Today, I will attend the last sitting of the National Assembly as the august house rises at the dawn of the day marking the end of term of the fourth democratic parliament of the Republic of South Africa. Over the past 5 years we have been on a journey of discovery. Discovery of our nations capacity to rise to many challenges of our times. The road we have travelled was full of pitfalls that not only evidenced where we come from but also how we have carried out our mandate as elected public representatives. On each stone there is a small acknowledgement next to each achievement which reads only those who know where we come from, and where we are going, can know how much we have achieved. I wish to extend my gratitude of thanks to the African National Congress for affording me the opportunity to serve the people of South Africa under its ticket. Like a true revolutionary, I have served my people with humility, zeal and commitment in all the assignments given to me. I arrived in parliament in 2009 at age 25 and served in the following Portfolio Committees: Justice & Constitutional Development, Public Works and International Relations & Cooperation. In 2010, I was appointed as the Whip of the Transport Portfolio Committee and later redeployed to the Public Service & Administration Portfolio Committee (again as a Whip). In 2011, I was appointed as the Cluster Whip of the Governance and Monitoring Cluster and also chaired the Steering Committee on Youth Parliament. I served as a commissioner of the Magistrates Commission representing Parliament and chaired the Mpumalanga Judicial Committee on the Lower Courts. I was also an official delegate to the European Parliament for the SA/EU Inter-Parliamentary Bilaterals (2009-2012) in Brussels, Belgium and participated in elections observer missions in Guinea Bissau and Zimbabwe on behalf of the SADC Parliamentary Forum. I further represented our South African parliament in the Commowealth Parliamentary Association (CPA) meetings in Tanzania, Kenya and Swaziland. Indeed, I have learned and acquired so much knowledge and feel better equipped to face the world. I am a better person today than I was when I arrived in Parliament 5 years ago. I recall vividly the first day in the National Assembly when myself and Cde Buti Manamela arrived wearing jeans and were strongly reprimanded at a party caucus by then Disciplinary Whip, Cde Pam Tshwete (now Deputy Minister of Rural Development and Land Reform). Without doubt, I made a lot of friends both in the ruling party benches and in opposition benches and recall our earlier discussions with Hon Lindiwe Mazibuko (DA) and Hon Pat Lebenya-Ntanzi (IFP) on how we should harness the role of young people in parliament. Many thanks to my friends with whom we shared notes, cried and danced together during the windy and stormy days in the Mother City (Cape Town). Notably are the following comrades: Bulelani Magwanishe, Stella Ndabeni-Abrahams, Buti Manamela, Shelley Makhubela, Khensani Kubayi, Malusi Gigaba, Ntombikayise Sibhidla-Saphetha (now MEC of Sports, Arts and Culture in KwaZulu-Natal) and Jomo Nyambi. Let me thank the Presiding Officers for instilling discipline and for maintaining a high level of dignity and decorum in the both the Houses of Parliament (NA and NCOP), the former Chief Whip Cde Mathole Motshekga and both the former Deputy Chief Whip and Acting Deputy Chief Whip Cde Bulelani Magwanishe and Cde Khensani Kubayi, respectively for the leadership they demonstrated in the whippery during my era as a Whip. I also wish to salute the current leadership of the whippery, the Chief Whip Cde Stone Sizani and Deputy Chief Whip Cde Doris Dlakude, for steering the ship and living true to the mandate of the ANC. Let me also thank my support staff who served me on my different capacities from being an ordinary MP to Whip and finally as Cluster Whip and Chairperson of the Steering Committee on Youth Parliament. I am reliably told that the researchers of parliament celebrated when the President appointed me to the executive because they were never ever going to sleep after midnight (well, thank you anyway). Special mention must also go to Ms Nicky Van Niekerk who served in the magistrate commission secretariat for being tolerant and understanding even when my style of leadership somewhat confused her. What a journey... Let me reiterate what I have said above, now that we have achieved so much, we must claim our rightful place among the achievers in terms of deliverables. As we go back to the masses of our people to renew our mandate, we do so fully aware that the task at hand remains a daunting one BUT the prize is big. Forging change has never been easy. We have and shall continue to confront established ways of thinking and working. We must continue to gain the momentum and tell a good story about our beautiful land, South Africa. Thank you, Ngiyabonga, Baie Dankie, Kea Leboga, Ndiyabulela, Ngiyathokoza.
Posted on: Thu, 13 Mar 2014 16:09:55 +0000