Programme director
The Minister of Culture in the Republic of Mozambique, Minister Armando João Artur
The Mayor of Matola, Arão Mazuanhane Nhancale and other Mayors here present
The Minister of Defence and Military Veterans from South Africa, Minister Lindiwe Sisulu
The Minister of Public Works from South Africa, Minister Lindiwe Mahlangu-Nkabinde
The Minister of International Relations and Cooperation Minister Maite Nkoana-Mashabane
The Deputy Minister of Arts and Culture from South Africa, Dr Joe Phaahla
The South African High Commissioner in Mozambique, Dikgang Moopeloa
The Chairperson of the uMkhonto we sizwe Military Veterans, Kebby Maphatsoa
The CEO of the National Heritage Council, Adv. Sonwabile Mancotywa
The CEO of the South African Heritage Resources Agency, Ms Sibongile Van Damme
All other dignitaries here present
Military Veterans from FRELIMO and the ANC
Comrades and friends:
We have gathered here today, to mark the 30th Anniversary of the Matola Raid.
As we mark this important occasion we do so in order to, once more, strengthen the bonds of friendship and solidarity between the peoples of South Africa and Mozambique.
Today we are taking a further step in turning the tragic events of Matola, into an opportunity to build bridges of friendship between South Africa and Mozambique.
I take this opportunity to thank our Mozambican hosts, the South African High Commission in Maputo and all those who made it possible for us to mark this important occasion.
Comrades and friends, the Matola Raid was a brutal act of aggression by the apartheid state, determined to defend inequality and oppression, at all cost and at any price.
The raid undermined the sovereignty of the Mozambican people, defied their dignity and violated their territorial integrity.
On this important day we reiterate that; while we will never forget the tragic events that happened at Matola those many years ago, we will ensure that they never happen again.
To this end, we will continue to live in peace and harmony with our neighbours, especially within the Southern African Development Community (SADC) region.
We will use our common heritage to promote people to people contact and to ensure greater appreciation and understanding of our diverse cultures.
We also recommit ourselves to continue the fight against xenophobia and other forms of prejudices against our brothers and sisters from our continent.
We will do all of this as part of our overall commitment to building a better Africa and a better world.
As we pay tribute to those who lost their lives during the Matola raid, we also salute the people of Mozambique for the role they played in our liberation struggle.
We honour their sacrifices and we thank them for standing firm in their resolve to support our cause.
These compatriots understood that their liberation was incomplete unless the whole of Southern Africa was liberated.
We trust that the families of those who paid the ultimate price at Matola will find solace in the knowledge that the freedom they fought so bravely for, has now been achieved.
We are proud that the blood that was shed in Matola and other parts of Mozambique as well as other parts of the SADC region, was not in vain.
Dear friends, it is because of these historical ties between us that were built and cemented in struggle, that Mozambique remains one of the closest friends of South Africa.
This friendship continues to bear fruits in the political, cultural and socio-economic arenas.
We are encouraged that both our countries share a similar vision with respect to the preservation of our common heritage.
The Matola Raid Memorial Project is one example of the vision we share with regards to the preservation of our common heritage.
We are proud of the progress made in bringing this project to life, since its inception in 2002.
We are particularly delighted that this year, on the occasion of the 30th Anniversary of the raid, we signed a Memorandum of Understanding on the Conceptualisation, Design, Development and Implementation of the project.
We also unveiled the design for the Matola Memorial and Interpretation Centre and signed a Programme of Cooperation in Arts and Culture.
Comrades and friends, through this project, we will preserve, converse, document and commemorate the support given to the South African liberation struggle by the people Mozambique.
The project will assist us to tell the story of our liberation struggle and to understand the role and sacrifices made by our fellow neighbours, for us to achieve freedom.
We are doing this because future generations must know that freedom and democracy came at a high price. It therefore needs to be jealously defended.
Future generations must not repeat mistakes of the past. They must continue to live in peace and harmony with their neighbours and strive for a better Africa and a better world.
The Matola Memorial Project is part of our national legacy projects; where we establish commemorative monuments that are symbolic of our history and celebrate our heritage.
These include the Freedom Park, where we preserve our National Liberation struggle heritage and the Khoi San Heritage Route to preserve the Khoi and San heritage.
The Matola Memorial Project also fits within our plans to establish a National Liberation Heritage Route in South Africa to link and tell the human stories of all liberation heritage sites in our country.
It is envisaged that the National Liberation Heritage Route will include the identification of liberation heritage sites within the SADC region.
The Matola Raid Monument and Interpretation Centre will thus play a pioneering role as one of the already identified and developed heritage sites, symbolic of the struggle against oppression.
The project will pave the way to further cement the already friendly bilateral relations between South Africa and Mozambique.
It will also strengthen efforts to use heritage to respond to the economic and developmental challenges we face.
We trust that the Matola Memorial Project will be a constant reminder of our shared heritage and our common future.
Let us continue to work together towards the success of this project.
Aluta Continua!
Thank you.
Source: Department of Arts and Culture
