Voorsitter, agb kollegas, vergun my 'n opregte dankie-s geleentheid met my laaste parlementre toespraak na 40 jaar in die aktiewe politiek.
Ek het geen ander grootmenslewe geken nie en is aan die einde van 1969 direk van die universiteitsbanke by die Nasionale Party van Kaapland as voltydse amptenaar aangestel. Na diens in Kaapstad, Kimberley en Oos-Londen is ek in 1979 deur die Worcesterkiesafdeling, wat my geboortedorp, Robertson, insluit, verkies tot die Provinsiale Raad van Kaapland.
Ek is sedertdien die unieke geleentheid gegun om oor 'n dienstyd van ses termyne die kiesers van die Breriviervallei te verteenwoordig. Die ou provinsiale raad, die Volksraad, die Wes-Kaapse parlement en nou die Nasionale Vergadering.
As ek vandag dankie s aan die mense van Worcester en Robertson, dan is dit met 'n uiterste besef van die liefde, lojaliteit en ondersteuning wat so onverdiend mildelik myne was oor drie dekades heen. Waar ek hier tussen u staan met 'n hart vol dankbaarheid na 'n politieke lewe vol hoogtepunte wat ek vir geen ander lewe sou wou verruil nie, 'n paar gedagtes vir die pad vorentoe.
'n Politikus wat met albei voete in Kaapstad geplant staan en skaars grondvat in sy of haar bedieningsgebied, versaak 'n groter roeping en doen die beeld van 'n verteenwoordiger skade aan. Ek het in my loopbaan dikwels belowende parlementslede aan die hand van hul ondersteuningsbasis tuis gesien sneuwel, omrede die kiesafdelingsdeel van hul roeping afgeskeep is.
Deernis en nederigheid, vir my oneindig belangriker as vertoon en aanstellerigheid, verseker 'n plek in ons mense se harte. Hoe geringer u en ek onsself aanslaan in die o van ons steunbasis, hoe hor sal hulle ons ag en die monumente wat u en ek staangemaak het in antwoord op die behoeftes in ons gemeenskappe - huise, paaie, dienste, welsynshulp, brood op die tafel, maar ook infrastruktuur vir di wat deur entrepreneurskap welvaart moet skep - is geensins minderwaardag aan die rol wat ons in hierdie plek gespeel het om die demokrasie sterk te maak nie en sal die een been nie staan sonder die steun van die ander nie.
Ek sien rykhalsend uit na die terugkeer van die kiesafdelingstelsel in ons land wanneer parlementslede weer volle verantwoording vir hul doen en late op die tuisfront verskuldig sal wees. Dit is die ware remedie vir kliekforming, nepotisme, swak dienslewering en al die onwelriekende goggas wat spruit uit die huidige gebrekkige stelsel, 'n stelsel tans waar die partyleier die enigste kieser is wat tevrede gehou moet word om nog 'n termyn te verseker.
Kollegas, ons teenwoordigheid hier is tydelik - vyf, tien, vyftien jaar as ons gelukkig is. Al my dank aan my Hemelse Vader wat my so uitermate gesen het en aan my vrou, Carlin, en ons kinders wat met hul bystand alles moontlik gemaak het.
Meer mense het tot my en my lewe en roeping bygedra as wat ek ooit kan vergoed - vrywillig, lojaal en onbaatsugtig. Dankie aan hulle daar buite. [Applous.] Mag u voel dat ook ons geringe bydrae sal help verseker dat hierdie geliefde land onder die Suiderkruis sal slaag. Ek dank u. [Applous.] (Translation of Afrikaans speech follows.)
[Mr R J KING: Chairperson, hon colleagues, allow me an opportunity to express my heartfelt gratitude in my last parliamentary speech after having been actively involved in active politics for 40 years. I have not known any other adult life.
I was appointed as a full-time official at the National Party in the Cape Province at the end of 1969, straight after university. After serving in Cape Town, Kimberley and East London, I was elected by the Worcester constituency, which includes Robertson, my home town, to the Cape Provincial Council in 1979.
I have since been afforded the unique opportunity to represent the voters of the Breede River Valley for a period of six terms in the previous Provincial Council, the House of Assembly, the Western Cape parliament and now the National Assembly.
When I thank the people of Worcester and Robertson today, it is with a deep realisation of the love, loyalty and support that were so undeservingly afforded me over the past three decades. I am standing amongst you with a heart full of gratitude following a political life filled with highlights that I would not want to exchange for any other.
Herewith, a few ideas for the road ahead: A politician whose feet are firmly planted in Cape Town and who barely touches base with his or her constituency is deserting a higher calling and damaging the image of a representative. In my career I have often seen promising Members of Parliament fall at the hands of their support base within their constituency, the reason being that they have neglected the constituency part of their calling.
Empathy and humility, to me infinitely more important than pretence and having airs, ensure a place in the hearts of our people. The more insignifant you and I regard ourselves in the eyes of our support base, the more they will honour us. And the monuments that you and I have established in answer to the needs of our communities - houses, roads, services, social assistance, food on the table, as well as infrastructure for those who have to create wealth through entrepreneurship - are by no means inferior to the role that we have played here in strengthening our democracy; and the one will not exist without support from the other.
I am eagerly looking forward to a return to the constituency system in our country whereby Members of Parliament will once again be held fully accountable for their actions in their constituencies. That would be a true remedy for the formation of cliques, nepotism, poor service delivery and all those nasty little gremlins which arise from the current defective system, a system where currently the party leader is the only voter to be satisfied in order to ensure another term.
Colleagues, our presence here is temporary - five, ten, fifteen years if we are lucky. All praise goes to my Heavenly Father who has so abundantly blessed me, and to my wife Carlin and our children who, through their support, have made everything possible.
More people have contributed voluntarily, loyally and unselfishly to my life and my calling than I could ever repay. Thank you to all those outside. [Applause.] May you feel that our small contribution will contribute towards ensuring that this beloved country beneath the Southern Cross will attain success. I thank you. [Applause.]]