PREMIER'S ADDRESS
Master of ceremonies
Honourable members of the Ramatshagala Alumni Association,
Distinguished guests,
Ladies and gentlemen,
I wish to extend warm greetings and appreciation for affording me this opportunity to share my thoughts with you.
I am pleased to see so many former students of Ramatshagalala present here. I know that this represents a continuing interest by them in the success, not only of Ramatshagalala Alumni Association, but also in the school and the community itself.
Nineteen years ago when the community got together they
were driven by a dream
A dream to make a difference in their lives and that of their children.
A dream to work for a better life for all the people of this area and of
this country.
The same spirit that drove noble heroes like Sekhukhune, Nyabela, Mabhoko, Sekwati, Shaka and others to give up their lives so that others can live better, spurred the forerunners of this project to persevere in the face of adversity.
It will be the height of treachery not to acknowledge that South Africa has just emerged from a terrible past - a past that was based on racial oppression and minority rule. To deny that would be to deny the sterling role played by people like Fawcett Mathebe, Peter Nkadimeng and others.
Whereas some people scoffed at the very idea of a free South Africa. A South Africa where all its people can live together in harmony - we are indeed free.
Bureaucratic red tape and cynicism and doubt from those who thought we would not make a success of Ramatshagalala, did not stop its pioneers from soldiering on. Today we can proudly proclaim that indeed, like South Africa, Ramatshagalala is free. Free from the turmoil of ill discipline, Free from teachers who busk in the sun while children roam the streets aimlessly.
For that the people of this province, and indeed the people of the country, are forever grateful. Let us put our hands together for a job well done.
Ladies and gentlemen, today this school can boast of stalwarts - men and women like Philda Selahle, a Masters Graduate in psychology; Elliot Sibeko who is today an engineer, Frans Masekwa who lectures at Vista. The list is endless.
We are proud of the products of these school and in almost every school, government department provincially and nationally; hospital, technikon and university we have a graduate from this school. Let us applaud these men and women.
But there is still a lot to be done. We need, as past and present students of this institution, to identify our role in tackling the problems our government inherited from an apartheid past.
How do we help alleviate poverty,
- deliver water and other services
- to the poorest of the poor?
These are real challenges and it is my sincere belief that this gathering serves as the most appropriate forum which should attempt to identify these challenges, and on the basis of the understanding of these challenges, set out to work out a program of activity designed to empower the youth for the challenges that face our country.
It is only by correctly identifying these challenges that this congress can fully understand the challenges that face us. It is only by doing this that it can fully appreciate the immensity of the responsibility, which rests on its shoulders.
The imperatives of globalisation and the effect of the
restructuring of international relations have again emphasised the point
that the destiny of our country and our people is closely intertwined with
progress, or lack of it, in the region of Southern Africa and the continent
as a whole.
No other generation shall ever again be placed at this moment on
transition between the past of slavery and colonialism, and the future of
renewal, hope and peace.
Chief Albert Luthuli expressed this very sentiment at the acceptance of his Nobel Peace Prize, thirty-seven years ago. Chief Luthuli was speaking on a different platform, in a different epoch, but almost forty years hence, his appeal talks to one of the most important challenges of our time.
This is what he had to say: " let me invite Africa to cast her eyes ... and see herself as an emerging continent, bursting to freedom through the shell of centuries of serfdom. This is Africa's age - the dawn of her fulfilment, yes, the moment, when she must grapple with destiny to reach the summits of sublimity, saying - ours was a fight for noble values and worthy ends ... Africa is a vital subject matter in the world of today, a focal point of world interest and concern. Could it not be that history has delayed her rebirth for purpose? The situation confronts her with inescapable challenges, bur more importantly with opportunities for service to herself and humankind. She evades the challenges and neglects the opportunities to her shame, if not her doom."
To the class of 99,
" you are a leadership of a generation which can evade the challenges in
front of it or neglect the opportunities which this historical conjuncture
present to its shame, if not to its doom. "
The issues we have raised above address themselves to the issue of the quality of our cadreship.
- Do we have the cadre who can be equal to the responsibility that our won success in struggle has imposed on us?
- Are we producing the kind of cadre who can emulate, enrich and advance the tradition of struggle we have talked about?
I think we should as it were, drink in that great
fountain of revolutionary 'experience in order to produce this cadre that is
needed to ensure that we bring about the changes in this country which the
millions of our people are crying out for.
Most of you will be entering tertiary education next year. It is not for
me to tell you about the problems experienced in some of these institutions.
Problems of non-payment of fees for whatever reason, boycotts etc.
As students we need to be aware that apart from the student who has reached the tertiary level,
- a democratic government also carries the responsibility to the education of the adult who never had the opportunity to get to class;
- The youth who does not have the means to register even for the first year at school;
- the kid who attends pre-school education,
- the young who have to attend school under trees because there are no classrooms.
If we take into consideration the condition of the pupils and students who fall under these categories, the question must be posed: what becomes of the responsibility of a democratic government.
We must discuss these questions, because as we respond to the needs of the youth we should not only respond to those who have the capacity to speak with a voice that is heard, but should also respond to the needs of the millions of the youth whose voice is not heard, and those who have not even had the privilege to enter a classrooms
As government we shall also await with keen interest what you have to say, as you gather in small groups, on the following matter:
- The spread of HIV /AIDS
- The task of preventing and combating crime
- The task of building a common nationhood free of such incidences as we saw in our schools like at the Kuschke School in Pietersburg..
In conclusion. Let me mention that we believe that an appropriate and affordable education system is the best guarantor for a prosperous and productive nation.
Our constitution enshrines education not as a privilege but as a right. Thus education should be accessible to every South African. Today is not a day for long speeches. It is a day of festivities. I believe there are only two things to aim for in life: One is to get what you want, the second is to enjoy it.
Only the wisest achieve the second. So let's all enjoy ourselves. A little excess can be exhilarating and besides it prevents moderation from becoming a habit.
Let us enjoy and make friends.
I Thank you .