ACCEPTANCE SPEECH BY ANC PRESIDENT, NELSON ROLIHLAHLA MANDELA, AT THE APOSTOLIC HUMANITARIAN AWARD CEREMONY
Johannesburg - 15 September, 1993
Bishop Shelton, Distinguished Guests,
The struggle against human bondage takes many forms. Nowhere in the world has racism, fascism or dictatorship been able to extinguish humanity s thirst for freedom, dignity or knowledge. In South Africa, after centuries of colonialism and decades of apartheid, we stand at the dawn of freedom.
But this is a battle that has been fought long and hard. It has cost many lives, entailed enormous individual sacrifice. Our s is a land of unsung heroes and heroines: - the mothers who till barren soil in the dumping grounds of forced removals, a policy that affected over three and a half million people; - the children who die from malnutrition in this land of plenty; - the youth who love freedom more than life itself.
This is the calibre of our people, men and women, young and old. It is their spirit of sacrifice that we honour here tonight.
South Africa is a divided land, divided by colour, race, poverty, education. Apartheid meant exactly that: living in worlds apart, divided by hate that was deliberately fomented by an illegitimate and bankrupt government, enforced by guns and prison and torture.
That is the legacy bequethed us. The challenge facing all democrats as we begin to build a nation is to bridge these divides, heal the wounds, celebrate our rich diversity of cultures as one people.
We want a South Africa in which all live in security and comfort, black and white. We need to create a society that respects the rights of others, particularly those with whom you differ. We stand for a bill of rights that guarantees the freedom of every individual. We are firmly committed to the freedom of all religious worship, developing respect for and tolerance of all religions, and a separation of church and state.
And what has given us courage, strength and hope over all these years has been worldwide solidarity with our pain, our striving, our vision. During our worst days we knew that out there people were lighting candles with our names on, picketing, marching, protesting, giving us a voice when we were gagged.
We need that support now even more, as we begin to pick up the pieces and put our war-ravaged country together again. For let there be no mistake, the 45 years of apartheid have been exactly that: a war against the people. And the measures required to address the problems we face need a type of Marshall Aid plan.
South Africa has approximately 7-million people living in squatter camps. Vast parts of our country is without electricity. Functional illiteracy affects approximately 60% of our entire population. Almost half of the economically active population is without work. This is the task that lies before us.
And we do not yet have a democratic goverment. There are forces in this country, black and white, who fear democracy. They are prepared to go to any lengths, threatening - and preparing for - a civil war in order to defend their ill-gotten gains.
The violence that has already cost close to 16,000 lives is a product of this fear. What is frequently portrayed as black on black violence , or IFP/ANC violence, or Xhosa/Zulu feuding, is nothing of the sort. It is a continuation of the policy of destabilisation that was unleashed against our neighbouring states. The reality is that during the 1980s numerous covert operations, including the establishment of front organisations and the secret funding of others, were established.
To grapple with these enormous problems, the established multi-party negotiating forum has agreed to the creation of a Transitional Executive Authority. Its primary function will be to level the playing fields, addressing in particular areas such as law and order, defence and finances.
Through these mechanisms it is envisaged that we can establish a national peace keeping force that is both credible and effective. Legislation establishing an Independent Electoral Commission and an Independent Media Commission has been drafted.
The ANC is committed to developing strong central, regional and local government, to ensure that government is close to the people. We are determined to have accountable and transparent government at all levels.
The next seven months are decisive. In our view, the date of the elections, 27 April 1994, holds firm. Those forces that talk of postponement due to possible violence cannot be allowed to succeed, or democracy will forever be held captive to threats of escalating violence.
For our part, we will do everything we can to ensure peace and stability. But we need all the help we can get, including international monitors and observers. Our people can wait no longer. The past of pain and suffering must be transformed into a bright future of hope and opportunity.
And it is actions like yours that give us that optimism. On behalf of all who have sacrificed to bring us to where we are today, I thank you for honouring me with this Apostolic Humanitarian Award. It is a privilege and an honour to know that millions of people in far-off lands have taken our needs, our hopes and our dreams into their hearts and made them their own.