Programme director,MEC Dipuo-Letsatsi Duba
Members of the Executive Council
The Executive Mayor of Vhembe District Municipality, Cllr Lucas Manyua and other Executive
Mayors
Mayor of Thulamela Cllr Grace Mahosi and all mayors present
MPLs and MPs
Speakers and Councilors
Hosi S P Mavambe/ Traditional leaders
Stalwarts and veterans of our liberation struggle
Distinguished guests
My fellow people of Limpopo
Avuxeni!
Today our country is celebrating 18 years of liberation, and democracy under the theme: “Working together to build unity and prosperity for all”. We are also celebrating the brave lives of all our heroes and martyrs who perished while fighting for the freedom of the oppressed masses of our people.
We have every right to converge here to celebrate the victory over oppression, segregation laws and the spirit of hatred directed towards the majority by the minority regime.
This year’s Freedom Day celebrations are taking place at the time when the people’s glorious liberation movement is celebrating its 100th anniversary. The formation of the African National Congress 100 years ago laid a concrete foundation for solid resistance against the oppression of one person by another.
The liberation movement was established by religious leaders, traditions leaders, scholars and various professionals who converged in Mangaung to commence the long journey of mobilising our people behind the programme of action of the African National Congress.
The ANC together with other organisations embarked on the process of advancing the rights of the oppressed masses of the African people without any immediate success until it was banned. However, the people’s movement did not disintegrate nor disperse, but it started to operate from underground, from prisons and from exile.
To the dismay of the apartheid regime, the African National Congress became stronger than ever before, mobilising people within African countries, while on the other hand, mobilising the international community to isolate the oppressive apartheid regime.
Many of our freedom fighters and activists were arrested, mercilessly tortured, and killed for fighting for the liberation of the oppressed and marginalised indigenous masses of this country. But the cruelty of the apartheid system did not convert the resistance of our leaders, for they remained resolute on their course to achieve freedom, democracy and equal opportunities for every person, against all odds.
Towards the late 1980’s and early 1990’s the minority, unpopular apartheid regime collapsed and our country begun the process of constructing a new society that is united and willing to close the dark chapter of apartheid. In 1994, a multitude of our people voted the African National Congress into government, with our father, President Nelson Mandela becoming the first democratically elected President of South Africa.
For the past 18 years, our people have been consistent in defending their hard acquired freedom by participating in democratic processes and institutions which are aimed at deepening the values and principles of democracy and freedom. Therefore, as we celebrate 18 years of freedom, we should always bear in mind that our struggle is written in the blood of many brave revolutionary men and women who refused to conform.
We should take this opportunity to salute our selfless revolutionaries who laid down their lives for this freedom that we are celebrating today. We pay homage to cde: Solomon Mahlangu, Barney Molokwane, Andrew Mehlape, Peter Nchabeleng,
Squirrel Mashegoana, Ngoako Ramalepe, Bram Fisher, Alpheus Malivha, Bachana Mokoena, Thembi Skosana, Shadrack Mofokoane, Hector Peterson and other victims of the June 16 Soweto Uprising, victims of Sharpeville, Langa and Bisho massacres and many others.
We should also salute the heroes and stalwarts of our struggle such a President-General OR Tambo, Nelson Mandela, Sefako Makgatho, Moses Kotane, Moses Mabhita, Elias Motswaledi, Lawrence Phokanoka, John Phala, Flag Boshielo, Chris Hani, Charlotte Maxeke, Peter Mokaba,
Ephraim Mogale, Winnie Madikizela-Mandela, Frans Mohlala, Lilian Ngoyi, Walter and Albertina Sisulu, Ruth Mompati, Mark and Gertrude Shope, Josephine Moshobane, Ellen Khuzwayo, Fawcert Mathebe, Norman Mashabane, and many other freedom fighters who made a great contribution to our liberation and democracy.
Our history of struggle has produced great leaders and martyrs whose fighting spirit should always motivate us to emerge victorious in everything that we do. We are a nation that is standing on the shoulders of great revolutionaries whose names will always be written in the history of our country.
We should also bow our heads to salute other selfless combatants, international revolutionaries from other countries especially Cuba and other African countries who decisively assisted in the fight for our freedom and democracy.
We must also acknowledge the contribution of the anti apartheid movements across the world which took centre stage in the mobilisation of the international community against the system of apartheid.
We should never forget that our struggle for freedom left many people from other African countries displaced, injured, tortured or dead. But those true African countries never abandoned us, but they continued to give support to our activists without any fear.
We have a responsibility to speak about our heroes, especially to the young generation so that they can understand the history of our struggle and how this freedom came about. The younger generation, including future generations has the right to know what happened and how their forefathers perished while fighting for this democratic state.
Our struggle for freedom was not limited to the voting right only, but it included the plans to realise the principles of the Freedom Charter and the construction of a non-racial, non-sexist, democratic society that is tolerant and caring for each other.
Therefore, as the African National Congress led government we will continue to roll-out services to our people as part of building a better life for all. We will continue to increase the number of households with access to water, sanitation, and electricity. Our people also deserve proper health care facilities and we will continue making provision for such facilities.
We will never rest until our people have access to job opportunities for we understand that it is through the provision of jobs that we can register decisive progress against hunger and many other socio-economic difficulties facing our people. The prosperity that must be created should place our people in a firm position to confront all challenges of life on their own without being vulnerable to all sorts of abuse.
The prosperity that we must build for our people should be based on the natural resources and critical State interventions that are aimed at empowering many of our people. We have announced various bulk infrastructure plans that will be rolled out to contribute towards building a better life for all and creating job opportunities for our people.
Programme director
We must continue to expose criminals, including those who abuse children and women by reporting them to the law enforcement institutions for prosecution and punishment. We must work together with the police to fight crime. Any crime that is committed against women and children must not be concealed, but must be reported to the police without delay. Criminals do not have a place amongst us and therefore, we must act together to send them to jail.
Our people cannot afford to live in fear on the streets and also in their own homes. Criminals must not be allowed to assume ownership of our townships and villages. We must work very closely with the police to ensure that our streets and homes are liberated from criminals.
Ours was indeed a long difficult walk to freedom which came as a result of many bitter sacrifices and fallen lives, all of whom will forever remain in our thoughts.
We must join hands to build a prosperous and united society which is underpinned by the values of ubuntu.
Together we came of age and forever we must stand side by side! Thank you!
