Mr Speaker, our soldiers indeed have fought a good fight. Our condolences go out to the families that lost their loved ones. However, we must be reminded that there was an agreement during the hon Lekota's time. Nobody had an issue with it at that time. Why should there be an issue now, except for cheap petty politics? [Applause.]
It seems as if the whole issue of the deployment of the South African Defence Force has a new motivation. Only this government, in this political era, has put Africa on the map and made it a central part of foreign policy. [Applause.] We are correctly in Africa and, indeed, have a duty incumbent upon us to lead the African revival. Let us be reminded that even Mr Thabo Mbeki said that the 21st century must be an African century. So, how do you go about building that? It's by getting involved, giving leadership and supporting our foreign policy. The ousted individual we are referring to, came into power not in any unacceptable way; but there was an election and he got elected. He was a democratically elected leader. Therefore, we have every right and duty to build relationships and to meet agreements.
The Mail & Guardian rolled out a very huge analysis of the whole matter. It would be quite interesting to know what the role of the French is in all of this - by act or omission. Surely, it is the whole issue of African politics at that level. It was accordingly the French-speaking countries that were influenced by France, in the main to try to oppose hon Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma's chairpersonship of the African Commission. [Applause.] Hon Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma was chosen from amongst our best to go and lead this critically important task of African revival.
Indeed, we have been very consistent on the basis of building democracy, good governance and economic development of Africa. Even the whole issue of South Africa's involvement in the Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa, Brics, is on the basis of South African leadership and of Africa as a whole. That's why there were so many African Presidents here because we were in the Brics, not just as South Africa but representing Africa. [Applause.] So, in the context, we have absolutely every responsibility and duty to be engaging in the support of that policy and to be wherever we can, giving support. It comes back to the part that this was a democratically elected leader, whom we reached agreements with.
The most recent news was that South Africa is considering a request by the African Union and other leaders to go back to Central African Republic. If that is so, we were correct to be there. [Applause.] Our government must be encouraged to continue its remarkable work which was started by Mr Thabo Mbeki in a very, very, strong way.
We must continue to push and march forward with courage, conviction and determination to build a greater African continent. I thank you. [Applause.]