Madam Speaker,
Honourable Members of provincial legislature,
Members of the Diplomatic Corps,
Business Leaders,
Amakhosi endabuko,
Arts and Culture practitioners and administrators,
Leaners,
Distinguished guests,
Ladies and gentlemen.
Madam Speaker, today I am coming to report back to this parliament and to the people of KwaZulu-Natal on how we have progressed in achieving the priorities and objectives we set four years ago. As I present this budget policy statement, I would also want to recognise events of significance in our history as a province, Country and the Continent.
Madam Speaker, this month of June 2013 marks 100th year anniversary of the infamous and epoch-defining Native Land Act of 1913 that disposed Africans of their land and confined them to 13% of South Africa. We, therefore, applaud government policy programmes to reverse this injustice.
It was against the anticipated adoption of the Native Land Act that the African National Congress (ANC), the oldest African liberation movement and one of the oldest in the world, was formed to undertake a historic mission to unite and liberate the oppressed. The apartheid geography that still defines our landscape emanated from this infamous Native Land Act of1 913.
The Freedom Charter that was adopted in 1955 has been championed by the ANC as an antidote to the Native Land act as it proclaimed that “South Africa belongs to All those who live in it.” No amount of latter-day disguised efforts to re-write history and appropriate liberation struggle symbols and icons will ever change this objective reality.
Madam Speaker, we are also marking the 20th anniversary of struggle icons, Oliver Tambo and Chris Hani, who passed on to join the immortals having made the ultimate sacrifice of dying in pursuit of a new and just South Africa.
The masses of our people fully understand that it is only the African National Congress that can change their lives for the better. It is the ANC that has been, and still is, the torch bearer for justice for over 100 years. Yinde Lendlela Esesiyihambile. As we approach the 57th anniversary of the women’s march to the Union Buildings against the pass laws, we are reminded of the important role played by women in the fight for liberation.
As members of this House; we can never forget the role played by women in the struggle mass-based for freedom nor must we relent in our struggle against gender-based violence that is still a dominant factor today.
