Day Celebrations, Ermelo
25 May 2006
Programme Director
Members of the Executive Council
Members of the Provincial Legislature and MPs
Leaders of Political Parties
Executive Mayors and Councillors
Chairperson of the SA Chapter of the AR Mr T Mazwai
Community Leaders from all sectors
Traditional Leaders, Spiritual and Religious Leaders
Government Officials from both Provincial and Local Government
Fraternal VIPs from Mozambique and Swaziland
Members of the media
Comrades and friends
Compatriots
We are gathered here today to mark an important day in the calendar of our
continent, a day on which the entire Africa is afforded an opportunity to join
together in a united affirmation of the cause of African people in the
continent and across the hemisphere. To us Africa Day is both a celebration of
our continent and its people and their right to self determination, as well as
a time to give thanks to that worthy predecessor of the African Union, the
Organisation of African Unity, where formation in 1963 gave birth to Africa Day
that we celebrate today.
On this day, 43 years ago, a group of visionary African leaders came
together in Addis Ababa in Ethiopia to form a vehicle that was to work for the
total liberation of our continent. This gathering was prompted by the
independence of Ghana in March 1957 under one of Africaâs visionary leaders
Kwame Nkrumah, followed by the liberation of Guinea Conakry in 1958. By 1960
more than two-thirds of African countries had attained their independence
prompting British Prime Minister Harold Macmillan to remark about the winds of
change that were sweeping across the entire continent.
However Nkrumah and other African leaders were concerned that countries
under Portuguese and apartheid South African rule were occupied by intransigent
white minority regimes. The late President Nkrumah remarked that: âGhanaâs
independence is meaningless unless it is linked to the total liberation of
Africaâ. In 1958, Nkrumah invited all liberation movements and independent
African countries to discuss a strategy to fight colonialism and imperialism in
Africa.
That is why on 25 May 1963, inspired by a common determination to promote
understanding among African peoples and co-operation among its States, and in
response to the aspirations of Africans for brotherhood and solidarity, the
Organisation of African Unity, or the OAU, was formed.
Indeed we are proud of the sterling role played by the OAU in the
emancipation of Africa from colonial rule. It was through that august
organisation that our leaders and peoples came to the correct conclusion that
the liberation of the continent can only come about when all of us work towards
the noble goal of African unity. Our leaders and peoples had finally realised
that despite the boundaries imposed on them by imperialist powers from Europe,
they shared a common destiny. It was this act of a common determination to
shake off the yoke of colonialism that shook those who thought they would rule
Africa forever. It is therefore not surprising that they tried to turn brother
against brother.
In all the colonised countries, people, one after the other, got together to
form national liberation movements, reinforcing the fact that they were united
by the common oppression and exploitation at the hands of the colonialists. It
was this common struggle for national liberation that shaped our common
identity as Africans.
Writing in the âAfrican Abroadâ of 5 April 1906, Pixley Ka Isaka Seme, one
of the luminaries of the time, who went on to become the first
Secretary-General of the ANC said, and I quote: âI would ask you not to compare
Africa to Europe or to any other continent. I make this request not from any
fear that such comparison might bring humiliation upon Africa. The reason I
have stated is that a common standard is impossible! Come with me to the
ancient capital of Egypt, Thebes, the city of one hundred gates. The grandeur
of its venerable ruins and the gigantic proportions of its architecture,
reduced to insignificance monuments of other nations. The pyramids of Egypt are
structures to which the world presents nothing comparable. The mighty monuments
seem to look with disdain on any other work of human art and to vie with nature
herself.
âAll the glory of Egypt belongs to Africa and her people. These monuments
are the indestructible memorials of their great and original genius. It is not
through Egypt alone that Africa claims such unrivalled historic achievements. I
could have spoken of the Pyramids of Ethiopia which, though inferior is size to
those of Egypt, far surpass them in architectural beauty; their sepulchres
which evince the highest purity of taste, and of many prehistoric ruins in
other parts of Africa. In such ruins Africa is like the golden sun, that,
having sunk beneath the western horizon, still plays upon the world which he
sustained and enlightened in his career.
Justly the world now demands âwither is fed the visionary gleam, where is it
now, the glory and the dream?â
âOh, for that historian who, with the open the open pen of truth, will bring
to Africaâs claim the strength of written proof. He will talk of a race whose
forward tide was often swelled with tears, but in whose heart bondage has not
quenched the fire of former years. He will write that in these later days when
earthâs noble ones are named, she has a roll of honour too, of whom she is not
ashamed. The giant is awakening! From the four corners of the earth Africaâs
sons, who have been proxed through fire and sword, are marching to the futureâs
golden door bearing the records of deeds of valour doneâ.
Ladies and gentlemen, and indeed the giant awoke when those great
visionaries gathered in Ethiopia. Independent countries on the continent
adopted the adage that an injury to one is an injury to all. They knew that no
African country could be genuinely free until all African countries are free.
This is the noble position adopted by such great luminaries like Emperor Haile
Selassie of Ethiopia, Kwame Nkrumah of Ghana, Sekou Toure of Guinea, King
Mohamed V of Morocco, Abdel Nasser of Egypt, and Ahmed Ben Bella of
Algeria.
This position was of critical importance to the advancement of South
Africaâs own struggle. When the apartheid regime resorted to naked repression
and brutality by banning our organisations, by imprisoning and killing our
leaders and people, independent countries in Africa provided us with a rear
base. It was this sanctuary that enabled us to bring the apartheid regime to
its knees.
That is why on this Africa day we take the opportunity to salute the OAU for
its contribution in ensuring that we attain our freedom in 1994. Today we
acknowledge the early support we received from a number of African countries
soon after the banning of our movement and the decision to resort to armed
struggle. Tanganyika, later Tanzania, Morocco, Algeria, Egypt and Ethiopia did
not hesitate to extend support to us as we began the process of building the
people's army, Umkhonto we Sizwe.
Africa Day gives us an opportunity to pay a special tribute to all these
countries, including Nigeria, Uganda and Madagascar. We must not forget that
the southern Africa countries of Zambia, Angola, Botswana, Lesotho, Mozambique,
Swaziland, and Zimbabwe made huge sacrifices in their quest to ensure that we
attain our freedom. The apartheid regimeâs criminal policy of destabilisation
and the cross-border raids left many people dead or maimed. Our oppressors had
thought that terror by a powerful neighbour would force the countries of our
region to abandon their support for us.
They did not abandon us despite the terrible pain they had to bear. Today
South Africans pay tribute to peoples across Africa that risked life and
liberty to ensure their freedom. Having fought their own wars of national
liberation, these fellow Africans did not rest in the comfort of their own
independence. The very existence of white minority rule in South Africa was a
real and direct threat to national independence, peace and security throughout
the continent. Although still struggling to overcome the burdens of poverty and
underdevelopment, these peoples and governments of Africa undertook to secure
the total emancipation of the African continent.
In achieving the political emancipation of our continent, we have laid a
firm foundation for the advancement of an African renaissance. We have gone a
long way in deepening of bonds of culture, economy and policy between the
peoples and governments of the African continent.
As historical evidence shows, few years after independence, a number of
African countries had levels of economic development that were comparable to if
not ahead of some East Asian countries such as South Korea. Today these
so-called East Asian Tigers have grown immeasurably and are miles ahead of
their African counterparts in terms of economic development. Somewhere in our
way of doing things lies the primary source of our continued socio-economic
underdevelopment. Clearly, after forty years of achieving independence from
colonialism, it is untenable for us as Africans to continue pointing fingers at
the past for our current economic challenges.
We have to remind ourselves on Africa day that in most of Africa, both
unemployment and poverty are still at unacceptably high levels. South Africa,
despite relatively high growth levels, now at about five percent, also has to
grapple with these challenges. We have chosen to focus on accelerated but also
shared growth.
The challenges of the United Nations (UN) millennium development goals for a
better world for all, remains a challenge countries of the African continent.
The resolution to eradicate extreme poverty and hunger; achieve universal
primary education; promote gender equality and empower women; reduce child
mortality; improve maternal health; combat HIV and AIDS, malaria and other
diseases; ensure environmental sustainability and Develop a global partnership
for development by 2015, will require sustained action if we are to meet the
needs of the worldâs poorest
Ladies and gentlemen, to grow into an economic powerhouse Africans
themselves must build Africa. The inclination to view natural resource based
sectors such as agriculture and mining as the beginning and end of economic
development has played havoc with the development path of Africa. The resulting
diversion financial and human resources from creativity and innovation has led
to the underdevelopment of manufacturing activities, the very engine of a
modern economy.
It is with the above in mind that I wish to reiterate the observation we
have made before that people are the most critical economic resource because
they are not only the beneficiaries but also the drivers of development.
Efforts by the South African government to build scarce and critical skills
without which we cannot deliver on our commitments and targets for accelerated
and shared growth must be seen in this light. Failure in human resource and
skill development will undermine this effort. Historically, skills focused
transformations have played a central role in the economic turnaround of
nations.
We take seriously our economic linkages with neighbouring countries,
Swaziland and Mozambique. We therefore would like to continue playing an
important role in taking Maputo corridor to higher levels and linking it with
new developments such as Moloto corridor.
But many challenges remain. Millions of Africans are displaced in their own
countries or live as refugees in others. Many people across the continent are
forced to escape the horrors of war and injustice. Many others are victims of
conflict and war, often the result of protracted struggles for control over
Africa's rich mineral resources. As we speak thousands of people have been
displaced in Sudanâs Darfur region and tensions are mounting in Chad, Mogadishu
and Ethiopia.
The HIV and AIDS epidemic is causing human, economic and cultural
devastation and will worsen unless concerted and united action is taken against
it. The continent continues to be ravaged by other preventable diseases, such
as malaria, tuberculosis and cholera.
Yet Africans are confident the continent will be able to unite to tackle
these substantial challenges and work to unleash its infinite potential. This
confidence in Africa's future is borne out by the initiatives undertaken by
African leaders to cement unity and build the foundations for Africa's economic
growth and development. Key among these is the Millennium African Recovery
Programme (MAP) and the formation of an African Union.
The African Renaissance Institute is yet another important initiative that
seeks to mobilise the peoples of Africa behind a common programme for the
success of the African Renaissance. It is a matter of pride that the South
African chapter of the Institute is one of the strongest on the Continent.
The African Peer Review Mechanism or APRM, which is hailed as one of the
most innovative aspect of the New Partnership for Africaâs Development (NEPAD),
provides people in all the provinces the opportunity to assess the progress we
have made in improving their lives. This process, which was conducted in our
province recently, was not only confined to government, but included the
private sector.
Today the peoples of our country are more confident about Africa. More and
more South African companies are investing elsewhere on the continent. There is
greater co-operation between our organisations and others across Africa. These
include trade unions, religious organisations and sports and cultural
formations. As we celebrate Africa Day today, let us recommit ourselves to
continue faster on the road that guarantees success as we do things together to
achieve harmony and progress and transform the dream of African unity into
reality.
A very Happy Africa Day to you all.
Thank you
Issued by: Office of the Premier, Mpumalanga Provincial Government
25 May 2006
