Date: 27/04/2005
Source: Department of Health
Title: Tshabalala-Msimang: Freedom Day celebration
Keynote address by the Minister of Health, Manto Tshabalala-Msimang, on the Freedom Day celebration, Dipaliseng Municipality
Premier Makwetla
All the MECs present
Members of the provincial legislature
Councillors
Distinguished guests
And the people of Mpumalanga
It is once again an honour for me to be in the province of Mpumalanga. On Monday I was at Standerton where we were launching the Healthy Lifestyle Campaign in this province. This is a major programme that was highlighted in the 8 January statement of the African National Congress (ANC) and the State of the Nation Address as critical in our efforts to respond to diseases and reduce the levels of violence in our society.
The theme of this year's Freedom Day celebrations is 'Building a South Africa that truly belongs to all'. Many of you will recognise where this comes from. Yes, it comes from the Freedom Charter, which we are celebrating the 50th anniversary of its adoption by the Congress of the People in Kliptown in 1955.
As we gather here in Mpumalanga today, we remember the statement made by the late President of the African National Congress, Oliver Tambo during the 25th anniversary of this Charter in 1980. He said: "The Freedom Charter contains the fundamental perspective of the vast majority of the people of South Africa of the kind of liberation that all of us are fighting for. Hence it is not merely the Freedom Charter of the ANC and its allies. Rather it is the Charter of the people of South Africa for liberation. Because it came from the people, it remains still a people's Charter, the one basic political statement of our goals to which all genuinely democratic and patriotic forces of South Africa adhere."
Despite the change of conditions in South Africa and at the international arena since this document was adopted 50 years ago, the Freedom Charter remains the basic political statement of our goals, the goals we are determined to achieve.
We said in this historic document, the People Shall Govern. There is no doubt that much progress has been made over the past ten years to ensure that our people participate fully in the democratic processes in this country. We have had three general elections. And on all these important occasions in our democratic process, more and more people have expressed their confidence in the ANC as an organisation that has a vision and capacity to take this country forward and improve the lives of all South Africans.
The participation of our people in the administration of their own affairs does not end with elections. The Imbizo and Letsema campaigns ensure that our people continuously engage with their government to ensure that government programmes and services respond to their needs. There are also structures like hospital boards and clinic committees, school governing bodies, community policing forums and other structures that ensure continuous community participation in decision making and service delivery.
Local government election due to take place later this year give us another opportunity to strengthen the democratic local government and enable this sphere of government to empower our people to act as their own liberators and direct reconstruction and development programme at local level. We need to therefore ensure that we participate in this electoral process and in setting the priorities and programme for the local governance structures where we live.
The Freedom Charter states that: “People shall share in the country's wealth”. This statement was made in response to apartheid's systematic approach of depriving the majority of South Africans the opportunities to realise their full potential. This included limitation of education opportunities and depriving the majority of the right to own productive property.
We have made strides in transforming the economy of this country, increasing access to education, land ownership and reducing the levels of poverty affecting our people.
The Expanded Public Works Programme (EPWP) is on track to create work and training opportunities for our people. As part of the health sector contribution to the WPWP, the Department of Health is strengthening the community health worker programme including improving their training to ensure that these health workers are able to address the overall health needs of communities and refer people to relevant government programmes.
We are also adopting more labour intensive methods of construction when building our hospitals and clinics to ensure that we open job opportunities for our people. We have increased the budget for what we call Hospital Revitalisation Programme by 12,7% from R911 million in the last financial year to R1,027 billion this year to increase the number of projects aimed at improving the infrastructure and the quality of services provided in our hospitals.
As part of providing social security net to the poor, over nine million people now receive social grants particularly children, the elderly and people with disabilities. In the last financial year, the national Department of Health supplied 10 407 wheelchairs and buggies, 1131 pressure care cushions and 4547 hearing aids to assist people with disabilities to participate actively in life and reduce their dependency on other people.
The Freedom Charter also declares that: ”There shall be houses, security and comfort.” This is a vision of a society in which all people have a right to decent housing; to raise their families in an appropriate environment; to have accessible, quality health care; and education.
Two million housing subsidies have been granted over the past decade and over 10 million people have gained access to clean water. We have built more than 1300 clinics over the past decade and we continue to provide free health services to pregnant women and children under the age of six years. This has improved the proportion of births that are attended to by either a nurse or doctor from 84% in 1998 to 92% in 2003. The number of death of children under the age of five years and of women who die during pregnancy or as a result of child-birth is decreasing mainly because of these interventions. These positive developments indicate that we are on the correct path and we need to sustain our efforts to further improve the lives of women and children.
The majority of our historically disadvantaged people understand that the past ten years of freedom and democracy has brought change for the better. As we begin the second decade of our freedom, we commit ourselves to continue with our efforts to improve the lives of all South Africans.
As early as 1955, our movement had realised that we could fully realise our goals of equality, freedom and democracy in a world order that perpetrates inequalities between the rich and poor nations, between the north and the south. The Freedom Charter declares that: "South Africa shall strive to maintain world peace and the settlement of all international disputes by negotiation - not war".
It is for this reason that we strive to bring peace in the areas still affected by conflict in our continent and stand firmly against the use of violence as a means to resolve international conflicts. During the State of the Nation Address this year, our President, President Thabo Mbeki made commitment that South Africa will continue to work with the Secretary-General of the United Nations and other states for global consensus in the restructuring of this body so that it plays its due role as the ultimate and inclusive authority on global governance and development. He further committed us to continue playing our role to ensure the success of the African Union and its programme, the New Partnership for Africa's Development (NEPAD).
As we continue to work towards achieving the goal of ensuring that South Africa truly belongs to all who live in it, we remember and appreciate the contribution made by many South Africans and members of the international community in ensuring that we achieve our freedom. We remember the many people who have also contributed in ensuring that we make the major gains we have achieve in the first decade of our freedom and democracy. Yesterday, the President presented the National Orders to some of these outstanding individuals.
As we celebrate our Freedom Day here in Balfour today, we recommit ourselves to continue to strive towards ensuring that the aspirations of our people, as captured in the basic political statement of our goals, the Freedom Charter, are indeed realised.
Thank you!
Issued by: Department of Health
27 April 2005
Source: Department of Health
Title: Tshabalala-Msimang: Freedom Day celebration
Keynote address by the Minister of Health, Manto Tshabalala-Msimang, on the Freedom Day celebration, Dipaliseng Municipality
Premier Makwetla
All the MECs present
Members of the provincial legislature
Councillors
Distinguished guests
And the people of Mpumalanga
It is once again an honour for me to be in the province of Mpumalanga. On Monday I was at Standerton where we were launching the Healthy Lifestyle Campaign in this province. This is a major programme that was highlighted in the 8 January statement of the African National Congress (ANC) and the State of the Nation Address as critical in our efforts to respond to diseases and reduce the levels of violence in our society.
The theme of this year's Freedom Day celebrations is 'Building a South Africa that truly belongs to all'. Many of you will recognise where this comes from. Yes, it comes from the Freedom Charter, which we are celebrating the 50th anniversary of its adoption by the Congress of the People in Kliptown in 1955.
As we gather here in Mpumalanga today, we remember the statement made by the late President of the African National Congress, Oliver Tambo during the 25th anniversary of this Charter in 1980. He said: "The Freedom Charter contains the fundamental perspective of the vast majority of the people of South Africa of the kind of liberation that all of us are fighting for. Hence it is not merely the Freedom Charter of the ANC and its allies. Rather it is the Charter of the people of South Africa for liberation. Because it came from the people, it remains still a people's Charter, the one basic political statement of our goals to which all genuinely democratic and patriotic forces of South Africa adhere."
Despite the change of conditions in South Africa and at the international arena since this document was adopted 50 years ago, the Freedom Charter remains the basic political statement of our goals, the goals we are determined to achieve.
We said in this historic document, the People Shall Govern. There is no doubt that much progress has been made over the past ten years to ensure that our people participate fully in the democratic processes in this country. We have had three general elections. And on all these important occasions in our democratic process, more and more people have expressed their confidence in the ANC as an organisation that has a vision and capacity to take this country forward and improve the lives of all South Africans.
The participation of our people in the administration of their own affairs does not end with elections. The Imbizo and Letsema campaigns ensure that our people continuously engage with their government to ensure that government programmes and services respond to their needs. There are also structures like hospital boards and clinic committees, school governing bodies, community policing forums and other structures that ensure continuous community participation in decision making and service delivery.
Local government election due to take place later this year give us another opportunity to strengthen the democratic local government and enable this sphere of government to empower our people to act as their own liberators and direct reconstruction and development programme at local level. We need to therefore ensure that we participate in this electoral process and in setting the priorities and programme for the local governance structures where we live.
The Freedom Charter states that: “People shall share in the country's wealth”. This statement was made in response to apartheid's systematic approach of depriving the majority of South Africans the opportunities to realise their full potential. This included limitation of education opportunities and depriving the majority of the right to own productive property.
We have made strides in transforming the economy of this country, increasing access to education, land ownership and reducing the levels of poverty affecting our people.
The Expanded Public Works Programme (EPWP) is on track to create work and training opportunities for our people. As part of the health sector contribution to the WPWP, the Department of Health is strengthening the community health worker programme including improving their training to ensure that these health workers are able to address the overall health needs of communities and refer people to relevant government programmes.
We are also adopting more labour intensive methods of construction when building our hospitals and clinics to ensure that we open job opportunities for our people. We have increased the budget for what we call Hospital Revitalisation Programme by 12,7% from R911 million in the last financial year to R1,027 billion this year to increase the number of projects aimed at improving the infrastructure and the quality of services provided in our hospitals.
As part of providing social security net to the poor, over nine million people now receive social grants particularly children, the elderly and people with disabilities. In the last financial year, the national Department of Health supplied 10 407 wheelchairs and buggies, 1131 pressure care cushions and 4547 hearing aids to assist people with disabilities to participate actively in life and reduce their dependency on other people.
The Freedom Charter also declares that: ”There shall be houses, security and comfort.” This is a vision of a society in which all people have a right to decent housing; to raise their families in an appropriate environment; to have accessible, quality health care; and education.
Two million housing subsidies have been granted over the past decade and over 10 million people have gained access to clean water. We have built more than 1300 clinics over the past decade and we continue to provide free health services to pregnant women and children under the age of six years. This has improved the proportion of births that are attended to by either a nurse or doctor from 84% in 1998 to 92% in 2003. The number of death of children under the age of five years and of women who die during pregnancy or as a result of child-birth is decreasing mainly because of these interventions. These positive developments indicate that we are on the correct path and we need to sustain our efforts to further improve the lives of women and children.
The majority of our historically disadvantaged people understand that the past ten years of freedom and democracy has brought change for the better. As we begin the second decade of our freedom, we commit ourselves to continue with our efforts to improve the lives of all South Africans.
As early as 1955, our movement had realised that we could fully realise our goals of equality, freedom and democracy in a world order that perpetrates inequalities between the rich and poor nations, between the north and the south. The Freedom Charter declares that: "South Africa shall strive to maintain world peace and the settlement of all international disputes by negotiation - not war".
It is for this reason that we strive to bring peace in the areas still affected by conflict in our continent and stand firmly against the use of violence as a means to resolve international conflicts. During the State of the Nation Address this year, our President, President Thabo Mbeki made commitment that South Africa will continue to work with the Secretary-General of the United Nations and other states for global consensus in the restructuring of this body so that it plays its due role as the ultimate and inclusive authority on global governance and development. He further committed us to continue playing our role to ensure the success of the African Union and its programme, the New Partnership for Africa's Development (NEPAD).
As we continue to work towards achieving the goal of ensuring that South Africa truly belongs to all who live in it, we remember and appreciate the contribution made by many South Africans and members of the international community in ensuring that we achieve our freedom. We remember the many people who have also contributed in ensuring that we make the major gains we have achieve in the first decade of our freedom and democracy. Yesterday, the President presented the National Orders to some of these outstanding individuals.
As we celebrate our Freedom Day here in Balfour today, we recommit ourselves to continue to strive towards ensuring that the aspirations of our people, as captured in the basic political statement of our goals, the Freedom Charter, are indeed realised.
Thank you!
Issued by: Department of Health
27 April 2005
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