Thank you, Speaker. I'm rising in response to you, hon Minister. I would like to draw your attention to the decision given on 30 September 2009 about Mr Chonco's application of pardon - which I'm sure you are aware of - and the scathing comments made by the former Chief Justice, Pius Langa, which state that despite the undertakings made by the then President and the then Minister to expedite responses to pardon applications - this is now pardon applications in that particular case - the respondents have waited in vain. This is said to be unacceptable, and he added that the Constitution requires that all constitutional obligations - wherever they lie - must be performed diligently and without delay.
Now, hon Minister, would you agree with those comments made by the learned judge, as it was his last judgment? If so, what steps will you take to ensure that such delays do not happen again? Thank you.