Good morning, ladies and gentlemen; and welcome to the first meeting of the Convention for a Democratic South Africa. In particular I would like to welcome the following participants in the Convention:
In addition to the participants, we have with us today distinguished representatives from the following international organizations:
The United Nations
The Organization of African Unity
The Commonwealth
The European Community
The Non-Aligned Movement
And finally I should like to mention the Fourth Estate, in all its branches, television. the press, radio and
To all of you I extend a warm and sincere welcome; and to our visitors from overseas and elsewhere in Africa, a fruitful and happy stay in South Africa.
As I stand here, I am very conscious of the gravity and immense importance Of this occasion. This Thirst meeting of the Convention for a Democratic South Africa represents the culmination of a process which commenced on the 2nd of February 1990; a process which, as it has developed, has aimed to bring together the leaders of all significant political groupings in greater South Africa so that they should sit down with one another, state and debate their separate points of view, negotiate their differences and plan for South Africa a new constitutional dispensation which, it is hoped, would prove acceptable to the broad majority of South Africans.
I think that cost of us cherish a vision of how the new South Africa should look. And I believe that I would be expressing a common sentiment if I were to say that what people want is a truly democratic South Africa; a just and open society, dominated by the rule of law; a society dedicated to the prosperity and well-being of all its members; a society at peace with itself and one in which tolerance and mutual understanding prevail; a society characterised by non-discrimination and equality of opportunity; and a society which recognises and guarantees the fundamental rights and freedoms of the individual, such as the right to life and human dignity; equality before the law; the right to spiritual and physical integrity; the right to privacy and the security of one’s home; freedom of speech; freedom of association; freedom from arbitrary search or arrest; freedom of movement; freedom of conscience and religion – to name but some. We all hope and pray that the deliberations of this Convention eventually will enable this visions to become a reality.
What we are witnessing today, at this opening session of CODESA, is history in the making. And I think that it is appropriate that I should for a brief moment turn back the pages of history to Monday, the 12th of October 1908. For it was on that day that the National Union Convention, comprising representatives from the four colonies, the Cape, the Transvaal, the Orange Free State and Natal (together with an observer delegation from what was then Southern Rhodesia) met for the first time, in Durban, to discuss the formation of a political union and to draw up a draft constitution. Coincidentally it was nine years to the day after the outbreak of the Anglo-Boer War. The chairmen of the Convention was the distinguished Sir Henry de Villiers, then the Chief Justice of the Cape Colony and later to become the first Chief Justice of the Union of South Africa. In opening the convention Sir Henry emphasized the difficulties which would be encountered, but stated that he was confident that they would not prove to be insurmountable. He continued:
"Everything depends upon the spirit with which we approach the performance of our task. Failure is certain if we start with a feeling of distrust and suspicion of each other and with the sole desire to secure as many advantages as we can for our respective Colonies. Success is certain if we give each other our fullest confidence and act upon the principle that, while not neglectful of the interests of those who have sent us here, we are for the time being representatives of the whole of … South Africa. A great opportunity now lies before us and it is an opportunity which may not soon occur again."
I venture to suggest that these words, so appropriate 83 years ago, are equally pertinent today. There is now a flowing tide in our affairs and we must take it at the flood: the opportunity will not readily recur. Whether this will lead on to fortune will depend upon the deliberations which commence today.
Die welslae van hierdie beraad sal, na my mening, afhang van die vermoe en bereidwilligheid van alle partye daartoe om takt aan die dag te le; om die ander man se sienswyse te begryp en te begryp en te verdra; om, waar nodig, pragmaties op te tree; en bowenal, waar standpunte onversoenbaar skyn to wees, om ‘n vergelyk te tref. Afgevaardigdes sal natuurlik die sienswyse en beleid van die wat hulle verteenwoordig, voordra. Dit is nie meer as reg dat hulle so te werk gaan nie. Dit is ook hulle plig om so te doen. Terselfdertyd moet hulle nooit die feit uit die oog verloor dat, bo en behalwe die instansies wat hulle na hierdie konvensie gestuur het, hulle ook die hele Suid Afrika verteenwordig nie.
Die analogie van 1908 is natuurlik slegs tot ‘n mate juis. Die 32 afgevaardigdes wat destyds onder die voorsitterskap van sir Henry de Villiers byeengekom het, was almal blank gewees en hulle het oor die algemeen aan die behoeftes en benadering van blanke Suid-Afrikaners uiting gegee. Van agterna beskou, was dit ‘n ernstige gebrek;; maar dit moet egter in die lig van geskiedkundige perspektief en met ‘n begrip van destydse houdinge en perssepsies gesien word. Trouens die stigters van die Unie van Suid-Afrika, met die verwoestend in ‘n fisieke sin maar ook verwoestend (en dit was belangriker) wat menseverhoudings betref – was primer besorgd oor die verwesenliking van ‘n versoening tussen Boer en Brit. Daardie leemte, die afwesigheid van verteenwoordiging van alle rassegroepe, is gelukkig nie vandag te bespeur nie.
On the other hand, the need to achieve reconciliation, so much to the forfront in 1908, is also of paramount importance today. The turbulent history of our country over the past 80 years has inevitably scarred society and has created within it divisions, antagonisms and suspicions. But a kingdom divided against itself cannot stand. It is imperative that as far as possible these divisions be healed, these antagonisms resolved and these suspicions removed. That should be one of the most important, if not the most important, goal of this Convention. For, I believe, it is only if the parties approach these talks in a spirit of reconciliation that true success can be achieved.
Finally, as Sir Henry de Villiers emphasized, there must be trust between delegates. But trust does not appear overnight. Trust has to be earned. It is built on confidence; and confidence rests on experience. And here I refer to the experience which enables persons to get to know one another; the experience of candour and straightforwardness in discussion, of consistency in debate and of adherence to understandings reached and compacts made.
I accordingly wish you all success in your deliberations. I am sure that with the right approach you will succeed. The whole of South Africa depends on you.
With that message I open this Convention.