Deputy Minister Buti Manamela: Graduation Ceremony of Capacity Building and Training Programme in Mediation for South African Youth

Address by the Deputy Minister in The Presidency, Mr Buti Manamela, on the occasion of the Graduation Ceremony: Capacity Building and Training Programme in Mediation for South African Youth

Programme Director Ambassador, Ngwevela
Chairperson of the NYDA board, Mr Pillay
President of the South African Youth Council, Mr Tshefutha
DDG for Diplomatic Training, Research & Development, Ms M Dlomo
Members of the Diplomatic Corp
Most importantly, the graduates

Thank you for inviting me to speak at this graduation ceremony.

The youth of South Africa played an important role in the fight against the evil apartheid system that was declared a crime against humanity by the international community. These brave young people liberated us all, both black and white, so that we can enjoy democracy and freedom. For this gratification, many in the class of 1976 paid the ultimate price - with their lives.

The world hailed our peaceful transition as a miracle because it was a liberation achieved through negotiation.

Some political commentators and academics around the world wrote South Africa off. How could such a divided country and society negotiate a peaceful transition? Can South Africans negotiate their future after the painful history that the country endured? Do they have the ability to look beyond the past and into the future? The skeptics said NO! But South Africans, through years of painful, sometimes slow, often burdensome, tense and difficult periods, successfully negotiated the path to a peaceful transition and democratic elections in April 1994.

South Africa showed the world and the African continent that another way was possible. That even with a painful and divided history, it was possible to sit around the table and negotiate. That further blood need not be spilled nor lives lost because negotiation offered another way out of the conflict.

However, as we celebrate the achievements of the generation before us and as we tell the good story of the past 21 years, the class of 2015 must discover its mission, fulfill it, or betray it as Franz Fanon would guide us.

Our elders and leaders have established a firm foundation for us. Mediation and negotiation are the bedrocks of this foundation in resolving our conflicts.

Today we do not face the might of the apartheid army or police. The unjust laws of apartheid have been replaced by laws and policies that seek redress, justice and equality for all. Our laws and policies protect human rights rather than abuse them.

So you may ask, why is negotiation and mediation important today if we live in a different South Africa?

We face different challenges as young people today. And these challenges are not just faced by South African youth but also by youth across our continent. I am talking about sustainable development, migration, underdevelopment, unemployment, poverty and inequality.

While South Africa enjoys peace, wars and conflict rage on in our continent. Child soldiers continue to be antagonists and protagonists in these conflicts.

Bullets and guns are more readily available than books and pens. While South Africa enjoys democracy, young people's voices on our continent continue to be stifled by dictators, warlords, and ageists who refuse to give young people a seat at the negotiating table.

These complex issues that the youth of today must confront, obligates us to do everything possible to strengthen their capacity to enable them to overcome the challenges of today. It is in this respect, as part of celebrating Youth Month, that the Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO) in partnership with the National Youth Development Agency (NYDA) and the South African Youth Council (SAYC) has hosted a training programme on conflict resolution, negotiation and mediation skills from 15 to 26 June 2015.

Thirty eight South Africans drawn from across the length and breadth of our country received specialised training from world experts on conflict resolution, negotiation and mediation.

The training programme covered amongst others the:

  • Context, history, and analysis of the changing nature of conflict;
  • leadership and the role of youth in changing societies;
  • mediation structures at national, regional and international levels;
  • International negotiations; and
  • mediation strategy, planning and process design.

This follows a national consultation with the Youth on 11 July 2014 in response to the call that all Africans, in particular the youth, express their voices on the Africa they want by 2063.

In this regard, the South African youth said:

  • By 2063, Africa could emerge as a peaceful and secure continent among others through strengthening AU institutions to deal with issues of human rights violations, beefing up early warning mechanisms and awareness campaigns as well a revamped education curriculum that includes Human Rights issues.
  • Africa has the natural and human resources to be an influential global player and partner by 2063 provided amongst others there is a strong political will, the youth takes centre stage as owners of this initiative, there is a continued dialogue with the youth, there is investment in education, improvement in quality of life and that there is regional and continental integration.
  • Inclusive and Sustainable Social and Economic Development is attainable by 2063 among others through improving standards of living and quality of life, reduction in red tape, youth participating in the economy, alignment of development policies with youth development, trade policy that benefits the youth, eradication of corruption, addressing child marriages, HIV & AIDS, ensuring shared growth and decent jobs, maintaining healthy ecosystems and preserving the environment.
  • African Renaissance and Identity could be attainable by 2063 among others through a shared African Identity that goes beyond racial categorisation.
  • By 2063, Africa could emerge as an integrated continent among others through political, economic, social and cultural integration.
  • Democratic Governance could be attainable by 2063 through, establishing institutions similar to Chapter 9 institutions, ensure compulsory APRM, ensuring clear separation of powers across branches of state and levels of government, regular elections with prescribed terms of office, ensure fair, accessible and free justice, ensuring a permanent youth parliament.
  • Africa could emerge as a continent free of colonialism by 2063 among others through the immediate decolonisation of Western Sahara, end of the occupation of the Chagos Archipelago and the Comoran Island of Mayotte.

Accordingly, the main motive for this capacity building programme is to capacitate our youth with conflict resolution, mediation and negotiation skills so that they can contribute to the African Union call of silencing the guns by 2020. This is part of the effort to ensure that Africa emerges as a peaceful and secure continent by 2063. The youth of South Africa have already pronounced on their vision for Africa. Now we have to work hard to realise this vision.

You have been armed with mediation, negotiation and conflict skills through your participation in this programme. You therefore have a role to play, right here, in your country. The President, when recently visiting the Tshwane University of Technology campus, lamented the destruction of campus property during student strikes. The President urged students to use peaceful means of exercising their democratic right to protest and raise issues. The President appealed to students to lead by example and not use violence to solve problems.

Use your newly developed skills to mediate in community and youth conflicts. Use your skills to always negotiate and find peaceful solutions. Apply your skills in conflict situations to bring calm and a peaceful resolution.

Our continent does not need young people who can operate an AK-47. We need young people who can mediate, negotiate and find peaceful resolutions to the intractable conflicts. You can play a major role in resolving some of these conflicts on our continent. Don't limit yourself. Think big. Imagine the possibilities of a peaceful, united, prosperous Africa. Now imagine your role in bringing this to reality.

You are the first graduating class of this programme. I hope that DIRCO, SAYC and the NYDA will make this an annual training programme so that many more young South Africans can benefit. South Africa is often called upon to send soldiers to peace-keeping missions across Africa. Let us also send an army of young South African mediators and conflict negotiators across our beloved continent.

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