Chief Justice, Mogoeng Mogoeng, Chairperson, Amos Masondo, Deputy Chairperson, Sylvia Lucas and Chief Whip, hon Mohai, firstly, I want to thank voters of South Africa that came out in the millions and ensure that we have free and fair sixth democratic elections in South Africa. It is something that we must never take for granted and something that when we serve in this House, we must uphold and respect.
I want to thanking you Chief Justice and the judiciary, we had a very difficult fifth term of Parliament and I think the judiciary did an excellent job in staying us on courts in this country.
I also want to say to you Chairperson that you have enormous shoes to fill. We have the out going Chairperson, Thandi Modise, when she took up this seat, she became Chairperson of the NCOP not the Chairperson of the ANC and not representing one province, she was
the Chairperson of the NCOP for South Africans, so I do hope that you can follow the example that she has set.
To my colleagues across the board, firstly, I think we must thank our families that allow us to live out of passion. That allows us to be away from our homes for hours and hours and they support us through all that. Serving in the NCOP, we will be travelling the length and breadth of this beautiful country and they will still give up their precious stamps that we can serve our provinces and the voters of South Africa. So, never neglect the time you do have with your families.
I also want to ask that, we respect one another and that we get to know one another across the spectrum, because we can make a difference. This is a very powerful House of Parliament and if we make sure that we take hands on the issues across party political lines, we can make a difference here. We are first and foremost South Africans and my plea is that we put South Africa first when we serve in this House. I thank you.