All Entries in the "For The Record" Category
Address by Ebrahim Rasool, South Africa Ambassador to the USA to the Minority Enterprise Development Week, Washington DC 24 August 2010
National Director of the Minority Business Development Agency, Mr. David Hinson,
Assistant United States Representative for Africa, Ms Florizelle Liser,
Deputy Assistant Secretary for Africa, Asia and the Middle East, Ms Holly Vineyard,
President and CEO of the Corporate Council on Africa, Mr. Stephen Hayes,
Excellencies,
Distinguished guests,
Ladies and gentlemen;
It is a great pleasure that one of my first functions, and indeed, my first speaking engagement since taking office, should be to address the Minority Enterprise Development Conference. It is a signal that, among the myriad of important matters that can occupy an Ambassador, the facilitation of strong economic relations with the USA must rank as the priority.
This is especially crucial in the immediate after glow of South Africa’s successful hosting of the FIFA 2010 Soccer World Cup. The impact of this World Cup was particularly delicious because, once again, the capacity of South Africa and Africa to surprise was demonstrated. The World Cup swept away the waves of Afro-pessimism that created anxiety about the success of the event.
More importantly it opened a window on South Africa and Africa that made the world see us with fresh eyes for the first time. Particularly, citizens of the United States responded fulsomely by buying up most of the tickets and doing the long haul flight to enjoy the spectacle of the tournament.
They found in Africa and South Africa a peaceful people, a working infrastructure, spectacular natural scenery, fibre-optic connectivity, world class facilities, a vibrant culture, first class accommodation, and a soulful connection with humanity.
They found these despite the poverty, the economic inequality, the shortage of housing, the difficulty of delivering services, the preponderance of disease, and inadequate schools.
And in this contrast lies the wisdom of tonight’s focus: “Doing Business in Africa”.
In this gathering of distinguished leaders from governments, the private sector, and civil organisations, with our call to do business with Africa, and with the resonance we have with those historically marginalised from the economy, we put before you, not a plea for help in our endeavours, but a proposition. This proposition is simple. If you are ready for Africa, Africa is ready for you.
A few years ago, Manuel Castell’s visited our country and our continent. After many engagements with governments and business, citizens and organisations, he stunned us with the simplicity of his feedback. Africa, he noted, had fewer telephone connections as a continent than New York or Tokyo had as cities. There would be no digital and communications revolution in Africa without such connectivity. But connectivity requires a reliable supply of electricity or energy. The next link he made was that where a country and continent is in conflict, electricity pylons are the first targets of armed groups. His conclusion was that for Africa, therefore, to be part of the ICT revolution, Africa needs peace, and all the wherewithal that would make this a sustainable peace.
From this, a strong component of South Africa’s Africa policy was one of mediation, conflict resolution, peace-keeping, extending democracy and establishing institutions that give life to the rule of law. We saw the building of peace as the precondition for our economic revolution. The World Cup was a glimpse at a progress report, not the final product.
Today we have less than 5 armed conflicts on the continent. Over 90% of elections held over the last few years have been safe. Where election results have been contested, workable settlements have been negotiated. Leadership transitions are increasingly seamless. Institutions of State and Society are being built. Increasingly in Africa, we are seeing the establishment of the 3 foundations that any investor or business leader looks for: the rule of law, internationally justiciable legal system, and a globally integrated banking system.
This has, in turn, allowed for improved macro-economic management of African economies and we are seeing the results. Governments have lowered inflation, reduced foreign debt, and managed budget deficits downwards. Already the cost and ease of doing business is improving with lower trade barriers, and the regulatory environment is more co-ordinated and predictable, and less discretionary and cumbersome.
The prediction of Manuel Castells is being realised systematically. The United Nations has declared that the use of mobile phones and the internet is growing faster in Africa than anywhere else in the world. Since the year 2000, there have been 316 million new mobile phone subscribers in Africa. This is the rock on which the potential African economic giant is founded.
It is from this basis that the African Union was able to put together a coherent framework for Africa’s growth and development through the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD). In turn, NEPAD has informed the increasing regional integration and collaboration among African countries. And all of this is underpinned by individual countries addressing their binding constraints to growth and development. All in all, Africa is poised to be a significant player in the global economic system, given our natural and human resources.
Having said all of these, let me show empirically what I know to be true in my invitation to you to do business with Africa. Consider the following:
1. Africa’s economic growth rate as a continent exceeded 5% last year, in the midst of a global recession, and is 2 to 3 times faster than that of the OECD countries.
2. Central Africa’s oil boom spurred a 14.4% growth for that region;
3. Ghana’s stock exchange is regularly one of the highest performing stock exchanges in the world;
4. In 2008, Africa’s households spent a combined US $860 bn – more than is spent in India or Russia - and this is set to rise to US $1,4 trillion by 2020; and
5. Regional integration in Southern Africa though the SADC Free Trade Agreement has created a regional market worth US $360 bn with a population of 170m people. When Angola and the DRC sign up this will increase significantly. Imagine the huge duty free markets across Africa when similar Free Trade Agreements take effect through ECOWAS, COMESA & the EAC.
Understanding all of these, the June 2010 McKinsey Report, entitled “Lions on the Move Progress and Potential of African Economies”, reaffirms that African governments have introduced reforms to improve the business climate, implemented structural reforms to make doing business easier and consequently created great opportunities for joint venture partnerships. In addition the World Bank has confirmed that the rate of return on investments is higher in Africa that in any developing region.
Where is all of this growth taking place, and where should you invest? Between 2002 and 2007:
§ The financial intermediation sector yielded a compound annual growth rate of 24%;
§ The tourism sector grew by 8.7%;
§ The transport and telecommunications sectors by 7.8%;
§ The wholesale and retail sectors by 6.8%; and
§ Resources, agriculture, manufacturing, utilities, construction, real estate and business services all exceeded 5% growth.
There are enormous opportunities in the downstream development of the continent’s resources; in the creation of critical infrastructure like roads, railways, ports and utilities; and in the burgeoning consumer market of Africa through merchandise exports. There is the incredible incentive to take advantage of the substantially duty-free access to markets in Southern Africa and soon across Africa. There is a world of partnerships and joint ventures to share risks and gains with in the 20 home-grown African companies, each with revenues of at least US $3bn. And there is the comfort of a continent embracing democracy, the rule of law, and economic development as the only sustainable ways to overcome our legacy of poverty and underdevelopment.
Our invitation to you is to trade, to invest, to tour. There is money to be made in Africa.
Lecture by Mr. Johnny Moloto, Chargé d’Affaires, Embassy of the Republic of South Africa, Duke University, 20 April 2010
The South African Miracle Sixteen Years Later: A Case Study in Leadership
Introduction
In thinking about a topic I could talk to you about I agonised a bit as there are so many things I can say about South Africa. However, given that you are all business students and future leaders, I thought the most appropriate topic would be to talk about leadership and the important role it played in transforming the course of South African history and contributing to the betterment of the lives of its people and setting it on the course of being a global player. I will look at this topic from the point of view of the concept of the so-called “South African miracle” which got attached to the country due to its relative peaceful transition. I will then look at two key features of this leadership role, namely, moral authority and punching above one’s weight.
As a point of departure, while this is an essentially good news lecture, South Africa has its own challenges that need urgent attention. These have been succinctly articulated by our Minister of Finance, Mr Pravin Gordhan during his budget speech in February this year as follows:
The key dimensions of our transformation are clear and well-known.
• One in four adults seeking work is unemployed, and almost half of our young people have not found work
• Income inequality is amongst the highest in the world; and half our population survives on 8 per cent of national income.
Closely associated with inequality and economic vulnerability, we confront several social challenges: an HIV and TB pandemic, unacceptably high rates of crime, angry communities and dysfunctional schools.
So, I reiterate, we have our own challenges, but this lecture is meant to share with you some of our thoughts about leadership and contexualise our country for you in preparation for your visit in May.
The “South African Miracle”
South Africa gained its independence on 27 April 1994, which will make democratic South Africa sixteen years old next week. In human terms this would make South Africa and adolescent with all the challenges that come with that age.
At the time of our independence, our story was crafted in romantic terms as the “South African Miracle” due to its relatively peaceful transition from apartheid to democracy. To many a freedom fighter, activist and South African, this characterisation of the transition from pariah state to democracy was fallacious. Indeed, to them, the transition from apartheid to democracy was the culmination of a centuries’-long struggle for freedom and democracy against a minority domination of a black majority, by stripping them not only of their human dignity, but also depriving them of the right to participate in the body politic and equally benefiting in the socio-economic prosperity that was enjoyed by South Africa at the time. The transformation of South Africa from a global pariah to the darling of the international community of nations was therefore not a miracle but a hard-won and earned triumph.
The argument can therefore be made that starting our history of liberation in 1994 would be a distortion of the facts. In truth, the struggle for liberation in South Africa dates back to when white settlers from Holland first came to South Africa in 1652. From then on many bitter struggles were fought over land and cattle. Although the African kingdoms lost land and cattle they were still independent some 200 years later.
But in the 1860s Britain brought large armies with horses, modern rifles and cannons, to take control of South Africa. The Xhosa who had fought nine wars of resistance against the colonisers, were finally defeated in 1878, after more than 100 years of warfare.
In the ensuing years, this was a struggle fought not only within the borders of South Africa, but also in the global arena. Without going into details about this history, it is important to mention one key document, entitled “Africans’ Claims in South Africa” dated 1943. This document was prepared in response to the Atlantic Charter agreed upon by the President of the United States, Franklin D Roosevelt and British Prime Minister, Winston Churchill. The African Claims document was authored by prominent leaders of the African National Congress following its Annual Conference held on 16 December 1943. The gist of the message of the document is summarised in the following quotation:
In South Africa, Africans have no freedom of movement, no freedom of choice of employment, no right of choice of residence and no right of freedom to purchase land or fixed property from anyone and anywhere. Under the guise of segregation, they are subjected to serious educational, political and economic disabilities and discriminations which are the chief causes of their slow progress.
We urge that if fascism and fascist tendencies are to be uprooted from the face of the earth, and to open the way for peace, prosperity and racial goodwill, the ‘Atlantic Charter’ must apply to the whole British Empire, the United States of America and to all the nations of the world and their subject peoples. And we urge that South Africa as a prelude to her participation at the Peace Conference in the final destruction of Nazism and Fascism in Europe, must grant the just claims of her non-European peoples to freedom, democracy and human decency …
In the ensuing years, South Africa through its leadership was then to prove that the transition was not merely a fluke, but came as a result of resolute, principled, visionary, reliable and pragmatic leadership which led into the development into perhaps one of the most formidable brands today, namely, South Africa.
So, just like in your case, to establish yourself as marketable leader, the are no miracles, but you will need to work hard at it.
The moral high ground – Moral Authority
From about the end of apartheid, South Africa was said to enjoy of a moral high ground due to its relatively peaceful transition as well as the fact that such change occurred through the ballot box. Therefore, within the community of nations, South Africa commanded moral authority.
South Africa earned this moral authority from waging perhaps one of the most sustained and successful human rights campaign, the struggle against apartheid, which gained the country global recognition and support.
Lest we forget, this campaign also produced its most renowned activist, Nelson Mandela who continues today to personify the triumph of the human spirit in the face of adversity. Upon his election as the President of the first democratic South Africa, Nelson Mandela chose the path of reconciliation and national unity rather than one of retribution and reversal of roles from oppressed to oppressor. He also presided over one of the most dynamic periods of our political transition that laid the foundation for modern day South Africa. This period saw the repeal of old apartheid legislation and the introduction of new progressive policies the most laudable of which is the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa Act 108 of 1996. The Constitution provides that South Africa is one, sovereign, democratic state founded on the following values:
a) Human dignity, the achievement of equality and the advancement of human rights and freedoms;
b) Non-racialism and non-sexism;
c) Supremacy of the constitution and the rule of law;
d) Universal adult suffrage, a national common voters roll, regular elections and a multiparty system of democratic government, to ensure accountability, responsiveness and openness.
These are the founding principles that successive governments in South Africa have since 1994 up to today have held themselves to. South Africa as a country therefore has a clear long term vision that should guide the kind of society we want to be. In this regard, South Africa also has a Bill of Rights that is part of its Constitutions and enshrines the right to equality before the law; the right to human dignity; the right to life; freedom and security of the person; freedom from slavery, servitude and forced labour; right to privacy; freedom of religion, belief and opinion; freedom of expression; right to assembly, demonstration, picket and petition; freedom of association; political rights; no one shall be deprived of the right of citizenship; freedom of movement and residence; freedom of trade, occupation and profession, amongst others.
The founding principles of our constitution are transformational in nature. What the country therefore sought to do was to leverage moral authority and translate this into tangible benefits by providing meaningful transformation to the lives of people.
How have we translated vision into visible action?
Since 1994 basic service delivery programmes have been pursued to provide a better life for all. In the main, government focus has been on first and second generation human rights. These are fundamentally civil and political in nature, and serve to protect the individual from excesses of the state as well as those that are fundamentally social, economic, and cultural in nature. Successive administrations from Presidents Mandela, Mbeki and Motlhanthe have consistently pursued the realisation of these rights. By the end of the terms of these Presidents, the following progress had been recorded:
§ By March 2009, 2.8 million houses have been completed including those under the housing subsidy programme. The government is pursuing a more comprehensive service delivery model within the context of sustainable human settlements.
§ The percentage of household with access to water infrastructure for potable water above or equal to RDP standards increased from 61.7% in 1994 to 91.8% in March 2009.
§ More than 10 million households (77%) had access to sanitation as of March 2009 as compared to 5 million (50%) in 1994.
§ The estimate number of households with access to electricity has increased from 4.5 million (50.9%) in 1994 to 9.1 million (73%) in 2008.
In spite of the fact that President Zuma came into office in the face of serious economic challenges visited upon the country by the global financial crisis, he has sought to give impetus to the realisation of both generation rights, which are mutually re-inforcing, by focusing on specific priorities. In this regard, his administration worked together with business, labour and community representatives to design a package of measures to reduce the scale and impact of the financial crisis.
South African government priorities for 2010/2011
In his State of the Nation Address of February 2010, President Zuma said, our country has changed fundamentally since the release of Nelson Mandela in 1990. The South African government still pursues the same goal of a country that is non-sexist, non-racial, democratic and prosperous. In pursuit of this goal and the improvement of lives for all South Africans, President Zuma is committed to a number of government priorities to effect the changes necessary to build a strong developmental state.
Some of the key priorities under the leadership of President Zuma, supported by Cabinet and Minister of Finance, Pravin Gordhan in his Budget Speech on 17 February 2010 are the following:
- Government is reprioritising public spending to reflect our commitment in the key priority areas;
- Education and skills development is at the centre of government priorities, it is in fact our number one priority. President Zuma acknowledges that we need to invest in our youth to ensure a skilled and capable workforce to support growth and job creation in the long run.
- Improving the quality of basic education by rolling out workbooks in all 11 official languages to help raise literacy and numeracy levels. All learners in grades 3, 6, and 9 will be tested independently (much like the state’s assessments in the USA).
- The bulk of government budget will go to provinces and municipalities for education, health, municipal infrastructure and human settlements;
- Another priority is to ensure a long and healthy life for all South Africans. Government continues to improve our healthcare system and undertakes to implement all the commitments made on World AIDS Day in 2009, relating to new HIV prevention and treatment measures. (In October last year government announced additional funding for treatment and prevention of HIV/AIDS). Further policy measures to broaden access to those infected with Tuberculosis and women and children have been taken into consideration.
- The government is aware of challenges that we face to ensure that all have shelter and access to health and education facilities. In this regard we have launched a Comprehensive Rural Development Programme, and commitments were made to better manage our resources such as water and electricity. Government also supports on-site water and sanitation infrastructure as part of the rural housing programme through a new grant. Government continues also to spend more on human settlement programmes as we believe that these investments are critical to reshaping townships, cities, informal settlements and rural areas. There’s increased spending in support by government to municipalities where services are delivered to the people.
- The South African Police Service will see an increase in the number of policemen and women by 10% over the next three years in the government’s consistent fight against crime and corruption.
- The most urgent focus in terms of employment opportunities is on the creation of jobs for young people. The government’s second phase of the Expanded Public Works programme aims to create 4,5 million short term job opportunities, and government and the labour force are working together to create opportunities for the youth to be employed despite lack of experience, as one example of progress.
The South African economy
South Africa continues to pursue its goal of creating a better life for all despite the reality of a global economic crisis which cost our economy about 900,000 jobs since we experienced our first recession in 17 years. In the five years before the downfall of the world economy, our domestic economy had been growing strong and about 2 million jobs were created. Our economy shrank by an estimated 1.8% last year. However, our growth expectation for 2010 is now 2.3%, rising to 3.6% by 2012.
South Africa in the global context
In spite of its relatively small size, both in terms of population, geography and economy, South Africa has continued to occupy significant leadership positions; played and influential role in global politics; enjoyed relative economic prominence and has captured international admiration for its audacity. This has often led to the labelling of the country as punching above its weight.
Contextualising South Africa
• Population: 48.5 million
• 27th largest economy in the world (GDP)
• Largest economy in Africa
• Account for 1/3 of sub-Saharan Africa’s GDP
• Account for 2/3 of the Southern African Development Community’s GDP
• One of the largest investors in Africa (year average $1.4bn)
• Total GDP US$276.5bn (2008)
• GDP 2008 per capita: (US$ 5 815)
• JSE 18th largest securities exchange globally
• BBB+ (Fitch + S&P)
• SA holds 90% of platinum-group metals, 80% of global manganese reserves,
72% of chrome, 40% of gold and 27% of vanadium.
• 2008/9 WEF Global Competitiveness Report (134 countries ranked):
• South African banks: 15th most secure
• Country’s overall competitiveness, ranked 45th
• Macro- economic stability, ranked 50th
Punching above our weight
We have also often been accused of punching above our weight. Nowhere is this more demonstrable in the role we have played in multilateral platforms. For example, post independence we joined the reconstituted South African Development Coordinating Conference, the Organisation for African Unity. We also joined the United Nations Organisation. Within the sixteen years of our democracy, we have chaired the new Southern African Development Community (SADC); chaired the new African Union (AU); played a leading role in the debate on United Nations reform and became a non-permanent member of the United Nations Security Council for the 2007-2008 period. We are once more running for membership for 2011-2012 to continue with our efforts at post-conflict and reconstruction on the African continent. These are indeed laudable feats considering that just a few years back we were an obscure pariah nation.
South Africa continues to be a key player on the international stage. In this regard, it has made a significant contribution to the global dialogue and pursuit of consensus in forums including the Group of Twenty on financial reform and more recently at the Copenhagen Climate Change Summit. More recently, we were amongst the 46 countries that participated in the Nuclear Security Summit convened by President Barrack Obama. Out voice is listened to in these platforms simply because we enjoy respect which we earned by being the first country to voluntarily dismantle its nuclear arsenal. We can thus speak with authority when it comes to matters of this nature.
Thus, in the 16-year period of our foreign policy engagement, namely, from 1994 to 1999; 2000 to 2004; and 2004 to 2009, South Africa has continued to assert itself as a player of note in international relations.
Before 1994, South Africa had limited diplomatic representation in the international community. It has, however, in the last 16 years evolved as an influential developing country with significant growth in diplomatic representation in all regions of the world. By 2009, South Africa had 124 diplomatic missions abroad. Of these, 62 were headed by women. Resident diplomatic representation in South Africa expanded to 242 offices, consisting of 121 diplomatic missions, 93 consulates and 28 international organisations.
The 2010 FIFA Soccer World Cup
The South African people from all walks of life have already procured their tickets and soccer jerseys and other paraphernalia in support not only of our beloved team, “Bafana Bafana” as well as the national drive to host of the most successful sporting events ever! By all accounts, our preparations for hosting the 2010 FIFA Soccer World Cup are on track.
After three of five ticketing sales phases for the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa, two-thirds of the available tickets have been sold.
The third ticketing sales phase, which will conclude with a random draw for oversubscribed matches on 1 February, saw a total of 1,206,865 applications received from 192 countries. Six matches are currently oversubscribed (in all categories), among them the semi-finals and the final. In total, 55 matches are oversubscribed in at least one category.
There was huge interest from South African residents, who accounted for 79 per cent of the total applications received (958,381) in this phase. This represents an increase of 24.9 per cent in applications from South African residents in the third sales phase when compared to the earlier ticketing stages.
Apart from the host country, the USA led the ticketing standings for the third phase with 50,217 applications, followed by the UK (41,529), Australia (15,523), Mexico (14,804), Germany (14,647) and Brazil (10,767). Increased interest was also noted in the neighbouring countries of South Africa – Botswana leading with 2,519 ticket applications, followed by Mozambique (1,795) and Namibia (1,191).
The next ticketing sales phase started on 9 February 2010 and ended on 7 April 2010. During these 58 days, more than 400,000 tickets were made available on a first-come, first-served basis viawww.fifa.com/2010 or in FNB branches (in South Africa only).
We look forward to hosting all of you coming to the World Cup.
I thank you for you attention.
State of the Nation Address by His Excellency JG Zuma, President of the Republic of South Africa; Joint Sitting of Parliament, Cape Town
11 February 2010
Honourable Speaker;
Chairperson of the National Council of Provinces;
Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly and Deputy Chairperson of the NCOP;
Deputy President of the Republic, Honourable Kgalema Motlanthe;
Honourable Chief Justice of the Republic of South Africa and all esteemed members of the Judiciary;
Isithwalandwe President Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela;
Former President FW de Klerk;
Our father, Former President Kenneth Kaunda of Zambia;
Former Deputy Presidents;
Distinguished Premiers and Speakers of our Provinces;
Chairperson of SALGA and all local government leadership;
Chairperson of the National House of Traditional Leaders;
Heads of Chapter 9 Institutions;
The Governor of the Reserve Bank;
Special international Guests especially the Chairperson of the African Union Commission, Mr Jean Ping;
Former political prisoners and veterans;
Members of the diplomatic corps;
South African and foreign media;
Fellow South Africans,
Dumelang, molweni, goeie naand, good evening, sanibonani nonke emakhaya!
Siyavuya ukuba nani ngobubusuku bubaluleke kangaka.
I stand before you this evening, 20 years since President Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela walked out of prison.
We have chosen this as the day to call this Joint Sitting of Parliament to deliver the State of the Nation Address, to celebrate a watershed moment that changed our country.
The release of Madiba was brought about by the resolute struggles of the South African people.
You will recall that the masses of this country, in their different formations, responded with determination to the call to make the country ungovernable and apartheid unworkable.
We are celebrating this day with former political prisoners who we have specially invited to join us.
We welcome in particular those who have travelled from abroad to be here, Helene Pastoors, Michael Dingake from Botswana, Mr Andimba Toivo ya Toivo of SWAPO in Namibia.
We are pleased to be joined by members of the legal team in the Rivonia Treason trial – Lord Joel Joffe, who is now based in London and Judge Arthur Chaskalson.
We also remember and pay tribute to Mr Harry Schwarz, who sadly passed away last week.
He was amongst other things, a member of the Rivonia defence team.
We extend our gratitude to our friends and comrades in the international community, for fighting side by side with us to achieve freedom.
We extend a special welcome to the Mandela family.
They became a symbol of the sacrifices of many who bore the brunt of apartheid.
We greet the leadership of the ruling party and Alliance partners, for whom this is an extra special occasion.
Compatriots and friends,
On this special day, we must also acknowledge the contribution of those within the leadership of the National Party, who eventually realised that apartheid had no future.
Allow me to mention the role played by former President PW Botha.
It was he who initiated the discussion about the possible release of political prisoners.
President Botha worked with the former Minister of Justice, Mr Kobie Coetzee, who was in turn assisted by Dr Neil Barnard and Mr Mike Louw.
They played a significant role in the process leading to the release of Madiba.
Honourable Members,
South Africa is yet to acknowledge in full, the critical role played by the former President of the ANC, Comrade Oliver Tambo, who laid the foundation for this country to become a shining example of freedom and democracy.
It was his outstanding leadership, foresight and clarity of vision that led the ANC to intensify the pursuit of a negotiated settlement.
His wisdom was also displayed in the Harare Declaration which he wrote and championed.
It was this that laid the groundwork for the historic announcements by President FW de Klerk, 20 years ago.
In this, President de Klerk demonstrated great courage and decisive leadership.
On this great day, let me also acknowledge the role played by the late Ms Helen Suzman.
She was for a long time, a lone voice in Parliament, calling for change.
We also recognise the role of the leader of the Inkatha Freedom Party, Inkosi Mangosuthu Buthelezi, who also called for Madiba’s release, as well as that of other prisoners and the return of exiles.
We reiterate our heartfelt gratitude to the international community for its unwavering support to our struggle.
These moments in our history demonstrate our ability to come together, even under the most difficult of circumstances, and to put the country’s interests first above all other interests.
Deur saam te werk, kan ons meer bereik.
Honourable members,
During the course of this year, we will mark the centenary of the establishment of the Union of South Africa.
This created a unitary state.
Significantly, the exclusion of black people from this Union was one of the chief reasons for the formation of the African National Congress in 1912.
As we mark this centenary later in the year, we should reflect on how far we have travelled as a country.
Honourable Members,
We recall the words of Madiba on his release, when he said:
“I stand before you, not as a prophet but as a humble servant of you, the people.
Your tireless and heroic sacrifices have made it possible for me to be here today.
I therefore place the remaining years of my life in your hands.”
These words inspire us not to rest, until we achieve the ideals of a society free of poverty and deprivation.
In the two decades since the release of Madiba, our country has changed fundamentally.
President Mandela united this country behind the goal of a non-sexist, non-racial, democratic and prosperous South Africa.
As we celebrate Madiba’s release today, let us recommit ourselves to building a better future for all South Africans, black and white.
Let us pursue the ideal for which Madiba has fought his entire life - the ideal of a democratic and free society, in which all persons live together in harmony and with equal opportunities.
Honourable Members,
We called a joint sitting in the evening so that the majority in our country, workers and school children, can be part of the occasion.
We are impressed by the enthusiasm of the youth about the occasion.
Two hundred and sixty six children from all provinces participated in the pre-State of the Nation debate on the role of the youth in the fight against poverty.
We congratulate the overall winner, Charlotte Le Fleur of Worcester Secondary School and all the participants for the hard work.
Compatriots and friends,
We are meeting against the backdrop of a global economic crisis.
Last year, we experienced our first recession in 17 years.
The crisis cost our economy about 900 000 jobs.
Many of those who lost their jobs were the breadwinners in poor families.
In February last year, government, business, labour and community representatives agreed on a package of measures to reduce the scale and impact of the crisis.
We have put many of these measures in place.
We have implemented decisive anti-recession spending by government, especially on infrastructure.
To ensure a safety cushion for the poor, we brought social grant increases forward, and extended the child support grant to children over 14 years of age.
In the next three years, an additional two million children from poor households, aged 15 to 18 years, will benefit from the child support grant.
The Industrial Development Corporation has put aside R6 billion to help companies in distress.
Government introduced a “training lay-off scheme” to allow workers the option of a period of training instead of retrenchment.
These efforts were enhanced by our public works programme.
The nation will recall that during the 2009 State of the Nation Address, I announced that the Expanded Public Works Programme would create 500 000 work opportunities, by December 2009.
Let me reiterate that these are not jobs in the mainstream economy.
These are job opportunities created to provide unemployed people with an income, work experience, and training opportunities.
Honourable Members, Fellow South Africans,
We are pleased to announce that by the end of December, we had created more than 480 000 public works job opportunities, which is 97% of the target we had set.
The jobs are in areas like construction, home and community based care, and environmental projects.
We have identified some areas of improvement which we will effect going forward, including ensuring more labour intensive projects.
We know that these and other measures cannot fully mitigate the effects of the recession.
We are grateful for the spirit of family, community and voluntary work that inspires many people to help those most affected by the crisis, through these difficult times.
Honourable Members,
Economic indicators suggest that we are now turning the corner.
Economic activity is rising in South Africa, and we expect growth going forward.
The labour statistics released on Tuesday, show that the economy is now creating jobs rather than shedding them.
It is too soon, though, to be certain of the pace of recovery.
Government will therefore not withdraw its support measures.
Now is the time to lay the groundwork for stronger growth going forward, and for growth that gives rise to more jobs.
Our long-term infrastructure programme will help us grow faster.
Our education and skills programmes will increase our productivity and competitiveness.
Our Industrial Policy Action Plan and our new focus on green jobs, will build stronger and more labour absorbing industries.
Our rural development programme will improve rural productivity, and the lives of people living in rural areas.
Underpinning our strategy for economic recovery and growth, is our capital investment programme.
Over the next three years government will spend R846 billion on public infrastructure.
On transport, we will maintain and expand our road network.
We will ensure that our rail network is reliable, competitive and better integrated with our sea ports.
To ensure reliable power supply, we have established an Inter-Ministerial Committee on Energy, to develop a 20 year integrated resource plan.
Among other things, this will look at the participation of independent power producers, and protecting the poor from rising electricity prices.
We will establish an independent system operator, separate from Eskom Holdings.
Eskom will continue to build additional generation capacity and improve the maintenance of its power stations.
To ensure the promotion of an inclusive economy, to aid growth and development, we have established the Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment Advisory Council, chaired by the President.
The most urgent focus of policy change must be interventions to create jobs for young people.
Unemployment rates for young people are substantially higher than the average.
Proposals will be tabled to subsidise the cost of hiring younger workers, to encourage firms to take on inexperienced staff.
A further expansion of public employment programmes is also underway.
This includes local infrastructure and literacy projects, home-based care, school maintenance and early childhood development initiatives.
Last year we launched the National Youth Development Agency.
We have directed the Agency to work faster to establish its structures, throughout the country, so that it can assist us to mainstream youth development programmes within government.
Honourable Members,
When this administration came into office last year, we undertook to work harder to build a strong developmental state.
We said it would be a state that responds to the needs and aspirations of the people, and which performs better and faster.
This year, 2010, shall be a year of action.
The defining feature of this administration will be that it knows where people live, understands their needs, and responds faster.
Government must work faster, harder and smarter.
We will expect the executive and the public service to comply with this vision.
We are building a performance-oriented state, by improving planning as well as performance monitoring and evaluation.
We also need to integrate gender equity measures into the government’s programme of action.
This action will ensure that women, children and persons with disabilities can access developmental opportunities.
We are pleased to announce a new way of doing things in government.
The work of Departments will be measured by outcomes, developed through our performance monitoring and evaluation system.
The Ministers who are responsible for a particular outcome, will sign a detailed Delivery Agreement with the President.
It will outline what is to be done, how, by whom, within what time period and using what measurements and resources.
As you are aware, we are committed to five priorities:
education, health, rural development and land reform, creating decent work, and fighting crime.
In addition, we will work to improve the effectiveness of local government, infrastructure development and human settlements.
We will undertake a number of key activities towards the achievement of these outcomes.
We have placed education and skills development at the centre of this government’s policies.
In our 2010 programme, we want to improve the ability of our children to read, write and count in the foundation years.
Unless we do this, we will not improve the quality of education.
Our education targets are simple but critical.
We want learners and teachers to be in school, in class, on time, learning and teaching for seven hours a day.
We will assist teachers by providing detailed daily lesson plans.
To students we will provide easy-to-use workbooks in all 11 languages.
From this year onwards, all grade 3, 6 and 9 students will write literacy and numeracy tests that are independently moderated.
We aim to increase the pass rate for these tests from the current average of between 35 and 40% to at least 60% by 2014.
Results will be sent to parents to track progress.
In addition, each of our 27 000 schools will be assessed by officials from the Department of Basic Education.
This will be recorded in an auditable written report.
We aim to increase the number of matric students who are eligible for university admission to 175 000 a year by 2014.
We urge parents to cooperate with us in making this a success.
We welcome last month’s statement by the three teacher unions, NAPTOSA, SADTU and SAOU, reaffirming their commitment to the Quality Learning and Teaching Campaign from the beginning of 2010.
Honourable Members,
We need to invest in our youth to ensure a skilled and capable workforce to support growth and job creation.
We therefore plan to increase the training of 16-25 year olds in further education and training facilities.
This will enable us to provide a second chance at education, for those who do not qualify for university.
We are working with higher education institutions to ensure that eligible students obtain financial assistance, through the National Student Financial Aid Scheme.
We have also set ambitious targets for skills development, to produce additional engineers and technicians, and to increase the number of qualified mathematics and science teachers.
We must also increase the number of youth who enter learnerships in the private and public sectors.
Honourable members,
Another key outcome is to ensure a long and healthy life for all South Africans.
We will continue to improve our health care system.
This includes building and upgrading hospitals and clinics, and further improving the working conditions of health care workers.
We have partnered with the Development Bank of Southern Africa to improve the functionality of public hospitals and their district offices.
We are also collaborating with the DBSA and the Industrial Development Corporation, in a Public-Private Partnership programme to improve hospitals and provide finance for projects.
Honourable Members,
We must confront the fact that life expectancy at birth, has dropped from 60 years in 1994 to just below 50 years today.
We are therefore making interventions to lower maternal mortality rates, to reduce new HIV infections and to effectively treat HIV and tuberculosis.
We will also reduce infant mortality through a massive immunisation programme.
We will reinstate health programmes in schools.
We will implement all the undertakings made on World Aids Day relating to new HIV prevention and treatment measures.
Intensive work is underway to ensure that this work is on schedule.
We will also continue preparations for the establishment of a national health insurance system.
Fellow South Africans,
We are working hard to ensure that everyone in South Africa feels safe and is safe.
We will take further our work to reduce serious and violent crimes, and ensure that the justice system works efficiently.
We are implementing plans to increase the number of police men and women by 10% over the next three years.
We have identified the fight against hijacking, business and house robberies, as well as contact crimes such as murder, rape, and assault, as top priorities.
We all have a role to play.
Let us participate in community safety forums.
Let us stop buying stolen goods.
Let us always be ready to provide the police with information about criminal activity.
Tshebedisano mmoho etla lwantsha botloko-tsebe.
Compatriots and esteemed guests,
Local government must work.
Municipalities must improve the provision of housing, water, sanitation, electricity, waste management and roads.
We held a meeting with mayors and municipal managers last year.
This provided valuable insight into the challenges in local government.
We also visited various communities and municipalities, including Balfour in Mpumalanga and Thembisa in Gauteng.
After the Balfour visit, we sent a nine member Ministerial team to visit the area to address the issues that had been raised by the community.
A number of issues have already received attention.
I have directed the Ministers to attend to the outstanding matters.
We reiterate, that there are no grievances that can justify violence and the destruction of property.
We have directed law enforcement agencies to take a tougher stance on lawlessness in Balfour and other areas.
In December 2009, Cabinet approved a turnaround strategy for local government.
This will ensure that local government has the correct management, administrative and technical skills.
During this year of action, let us work together to make local government everybody’s business.
We are working to upgrade well-located informal settlements and provide proper service and land tenure to at least 500 000 households by 2014.
We plan to set aside over 6 000 hectares of well-located public land for low income and affordable housing.
A key new initiative will be to accommodate people whose salaries are too high to get government subsidies, but who earn too little to qualify for a normal bank mortgage.
We will set up a guarantee fund of R1 billion to incentivise the private banking and housing sector, to develop new products to meet this housing demand.
Bakwethu,
Ngonyaka odlule sathi, abantu basemakhaya nabo banelungelo lokuba nogesi, amanzi, izindlu zangasese ezigijima amanzi nemigwaqo.
Sathi kufanele babe nezindawo zezemidlalo kanye nezindawo zokuthenga ezinkulukazi eziphucuzekile njengasemadolobheni.
In this regard, we launched the first pilot site of the Comprehensive Rural Development Programme in Giyani, Limpopo in August last year.
Since then, 231 houses have been built.
Progress has also been made in providing infrastructure to support agricultural development, and training for community members.
Access to health and education facilities has improved.
We are implementing similar programmes in seven sites across the country, benefiting 21 wards.
By 2014, we aim to have sites in 160 wards.
We want 60% of households in these sites to meet their food requirements from own production by 2014.
Kancane kancane kuze kulunge, phela bakwethu, kuthiwa nempandla iqala ngenhlonhlo.
We also need to better integrate land reform and agricultural support programmes.
Our success in this area will be measured by the increase in the number of small scale farmers that become economically viable.
Honourable Speaker and Chairperson of the NCOP,
We are not a water rich country.
Yet we still lose a lot of water through leaking pipes and inadequate infrastructure.
We will be putting in place measures to reduce our water loss by half by 2014.
Honourable Members,
As part of our efforts to encourage greater economic growth, we are working to reduce the cost to communicate.
The South African public can look forward to an even further reduction of broadband, cell phone, landline and public phone rates.
We will work to increase broadband speed and ensure a high standard of internet service, in line with international norms.
Fellow South Africans,
This government will ensure that our environmental assets and natural resources are well protected, and are continually enhanced.
Together with Brazil, India and China, and joined by the United States which represented the developed world, we made a significant contribution to the accord adopted at the Copenhagen Climate Change Summit in December last year.
Although it does not go as far as required, it is an important step forward as it commits all countries to respond to climate change.
We will work hard with our international counterparts towards a legally binding treaty.
As South Africa we have voluntarily committed ourselves to specific emission reduction targets, and will continue working on our long term climate change mitigation strategy.
Honourable Members,
We will intensify efforts to promote the interests of South Africa globally.
We will support efforts to speed up the political and economic integration of the SADC region, and promote intra-regional trade and investment.
South Africa continues to play a leading role in continental efforts to strengthen the African Union and its organs, and to work for unity.
We will focus energy on revitalising the New Partnership for Africa’s Development, as a strategy for economic development on the continent.
Fellow South Africans,
The public service has to respond to the call to make this term one of faster action and improved State performance.
We require excellence and hard work.
We need public servants who are dedicated, capable and who care for the needs of citizens.
Government is already working on the development and implementation of a public service development programme, which will set the norms and standards for public servants in all spheres.
Honourable Members,
We continue our efforts to eradicate corruption and fraud in procurement and tender processes, and in applications for drivers’ licences, social grants, and identity documents, among others.
We are pleased with the progress government is making in some areas.
This week, we terminated 32 687 fraudulent social grants payments, valued at R180 million.
Our Inter-Ministerial Committee on Corruption is looking at ways to decisively defeat corruption.
Nga u shumisana rothe ringa bveledza zwinzhi.
Compatriots,
As you are aware, we introduced the Presidential Hotline to make government and the Presidency more accessible to the public, and to help unblock service delivery blockages.
The Hotline represents our determination to do things differently in government.
It has made a difference in the lives of many South Africans.
We can mention Mrs Buziwe Ngaleka of Mount Frere, whose call about her late husband’s pension was the first we took on the first day of the service.
She is with us here tonight.
We also have among us Mr Nkululeko Cele, who was helped to obtain identity documents which allowed him to enroll at Tshwane University of Technology.
These are just two among many success stories.
From these and other examples, we identify weaknesses that should be rectified by various spheres of government.
Through the Speaker, we have invited a multiparty delegation from Parliament to visit the call centre, so that MPs can get a first hand account of the work done.
Compatriots and friends,
I have outlined the main elements of our plans for 2010, our collective commitment as government to the people of South Africa.
The State of the Nation Address provides a broad overview of our action plan.
Ministers will provide the detail in their respective Budget Vote speeches.
Honourable Members, Fellow South Africans,
In November this year, we will mark the 150th anniversary of the arrival of Indians in South Africa.
It provides an opportunity to recognise the important contribution of the Indian community in the fields of labour, business, science, sports, religion, arts, culture and the achievement and consolidation of our democracy.
Compatriots and friends,
Let me take this opportunity to once again extend our heartfelt condolences to the government and people of Haiti on the monumental tragedy that has befallen them.
We are pleased that our rescue teams were able to go and assist.
I would like to especially recognise one South African who never fails to assist in times of disasters, and helps us to promote the vision of a caring society.
We welcome Dr Imtiaz Sooliman of the Gift of the Givers in this House.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Fellow South Africans,
The hosting of the FIFA World Cup makes 2010 truly a year of action.
We have spent many years planning for this World Cup.
We only have three months to go.
And we are determined to make a success of it.
The infrastructure, security and logistics arrangements are in place to ensure a successful tournament.
As a nation we owe a debt of gratitude to the 2010 Local Organising Committee for their sterling effort.
We wish the LOC Chairperson Irvin Khoza, CEO Danny Jordaan and Bafana Bafana coach Carlos Alberto Parreira all the best for the months ahead.
President Mandela was central in assisting the country to win the rights to host this great event.
We therefore have to make the World Cup a huge success in his honour.
Compatriots, let us also stand behind the national team Bafana Bafana.
Most importantly, ithikithi esandleni bakwethu!
Let us all buy tickets timeously to be able to attend the games.
Fellow South Africans,
As we celebrate Madiba’s release today, we recommit ourselves to reconciliation, national unity, non-racialism and building a better future together as South Africans, black and white.
We are guided by what Madiba said in the dock, that:
“During my lifetime I have dedicated myself to this struggle of the African people.
I have fought against white domination, and I have fought against black domination.
I have cherished the ideal of a democratic and free society, in which all persons live together in harmony, and with equal opportunities.
It is an ideal which I hope to live for, and to achieve.
But if needs be, it is an ideal for which I am prepared to die”.
Inspired by our icon Madiba, it is my honour to dedicate this 2010 State of the Nation Address, to all our heroes and heroines, sung and unsung, known and unknown.
Let us work together to make this year of action a successful one for our country.
I thank you.
Remarks by Mr. Johnny Moloto, Chargé D’Affaires at the South African Embassy in Washington, D.C. on the occasion of the Inaugural Fundraising Lunch for the Extraordinary Life Program, 15 January 2010
Programme Director
Ms Stacie Turner, Extraordinary Life Founder
Ms Debra Lee, XOL Luncheon Co-Chair and CEO of BET Networks
Ms Victoria Rowell, XOL Luncheon Co-Chair, Actress and national foster carer advocate
Members of the City Council of the District of Columbia
Members of the US Soccer Foundation and DC Stoddert Soccer
Members of the business community
Distinguished Guests
Ladies and Gentleman
Good afternoon. It is an honour for me to address you today at the Inaugural Extra-Ordinary Life Fundraising Luncheon.
I would like to congratulate Ms Stacie Turner and Extra-Ordinary Life Luncheon Co-Chairs for their efforts and dedication in ensuring the success of today’s event. The numbers present today are testimony to the commitment and resolve to positively transform and develop the lives of girl children both in the United States of America and in South Africa.
Please allow me to first extend our First Lady’s greetings and well wishes for this event. Mrs Nompulelelo Ntuli Zuma who was scheduled to join us today, is unable to do so because she has been requested to attend another urgent engagement by President Zuma sends her regrets and has requested me specifically to express her support for the work undertaken by the Extra-Ordinary Life Program, particularly in enhancing the knowledge and awareness of girls from disadvantaged backgrounds of the world and of the limitless possibilities that exist; and in inspiring and motivating these girls in their pursuit of excellence regardless of personal circumstances.
Initiatives such as the Extraordinary Life Program find strong resonance to the role played by women in our own society today. Many of our women role models got involved with community work, social programs and political activism while they were teenagers themselves. Women have always played a positive role in South African society as single parents, bread winners and even heads of households during a time when the men and husbands were either away to work in the cities as migrant labourers or in prison because of their fight against apartheid. Girl children therefore have very strong female role models in both our societies to follow as demonstrated by the partnership between the Extraordinary Life and MaNtuli partnership.
There are also many parallels in the efforts being undertaken by Stacie and her team here today. We are encouraged by our First Lady’s own commitment to this initiative and will provide her with the necessary support to ensure that this endeavour is a success.
We further support your initiative to take 15 girl children to South Africa during or around the time of the 2010 FIFA Football World Cup starting on 11 June this year. Stacie and her team saw an opportunity to expose these girl children to the power of the human spirit to overcome adversity. For South Africa, hosting the World Cup is beyond just the game. Just like lifting the Rugby World Cup trophy in 1995, the Africa Cup of Nations trophy in 1996 and Cricket World Cup trophy in 2002 went beyond the game but served powerful symbols for building national unity and social cohesion. Sport has managed to break the barriers of class, race and gender to demonstrate that with the right attitude and the necessary support, the human spirit the overcome event he most dire of circumstances. This event is a clear demonstration of the commitment of visionary individuals to support those less fortunate amongst us to realise their dreams.
Our hosting the FIFA Football World Cup continues in this vein and seeks to demonstrate to the world this power of the human spirit to triumph. Some of you might not know this, but prior to us being awarded the World Cup, we had suffered two consecutive setbacks in losing the 2006 Olympics bid to Athens and the 2006 World Cup bid to Germany. This gave our people more resolve to rally behind the Government’s efforts to secure future bids. This is the South African story and this is the story that I hope our girls will share with yours.
We look forward to welcoming the 15 Extraordinary girls as well as all of you present here today to South Africa during the time of the World Cup. We hope that this once in a lifetime opportunity will lead to long lasting friendships and you will return to our country over and over again long after the final whistle of the World Cup has blown.
In conclusion, I once more like to take this opportunity to wish the organisers of the Extraordinary Life all of the best in their endeavours.
Ladies and Gentlemen, I wish you a pleasant afternoon.
Acceptance remarks by Mr. Johnny Moloto, Chargé D’Affaires at the South African Embassy of the Honourable Mention Award on behalf of the City of Johannesburg on the occasion of the Sustainable Transport Awards, 12 January 2010
Programme Director
Fellow Sustainable Transport Awards Nominees
Members of the Transportation Research Board
Members of the Selection Committee
Distinguished Guests
Ladies and Gentlemen
I bring you you greetings from sunny South Africa, which as we speak is a hive of activity working on the final touches in the preparations for hosting the premier world sporting event, the 2010 FIFA Football World Cup. The Rea Vaya Bus Rapid Transit system, of BRT for short, for which the city of gold, Johannesburg has received an honourable mention, is one of the flagship projects that is the spin-off of the major investments made by my country to create a lasting legacy for future South African generations.
It is therefore my singular honour to accept, on behalf of the City of Johannesburg, the Honorable Mention for the 2010 Sustainable Transport Award, for the successful implementation of the first phase of Rea Vaya, which is also the first bus rapid transit (BRT) system on the African continent.
I would like to thank the Members of the of the Transportation Research Board and Selection Committee for their recognition of South Africa’s achievements in what must have been quite a dauniting task to select from the many deserving nominees for this honour. Additionally, I wish to also offer my congratulations to the four other nominees for their 2010 Sustainable Transport Awards.
The City of Johannesburg Council decided in November 2006 to implement Rea Vaya, BRT. While there was an acknowledgment of the need to build a world-class public transport system for the 2010 FIFA Football World Cup, a more significant concern was the need to build a transport legacy in South Africa, which would continue well after the final whistle was blown on the FIFA World Cup stage.
Rea Vaya has sought to change the dismal public transport picture that South Africa has for so long been faced with. As a result of apartheid, the Black majority in South Africa were forced to live far from their places of work, with very little investment made in the public transport infrastructure. Today, millions of South Africans are forced to live on a daily basis with the consequences of that legacy, which entails long travel time, difficult transfers, and a substantial amount of their income spent on public transport. Out of a population of approximately 47 million people, only 7 million people in South Africa have access to their own motor vehicles. The remaining 40 million have to rely on public transport.
I would therefore like to pay special tribute to the taxi industry that demonstrated visionary leadership in supporting the government’s initiatives to improve the transport infrastructure. Working in partnership with government, the industry has supported the government’s initiatives to realise Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment.
The first phase of Rea Vaya, which was implemented in August 2009, marked a great milestone for the City of Johannesburg, and the beginning of a new chapter in the history of public transport. The Rea Vaya service has operated successfully since then, with an estimated twelve thousand commuters making use of this service during the December festive period, which is period when many South Africans are on holiday.
This commuter-focused service is not only affordable; it is reliable, safe, efficient and effective; and remains a key requirement for economic growth in South Africa. Rea Vaya also provides transport for people with physical disabilities.
As an alternative form of public transport, Rea Vaya represents a major climate change initiative and a turning point in how government deals with congestion, pollution and greenhouse gases as a result of transportation.
Translated literally, Rea Vaya means “We Are on the Move!” This ties in very well with the slogan of government of a nation at work and has catpured the imagination of ordinary South African, who have eagerly embraced it. It also ties in very well with our 2010 FIFA Football World Cup slogan, “Ke Nako”, which means it is time.
Our time has come and we wish to extend a very warm South African welcome to all of you present here tonight to come and experience this world class transport system with us during the Football World Cup that starts on the 11th of June.
Thank you ladies and gentlemen and have a good night.
A response to the Washington Post’s December 21, 2008, editorial
The Washington Post’s article entitled South Africa’s Crime, dated Sunday, 21 December 2008, shows, once again, a lack of objectivity when reporting on South Africa’s role in Zimbabwe.
The article begins by referring to a United Nations Report, commenting on the death of more than 1000 people as a result of the recent outbreak of cholera.
As Zimbabwe’s direct neighbour, South Africa is very cognisant of the humanitarian situation in Zimbabwe, which has a direct impact on South African citizens. South Africa was fully appraised of the situation, and together with South African Development Community (SADC) and World Health Organisation (WHO) representatives, sent a Government team to investigate the situation, in an effort to determine how best to respond to the humanitarian challenges facing Zimbabwe.
Setting the Record Straight: a Response to the New York Times
Mr. Barry Bearak’s article on the first page of the New York Times entitled “Post-Apartheid South Africa Enters New and Anxious Era” is sensationalist journalism at its very best. In his article, Mr. Bearak comments on the gloom and anxiety that has beset South Africa, following the departure of former President Nelson Mandela, a time which he implies were the miracle years. Glossing over the successes of South Africa over the past 14 years, Mr. Bearak goes on to paint a vivid and dismal picture of South Africa as a country grappling to come to terms with, inter alia, an ailing economy, rampant crime, xenophobic attacks and an electricity crisis - a country that one envisages is tethering on the brink of political and economic disaster.
Responding to a New York Times Op-Ed by Peter Godwin
Peter Godwin, a Zimbabwean author who currently resides in Manhattan, wrote an article published in the New York Times Op-Ed on Tuesday 24 June 2008, entitled Soccer 1 Mugabe 0.
While encompassing the usual rhetoric and diatribe on Zimbabwe and President Mbeki’s mediation efforts in particular, this article departs significantly from others. Firstly, Mr Godwin cautions his audience “against booking a safari to South Africa or making “new investments in the country”. The article goes on to suggest that Zimbabwe should become to the South Africa-hosted World Cup what Tibet has been to the Beijing Olympics and concludes on a dramatic note by stating that “perhaps it’s time to share the Zimbabweans’ pain, to help persuade Mr. Mbeki to bear down on its source by threatening to grab the world’s soccer ball and take our games elsewhere”.
A Response to the Wall Street Journal
African Renaissance Lost asserts that South African President Mbeki is responsible for being the enabler of President Robert Mugabe to wreak havoc on the people of Zimbabwe. Further claims are that the impact of centuries of colonialism should not bear the responsibility in the current socio-economic situation facing many poor South Africans today. These claims are factually incorrect. In fact, colonialism it is one of the main factors responsible for the situation Zimbabweans face today.
