multiparty coalition involving 11 parties represented at that time in this House. We thank him for his sterling service to the nation. May his soul rest in peace! I thank you.

Mr MGEHENDRICKS: Hon House Chair, the family of Prince Gatsha Buthelezi has brought light to this Chamber. The Prince Mangosuthu Gatsha Buthelezi was, indeed, a history maker, both before the new dispensation and during his term as an hon Member of Parliament. We recognise his political talent, some of which many of us learned from and grew. He was a dedicated Anglican and as a young man embarked on politics under the influence of Chief Albert Luthuli, he embraced fatherhood. It was just not surprising that he helped to deliver South Africa's negotiated settlement, albeit the challenges, and took on the role of a Cabinet Minister and elderly statesman. We need more elderly statesmen.

There were times when he was entrusted by former President Mandela to the role of Acting President of South Africa, the highest office in the land, and he served his two terms at Home Affairs Minister responsibly. He was a strong leader of the Inkatha Freedom Party and the bank acclaimed by Afrikaner nationalists that their policies for the independent Republic of KwaZulu-Natal had a full support of the Zulu nation. He did not want KwaZulu-Natal to be the 55th country of Africa. Al Jama- ah will remember this prince's role as a responsible Member of Parliament, and we consulted wisely on all matters. Al Jama-ah thanks the governing party, the African National Congress, for honouring a great South African in befitting ways, and for the Speaker taking Parliament to the homestead of Chief Buthelezi, the Revered Prince of Africa. Wenow look forward to his son, the new prince, to continue his legacy. Thank you very much.

The MINISTER OF INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS ANDCO-OPERATION: Madam Chairperson, hon members, the loss of one of our longest serving politicians, Prince Mangosuthu Buthelezi, has left a vacuum in our Parliament and in our nation. On behalf of the ANC, we would like to extend our deepest condolences to his family and the people of KwaZulu-Natal, as well as his party, the IFP.

Shenge, as he was fondly known by many, was many things, but we can all agree that he was a towering figure, both in the Zulu nation and within the country as a whole. At the ripe old age of 95, he had truly lived his life to the fullest, having served as a member of this postdemocratic Parliament until the age of 95. His legacy is one of service to his people, having dedicated more than seven decades to public service. He was always committed to servant leadership, self-help and self- reliance, and his dream until the end of his life was to create a just, prosperous and moral society, whose citizens engage with each other on the basis of respect and Ubuntu.

The history of Prince Buthelezi had often been entwined with that of the ANC. Prince Buthelezi's uncle was one of the founders of the ANC, Dr Pixley ka Isaka Seme. He used to assist Dr Seme with writing correspondence, while he was studying for his matric. Seme had been an adviser to the princess's uncle, King Solomon kaDinuzulu.

Prince Buthelezi was a close and dear friend of my father, Joe Matthews. This friendship dated back to 1948, when they both attended the University of Fort Hare, and in fact, Prince Buthelezi was the best man of my mother and father when they got married. They were both members of the Fort Hare branch of the ANC Youth League, were both political activists and were inspired by men such as Oliver Tambo and Albert Luthuli. Chief Luthuli would often visit Prince Buthelezi's uncle, the Zulu Regent, at the palace in which he grew up. My father and Prince Buthelezi were bound by a great love for law, history, music and politics. At the time, my grandfather was the Vice Principle of the University of Fort Hare and he is the one who expelled Prince Buthelezi. And he taught both students Roman-Dutch law and Criminal law.