Hon Deputy Speaker, hon members of this House, our ongoing message to all South Africans that working together we can do more as a nation is not a meaningless mantra, but a genuine recognition that in history our people have been able to attain the impossible when united behind a common goal.
When he concluded his state of the nation address to the Joint Sitting of both Houses of Parliament at the beginning of this term, President Jacob Zuma implored all of us to work together to make this year of action a successful one for our country. A few days later, during his response to our debate on the President's annual address, President Zuma again reminded us to work together for a common prosperous future.
The system of working together, at the core of which is continuous interaction with a wide spectrum of our society to defeat the challenges that confront the nation, is a long-standing tradition of the ANC. This inclusive approach has also been the hallmark of President Zuma's leadership of the country. As leaders of various political parties in this institution, we have enjoyed fraternal relations with the President. Throughout this year, we have seen the continuation of meetings between leaders of opposition and the President. These important meetings have served as fora through which matters of national interest could be discussed with the opposition. I wish to take this opportunity to thank the President for this inclusive approach. The leaders of opposition parties in this House must also be commended for coming to the party, partnering us in the interest of a common future, as the President appealed in his state of the nation address.
As the ANC, our inclusive approach is informed by the recognition that, while we are the ruling party, we claim no monopoly over wisdom. It is for this reason that we have embraced the President's leadership style and fostered dialogue with the opposition. Apart from giving some of our speaking time to smaller parties during the state of the nation address, we have enjoyed robust debates in multiparty fora in this institution. This has ensured that we learn from each other and that participatory democracy is strengthened.
Participatory democracy places at its core the participation of the people in the operation of their country's political systems. Members of this House must, therefore, be commended for overwhelmingly endorsing the President's request to address Parliament in the evening for the first time. This indeed afforded the greater majority of South Africans an opportunity to be part of the occasion, whether through their presence in Parliament or following it live on television or radio in the comfort of their homes. Indeed, it is acts such as these that enhance this institution's reputation as a tribunal of the people.
Comrade Deputy Speaker, mutual co-operation, even in an ocean of confrontational or aggressive politics, is necessary in steering our people's ship to prosperity and development. The sense of unity demonstrated by this Parliament, which mirrored that of the entire nation behind the hosting of the World Cup, is indeed indicative of what we can achieve when we work together. As a nation, we must be proud of our individual and collective effort that brought about such a huge achievement.
Our character as a people can perhaps be best described by the observation made by our icon, Nelson Mandela, when he paid tribute to South Africans on the occasion of his retirement in 1999. Madiba referred to us as "a nation that has won the world's admiration, not by prowess in war, but by the dedication of its people of every background to celebrate their humanity".
Indeed, the World Cup has gained us the admiration of the world and reminded us of our true character as a nation. As members of this House, we must be proud for having put aside our differences and suspended petty politics in the interest of putting our country first.
Hon members, as we rise today, let us remind ourselves that this institution defined itself as an activist Parliament. This declaration coincided with the enactment of the Money Bills Amendment Procedure and Related Matters Act of 2009, which, indeed, deepened Parliament's oversight authority as enshrined in the Constitution. This necessitates that, as an activist Parliament, we must build our capacity to realise this progressive concept of Parliament, which is necessary to enhance service delivery that will improve the material conditions of the lives of our people.
As I said during Parliament's budget debates earlier this year, we need to continue to strive for a fully capacitated institution in the interest of fully equipped members of Parliament who are equal to the critical task placed on their shoulders by our people. The recent decision by this House to establish a committee on nation-building and heritage development will make this Parliament a responsive and activist people's Parliament. The new committee, which draws members from various political parties, will serve as a consultative mechanism to drive the objectives of this activist Parliament and enhance nation-building efforts and social cohesion.
The aftermath of the World Cup has inspired South Africans to once again appreciate that there is much more that unites us as a nation than what divides us. Through this multiparty committee, Parliament will take the lead in preserving the national unity that was prevalent during the World Cup.
This has been an exciting and interesting year. The House once again served as a theatre of robust, lively and open engagement. We listened to each other rather than howl, but we also howled, rather than listen to one another. On some issues we lost our minds, while on some we gained our sanity. We yelled and shouted on some occasions, while on some we smiled and laughed. We spoke past each other at times, but we also spoke with each other most of the time. We were divided at times, but united some of the time. All of this, consequently, deposited one or two grey hairs on the heads of our presiding officers under the able and orderly leadership of hon Speaker Max Sisulu.
That the presiding officers have been able to withstand all this is a true testament of their tenacity and resoluteness. Indeed, the trait of a good presiding officer is not measured by the number of orders he makes, but how he or she manages the business of the House through a fair and impartial application and interpretation of Rules, conventions, practices and precedents. I stand here to congratulate you, Madam Deputy Speaker, the Speaker and your team for performing that with sheer unadulterated excellence. I believe hon members will agree that the Speaker and Deputy Speaker deserve a round of applause. [Applause.]
As I conclude, let me say that I also wish to take my hat off to all the staff members of Parliament, under the able leadership of the Secretary to Parliament, Mr Zingile Dingani, including our ever helpful Table staff and service officers, for easing up our work in this institution. Well done!
Hon members, as we rise this day, I wish to use this opportunity to pay tribute to our beloved colleagues and members of this House, whom death snatched from our benches during this year. May the spirits of Comrade Molefi Sefularo, who served as the Deputy Minister of Health and Comrade Alina Rantsolase, our caucus chairperson and Whip rest in peace. I also wish to pay tribute to the former Members of Parliament who left us during this year. They are Frederik van Zyl Slabbert, Cheryl Gillwald, and Mittah Seperepere; may they rest in peace.
In conclusion, Speaker, this year Parliament marked the 20-year anniversary of the release of our icon, Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela, and other political prisoners. I wish to remind you of what the first President of the democratic South Africa wished when he gave his farewell speech at the UN in 1998. He said:
I will continue to hope that Africa's Renaissance will strike deep roots and blossom forever, without regard to the changing seasons. Were all these hopes to translate into a realisable dream and not a nightmare to torment the soul of the aged, then will I, indeed, have peace and tranquillity. Then would history and the billions throughout the world proclaim that it was right that we dreamt and that we toiled to give life to a workable dream.
As we rise and formally conclude the business of this House, we should take this opportunity and ask ourselves whether our performance in this institution during this particular term has contributed in making that African dream, which Madiba spoke of, realisable, or have we contributed in turning it into "a nightmare to torment the soul of the aged".
I am hopeful that Madiba will look at our work this year with an approving smile. I am also hopeful that we were able to heed the call made by the President at the beginning of this year for us to work together in the interest of building our future. Bon voyage. [Applause.]