Madame Speaker

On behalf of the IFP I take this opportunity to thank all people who have played a part in making a success of the past year and of our Parliament.

I remember vividly the time when this new Parliament kicked off in 1994. It was the then Chief Whip of the now dead National Party who predicted doom and chaos.

I was one of a few from the old dispensation who firmly believed that we would make a success of this Parliament.

I was proved right.

Today we manage our Parliament in accordance with the highest international standards. In fact, I am sure we rank amongst the best in the democratic world.

And much of the success, Madame Speaker, must be credited to you.

And also to Madame Deputy Speaker. -

We appreciate –

 - Your creativity, your insight and your intellectual capacity to properly understand the deep challenges of this place and how to manage them

- We thank you for performing your duties on a strictly non-political basis.

Mhlonishwa Somlomo

- Siya bhonga. Siya zi qhê nya ka wê.

Madame Speaker

My colleague, Ms Seaton will deal with some issues, in particular our Pensions.

I wish to deal with the so-called Travel Gate matter.

The reputation of this Parliament and its Members has been terribly damaged by Travel Gate. Much more than meets the eye.

- Members have been made out as crooks, thieves and fraudsters.

- Seventeen members have been convicted by our Courts receiving heavy sentences.

- Allegations were made and are still rife in the media of Ministers who were involved in Travel Gate and are repaying huge sums, but are not exposed and prosecuted.

- Disciplinary action is still pending against 12 Members.

- Several Travel Agents are being charged for criminal offences.

- A number of Travel Agencies have been liquidated.

- Dozens of civil summonses have been issued against Members of Parliament; furniture and cars of MPs have been attached and removed by the Sheriff, causing massive humiliation and expenses.

- The list of embarrassments is very long.

Indeed: A dark cloud hangs over Parliament because of Travel Gate.

Madame Speaker

What is our duty?

I say our duty is to ensure that the truth is established.

The truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth about Travel Gate must be made known.

And the truth must surface before next year’s election, because the problem is ours. Not the problem of the new team of MPs.

Madame Speaker

Thanks to your intervention, I have been briefed on some aspects of Travel Gate by the Secretary and by Parliament’s lawyers.

I was deeply shocked –

- To learn that dozens of civil summonses issued against our Members by the Liquidators -- were wrongly issued.

- That the MPs did not owe the monies they were taken to Court for.

I also serve on the Parliamentary Disciplinary Committee investigating complaints against the members who were convicted and against a further twelve MPs against whom disciplinary action has been pending for many months.

Based on information gathered, I am of the opinion –

- That some of our colleagues who entered into plea bargaining and were then convicted by the High Court may have been convicted unnecessarily.

- It is also strange that twelve of our colleagues who were accused of basically the same charges as those who were convicted, are not being prosecuted.

Madame Speaker

The truth must be told. South Africa has a right to know –

- which MP’s, if any, are guilty, and

- which MPs are NOT guilty.

The truth will set the innocent ones free – free from the contamination by the guilty ones.

Therefore -- let the guilty ones be punished and the innocent ones be liberated from the scandal.

I therefore propose that a Judge of the High Court be appointed to lead a Commission of Enquiry into Travel Gate to –

- Establish, and

- Publish the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth about Travel Gate.

That is the only way we will be able to protect the integrity of Parliament and the integrity of its innocent Members.

We cannot pass the buck to the next Parliament.

The truth will set us free.

I thank you.