Speaker, I would like to respond to hon Van der Merwe of the IFP first. I want to plead with him to please focus on his own IFP problems and leave the ANC alone. [Laughter.]
NgesiZulu, musani ukuhamba ningena izindaba zabantu nibe ninezinkinga zenu endlini. [Ubuwelewele.] [In isiZulu, you are told to refrain from meddling in other people's business while you have your own problems in your own house. [Interjections.]]
I want to say that we need to respect internal ANC processes. We don't go around poking our noses into the IFP's internal problems, which are very serious indeed. [Interjections.] Secondly, with regard to the unfortunate incidents that happened outside Luthuli House the other day, I would just like to remind this House that the ANC, together with all its alliance partners, unequivocally condemned that behaviour, and that must go on record.
Lastly, I would like to say to the hon Van der Merwe that when political parties are dying, they must please not try to drag the ANC down with them. [Applause.] Zifeleni nodwa, ningafuni ukusidonsa siyongena nani ethuneni. [Uhleko.] [You must die alone; don't drag us along with you into the grave. [Laughter.]]
So, do not project your own internal problems onto the ANC.
Speaker, on a point of order: If the Minister criticises me again, I will report him to his mother. [Laughter.]
That's a point of information, not a point of order. Continue, Minister. [Laughter.]
My mother will agree with me. She's a wonderful lady.
Speaker, also allow me to comment on two other statements, so that I don't have to come back to them later. The second one is a response to the hon member from the FF Plus. I think that we need to deal with matters of our own history much more sensitively. As the ANC has said, we will appeal this judgment because, first of all, we do not believe that it is the role of the courts to be the arbiters of our own history. We need to have different processes ...
Hon Minister, your time has expired. [Interjections.]
No, no, but this is my second two minutes, Speaker.
The second one? Okay.
I think we would like to make it clear in this House that while we, as the ANC, are committed to national reconciliation and building national unity, we will not allow our history to be rewritten and the heroic struggles of our people to be rubbished. We must also say that we are particularly offended when the people who are at the forefront of this issue are people who were at the forefront as combatants for the criminal apartheid regime. [Applause.]
I think that we all have a responsibility. The generosity of the majority of black people who suffered under apartheid must not be taken for granted. We all have a responsibility to make sure that, in building national unity, we respect the history of our country and then engage on how that history needs to be written. But for that history to be wiped out is completely unacceptable to us. That is why we have said that we are going to appeal this judgment - not out of disrespect for the courts, but to say the courts should not be the arbiters of our own heroic struggles against apartheid. [Applause.]
Hon Speaker, also allow me, then, to make my final response to the statement by hon Malgas and thank her for her comments on our state of readiness as government for the matric exams ...
Speaker, on a point of order: I do believe the member's two minutes have elapsed by now. [Interjections.]
Conclude, hon Minister.
Nesabani ukuthi sikhulume? Kwenzenjani? [Uhleko.] [Why are you scared to engage with us? What is happening? [Laughter.]]
I would like to thank hon Malgas for her statement and join her in wishing our class of 2011 well in their forthcoming exams. [Time expired.] [Applause.]