In the letter, Modise acknowledges Sitho’s efforts to highlight the farm murders across the country. She says in May 2021, the Assembly agreed to a motion noting that Sitho walked over 1000 kilometres from East London to the Union Buildings to deliver a memorandum to president Cyril Ramaphosa. 

Modise says in this letter the Assembly noted Sitho undertook an important initiative to raise awareness that all farmers and farmworkers are being affected by farm attacks, irrespective of race or socio-economic background. 

Sitho joined protesters in Senekal who were protesting the murder case of the young farm manager, Brendin Horner, who was murdered in Paul Roux near Senekal in the Free State in October 2020.

“The Assembly recognises that you put into practice the call of one of the greatest anti-apartheid parliamentarians, Mrs Helen Suzman, to 'go and see for yourself' and touched the lives of thousands of South Africans along the way,” Modise adds.

Meanwhile, the NA spokesperson, Moloto Mothapo, has explained why the speaker penned the letter to Sitho.

In it Mothapo tells OFM News that “It's a standard practice that the Speaker would convey the resolutions of the House to those it affects after the House adopts a motion proposed by a Member of the Assembly”.

Mothapo added that “once a Member's proposed motion is adopted by the House it becomes a resolution of the House, and the Speaker must convey the resolutions in form of a signed letter containing the sentiments exactly as expressed in the adopted motion”.

OFM News