Date: 14/11/2004
Source: The Presidency
Title: J Zuma: 55th Anniversary celebrations of Divine Life Society of South Africa
ADDRESS BY DEPUTY PRESIDENT, JACOB ZUMA, ON THE OCCASION OF THE 55TH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATIONS OF THE DIVINE LIFE SOCIETY OF SOUTH AFRICA, La Mercy, Tongaat, 14 November 2004
His Majesty, the King,
The Spiritual Leader of the Divine Life Society of South Africa, His Holiness Sri Swami Sahajananda,
The Premier of KwaZulu-Natal, S'bu Ndebele,
The Mayor and Deputy Mayor of Ethekwini,
The Consulate-General of India, Mr Ajay Swarup,
Members of the Diplomatic Corps,
Distinguished Guests,
It is truly a privilege to join you on this momentous occasion to celebrate the 55th anniversary of the Divine Life Society of South Africa, and to pay tribute to His Holiness Swami Sahajananda for the humanitarian work done for the people of our country.
I am also pleased to have this opportunity to meet and interact with the community of La Mercy. We regard such engagements as being very important as it is our view that government should not be based only in Pretoria or Pietermaritzburg, but should come to the people as much as possible, to keep in touch with your views, aspirations and needs.
I also feel privileged and pleased to be visiting you just a day after Diwali, the Festival of Lights. I hope the inspiration drawn from this festival will guide us in working for a better society.
It is also important that we are brought together today to celebrate the contribution of an organisation that has made a significant impact in our communities.
Sri Swami Sahajananda is indeed a great man of God, who has dedicated his life to breaking the chains of poverty for many disadvantaged communities. His contributions are manifested in the many varied projects that complement the efforts of the democratic Government to speed up service delivery.
Viewed in this light, today's celebrations not only confirm the deep roots of the Divine Life Society in this country, but also correctly coincide with the national celebrations of ten years of democracy in South Africa.
Ladies and gentlemen, we are pleased as government, to have such a diverse and rich pool of resources that we can draw on to effectively address the challenges facing our country.
I am referring to the major contributions that the Divine Life Society, among others, have been making in the areas of education including school building, development, housing schemes, job creation initiatives and craft centres, health, hydro-phonic tunnels, feeding schemes in rural areas, libraries, and multi-cultural centres.
One of the serious challenges we face is the HIV and AIDS epidemic, which is sustaining itself through ignorance, denial and stigma. We therefore appreciate your invaluable interventions such as the HIV/AIDS centres you have founded, which make an invaluable contribution in the battle against the disease.
Let me use this opportunity to also urge you to embrace those who are infected and affected, and we can do this by ensuring that the victims of the epidemic are treated with greater care, respect and compassion by those around them.
Fellow South Africans, another national task we all face is that of rebuilding the moral fibre of our society. The issue of strengthening families, raising our children correctly to know the difference between right and wrong, and to understand values such as respect, compassion, honour and integrity, are of paramount importance.
In this regard too we must commend the contribution of the Divine Life Society to the campaign for moral renewal, through printing and distributing thousands of peace books.
Given the diverse and intricate nature of the challenges we face as a nation, we are therefore most encouraged and very pleased to witness the kinds of activities that the Divine Life Society has been involved in.
These activities have ensured that you remain relevant in the lives of those who are members of the Society, and in addition, you are also making an enormously positive social and economic impact on the broader communities you operate in.
I am therefore honoured to be part of the launch today of the many impressive projects and publications we are seeing, which speak directly to some of the most challenging aspects of our democracy, including, as I have outlined earlier, the issues of HIV and AIDS, moral regeneration, employment creation and housing provision for the poor.
It is now my privilege and honour to officially launch the following publications and projects:
* The booklets 'In Quest Of Peace', 'Children's Companion in English', Children's Companion in Zulu', and 'The Practice of Celibacy'
* The First Sivananda Ghat, a unique centre for the environmentally friendly and dignified disposal of cremated ashes in a most dignified manner
* The housing scheme at Wyebank in Durban, which will see 263 houses co-funded by the Divine Life Society,
* The manufacture of school furniture project at La Mercy, which will cater for rural disadvantaged schools, School building programmes in Nkandla and in the Midlands region,
* And a Skills Development Centre funded by the Society.
These are truly laudable contributions, which reinforce the prevailing logic that through partnerships between government and other sectors, we can make a difference.
Therefore government is placing increasing emphasis on establishing partnerships across the broad spectrum of South African society, including with organised business and labour, the NGO sector, the religious fraternity and communities.
In this regard, we are, as government, especially pleased to work with organisations such as yours, which is always ready to lend a hand to creating a better life for all our people.
Ladies and gentlemen, before I conclude, let me remind you that on 25 November, we will embark on a nationwide campaign activism against the abuse of women and children.
The 16 Days of Activism campaign will culminate on Human Rights Day, 10 December During the 16 days, let us work together to promote a loving and a caring environment. Let us not treat domestic violence as a private matter.
Neighbours need to become involved by calling the police and assisting victims of abuse. If we work together, we can eradicate this scourge. I urge men and boys in particular to play a leading role in this campaign, to indicate that it is only a small minority of men who abuse women and children.
I look forward to seeing lots of activity in the La Mercy-Tongaat area around this campaign.
To the Divine Life Society, we wish you every success in all your current and future endeavours, and trust that you will grow from strength to strength.
We hope that you are enjoying the fruits of your 55 years of existence, and may you have many more!
I thank you.
Issued by: The Presidency
14 November 2004
SAPA
Source: The Presidency
Title: J Zuma: 55th Anniversary celebrations of Divine Life Society of South Africa
ADDRESS BY DEPUTY PRESIDENT, JACOB ZUMA, ON THE OCCASION OF THE 55TH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATIONS OF THE DIVINE LIFE SOCIETY OF SOUTH AFRICA, La Mercy, Tongaat, 14 November 2004
His Majesty, the King,
The Spiritual Leader of the Divine Life Society of South Africa, His Holiness Sri Swami Sahajananda,
The Premier of KwaZulu-Natal, S'bu Ndebele,
The Mayor and Deputy Mayor of Ethekwini,
The Consulate-General of India, Mr Ajay Swarup,
Members of the Diplomatic Corps,
Distinguished Guests,
It is truly a privilege to join you on this momentous occasion to celebrate the 55th anniversary of the Divine Life Society of South Africa, and to pay tribute to His Holiness Swami Sahajananda for the humanitarian work done for the people of our country.
I am also pleased to have this opportunity to meet and interact with the community of La Mercy. We regard such engagements as being very important as it is our view that government should not be based only in Pretoria or Pietermaritzburg, but should come to the people as much as possible, to keep in touch with your views, aspirations and needs.
I also feel privileged and pleased to be visiting you just a day after Diwali, the Festival of Lights. I hope the inspiration drawn from this festival will guide us in working for a better society.
It is also important that we are brought together today to celebrate the contribution of an organisation that has made a significant impact in our communities.
Sri Swami Sahajananda is indeed a great man of God, who has dedicated his life to breaking the chains of poverty for many disadvantaged communities. His contributions are manifested in the many varied projects that complement the efforts of the democratic Government to speed up service delivery.
Viewed in this light, today's celebrations not only confirm the deep roots of the Divine Life Society in this country, but also correctly coincide with the national celebrations of ten years of democracy in South Africa.
Ladies and gentlemen, we are pleased as government, to have such a diverse and rich pool of resources that we can draw on to effectively address the challenges facing our country.
I am referring to the major contributions that the Divine Life Society, among others, have been making in the areas of education including school building, development, housing schemes, job creation initiatives and craft centres, health, hydro-phonic tunnels, feeding schemes in rural areas, libraries, and multi-cultural centres.
One of the serious challenges we face is the HIV and AIDS epidemic, which is sustaining itself through ignorance, denial and stigma. We therefore appreciate your invaluable interventions such as the HIV/AIDS centres you have founded, which make an invaluable contribution in the battle against the disease.
Let me use this opportunity to also urge you to embrace those who are infected and affected, and we can do this by ensuring that the victims of the epidemic are treated with greater care, respect and compassion by those around them.
Fellow South Africans, another national task we all face is that of rebuilding the moral fibre of our society. The issue of strengthening families, raising our children correctly to know the difference between right and wrong, and to understand values such as respect, compassion, honour and integrity, are of paramount importance.
In this regard too we must commend the contribution of the Divine Life Society to the campaign for moral renewal, through printing and distributing thousands of peace books.
Given the diverse and intricate nature of the challenges we face as a nation, we are therefore most encouraged and very pleased to witness the kinds of activities that the Divine Life Society has been involved in.
These activities have ensured that you remain relevant in the lives of those who are members of the Society, and in addition, you are also making an enormously positive social and economic impact on the broader communities you operate in.
I am therefore honoured to be part of the launch today of the many impressive projects and publications we are seeing, which speak directly to some of the most challenging aspects of our democracy, including, as I have outlined earlier, the issues of HIV and AIDS, moral regeneration, employment creation and housing provision for the poor.
It is now my privilege and honour to officially launch the following publications and projects:
* The booklets 'In Quest Of Peace', 'Children's Companion in English', Children's Companion in Zulu', and 'The Practice of Celibacy'
* The First Sivananda Ghat, a unique centre for the environmentally friendly and dignified disposal of cremated ashes in a most dignified manner
* The housing scheme at Wyebank in Durban, which will see 263 houses co-funded by the Divine Life Society,
* The manufacture of school furniture project at La Mercy, which will cater for rural disadvantaged schools, School building programmes in Nkandla and in the Midlands region,
* And a Skills Development Centre funded by the Society.
These are truly laudable contributions, which reinforce the prevailing logic that through partnerships between government and other sectors, we can make a difference.
Therefore government is placing increasing emphasis on establishing partnerships across the broad spectrum of South African society, including with organised business and labour, the NGO sector, the religious fraternity and communities.
In this regard, we are, as government, especially pleased to work with organisations such as yours, which is always ready to lend a hand to creating a better life for all our people.
Ladies and gentlemen, before I conclude, let me remind you that on 25 November, we will embark on a nationwide campaign activism against the abuse of women and children.
The 16 Days of Activism campaign will culminate on Human Rights Day, 10 December During the 16 days, let us work together to promote a loving and a caring environment. Let us not treat domestic violence as a private matter.
Neighbours need to become involved by calling the police and assisting victims of abuse. If we work together, we can eradicate this scourge. I urge men and boys in particular to play a leading role in this campaign, to indicate that it is only a small minority of men who abuse women and children.
I look forward to seeing lots of activity in the La Mercy-Tongaat area around this campaign.
To the Divine Life Society, we wish you every success in all your current and future endeavours, and trust that you will grow from strength to strength.
We hope that you are enjoying the fruits of your 55 years of existence, and may you have many more!
I thank you.
Issued by: The Presidency
14 November 2004
SAPA
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