N Botha: South African Week in Dominican Republic

19 April 2006

South Africa is immensely honoured that the Dominican Republic has decided
to declare the period from 19 to 21 April 2006 as South African week. It is
pleasantly fulfilling to learn that our young democracy is recognised and
celebrated by progressive countries such as the Dominican Republic.

The roundtable today expects me to address the complex and contentious
issues of "Transition to Democracy" and "Cultural Diversity" in South Africa.
These subjects are far too broad for me to develop a comprehensive argument in
the limited time because the story of South Africa's transition to democracy is
indeed one of the great miracles of the 21st century. Nevertheless, I will
attempt to give a broad overview in respect of the key milestones that
distinguish the new South Africa from the one under colonial and apartheid
rule.

Historical background
The Republic of South Africa and the Dominican Republic share the regrettable
history of colonisation, domination and repression. These countries have
emerged triumphant against some of the harshest and most horrific circumstances
ever conceived by humanity. Democracy in the Dominican Republic, just like in
South Africa, was born out of a people's concerted efforts to emancipate
themselves from the throngs of oppression and colonial domination.

The history of these two countries epitomizes a people's determination to
live in a democratic society. Our struggle for liberation was inspired by
movements around the world and the Caribbean, in particular, has always been a
source of inspiration. President Mandela, the icon of South Africa's liberation
struggle, speaks with affection and respect about this region as he says "The
Caribbean has, in song and verse, in political philosophy and action, long been
a source for the articulation of both the lamentations and aspirations of black
people everywhere."

The background of colonisation and dominance in the Dominican Republic dates
as far back as the late fifteenth century, when in 1492 Columbus laid claim
over the then island of Hispaniola. The attainment of independence from Haiti
in 1844 did not automatically translate the Dominican Republic into a state of
utopia. The dramatic political developments in this period instigated a spate
of sustained struggles against oppression. The struggle was dominated by
tumultuous political upheavals which included reverting to the Spanish Empire
in 1861, restoration of independence in 1865, and the subsequent inauguration
of Joaquin Balaguer as President of the Dominican Republic in 1966.

The same holds of South Africa, which endured three and a half centuries of
colonial domination and almost half a century of apartheid rule. The arrival of
the Portuguese explorers in the Cape in 1488 and the subsequent settlement by
the Dutch settlers in 1652 are some of the early advances that led to the
colonisation of South Africa. From then onwards, the history of South Africa
became a story of appropriation of the land and its mineral wealth. African
people were treated as second class citizens in the country of their birth as
colonialism and racism entrenched itself over the African majority. Subsequent
to these circumstances, more than just a political conquest, the colonisation
of South Africa had far reaching effects that remain imprinted in different
spheres of our lives including language, culture, religion, health, literacy,
economy, etc. This effect, free as we are today, we still feel the impact of
its influence in our economy and the entire body politic.

Transition to Democracy
When the people of South Africa went to the polls on 27 April 1994, they cast
their votes in order to free themselves from the legacies of repression,
division, and gross violation of human rights that were characteristic of the
apartheid South Africa. Some thought that the massive win of South Africa's
first democratic elections by the African National Congress (ANC) in 1994 was
the immediate demise of the horror tale of apartheid, where everyone would
'live happily ever after.' Many were obviously unaware of the extent and depth
of the legacy left by apartheid rule in our country.

As the democratic rule began, we came to a realisation that the jettisoning
of apartheid was actually a means towards the attainment of complete freedom to
create a society where everyone would live equally irrespective of their
diverse cultural, racial, religious, sexual or ideological backgrounds.
President Mandela, in his well known autobiography, Long Walk to Freedom
(1994:544), sums up the challenges of the post apartheid South Africa in the
following words: "But I have discovered the secret that after climbing a great
hill, one only finds that there are many more hills to climb for with freedom
comes responsibilities, and I dare not linger, for my long walk is not yet
ended."

Indeed, as Mandela had timeously observed, the challenges of the
post-apartheid South Africa are vast, and reconciliation and nation building
emerge as the most crucial aspects in this period.

Reconciliation and nation building
The transition to democracy is not just a political utopia or discourse, but is
also an act of reinstating humanity to the peoples of South Africa who for
decades remained hostile to one another. The government of South Africa,
inspired by the conviction that 'South Africa belongs to all who live in it',
embarked on a robust campaign to promote national unity. This included the
seemingly brave gesture of having FW De Klerk, the last President of South
Africa under apartheid rule, appointed as one of the deputies to President
Nelson Mandela under the government of national unity.

The South African government had to grapple with the dynamics of dealing
with our brutal history while at the same time making sure that peace prevailed
and that the former oppressor and oppressed lived and worked side by side. This
is what necessitated the establishment of the Truth and Reconciliation
Commission (TRC), which was headed by Arch-Bishop Desmond Tutu, also an
activist in the liberation struggle of South Africa.

The TRC was comprised of different sections including the Human Rights
Violations, Reparation and Rehabilitation, and the Amnesty committees. The task
of the Human Rights Violation Committee was to investigate human rights abuses
and establish whether the violations were the result of deliberate planning by
the state or any other organisation, group or individual. Once victims of gross
human rights violations were identified, they were referred to the Reparation
and Rehabilitation Committee, which provided support to the victims. The
Amnesty Committee was charged with the duty of considering applications for
amnesty. After twelve years of democracy without major political upheavals, we
can rightfully claim that the cornerstone of South Africa's success is based on
the spirit of forgiveness by the African people, and the spirit of Ubuntu, the
recognition of a deep sense of humanness.

Cultural Diversity
The government of South Africa is committed to the vision of enhancing
socio-economic development, nation building, national identity and the role of
South Africa in the global arena. The Department of Arts and Culture, which I
am Deputy Minister of, contributes to this broad agenda through the
development, preservation and promotion of South African culture to ensure
social cohesion and nation building. We are committed to effective
mainstreaming of arts, culture, heritage and informational activities within
the broader vision of the South African government.

Our constitution proclaims culture as a human right and encourages the use
of language and the practice of different cultures in a manner that respects
other people's cultures. In our efforts of building a South Africa premised on
the recognition of human rights, democracy and peaceful co-existence for all
our citizens, we are also conscious of the challenges that are brought about
our cultural diversity. The South African society is the microcosm of different
people with different backgrounds, and is therefore the embodiment of the
celebration of these different cultures. Culture embraces various socially
transmitted behaviour patterns including language, religion, traditions, the
arts and all the other products of human work, imagination and thought. While
we try to advance our country away from its divided past and take pride in our
shared humanity and the prevailing spirit of nation-building, overlooking our
diverse cultures could be detrimental in the image of the new South Africa that
we are trying to build. South Africa's cultural diversity is also expressed
through our arts, which in many ways transmits our culture to different
communities beyond the shores of South Africa.

To date, South Africa boasts two Nobel Laureates for Literature in the names
of Nadine Gordimer (1991) and JM Cotzee (2003), and we continue to work hard to
uncover and nurture new talents. Many of South African works are translated to
different languages spoken in various countries around the world. South Africa
continues to register remarkable successes in various sectors across the
arts.

Most recently, a South African film, "Tsotsi", won the Oscar award for the
best foreign language film. The success of "Tsotsi" followed that of "U-Carmen
eKhayelitsha", which won the Golden Bear award for best film at the Berlin
International Film Festival. "U-Carmen eKhayelitsha" is a Xhosa version of
Bizet's opera "Carmen" set in the context of Cape Town's Khayelitsha Township.
The triumph of these two South African films is a triumph of the use of South
African indigenous languages, and therefore of South African culture. In this
manner the South African indigenous languages are used as vehicles to
communicate to a global audience the fullest expression of South African
culture across its social tapestry.

Economic Development
South Africa has shown positive signs of improvement in the economic sector
since the demise of apartheid. A recent study by Proudfoot Consulting ranked
South Africa's productivity fifth in the world, narrowly trailing leaders US
and Germany. The country is also rich in minerals and raw materials which
enhance trade with other countries around the world. South Africa is the
world's leading producer of diamonds, platinum group metals, gold and chromium
and is among the top producers of manganese, coal, iron ore, titanium and
aluminum. Under the apartheid rule, many of these resources benefited the
privileged few and redressing these imbalances has been one of the challenges
of the new South Africa. It is against this backdrop that we established
programmes that seek to empower the previously disadvantaged peoples of South
Africa.

One of the programmes that seek to minimize the gap created by our past in
the economic sector is our Black Economic Empowerment (BEE) programme. The BEE
is a strategy aimed at substantially increasing active participation and
opening opportunities for the previously disadvantaged peoples at all levels in
the economy. This strategy is developed with the objective of ensuring broader
and meaningful participation in the economy by transferring ownership,
management and proportionate control of South Africa's resources to the
majority of the country's citizens. In light of lack of certain skills and
shortage of expertise in some areas, more than US$6.5 billion has been set
aside to implement the National Skills Development Strategy which, as of early
2005, provided training to more than 3,6 million workers.

It is often said that the true worth of a nation is measured by the
character of its womanhood. The advancement of the agenda of Women Building a
Better South Africa and a Better World has been at the forefront of our
transformation process. With more than 30% of the seats in parliament occupied
by women, we are on our way towards creating a balance in the social, cultural,
religious, economic and political scales based on gender. Women serve as
Premiers in four of the nine provinces and hold a third of Cabinet posts at
national level, including Foreign Affairs, Health, Telecommunications,
Education and Justice.

This year is particularly a great year for the women of South Africa as it
marks the 50th anniversary of the historic victory of over 20 000 women of
South Africa who marched to the Union Buildings to protest against the
extension of the Pass Laws to include women. It is through the determination of
these courageous women that today South African women are able to confront
challenges brought about by race, class and religion, among others, which place
women at the bottom of the pile. In my country we often say Wathint' abafazi
wathint' imbokodo, you strike a woman you strike a rock!

In the global arena South Africa is also beginning to claim its place as one
of the most economically prosperous countries. In a very short space of time
South Africa emerged as the investment destination of choice for many leading
global companies. In March 2005 the TATA motor company from India announced its
plans to invest US$245 million in new projects, in April 2005, General Motors
South Africa won a US$3 billion contract to manufacture Hummer H3 sports
utility vehicles for export to Australia, New Zealand, Europe, the Middle East
and Asia, In May 2005, Toyota chose South Africa as a manufacturing base for
its US$20 billion International Multi-purpose Vehicle project aimed at
supplying markets in 140 countries.

South Africa is also playing a lead role in facilitating discourses in the
international community. In 2002 we hosted a summit in which the African states
established the New Partnership for Africa's Development (NEPAD). The NEPAD is
a visionary African initiative to unlock Africa's full potential by tackling
impediments to growth and investment on a continent-wide basis.

Our own experience in resolving conflict is helping us contribute to
successful peace initiatives throughout the continent and further afield. Since
April 2005, South Africa has been involved in peace keeping missions in six
African countries and currently has the 10th largest peace keeping force in the
world.

South Africa realises that without peace in Africa, it cannot guarantee
peace and economic prosperity in its borders as wars create displacement of
people and economic refugees that could be a burden to development in the
region. South Africa is also the host to the Pan-African Parliament under the
leadership of a woman President, Ambassador Gertrude Mongella from
Tanzania.

Our country has also played a pivotal role in international and multilateral
organisations and forums. At various times over the past decade, South Africa
chaired the African Union (AU), Non-Aligned Movement (NAM), NEPAD, Commonwealth
Heads of Government Summit, World Conference Against Racism, Southern African
Development Community (SADC), World Health Assembly and others.

South Africa is signatory to a host of international conventions and
treaties governing human rights, economic and trade issues, environmental
protection and other global challenges. We have indeed played a pivotal role in
the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO)
convention on the protection of the diversity of cultural contents and artistic
expressions.

HIV and AIDS
One of the most threatening misfortunes that befell Africa and the rest of the
world is the HIV and AIDS epidemic. According to the AVERT, an international
AIDS charity organisation, an estimated 40.3 million today live with the HIV
and about 4.9 million people were newly infected in 2005 around the world. The
estimation of AIDS related deaths totals 3.1 million lives in 2005. To date,
Africa has about 12 million orphans who lost their parents due to HIV and AIDS
related deaths.

An estimate of about 25.8 million people in Sub-Saharan Africa live with HIV
and AIDS. South Africa is not left untouched by this calamity. An estimated 311
000 people died because of AIDS in 2004, comprising 44% of all deaths. A study
conducted by our Department of Health estimates that 29.5% of pregnant women
were living with HIV in 2004.

In light of the above shocking statistics, South Africa adopted a
comprehensive plan which includes education, prevention, care and
anti-retroviral treatment for all who need it. In addition to the preventative
measures and responsible lifestyles that we encourage through various
programmes, we are pioneering new and exciting ways to ensure that even the
poorest have access to high standard care and treatment. In light of the high
medicine costs which forbid the majority of our people access to medical
treatment, we are trying to ensure that our advanced pharmaceutical industry
becomes the major source of low-cost drugs throughout the continent and beyond.
We also realise that education is the key to halting the spread of HIV and
AIDS.

Ladies and gentlemen, we may not have achieved all of our objectives, but I
am positive that the whole world can testify that South Africa is now a better
place. Our efforts are indicative of South Africa's determination to find
lasting, consensus driven solutions to some of humanity's most intractable
challenges. South Africans are justly proud to belong to a country that
cherishes the gift of freedom. As we enter the second decade of our democracy,
our wish is that countries such as the Dominican Republic will continue
travelling alongside South Africa in this astonishing journey of hope, pride
and fulfilment.

President Thabo Mbeki has declared this century The African Century, and
also refers it to as the Century of Hope, and where there is hope there is
progress.
Ladies and gentlemen, I would like to go on and on but time and energy do not
permit. I believe that the following poem by Margaret Walker, an
African-American poet, captures the essence of my address today.

Let a new earth rise
Let another world be born
Let a bloody peace be written in the sky
Let a second generation full of courage issue forth
Let a people loving freedom come to growth
Let a beauty full of healing a strength of final clenching be the pulsing in
our spirits and our blood
Let the marital songs be written, let the desires disappear
Let a race of men [and women] now rise and take control.

Thank you.

Issued by: Department of Arts and Culture
19 April 2006
Source: Department of Arts and Culture (http://www.dac.gov.za)