Hon Speaker, the PAC is deeply saddened by the untimely death of Mme Winkie Direko. Mme Direko was a teacher both by profession and by calling. She taught us how to run a province without being implicated in corrupt practices. What a great lesson in this era of "steal and stash before you are caught"! I will also always remember her grandmotherly voice on the radio cautioning the youngsters to abstain so that they could live longer and escape the scourge of HIV/Aids.
Mme Direko was not just an ordinary politician; she was a stateswoman. Politicians do things when they have positions, whereas stateswomen like Mme Direko, just like statesmen, do things with or without positions.
Go wele mogale mo tlhabanong, segatlhamelamasisi, phorogotlho ya motho le moetapele wa boammaruri. Mme Direko o kwadile leina la gagwe ka ditlhaka tsa molelo mo lekokong la ANC le mo nageng ya rona ka bophara. Tsamaya ka kagiso, tshetlhana ya morolong, mmina tholo wa ntwa ya mathibela, o moroka. Ya gago tiro, o e dirile mmaetsho, ka matlho re a bona. Pula. [Praises.]