His Excellency, the President of the Republic of South Africa,
Honourable Minister of Public Administration,
Honourable Ministers present,
Deputy Ministers present,
Director-Generals,
Municipal Managers,
Program Director.
This gathering comes at a time when South Africa has just hosted a successful BRICS Summit in KwaZulu-Natal, Durban. The summit placed the country in the spotlight at a time when the international community through various institutions is constantly seeking pragmatic solutions to a myriad of socio-economic challenges currently engulfing the world.
It also comes at a time when we, as South Africans, are gearing ourselves for yet another milestone in the history of our nascent democracy. We are steadfastly approaching the celebration of two decades of democratic rule that is characterised by peace and stability as well as steady economic growth.
Such achievements could not have been attained if it was not made possible amongst others by the loyalty and commitment to serve displayed by the public service cadres of your calibre. We always find strength and resolve to forge ahead in the knowledge that there are men and women in our service who are determined to make the country work for the benefit of the masses of our people.
It is in this context that I am pleased and greatly honoured to welcome all of you to this significant and historic gathering of the cadres of public service. It is a gathering that should serve to recharge our resolve to transform the conditions of our people. This is the gathering that should embolden us to continue to serve in spite of challenges that may cause us to despair.
Your privileged position as the leaders in the public service should never be taken for granted since the hopes of the multitudes of the poor rest with you. The poor of this country has no other viable alternative accept government: to have a meal, to get education, to have shelter, to access primary health care and even to find employment.
What this implies is that the progressive policies we craft and adopt cannot be fully realised if the central bureaucratic pillars of implementation are ambivalence and weak. You remain the trusted bureaucratic pillars of this government and if you choose to be nonchalant in your approach to service delivery then the overarching National Democratic Plan will suffer the worse kind of stillbirth.
Consequently, the poor masses will continue to be trapped in a cycle of never-ending poverty and unemployment. They will continue to suffer from the stranglehold of hunger, disease and illiteracy. Their liberation therefore lies in your hands. It lies in the manner in which you choose to approach your assignment. In a nutshell, for our country to function like efficient machinery that effectively churns out the desired produce, it requires your expertise.
It is in this light that as I welcome all of you to this critical summit of our time I would like to urge you to recommit and serve this government with diligence and unwavering loyalty that will make our country a better place for multitudes of our people.
Dankie!
Ngiyabonga!
