Hon Speaker, hon Ministers and Deputy Ministers, Members of Parliament, I also wish to rise to support the motion of the Chief Whip of the ruling party. The passing away of Dirk du Toit has robbed the South African community of one of the brains, architects and practitioners of social transformation. Having known and worked with him as a colleague in the last Cabinet, Dirk has at all times presented himself as a man of reason and principle. His organisation, the agricultural community at large and indeed the people of South Africa surely must draw inspiration from the work of this man of exceptional commitment.
Dirk, as a warm and welcoming person, did not shy away from confronting problems directly. He applied his mind on all discussions at Cabinet level and presented his ideas without fear or favour. Dirk passes away at the time when our country is in dire need of leaders of his calibre. As Cope, we mourn and grieve with his family, his organisation, the ANC, and the South African people. In this regard, we want to thank his family for lending him to us. We celebrate his life and contributions in making South Africa a better place to live in. The people of South Africa will always remember him as one of them. I thank you. [Applause.]