President of the Assembly of the Republic of Mozambique, Honourable Verónica Nataniel Macamo Dhlovo and your esteemed delegation
Honourable Speaker of the National Assembly, Mr Max Sisulu
Honourable Deputy Chairperson of the NCOP, Ms Thandi Memela
Honourable Leaders of the Opposition Parties
Honourable House Chairpersons
Chairpersons of Committees
Honourable members
Distinguished guests
Ladies and gentlemen.
Good evening to you all!
It is my pleasure to welcome you Madame President and your delegation to South Africa. We are honoured by your presence. Tonight’s dinner rounds off a very successful day. One in which the National Assembly of the Republic of South African and the Assembly of Republic of Mozambique entered into a partnership to deepen and strengthen our working relationship. We have established a good foundation on which to work together to ensure that we deepen good and democratic governance not only between our countries but in the region and the continent as well.
Ladies and gentlemen,
The fate of the people of South Africa and Mozambique is bound together by history, struggle and our love for Africa our motherland. As South Africans, we owe an immense gratitude to the people of Mozambique for having stood shoulder to shoulder with us until we attained our freedom. The people of Mozambique suffered a great deal for being at the frontline of the liberation wars of Angola, Namibia and South Africa.
Lives of many Mozambicans were lost while others endured great suffering because of the principled and correct decision taken that Mozambique cannot enjoy her independence while surrounded by fellow Africans who were still under the heavy burden of colonialism and apartheid. Your economy was deliberately sabotaged so as to discourage you from doing the natural thing of joining your fellow brothers and sisters in the trenches.
I speak for many of our African compatriots who enjoyed your hospitality that we are much indebted to the Mozambican people for your great courage, sacrifice and engagement in the struggles of all these Southern African countries. Precisely because of our common determination that our destinies are bound together, since we attained our freedom, South Africa and Mozambique have entered into numerous agreements to promote the socio-economic development of our people.
Some of these agreements cover such important areas such as fisheries, agricultural development, Maputo Harbour, natural gas trade, and the Maputo Development Corridor, amongst others. These agreements are the foundation for joint action so that together we work for the reconstruction and development of our countries and give our people the opportunity and possibility to embark on individual and collective advancement and development.
Madam President,
Our two countries have established an important precedent by negotiating political settlements with our opponents which placed the interests of our people first.We have overcome insurmountable obstacles to rebuild our countries. We can also confidently assert that we have chosen the correct path to ensure that our people have enduring peace and stability. Together, we must continue to lead the way to ensure that all the people of Africa enjoy a better quality life.
In this context, we owe our gratitude to the leadership of Mozambique who continues to provide guidance and leadership to resolve the prevailing conflicts that persists at the regional and continental levels. We promise that in all these efforts of ridding our continent and the world of wars and conflicts, of working for a continent and a world free of poverty, inequality and underdevelopment, you have, in South Africa, a true partner.
Madame President, ladies and gentlemen, let us leave behind our still daunting challenges and our troubles for a few hours and simply enjoy our evening in the company of true friends, with good food, the finest South African wines and lively entertainment.
Thank you very much.
