National Assembly bids farewell to first female Searjent-at-arms

The National Assembly has unanimously passed a motion to bid farewell to Serjeant-at-arms   Regina Mohlomi who will retire with effect from January the first next year, after 23 years of service in Parliament.

Mohlomi is a former teacher and former chairperson of trade union NEHAWU in Parliament.

In 2011 she became the first female Serjeant-at-arms who led the President and Presiding Officers of the National Assembly into the chamber.

Another of Mohlomi’s duties was to escort MPs out of the House after Presiding Officers ruled them out of order.

House Chairperson Matlala Borotho paid tribute to Mohlomi.

“As part of the history of this House, to Miss Mohlommi we say you have availed your time and energies to serve our people. You have lend a hand to strengthen our democracy and our democratic institutions. And the accolades that we shower you with today, when the history of this House, the Parliament of the Republic of South Africa is written,- your name will be part of it. As a former teacher, I understand who you could really keep on taking the instructions that were very sometimes hectic for you. But knowing you as a teacher you are able to carry that up.”

EFF pays tribute to Mohlomi

The EFF says Mohlomi had a gentle approach towards the party when their MPs were ordered to leave the chamber.

EFF MP Nazier Paulsen is one of the MPs who paid tribute to Mohlomi during a motion to bid her farewell.

“On behalf of the Economic Freedom Fighters I would like to thank MamRegina for the treatment that she’s afforded us. Our first contact with MamRegina was when we were evicted from this House. She came to us, she approached us in a gentle and kind manner. And tried to avoid the inevitable but of course history would have it that whatever ensued after that had to ensue, because there was no other way for the Economic Freedom Fighters to announce the arrival on the parliamentary political scene and we fought a valiant battle, but obviously there was someone who tried to avoid it and tried to calm us down.”

“Brave and patriotic person”

DA Chief Whip Natasha Mazonne has described the outgoing National Assembly’s Serjeant-at-Arms as a brave and patriotic person who served Parliament with distinction.

Mazonne says Mohlomi had a unique way of communicating with disorderly MPs.

“Those who have been asked to leave – will attest to the fact that MaRegina has always spoken to them in their mother tongue. And I think that it shows some great deal of respect and kindness that someone has taken the effort to learn what language you speak. So in a difficult time of confrontation it’s done in your mother tongue. Having served Parliament with distinction, patriotism, bravery, we now congratulate MaRegina on her retirement. We wish her nothing but help and happiness, time well spent with her family and friends, relaxation and rest and mostly a break from all of us MPs.”

“Made history”

IFP Chief Whip Narend Singh has told the National Assembly’s retiring Serjeant-at-Arms that she has made history if the EFF could pay a moving tribute to bid her farewell.

Singh was impressed by the words from EFF MP Nazier Paulsen who recalled how Mohlomi treated EFF MPs when they were ordered out of the house.

“And I thought I will say to you MamRegina that there are probably some colours that you don’t want to see when you go home and retire. But after that speech I think you will want to see that colour. You will have a soft heart; and you will want to see red as well because it was those lad in red that enabled you to do something that you didn’t do in the past. And I am glad that you went there with full of respect and everything else and spoke to our Honourable colleagues there. But you will be able to write a book on what they told you when you went to them.”