Speaker, agb lede, ons vergader vandag hier om hulde te bring aan 'n groot Suid-Afrikaner. Frederik Van Zyl Slabbert was 'n man van woorde en 'n man van aksie met 'n rare mengsel van beginsel en visie. Hy was ook 'n man van vrede. In hierdie opsigte was hy 'n pionier wat vir ander blankes en Afrikaners gewys het dat daar wel hoop is om 'n morele en vreedsame einde aan apartheid te bring.
Waar ander slegs veroordeling gesien het, het Frederik Van Zyl Slabbert 'n visie vir 'n beter toekoms gehad. In 1980 sou andere dit sekerlik as 'n fantasie beskou het dat ek vandag hier, in hierdie Huis, sou staan en hulde bring aan hom in sy eie taal. Ek het egter geen twyfel dat hy net sou geglimlag en gevra het: Hoekom nie?
Die effek van sy bydrae tot ons nuwe grondwetlike bestel het ook verby 1994 gestrek. In sy hoedanigheid as die voorsitter van die kommissie wat die kiesstelsel vir hervorming ondersoek het, het hy weereens 'n waardevolle bydrae gemaak.
Net soos vantevore, is sy visie en wysheid ongelukkig nie met ope arms deur die regering van die dag ontvang nie. Daar kan geen groter huldeblyk aan hom wees as vir hierdie regering om nou daardie kommissie se werk te erken en te implementeer nie.
Laat my toe om aan Frederik Van Zyl Slabbert se familie en vriende ons opregte medelye mee te deel. Mag u in hierdie tyd troos vind in die opregte dankbaarheid van die hele nasie. U is in ons gedagtes en gebede. Mag hy in vrede rus. Ek dank u. [Applous]. (Translation of Afrikaans speech follows.)
[Mr N M KGANYAGO: Speaker, hon members, we gather here today to pay tribute to a great South African. Frederik Van Zyl Slabbert was a man of words and a man of action, with an unusual blend of principle and vision. Likewise he was a man of peace. In these respects he was a pioneer who showed other whites and Afrikaners that hope did indeed exist to bring an end to apartheid in a moral and peaceful manner. Where others only saw condemnation, Frederik Van Zyl Slabbert had a vision for a better future. In 1980, others would surely have regarded it as a fantasy that I would be standing here today, in this House, paying tribute to him in his mother tongue. However, I have no doubt that he would have just smiled and asked: Why not?
The result of his contribution towards our new constitutional dispensation also went beyond 1994. In his capacity as chairperson of the commission that examined reforming the electoral system he once more made a valuable contribution.
Just as before, his vision and wisdom were unfortunately not welcomed by the government of the day. There would be no greater homage paid to him than for this government to acknowledge and implement that commission's work right now.
Allow me to convey our sincere condolences to Fredrik Van Zyl Slabbert's family and friends. May you find comfort during this time in the sincere gratitude of the entire nation. You are in our thoughts and prayers. May he rest in peace. I thank you. [Applause.]]