E Molewa: Re-launch of Tribute Magazine

19 August 2006

Programme Director,
Tribute Editor, Mr Tlhopeho Modise,
Professor Sipho Seepe,
Distinguished guests,
Ladies and gentlemen:

The late reggae music legend, Bob Marley once sang:
“Rise up fallen fighter
Rise and take your stance again
He who fights and runs away
Lives to fight another day.”

I take this opportunity to thank you profusely for giving me this
opportunity of being part of the rebirth that we are witnessing today, the
re-launch of Tribute Magazine.

What this rebirth means is that a big void of two and a half years is being
filled today. I have personally felt this void in being deprived what had
become my regular dose of features, profiles, trends, developments and cutting
edge journalism that Tribute Magazine carried in its publications.

I am certain it would not be far-fetched to compare the journalism of
Tribute Magazine with the kind of journalism that seeks to affirm an African
perspective that sees its mission as primarily being to build, develop, trumpet
and take pride in the achievements of our communities.

As I have come to understand it, Tribute Magazine subscribes to the
perspective that accentuates all the positive things about our society in
general and black people in particular hence its original full title: ‘Tribute
to Black Excellence’.

I would like to hazard a guess and even say that the kind of journalism that
I had come to associate with the magazine could be called developmental
journalism. It is a journalism that informs, empowers, probes, exposes,
challenges, points the way and never shies away from trumpeting that which is
good about our society.

Developmental journalism challenges the truism that “what bleeds leads, sex
sells and horror stories boost circulation figures”. Sure truth must be told
for the public has a right to know. We see the re-birth of Tribute heralding an
era that says amid all the gossip and sleaze, there is room for a perspective
that seeks to exalt good and admonish wrong.

At a time when our democracy is more robust than ever at a time when South
Africa is experiencing unprecedented economic growth levels; at a time when we
have been asked to host the greatest soccer spectacle in the whole world in
2010; at a time when Africa is rising from the ashes of colonialism and
exploitation; at a time when the future of our children has never looked better
and at a time when we stand challenged by poverty and disease, I missed the
unmistakable voice of Tribute Magazine.

‘Tribute to Black Excellence’ could not have come at a better time when we
celebrate democracy and women’s emancipation, exalt people with disabilities,
cudgel for the poor and affirm the girl-child, we need to build our endeavours
around heroines, heroes and icons with each embodying different facets of the
burdens we have had to endure. ‘Tribute to Black Excellence’ looks best
positioned to report on such icons.

We come from a history that sought to suppress anything positive standing to
the credit of those oppressed. We look to the media to repair the fabric in
that history by reporting what is good. We owe this to our children and
generations to come.

But today, I have been offered solace in the knowledge that that voice is
getting back onto the shelves and what more I have been given an opportunity to
bear witness to this rebirth here tonight.

Let me conclude by thanking you once more for inviting me to be part of this
exciting event in these exciting times of our lives, our country, our people
and our continent of Africa.

In the words of the immortal Bob Marley, “may you live to fight many other
days”. Like a teenager who has discovered that faded jeans can be worn with
pride, may you likewise carry out your mission with pride.

I wish Tribute Magazine a successful re-launch and long rewarding
future.

I thank you!

Issued by: Office of the Premier, North West Provincial Government
19 August 2006