addressing stakeholders on Moral Regeneration Movement
11 May 2006
Chairperson,
Councillors,
Ladies and gentleman,
I thought that I should start by introducing the Moral Regeneration Movement
(MRM) to those who might not have been aware of its existence more specifically
in the province. The MRM was launched in our province on 19 September 2003
which was a result of the moral summit that was held in Johannesburg in
1998.
The purpose of its establishment was to ensure proper co-ordination,
facilitation, monitoring and evaluation of implementation of the Constitution
and other national and provincial frameworks, policies and programmes that are
aimed at the regeneration and restoration of the moral fibre of society towards
the creation of a society, governed generally by acceptable human values and
moral standards and the true spirit of âUbuntuâ.
The kind of news that we read or hear about on our media is testimony that
indeed there is a problem of decay in morals of the society. The question is
how bad is this problem specifically in our province.
Ladies and gentlemen, to begin to address this challenge of moral decay we
should as all sectors of society commit ourselves to working together within
our areas of influence and responsibility, to make sure that this movement
lives within each and every one of us. As this is a programme that requires a
collective effort, we have to constantly ask ourselves as members of the media,
business sector, individuals and communities at large what is expected from
each one of us to realise the ideal of a confident society with a strong moral
fibre? This programme is geared towards involving all sectors of society in
instilling positive values to individuals and communities alike.
It is heartbreaking and saddening for the province and the country as a
whole when we see our young people going in and out of jails as a result of
lack in positive role models. In this regard we must build on the vast pool of
positive role modes we have in all sectors, to make them an inspiration for our
youth.
This further puts before us a task of winning the battle for the hearts,
minds and souls of our people, young and old, so that they walk with us in this
journey that is designed to bring back nostalgia.
The business sector in the province has a role to play in ensuring that we
keep our young cadre, the future of this country, out of the streets and those
who have already fallen pray to the ills of this world be assisted to rebuild
their live so that they too can benefit in our newly found freedom.
âBuilding a caring society together.â This could be done in the form of
skills development programmes partnering government and all sectors that have
vested interests in the development of the Eastern Cape and South Africa as a
whole.
âThis caring communal approach is the answer to corruption, crime and
violence. Morality is not individual goodness but a co-operative project of
survival. It recovers a community consciousness which thrives because people
feel involved with one anotherâ (President Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela 1998).
Through the MRM, we will ensure that our ongoing work is connected to a
framework of intended outcomes, based on time frames that can effectively be
monitored. There is clearly a lot of work that needs to be done, even in terms
of structuring the MRM itself as an organisation and spreading it to other
parts of the province.
The MRM is an opportunity to redouble our efforts as a full partnership of
the people, to translate our words and commitment into actions and a strong
commitment amongst all citizens to stay the course. As this matter is pressing
in its nature, we have to be prompt to ensure that we meet our vision of a
healthier, loving and caring society guided by commonly acceptable human and
moral values.
Our quest for moral rejuvenation provides a solid foundation for our
children, and theirs, to become ethical and socially responsible citizens. It
is critical though that all of us understand that the MRM is a movement of the
people. Therefore, its success will largely depend on the extent to which
people work successfully, closely, together at all levels of society.
I am convinced that what we have discussed in the past and we are about to
discuss today will soon bear fruit and will become a strong catalyst for
developing a caring and humane society.
I thank you, enkosi, dankie!
Issued by: Department of Social Development, Eastern Cape Provincial
Government
11 May 2006
Source: http: Eastern Cape Provincial Government (http://www.ecprov.gov.za/)
