ANC Today -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Volume 2, No. 39, 27 September - 3 October 2002 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- THIS WEEK: * Letter from the President: We, who live in the cradle of humanity, are one people * ANC policy: Provinces urge concrete action to tackle poverty and joblessness -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- LETTER FROM THE PRESIDENT We, who live in the cradle of humanity, are one people This week we celebrated two important landmarks. On Monday, September 23, we marked Proudly South African day. The following day, Tuesday, September 24, we went on holiday to observe National Heritage Day. It is good that these days followed one on the other, because they are related to each other. On National Heritage Day, each one of us as South Africans should be able to say that we are Proudly South African. This must be so because our heritage, which recognises both our individuality and diversity, which we honour with a national holiday, is exactly the base that makes it possible for all of us to be proudly South African. Our National Motto, carried on our unique national Coat of Arms makes the same statement - diverse people come together! The two national occasions in which we were involved this week, Proudly South African Day and National Heritage Day, also communicate the important message that we are one people, regardless of race, colour and historical origin. Together we are both South African and African. This we must understand, that the celebration of our heritage is also about our collective identity as a people. When we say that we are proudly South African, this must be because we recognise that we have a common heritage, that we have a joint responsibility to nurture and promote all our languages, cultures and religions, and that we share a common destiny. Correctly, on National Heritage Day we drew attention to and celebrated our national symbols. Specifically, these were the National Anthem, the National Flag and the National Coat of Arms. There can be no gainsaying the fact that the nation cannot be born until it unites behind common national symbols. On this occasion, it was neither possible nor necessary to present the other national symbols that represent the new South Africa of which we are, and should be, proud. I refer here to the new National Orders that have already been announced. These are: * the Order of Mapungubwe; * the Order of the Baobab; and, * the Order of the Companions of O.R. Tambo. The first of these new Orders recognises excellence. It celebrates what our people achieved in Mapungubwe in the early centuries of the second millennium, AD. Among other things, this kingdom produced great works of art and traded with countries as far afield as India and China. The second of these Orders recognises service to the people beyond the call of duty. It is symbolised by the baobab tree partly because it is indigenous to Africa, because of its durability, and because of its multiple uses in traditional African society as a provider of many needs. The third Order salutes those in the rest of the world who have acted in the spirit of international and human solidarity to assist us to achieve our goals as a people, both before and after our liberation. It is named after Oliver Tambo to honour the contribution he made to build the global movement against apartheid, to mobilise the peoples of the world to commit themselves to our national objective to end apartheid and build a better life for our people, and to ensure that free South Africa works among the nations to promote democracy, non-racialism, non-sexism, global prosperity and world peace. The government is working on new, additional National Orders to ensure that we have all the necessary symbols that will help both to identify us as a new united and diverse nation and pay tribute to those of our people who will make it possible for us to say that we are Proudly South African. During the World Summit for Sustainable Development, we had occasion to take the Secretary General of the United Nations, Mr Kofi Annan, to the Sterkfontein Caves. As we all know, this area was declared a World Heritage Site because the fossils found here indicate that this place, in our country, is the Cradle of Humanity. From here people spread to the rest of the world, evolving into different races, colours and cultures. By taking the UN Secretary General to the Cradle of Humanity we sought to emphasise a number of points. One of these was that by convening in Johannesburg for the WSSD, the peoples of the world were returning to their historic place of origin and should therefore be inspired by a common spirit of human solidarity. We also sought to communicate the message that humanity itself had emerged and prospered because of a correct relationship between the people and the planet. The fact that the WSSD was held at the Cradle of Humanity therefore highlighted the need for the Summit to restore the balance between human activity and environmental protection. The Cradle of Humanity is both part of our national heritage and the heritage of all humanity. We cannot but be proud that as a country we are this Cradle of Humanity, a fact that is confirmed by new discoveries about the evolution of the human species. A recent report says: "Some of the earliest traces of our oldest ancestors -from whom all people in the world are descended - have been found in a rock shelter in a remote part of northern Maputaland. Remains dating back more than 150,000 years are believed to be the oldest known evidence of homosapiens, or anatomically modern humans. "In 1940, a local resident believed that the sandy residue on the (Border) Cave floor was guano and therefore used as fertiliser. He dug a hole in which he found a number of human cranial and limb bone fragments. These were sent to Professor Raymond Dart, the renowned Wits University palaeontologist, who realised their antiquity. "Subsequent excavations yielded incredibly rich material. The latest investigation was led by South African archaeologist Peter Beaumont, and produced the largely complete skeleton of a four to six-month old infant buried in a shallow grave. "Remains of at least five homosapiens individuals have also been discovered. Their dating and study has led researchers, including Beaumont, to conclude that the formative processes in the physical and cultural evolution of modern humans took place on the game-rich savannahs of sub-equatorial Africa." Our country is therefore in the unique position that it is both the Cradle of Humanity and is home to the great variety of people of various colours and races who evolved out of the original homo sapiens that originated in our country. This too is part of the heritage of which we should be proud. But it also poses the challenge to us to create the kind of society that respects the fact that, indeed, we belong to a common humanity. We, above everybody else, should understand the importance and necessity of building a non-racial society. Otherwise our claim to be the Cradle of Humanity would have little meaning except as an historical fact. Earlier this year we laid to rest the remains of Sarah Bartmann almost two centuries after she died in Paris. We cannot speak of our national heritage without speaking also about our painful past, as exemplified, for instance, by the life of Sarah Bartmann. The return and solemn burial of her remains made an important statement about what we intend to do about ourselves as a people. Her return made the statement that we are determined to address the negative elements of our heritage to the best of our ability. Specifically, we demonstrated that we are committed to the recognition of and respect for the identity of the Khoisan people. This followed on the permanent tribute we paid to these fellow South Africans by using the /Xam language in the motto in our national Coat of Arms. Some of the ancestral lands of the Khoisan have also been returned to them both to correct a historic injustice and to begin the process that must enable them to reassert their identity. During the burial of Sarah Bartmann the Khoisan people determined the interment procedures that had to be followed, consistent with their traditions. This made an important statement about our commitment to the restoration of the dignity of the Khoisan. The first among our people to come into contact with the European settlers of 1652, they were the first victims of racism in our country. The settlers despised them and described them as a sub-human and repugnant curiosity. It was this same thinking that led to the export of Sarah Bartmann to England and France, where she was displayed as an abnormal animal who could never be considered human. It was the same thinking that resulted in the Khoi and the San being given the derogatory names, the Hottentots and Bushmen. They were hunted and shot like wild animals. Others died from disease, including the diseases of poverty. They were subjected to a campaign of genocide. Their land was taken from them. Their languages and cultures were severely undermined. They were denied both their identity and their culture. We cannot speak of a national heritage of which we are proud if we do nothing to redress the grievous wrong that was done to these fellow South Africans, part of the offspring that grew out of the Cradle of Humanity. To redress that wrong means that all of us must work very hard, together with the Khoisan people, to reassert their identity and dignity. Our country contains perhaps the largest and oldest collection of rock paintings in the world. This is one of the reasons that the Ukhahlamba/Drakensberg mountains have, like the Sterkfontein Caves, been declared a World Heritage Site. This we owe to the Khoisan, who produced the rock paintings that have now become the heritage of all humanity. One of these paintings constitutes part of our national Coat of Arms. The World Summit for Sustainable Development drew attention to and took specific decisions about the critical importance of the indigenous people and their knowledge systems to the achievement of the goals of sustainable development. This points the way forward for us as well, to act in a determined manner to reach out to the knowledge systems of the Khoisan and the rest of our people. In this process we will reaffirm our respect for the Khoisan, their knowledge systems, their culture and beliefs and their languages. Among other things, this must also encourage us to work for the development and the preservation of the languages of the Khoisan and not allow any of them to become extinct, as has happened with the /Xam language. Our national heritage includes the World Heritage Cradle of Humanity, which points to the common origin of all humanity and argues against all systems and practices that discriminate against any human being. Our national heritage includes the diverse racial and other groups that make up our population. That heritage also includes the various contributions that all these groups have made and are making to enable us to be Proudly South African, united in our diversity around our national symbols. To celebrate National Heritage Day does not only mean that we have a day to sing and dance. It also means that we have a day during which we should rededicate ourselves to the upliftment of all our peoples, among other things to repair the terrible damage that was done to all our people during the long years of colonialism and apartheid. We cannot both be the Cradle of Humanity and tolerate any situation in which any members of this humanity continue to be denied their identity and dignity. Thabo Mbeki --------------------------------------------------------------------- ANC POLICY Provinces urge concrete action to tackle poverty and joblessness A range of policy measures aimed at intensifying the struggle against poverty and unemployment are proposed in draft resolutions for the ANC's National Policy Conference, being held from 27-30 September. Contained in a volume of over 200 pages, these draft resolutions reflect the outcome of provincial policy conferences and workshops of the ANC Women's League, Youth League and national caucus. They are the product of several months of discussion in ANC branches, regions and legislature caucuses. Held over the last two weekends, the provincial policy conferences addressed the critical question of whether the ANC has indeed managed to make progress in building a better life for all South Africans. Common to all these conferences were resolutions on the twin problems of poverty and unemployment. The National Policy Conference will adopt draft resolutions, which will be tabled at the ANC's 51st National Conference in December in Stellenbosch for confirmation as the policy of the movement for the next five years. Direct action against poverty The draft resolutions of the Provincial Policy Conferences overwhelmingly indicate the need to move swiftly towards the implementation of a comprehensive social security system, consolidating the current social grants (child support, disability, pensions, war veterans), moving towards a National Health Insurance, and transforming the Unemployment Insurance Fund. Provinces have called for the strengthening and expansion of the social wage, through programmes in education, health, housing, land reform, and the provision of economic infrastructure and basic services like water, electricity and sanitation. Some provinces made concrete recommendations on extending the reach of existing social grants, including proposals to extend the child support grant to children of up to 15 or 18 years. Others suggested that pensions be extended to all people of pensionable age. One province proposed setting the pensionable age for both men and women at the same level, of 60 years. This would be for economic reasons and "in line with the ideals of the society we strive to nurture". Most provincial conferences emphasised the importance of social mobilisation, of ANC ward-based branches, public representatives and civil society, working with government to ensure that the grants reach all the targeted beneficiaries. The conferences also discussed the recommendations of the Committee of Inquiry into Comprehensive System of Social Security, which released its report in March. The approach adopted by most provinces recommends a combination of strategies to attack poverty. In particular, they said, further targeted strategies were needed to address the needs of the millions of South Africans who are unemployed and not covered by any of the grants. The draft resolutions therefore expressed support for a massively expanded public works programme, for strengthening and expanding labour-intensive production, for measures to strengthen food security, and called on government to take urgent steps to reverse food inflation. Special attention was also paid to strategies to deal with the millions of school leavers and unemployed youth which the labour market is unable to absorb. The urgent introduction of national and provincial youth service programmes, the expansion of learnership programmes and the implementation of the mandate of the Umsobomvu Fund, were amongst the concrete proposals to address this segment of the unemployed. Tackling unemployment The provincial conferences were virtually unanimous in emphasising the need, in the organisation's economic transformation programme, for a comprehensive employment strategy. Some provinces urged the identification of appropriate sectors for labour intensive methods and setting targets for these sectors. "Our approach must be to maximise labour intensivity but to remain competitive," one resolution said. Overwhelming support was expressed for the strengthening of a developmental state that has a role in ensuring economic growth and development. Provinces identified the need for the ANC to use this policy conference and the National Conference in December to prepare the input of the organisation to the Growth and Development Summit, scheduled for early next year. Most provinces said the starting point for this should be the approach outlined in the Ekurhuleni Declaration, adopted by the Alliance Summit earlier this year. Important aspects of such a growth and development strategy should include our industrial strategy, support to SMMEs, aligning monetary and fiscal policy to support growth, measures to ensure greater private and public investment, and the link to other cross-cutting issues such as black economic empowerment and human resource development. It was also proposed that there should be targeted measures to ensure infrastructure investment by the private sector, including support for the Community Re-investment Bill and other measures, such as private-public partnerships. Calls were made to speed up the restructuring of state-owned enterprises in support of the country's transformation objectives. Many of the draft resolutions stressed, however, that this process should proceed in a way that avoided job losses as far as possible. Where this was inevitable, retraining and redeployment should be considered. Health for all All provinces recognised the importance of improved access to health care and better health as critical to the fight against poverty and building a better life. The draft resolutions call for an integrated, comprehensive response to all the health challenges facing communities. These include strengthening the delivery of primary health care to the poor, focusing particularly on the needs of rural areas. Efforts should be made to improve child nutrition, including the extension of the school feeding schemes. The provision of water and sanitation to the poor also needs to be accelerated. The draft resolutions support the comprehensive, integrated approach to HIV/AIDS currently being pursued. Most provinces emphasised the need to intensify programmes aimed at prevention while improving the country's capacity to effectively manage and treat the disease. Existing treatment programmes for patients with opportunistic infections should be strengthened. Resolutions called for efforts in government to continue, working with other social partners, to bring down the costs of essential drugs. This should include making use of parallel importation, compulsory licensing and generic substitution. Education for all Strong support was shown for further measures to improve the quality of education in public schools, especially in poorer communities. Measures suggested include social mobilisation to prevent any child from being excluded for not being able to pay school fees; extending the primary school nutrition programme to more schools; and changes to the funding formula in education to ensure that more resources do indeed go to poorer schools. Concerns were raised about the progress in addressing the problem of adult literacy, and a call made for implementation of our undertaking in Tirisano to break the back of adult illiteracy. The functioning and reach of the Sector Education and Training Authorities (SETAs) came under scrutiny, in particular their mandate to also provide possibilities for training for those outside the formal economy. One of the provinces also called for parastatals to use their training capacity for expanded training for especially the young unemployed. A strong call was made to address language policy in schools, placing particular emphasis on the development of African languages. This must be done in a manner that will "ensure that language is not used to deny access to education [but] instead should promote the spirit of the constitution on the use of languages". Peace and stability Provincial conferences reviewed the achievements of the National Crime Prevention Strategy and progress made in the transformation of the security services. Some draft resolutions called for the functioning of Community Policing Forums (CPFs) to be reviewed, including a proposal to transform CPFs into Community Safety Forums which could involve community members in broader issues of public safety and stability. Draft resolutions also called for an intensification of the campaign against domestic violence, in particular the abuse of women, children and the elderly. There should be clear programmes of support for victims of abuse, and consideration of the option of separate 'community courts'. International affairs Delegates to provincial conferences noted progress made in implementing the vision of the African renaissance as adopted by the ANC's National Conference in 1997. Proposals were made on the need to strengthen implementation of the New Partnership for Africa's Development (NEPAD), the building of the structures of the African Union, and on strengthening the progressive movement on the continent. Delegates were mindful of the ongoing struggle for a more just and equitable world order, and strong support was shown for our approach to multi-lateralism in resolving conflicts and problems of the world. A number of solidarity campaigns with various struggling people of the world, including the peoples of Western Sahara, Palestine and Swaziland, were proposed. Communications Delegates expressed strong views on the need to transform the media, in particular the public broadcaster. Provincial conferences generally supported the Broadcasting Amendment Bill, and call for measures by government to ensure that the public broadcaster can fulfill its mandate of informing, educating and entertaining in South Africa's official languages and on the need for increased local and African content. In its 200-odd pages, the draft resolutions from provinces, the leagues and national caucus cover a wide range of policy issues relevant to the task of transforming South African society. In all these deliberations, a central point has been that critical to the success of transformation is the mobilisation of the motive forces and society as a whole. It is therefore necessary to continue to build a strong ANC that locates itself at the centre of the Alliance and civil society, as an agent for change. MORE INFORMATION: ANC 51st National Conference http://www.anc.org.za/ancdocs/history/conf/conference51/index.html --------------------------------------------------------------------- This issue of ANC Today is available from the ANC web site at: http://www.anc.org.za/ancdocs/anctoday/2002/at39.htm To receive ANC Today free of charge by e-mail each week go to: http://www.anc.org.za/ancdocs/anctoday/subscribe.html