Q Mahlangu on Cavilier Awards Ceremony

19 September 2007

Greetings
Buona sera

Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Bruna Sentineli
Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Sue van Der Merwe
Italian Ambassador, Allesandro Cevese and his wife
Ambassadors and High Commissioners present here
The Governor of the Reserve Bank Tito Mboweni
Leadership of the Italian Community
Leadership if the Hellenic Italian Portuguese Alliance (HIP)
My mother, aunt, son, niece, first cousins
My partner and his brother, sister and my stepchildren
Friends
Ladies and Gentlemen

I am humbled and honoured by this award given to me by the Italian
Government. I would like to thank the Deputy Minister for her present and I am
privileged to be decorated by her. May I request the Deputy Minister to express
my gratitude to the President of Italy Mr Georgio Napolitana. This award is
usually given to people who have made a difference in the lives Italians after
Second World War since the, that is it is called Ordine Stella Solidarieta
Italiana (OSSI).

Thank the Ambassador Mr Cevese for hosting this function. Thank Dr Sandali
for initiating this award and wish him well in his new deployment in Georgia as
Italian Ambassador. Thank the Italian Community for accepting me and embracing
me as one of your own.

* Play squash with Italians (Giovanni)
* Play golf with Italians (Alberto and Paolo)
* Do kick with the Italian Club
* Enjoy Italian food, shoes and clothes, etc
* Listen to opera, Pavarotti may his soul rest in peace and Andrea Bocelli.

Thank the ANC, National Executive Committee (NEC) and National Working
Committee (NWC) for bestowing the responsibility on me to co-ordinate
sectors.

Through this work we were doing HIP Alliance was established. These
communities had no relations with Government or ANC at all. Their understanding
was based on the propaganda, fear of the unknown.

Our first interaction with these communities was not easy and we had to
change the negative perceptions they had about the ANC and Government. This
above situation has changed for the better but we still have to do lot of work
in this regard.

I have met most of the Italian delegation at Regional and National levels
who came to South Africa (SA) for different reasons - including the Deputy
Minister of Transport Andrea Anunziata. The regional delegation who came here
to look at the Federalism as a system of government.

Municipality of Moderna - working with the ruling party looking at the
co-operatives movement in the agricultural industry.

I have enjoyed interacting with them all in all aspects of life. This has
been made possible by Mr. Maurizio Mariano, who has become a brother, a friend
and comrade. Maurizio is passionate about everything but most importantly that
he is a South African of Italian origin.

I have been a judge for three successive years in the Miss Italia
competition and I found that these girls are very patriotic about our beautiful
country and given the opportunity they can be good ambassadors with positive
messages without glossing over our challenges.

* Sarah spoke Zulu fluent
* Police reservists
* Like Manto Tshabalala-Msimang - Health policy - All proud to be South
Africans and would like to live here forever.

My visit to Italy in September 2006 was illuminating. We met with Deputy
Minister Franco Danieli in Rome and we talked about HIP Alliance and challenges
facing many nations in the 21st century, including crime, poverty and
underdevelopment.

Preamble of our Constitution quote:

"We, the people of South Africa,
Recognise the injustices of our past;
Honour those who suffered for justice and freedom in our land;
Respect those who have worked to build and develop our country and
Believe that South Africa belongs to all who live in it, united in our
diversity"

These words can be made possible by the individual and collective actions we
take every single day. Let us make this possible!

Appeal to adults - allow children to grow without being told that SA is the
worst in the world for this and that!

This award has contributed to the laying of a solid foundation to build this
diverse nation.

I call you all to join us in continuing the building process until we have
realised the construction of a house which accommodates all of us, across race,
gender, class and creed.

This award places us on the right course towards the achievement of a better
life for all in a united, no sexist non-racial and prosperous South Africa.

I thank all for your continued support and love from my family and my
partner Johnny Sexwale.

Dal profondo del mio cuore
Vi ringrazio tutti.

Buon proseguimento

Grazie!!!!!!

Issued by: Gauteng Provincial Government
19 September 2007
Source: Gauteng Provincial Government (http://www.gautengonline.gov.za)