JUNE 16, 1993
...This year's observance of the International Day of Solidarity with the Struggling People of South Africa takes place amidst feelings of renewed hope. Despite numerous setbacks, one as late as yesterday, political negotiations in South Africa, seem to be moving ahead. It is tremendously encouraging that a date for non-racial and democratic elections has been provisionally agreed on - April 27, 1993 - and that setting up a transitional executive council also seems to have been tentatively agreed on in principle. Setting a date for elections allows South Africans to focus their energies on resolving the outstanding questions, to channel their frustration into political action to support that goal. Although still provisional, the first one-man, one-vote non-racial elections in South Africa will mark the beginning of an interim government of national unity. This democratically-elected body will serve as the first post-apartheid parliament as well as adopt a democratic constitution reflecting the goals and dreams of all South Africans. And once the transitional executive council is operational, the transition can be said to have begun in earnest.
A deep feeling of panic and grief swept across South Africa when a respected and revered political leader was gunned down by forces determined to upset the peace process. The shocking assassination of Chris Hani reminded us of the fragility of the life of leadership of the struggle against apartheid. It also brought to mind the fragility of the political settlement process which might easily be disrupted by elements trying to block democratic solutions for their own short-sighted goals. The death of beloved ANC leader Oliver Tambo has deprived South Africans of the continuing inspiration and guidance of a great leader. His vision had contributed to the foundation for multi-party negotiations which are now taking place.
The provocative arrests of leaders and members of the Pan Africanist Congress of Azania (PAC) by the South African police on May 25th threatened to undermine any progress achieved in the overall negotiations process. This act was widely viewed as the work of those in the South African government who wanted to damage negotiations. The raid caused an outrage both in South Africa and internationally. It was promptly and strongly denounced by the Special Committee against Apartheid.
In spite of these setbacks, the leaders of the South African liberation movements, in a display of courage and resilience, have decided to continue with the task of searching for an early political solution with renewed vigour and determination. We urge all the parties to work within the multi-party framework with the sense of responsibility and urgency that the present situation in South Africa requires.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
...Although the Soweto massacre might seem to have happened in some distant past, recent events involving the youth, students' groups, and teachers' organizations are reminiscent of what happened in Soweto many years ago. The imposition in December of a 72 rand or $32 fee for high school students taking their graduation exam, touched off several school boycotts and demonstrations. Students demanded the scrapping of such fees. On the 20th of May, the Department of Education and Training announced the suspension of the mandatory fees for the November 1993 matric exams. Meanwhile, teachers are protesting wage increases of less than half the inflation rate while students and teachers want better educational facilities. There is concern once again that this will be another disappointing year when it comes to education of large numbers of disadvantaged students.
The education of the black majority in South Africa is one of the legacies of apartheid. Decades of the apartheid system of education continues to oppress and frustrate South African black students and their teachers. The government still spends four times more for a White student than for a Black student. Today's youth are a product of a system where schooling has been disrupted and underfunded for decades, and where discrimination in housing, health and jobs are part of everyday existence. It is essential that all South Africans acquire the ability and the necessary skills to participate fully in the economy, the development, and the transformation of their society.
Although a provisional date for non-racial elections has been announced and the establishment of transitional structures seems to be at hand, the challenge that lies ahead is in the orderly transition into a durable and sustainable democratic society which would uphold basic human rights for all South Africans of all races. Numerous obstacles still exist which could frustrate smooth negotiations. The threat of violence continues as elements, determined to sabotage the political process, are willing to resort to desperate measures to attain their objectives, especially at this point when an interim government is within reach.
The Special Committee supports the political negotiations as it is the only peaceful means of reaching a settlement that would be acceptable to the majority of the citizens of South Africa, at the same time safeguarding the rights of minority groups. It is only through a peaceful settlement that the final dream of a new, non-racial and democratic South Africa could be realized.
The Special Committee, in doing its part to facilitate a peaceful and stable transition in South Africa, seeks to promote international assistance in helping South Africans overcoming the social and economic disparities resulting from the policies of apartheid.
After conclusive defeat of apartheid comes the really hard part: the construction of a just South Africa. The tasks and problems the country faces after apartheid would be no less daunting - constitution-writing and nation-building, the glaring socio-economic inequities South Africans will expect a new government to immediately fix, and other obstacles entrenched in the system by many long years of apartheid. The Special Committee has always been of the view that it is the moral responsibility of the international community to continue to fully assist the South African people in their long road to building a strong and prosperous nation. In building a new South Africa, the assistance of the international community will be crucial to enhance the prospects for peace, progress and stability during the transition period and beyond...
Many South Africans argue that there are certain aspects of their national life which cannot await the end of the negotiations process and which need to be dealt with immediately. There are literally thousands of urgent needs, an appalling backlog left by systematic neglect, exclusion and repression, and these gaps will not quickly be filled even with the best efforts of domestic and foreign initiatives. Many international non-governmental organisations or NGOs with an experience in community-based development cooperation from - among other places, the neighbouring countries - are interested to work directly with rural and township groups in South Africa to tackle those needs at the grassroots level.
Responding to this interest, the Special Committee will this year hold an NGO consultation which will focus on the social and economic development needs of rural and township communities in South Africa and the role of international NGOs in helping them meet these needs. The goal of the consultations would be to contribute to the development of an agenda of cooperation in direct response to the priorities of disadvantaged communities, to provide an opportunity to discuss the potential of the international NGO community to assist with resource mobilization and the optimal use of resources that can be made available, and to further develop ongoing partnerships and promote new ones in that process...