Deputy Speaker, it's always a sad occasion to speak about the loss of any member of this House, especially when somebody is snatched away before his contribution is over. Jacobus Schmidt played a pivotal role in the committee - the chairperson has already spoken about him and his energy, independence and diligence. He has set a standard against which we have to measure ourselves in the committee, as he did. It is very rare to have such a person. I enjoyed his wry sense of humour and he certainly didn't suffer fools gladly. If anyone from one of the parastatals in the department came unprepared, we could all relax knowing that Cobus would tackle them and they would leave with their tails between their legs. On one occasion, I saw him reduce a person to shivering with his laptop in front of him. He was a formidable person.
As has been said, one other interesting thing about him is that he was a passionate public servant. I've learnt a little bit about his role as a councillor and an activist in the Free State where he came from. It left a huge impression on me that we still have such politicians in our country, who, despite our not having constituencies as such, are so deeply rooted in their communities and their constituencies. His track record speaks for itself in this regard. We need more public servants of that nature.
I'd like to pay tribute to him. As the chairperson has said, he contributed to a very interesting nonpartisan approach in the committee. It's one of the few places in this Parliament where I've seen so much interaction that is not based on party-political lines but on issues. We are not only paying tribute to our chairperson but also to the hon member who contributed in such a spirit.
Our condolences go to his family, friends and colleagues. He will be sorely missed and his spirit will live on in his work in the committee. Thank you. [Applause.]