Hon Deputy Chair, hon Chair, and hon members, indeed, let me start by saying that this was a good year.
The NCOP has once again proved that Taking Parliament to the People is of utmost importance in serving our people in order to show that this government cares for them. I would like to mention the example - as I said in Qwaqwa - of the hon Premier of the Free State, Ace Magashule, who assisted local artists to record his second CD, which proves that he cares for his people.
Let me just quote what Martin Luther King once said:
Everybody can be great, because anybody can serve. You don't have to have a college degree to serve... You don't have to know about Plato and Aristotle to serve... You don't have to know the second theory of thermodynamics in physics to serve. You only need a heart full of grace, a soul generated by love.
Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela quoted in his inauguration speech in 1994:
Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us.
Let me conclude with the greatest man who ever walked in this earth, known by the name of Jesus. He said in Matthew 7:12:
So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the law and the prophets. In conclusion, let me take this opportunity to say these few words to all members of this House, their families and the staff: Have a blessed, peaceful and wonderful Christmas and may God bless them and every one of you this festive season.
I also wish to thank every one of you for your assistance, especially the staff and Advocate Phindela, the Secretary. Have a prosperous 2011 and may God bless you. [Applause.]
UMntwana M M M ZULU: Phini likaSihlalo wale Ndlu, uSihlalo wale Ndlu kanye nozakwethu bonke, kulo nyaka esiwugoqayo namhlanje sisebenze kahle noma-ke kube khona izimpikiswano. Kodwa-ke izimpikiswano akumele zibe khona kule Ndlu ngoba simele izinhlaka zezifundazwe zakithi. Kufuneka sibheke ukuthi uhulumeni usebenza kanjani noma angasizwa kanjani kuwo wonke amaziko.
Ukukhula komqondo wethu ukuthi noma sisebenza njengomndeni emakomidini ethu, kuyaye kube khona lapho kuba sengathi sisebenza njengamaqembu ezombusazwe kanti iqiniso elibabayo lithi akufanele kube njalo. Kumele sisebenzele izidingo zabantu bakithi bonke ababecindezelwe.
Kubaba uMahlangu ngithi utshengise lobo buholi kimi, njengomfana osemncane, osuka esifundazweni sakwaZulu ozalwa nguMaqhawe. Nokho salwa thina ukuba uhole le Ndlu ngobuqotho ubambisene nephini lakho, uSotswebhu Omkhulu wale Ndlu, benisebenza ukuze nitshengise ukuthi indlela iqhutshwa kanjani.
Ngiyazi ukuthi alikho isoka elingenasici ngoba wonke umuntu uba nesici sakhe empilweni angahle agxekwe ngaso. Ukugxekwa kufanele nikuvumele uma benigxeka, kanjalo nami nginigxeke uma kukhona lapho ninamaphutha khona. Kunobhala wale Ndlu, mnawami usebenze ngokwethembeka noma ubumncane ngoba ngangithi ufakiwe uma ngikhuluma nawe nabasebenzi bakho bonke. Kulokho kufakwa kwakho utshengisile ukuthi akukho lapho obutshengisa khona ukwenzelela ngokusobala noma kuphi. Kufanele nibambisane njengezakhamizi zaleli lizwe, nisebenze ngokwethembeka.
Nokuthathwa kwePhalamende lisiwa kubantu ngakolunye uhlangothi ngiye ngikubuke njengokumosa izimali zezifundazwe, kodwa kule Ndlu yilapho ngibone kahle ukuthi kufike kubonakala kahle ukuthi yini entulwa ngabantu bakithi. Kubuyiswe bonke labo Ngqongqoshe, nezikhulu zizokusho ukuthi yini ezingayenza ukusiza laba bantu.
Ngithi uNkulunkulu anibusise nomqalajuba liyabaleka iwombe kithi wasoShangane, ingcungcu ephuza kwezimbi iziziba. Sengathi inganibheka nawo wonke amakhosi esizwe abaPedi, amaXhosa, abeSotho kanye namaSwati, ukuba nikwazi ukusebenza kahle nibuye futhi nisaphelele ngonyaka ozayo. [Ihlombe.] (Translation of isiZulu speech follows.)
[Prince M M M ZULU: Deputy Chairperson of this House, Chairperson of this House and all our colleagues, we worked well in this current year that we are finalising, even though there were some arguments. But then arguments should not take place in this House because we are all representing certain structures in our provinces. We must see how the government operates, or how the government could be assisted in all the departments.
Our development of our thinking is that we work as a family when we are in the committees. There are instances when we work as political parties, whereas the bitter truth is that this should not be the case. We must work for the needs of all the people who were oppressed.
Mr Mahlangu, you showed leadership to me as a young man, who comes from the province of KwaZulu-Natal, the son of Maqhawe. Nevertheless, we fought in order for you to lead this House with honesty together with your deputy, the Chief Whip of this House, who led by example.
I know that no one is perfect because every person has some shortcomings which he or she is criticised for in life. You must accept criticism, and you must also criticise me where I have made mistakes. To the Secretary: My colleague, you have worked with loyalty although you are young. I thought you were deployed here together with all your workers. In your deployment you showed no bias whatsoever. We must work together as the citizens of this country, and work with loyalty.
On the other hand, I view the Taking Parliament to the People programme as a waste of the provinces' money, but in this House I clearly see what is needed by our people. Bring all the Ministers and the officials to tell us what they could do to help these people.
May God bless you. Nomqalajuba liyabaleka ihobhe kithi kwaSoshangane, ingcungcu ephuza kwezimbi iziziba. [Praise song.] May the Lord keep you and all the kings of these nations, namely the Pedi, Xhosa, Sotho as well as the Swazis, so that you are able to work well and still be available next year. Thank you.]