launch of the Bokamoso Barona Investment Trust, Vodaworld, Midrand
25 April 2007
Salutations
Programme Director
Chairperson of the Bokamoso Barona Investment Trust, Tshilidzi
Ratshitanga
Minister of Minerals and Energy, Ms Buyelwa Sonjica
Minister of Transport, Mr Jeff Radebe
MECs present here
Lifetime Recognition Award recipient Mrs Winnie Madikizela-Mandela.
Past and present student leaders
Leaders of business
Distinguished guests
Ladies and gentlemen
Introduction
Being here at this event today, I cannot but carry a sense of that image
from Kahlil Gibran's "The Prophet," when Almustafa is asked by the people of
Orphalese to speak to them about children, and he says:
"You are the bows from which your children as living arrows are sent
forth."
There is an immense sense of generational connection through time that this
image conveys, and it captures for me the sheer significance of this event
tonight.
How remarkable it is that we are here today at the launch of the Bokamoso
Barona Investment Trust, shot from a bow many decades ago.
The student organisations, South African Students' Congress (Sasco),
Congress of South African Students (Cosas) and South African Students Press
Union (Saspu), that today are launching this empowered initiative to help meet
the needs and interests of impoverished students in our schools and tertiary
institutions, were at the cutting edge of our mass democratic struggle in the
days of apartheid, demanding rights to education that only a free and
democratic South Africa could undertake to fulfil.
You were the bow that shot the arrow that has found its mark here today, and
I congratulate you. In this, I believe, is the fundamental role of the student
movement in a transforming society.
When we talk about young people, how can we not but talk about "Bokamoso",
about the future. The question of the future is inherent to the being of young
people, and is fundamental to our very sustainability as human society. We also
show here that the future of the young is now and here.
The focus of a progressive student movement as you have historically
demonstrated is to make for the best possible future for young people, for the
benefit of society as a whole.
How you go about achieving those noble goals is framed by the times. I am
sure the trustees of Bokamoso Barona Investment Trust would not have
specifically thought of an investment vehicle as they "toyi-toyied" those many
years ago.
The programmes the Trust aims to support will go a long way to achieving
conditions for the best possible future of our young people, and will have the
effect of partnering Government's own programmes.
The leadership development programme you aim to support will meet the
immediate needs of student organisation, but through this also anticipate the
leadership needs of the country. You know from historical experience in the
mass democratic movement that organisational involvement is hugely significant
in the development of leadership.
Why some of you are even Trustees today!
I cannot stress enough the benefit of involvement in the development of
leadership. So I am extra pleased to see that Sasco for example, promotes
voluntary community service by students as a pillar of its activities. The
biggest benefit will go to the individual students who participate as we say in
the National Youth Service (NYS)�proud to say, so do just that!
This complements the National Youth Service Volunteer Campaign and is in
keeping with an objective of the Accelerated and Shared Growth Initiative for
South Africa (AsgiSA) to create caring and sharing communities and economy.
It is through the practical experience of working among the masses of our
people, contributing to social and economic development at grassroots, that a
leadership of commitment, integrity and people skills may be developed. It
bridges the ever existing gap between knowledge from books and reality in the
society the youth read about.
Strong student leadership makes for strong stakeholder organisation,
contributing to a strong relevant education sector.
The biggest challenge and opportunity to significantly change lives of all
is in access and quality education; it is required for the shared, sustainable
and accelerated growth that we need to eradicate poverty and improve the
livelihoods of our people. Both education from schools and tertiary; and skills
experience is necessary in all our communities. In this, the appropriate skills
to match the needs of the economy and the accessibility of quality education to
the poorest are critical concerns that we need you to focus. We need you to be
part of the Department of Education's 'Adopt a School' campaign and the
campaign to increase the numbers of higher grade mathematics students.
The Joint Initiative for Priority Skills Acquisition (JIPSA) addresses this
in a co-ordinated manner and as a mater of urgency - as would Bokamoso Barona's
planned bursary scheme, focusing support specifically for the scarce skills
needs identified by JIPSA. For those who graduate but will still lack
experience where we can we arrange for them to gain experience through
JIPSA.
The entire investment trust initiative, speaks wonderfully of the necessity
of the strategic partnership required between the public and private sectors to
maximise resources to overcome poverty, unemployment and the social ills that
afflict South Africa.
I welcome the Trust's plans to support the establishment of a research
institute focused on youth issues.
There is a need for such dedicated research capacity to inform policy and
programmes regarding the youth who, as defined, make up close to 40% of our
population and who are among the majority of our country's poor and unemployed.
There is an even greater need for cutting-edge research capacity given the
dynamic nature of the developmental challenges in a transforming society such
as ours - and I look forward to the enlightening insights that will be produced
by this research institute.
Africa is the most youthful continent and so is South Africa. For that
reason, we need as much information and investment in youth. That is one of the
most urgent needs. Furthermore, young people must be mobilised to be active in
the improvement and protection of:
1. the culture of learning and teaching
2. Fight HIV and AIDS - stop it because it only depends on you and me to
eradicate it; it depends on youth
3. take part in fighting climate change or we have no planet for the young to
inherit.
In conclusion, allow me to call on the leadership of the progressive student
movement, present and past, never to forget where you come from and what made
you. Never underestimate the difference you can make. Be the future and the
change you want to see. It starts with you and what you do everyday just as one
person than as a collective.
Let me remind you of my favourite teachings of Mahatma Gandhi, 'The Seven
Social Sins' that youth must be aware of:
1. Wealth Without Work
2. Pleasure Without Conscience
3. Knowledge Without Character
4. Commerce (Business) Without Morality (Ethics)
5. Science Without Humanity
6. Religion Without Sacrifice
7. Politics Without Principle.
Thank you.
Issued by: The Presidency
26 April 2007
Source: SAPA
