REMARKS BY PREMIER
Comrades
The National Executive Committee of your movement, the ANC, held its last scheduled meeting of the year over the past weekend.
A number of issues were discussed including the 40 th anniversary of Umkhonto we Sizwe, preparations for the celebration of the 90 th anniversary of the ANC, cooperation with the NNP, the situation in Zimbabwe and the HIV/Aids epidemic.
The ANC continues to work through its structures, through government and through interaction with civil society and communities to combat the HIV/Aids epidemic.
The National Executive Committee noted the significant progress that had been made in creating awareness about HIV/Aids, encouraging prevention, combating prejudice and discrimination, and building a foundation for adequate treatment and care.
The meeting endorsed government's wide-ranging strategy to combat HIV/Aids which includes interventions in a range of sectors and at a number of levels. The strategy focuses on four main areas:
- prevention,
- treatment, care and support,
- legal and human rights,
- research, monitoring and surveillance.
It reiterated that government's strategy should be based on the assumption that HIV undermines the human immune system, allowing the development of diseases which give rise to the syndrome known as Aids. It further supported ongoing scientific enquiry to address the many areas in which our knowledge of the syndrome, its development and its treatment are still deficient.
Cooperation with the NNP goes beyond government
Cooperation with the New National Party (NNP) should not be limited to government, but must find expression in all areas of South Africa's national life.
The meeting endorsed the strategic objectives agreed to in these discussions, and mandated the task team to proceed with discussions towards finalising an agreement with the NNP.
Cooperation between the ANC and NNP, as much as it aims to restore stable governance and effective delivery to key parts of the country, is in essence about fundamentally changing South African society for the better. The meeting viewed cooperation with the NNP as an important step in the political evolution of South Africa, and a welcome opportunity to challenge the racial divisions which characterise South African politics.
The strategic objectives that will underpin the relationship between the ANC and the NNP will include:
- Building a national consensus founded on true South African patriotism as a critical instrument in the effort to deracialise our society;
- Developing a unity of purpose to confront the great challenges of our country, including, among other things, poverty, unemployment, homelessness, crime, and HIV/Aids and other diseases;
- Striving to foster reconciliation and good inter-community relations to achieve a truly non-racial and non-sexist South African society so that, together, we can address the legacy of the past;
- Recognising that South Africa is an African country. Within the African continent we have an important role to play in mobilising extensively the relevant human and material resources necessary for the development of both our country and our continent.
Each organisation will retain its identity and autonomy and will stand for its own policies and programmes. Each organisation will have the right to publicly promote its views and positions in terms of its policies, programmes, strategies and tactics. The ANC and NNP will seek to achieve consensus on areas of disagreement and differences, but will not compromise the principle of majority decision-making and the right to differ publicly.
The nature of cooperation in different areas, including in government, will be determined in accordance with strategic objectives of the relationship and on the basis of the needs and circumstances in each instance.
Laws to enable political re-alignment
The meeting stressed that while the proposed legislation should make provision for significant political re-alignment, it should not open the door for individual elected officials to simply cross the floor on a whim or for the sake of expediency. The proposed legislation should not be allowed to undermine the principle or practice of proportional representation, nor destabilise the fundamental basis of South Africa's constitutional arrangement.
Formation of Umkhonto we Sizwe to be celebrated
The ANC will celebrate the 40 th anniversary of the formation of Umkhonto we Sizwe, the people's army, on 16 December. Among the activities organised will be a festival of celebration at the Jabulani Amphitheatre in Soweto, and a dinner at the Sandton Convention Centre on 16 December. On 15 December, a luncheon for MK stalwarts will be held at Liliesleaf farm in Rivonia, the former headquarters of MK.
As the formation of MK is celebrated, the spirit of service, sacrifice and struggle should be preserved through our joint work to build a non-racial, non-sexist and peaceful country.
Preparations for January 8 th advanced
Preparations for the celebration of the ANC's 90 th anniversary on January 8 th 2002 are well advanced. The oldest living liberation movement in Africa, the ANC will celebrate its 90 th birthday at a national rally on Sunday, 6 January 2002 at ABSA Stadium in Durban, where President Thabo Mbeki will present the ANC's 90 th Anniversary statement. Other activities will be held around the country to mark the occasion.
The celebrations will begin on 15-16 December 2001 with a national choir competition, to be held at the Durban Exhibition Centre. The competition will pay tribute to the rich cultural traditions of the liberation movement.
Organisational matters
F orthcoming bilateral meeting between the ANC and Zanu-PF. This meeting is part of a broader effort, which includes the members of SADC and the Commonwealth, to engage all sectors of Zimbabwean society in finding solutions to the pressing problems currently facing that country.
NEC Lekgotla: The NEC will hold its annual lekgotla in January next year to review the work of the organisation over the preceding year and finalise the organisation's programme of action for 2002.
Formation of a new Western Cape provincial government
The Premier of the Western Cape will be appointed by the NNP. The NNP and the ANC will each appoint five (5) Provincial Ministers from the provincial legislature. The ANC will appoint one additional Provincial Minister in the category of special adviser with full cabinet status. This will result in six (6) members each to the two parties in the provincial cabinet.
The Premier will not have a casting vote. Decisions will be taken on the basis of consensus. If consensus cannot be reached, the issue will be referred to the respective national officials of each party or their nominees.
The Speaker of the Western Cape provincial legislature will be appointed by the ANC, and the Deputy Speaker will be appointed by the NNP. The spirit of cooperation will also be reflected in appointments at provincial legislature level and other appropriate structures.
The agreement with regard to the Western Cape will be implemented as soon as it is legally and constitutionally possible. The mayoral candidate for the Cape Town Metropolitan Council will be appointed by the ANC, and the Deputy Mayor by the NNP.
In so far as other Provincial Governments and local government structures are concerned, a final understanding will be reached on the basis of provincial and local circumstances. The commitment by the two parties to cooperation is a long-term commitment beyond 2004.
A threshold of 10% will apply to instances where a group of MP's, MPL's and/or PR local councilllors wish to leave a political party, either to form a new one or join another/other party (-ies).
The South African government has repeatedly tried to bring to the attention of the Zimbabian government the crisis in that country.
It is a known fact that the economic crisis in Zimbabwe has resulted in factories shutting down, prices of basic foods sky rocketing and the trading of currency being conducted in the streets instead of in a bank.
The situation in Zimbabwe will of course affect us in this country. Zimbabwe cross the border into South Africa when there are problems in their country. If Zimbabwe is not stable South Africa will be affected.
You may have heard or read about the vicious and vitriolic attack the Zimbabwe Herald launched against our President.
Unfortunately the attitude taken by the Zimbabian government is that anybody who is opposed to that country's land grab policies is seen as an imperialist or an imperialist sympathizer.
Surely it cannot be correct to say it is right for Zimbabwe to go about the land issue in the manner in which they are doing. But we believe the problem will be resolved.
The NEC has taken the view that the matter should be taken up in bilaterals between the ANC and the ruling ZANU-PF. The NEC also discussed the issue of cooperative agreement between the ANC and the NNP.
I must correct upfront the perceptions given in the media regarding the purpose and the impact of the agreement. The reality is that what was publicised in the newspapers was not necessarily the matters approved by the ANC.
There were merely positions agreed upon at the negotiation table which positions had to be rectified by the NEC and we believe also by the feral council of the NNP. I am sure you are all aware that negotiations are about give and take.
With regards to the Western Cape the situation is as follows:
This will include people at local government level.
The necessary amendments of the constitution and the legislation will be done very soon in the New Year.
This amendment will enable those councilors who do not want to remain with the DA but go with the NNP to do so.
Even those who want to come to ANC will have that opportunity. Those MPS and MPLs in the Western Cape and in Kwazulu natal who have been wanting to join the ANC will now have the opportunity to do so.
Although even ANC MPLS and councilors will now have the opportunity to go to gather parties although we do not expect to happen.
The argument is that if there is such a person who wants to move from the NAC to another party it will be good riddance because it will be an indication that that person was never grounded in the ANC in the first place.
Finally let me congratulate the NEW regional executive council elected a few day s ago in particular I would like to congradulate:
We can only hope that the N Rec will carry for ward the tradition of the movement. And in so doing read the new movement of all traces of cabalism division clicks regionalism powermongary and so forth.
I hope they will work for the prosperous South Africa and build the movement, which is the vanguard of society. 90 th Anniversary of the ANC
The NEC Lekgotla directed the NWC to make recommendations on a broad programe and structure to ensure the appropriate celebration of the 90 th anniversary of our movement in 2002.
The Lekgotla further noted that 2001 will be the 40 th anniversary of the formation of our liberation army, Umkhonto we Sizwe and directed the NWC to make recommendations for the celebration on this event in an appropriate manner.
We believe that That our program to create a democratic, non-racial, non-sexist and prosperous society is central to the restoration of human dignity and peace and security for all in a South Africa that truly belongs to all of us – black and white as set out in the Freedom Charter.
We resolved tointensify the struggle for the deracialisation of South Africa, against racism for the creation of a non-racial society. nd equitable society
For the empowerment of women, against sexism and gender inequality for the creation of a non-sexist society; For reconstruction and development, against poverty and under development for the creation of a prosperous a.
While the ANC continues to enjoy the support of the vast majority of south Africans in our struggle for a non-racial, non-sexist and democratic society and for a more just world order, there are powerful ideological forces, both locally and internationally that are hostile to this vision.
In South Africa, the main opposition to the ANC's non-racial and democratic vision is comprised of a range of political and ideological forces united around a programme with the following elements. Blocking fundamental social transformation,
Undermining the capacity of the state of decisively intervene to effect transformation, arguing that things should be left to the market and that the state should be minimalist, protecting at all costs existing ownership patterns,
A programme to protect privileges accorded the white community under apartheid, using threats of investment strikes and “brain drain” as means to drive this agenda.
Projecting a negative image of South Africa at home and abroad, and attempting to create a permanent sense of crisis and insecurity,
Presenting Africans in general and the ANC and President in particular as incapable of governing a modern country such as South Africa.
The deepening of the NDR requires the intensification of the struggle for the self-liberation of black people in general and Africans in particular from the psychological shackles of colonialism and apartheid. This liberation includes the deepening of social consciousness and patriotism amongst all South Africans.
Our programs must also seek to build confidence and pride amongst black people in our language, culture and history, to reverse the cultural domination of generations of colonial and apartheid rule.
The time has come that we launch a sustained offensive to wipe out poverty in our country and continent. Millions of our people are still condemned to suffer from hunger, from malnutrition and its diseases.
Once again, the ANC is convinced that we need to confront this situation with all the necessary determination, in a sustained struggle to translate the principle of the right of the people to health into reality.
This situation has to be corrected by rebuilding Africa's economies to ensure that they are able to generate the necessary volumes of wealth, work for the people and the capacities that will ensure that we take our rightful place within the global economy.
In this context, we will have to ensure that we take full advantage of the possibilities provided by modern science and technology, including those achieved in the areas of biotechnology and information and communication.
This we must do as an essential part of the continuing struggle for the assertion of the dignity of Africa's peoples and the reinforcement of their confidence in their own capacity to free themselves from a terrible and dehumanising past.
The African Century must also mean that our continent occupies its rightful place among the other continents, other peoples and nations. This challenge will have to be addressed within the context of the ongoing process of globalisation and the emerging system of global governance. We must strive to arrive at the situation in which Africa is no longer treated as marginal, if not irrelevant, to the determination of the future of humanity, an object of pity, the inevitable destination of charitable contributions.
The new world order that is being born must be defined, in part, by the fact that Africa and her people play an equal role with other people in shaping that new and more equitable global political, economic and social order.
The achievement of all these goals of the African Renaissance, of the African Century, requires that we transform ours into a Continent of democracy, respect for the human rights of all our people, peace and stability.
The people-centred society we seek to build throughout our Continent requires, among other things, that we should aim to ensure that every single African, regardless of age, gender, class, race, ethnicity or belief should live in conditions of freedom, dignity and absence of fear.
This means that we should end all dictatorship on our continent, ensuring that all our people exercise the right freely to determine their future. As you can see, these tasks have as much to do with the future of our own country, as they have to do with the other sister African countries.
In the short period of its existence as a free country, apart from what she has done for her own people, South Africa has also begun to make her own contribution, however small it might be, to the rebuilding of our continent as a whole.
We will also have to pay continued attention to the issue of the education of the masses of our people on health questions. We have to respond to the urgent need for the strengthening of our system of primary health care.