commemoration of the sinking of the Troopship SS Mendi, Hollybrook Cemetery and
United Kingdom
21 July 2007
Your Excellency, Lindiwe Mabuza, the Republic of South Africa High
Commissioner to the United Kingdom (UK)
Honourable Zola Skweyiya, the Minister of Social Development of South
Africa
Ambassadors and high commissioners
The first Sea Lord of Royal Navy, Sir Jonathan and Lady Band
Senior officials of governments of UK and of South Africa
Generals, flag officers
Members of the media
Ladies and gentlemen
We are gathered here today to commemorate the lives of our forbears who
drowned 90 years ago during the sinking of the troopship SS Mendi. We are here
to honour sons of the African soil who lost their lives in her sinking and to
remember their courage in the face of adversity and their depth of conviction
when all around them was desolate.
Our collective histories have been forged across the centuries by such acts
of sacrifice, bravery and valour, acts inspired by visions and dreams of a
better life for all and underscored by a deep and abiding commitment to those
values which are so integral to democracy, justice and humanity of all.
For the story of the SS Mendi tells of a ship which carried upon her the
lives of more than eight hundred of our sons, young men who were borne across
the oceans to fight in the First World War, a war which spoke of the need to
preserve national independence, freedom and justice, the very freedom and
justice which they longed to possess but which were denied them at home. Let us
remind each other that in 1917, when SS Mendi set sail from South Africa,
Africans were considered minors. They were not allowed to vote, to own land.
They were being forced off the land and forced into compounds to work in the
mines on the reef.
And perhaps it is the voice of the Reverend Isaac Wauchope Dyobha which
aptly captured the agony of the sinking of the Mendi and resonates across the
centuries with his cry as those young men fought their final battle against a
watery grave, that we are the sons of Africa, "Be quiet and calm my country
men, for what is taking place now is what you came here to do. We are all going
to die and that is what we came for."
For in that cry is the deep affirmation of the unity to be found among
nations, of the unwavering belief that the pursuit of a collective vision is
and always will be, a cause deserving of the highest price.
And the cry of Reverend Dyobha is the reminder of the considerable
sacrifices wrought in the forging of those democratic freedoms which we enjoy
today, which must inspire all our endeavours, in our country, in the region, on
the continent and within the international arena.
For it is with the fundamental belief in the importance of always advancing
the development and contributing to the well-being of society and the
environment, that we have sought to engage those within and beyond, our
borders.
This year also marks the commemoration of the 40th anniversary of the
passing on of one of the stalwarts of our movement, the African National
Congress (ANC), Albert Luthuli. On his acceptance of his Nobel Peace Prize
Luthuli voiced his vision of an Africa in which the friendship of nations would
continually deepen and standards of life and liberty would continually
expand.
And it is with this vision of constantly expanding standards of life and
liberty that we seek the strengthening of multilateral organisations such as
the UN, the African Union (AU) and their structures as well as the vigorous
implementation of development partnerships like of the New Partnership for
Africa's Development (Nepad), with special priority being given to sectors such
as infrastructure, agriculture, environment, health and science and
technology.
We are cognisant of the fact that our foreign policy is given effect by a
sound Defence capability and that without security and stability, there will be
little development.
This awareness underpins our activities within the Southern African
Development Community (SADC), where we are pursuing the establishment of a
Common Agenda aimed at socio-economic development and integration and
political, peace and security co-operation.
In support thereof, we continue to contribute towards post conflict
reconstruction and Development in Africa and to the establishment of peace,
security and stability. It is for this reason that we are active in a number of
theatres of conflict including the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Cote
d'Ivoire, Burundi, the Comoros and Sudan in the Darfur region. Here our efforts
have focused at the consolidation of democracy and at the establishment of the
requisite infrastructure to support the framework of long term development
work.
Our plan of action directs attention too at the strengthening of south-south
co-operation, strengthening the India Brazil South Africa Dialogue Forum and
actively engaging in the New Africa Asia Strategic Partnership.
North-north co-operation and participation in the global system of
governance is also accorded a high status. This has been given particular
impetus with South Africa's assumption of the non-permanent seat in the United
Nations Security Council (UNSC), where we have sought to contribute to clear
mutual co-operate understanding among member states of the UN in efforts to
resolve tensions in a number of regions in Africa and Asia.
We affirm too, the high priority we accord to the strengthening of political
and economic relations and in particular of elevating the South Africa�European
Union Strategic Partnership.
The commemoration of the sinking of SS Mendi is thus rightly an opportunity
for our two nations to come together in acknowledgment of our common endeavours
and cooperative efforts. For it is in such co-operation that we are able to
affirm and pay a fitting tribute to those who lost their lives in the sinking
of Mendi and the first world.
For the acts of valour and bravery which characterise the sinking of the
Mendi serve to remind us that we share a collective history and ongoing
collective responsibility authored by young men who sacrificed their lives so
that a legacy might be left for those who were to come after. This is a legacy
which speaks of the communality which binds nations, of societies where
democratic freedoms are enjoyed by all and where hope abounds, a society where
standards of life and liberty are constantly expanding and where the dreams of
our forebears may see their realisation.
I thank you!
Issued by: Ministry of Defence
21 July 2007
