Speaker, agb Adjunkpresident, agb parlementslede, voormalige Hoofregter Pius Langa het 'n lang pad geloop deur sy loopbaan, en ek dink die groot rede vir sy sukses was dat hy nie 'n aanstelling was of iemand wat van bo ingeforseer is in 'n pos nie. Hy het deur die jare homself opgewerk. Dit is so dat hy in 1994 deel was van die eerste groep regters wat aangestel is in die Grondwetlike Hof, en hy het dadelik daar sy stempel afgedruk. In 2005 is hy aangestel as Hoofregter. Op 'n persoonlike vlak het ek die voorreg gehad om vir drie jaar terwyl ek 'n lid was van die Regterlike Dienskommissie - wat nie 'n maklike kommissie is nie; 'n kommissie waar dit soms warm en moeilik raak - onder sy voorsitterskap deel te wees van daardie kommissie en te sien hoe hy op sy bekwame, rustige manier orde handhaaf en die werk gedoen kry.
Vir 17 jaar was hy 'n lid van die Departement van Justisie en Grondwetlike Ontwikkeling waar hy gewerk het voor 1994, waar hy ook sy bydrae gemaak het van die onderste vlak af en hom opgewerk het tot in die hoogste pos in ons regspleging.
Die VF Plus wil graag ons opregte simpatie en meelewing betuig met sy familie, met sy gesin, en met sy naasbestaandes wat ook 'n pa en 'n oupa verloor het. Ons opregte meelewing gaan uit na hulle en na almal wat met hom te doen gehad het en met hom saamgewerk het. Mag u krag vind in hierdie tyd om aan te gaan. Baie dankie. (Translation of Afrikaans speech follows.)
[Dr C P MULDER: Speaker, hon Deputy President, hon Members of Parliament, former Chief Justice Pius Langa walked a long road through his career and I think the big reason for his success was that he was neither an appointment nor someone who was forced into a post from above. He worked his way up through the years.
It is true that in 1994 he was part of the first group of judges to be appointed to the Constitutional Court, where he immediately made his mark. In 2005 he was appointed as Chief Justice. On a personal level, I had the privilege of spending three years as a member of the Judicial Service Commission - not an easy commission, but one where things can get hot and difficult - under his chairmanship as part of that commission, watching how, in his competent, calm way, he maintained order and got on with the job.
For 17 years he was a member of the Department of Justice and Constitutional Development, where he was employed before 1994, and where he also made his contribution while working himself up from the lowest level into the highest post in our administration of justice.
The FF Plus would like to convey its heartfelt sympathy and condolences to his family, his relatives and his next of kin, who have also lost a father and grandfather. Our sincere sympathy goes out to them as well as to everyone who had dealings with him and worked with him. May you find the strength at this time to carry on. Thank you.]