Date: 03/07/2003
Source: North West Provincial Government
Title: Molefe: North West Geographic Names Committee
SPEECH BY THE NORTH WEST PREMIER, DR POPO MOLEFE, ON THE OCCASION OF THE LAUNCH OF THE PROVINCIAL GEOGRAPHIC NAMES COMMITTEE, Mafikeng, 3 July 2003
Programme Director,
MEC Mayisela,
Mayors present here today,
Officials from national Department of Arts and Culture,
Members of the National Geographic Names Council,
Officials from Provincial government departments,
Members of the Provincial Geographic Names Committee,
Members of the media,
Ladies and Gentlemen.
The inauguration of the North West Geographic Names Committee puts yet another mortal brick in the ongoing effort to reconstruct and develop our country.
The process of renaming our geographic names must then be located within the context of nation building; the creation of a non-racial, non-sexist, united and prosperous South Africa. This is a strategic goal that the struggle for national liberation hopes to achieve.
The North West Government views the launch of this committee as one of the national projects that will play a positive role in the rebuilding of our country.
In the process of rebuilding, as a phase that we are presently engaged in, we are aware of historical conflicts that continue to define our motherland.
Cognisant of this reality, the democratic forces have also chosen national reconciliation as a tactical course for us to achieve lasting peace. As the province engages in the process of properly naming its geographic settings, we will be driven by the principles of nation building and national reconciliation.
No population group must therefore feel alienated by this process. When we set in motion the process of rebuilding our country in the early 90s, we were always driven by the Freedom Charter, which proclaims that "South Africa belongs to all who live in it, black and white". This is still the vision that guides all facets of our national life.
This exciting national project must therefore ensure that no population group, particularly our Afrikaner compatriots, feel isolated. In the same vein, we call upon all and sundry in the province to lend a hand in this national project.
The process has nothing to do with the oncoming national elections and it is not partisan. It is a path that this country must traverse if it is to come to terms with its past and move in unity towards the future.
Although the process is inclusive and consultative we have to indicate that there are some offensive names that are out of tune with the democratic order.
What comes to mind are names such as Kaffirskraal, which are heavily loaded with racial undertones.
These kinds of names must be immediately replaced by proper ones so that all communities can feel part of the democratic dispensation.
The majority of our people feel alien in their own country as a result of not being part of national processes as it was in the past. Aware of the past, the process of name change must be located within the national symbolic reparations.
Our people must feel that they are part of the midwives who are at the forefront of creating a democratic state.
As the Truth Commission recommended and the President instructed, all South Africans must participate in the reparations. We have correctly said that the process of restoring the indigenous names to geographic places represents symbolic reparations.
It is out of our people's participation in redefining their places that the healing process in our country can be speeded up.
What also makes this process close to the hearts of many South Africans is that we are approaching a decade of democracy next year. One of the projects that are underway is the erection of a Freedom Park at Salvokop Hill in Pretoria.
This will be preceded by the healing and cleansing ceremonies in provinces and culminate in a national event. We have to link the healing and cleansing process with name changes because South Africa will never be the same after we have restored the indigenous names that defined most of our places, rivers, dams, valleys and mountains.
The process of restoring geographic names must take into account the promotion of the South African heritage in its broad diverse presentation.
As I said earlier, South Africa belongs to all who live in it. We therefore have to geographically capture this principle without compromising the historically marginalised cultures of our people.
We are all aware of historical injustices visited upon the indigenous people of South Africa, including the marginalisation of their languages and cultural institutions.
Let us use this opportunity to correct the past and contribute to the national effort of nation building and reconciliation.
In dealing with historical injustices, we also have to contribute positively to the National History Project as initiated by Minister Kader Asmal of correcting our history. We therefore see this process as assisting the Minister's project by serving as a resource and reference for historians who are busy rewriting our history.
Historians and academics who are here will agree with me that the National History Project must capture what Von Ranke, the historian, believed, that it is a duty of a historian to "present the past as it really was". This committee then must be equal to the challenge of assisting in the rewriting of our history.
The key message that must also go out is that all communities must support this process through active participation. This will assist us to eliminate the resurgence of "concerned groups" who would want to boost their populist posture through this process.
The process of name change will involve communities and their leadership. This includes traditional authority and municipalities.
As government we also have to caution the committee that its work and operations must be beyond reproach. This is a sensitive process and sobriety, professionalism, impartiality and diligence must always define how the committee conducts its business.
Do not let anybody determine your agenda except the legislation prescripts that governs you. Do not let political parties misuse you. Do not even let "concerned groups" use you in their divisive fights in our communities.
In conclusion, I wish your committee success in this mammoth task. It is both a challenge and a national duty. As patriotic South Africans, I know that you will succeed in this sacred mission.
I thank you
Issued by the North West Provincial Government, 3 July 2003
Source: North West Provincial Government
Title: Molefe: North West Geographic Names Committee
SPEECH BY THE NORTH WEST PREMIER, DR POPO MOLEFE, ON THE OCCASION OF THE LAUNCH OF THE PROVINCIAL GEOGRAPHIC NAMES COMMITTEE, Mafikeng, 3 July 2003
Programme Director,
MEC Mayisela,
Mayors present here today,
Officials from national Department of Arts and Culture,
Members of the National Geographic Names Council,
Officials from Provincial government departments,
Members of the Provincial Geographic Names Committee,
Members of the media,
Ladies and Gentlemen.
The inauguration of the North West Geographic Names Committee puts yet another mortal brick in the ongoing effort to reconstruct and develop our country.
The process of renaming our geographic names must then be located within the context of nation building; the creation of a non-racial, non-sexist, united and prosperous South Africa. This is a strategic goal that the struggle for national liberation hopes to achieve.
The North West Government views the launch of this committee as one of the national projects that will play a positive role in the rebuilding of our country.
In the process of rebuilding, as a phase that we are presently engaged in, we are aware of historical conflicts that continue to define our motherland.
Cognisant of this reality, the democratic forces have also chosen national reconciliation as a tactical course for us to achieve lasting peace. As the province engages in the process of properly naming its geographic settings, we will be driven by the principles of nation building and national reconciliation.
No population group must therefore feel alienated by this process. When we set in motion the process of rebuilding our country in the early 90s, we were always driven by the Freedom Charter, which proclaims that "South Africa belongs to all who live in it, black and white". This is still the vision that guides all facets of our national life.
This exciting national project must therefore ensure that no population group, particularly our Afrikaner compatriots, feel isolated. In the same vein, we call upon all and sundry in the province to lend a hand in this national project.
The process has nothing to do with the oncoming national elections and it is not partisan. It is a path that this country must traverse if it is to come to terms with its past and move in unity towards the future.
Although the process is inclusive and consultative we have to indicate that there are some offensive names that are out of tune with the democratic order.
What comes to mind are names such as Kaffirskraal, which are heavily loaded with racial undertones.
These kinds of names must be immediately replaced by proper ones so that all communities can feel part of the democratic dispensation.
The majority of our people feel alien in their own country as a result of not being part of national processes as it was in the past. Aware of the past, the process of name change must be located within the national symbolic reparations.
Our people must feel that they are part of the midwives who are at the forefront of creating a democratic state.
As the Truth Commission recommended and the President instructed, all South Africans must participate in the reparations. We have correctly said that the process of restoring the indigenous names to geographic places represents symbolic reparations.
It is out of our people's participation in redefining their places that the healing process in our country can be speeded up.
What also makes this process close to the hearts of many South Africans is that we are approaching a decade of democracy next year. One of the projects that are underway is the erection of a Freedom Park at Salvokop Hill in Pretoria.
This will be preceded by the healing and cleansing ceremonies in provinces and culminate in a national event. We have to link the healing and cleansing process with name changes because South Africa will never be the same after we have restored the indigenous names that defined most of our places, rivers, dams, valleys and mountains.
The process of restoring geographic names must take into account the promotion of the South African heritage in its broad diverse presentation.
As I said earlier, South Africa belongs to all who live in it. We therefore have to geographically capture this principle without compromising the historically marginalised cultures of our people.
We are all aware of historical injustices visited upon the indigenous people of South Africa, including the marginalisation of their languages and cultural institutions.
Let us use this opportunity to correct the past and contribute to the national effort of nation building and reconciliation.
In dealing with historical injustices, we also have to contribute positively to the National History Project as initiated by Minister Kader Asmal of correcting our history. We therefore see this process as assisting the Minister's project by serving as a resource and reference for historians who are busy rewriting our history.
Historians and academics who are here will agree with me that the National History Project must capture what Von Ranke, the historian, believed, that it is a duty of a historian to "present the past as it really was". This committee then must be equal to the challenge of assisting in the rewriting of our history.
The key message that must also go out is that all communities must support this process through active participation. This will assist us to eliminate the resurgence of "concerned groups" who would want to boost their populist posture through this process.
The process of name change will involve communities and their leadership. This includes traditional authority and municipalities.
As government we also have to caution the committee that its work and operations must be beyond reproach. This is a sensitive process and sobriety, professionalism, impartiality and diligence must always define how the committee conducts its business.
Do not let anybody determine your agenda except the legislation prescripts that governs you. Do not let political parties misuse you. Do not even let "concerned groups" use you in their divisive fights in our communities.
In conclusion, I wish your committee success in this mammoth task. It is both a challenge and a national duty. As patriotic South Africans, I know that you will succeed in this sacred mission.
I thank you
Issued by the North West Provincial Government, 3 July 2003
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