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Today (11 February 2011) marks a turning point and a watershed moment in the history of South Africa's struggle for constitutional democracy - the release from prison 21 years ago of our world-renowned icon, former President Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela.
As we celebrate the 21st Anniversary of the release from incarceration of Madiba, which marked a significant and symbolic victory for the people's yearning for freedom, we are reminded of the Harare Declaration, which set the terms to be met by the apartheid regime before negotiations could begin in South Africa. The minimum demands in the Harare Declaration included the release of all political prisoners, the unbanning of political organisations and the unconditional return of exiles.
The release of Madiba, following that of fellow Rivonia Treason Trial stalwarts Govan Mbeki, Raymond Mhlaba, Andrew Mlangeni, Elias Motsoaledi, Wilton Mkwayi and Ahmed Kathrada; as well as that of younger political prisoners - signalled the regime's conceding to our demands, ushering in a new political era in the country.
The release of Madiba and all other political prisoners became a pivotal catalyst for the movement to push for the normalisation of the South African political environment. This normalisation was not without political setbacks to the movement as rightwing groupings and individuals within the regime propped up hit squads and warlords whose offensive led to the massacre of our people in townships of Sebokeng, Sharpville, Alexandra and Boipatong - to count a few. But this move, calculated to weaken our hand at the negotiations - dismally failed to halt the people's march to a new South Africa.
The African National Congress (ANC) pays tribute to the many South Africans - some of whom could not live to see the dawn of democracy in 1994 that ushered in Madiba as the first democratically elected President of the Republic of South Africa. These include Chris Hani, Ashley Kriel, Solomon Mahlangu and countless of other struggle heroes who paid with their lives for us to be free.
As we celebrate the 21st Anniversary of the release of Nelson Mandela, we pay tribute to the Madiba family - particularly his wife Mama Winnie Madikizela-Mandela - who felt the full wrath of apartheid, which included arrests, bannings and banishment to Brandfort in the Free State.
We also pay tribute to millions of our masses who ensured that apartheid was rendered unworkable and to many compatriots throughout the world who rallied for international support under the banner of the Anti Apartheid Movement to ensure that South Africa became a pariah state. The heroic sacrifices made by millions of our people in South Africa and campaigns waged abroad by such friends as the late Olof Palme, Father Trevor Huddleson, Reverend Jessie Jackson - to name a few - played a crucial role in the release of Madiba and the liberation of South Africa.
Having entered a 17th year as a liberated country, much has been achieved by the ANC-led Government to redress decades of socio-economic imbalances created by apartheid. Through Government intervention programmes, we continue to push back frontiers of poverty. We are also aware that much more still needs to be done to better the lives of our people.
As President Jacob Zuma said during the State Of the Nation Address last night, South Africa continues to make steady progress towards a more prosperous society.
We pride ourselves for having built on a vibrant, fully functional Constitutional democracy, with independent institutions that support democracy and protecting the rights of individuals in place. These include the Office of the Public Protector, the South African Human Rights Commission, the Office of the Auditor General, the Commission for the Promotion and Protection of the Rights of Cultural, Religious and Linguistic Communities and the Gender Commission. We have a Parliament that is vibrant and holds the executive accountable and an independent judiciary, which is a trusted final arbiter in all disputes in our society. We also have a media whose freedom is enshrined in the Constitution.