occasion of the celebration of Freedom Day at Phalama Sports Ground, Mutale
Municipality, Vhembe District
27 April 2006
AGE OF HOPE - THROUGH STRUGGLE TO FREEDOM
Programme director,
Members of Executive Council,
Members of Provincial Legislature led by the Speaker,
Executive Mayor of Vhembe District Municipality and other Executive
Mayors,
Mayor of Mutale Local Municipality and other local Mayors,
Honourable Mayors and Executive Mayors,
Honourable Councillors,
Our Esteemed Traditional Leaders,
Vho Thovhela,
Veterans of our Liberation struggle,
Community, Labour and Business Leaders,
Distinguished guests,
Comrades and compatriots,
Ladies and gentlemen
We meet here today, at Mutale, Vhembe District, to celebrate the freedom we
fought so hard to achieve; and the progress we have made in delivering to all
our people the basic services they have been denied for so long. On this day we
reaffirm to our people that; there can be no lasting peace; and no prosperity
to speak of; unless and until; all our people enjoy freedom and justice in the
land of their birth.
Today, our generation stands tall and proud of the achievements made in the
last twelve years of our freedom. We salute the many hero and heroines who made
freedom and democracy possible in our lifetime. Last week, the President of our
country; Comrade Thabo Mbeki bestowed upon the veteran of Limpopo, one of the
countryâs highest honour - the National Order of Luthuli. We join the millions
of South Africans in saluting Comrade Bra Ike Maphoto, one of the veterans of
our liberation struggle, who remained on death row in a foreign land for about
10 years; and who adds to the list of other deserving liberation fighters; such
as the likes of comrades Flag Boshielo, Lawrence Phokanoka and Chief Rasimphi
Phiriphiri Tshivhase.
The people of our Province are elated with this honour and equally feel
represented, and appreciated in the sacrifices they have endured during the
decades-old struggle; to bring about freedom and democracy in our land. We,
however, still, recognise that, there are millions more South Africans who
could be honoured in the same way for the role they played and continue to play
in building our nation.
On this day, 27 April, we as the people of South Africa look back with
considerable pride and satisfaction over the progress we have made during the
many centuries of struggle against colonialism and apartheid. We are a free
people in a free country living in a system where human rights are respected
and protected by one of the worldâs most progressive constitutions. Our people
have got freedom to live wherever they like, they have got freedom to criticise
or protest against the State; and they have got freedom to assembly, to
associate and to vote a government of their choice.
However, we understand it well that 27 April; was a culmination of a
negotiated settlement which made us to win only one aspect of power - which is
political power; hence we recognise that; our undisputable challenge is to use
this power to transform our lives, the economy and our entire society as a
whole.
On this day, 27 April 2006, we rededicate ourselves to the defence and
consolidation of freedom and democracy, which are the values guaranteed in our
constitution - the supreme law of our land. However, not withstanding all these
rights; our experience of the last twelve years of democracy, tells us that our
freedom will be short-lived and would be without real substance; unless and
until; there is real improvement in the lives of our people.
When we first voted on 27 April 1994, we knew it well that our freedom would
not be complete while millions continued to live in conditions of abject
poverty. From the start, we made it our priority to intervene by addressing
socio-economic challenges; first through the 1994 Reconstruction and
Development Programme (RDP) and now with 2005 Accelerated and Shared Growth
Initiative of South Africa (AsgiSA), which was adopted late last year.
Today, many of our communities across the country are celebrating the
progress we have made over this last twelve years of tireless work because of
efforts made by the African National Congress (ANC) led government. Together we
are changing the lives of millions and giving concrete meaning to the rights
enshrined in the constitution. The change we have made is visible for all to
see, from the delivery of water in places which did not have access to water,
to the building of roads where there was none, through the provision of housing
and health-care; and the provision of education and social security. All of
these changes would not have been possible if we did not fight and defeat the
Apartheid regime on 27 April.
Therefore, as South Africans we have much to be proud of; we are more
hopeful of the future than most nations in the world. We have got confidence
and trust in the ANC led government that it will never forsake nor betray us.
However, we remain alive to the fact that more work still needs to be done to
accomplish the kind of society envisaged by our forebears who met in Kliptown
to adopt the Freedom Charter, fifty one years ago.
As we celebrate this historic day, today, we also need to remind each other
that Freedom was not âFreeâ. It took the sacrifices of many people to get us
where we are today. Thus, history has called upon us to be the ones to bring to
fruition the hopes and wishes of those patriots who died in combat; including
those who where jailed like Nelson Mandela and those who went to exile so that
we may be free.
Programme director
We indeed accept it that:
* There can be no freedom where there is poverty and unemployment; because
poverty and unemployment are the enemies of freedom;
* There can be no freedom where there is no access to clean water and
electricity; because the absence of electricity and water add to poor living
conditions which undermine the spirit of liberation and freedom;
* There can be no freedom where ritual murderers continue to maim and kill
innocent people without being arrested and brought to justice; because safety
and security are the cornerstones of peace and freedom. In this regard we must
indicate that government is highly disturbed by ongoing reports of ritual
murders in this part of our Province; which seems to be continuing abated.
Ritual murderers are evil people who do not deserve to belong in our
society; we must also take this opportunity to announce that, Government will
be sending an investigating task team to all affected areas in the Province to
investigate all unsolved ritual murder cases dating back from 1994. We would
therefore expect all affected communities to help us in getting to the bottom
of these crimes so that all ritual murderers are arrested and punished for
their evil deeds.
Programme director
In order to enjoy our freedom, all levels of government must work hard to
ensure that all households have access to clean running water by 2009. Our
Local Government structures must be able to meet the challenge of housing and
human settlement, so that nobody lives in a shack or squatter anywhere around
our Towns. All spheres of government must ensure that by 2012 all households
have access to electricity. The Mayors and councillors who have been elected to
the various councils need to ensure that these challenges are realised sooner
than later. We have no moment to spare, for our people deserve better
yesterday.
Programme director
However, as government we are also sure that we will not succeed on our own
without the support and participation of our people in their own governance. It
is our belief that communities throughout the Province should continue to
regard challenges faced by our municipalities as equally their challenges.
Instead of folding our arms and criticising government for its failures; we
must instead dirty our hands by getting involved in community development
through Ward committees and platforms such as Community Policing Forums (CPFs);
to contribute towards sustainable development both as individuals and as
members of the community. As we have seen in the case of community partnership
at Thulamela Municipality, our participation can reduce huge backlogs in the
delivery of basic services such as electricity, water, social housing, and
classroom backlogs. Equally, the Private sector need to begin to ask itself the
same question of what it can do, to stimulate Local Economic Development and
create jobs were people live. In the same breath, our Traditional leaders and
their Local Houses need to find the best ways to collaborate with their
Municipal Councils in contributing to the delivery of social services, job
creation, economic development, and social stability within their areas of
jurisdiction. If we all work together as partners, there is no doubt that
poverty and unemployment would be defeated.
Programme director
The struggle for freedom and democracy in our country is not yet over. It will
continue until all South Africans can read and write; until each child has
adequate health care; until each South African has a home with access to water
and electricity; and until every eligible adult is employed. Even then we will
have to struggle to maintain and sustain all of these things.
Happy Freedom day!
I thank you
Ri a livhuwa
Ndaa!
Issued by: Office of the Premier, Limpopo Provincial Government
27 April 2006
