Date: 24/09/2003
Source: Ministry of Communications
Title: Matsepe-Casaburri: National Heritage Day Celebrations


ADDRESS BY THE MINISTER OF COMMUNICATIONS, DR IVY MATSEPE-CASABURRI, AT THE NATIONAL HERITAGE CELEBRATIONS, Kroonstad, 24 September 2003

Premier Winnie Direko
Ministers
Ms Badirileng Mokone, Chairperson of South African Post Office
Mr Caska Mokitlane, ANC Free State Provincial Deputy Chairperson
MPs
MECs of the Free State Legislature
The Mayor
Councillors
Family members of our Heroes, Mahabanes, Tambos, Sisulus, and Hanis
People of Kroonstad and the surrounding areas
Distinguished Guests
Ladies and Gentlemen

We are here in Kroonstad to celebrate National Heritage Day. This year's National Heritage Day celebrations have been dedicated to South African youth to encourage our young people to embrace our national heritage. Thus, we have come here to pay tribute to our past struggles and present strivings for a better country and to remind us of our rich histories, our many languages and our proud heritage that have brought us to where we are today.

Let us also not forget on this day the importance of our national symbols and our new Coat of Arms that make us proud to be South Africans. The image of the rising sun on this Coat of Arms gives us hope that we are a winning nation and that the sun will always rise on this new nation of ours. This day should also be one on which we encourage all South Africans to involve themselves actively in deepening democracy, working towards social integration and to acknowledge that our country consists of a diversity of people, a multiplicity of culture and that these various strands should come together and move towards cultural coalescence.

Today my Ministry of Communications together with the South African Post Office (SAPO) are marking the importance of this day together so that our youth can learn from the past and so that all of us together can be inspired to improve our people's lives in the present and in the future.

Most importantly, we are also here to unveil the new Citizens' Post Office in Lengau that will bring services to the people of this area and to launch commemorative stamps to honour the heroes of our struggle for liberation. In this way, we believe that the heroes of our struggle for liberation should become role models for future generations. The sacrifices of these sons of our soil must be remembered and celebrated. Because of them, we can live and walk in dignity, as free citizens of a free country. Because of them, we rededicate ourselves on this day to work tirelessly towards reconciliation, to the inculcation of a national patriotism and to our full participation in nation building.

We meet here today also to remind ourselves of the history of this town of Kroonstad or Maokeng, the place of thorn trees that is nearly 150 years old. This has been a place of pioneering works in terms of the education of Africans since early last century. It is this consciousness of the need for change that has enabled new generations to take forward the work of previous generations and to work towards an African renaissance. True to the words of Frantz Fanon in his epic work, The Wretched of the Earth, we do believe that; and I quote:

"Each generation must, out of relative obscurity, discover its mission: fulfil it or betray it."

In other words, the youth must learn from the struggles of the past in order to lead in the future and new generations must not lead blindly, but follow the examples of the past and through this history understand what their role has to be in the present and the future.

The political achievements of this town of Maokeng has been immense, particularly, through the immense contribution of the late Rev ZR Mahabane, a former President of the African National Congress (ANC), whose selfless dedication to the cause of freedom has been immense. We shall speak of his role later when we launch the stamps. This town has also been the home of international scholars, theologians, government officials and political leaders who have made their mark on South Africa and the world.

I am also reminded that the first Post Office in Kroonstad was located in the old location of Marabastad and that it was primarily the postal communications needs of students that led to its establishment.

Today we celebrate the unveiling of a new Citizens' Post Office here in Kroonstad. All over the country, we are working hard to ensure that postal services are brought to our people. We believe that postal services should be accessible by everyone and this is why we speak about universal service obligations. In this context we mean that this is the right of everyone in this country, wherever he may be located, to have ready access to a post office and the postal services that enables one person to communication with another over great distances.

Through the new Citizens Post Offices, we are seeing to it that many improvements are done to upgrade the functioning of post offices. Through the Postbank, we are also encouraging a culture of savings, so that more people should have access to saving facilities. We are creating the conditions on the ground for the public being empowered, so that we all have access to electronic information and communication via Internet and email. In this way, we bring information and communications technologies to all our people, so that together as South Africans we can enter the information age and the global reality of new forms of communications technology that dominate the world economy.

We also plan to have Public Information Terminals (PITs) in every post office in the country so that people can access information about themselves, access government services in the medium term, records their histories, so that our youth can engage in history projects of their communities and so that SMMEs can use these tools to create new markets for their goods and services.

Furthermore, we are determined that all South African households should have addresses. In conjunction with Telkom and SAPO, there is a plan to catapult up to 8 million South African households into the information age by assigning email addresses to every post office box address in the country.

This Citizens' Post Office will only be successful if all the people of this community make use of these facilities to communicate with each other, with government, with people of other areas and to use the services available to improve their lives. The youth of this area should use the opportunity that the availability of the new technology provides to embark upon community history projects, to record the history of this area and to discuss and to debate the issues affecting them.

Today I am pleased to be launching stamps to honour the memory of OR Tambo, Walter Sisulu, Chris Hani and ZR Mahabane, all of them true patriots and heroes in our struggle for national liberation. All of these great sons of South Africa played a significant role in the national liberation movement and particularly in the ANC. This was their mission and they succeeded beyond any doubt and fought all their lives for our people's freedom from oppression.

Oliver Tambo, the former president of the ANC, served the organisation and the struggle for equality his whole life, for us to reap the benefits of his labours. Unfortunately death took him from us, he did not live to see our new democracy, but he will always be part of our memories.

Walter Sisulu who only recently passed away, among other things he did for our country, was that he had a close relationship with our celebrated former president, Nelson Mandela. His prominence in the struggle for liberation resulted in Xhamela spending more than 25 years in prison where he continued working behind the scenes. Without seeking limelight or publicity, he worked tirelessly and selflessly towards realising a free non-racial South Africa. His work, his courage and his unwavering commitment will remain an integral part of our heritage.

His words after the first democratic elections continue to inspire us, when he described our first elections in the following way:

"It was a remarkable moment I can never forget. A situation I am unable to describe properly, where the masses gave us all leadership in an amazing way."

Chris Hani, whose life was taken away at a tender age, for he was a true servant of the masses of South Africa, who served the people with courage that was never in vain, as today we can freely celebrate who are because of the ideas and deeds that shaped him and through which he influenced our struggle. Chris Hani will also be remembered for his fearlessness and his political tolerance that is clearly evident from his words that still hold great meaning for all of us. I would like to quote his words. Chris Hani said that:

"We as the ANC-led liberation alliance have nothing to fear, and everything to gain, from a climate of political tolerance. We do not fear open contest and free debate with other organisations. Open debate can only serve to uncover the bankruptcy of our opponents."

A leader who was very much with people at grassroots level, Hani's name will go down our history books as a true son of Africa who fought for a truly free South Africa, politically, socially, economically and otherwise.

Last, but not least, we pay tribute to ZR Mahabane, who was twice President of the ANC. He became a leading personality and did his best to promote reconciliation. He tried by all means to bring people and ideas together. Today, we salute this great hero, whose roots are to be found on this very Free State soil.

These are the kinds of people we need to hear about on Heritage Day, who believed in their principles, showed a tolerance for others and who believed that through democracy, the best ideas would win the day. These true heroes of our history, who are as much part of our heritage as they are fathers of it, will always be remembered as important soldiers of our liberation and shapers of the New South Africa.

It is on this day that we encourage and promote South Africans to love their country. We cannot live our lives without memory and we cannot cover our memory with those of others. Through events like this one, we ensure that all South Africans have a solid memory of the past and build on this foundation to create a more united and stronger South Africa for all.

Today we should think of all the good deeds done in the first nine years of this new South African nation. All the brave and wise leaders of this country should be saluted and knowledge of their life's work should be transmitted to learners, children, parents and teachers across our country and in the rest of the world so that they understand what makes us truly South African, what gives us our pride and our determination to excel against all odds.

It is important especially for our youth to remember these heroes. These were all great people of generations who knew what they were meant to do with their lives, indeed who "discovered their mission" as Fanon says, and "fulfilled it", not betrayed it.

On this Heritage Day, let us have the courage to remain true to our convictions, to celebrate our culture, to speak our languages, to be proud of our national symbols, our national anthem and the Maokeng song and to lead our lives with the fearlessness of past generations, putting all our collective efforts into building this country.

I would like to thank especially the families of Rev Mahabane, OR Tambo, Walter Sisulu, and Chris Hani, for being here with us on this important occasion. We are glad that you could spend this time with us, and grateful for your full support at the launch of these stamps.

I would also like to thank the CEO of SAPO and his team, for making this occasion possible.

Through remembering who we are and who we once were, we are taking firm and concrete steps into our future. This journey of South Africans working together to build a winning nation and a better life for all is what should define us and continue to inspire us not only on National Heritage Day, but on every day of our lives.

On behalf of the President, I would like to announce the appointment of the members of the Commission for the Promotion and Protection of the Rights of Cultural, Religious and Linguistic Communities.

After applying his mind to the recommendations of the Selection Panel, the President appointed eighteen members of the Commission. The Commissioners are broadly representative of the cultural, religious and linguistic diversity of the country and are men and women who are committed to nation building.

The Commission will be chaired by Dr MD Guma. The following 18 South Africans have been appointed to serve on the Commission:

* Dr MD Guma (Chairperson): Dr Guma is the Executive Director of the Ecumenical Service for Socio-Economic Transformation of the Anglican Church. He has a Doctorate in Ethics and Theology and is an ordained priest of the Anglican Church. Dr Guma is knowledgeable in both religion and culture and has extensive experience as a facilitator in resolving conflict
* Mrs M Bethlehem (Deputy Chairperson): Mrs Bethlehem is the National President of the South African Jewish Board of Deputies. She is also the Life Vice-President of both the Jewish Community Services and Jewish Women's Benevolent Society. Mrs Bethlehem possesses the knowledge and expertise relating to all South African Jewish organisations (cultural, communal and charitable)
* Mr BB Mgcina: Mr Mgcina is a traditional healer of the Zifozonke Traditional Healers Association. He possesses knowledge and skills relating to traditional healing, conflict resolution and the indigenous knowledge systems
* Dr ON Mndende: Dr Mndende is a researcher on African Traditional Religion at the Icamagu Institute. She is in possession of a Doctorate in African Religion and has wide experience and knowledge in African traditional religion, including interfaith dialogue
* Dr MD Jobson: Dr Jobson is a Training Coordinator in gender and human rights from All Africa Women for Peace. She is a qualified medical doctor and has expertise in the field of culture, human, social and economic rights. She is currently pursuing a qualification in Gender Studies
* Pastor MKS Ntlha: Pastor Ntlha is the General Secretary of the Evangelical Alliance of South Africa. He is also actively involved in forums within the South African Council of Churches. Pastor Ntlha has been practically involved in reconciliation and has ecumenical and interfaith experience
* Ms M Soni Amin: Ms Soni Amin is an adherent of the Hindu Vedanta Ramakrishna Mission of South Africa. She is in possession of a Masters Degree in World Religions and Education, and is currently working on a Doctorate in Education. Ms Soni Amin has a long history of community involvement and has expertise in religious, cultural and language-related matters
* Prof S Dangor: Prof Dangor is a professor of Islamic Studies at the University of Durban-Westville. He has a wide-ranging history of involvement in the Islamic religion. He is also an expert on Muslim jurisprudence and is also involved in interfaith work
* Dr MAE Dockrat: Dr Dockrat is a lecturer in Arabic and Islamic Studies at Rand Afrikaans University. He has a strong religious commitment to and involvement in the Muslim community. Dr Dockrat is a specialist in Indian and Arabic languages and also chairs the Gauteng Provincial Language Committee
* Dr JCH Landman: Dr Landman is a part-time Lecturer in Philosophy and Ethics and an executive member of the Afrikaner Alliance. He also serves as a director for the Foundation for National Minorities. Dr Landman teaches religion, has experience in culture, speaks a number of languages and is actively involved with organised Afrikaner cultural interests
* Dr TSC Magwaza: Dr Magwaza is the Programme Director of Gender Studies at the University of Natal and a researcher on Zulu culture and the Shembe religion. She is also the General Secretary of the Southern African Folklore Society and possesses practical research experience in cultural-related issues and fieldwork in rural areas
* Prof SE Ngubane: Prof Ngubane is a Professor of isiZulu and Head of Undergraduate Studies in the Faculty of Human Sciences at the University of Natal. He is in possession of a Doctorate in Onomastics, is committed to the preservation of Zulu culture and is widely involved in various cultural forums and the African renaissance
* Dr LP Boshego: Dr Boshego is a Senior Lecturer in the Department of African Languages at the University of South Africa and Chairperson of the Sesotho sa Leboa National Language Body. He is knowledgeable of African languages, especially Sotho languages and more specifically Northern Sotho. Dr Boshego plays an important role in language development and is involved in national and provincial language bodies
* Ms DKK Mboweni-Marais: Ms Mboweni-Marais is a language practitioner and provider of professional language services. She is a former member of the Pan South African Language Board and has expertise in the promotion of multilingualism. She also advises on cultural, religious and linguistic rights
* Ms M le Roux: Ms Le Roux is the Director of Performing Arts Development and Education at the Artscape Theatre Centre and is also Chairperson of the Western Cape Cultural Commission. She is a qualified music teacher and has in-depth practical experience on matters related to culture and reconciliation. Ms Le Roux also has expertise in the development of the visual and performing arts, especially the previously neglected art forms
* Mr H Gouvelis: Mr Gouvelis is a businessman and a member and past President of the Federation of Hellenic Communities of South Africa. He has experience in international relations and local government and is actively involved in the Hellenic community. Mr Gouvelis also served on the Ministerial Task Team established to draft legislation for the Commission for the Promotion and Protection of the Rights of Cultural, Religious and Linguistic Communities
* Dr WA Boezak: Dr Boezak is a Minister of Religion and a member of the National Council of Khoi Chiefs of South Africa. He possesses knowledge of and expertise in Khoi-San culture and has a strong religious and academic background
* Dr WRJ Langeveldt: Dr Langeveldt is the Project Manager of the Barendse Griqua Trust, Chairperson of the Khoi-San National Trust and serves on the National Khoi-San Language Board. He has in-depth knowledge of Khoi-San African history, culture and traditions and the promotion of the Khoekhoegowab language.

Of the 18 members, the racial composition is follows: 8 African (44,4%), 4 White (22,2%), 3 Indian (16,7%) and 3 Coloured (16,7%). Overall, the Commission comprises 14 Blacks (77,8%) and 7 women (38,9%).

I thank you.

Issued by: Ministry of Communications
24 September 2003