A week of practical steps towards Africa's rebirth

On Monday this week, October 7, the first President of democratic South Africa, Nelson Mandela, the current President and Deputy President, Thabo Mbeki and Jacob Zuma respectively, were all in Dar es Salaam, capital of the United Republic of Tanzania.

What occasioned this rare presence of the three of us in one event outside our country, was the intense continental effort urgently to resolve the decade-old conflict in Burundi, which has claimed more than 250 000 lives.

The task of the Summit Meeting in Tanzania, convened by the Chairperson of the Burundi Peace Process, President Yoweri Museveni of Uganda, was to take the necessary decisions to ensure that the violent conflict in Burundi is brought to an end with the adoption of an all-encompassing and permanent ceasefire.

In addition, the Summit Meeting had to adopt such resolutions as were necessary to help enable the armed rebel groups of Burundi to participate in the peace process that had been agreed many months earlier at Arusha, Tanzania.

This peace agreement resulted in the formation of the inclusive Transitional Government of National Unity that governs Burundi today.

The Heads of State and other delegates who met in Dar es Salaam were determined to discharge their responsibility, mandated by the African Union, to assist in ensuring that the Transitional Government of Burundi concludes a ceasefire agreement with the four rebel groups active in that country.

In addition, this Government had to enter into an accord with these armed groups for their integration as meaningful players in the negotiated, current peaceful process that will guarantee all the people of Burundi, without discrimination, security, stability and democracy.

The three of us were present in Dar es Salaam because of the different roles we have to fulfil to promote peace, stability and democracy in Burundi and Africa as a whole.

Nelson Mandela attended as the Facilitator of the Burundi Peace Process. He inherited this task from the late and distinguished African patriot and leader, a son of the people of Tanzania, Mwalimu Julius Nyerere. He discharged his responsibilities in this regard very successfully, as we would all expect.

Jacob Zuma was present because he, together with President Omar Bongo of Gabon, had been charged with the task to work in support of the Facilitator, for the conclusion of the ceasefire and the integration of the armed groups, on which depended and depends the speedy and successful implementation of the Arusha Agreement.

Thabo Mbeki attended the Summit Meeting as Chairperson of the African Union. He was at the meeting to represent the African continent.

This Summit Meeting took a number of steps critical to the success of the Burundi peace project.

Two of the rebel groups signed the necessary ceasefire and integration agreement with the Government of Burundi. The Facilitator and the Chairperson of the Burundi Peace Process signed the agreement as Guarantors. The African Union and the United Nations signed the agreement as Witnesses.

The third rebel group, CNDD-FDD (Nkurunziza), agreed with the Summit Meeting that it would conclude a similar agreement with the Government of Burundi within 30 days.

The Summit Meeting sent a message to the fourth rebel group, FLN-Palipehutu (Agatho Rwasa), which was not present in Dar es Salaam, informing this group of the obligation similarly to conclude such an agreement within 30 days.

The Summit Meeting further agreed that it would reconvene at the end of this 30-day period. At that session it would impose such punitive sanctions as might be necessary, to act against any Burundi player that might have blocked the conclusion of the ceasefire and the integration of the armed groups in the inclusive process agreed in Arusha.

Work is therefore proceeding apace to ensure that a month hence, the people of Burundi should, at last, be free of the sound of gunfire and the scourge of violent conflict among themselves. We are convinced that this sister African country stands on the verge of a new beginning as a country of peace, democracy, national reconciliation and social progress.

It was to achieve this result that all of us, Nelson Mandela, Jacob Zuma and Thabo Mbeki, were in Dar es Salaam earlier this week. At the end of the 30-day period, we will return to Dar es Salaam to participate in the African process that will take Burundi further forward towards its rebirth.

As a movement, a people and a country, we made a commitment to join hands with the rest of our continent, together to struggle for the victory of the African Renaissance. The Burundi Peace Process is a critical element of this process. We have to do everything we can to ensure that it succeeds.

The contingent of military personnel of the SANDF we sent to Burundi many months ago remains in Burundi. These fellow South Africans are performing distinguished service as protectors of the leaders of Burundi as they work to transform their country. The work they are doing, despite the fact that the civil war has not ended, communicates the message to the Barundi that, as South Africans, we will stand with them in conditions both of war and peace.

This is also true of the people of the DRC. In this country too, the Peace Process is advancing at an accelerated pace. We continue to contribute what we can to this process, to lend our support to the Congolese people as they work to resolve their problems.

The DRC and Burundi are neighbours. Issues of war and peace are central both to the individual futures of these countries and their bilateral and broader relations. These matters are also of direct relevance to the continental struggle in pursuit of peace, democracy and development.

We are honoured that during the last few days, our country hosted a truly representative and inclusive meeting of the unarmed political parties and the civil society organisations of the Democratic Republic of Congo. These Congolese leaders met in Pretoria to address the political matters that were not resolved during the two-month long Inter-Congolese Dialogue that took place at Sun City earlier this year.

At this meeting, these leaders reached agreement about the outstanding matters. Through their decisions, they have made a contribution that will take the DRC forward in a decisive manner, towards the speedy attainment of the goals of peace, reunification, national reconciliation, democracy and reconstruction.

At the same time, important advances have been made in the implementation of the Pretoria Peace Agreement between the DRC and Rwanda. The Rwanda Patriotic Army has completely withdrawn from the DRC, well before the period specified in the Pretoria Agreement.

Consistent with this Agreement and the Lusaka Accord on the DRC, work is proceeding to resolve the matter of the armed Rwandan rebels located in the DRC. Whatever the problems, this matter will also be resolved.

Our country is playing its role as the Third Party required by the Pretoria Agreement. In this context, we are working with our Third Party collaborator, the UN, to monitor and guarantee the implementation of the Pretoria Agreement. In this context, we are fully conscious of the responsibility we carry, to help ensure that the peace agreement between the governments of Rwanda and the DRC actually results in peace within and between these two sister countries.

In this context, we have also responded positively to the request of the United Nations that we should offer more military personnel to assist in the peace-making process of the DRC. Once this matter is concluded, these will join their comrades who have been working in the DRC for some time already, assisting as a military formation to implement the decisions taken in Lusaka in 1999, and endorsed by the United Nations, to end the conflict in the DRC.

As South Africans, we are justly proud of what we are doing to reinforce the all-Africa process to bring stable peace and stability to all the countries and peoples of Africa. What we are doing makes the practical and important statement that we are determined to contribute to the consolidation of African and global solidarity and unity that played a critical role in the world struggle to defeat the apartheid crime against humanity.

This also presents us with the challenge to do what we have to do within our own country to create a society of which our people and all Africa will be proud. We cannot do things in our country that we cannot defend in front of all the peoples of Africa.

During this week, our government took a number of important decisions about the future of our country. One of these seeks to address one of the immediate problems the masses of our people face. Another is intended to impact on the challenge we face, to ensure the reconstruction and development of our country into a non-racial, non-sexist and prosperous democracy.

The first of these decisions refers to the task we face, vigorously to respond to the poverty that afflicts millions of our people. This matter has been brought sharply to the fore by the recent inflationary process represented, in part, by high food prices. This has pushed the poor deeper into poverty.

Throughout the nine decades of our existence as a movement, we have fought to defend and advance the interests of the poor. The decisions our government took this week, and others to which it is committed, to ensure that the people have access to affordable food, make the statement that we remain loyal to the obligation to serve the ordinary people of South Africa.

The second of these decisions refers to the task we face, vigorously to respond to the legacy of colonialism and apartheid that we have to eradicate in our advance towards the creation of a non-racial South Africa.

The decision taken by our national Cabinet and the mining industry to implement the Mining Charter makes the statement that our people, black and white, are determined to work together to create a South Africa that truly belongs to all who live in it, black and white.

It must be a matter of pride to all of us as South Africans, that in a period of a few days, we made the point practically, that we are part of the mighty human force that, by its actions, is helping to give a new birth to our country, Africa and Africans.

Food Prices

Government acts to protect the poor

The Cabinet this week announced a number of immediate steps to lessen the impact of high food prices on the poor. At the same time, it announced a range of medium and longer term measures to improve food security, transparency in the food supply chain and price stability.

In a two-pronged approach that deals with targeted social development interventions and market based initiatives, government announced the introduction of special white maize meal to be sold at Metro Cash and Carry outlets as a temporary price dampener and to increase the supply of maize. The special maize meal will be sold in 12.5kg bags at a subsidised cost of R26, almost half the current price of between R45 and R47.

Cabinet also decided to propose to Parliament immediate increases in old age pensions, child support grants, grant aids, foster care grants and care dependency grants by between R10 and R20. These increases, which are planned to come into effect this month, will complement the intensified campaign to register all citizens who are eligible for social security grants.

The departments of Social Development and Agriculture have been tasked to investigate the efficacy of a system of food stamps or vouchers.

Government will intensify campaigns to provide food parcels to the most vulnerable households, particularly in disaster areas, and to encourage schools, community and household food gardens through the supply of Food Garden Production Starter Packs.

It is also considering the phased extension of the Child Support Grant to 14 years of age, and the enhancement of the School Nutrition Programme.

To address the issue of high food prices in the medium to long-term, investigations are being conducted on the re-establishment of Strategic Grain Reserves which would act as buffer stocks in times of food crises. Government will work with other SADC countries on strategies for reducing food shortages in the region.

Government will immediately set up a food monitoring mechanism, the Food Monitoring Committee, which will monitor the whole food production and supply chain, and the relationship between retail prices and actual costs.

It will investigate the current system of VAT zero-rating of some basic foods, and whether in fact the intended relief is passed on to consumers.

These proposals arise from research data on the trends in food inflation, its impact on poor households and the causes of high food prices. Among the main causes for the high food prices identified by government were the rapid depreciation of the Rand, rising oil prices, regional food shortages, and lack of competition in the supply chain.

In a statement released after the cabinet meeting, Agriculture and Land Affairs Minister Thoko Didiza said the effectiveness of these interventions, and the success of society's efforts against high food prices, will depend on all sectors of society lending a hand. Communities should be encouraged to establish and strengthen consumer organisations that monitor food prices. "Consumer activism within our society is critical for us to ensure that the benefits of government action or of reductions in input and other costs are passed on to consumers," she said.

Mining Charter

Historic agreement sets tone for economic change

South Africa's first Mining Empowerment Charter, adopted this week by Cabinet following agreement among a range of stakeholders, captures the spirit in which the entire transformation of South Africa's economy needs to take place. At the same time, it provides a practical programme to address the legacy of economic inequality in one of the country's most important economic sectors.

In seeking to promote equitable access to the nation's mineral resources for all the people of South Africa, the Charter begins to tackle the broader issue of the exclusion of the country's black majority from beneficial participation in the economy.

"The goal of the empowerment charter is to create an industry that will proudly reflect the promise of a non-racial South Africa," it says.

In terms of the Charter, just over a quarter of the mining industry - 26 percent - should be owned by historically-disadvantaged South Africans within 10 years. Stakeholders will meet after 5-years to review progress and determine what further steps, if any, need to be made to achieve the target.

The mining industry also agreed to raise R100 billion within the first 5-years to assist black companies in securing finance to acquire stakes in the industry.

Ownership in the mining industry is however only one area of empowerment. The Charter also focuses on the need to ensure that mining brings greater benefits to those employed in the industry and those people affected by mining operations.

Stakeholders undertook to develop, with all spheres of government, integrated development plans for communities where mining takes place and for major labour-sending areas, with special emphasis on development of infrastructure.

They also agreed to work to improve the standard of housing of mine workers. This would include the upgrading of hostels, the conversion of hostels to family units, and the promotion of home ownership options for mine employees. Companies would also work to improve the nutrition of mine employees.

The Charter outlines plans for improving the representation of black and women South Africans at all levels of the industry. Within five years, companies will aim to achieve a minimum of 40 percent participation of historically-disadvantaged people in management.

The industry has committed itself to ensuring higher levels of inclusiveness and advancement of women - aspiring to a baseline of 10 percent of women participation in the mining industry within five years.

Recognising that the South African labour market does not produce enough of the skills required by the mining industry, stakeholders have agreed to work together to address this skills gap. This will include working to ensure that the number of registered learnerships in the mining industry rises from the current level of some 1,200 learners to not less than 5,000 learners by March 2005.

Companies have undertaken to offer, in consultation with labour, every employee the opportunity to become functionally literate and numerate by the year 2005; to implement career paths for historically-disadvantaged employees; and to develop systems through which empowerment groups can be mentored as a means of capacity building.

All these actions and commitments, the Charter says, "are in the pursuit of a shared vision of a globally competitive mining industry that draws on the human and financial resources of all South Africa's people and offers real benefits to all South Africans".

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