Chairperson, I want to thank the members who participated in the debate. I think that we still need to continue to engage on these matters.
However, I must very briefly respond to the matters Madam Semple raised here. I will do this by raising only two things: Firstly, we have been here for 12 years now. If you read about something in the paper, please spend some time just to find out whether what you have read in the newspaper is true - as a member and because we are each other's keeper. You can then pass judgment after you've made an effort to understand what is being said. Secondly, Parliament can never be reduced to a haven for debt collectors. People who must serve others with a summons without any attempt ... [Interjections.] Can you please give me a chance! Proof must be provided that someone has been looking for this member and couldn't find him; and that it's known that this member works here in Parliament but couldn't be found.
For the purpose of the record, I live in Cradock at number 97A Hospital Street. That is the place for my private, personal things and this is the National Assembly. [Interjections.] I just wanted to say, again, that I would insist that we do not discuss personal family matters in public. We won't do that.
Now, I want to restate what we have said in this debate. We have said that contemporary South Africa is ruled by a Constitution underscored by ubuntu. This has been the case since the emergence of the Interim Constitution. When we supported Comrade Yengeni, we were starting to redefine prison as a community space in which the worth and dignity of an individual are to be respected.
Our redefinition of prison is part of remaking South Africa into a liveable world, within the context of ubuntu. Your own brother and sister can be charged with whatever heinous crime there is under the sun, but he remains your brother, she remains your sister and your child remains your child. We need to respect that and extend it consistently in the way we interact with one another.
Even regarding these artificial barriers that divide people according to political party affiliation etc, at some stage, for the sake of ubuntu, we need to rise above those barriers. If we then do that, we will be a nation in the making that will have a bright future. I thank you very much, Chairperson. [Applause.]
Debate concluded.