, etc. You are a blessing.
Thank you, Lord, for a South African people who have grown to appreciate more and more the benefits of a democratic process of governance. You are our cause, our mission and our inspiration because you are God's cause, mission and inspiration.
Yesterday I was just thinking how amazing the early days of this Fourth Parliament have been as we gathered in a Joint Sitting of both Houses of Parliament, at the bidding of the President, to say farewell to former Chief Justice Langa, and to welcome Chief Justice Ngcobo. It felt like a family function, so natural. How weird is that? We are a peculiar people from such diverse backgrounds and walks of life, with different world views, personalities, gifts and abilities. And yet whether we like it or not, wanted it or not; we are a people.
It is difficult not to feel respect, appreciation and empathy for such a people. We have a common cause, and that is the people of South Africa. We also have a shared responsibility, a responsibility which is not carried lightly.
I will conclude with the words of Frederick Buechner:
You can kiss your family and friends goodbye and put miles between you, but, at the same time, you carry them with you in your heart, your mind, and your stomach, because you do not just live in a world but a world lives in you. We pray you'll have a happy Christmas and that the new year will bring many blessings. Thank you.
Deputy Speaker, mid-May 2009 was a time of uncertainties as we were coming to the national Parliament for the first time; not knowing where to stay, whom we would meet, and with whom we would work. But one found a family of friendly, reliable and kind-hearted colleagues in this House. [Applause.] Thank you for the warmth of togetherness.
I would like to thank the hon President for his transparent, consultative, fatherly, effective leadership, and enthusiasm about people. [Applause.] Indeed, the hon President is the people's President, he must keep up the good work. [Applause.]
To the hon Deputy President, I would like to say thanks for the listening ear you always had for us, and also for the unison you have shown in working co-operatively with the hon President. Unity is power. Another word of thanks goes to the Speaker, the Deputy Speaker and the House Chairpersons for the even-handedness with which they direct the proceedings of the House. Our robust engagements with one another sometimes put them in a difficult situation to handle.
We in the Chief Whips Forum heaved and puffed for a great chunk of the year with hon Motshekga, the Chief Whip of the Majority Party. I want to thank him very much for the good work he has done in the interest of all parties, and above all in the interest of South Africa.
Let me thank the administration of Parliament, the Secretary to the National Assembly and the entire staff who always assist, update and remind us about our business in the House. We thank the affable service officers for the delivery of documents and the upkeep of our offices.
To the hon Ministers, the leaders of political parties, Chairpersons of all portfolio committees and standing committees, especially hon Godi the Chairperson of Scopa, and the committee members, my colleagues; I say "Aluta Continua"! [The struggle continues!] Let the good work continue for future generations of our country. [Applause.]
May God be with you 'till we meet again. When life's perils thick confound you, may He put His arms unfailing round you. God be with you 'till we meet again. Thank you. [Applause.]
Hon Bhoola ... [Interjections.] Order! Before you speak, hon Bhoola, let me address that crowd of "ayobas" there. [Interjections.] Hon members, I understand the spirit of the festive season has started, but you are still hon members until you go out of this House. So, please tone down that spirit.
Madam Speaker, maybe only time will allow them to tone down those spirits. Maybe they had lots of spirits and therefore it's got to wear through their system. [Interjections.]
I didn't say that.
Madam Deputy Speaker, it is indeed unbelievable how fast the year passed, and that we have once again concluded our final term. The MF, however, pays respect to 2009 as a constructive, progressive and eventful year for Parliament and for South Africa as a country. The President has indeed set the stage. He has given direction. Let us hope that in the next 12 months those that are placed in positions will follow his directions.
The MF would like to applaud the three spheres of government for their great effort to fulfil their mandate. Mahatma Gandhi once said that as long as there are tears and suffering, our work as leaders is not over. Remember, hon members, the best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others. We are here to make sure that we represent the poor and long-suffering masses, and to remove tears from everyone's eyes.
As long as there is poverty, suffering, illiteracy, and unhealthy conditions, our work will not be over. That is why on important issues you must forget party political divides and look at the flag. As we march forward to receive 2010 with the greatest spirit of togetherness and brotherhood, let's fly under one flag as we approach the greatest sporting spectacle of Africa in the world, the World Cup.
We applaud both the National Assembly and the National Council of Provinces for a good year's work. Thanks and appreciation go to the Speaker and Deputy Speaker for their impeccable leadership. Applause is rendered to the Chairs of both Houses and the administration just below the bench for its auspicious management of House affairs. To our hon members, I look only to the good qualities of man. Not being faultless myself, I won't presume to probe into the faults of others. It has been a productive and a progressive year.
We have an impeccable team of staff and support at Parliament that has been by our side. As we return to our constituencies, let us never forget that to give service to a single heart by a single act is better than a thousand heads bowing in prayer.
The MF thanks all our supporters and members in our constituency for their support and trust in our leadership and ability to best represent your interests. We wish all matric students the best of success and great opportunities. With beautiful thoughts and wonderful wishes, we wish you a merry Christmas and Eid Mubarak.
Finally, there is nothing that wastes the body like worry. One who has any faith in God should be ashamed to worry about anything whatsoever in 2010. Have a prosperous New Year, and may God bless you all.
Madam Deputy Speaker, I rise on a point of order: Is it appropriate for the hon Bhoola to wear his pyjamas to Parliament? [Laughter.]
Madam Speaker, this was not unexpected of Mike Ellis but, nevertheless, we can bear with him because he will be blessed in 2010. [Applause.]
Hon Deputy Speaker, as the year draws to a close, it is time for us, as is the custom, to review the progress made, thus far, and bid farewell to hon members as we come to the end of this year's session. This has been a very busy year for all of us, particularly for new members who have had much to learn and adapt to; they have certainly had to hit the ground running and keep on running.
The new government has effected several changes to the structure of ministries and government departments; and therefore we have to align some of the committees accordingly. This has been no minor task, so we acknowledge with thanks the work of the National Assembly Table staff and the committee section in this regard.
I would like to touch briefly on some of the highlights of the Fourth Parliament and to report on the progress made on certain issues. Members would have noticed that the policy imperative document setting out the strategic framework, including the vision and the strategic objective, has been tabled.
The strategic framework was developed and based on the provision set out in the Constitution and the numerous planning sessions that were conducted in both the National Assembly and the National Council of Provinces. These planning sessions included active participation and direction by the presiding officers, office bearers, political parties and members.
Of course, the strategic framework highlights the vision of the Fourth Parliament, which is to build an effective peoples' Parliament that is responsive to the needs of the people and driven by the ideal of realising a better quality of life for all the people of South Africa.
Under the leadership and stewardship of the Deputy Secretary, Mr Coetzee, and the House Chairperson, hon Bapela, the implementation of the oversight and accountability model adopted by the National Assembly earlier this year, is progressing well; and we thank them.
The Money Bills Amendment Procedure and Related Matters Act of 2009 will extend the scope of our oversight framework. However, its implementation is a complex and intricate matter that will involve a range of institutional reforms. A political task team has been established and is led by the House Chairpersons and the committees on finance and appropriations.
Not without controversy, Parliament has also facilitated appointments to the SA Human Rights Commission, the Board of the SA Broadcasting Corporation and oversaw the appointment of a new Public Protector. We wish them all well and success in their endeavours within their respective institutions. Our thanks must go to the Ministers, chairs of committees and all the members who participated in ensuring that this and other business was dealt with properly.
We have successfully concluded important business of Parliament, for example, the state of the nation address of 2009 and the mid-term Budget. We've also had three sittings of the National Assembly and the National Council of Provinces. Firstly, we celebrated Mandela Day; secondly, yesterday, we welcomed new Chief Justice Ngcobo and bid a fond farewell to Chief Justice Langa; and lastly, on Tuesday, we discussed the preparations for the Fdration Internationale deFootball Association, Fifa, 2010 Soccer World Cup. This is testimony to the fact that Parliament is a national forum for public consideration of issues of importance to our people.
We will also remember that during the answers to the President's state of the nation address Fifa presented the Confederations Cup trophy to President Zuma. This was a highly symbolic gesture designed to illustrate the connection between the people's game, soccer, and the peoples' Parliament. At that time, President Zuma wondered aloud whether we shouldn't keep the Cup; and he was politely advised that we could, indeed, but only after winning on the ground; we nearly did. We hope that in the World Cup we will do even better.
Parliament has hosted a number of incoming delegations from strategic partners in the international community, this includes, amongst others, high level delegations from the People's Republic of China and the Speaker from Nigeria. These and other delegations have interacted with parliamentarians as a component of the expanding role which the national Parliament is playing in pursuit of our strategic objectives in bilateral and multilateral forums.
At domestic level, we hosted a delegation from the Royal Bafokeng nation led by Kgosi Leruo Molotlegi. This visit was the first of its kind and they expressed appreciation for the opportunity to interact with our national Parliament.
The World Cup will focus considerable attention on South Africa next year. The programme of Parliament for 2010 had to take into account the World Cup tournament and this means that our work in the first and the second terms has to be programmed to ensure that Parliament adjourns in time for members to be a part of this important event. We anticipate a huge influx of visitors as well as many international television crews whose platform will beam images of our country to television screens across the world. I suspect that here, in Parliament, our hands will be full. I encourage you all to rest well over this holiday period in anticipation of a full programme in the next session.
The excitement of the Fifa 2010 World Cup cannot destract from the very important business we still have to do. In the next session, we will continue to give in-depth consideration to the legacy issues from the third Parliament. These include the report of the Independent Panel Assessment of Parliament as well as the recommendation of the Ad Hoc Committee on the Review of Chapter 9 and Associated Institutions.
The Third Parliament adopted a resolution that required the Speaker to establish a unit to support the National Assembly in co-ordinating its work with institutions supporting democracy. The Office of the Speaker is in the process of establishing the unit, which we envisage will be up and running by April 2010 as the budget requested is being approved for 2010-11.
The Space Utilisation Project addresses the acute shortage of office space for parliamentarians; the presiding officers of Parliament have agreed to prioritise the need for an office block for members.
On the issue of unanswered questions, we have raised this matter with the Leader of Government Business and this House. He gave the undertaking that this would be attended to. And, certainly, we will - together with him - ensure that this receives priority. [Applause.]
We also lost some Members of Parliament during the course of the year. This included Ms Shoba, who died on 9 May 2009 at the inauguration of President Zuma, and Mr F G Masango, who died on 18 October 2009. We also recognise the passing of former Members of Parliament, which include Prof Du Toit; Mr M J Monaphala; Mr J P (Past Four) Phungula; Mr Ginyizembe Mpehle; Mr P O Moloto; and Imam Hassan Solomon on 28 October 2009. We'll remember these individuals and their contributions with affection and a sense of profound sadness and loss.
Finally, I wish to thank the Deputy Speaker, Ms Nomaindiya Mfeketo, for her support and dedication; and the House Chairpersons, Mr Obed Bapela, Mr Ben Skosana and Ms Mildred Oliphant for their contribution to the work of the Office of the Speaker. My thanks also go to the Secretary to Parliament, Mr Zingile Dingani and the Deputy Secretary, Mr Mike Coetzee, who lead this administration of hardworking and dedicated officials. Our best wishes go to all of them during this festive season.
Although this is the last plenary of the National Assembly, committee work continues next week. Members will have the opportunity to reconnect with their constituencies before breaking for annual leave on 11 December. Hon members, please drive safely and take care and relax with family members and friends.
I hope you return refreshed and ready to continue the sterling oversight work which started this session. I also, on your behalf, wish to convey our best wishes to Deputy Minister Zoliswa Kota-Fredericks and her driver who are both in a serious condition in hospital. We wish them a speedy recovery. I wish you all safe trips home. Let me finally apologise that we won't have an official farewell dinner due to budget constraints. I hope you understand. Thank you.
Deputy Speaker, I wish to make a correction to a mistake made by the IFP by objecting to the Twelfth Order of the day. Could it kindly be recorded in Hansard that we support it?
Hon members, that brings us to the end of the business of the House. Let me take this opportunity to thank all members for their good wishes. In particular I wish to thank the Speaker for his leadership - I'm one of those people who are fortunate to have a leader that gives you scope to work on and not be threatened. Under his leadership this Parliament will grow and do what is expected of it. We will resume on 25 January 2010. We won't wait for 11 February 2010 for the state of the nation address. I wish you a wonderful time with your families. I also want to join those who wished you a lovely Christmas and rest period, because the year 2010 is not a holiday to rest, but rather to prepare for the elections of 2011. This is the only December in which we can all recharge and come back refreshed.