SPEECH BY PREMIER
Programme Director
Comrades
Distinguished guests
Ladies and gentlemen.
Comrades, let me start by thanking all of you who have gathered here today to celebrate what is clearly an important day in the calendar of workers' struggle.
May Day is ours!
May Day is a tribute to countless comrades who lost their lives in battle against exploitation, dehuminisation, oppression and wanton violation of the rights of others, including the right to work.
Today as we gather here we do so to pay tribute to Vuyisile Mini, Elijah Barayi, Mark Shope, Philip Radebe, Boycott Mashego, Gert Sibande and Khotso Tsotetsi.
These and other comrades who identified, and took part in the
struggle against racism and oppression - organising mass resistance, mobilising
the international community and taking up the armed struggle against apartheid -
lost their lives to make sure May Day became a reality.
The history of May Day in South Africa, therefore, is the history of the
struggle for the liberation of the people of South Africa. The history of May
Day is the history of workers' organisation and struggle. It is the history of
the African Claims' document and the Freedom Charter.
The history of May Day in South Africa is the history of the struggle for the liberation of the people of South Africa. It is the history of the pickets, the marches, the stayaways and the running battles fought against the repressive apartheid regime. Fought in the factories, in the workshops, in the streets, in the trenches – in fact everywhere.
When we chanted from the trenches that SONQOBA NGAWO AMANDLA ABASEBENZI, we did so because we believed in the justness of our cause.
Indeed we knew that as we chanted that SISEBENZ'EMGODINI, SISEBENZEL'IMALI ENCANE, we would, through the workers' struggle, be able to defeat the demon of racism and begin creating a better life for all our people.
May Day is the history of the defiance of unjust laws and the formation of the people's army, Umkhonto we Sizwe. That is why every worker became an MK member, and every MK member became a worker – a worker for a democratic dispensation where the rights of the workers shall be paramount.
We knew then, as we know now, that trade unions are by nature not political parties. They form alliances with political formations.
Our leaders realised that workers on their own cannot deliver liberation or a better life for all. That is why as workers we entered into this noble Alliance between the ANC COSATU and the South African Communist Party. That is why the workers' vanguard, COSATU, became a key component of the struggle for liberation.
Throughout our years of struggle our leaders reminded us that as workers we had to combine workplace struggles with broader political struggles.
We recognised and understood that workplace apartheid was linked to the broader political system of apartheid colonialism. As COSATU and members of the ANC and the SACP working in the underground, we understood that we had to utilise workplace grievances to mobilise the workers in the broader political struggle. That is why our Alliance was born. That is how our Alliance was formed.
It is an Alliance born in the crucible of struggle. This is the strategic Alliance that liberated South Africa and today it spearheads the transformation process of South Africa. It is this Alliance that is busy building the foundations of a united, non-racial, non-sexist and democratic society.
An Alliance that is engaged in the struggle to uplift the quality of life of all the people of the province and the country, especially the poor. Today, as architects of democracy and a better life for all our people, we have started building a new life for the needy people of the province, providing free health care to infant children and pregnant women.
As an Alliance we have started building towards a better life where our people have affordable houses in communities where there are clinics, and hospitals that provide good quality care for all.
I know that as an Alliance we continue to place high on the agenda the task of ensuring that all of us act together to achieve high and sustained rates of growth in our economy. That is why it is necessary for all of us to work further to reduce the level of poverty in our society.
Together we have produced one of the most progressive constitutions, which safeguards the rights of all South Africans. And we are continuously addressing the inequalities in the education system, working to provide on a sustainable basis free basic water and electricity to all the people in the province and in the country.
Indeed we are working hard to in providing free health care to infant children and pregnant women. Even with these achievements much more needs to be done.
The freedom won, and the achievements of the last eight years, form the foundation of a better future. But the struggle will not end until the promise of dignity and freedom from poverty, malnutrition and disease has been realised by all South Africans. For this to be achieved, it is necessary that the forces of democratic change and progress are united and strong.
The success of the recent Alliance Summit is therefore critical for the future of this struggle. The summit reconfirmed the commitment of all Alliance partners to the primary task of the moment - the creation of a national democratic society.
All the classes and strata which share this objective, as well as the schools of thought found in the democratic movement, see this as their current strategic objective. There is one National Democratic Revolution, at the core of which is the liberation of black people in general and Africans in particular.
Among these classes and strata, the working class is the leading social motive force.
The Alliance partners agreed to never again allow policy or
other differences to result in public acrimony or the kind of tension witnessed
in recent months. The Alliance partners committed themselves to more effective
coordination, better communication and the open, frank discussion of differences
and problems.
The Alliance reaffirmed the principle of the people of South Africa as their
own liberators, to actively work and organise to poverty, malnutrition,
homelessness, landlessness, unemployment and disease. But then, as we forge
ahead, there are a number of challenges on the way.
Challenges, which threaten to tear our society part and rollback all the hard-earned gains, we have achieved as a people. We are all aware that there is an increase in incidents of the breakdown of parental control of children in families.
Crime and corruption are on the rise and so are the incidents of alcohol and drug abuse, abuse of women, children and other vulnerable members of society.
There is a great lack of respect for other people's property, and a general attitude of self-centeredness and not caring about other people. That we have lost our sense of shame and guilt is obvious. If we haven't then why is there an increase in the incidences of violence against women and children?
An increase in incidents of rape and gang rape and sexual abuse by neighbours, teachers, parents, grandfathers, uncles, and partners?
The incident we saw on TV on Monday evening where a step-father kept his two step-daughters as sex-slaves preventing them from going to school, must make every decent human being cringe.
What is most worrying is that these incidents are escalating despite attempts to raise awareness.
It is true that these shocking incidents signify the extent of the moral decay of our society and the lack of respect for human rights and dignity. We must, as workers, employers, youth, NGOs, and as social workers and teachers, parents, church leaders do something drastic.
This evil needs to be curbed at whatever cost. And by whatever means necessary. I am confident that we will win this war. Confident because of the South African people's proven ability to bring together diverse strands of rich cultures and traditions, and their ability to work together, even in the most trying of circumstances.
In a sustained and all-year-round effort we must reclaim our towns, our townships, our farms, our villages, our schools and our streets from the criminals. We must win this battle. I know we will.
Programme Director, I am also convinced that we have laid a solid foundation for an all-out war against HIV/AIDS. We know that our awareness campaign is working because people in the country and in the province are aware of the dangers of the epidemic. That is why we are again reiterating our call to people to take full responsibility and care for their lives.
As Government we will intensify the awareness campaign, as part of our comprehensive strategy against HIV/AIDS. The challenge is to ensure that awareness continues to translate into a change in behaviour.
HIV/AIDS is a behavioural disease. We can beat it by changing our lifestyle. There is nothing that can beat the basic ABC – Abstain, Be faithful or Condomise. In conducting this campaign, government's starting point is based on the premise that HIV causes AIDS.
It is also critical for us, as a nation, to note that there
is no cure for AIDS. In this regard, promoting awareness and life skills and
HIV/AIDS education forms the core of our approach.
A critical element of this strategy is the strengthening of partnerships among
all South Africans and their organisations to fight this epidemic.
Research on the use of Nevirapine against mother-to-child transmission must continue; at the same time as government implements the temporary ruling of the Constitutional Court.
With regard to cases of sexual assault, government will endeavour to provide a comprehensive package of care for victims, including counselling, testing for HIV, pregnancy and Sexually Transmitted Diseases.
In this regard, survivors will be counselled, including on the risks of using anti-retrovirals as preventative drugs, so they could make an informed choice. We believe that NO South African should be sent away and not treated irrespective of their HIV status.
Given the critical importance of drugs dealing with
infections such as meningitis, oral thrush, TB and pneumonia, we are urging the
public, especially People Living with AIDS, to assist government in monitoring
their availability.
Alongside poverty alleviation and nutritional interventions, government will
encourage investigation into alternative treatments, particularly on supplements
and medication for boosting the immune system.
We are as government, committed to assist families affected by the HIV/AIDS epidemic. Our comprehensive programme is backed up by a massive increase in resources.
The total budget to be spent mainly through the Departments of Health, Social Development and Education was R350m in 2001/02. This year it has been increased to R1-billion and will go up to R1.8-billion in 04/05.
We are also improving the programme of home-based care and community-based care, for which allocations of R94.5-million have been made this year, and R138-million in 2004/05.
Government calls on all South Africans to join hands in a campaign of hope: to mobilise our strength as a nation and as individuals to ensure that, we are able to manage, reduce and, in the long-run, defeat this epidemic.
We have it in our power to achieve this objective. What is
critical is that we should work together as a united force to achieve the best
interests of our society.
Programme Director, I know that as workers one of the problems we are faced
with is retrenchment and job losses. As government we will increase our focus on
the issue of achieving higher rates of economic growth and development.
We believe this will boost the economy and create jobs. We have gone some way in creating that better life for our people. But more still needs to be done.
In keeping with this spirit, the African National Congress celebrates its 90th Anniversary this year by taking the lead in rendering voluntary services to the people and to recapture the community spirit of Ijima.
The spirit of Ijima has been positively received by ANC branches and communities, resulting in an outpouring of energy and enthusiasm throughout the country.
Each month branches, regions, provinces, the national
leadership, the Alliance and other MDM structures have been called upon to lead
voluntary activities to serve the people.
In January the theme for Ijima concentrated on the challenge of providing
proper schooling and education. Members of the ANC have played a key role in and
led numerous programmes to uplift local schools in their communities.
In February the spirit of Ijima focused on safety and security. Again ANC branches were in the forefront of reclaiming our streets from criminals and reporting criminals or suspicious activities to the police. The month of March focused on the theme of human rights, where community members were involved in providing support to the justice system.
The month of April is focused on the theme of health, which has taken the form of mobilisation of skills and resources of community members in promoting good health and quality, accessible health care.
We will be launching the month of Urban and Rural Community Development in May, focusing on mobilising people to develop their communities, particularly the poorest and most vulnerable.
This will include involving people in poverty alleviation projects in cooperation with government, improving community access to information about development opportunities, and ensuring those who qualify are able to access social grants and other support.
Volunteer activities will focus on cleaning local areas, working for clean water and involving communities in initiatives around the promotion of tourism. Our on-going struggle for democracy and end to poverty is part of a global struggle. It is the struggle to create a world in which dignity and peace are respected.
Therefore as we celebrate May Day, we cannot ignore the plight of the Palestinian people and their struggle for self-determination.
The ANC therefore recommits itself to ongoing solidarity with the Palestinian people and calls on the Israel government to end all violations of human rights.
On this May Day, the African National Congress calls on all South African to embrace the principles of freedom, participate in the Ijima campaign and to pledge their solidarity with the people of Palestine.
Amandla !