Hon Chairperson, Chief Justice, Mogoeng Mogoeng, the Chairperson of the NCOP, Rre Amos Masondo, premiers, speakers and other special delegates present here, the Chief Whip of the NCOP, hon members of the NCOP, distinguished guests and my friends from Upington who made a special
trip to come and support me, let me start by congratulating all of you that have been sworn in this morning.
All of us are under the impression of the important responsibility that has been placed on us. It is indeed with great humility and a deep resolve to honour your trust that I am assuming the position of Deputy Chairperson of the NCOP during the sixth parliamentary dispensation. It is indeed an honour for me to serve our constitutional democracy in this capacity. I have served our democracy in different capacities since 1995 and today I am here at a national sphere and I am feeling deeply humbled.
I would like to assure you that I will execute the obligations of my office in accordance with the provisions of our Constitution and to the very best of my ability. Hon members, democracy requires that citizens should be continuously engaged in governance through interactions with those who are making decisions.
It is not only about dropping a ballot in the ballot box but also to understand that it is an important element of democracy - only one step in the process of building a society that genuinely serves the interest of all its people. Those who are elected to make policy and laws on behalf of the people are required to fulfil the mandate
through continuous consultation and dialogue with its citizens on whose behalf we are acting.
Collectively, as we are all seated here today, we should strive to build an activist and people-centred Parliament. We should ensure that legislatures are strengthened as part of building a developmental state. We should all recommit to ensure that constituency work should indeed be used more effectively to link the legislature to our people.
It is therefore incumbent on the NCOP to foster and maintain a dynamic relationship with our provinces especially the provincial legislatures as they constitute the central feature of the work of this House. To this end all permanent delegates need to serve as active agents for the ongoing promotion of a dynamic interaction with our provinces. The significance of these ongoing interactions cannot be over emphasised as this facilitates a useful link between the provincial, national and local sphere of governance.
Hon members, allow me to take this opportunity to express my gratitude to the former leadership of this NCOP, the hon Thandi Modise for the sterling work she did over the past five years. Let me also express my gratitude to my predecessor, the Deputy
Chairperson, Rasireti Tau and all other presiding officers of the Fifth Parliament for the excellent work in managing this institution with such devotion.
Lastly, let me quote Bruse Mau, a Canadian designer that reminds us that, and I quote:
Every collaborator who enters our orbit brings with him or her a world more strange and complex than any we could ever hope to imagine. By listening to the details and the subtlety of their needs, desires, or ambitions, we fold their world onto our own. Neither party will ever be the same.
We are shaped by our conversations, we are influenced by the ideas we hear and the people we meet. I hope after five years both you and I would have been shaped by the robust conversations and engagements we would have had in this Chamber. Let each one of us represent his or her province with dignity, purpose and honour. Let Parliament continue to be a living embodiment of nation building. I wish all of you the best for the future. I thank you. [Applause.]