Hon Speaker, hon colleagues, we have come to the end of another term. Five years have gone, and we are all going to leave rather soon to go back to our constituencies and our electorate for the next election. I want to start off by saying on behalf of my party and all of us, a word of sincere thank you to all the people who are working in this parliamentary precinct and this institution to make it possible for us as members to do our work.
Baie keer word daardie werk nie raakgesien nie. Dit is werk wat in stilte gedoen word en ons aanvaar dit as vanselfsprekend, maar ons moet opreg daarvoor dankie s.
Ek kyk vandag in die Huis rond na al die verskillende politieke partye soos hulle hier sit. In elke party sien ek kollegas wat vandag hier gestaan en ges het dat hulle uittree. Ek sien ook kollegas wat ons weet wat uittree uit die politiek, maar wat nie vandag noodwendig gepraat het nie. Ek sien hulle in alle politieke partye. Hulle is kollegas wat oor die jare heen vriende geword het. Baie van ons mense daar buite verstaan nie die dinamiek wat in hierdie Huis heers nie, waar ons aan die een kant politieke opponente is, maar aan die ander kant ook individue en mense wat vriende van mekaar word, wat mekaar se harte kan verstaan en wat saam 'n sekere pad kan loop in belang van waarmee ons besig is.
Ek wil vandag vir elkeen wat uittree, s sterkte en baie dankie vir die bydrae wat u gemaak het. Ek is bly die Speaker het nie na my verwys as 'n veteraan nie. Ek dink nie dit sou gepas gewees het nie! Die feit dat daar aan vandag se debat soveel veterane deelgeneem het wat totsiens ges het, moet ook vir ons 'n boodskap deurgee. Daar is iets in die lug, en u moet dit kan aanvoel. Dis 'n gevoel wat vir my baie dieselfde is as di van 1994, toe ons vir die eerste keer hier gekom het. Dis 'n gevoel wat s dat wat in hierdie verkiesing gaan gebeur 'n totale nuwe spel gaan meebring. Dit gaan 'n nuwe spel wees wat tot 'n groot mate met nuwe kollegas wat nog moet kom, gespeel gaan word, wat 'n groot verandering gaan meebring, en waarvoor ons gereed moet wees om dit op die regte manier te hanteer n die verkiesing.
Ons as Parlementslede moet een ding besef: Elkeen van ons wat hier is, is nie hier om vir onsself op te tree of te dien nie. Ons is selfs - al is ons politici - nie eens hier om noodwendig ons partye te dien nie. Die Grondwet s ... (Translation of Afrikaans paragraphs follows.)
[That work is often not recognised. It is work that is done in silence and we take it for granted, but we have to express our sincere gratitude for it.
I look around the House today at all the political parties as they are seated here. In each party I see colleagues who have stood up here today and announced that they will be retiring. I also see colleagues whom we know will be retiring from politics, but who did not necessarily speak today. I see them in all political parties. They are colleagues who have become friends as the years have passed. Many of our people out there don't understand the dynamics that are at play in this House, where, on the one hand, we are political opponents, but, on the other, also individuals and people who become friends, who understand one another's hearts, and who can traverse a specific road together in the interest of that which we are busy with.
Today, I would like to wish everyone who is retiring all the best and say thank you for the contribution you have made. I am glad that the Speaker did not refer to me as a veteran. I don't think it would have been appropriate! The fact that so many of the veterans have participated in today's debate and said goodbye should also send us a message. There is something in the air, and you should be able to sense it. To me, it bears a strong resemblance to that feeling in 1994, when we came here for the first time. It is a feeling that is indicating that whatever is going to happen in these elections is going to bring about a whole new ball game. It will be a new ball game that, to a large extent, will be played with new colleagues who are yet to arrive, which will bring about an enormous change that we have to prepare for in order to manage it in the correct manner after the elections.
As Members of Parliament we have to realise one thing: All of us here are not here to act on our own behalf or to serve ourselves. Actually, we are not even here - although we are politicians - necessarily to serve our own parties. The Constitution states that ...]
... we are here to represent the people of South Africa, all the people, not this group or that group. We represent all the people and because of that, we have a very huge responsibility. So let us go out to campaign and to take our message to the people so that they will decide on 7 May who to vote for.
From the FF Plus point of view, I want to say thank you to each and every one of you. We are not saying goodbye; we will be back - most of us will be back - and then we will take our responsibility further to serve our country and the people of South Africa. Thank you. [Applause.]