- building;
- (8) honours Prince Buthelezi for his lifetime of service to South Africa, as a champion of our liberation struggle and a respected statesman in our democratic era; and
- (9) extends its condolences to His Majesty King Misuzulu kaZwelithini, Prince Buthelezi's children, the extended Buthelezi family and to the family of his late wife, Princess Irene Thandekile, who was his anchor for 66 years.

The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Ms MGBoroto): Thank you very much, hon Singh. Hon members, as I welcome the family of uTata Buthelezi and the extended family, I will now call on the hon The Leader of the Opposition. The LEADER OF THE OPPOSITION: Hon House Chair, the Mahlabathini plain is a wide and sweeping grassland plain in northern KwaZulu-Natal. It is rolling and magnificent in its ruggedness, populated by historic places and towns like Ulundi and Nongoma. The hills, soils and rivers of this plain have, for centuries, borne silent witness to monumental bloody battles, the rise and fall of empires and the very struggle for survival of the Zulu nation. The mighty plain is also where the life story of Mangosuthu Buthelezi began and where, laid to rest at his beloved Phindangane, it ended.

Where does one even start to deal with such a long life? How does one choose which elements of a life so full and so richly lived to focus on? Perhaps it is best to start in the beginning. Born on 27 August 1928 as a Zulu prince into a distinguished royal bloodline, Shenge attended university at Fort Hare where his political activism and awakening began. He was ultimately expelled from the university for participating in a political student protest against the then governor general.

In 1953 Shenge became the Inkosi of the Buthelezi clan and a year later was installed by King Cyprian as the traditional prime Minister to the Zulu nation, a role that he continued to discharge for 69 years until his passing this year.

Prince Buthelezi served as chief Minister of the KwaZulu-Natal where he oversaw the building of hospitals, schools and other infrastructure and also secured the funding for the Mangosuthu Technikon which operates to this day, and which has been responsible for the education of thousands of young South Africans.

However, the largest contribution he made to politics, the country and to this House was the establishment in 1975 of what ultimately would become known as the Inkatha Freedom Party. It was to this cause that he dedicated his life, turning the IFP into a formidable political force in KwaZulu- Natal and a national player in the political arena.

It was as the leader of the IFP that Shenge first took his seat as a member of this House in 1994 and was soon appointed as the Minister of Home Affairs in the government of National Unity, serving under both presidents Mandela and Mbeki.

His television appearances, missives to the newspapers, formidable debating skills and keen love for history, particularly of his beloved Zulu nation, marked him out. His ability to recall the intricate details and dynamics of the famous battles fought by his ancestors against the British and the Boers made him a fascinating companion in any forum.

When the book closes on a person's life it is always tempting to cherry pick a certain chapter or