Honourable Speaker and Deputy Speaker of the North
West Provincial Legislature
Tonakgolo ya Profense ya Bokone Bophirima, Motlotlegi Rre S 0 R Mahumapelo
Esteemed Members of the Executive Council, Honourable Members of the Provincial Legislature,
Leaders of all Political Parties represented in this Legislature,
Executive Mayors, Mayors, Speakers and Councillors present
Magosi a rona a atlotlegang a eteletswepele ke Motlotlegi Kgosi Zibi
Chairperson and Members of the North West Tourism Board
Representatives of all Tourism establishments across the province; Leaders of Unions, Community and faith-based Organisations
Students/ Leaders from our Mahikeng and Taung Hotel Schools Government officials,
Comrades and friends, Media Houses,
Baagiba Profenseya Bokone Bophirima, moeng goroga re je, ja nala o fatlhoge.
Honourable Speaker and Members of the House, this year marks 60 years of our Freedom Charter, which stipulates that:
"South Africa belongs to all who live in it, black and white, and that no government can justly claim authority unless it is based on the will of all the people, that our people have been robbed of their birthright to land, liberty and peace by a form of government founded on injustice and inequality; that our country will never be prosperous or free until all our people live in brotherhood, enjoying equal rights and opportunities; that only a democratic state, based on the will of all the people, can secure to all, their birthright without distinction of colour, race, sex or belief and therefore, we the people of South Africa, black and white together as equal countrymen and brothers, adopt this Freedom Charter".
We remain firm in our belief that we must take special measures to affirm and transform the tourism industry as our black people were not exposed to the sector and ensure that, through our intervention, they can now access these long denied opportunities and they are adequately empowered.
Honourable Speaker, we appreciate the opportunity to table before this august House, the Policy Statement for the Department of Tourism in the North West Province that fully aligns itself with the inscriptions of the Freedom Charter.
The Department of Tourism in the North West Province, in its third year of existence, can also pride itself with enormous strides made thus far.
Honourable Speaker, the Department of Tourism will not be deterred by sinister forces in trying to build a united, non-racial, non-sexist, democratic and prosperous society.
Despite earlier racial attacks that sought to provoke the people of South Africa, we are proud that this government sought to engage all parties and communities to take a firm stand against racism. Honourable Speaker, you will notice that our programmes for this fiscal year are aligned to the President's and the Premier's vision as outlined in the State of the Nation Address and the State of the Province Address respectively.
We seek to ensure that the people of South Africa benefit out of this land that they so love; that they can create tourism products of note that the world would love to see and can create employment in the sector whilst enjoying this beautiful province that we call home.
"A Re Yeng Bokone Bophirima" allows us to claim our space as a province in this vast sector that is worth billions of Rands. We refuse, I repeat, we refuse to play second best to any Province. Speaker, we know that people across our country, continent and the world know about Destination Bokone Bophirima with its diverse tourism offerings. Read more [PDF]
