Hon Speaker, hon Chairperson of the NCOP, hon Acting President, Members of Parliament, and officials of Fifa and the SA Football Association, Safa, it is an honour and a privilege for me to participate in this debate on the eve of the 2010 Fifa World Cup, which starts in a couple of days.
I think we all remember how, not very long ago, many, many people in South Africa were very sceptical about our ability to do exactly what we are doing now. In a month's time names like Aaron Mokoena, Steven Pienaar, Teko Modise, Bongani Khumalo and others will be household names and will be remembered forever.
I think it is important to know that if we can succeed, united as we are today in this endeavour that we are now undertaking, then there is no reason why we cannot also succeed with social cohesion and all our other challenges in South Africa. We can do it, just like we are doing it today. [Applause.]
I want to send a message from the FF Plus to our team, Bafana Bafana: Victory always starts in the head. It is a state of mind. It then spreads with such radiance and such affirmation that destiny can do nothing but obey.
I also want to say the following to Bafana Bafana: To handle yourselves, use your heads; to handle your opponents, use your hearts. And to our opponents: You must remember that we South Africans don't take any prisoners. [Laughter.]
My final word of advice to Bafana Bafana is to accept the well-known slogan of Vincent Lombardi, coach of the Green Bay Packers - that is exactly what we expect of Bafana Bafana: Remember, winning is not everything; it is the only thing. [Applause.] It is the only thing.
We expect Bafana Bafana to win and to make us proud. Go, Bafana Bafana, go! [Applause.]