10 February 2004
Recognising the fact that South Africa comes from a painful past where moral decay was a reality, the African National Congress convened moral summits where moral regeneration was emphasised. Since its establishment the ANC has always been motivated by strong ethical convictions because its struggle for freedom was exactly aimed at achieving justice for all.
The content of the Freedom Charter reflects also on an envisaged just society. Its preamble was adopted by the new dispensation and all South Africans speak the same language in the new Constitution that South Africa belongs to all its people, both Black and White. Our leadership both past and present have a common mission. It is to see a moral society transformed from an unjust and immoral society brought about by the apartheid system. Our leaders together with their followers have to be commended for fighting for freedom in our life time. Their resounding slogan: "We shall win" became a reality in 1994 when we won the first democratic elections. It is important to remember what one of our founding fathers namely, Dr Prixley ka Isaka Seme made a famous oration at Columbia University in 1905 where he chose the topic : The Regeneration of Africa.
His oration made such an impact that it was entirely quoted by Dr Kwame Nkuruma at the first International Congress of Africanists in 1962. That famous oration is still relevant today. Every race in fact has its uniqueness and genius and that does not prevent us from being one nation. That is the significance of the unbroken resemblance between ANC's past and present leadership. So, the Honourable Seremane need to learn that President Nelson Mandela is a disciplined member of the ANC and he has not deviated from the course of ANC leadership. In his oration he said: "I am an African". President Mbeki also said: "Let us start from the beginning, I am an African" and there was chorus from all political parties in this House saying: "I am an African". Without a shadow of doubt we can proudly say the ANC lives, the ANC leads ! Forward with partnership between religious communities and the government. Together we must build a people's contract to create jobs and fight poverty.
Die apartheid jare herinner ons aan die gedig. "O, die pyn gedagte." Dit is pynlik om daaroor te dink en te praat. Om dinge in die praktyk toe te pas is dit belangrik om onsself daaraan te herinner sodat ons nie meer na sulke tye terug te keer nie. Apartheid was onmenslik, korrup, bedrogvol, rasis en sovoorts. Ons moet nie terugslaan nie. Daar is nie tyd vir Bogom en Voertsek alliansies wat ons aan ons verlede wil terug te laat kyk nie. Apartheid was verklaar 'n sonde teen menslikheid. Die President het dit duidelik gestel dat daar geen basis bestaan om agterdog te koester oor die toekoms van die land nie. Wyle dr Malan, 'n vorige Eerste Minister, het gevra: Afrikaners, waar gaan julle? Die aantwoord is nou van Meneer Rian Malan: Afrikaners, ons gaan na ons nuwe tuiste, die ANC regering. Dit is ons voorland vir nasiebou en versoening. Die apartheid staat was 'n moordenaar. Die ANC regering moes die doodstraf tot niet laat gaan om die staat van moord af te weer. Daar is 'n groot geraas dat die galg moet teruggebring word. Die geraas kan nie gesteur word nie want dit is teen 'n beginsel van die reg om te lewe. Korrektiewe dienste word gelewer om misdadigers menswaardig te maak sodat hulle weer in die gemeenskap opgeneem kan word. Dit is hoogs moraliteit. Dit is net die ANC wat dit kan handhaaf.
This government is committed to fight corruption. Corruption has never been tolerated in ANC ranks. I expected the people on my left to howl because I know that the perception about corruption according to them is corruption itself. Call them to come forward with evidence; they have nothing to prove. We can therefore classify them as loud sounding nothings. Theirs is to bark and bark forgetting that barking dogs seldom bite. This government has brought about the Public Service Commission to fight corruption in the Public Service. It is a known fact that public life is corrupted by private interest. It is really commendable to note that about 80% of reported corruption cases were discovered by the government itself. We call upon the public to play their role of assisting their government to combat corruption. What was the DA before? Was it not the Progressive Party, the Progressive Federal Party, the Democratic Party? Their achievement is only to change names rather than delivering to the people as they are now promising. What will their next name be? Wait for the outcome of the election, which I am quite sure that their numbers will be extremely reduced because they banked on the support of the New National Party which discovered their lies before it was too late. Now the poor IFP has fallen to the same trap just for its survival. Alas! How could you survive with the assistance of a party that is on its way out from the political scene.
Ha ke dihela dikgala, bahlomphehi ba ka, ke rata ho toboketsa nhla ya hore boitshwaro ke ntho e hlokolotsi haholo ke ka hoo ANC e re kgothaletsang ho menahana le mehlala re hlabolle boitshwaro ba rona haholoholo letlobo le letjha. The Burning Spear a re "Humble yourself my children, humble yourself my little ones." Hlompho ho batho ba baholo ke bona bo-afrika. Ditaelo tsa baholo ba rona re di tlamella molaleng jwalo ka kgweetsa.
Le se ke la dumela ho tshwariswa phupe ka lefe. Baholo ba lona ba le lwanetse le eso ho tswalwe hore le kgole ditholawana tsa tokoloho. Ithuteng nalane ya naha ya lona le tle le tsebe hore ba bangata ba ile masihlwane e le ha ba le tsekella hore le be le tokelo ya ho ikgethela baetapele ba lona. Ebang le sa ele keletso ya ka hloko le tla aha serobe phiri e se e jele. Tlohelang masawana le ye dikgethong, bokamoso ba lona bo matsohong a lona. Boetapele bo tla tswa ho lona batjha. Boetapele ba makgonthe, e seng ba bosehata-marikgwana, ee, bo-ha-re-ya-re-ya-ya. Ha re sa tsebe moo re tswang, re ke ke ra tseba moo re yang. Ka bongata ba rona ha re ikitlaetseng ho etsa setlamo le mmuso wa rona ho hlahisa mesebetsi le ho lwantsha bofutsana, etswe pela e ne e hloke mohatla ke ho romeletsa. Kgomo ha e nye bolokwe kaofela!