Date: 21/04/2004
Source: Mpumalanga Provincial Government
Title: N Mahlangu: Function for SA Team participating in Zone Six games


REMARKS BY PREMIER NJ MAHLANGU AT THE FAREWELL FUNCTION FOR TEAM SOUTH AFRICA, Nelspruit, 21 April 2004

Master of Ceremonies
Sports and Recreation Minister, Balfour Ngconde
MEC Sibongile Manana
His worship the Mayor of Mbombela Councillor, Isaiah Khoza
SA Sports Commission CEO, Dr Joe Phaahla
Sports Commission Chairperson, Mr Gideon Sam
Distinguished guests
Ladies and Gentlemen.

I am deeply honoured to speak here today in bidding farewell to our sports ambassadors as they set off to Mozambique to participate in the Zone Six games. A few days after we scored a decisive victory in defence of democracy, peace and stability.

And less than a week before we celebrate 10 years of democracy and freedom.

On behalf of the Mpumalanga government and on behalf of the people of the province let me wish you every success in the important task you are facing in neighbouring Maputo.

Ladies and gentlemen, most of us have met in the past, but our encounters were at places where pleasure could not be mixed with business. We met at places were we were held up in discussions.

Discussing about how to ensure that again we get a clear mandate from our people to create work and fight poverty as we pursue that necessary goal of ensuring a better life for all our people - black and white. At times we met as business, as homeboys, as members of the ANC and so forth.

Today we meet as people, as patriots, as a nation confident of itself, aware of its immense possibilities and prepared to do extra-ordinary things to attain the goal that comes from creating a better quality of life for all.

We come from a past where a section of the community had everything they needed to advance sports development in their communities. On the other hand a section of the community had nothing. That is why we appealed to business to help us address that imbalance.

We told them that there were tremendous opportunities for the expansion of our Province's partnership with business and with communities in the initiation and development of sport projects in our province.

Such partnership, we said, would ensure that all our sportspeople, regardless of race, have the potential to develop to the full. The potential for such partnership would make a significant contribution to addressing a variety of problems facing our society and ensuring the total development in our youth is considerable.

Ladies and gentlemen, as we move into the next decade of democracy, I can safely say that the appeal we made then, and which we continue to make, has not fallen on deaf ears.

Business has and continues to respond. Thank you for that. But as we enter the second decade of democracy our priorities must bring an end to the poverty of our people. The next decade must be one in which the divisions of the past must truly cease to exist.

As we reconstruct the country and the province and reclaim the whole country for all, we must break down all the divisions and attitudes of the past.

We must do so while freeing everyone from the last vestiges of oppression. Freeing everyone from hunger, disease and want. It is our task to make the most of our freedom, to entrench it in our new epoch as a fundamental and a permanent feature of our very existence.

Ladies and gentlemen, the challenges facing all of us are to contribute to a complete and rounded picture of this victory we have just scored. As we celebrate our 10 years of freedom we must remember that that complete and rounded perspective cannot be contained only in political speeches, song, dance, poetry and in the construction of monuments. An integral element of the celebration is that we should feel the greater need, now more than before, to defend our democracy against the forces of retrogression, backwardness and reaction.

It is only through such vigilant defence of our democracy that we can expand the opportunities available to our youth. That is why urge every citizen of Mpumalanga to support government as we embark on this journey of lifting all our people from the depths of poverty and want.

In conclusion Ladies and gentlemen, we should never under-estimate the influence, importance and potential of sport development on the development of society.

I always emphasise that sports, more than anything, has the power to unite people and diverse cultures, something that is quiet critical in a period where we are building a nation.

All over South Africa and the Province unity is emerging through such organised activities. These activities focus on specific themes that seek to enhance the achievement of government objectives of democracy, the attainment of peace, crime reduction and prevention, reconstruction and empowerment.

I am sure that all of you will join me in congratulating the sportsmen and women of this province who have done us proud today and in the past.

We also salute those tireless warriors who give so much of their time and energy, sometimes without any reward, for their efforts at ensuring that sport and recreation is delivered from the lowest levels of participation to the pinnacle of international competition.

I am speaking, of course, about coaches, officials, technical assistants and volunteers. Without your dedication, sport and recreation as we know it, will not be possible in South Africa.

I salute you!

Ladies and Gentlemen, we thank you for your support and for your investment in the future of our province. To the sportspeople I am sure you will remember that the main important thing is to enjoy. To enjoy what you are doing. Remember that as a people - black and white - we are united behind you. We came here today to spur you on.

We wish all of you all the success. But remember, even if you don't win, the essence of the games is to enjoy. So go out there and enjoy yourselves.

Thank You.

Issued by: Mpumalanga Provincial Government
21 April 2004