Madam Speaker, this has indeed been a progressive and memorable five years in which we have had so much success. Despite our differences, we have been able to take South Africa forward. We need to remind our people of this success and intensify their confidence in the government, which had their best interests at heart and has delivered on that.
I'm praying that the election will be a peaceful and dignified process, and that people will be free to make their choice without being manipulated and taunted because of it.
I'm hoping that the faces I have seen over the past years in this House and in government will offer guidance to the people, so that this election may be peaceful.
I take this opportunity to thank the Speaker, the Deputy Speaker and chairs of the NA and NCOP. I extend my gratitude to all committees, their chairs and administrators, and to all the people - staff, support staff and service providers - in Parliament. We thank and applaud you for making our task more endurable and possible. I cannot complete these thanks without honouring the NA table and its impeccable administrators, under the Secretary to Parliament and the Secretary to the NA. Thank you to all secretaries and officials.
I'm hoping that in the new term of Parliament, this House will be strong and more vibrant and committed to delivery. I know that there are a number of members retiring, and I take this opportunity to thank them and wish them the very best in their retirement. Madam Speaker, may I at this point let the House know that I have made a proposal to my leader, Mr A Rajbansi, that I would like to retire at the end of this term to allow a younger person to take my seat. [Applause.] This still has to be confirmed. I do not know what the leader will decide. So, this may be my last speech in this House. I need to thank you all for your attention and applause each time I came to this podium. But I feel that I will be failing in my duty if I do not say thank you to all my friends and colleagues in this august House.
Madam Speaker, may I firstly thank the former Speaker, Deputy Speaker - who is now the Speaker of the House - the present Deputy Speaker and all the chairs of the political parties for the love and respect bestowed on me. All of you have treated me with the highest dignity, for which I am extremely grateful. You respected me as a colleague, a friend, a sister and most of all, you respected me as a mother.
I leave you all with love and blessings. If I retire, I'll be an overseer for the MF, so you will sometimes find me sitting in the gallery to say hello to all of you. Remember, I love you all very much.
A very special thank you goes to my leader, Mr A Rajbansi, for standing beside me all the way. It also goes to my two staff members, Tasleema Allie, my researcher, and Moenieba Cupido, my secretary. I thank you. May the Lord bless you! My life with you has been based on a good experience, and I will leave with great memories. Finally, once again, I love you. [Applause.]