Hon Speaker, in 1994 a group of women whom I would like to call "senior stateswomen" came to Parliament. Sister Bernard Ncube was one of those and, if I may mention two other ladies in the same vein, I remember our colleague, hon Bertha Gxowa, and the hon Faith Gaza. Both of them have also passed on. Sister Bernard was one of those "senior stateswomen" who came to Parliament. I remember her very well. I had the privilege to serve with her in this House from 1994.
The picture that was shown to us just now - that is exactly how we all remember her. Always dressed ...
... met die wit doek van susterskap op haar kop. Dit is presies soos sy gelyk het. Dit is ook hoe sy altyd opgetree het. Sy het aan ons 'n voorbeeld gestel dat 'n mens nie bombasties of lawaaierig hoef te wees om jou standpunt baie sterk te stel nie. Daarom was sy gerespekteer in hierdie Huis; haar standpunt was gerespekteer en almal het van haar insette geweet en kennis geneem.
Ek wil graag namens die VF Plus ons opregte medelye betuig met haar familie, en haar naasbestaandes wat vir haar lief was en haar nou verloor het, asook met die ANC, wat 'n kollega verloor het. Ons respekteer die bydrae wat sy gemaak het. Ons dra ons opregte simpatie oor en ons assosieer ons graag met die mosie wat voor die Huis dien. (Translation of Afrikaans paragraphs follows.)
[... with the white wimple of sisterhood wrapped around her head. That is exactly what she looked like. That is also how she always conducted herself. She set us the example that one does not have to be bombastic or noisy to get one's point of view across very strongly. Therefore she was respected in this House; her point of view was respected and everyone knew about her inputs and took note of them.
On behalf of the FF Plus, I would like to convey our heartfelt condolences to her family, and her relatives who loved her and now lost her, and also to the ANC, who has lost a colleague. We value the contribution that she had made. We convey our heartfelt sympathy, and we would like to associate ourselves with the motion that has been tabled in this House.]