Honourable Mr Pedrito Caetano, Minister of Youth and Sport in Mozambique;
National Director of Sport, Mr Inacio Bernardo;
Director of International Cooperation, Mr Araujo Simao Martinho;
Director-General of the Organising Committee, Mr Jose Salomone Cossa;
Ladies and gentlemen.
Mr Pedrito Caetano, Sir and your delegation, welcome to the Republic of South Africa. Your visit in the Republic coincides with the celebrations of the women’s month. A month in the calendar of South Africa that is dedicated to the heroism and gallant activism of young and old women in the struggle for freedom and liberty.
Our country dedicate this month to all the women of Africa and the world who took a stand against tyranny, colonialism and sexism. We celebrate it as a token of appreciation to the sacrifices of their contribution in the struggle against apartheid colonialism and white monopoly capital.
Sir, as you can witness, even in our government delegation in this meeting this afternoon, the South African delegation is led by Ms Sumaya Khan, as Acting Director-General of Sport and Recreation South Africa (SRSA), a highest position and responsibility in any government department of our democratic state. This is a display of seriousness of our government towards the empowerment, development and total emancipation of women across the spectrum of our society. It is befitting to celebrate this month in style.
Honourable Caetano, please welcome to South Africa!
As we gather here this afternoon, on the month of August 2011, a month of women, I am reminded again of another heroin in the field of sport and recreation. I am reminded of the sterling work and dedication of Ms Maria Mutola who won, out of all odds, the first ever Olympic Gold Medal in the 800 metres run at the 2000 Summer Games in Sydney.
Her zest and zeal; her tenacity and oomph are a testimony to that glorious triumph in the foreign land representing Mozambique in particular, but Africa in general. Her work will never go unnoticed by the generations of young Africans, living and dead.
At the same time, where there is a successful woman, there is a great man behind her. This goes not to say that, today, we are equally reminded of Eusebio da Silva Ferreira for his giant-ness and greatness when he led the Portuguese national team to the third round at the 1966 Football World Cup Championships in Goodison Park. His greatness won him an accolade “the Black Panther-the Black Pearl”, a token of appreciation from fans, teammates and sport administrators.
Undoubtedly, their commitment and dedication to sport excellence and success is a testimony to the commitment displayed by the government of the Republic of Mozambique towards grassroots sport development and acutely turn it into high performance levels and sport excellence.
It is in this regard that the government of the Republic of South Africa feels honoured by your visit in this country today. We are humbled to have relations and agreements with the Republic of Mozambique on matters of Sport and Recreation as this add value to our programme for sport and recreation.
Mr Caetano, Sir, as you are aware, South Africa’s relationship with Mozambique is not predatory nor charistic. Ours is a relationship based on mutual respect and mutual benefit. It is a relationship based on the principle of reciprocity not parasitic.
Ours was born in the battle trenches of the war against colonialism, pain and hunger!
Ours was forged through sweat and blood of our nations in the war against tyranny and humiliation!
Ours was spiraled by the cries of our children for food, dignity and love!
Ours is a friendship established in the canons of human solidarity and human sacrifice!
Ours is a brotherhood consolidated and strengthen in the dusty streets of Soweto and rocky roads of Maputo! Ours in not a fake; it is original; because it is based on the values of Africanness, humanness and brotherhood!
Distinguished delegates, since the 1994 democratic breakthrough; South Africa has regarded the Southern African Region as the most important priority of its foreign affairs. To this effect, South Africa’s democratic state adopted a document called a “Framework for Cooperation in Southern Africa”, in 1996, as its first foreign policy document towards engagements with the other nations in the Southern tip of the continent.
This document was a revolutionary response against the colonialists’ conquest that dates back to 1928 when white monopoly capitalists from both South Africa and Mozambique signed a “Convention” which regulated labour, transport and commercial matters between the two countries.
This ‘diabolical convention’ became the basis for cheap labour from Mozambique who would be recruited by hook or crook to work in South African mines. We are fully aware that this convention brought misery to the majority of migrants from Mozambique as it contributed in breaking families, encourage exploitation and degrading of human value.
Hence, in 1994, both our governments signed an “Agreement for a Joint Permanent Commission for Cooperation and Friendship”. It is, therefore, in the same token that both the Department of Sport and Recreation South Africa (SRSA) and the Department of Youth and Sport of Mozambique entered into an agreement to sign a “Memorandum of Understanding on Bilateral Cooperation in the Field of Sport and Recreation in 2002; and ratified it on 25 May 2006 as a “Memorandum of Understanding on Cooperation in the Field of Sport and Recreation.”
This moment ushered in, a spirit of exuberance in the lives of the millions of our people, especially sport loving citizens, both in Mozambique and South Africa, particularly the youth that is at the coal-face of poverty, underdevelopment and unemployment.
This exuberance also brought hope of a lasting bond and friendship among these nations; people tightened together, through bones, flesh and blood of those who people who gave up their lives and wealth to the benefit of this generation and many more generations to come.
That is why South Africa is confident with the satisfaction expressed by the Supreme Council for Sports in Africa (SCSA) towards the preparations for the tenth Edition of the All Africa Games due to be held, in Maputo, Mozambique, next month in September 2011.
We put our trust on you because, together, we hosted the first FIFA World Cup in the Africa soil. We, together, signed a plethora of agreements to cooperate on number of issues towards the World Cup including tourism, crime prevention and etc. You kept your word till the end, you did not disappoint us. The 2010 FIFA World Cup was a success because of your contributions and commitments displayed into the success of an African extravaganza. Well done!
Welcome again in South Africa!
Viva the undying spirit of President Samora Machel, Viva! Viva President Nelson Mandela, Viva!
Thank you.
