On the occasion of Eid-ul-Fitr, the South African government joins together with our fellow citizens in wishing all Muslims of South Africa Eid Mubarak.

Eid is a day of joyous celebration for over 1,2 billion Muslims around the world. Our government is proud that in our citizenry we have a million representatives of that worldwide community. Proud, too, that Muslims play an important role in so many aspects of our life as a country.

Eid-ul-Fitr arrives at the end of a month of rigorous spiritual, social and intellectual reflective activity for Muslims.

It comes at the end of Ramadan which has been a month characterised by a spirit of sacrifice and giving. It is a period when Muslims dedicate themselves to the upliftment of society.

It is this spirit of sacrifice and giving - of volunteerism - that is desperately needed in our country in order to redress the injustices of the past and help in the upliftment of all the people of our land.

In the past, Muslims used the Ramadan and the Eid-al-Fitr that followed it also to commit themselves to the struggle against the injustices and deprivation caused by apartheid. Now is the time for all of us to commit ourselves to the spiritual, social and economic reconstruction and development of our country and its people. The struggle to eradicate poverty and under-development continues and all of us have to be involved in this struggle.

To the Muslim community, we wish to say: May Eid be filled with great joy and may the company of your friends and family fill your day with unbridled happiness and warmth.

And may the great and numerous benefits that Muslims have gained from the month of Ramadan strengthen them through the rigours of life's journey - The Presidency.