Chairperson, the DA associates itself with the motion of condolence for the late Inkosi Xolo. He served on the Portfolio Committee on Correctional Services as a Member of Parliament between 2004 and 2009. He was a very diligent member of the committee who attended every committee meeting without fail, went on every oversight visit and read every submission.
Those of you who remember him will know that he had a loud and authoritative voice and a penetrating stare, as befitted his rank and status. The combination of both of those was enough to unsettle anybody who came to the committee in any way underprepared.
He also took his duties as a wise statesperson very seriously. I remember we once went to the juvenile section of Durban-Westville Correctional Centre and he was given the responsibility of speaking to the juveniles on behalf of the committee. He spoke isiZulu, which one of my colleagues kindly translated for my benefit, and he delivered a tongue-lashing of note to the young offenders. He told those young people that they were a disgrace to their families and their communities. He told them that they needed to make use of the opportunities for rehabilitation that the prison provided and he told them in no uncertain terms that he never, ever wanted to see them back in prison if he ever visited there again. All this was delivered in that very loud, characteristic voice of his and he commanded the attention of each one of those inmates and, I might add, the members of the committee as well.
On another occasion, we were travelling to Kokstad C-Max Prison and, on the way there, passed through Port Shepstone. He took great delight in pointing out every aspect of the area that was his home, his constituency and his traditional responsibility. He cared very deeply about the people whom he felt were his responsibility, both as a Member of Parliament and as a traditional leader. As we all know, that part of KwaZulu-Natal was the scene of great violence and bloodshed in the transition to democracy. The care he felt for his people compelled him to take responsibility for trying to bring peace to that area and thanks to his efforts and hard work and those of other peace- loving South Africans, political violence and political intolerance abated in that area.
I was very privileged to have known him. Sitting next to him on a flight between Port Elizabeth and Durban, he taught me a little bit about the duties and responsibilities of a traditional leader. As is the case when people pass away, I am left with regret that I did not spend more time listening to and learning from him.
The Correctional Services Portfolio Committee had two huge personalities serving on it who had very similar surnames. They were Bishop Tolo and Inkosi Xolo. Both have passed on and we are the poorer for that loss. The DA would like to extend our deepest condolences to his wife and children, to his community and to the ANC. May he rest in peace. [Applause.]