President of the Republic of South Africa, Mr J Zuma
Chairperson of the JZ Foundation Board
CEO of the JZ Foundation
Ministers Present
Community Leaders
Distinguished Guests
Ladies and Gentlemen
There is no greater gift than the gift that nourishes and enriches the soul and spirit of those that are in need. It is not a bucket of gold and all that sparkles which feeds the hungry soul but the humane act of love and care that strengthen those that weak, and restore hope to those that are in despair as well as instilling faith to those that are faithless. The genuine expression of profound humane love and benevolence manifest itself through those whose hearts and souls are never a river of bitterness and self importance.
It is such virtues that are a character of a man who established a foundation that brought us together today. The Foundation serves as a fountain of kindness and shield against stormy seasons for all those who are vulnerable. Through its work the JZ Foundation has shown that the act of love for one's fellow human being should not be measured by the size, quantity and worth of the donation or gift but by the depth of the genuine feelings from which the gift derives and thus becomes a manifest or extension of these deeper emotions of love.
The Foundation understands that the glory belongs to those that it helps, and not to itself. It does not seek fame, praise or attention through its programs because it is driven by ethos and values that are truly humane.
Indeed, the JZ Foundation through its work reflects what its founder and leader is all about. He is about changing the dire conditions under which the poor lives. He is about wiping the tears from the eyes of the hungry and lifting the load of despair from the hopeless.
Programme Director
If anyone has ever doubted that angels are walking and living amongst us one just need to look no further than from when one is sitting or standing today. The angels are around and one can see and touch an angel next to him. They are not winged and snow-white creatures as we are made to believe. They live in us, around us and with us. In other words, the work that has brought us together today is a clear demonstration of how many angels are living amongst us. The men and women that work for the Foundation perform angelic acts everyday they lift a load from the shoulders of the weary and poor communities. Today, the Foundation is doing exactly that.
Building a house of worship is important since it is a plate on which the spiritual food is served. It is also important not because it is a place of salvation but a place where the community can always assembly and share on matters that affects them.
As I indicated in the beginning that feeding the soul and spirit is important especially in times when most of us are becoming faithless zombies. We are easily manipulated and made to adopt and believe all that is peddled as real and even better than what built and made us to be who we are. I think it is about time that we find ourselves and appreciate all that make us unique and yet part of the human race. The essence of being is in the ability to appreciate the total sum of all that created and shaped the person you are.
I want to commend the Foundation for all the work that it is doing for the people of South Africa. It is through your work that South Africa can truly become a better place to live in.
Dankie. Ngiyabonga.
Province
