Opening address by KwaZulu-Natal Premier and Chairperson of the African Renaissance in KwaZulu-Natal, Sibusiso Ndebele, at the official opening of the tenth Annual African Renaissance Conference held at the Inkosi Albert Luthuli International Convention Centre in Durban

Protocol

Scientist Stephan Belbin of the University of Lesotho has taken an interest in the role of the African renaissance in modern science, especially biological sciences, ecology and geography. His views are that Africa has had a long tradition where humans and nature have lived side by side. He is propagating the concept of an environmental renaissance as a way to curb poverty and disease in Africa.

Remarking about the relevance of the African renaissance to the regeneration of scientific knowledge in the continent, Belbin says:

"The modern concept of the African renaissance has two key components. First, the identification of a unique African history as shown by the rediscovery of past achievements. Second, the demand for a share of world prosperity realised through economic development and globalisation."

Belbin goes on to say that in articulating the essence of the African renaissance, the link between the two must be clarified. Science has a role to play in the African renaissance, especially through the importation of modern technology as well as in the application of scientific methods in the discovery and analysis of ancient structures like the pyramids, and artefacts. Our concern with the African renaissance must now go past the emotional stage, and enter the scientific and technological stage.

Our intellectuals must henceforth begin to measure things. They must apply science to establish dates in which specific incidents happened in African history. We need to consider exact dates when Bantu speaking Africans left the regions of Cameroon, who was there in the expeditions, and when the great movement to the South started? Who moved? When did they arrive in Southern Africa? We need to establish relations between these movements and civilisations such as Mapungubwe, Zimbabwe, Congo and others. We need then to establish the linkages with the history of slavery, colonisation, missionisation, and the struggle for Liberation.

At the least, this is the kind of history, scientifically measured, which must be taught in our schools and universities.

Remarking about his subject of environmental renaissance and how it should take place in Africa, Belbin goes on to say:

"The environmental renaissance, like its most general counterpart would also involve the import of ideas from outside of Africa, not just from the West but also from Asia and Latin America, but it would also involve the recognition and use of local indigenous knowledge on the environment and environment management. Again, the rediscovery of past achievements."

There is no renaissance that can happen in isolation. The call for the African renaissance is not the call for Africa to isolate itself from the rest of the world. A careful study of the European renaissance for example, will reveal that it positioned itself to be a melting pot of world cultures and science, so that it borrowed geometry from the pyramids of Africa, silk and spices from the regeneration of India and martial arts from the Chinese and the Japanese.

It concerned itself with "discovery" of the world and encouraged pioneers to venture to the America's, Africa and Asia, just to find out what else was happening out there. Of course, in the process it committed many costly intakes.

A renaissance in its nature is about facing uncertainty and making sense of it. All of us assembled here today are hard at work trying to understand Africa, our Africa. The renaissance at best will happen when Africans take charge of their lives and get on with the huge Africa reconstruction project. This must happen at local community and home or family level, first and foremost.

It is now generally accepted for sometime to come, act as a pillar for the African renaissance:
• social cohesion
• democracy
• economic rebuilding and growth
• the re-establishment of Africa as a significant player in geo-political affairs.

The African renaissance must work to bring a social order in the continent. In the next ten years, we must focus on how to make Africa a better place through such renaissance priorities as:
• culture and education
• economic transformation and development
• science and technology
• transport and energy
• moral regeneration and African values
• the advancement of media and telecommunications
• human rights.

To begin, Africa must not be isolated from itself. It must open dialogue to all levels of society and within families, communities, the continent and the Diaspora.

The twenty-first century is often seen as the African century.

This is borne out of a belief that as this century unfolds, we will see the entrenchment of the generally accepted four pillars of the African renaissance, which I listed earlier as well as the implementation and prioritisation of the renaissance priorities which I have also listed above.

The twenty-first century will see a steep rise in world domination by African culture and the Africa Development Agenda. We understand that the nineteenth century was termed the British century and the twentieth century the American century. Now is Africa's time, and we should remember that we are in tough competition for attention with Asia.

How do we draw the attention of the world to ourselves? We cannot do so through failed elections, xenophobia, crime and corruption. We cannot do so through engaging in violence and violating the human rights of others. We cannot do so through ignoring education, and we cannot do so through abrogating our responsibilities within families, communities and public spaces. We need to manage our political affairs in a manner that promotes the human rights of others and the rights of citizens to choose who they want to lead them. We need efficient and good governance in the public and private spaces .We need to massively engage with education in the arts, in science, in technology, in sports, the humanities and law. We need to cultivate the culture of building permanent structures, and organisation of programmes of entrepreneurship and of communicability.

Women should be in the forefront of the African renaissance. Our history has it that women in Africa have always been the bearers of knowledge and information. At family level it was always women who told stories of family history and sometimes, through riddles and direct speech, taught the young about the social pattern of things, values and norms as well as public to private behavioural standards as expected by society. Where are similar women today?

Women in this continent are always heads of families and comforters of all. When a death occurs, it is women who go there first and stay the duration of the mourning. They sing, they dance, they clap, they pray, they bring food, and water and tea and drinks just to comfort the bereaved. When a wedding occurs it is women who are in the forefront.

They sing they dance, they ululate, they bring food, they ensure that everyone has eaten; they welcome the bride and give her the support she deserves as she discovers her new world. Wouldn't women transfer this tremendous gift into public infrastructural development projects? The legacy of male domination is currently being changed in Africa. Africa and the African Diaspora expect its women to play key roles in the common struggle for peace, democracy and equality and in the advancement of education, human rights and development.

When, as part of the 2008 Liberation Celebrations the President of Senegal, Abdoulaye Wade laid a foundation for what he termed the African renaissance Monument he said:
"I wanted to give flesh to the African renaissance so that people know that we came through the nearly six centuries of darkness and we are going towards the light."

President Wade sees infrastructure and cultural land marks as the fleshy side to the African renaissance, The monument of the African renaissance shows a muscular man with a cloth wrapped around his waist raising from a volcano, a baby in his left hand and a woman in his right. The monument is due to be finished by December 2009. It is a 50 metre bronze statue and is being built in Dakar, on a 100 metre hill looking over the Atlantic Ocean.

The expression of civilisation through cultural structures and infrastructure is not new to Africa. The civilisation of Yeha in Ethiopia, which is believed to have been built around 800 before Christ (BC), was full with cultural and religious physical structures. Yeha is regarded as that country's pre-Aksumite foundation of Ethiopian civilisation. The towering ruins of the Yeha Temple are now a major tourist attraction of historical significance in Ethiopia.

Aksum city built in 500 BC, during the reign of Queen of Sheba known as Saba or Makeda by Ethiopians is a landmark of Ethiopian civilisation.

Its residents were renowned for their fine architecture, crafts and skills, particularly as masons and metalworkers. Some 500 years BC, Aksum had trade links with India, Arabia, Rome, Egypt, Asia and Greeks.

Of course we know from a biblical perspective that the Queen of Sheba had a relationship with King Solomon, the wise (First Book of Kings: chapter 10 verses 1-10). Aksum is today a major tourist attraction. The pyramids of Giza, built mainly around some 25 centuries BC, and still standing today, are a cultural and heritage physical landmark, which traces the built civilisation of Africa for at least the past 5 000 years from today.

The great Zimbabwe built of stone, was once the centre of the Empire of Great Zimbabwe. The city of Zimbabwe was a medieval Kingdom which flourished between 1250 and 1629. The Zimbabwe Empire under which the city of Zimbabwe was, used to stretch between the Zambezi and Limpopo rivers. The city was a magnificent structure. The Kingdom itself traded with the Arabs via the seaport of Sofala and was famed for its gold trade. The Zimbabwe Empire was conquered by the Portuguese in 1629. It is said that Zulus on their way to the south from central Africa did settle in the Zimbabwe Empire, but left at its height.

Mapungubwe, which was a city in Limpopo province, flourished from 1050 AD and 1250 AD. The remains of its building are still being found today.

So, there is a history of built environments in Africa after all.

The heritage of KwaZulu-Natal presents us with an opportunity to understand our history, our identity and our existence.

In 2006 we commenced with a project to honour the heroes of the 1906 Bhambata Poll Tax Uprising. Again in 2006 we commemorated Mahatma Gandhi's Satyagraha. The spirit of Peaceful resistance, started by Gandhi in 1906 has influenced many a liberation movement. It played a significant role in shaping the thoughts of both Chief Albert Luthuli, and Martin Luther King Jr.

At the conclusion of 2006 we brought back home the remains of the hero of our struggle, Moses Mabhida. In 2007, we commemorated 40 years since the death of Chief Albert Luthuli. We unveiled the newly constructed Grave of Princess Mkabayi kaJama at eBaqulusini. This year 2008 we shall complete the construction and unveil the Grave of the Queen Mother Nandi.

Critical to our heritage are the story of the Zulu people and the story of the people of KwaZulu-Natal.

To this end, the KwaZulu-Natal Family Tree project, aimed at assisting families and individuals trace and confirm their roots and heritage, will be launched on 28 May as part of the African renaissance programme.

In October this year South Africa will host the World Summit of People of African Origin. This Summit will include people from the African Continent and the Diaspora. The Summit aims at creating sustainable dialogue, partnerships and a better Africa. This conference should keep this in its mind as it deliberates its programme today and tomorrow.

The African Diaspora Summit which will convene under the theme: "Towards the realisation of a united and integrated Africa and its Diaspora." It aims to create a shared vision for sustainable development to address common challenges under six themes:
• global dialogue, peace and stability
• regional development and integration
• economic co-operation
• historical, socio-cultural and religious commonalities
• women, youth, children and vulnerable groups
• knowledge sharing.

According to Eddie Maloka in a report to the African National Congress (ANC) Committee on Diaspora issues, there are currently, four issues which dominate the African Diaspora's engagement with Africa. These are:
1. Reparations for the Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade dominate the four issues.
2. The plight of the African Diaspora in Europe - This concerns the inhumane and racist treatment of people of African descent in that part of the world. This issue is not limited to discrimination in the labour market and society at large, but it is also racist, violent attacks on black people by right-wing elements there.
3. The African Diaspora wants to be granted "the right of return" to the mother continent. The argument here is that the African Diaspora descendents were forcibly taken from the continent as slaves and do not need visas to return "home". So, every African government should grant an automatic citizenship to any African Diaspora descendant, who lands on their shores.
4. Organised African Diaspora constituencies keep raising with the African Union (AU) and African governments that the African Diaspora should be declared the sixth region of the AU.

We need to engage in cultural education in Africa and the Diaspora.

Imagine if at least half of our children could know about Mahatma Gandhi and Satyagraha. Imagine if all our children would instantly recognise the South African flag, whether at the African Cup of Nations, at the World Cup or anywhere else. Imagine if they could instantly recognise the flags of all the member states of the African Union and the African Diaspora states. Imagine if all our children could sing the national anthem, not only of our country but a working knowledge of all the anthems of the African Union member states as well as those of the African Diaspora states. Imagine the solidarity that would flow from in-depth knowledge of each other's cultures, families and histories.

Today, on 26 May 2008, we can pause to reflect on the legacy of EMakhosini, the Valley of the Kings: where for the past 600 years a modern African civilisation has evolved, giving birth to the best that we have today.

The year 2008 marks the sixtieth anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR). Our provincial government has already done much about human rights. Our provincial strategies, among others, focus on eliminating poverty, empowering groups that require special protection and strengthening institutions of governance and democracy. Our continent should continue to inculcate the culture of rights in all its affairs.

In this province for example, we are in the process of creating Local Human Rights Forums which will provide human rights education and awareness campaigns to communities in order to enable them to better exercise their rights and responsibilities.

The "Taking Government Services to People Programme" that we started in 2007 goes a long way towards the realisation of the human rights of the people of this province especially those in rural areas. These include the right to social security and welfare services, right to basic health services, right to identity and access to legal advice. We shall continue with this programme as it has proved to be worthwhile, especially for our previously disadvantaged communities.

In line with African renaissance thinking the KwaZulu-Natal government has embarked on a strategy to woo investors to the province. In the previous two years, government delegations went to the United Arab Emirates with the aim of influencing investors to come to KwaZulu-Natal in a project which involves a multi-billion rand investment on the Northern side of uThukela River in the Macambini area.

This will be the fifth project of its kind in the world based on the concept of a "City within a City". As added value, an imposing statue of King Shaka will be erected as part of this project through private funding.

The social and economic benefits to our people include skills training, employment, improvements to infrastructure, educational, health, vocational and commercial opportunities as well as specific economic benefits to the local community and the province from the revenues generated.

The provinces own economic development strategy which was developed over the last three years, aims to:
* transform the structure of the provincial economy and narrowing and eventually eliminate the gap between the first and second economies
* increase investment in the province
* build skills and capacity
* broaden participation in the economy
* increase competitiveness.

The Economic Development programme is vital to our society and to the realisation of the pillars of the African renaissance.

In line with renaissance thinking our government has correctly identified Black Economic Empowerment (BEE) as a means to redress historical economic imbalances. Meaningful participation of black people in the economy is key to Africa's regeneration in this country. Africa should also develop programmes aimed at the empowerment of particularly women, rural communities, youth, workers and the disabled. This participation can range from the creation of economic opportunities to ownership of businesses.

Co-operatives have been identified as an appropriate business form to drive development in the second economy and to help close the gap between the first and second economies in the province. Co-operatives are significant economic actors in the KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) provincial economy. Many other countries such as Kenya and Ghana are focusing on the co-operatives movement. Co-operatives are a very African way of conducting business.

The international relations built with Maputo and other neighbouring states will be strengthened, particularly in the areas of commerce, health and co-operation between security services. We say no to xenophobia.

South Africa is heavily involved in post-conflict reconstruction and development in Africa. Under the guidance of national government, our province will be exploring cost-effective ways to support countries such as the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) in re-establishing functioning government structures, using our own hard-won experience.

2010 Fifa World Cup
The 2010 Fifa World Cup is the biggest African renaissance project in current history. An information piece published on the Government's GCIS Website on Fifa 2010, states that the decision made by Fifa in 2001 to stage the 2010 Football World Cup on the African continent was historic. It is the biggest African renaissance development project in modern history.

Since the very beginning of the process that ultimately led to the Fifa World Cup coming to South Africa in 2010, the emphasis has been on making it an African event, one that will help spread confidence and prosperity across the entire continent.

The announcement in 2004 that the 2010 World Cup would be staged in South Africa was followed by massive celebrations throughout the continent.

As the host of the 2010 Fifa World Cup, South Africa stands not as a country alone - but rather as a representative of Africa and as part of an African family of nations.

Commitment of the African continent
The government's GCIS website goes on to state that in a declaration of the eighth Assembly of the AU heads of state and government, the AU reaffirmed its commitment to make the 2010 Fifa World Cup a truly African tournament, committing its countries to "full and substantive involvement in the preparation leading to the members of the AU assembly committed themselves "to provide all-round support to the government and people of South Africa in their efforts to organise the 2010 World Cup tournaments successfully and effectively."

They urged Fifa, the Confederation of African Football (CAF), the international sport community and friends of Africa to "provide the necessary support to South Africa in its preparation for the 2010 World Cup."

The AU also urged its member states to develop national programmes and identify African Union sport ambassadors to help implement the International Year of African Football, "Sports for All" programmes, and the 2010 Fifa World Cup Legacy Programme.

As we all know in January 2007 the AU's assembly of heads of state and government launched 2007 as the International Year of African Football, to reinforce solidarity with South Africa in its hosting of the World Cup, in commemoration of the fiftieth anniversary of the CAF - and to celebrate the history of football in Africa.

Through this initiative, the AU seeks to promote sport as an instrument for sustainable economic development and poverty reduction, peace, solidarity and social cohesion.

Hosting an African World Cup means that South Africa will work with its sister countries in Africa, with Fifa, with the African Union and with Africa's regional economic communities to make the continent's first World Cup a truly African one - one from which the continent as a whole benefits. It is a legacy that will last for years to come.

The 2010 Fifa African Legacy Programme aims to:
* support the realisation of African renaissance objectives, including programmes of the African Union such as New Partnership for Africa's Development (Nepad)
* ensure maximum and effective African participation at the 2010 World Cup
* strengthen, develop and advance African football
* improve Africa's global image and combat Afro-pessimism.

As for the legacy of the 2010 World Cup, it will be different for three main reasons:
* The legacy benefits are not to be confined to the host country.
* The host country itself has made an undertaking to make the continent-wide legacy one of the core focus areas of preparations for the event.
* The African Union is actively involved in ensuring that the 2010 World Cup legacy agenda is owned continent-wide.

African countries are collaborating on a number of projects which will contribute to the African legacy. These fall in the areas of:
* peace and nation-building
* football support and development
* environment and tourism
* culture and heritage
* communication
* telecommunication
* continental security cooperation.

Obviously there is a direct link between the FIFA 2010 world Cup and the African renaissance movement.

Xenophobic attacks
The people and the government of South Africa have condemned the acts of violence styled as xenophobia. It is not in the character of South Africa to be xenophobic. Government has called on our communities to be vigilant and to avoid being manipulated by provocateurs who seek to exploit people's fears and concerns. It is unthinkable that the recent spate of attacks was spontaneous.

As can be seen, these attacks represent a dangerous tendency that is foreign to South African history and consciousness. For many decades, South Africans in Alexandra and many parts of the country have lived side by side with foreign nationals with no acts of violence.

South Africa is a signatory to the Geneva Protocol on Refugees and we will fulfil our obligations as outlined in this protocol. South African laws protect all foreign nationals, whether they are here legally or otherwise and any violent behaviour towards foreign nationals must be rejected by all.

The majority of South Africans are peace-loving people who always seek peaceful means of resolving their problems. It should be borne in mind that South Africa's transition to democracy was one of the world's best testimonies of tolerance and peaceful co-existence. South Africans cannot allow a few individuals to reverse and undermine the historical achievements of the country. South Africans who were in exile in the neighbouring countries and the rest of the continent during the days of apartheid were offered a lot of good hospitality. Many countries sacrificed a lot for the liberation of South Africa. Some were even repeatedly bombed by the apartheid regime. We say no to xenophobia.

In conclusion, I wish this conference every measure of success. I now declare the conference under the theme: "Consolidating the African Identity in the Continent and in the Diaspora through Education, Human Rights and Development" open.

Thank you.

Issued by: KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Government
26 May 2008