Hon Chairperson, Madiba's life and the values he fought for have inspired not only South Africans but, in fact, the entire world. We can see this every year in the actions that people take to celebrate his selfless devotion to bettering the lives of those living in poverty. Unfortunately, the only people who do not seem to be inspired by his legacy are this present government. The stark failings in our education system and the inability of this government to ensure that all young people have opportunities to take up jobs in this economy are a sad betrayal of everything that Madiba fought for.
As we stand here today, on the verge of destroying the dreams and the legacy of our former President Nelson Mandela, I am reminded of the words of journalist Amanda Ngudle when she wrote: "Perhaps this is what diminished the Mandela legacy: He planted the seeds, but his successors didn't water the trees."