Hon Speaker, through the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa we continue to reaffirm that civil protest is an important tool to enforce access to rights, without violating the rights of others. However, service delivery protests that undermine the democracy enshrined in the Constitution cannot go unchallenged.
A clear message needs to be sent to South African citizens who do not have respect for the rule of law that they will be held accountable and will be prosecuted through the courts of law. South Africa cannot tolerate any intention to loot and steal from others under the pretext of engaging in service delivery protests. Political parties that use the same tactic in their campaign strategy to gain cheap political mileage by trying to mislead the public by means of claims of a country on fire should be held accountable and reported to the Independent Electoral Commission.
We call on all patriotic South Africans to continue to promote social cohesion principles towards the integration of South Africans to build a better life for all in the diverse society we live in. It is also incumbent upon all progressive citizens to articulate the transformation that has taken place this far in a manner that outlines the benefits enjoyed by the masses of South Africa's people. I thank you. [Applause.]