25 May 2004
Today, boldly, without reservations and without any platitude, I stand as a proud South African - an African - who has had an Afrikaner background and upbringing. In short, I was socialised into a, and by a society which in almost all ways was beyond correction. So I thought!
When the ANC arrived in 1990 in its full glory this thought had to be dispelled. I am grateful to my maker, my God, that I had the good sense of joining the ANC when a political shack - the DA, was created! This afforded me the opportunity of walking a road with dignity and a hope that there is the chance for correction.
The President's State of the Nation Address is a clarion call to all South Africans, regardless of race, to help create the conditions in our country where seperateness, hate, suspicion and racial arrogance permanently disappear from our beloved country - thus creating a peaceful South Africa.
We cannot just say that South Africa belongs to all who live in it, when we refuse to take responsibility to make her livable to all who live in it.
Mr President I am humbled by your decision to entrust to me the responsibilities of a Deputy Minister of a Department which is so vital in and for nation building. I thank you for this opportunity.
The National Chairperson, Cde's Mendi Msimang, Mewa Ramgobun and Manie Schoeman to name a few, eased my soul with their; cohorting me; that it is time for parents to teach young people early in their lives that in diversity there is beauty and strength. Under the ANC leadership we learn that diversity makes for a rich tapestry and that all of us have to understand that all the threads of the tapestry are equal in value - regardless of their different colours.
In this regard, the contributions and active interventions of our sportspersons are critical for the national; non-violent transformation of our country into a non-racial and united South Africa. Sport can and must play a special role in this regard.
It is befitting to salute the South African pioneers who pioneered the cause of non-racialism in sport.
Special reference must be made of SACOS and the National Federation of Soccer. With 2010 the souls of these pioneers will not only be resting in peace, they will be content in the knowledge that the efforts of the ANC does justice to the human spirit; and that the ANC lead and that the ANC will not fail to lead.
Our demands for a social contract, a covenant is for all of us to get together to destroy those remaining vestiges of social rules which stand in the way of unfolding our freedom. May I say, resistance and unwillingness to do so will be injurious to our common humanity.
With 2010 coming, to quote Dr F V Z Slabbert, "A person may die of many causes, but here, (in South Africa) to die of boredom, is a criminal act against yourself, by yourself."
Only the ANC could deliver 2010. We make dreams come true! We have delivered a contract for the people with opportunities for all. It is our duty to consolidate as Africans and to show the world who we are, what we are and what we have to offer!
As we humbly accept the honour to host 2010 on behalf of our nation and continent, we also acknowledge that it is the international leadership role of our President Mbeki which is bearing fruits! 2010 is a living monument of precisely that international leadership.
My ervaring is dat 2010 ons as nasie net so vereenig soos 1995 toe die "AMABOKKO-BOKKO" oorwinnaars was. Tog ervaar ek, en jammerlik so, dat sokker deur sommige mense as 'n swart-sport beskou word! Vir die-sulke denkendes wil ek sê, hier is weer 'n geleentheid om voor-oordele af te breek - hier is nog 'n geleentheid om saam deel te wees van 'n Wen-land!
Van die Afrikaners en ander is dalk nog in die afgelope verkiesing verlei deur van die opposisie leiers! Daar is mense wat nog die slagoffers is van die dogma wat vra; Hoe ver; of na; moet die Afrikaners van die Regering, die ANC en die swartes in die algemeen staan en hoe toegeeflik, of onversetlik moet hulle wees oor sake wat hulle na aan die hart lê. Ek vra van die Afrikaner - moet u nie laat marginaliseer of lam lê nie. Ons het talle geleenthede wat hulle voordoen. Ek vra van die Afrikaner om in die gees van UBUNTU en inklusiwiteit aktief mee te werk om die skandse en wanbegrip van die verlede af te breek en om te bou aan wedersydse vertroue en gemeenskaplike belange tot voordeel van almal. Ons moet 'n bydrae maak tot die toekoms van die land in sy geheel want ons is mos almal Afrikane!
As part of the ANC's ongoing commitment to put the interests of all the people of South Africa at the top of its agenda, the Expanded Public Works Programme represents a further manisfestation of our orientation. The possibilities opened up by our successful bid to host the 2010 FIFA Soccer World Cup Finals and to expand the Public Works Programme are endless. It serves to not only demonstrate the real capacity of sport to contribute to meeting national objectives and prioroties, but it also motivates us to look positively at other opportunities. The possible hosting of the Commonwealth and Olympic Games, amongst other major international sports events in the future, are such opportunities.
The ANC government will not hesitate to make the resources in the hands of the State available to create opportunities to uplift all South Africans. This is to create a better life for all. Hence the decision to support, provide guarantess and invest in the Bid for hosting the 2010 World Cup Finals. It is a further manisfestation of our seriousness to create a caring society by ensuring that those without jobs benefit from this initiative. 2010 will not only provide opportunities for employment, but also for skills development that will hopefully ensure the sustainability of jobs well beyond the hosting of 2010. It will contribute to our objective of ensuring that the country's wealth; skills training and other opportunities are more equitably shared by all our people; irrespective of race, gender, disability or age difference. It will contribute to our commitment to reduce the levels of unemployment.
We will combine the resources of the public and private sectors to build an economy that benefits all. The commitment of the private sector to invest R120M in the 2010 Bid and the contribution of the State to make up for the shortfall, demonstrates the power of working together. Together we win!
Our commitment in the Bid to serve as "Africa's Stage", extends the potential impact of the event to well beyond our borders. It demonstrates our commitment to the development of our region and our continent. It is part of our efforts, in conjunction with our brothers and sisters on the continent to ensure the success of NEPAD Africa remains the least developed and most marginalized continent. The hosting of the 2010 finals should contribute to ensuring that South Africa, the region and the continent takes up its rightful place as a full and active member of the global family of nations.
The fact that we were awarded the 2010 World Cup Finals is a fitting gift as we celebrate ten years of freedom and democracy. Thankyou FIFA!
The success of the 2010 bid will help to consolidate the people's contract. It has been estimated that the 2010 World Cup Finals will create between a 150 000 to 200 000 new jobs. It has the potential to increase investment, promote black economic empowerment, skills development and promote our country internationally.
Employment creation is guaranteed in our Expanded Public Works Programme through government's commitment to ensuring suitable world cup venues. Thirteen stadiums will either have to be built or upgraded. We will urge the organising committee to employ labour-intensive methods to ensure maximal employment. Because this form of delivery takes longer, it is important that we begin with the task immediately. Government is committed to making resources available for the project. Sport, it is estimated, contributes 2% to GDP currently, higher than what is the case in the UK. The 2010 World Cup Finals is likely to increase the percentage of sport to the GDP.
The hosting of the world cup finals creates endless opportunities for expanding diplomatic relations and for signing trade and investment agreements. The eyes of the world will again be focussed on South Africa to the same extent that it was prior to, during and after our first democratic elections. We must grasp the opportunities that it presents with both hands and never risk being accused of letting it slip away. It requires the co-operation of business, organised labour and all South Africans to take advantage of these opportunities, to promote the country's image and to provide good service to investors and tourists. All of this constitutes a definitive part of sport's contribution to concluding the contract for a better South Africa that we should enter into as citizens of this country. It should commit to democratic consultation, mass participation and volunteerism within the spirit of V'kuzenzela, moral regeneration as well as people-centred and people-driven development. It has the potential and should drive the quest for a society that is truly united, non-racial, non-sexist and democratic.
The ANC government has set a vision for itself for the next decade ending in 2014. That includes the reduction of unemployment, skills development, assistance to small business development, opportunities for self-employment and sustainable community livelihoods. We envisage to reduce poverty through economic development and to provide the skills necessary to develop our economy. We believe that the 2010 World Cup Finals will accelerate all of these.
We must utilise the exciting opportunities presented for involving the youth through learnerships. I trust that the THETA, the Sector Education and Training Authority responsible for sport, takes cognisance of the opportunities that the 2010 Finals presents for it. It will contribute to meeting our objective of creating 1 million additional jobs through the Expanded Public Works Programme and will contribute to the implementation of the agreements concluded at the Growth and Development Summit aimed at creating work and fighting poverty.
Our victory in the bid for hosting the 2010 finals must surely enhance our confidence in the future and provide a rallying point that all South Africans can relate to. It must provide the impetus to approach our envisaged bids for the 2014 Commonwealth Games and the 2024 Olympic Games with renewed enthusiasm. It will give us greater confidence in our efforts to face up to national challenges, especially that of poverty. We embrace it as part of our People's Contract to Create Work and Fight Poverty in our effort to create a better life for all. We trust that all South Africans will join us in this endeavour! Together we will Win!!