T Mbeki: Response to debate on State of the Nation Address

9 February 2006

Madam Speaker and Deputy Speaker,
Honourable Deputy President,
Honourable Ministers and Deputy Ministers,
Honourable Members of Parliament,
Ladies and Gentlemen:

I would like to acknowledge the presence of several African Ministers of
Mining who have joined us after their deliberations at the African Mining
Partnership meeting this week. The African Mining Partnership is an important
forum for collaboration by African countries to develop common positions on
issues facing the mining sector on our continent. I hope you had fruitful
discussions.

I would also like to welcome to the House a group of ex-political prisoners
who served in the apartheid jails during the years of struggle against
apartheid.

On 30 September 2005, a Danish newspaper, Jyllands-Posten, published 12
cartoons depicting the Prophet Mohamed in various guises. Some of these
directly associated the Prophet and therefore Islam with terrorism.

According to press reports, one of these cartoons depicts the Prophet with a
bomb in his turban, with a lit fuse and the Islamic creed written on the bomb.
Another depicts the Prophet standing on a cloud, greeting dead suicide bombers
with the words, "Stop, stop, we have run out of virgins!", this being an
allusion to the promised reward to martyrs.

The publication of the cartoons has led to angry Moslem demonstrations in
many countries, with some of them including violence that has resulted in the
burning of Danish and other diplomatic chanceries.

The global Moslem community has denounced both the fact of the
representation of the image of Prophet Mohamed, which Islam prohibits, deeming
it blasphemous, and his representation as a terrorist. Those who have published
and support the publications of the cartoons argue that such publication was
and is a legitimate exercise of the important democratic right to freedom of
speech.

In this regard, the Culture Editor of the newspaper wrote:

“The modern, secular society is rejected by some Muslims. They demand a
special position, insisting on special consideration of their own religious
feelings. It is incompatible with contemporary democracy and freedom of speech,
where you must be ready to put up with insults, mockery and ridicule. It is
certainly not always attractive and nice to look at, and it does not mean that
religious feelings should be made fun of at any price, but that is of minor
importance in the present context. [...] we are on our way to a slippery slope
where no-one can tell how the self-censorship will end. That is why
Morgenavisen Jyllands-Posten has invited members of the Danish editorial
cartoonists union to draw Muhammad as they see him.”

Our Constitution entrenches the right to freedom of speech. I am certain
that all of us in this House, and our people as a whole, respect this right and
would do everything possible to protect and defend it.

At the same time, our Constitution also entrenches the freedom of religion,
belief and opinion, which I am equally certain all of us in this House, and our
people as a whole, respect this right and would do everything possible to
protect and defend it. With regard to freedom of expression in this context, it
says that the right to freedom of expression “does not extend to…advocacy of
hatred that is based on race, ethnicity, gender or religion, and that
constitutes incitement to cause harm.”

With regard to the issue of the publication of the Danish cartoons in our
country, our courts have already taken the decision that this should not be
done, presumably basing themselves on the constitutional and legal prescripts
that are binding on all of us.

However, it is clear that this judgement will not end the debate in our
country which, in its narrowest terms, relates to the balance between the right
to freedom of speech and the right to freedom of religion. Naturally, we must
defend everybody's right to participate in this debate peacefully.

In this regard, I would like to join the Secretary-General of the United
Nations, Mr Kofi Annan, and other leaders across the world, who has appealed to
everybody concerned not to engage in acts of violence, such as those that
resulted in the destruction of the Danish diplomatic missions in Damascus and
Beirut . In this context, Kofi Annan drew attention to the fact that the Danish
newspaper, Jyllands-Posten, had apologised for the publication of the
cartoons.

In an Editorial entitled Honourable Fellow Citizens of the Muslim World, the
editor-in-chief of the newspaper said:

“In our opinion, the 12 drawings were sober. They were not intended to be
offensive, nor were they at variance with Danish law, but they have
indisputably offended many Muslims for which we apologize… Maybe because of
culturally based misunderstandings, the initiative to publish the 12 drawings
has been interpreted as a campaign against Muslims in Denmark and the rest of
the world.

“I must categorically dismiss such an interpretation. Because of the very
fact that we are strong proponents of the freedom of religion and because we
respect the right of any human being to practise his or her religion, offending
anybody on the grounds of their religious beliefs is unthinkable to us. That
this happened was, consequently, unintentional…

“It is the wish of Morgenavisen Jyllands-Posten that various ethnic groups
should live in peace and harmony with each other and that the debates and
disagreements which will always exist in a dynamic society should do so in an
atmosphere of mutual respect.”

Earlier, the British newspaper The Independent, had said in its own
editorial: "While we defend Jyllands-Posten's right to publish, we also
question its editorial judgement. It is not a decision we intend to emulate.
This newspaper could have published the photos at the centre of this row to
make a point about free speech - as newspapers in Germany , France , Italy and
Spain have done - but we believe this would have been a rather cheap gesture.
There is no merit in causing gratuitous offence, as these cartoons undoubtedly
do. We believe it is possible to demonstrate our commitment to the principle of
free speech in more sensible ways."

Some of the European media have gone beyond the narrow but important debate
concerning the rights to freedom of speech and freedom of religion, to discuss
what they viewed as a matter of serious concern, relating to the rise of racism
in Denmark .

In this regard, in its ENAR Shadow Report 2004 Denmark , partly funded by
the EU, the European Network Against Racism said:

“Populist political statements and distorted media coverage (have) not
helped to better the situation (rising racial tensions in Denmark ).
Politicians hide behind “freedom of speech” to get away with the most hateful
propaganda against certain groups, while the media holds the microphone.
Mainstream media not only indulge in the generalisation of minorities but are
also steadfast in denying any responsibility in creating an atmosphere in which
racism thrives…

“The ongoing propaganda against Islam is aided by many writers, commentators
and academics who use their freedom of speech to write what they like and often
in derogatory and insulting language. One such so-called historian is Lars
Hedegaard. He is the former Editor in Chief of the most progressive newspaper
in Denmark , Information, and a permanent contributor to two national
newspapers – Berlingske Tidende and MetroXpress. He has specialised in
commenting on anything and everything which has to do with Islam. One of his
statements to a right-wing newspaper Jyllands-Posten (01.08.2004) says a lot
about his mental picture:

“Islam is even more totalitarian than Nazism. Nazis did not demand that
people should grow a Hitler type moustache. Islam interferes in every aspect of
life, right from dress to eating habits.”

The ENAR Report also quotes Karen Wren, whom it describes as a British
academic with a lifelong relationship with Denmark and many years of experience
researching immigration, asylum and racism. She wrote after a visit to Denmark
:

“I was also concerned by the very high levels of ethnic minority
unemployment, and the view among skilled refugees I interviewed that they had
no hope of using their skills in Denmark 's discriminatory labour market. I was
also very surprised by the lack of comprehensive and effective anti-racism
legislation. This situation seemed to allow the press and politicians a free
hand to propagate racist views without restraint, while there were no effective
mechanisms through which ethnic minorities could respond and put their views
across to the public.”

I have spoken at this length on the matter of the Danish cartoons because I
believe that this affair in all its ramifications has some very important
lessons for us as well.

When we established our democracy, which included the adoption of our
Constitution, we knew that we were inheriting a very diverse society that had
been divided into many fractions by our history of colonialism and apartheid.
We knew that for us to survive and thrive as a nation, we had to bridge the
many fissures in our society created by our past.

The motto on our Coat of Arms constitutes a call to us to live up to the
vision contained in the Preamble to our Constitution which says, “(We) believe
that South Africa belongs to all who live in it, united in our diversity.” Our
National Anthem was constructed with the aim to achieve national
reconciliation. Concepts such as “the rainbow nation” sought to express the
vision of a diverse but united nation.

I believe that one of our greatest achievements since the dawn of democracy
has been precisely the advance we have made towards building the united but
diverse society which is so fundamental to our future.

In this context, and with reference to the Danish cartoons, I am certain
that we would all agree with what the British newspaper, The Independent, said,
that “there is no merit in causing gratuitous offence.”

Similarly we would agree with Jyllands-Posten that “various ethnic groups
should live in peace and harmony with each other and that the debates and
disagreements which will always exist in a dynamic society should do so in an
atmosphere of mutual respect.”

For us these are not academic matters. They go to the very core of the task
we face to build the new South Africa.

The Hon Patricia de Lille was therefore correct when she drew our attention
to the need for us continuously to focus on the critical question of social
cohesion saying, “the destructive divides of our society (should be) bridged.
We will only succeed as a nation if we recognise the problems that are faced by
all our communities, and are prepared to make the necessary compromises needed
to address them. The problems of the poor are the problems of the rich, and the
challenge of building social cohesion rests on the shoulders of all of us. The
task at hand cannot be restricted to the government alone and the ID would like
to see a hand being extended to our citizens making them partners in our
development.”

We have taken to heart the comments made by The Hon Dr Gavin Woods when he
said: “We would have wished to hear the President's thoughts on the democratic
health of the nation and, as importantly, we would have been interested in his
views on the evolving post-apartheid society and how government is trying to
facilitate a more unified nation. We see the progress that is being made
towards social integration over the past twelve years as quite exceptional
against the world experience, and would have been encouraged to hear that the
President also sees it in the same way.”

I hope that Parliament will have time to engage with the issues around
social cohesion.

When we discuss this matter I am confident that we all agree, among other
things, that our constitution is an important foundation in ensuring social
cohesion in South Africa . Generally, from the family unit, to communities,
political organisations and various institutions in our society, we share the
principles and values contained in our constitution. Indeed, if we did not
share the values enshrined in our constitution the country would have long
degenerated into civil strife, anarchy and possibly even civil war.

Indeed, some of the important elements for social cohesion are represented
by public representatives as constituted in the national parliament, the
provincial legislatures as well local government councils. I am therefore very
happy that parliament has taken a decision to engage in an Equality Review
Campaign, as Madam Speaker said, to help answer the question relating to
progress or lack of it.

The challenge facing all of us is to strive for social and economic equity
in our country, so that we move away from the divisions that defines a section
of the South Africans population as poor, labourers, unemployed and
under-employed and the wretched of the earth; while another is characterised by
the rich, the bosses, the fully employed and the affluent who enjoy good things
in life.

Accordingly, it is important that we should identify common positions that
are important to all South Africans, irrespective of ideology and party
affiliation and develop a common platform that helps to enhance social
cohesion.

Madam Speaker,

The Hon Dr Mangosuthu Buthelezi was correct when he said that “our
liberation movement” must not lose its long-term vision. We must heed the call
he made that “this is the time to hold the country together and ensure the
unity of our people: …“this is the time in which history demands of us to rise
above…petty division in politics.”

As is their right, a number of the Honourable Members focused their
statements on what they saw as the failures of our government. In many
instances they spoke about the very same matters that cause grave concern to
the government itself.

To say that twelve years after we liberated ourselves from 350 years of
colonialism and apartheid we still face a huge housing backlog is not to say
anything new or unexpected.

To say that twelve years after we liberated ourselves from 350 years of
colonialism and apartheid there are still many people without access to clean
water and modern sanitation is not to say anything new or unexpected.

To say that twelve years after we liberated ourselves from 350 years of
colonialism and apartheid we are still confronted by a very serious challenge
of poverty and unemployment is not to say anything new or unexpected.

Like Dr Woods, “we see the progress that is being made towards social
integration over the past twelve years as quite exceptional against the world
experience…”

Nevertheless we recognise the fact that much more still needs to be done to
create a truly socially integrated nation.

That is why in the State of the Nation Address we spoke about ASGISA,
housing, health, education, water, sanitation, land and other programmes
precisely to answer the question – what should be done to accelerate the
advance towards eradicating the many backlogs that undermine social
integration, that most obviously could never have been dealt within a short
period of twelve years.

In keeping with what the Hon Patricia de Lille, the Hon Gavin Woods and the
Hon Mangosuthu Buthelezi said, I believe that one of the critical challenges we
all face is not to communicate a false message to the people that our Rome can
be built in a day.

One or two of the Hon Members correctly pointed out that we are running a
marathon and not a sprint over a short distance. No amount of words will change
this reality, and I dare say that the ordinary people of our country understand
this reality very well.

As we did last year, once more we will study the comments made by the Hon
Members, drawing on them to improve the performance of the government as we
strive, hopefully together, to accelerate our advance towards the new South
Africa for which our people yearn.

Before I conclude, I would like to return to the important comment made by
the Hon Dr Buthelezi when he said that “this is a time in which history demands
of us to rise above…petty division in politics”, and refer to the matter of the
Hon Deputy President's holiday in Abu Dhabi.

The security arrangements in place since 1994 and before provide that both
the President and the Deputy President are provided with security on a 24-hour
basis. Among other things, this means that when they travel by road, they do so
in transport provided, managed and run by the South African Police Service.

When they travel by air, unless circumstances make this impossible, they
travel in planes provided, managed and flown by the South African Air
Force.

These transport arrangements, which are an integral part of the security
system decided exclusively by the state security services, and not the
President or the Deputy President, apply regardless of their destinations and
the purpose of their travel.

The South African Air Force therefore carried the Deputy President to and
from Abu Dhabi , as the security regulations require. This was the only cost of
the holiday of the Deputy President that accrued to the state. All other
expenses incurred by the Deputy President by going on holiday were met entirely
by the Deputy President, with absolutely no charge to the state.

I am certain that now and again the Deputy President will have to take a
break from work and rest wherever she may choose. Unless the security
arrangements are changed, leaving her unprotected because she is on holiday, it
will remain the responsibility of the South African Police Service and the
South African Air Force to transport her to her holiday destination.

I trust that, after this explanation, nobody will find it impermissible that
she should continue to be provided with security on a 24-hour basis, which
includes the periods when she is on holiday.

I would like to thank all the Honourable Members for their participation in
the debate of the State of the Nation Address, and the various suggestions that
have been made as to what we should do further to accelerate the process of
transforming our society.

As I have said, we will follow up on these suggestions.

I would also like to take this opportunity to wish all the parties that have
registered for the local government elections success in their campaigns, and
urge that all of us should respect the Code of Conduct we have signed, so that
we further entrench the tradition of holding peaceful, free and fair democratic
elections.

This is central to the achievement in our country of the critically
important objective stated perhaps belatedly by the Danish newspaper,
Jyllands-Posten, that “various ethnic groups should live in peace and harmony
with each other and that the debates and disagreements which will always exist
in a dynamic society should do so in an atmosphere of mutual respect.”

Madam Speaker,

In closing this debate I would like to convey to the Martin Luther King
family our heartfelt condolences for the departure of their mother and leader
not only of the African-Americans, but of many people across the world, Coretta
Scott-King. In this regards, I would like to thank Zanele Mbeki and Adelaide
Tambo who represented our country at the funeral. On our shores we also pass
our condolences to the family of Vish Sewpersad who dedicated his life to the
struggle for freedom but has now passed on and was laid to rest this past
week.

Once more, I would like to thank all those who participated in this
debate.

I thank you.

Issued by: The Presidency
9 February 2006