Date: 26/02/2004
Source: The Presidency
Title: J Zuma: Cape Town Press Club
ADDRESS BY THE DEPUTY PRESIDENT, JACOB ZUMA, TO THE CAPE TOWN PRESS CLUB, Cape Town, 26 February 2004
The Chairperson of the Cape Town Press Club, Donwald Pressly
Ladies and gentlemen of the media, business Diplomatic community.
Thank you for affording me the opportunity to interact with you today, on the eve of a general election as well as the celebration of our ten-year anniversary of freedom and democracy.
Many people locally and internationally call our transition to democracy a miracle. Others call us a global pilot project. They say so because it was unthinkable before 1994, that the transition from apartheid to a non-racial and democratic society would happen at all, or occur as smoothly as it did.
The ten-year anniversary celebrations provide us with a wonderful opportunity to come to terms with this outstanding achievement.
What we must celebrate most of all, is the peace and reconciliation that we achieved. This was, no doubt, made possible by the fact that the seeds for reconciliation had been sown earlier, as the struggle against apartheid was primarily a non-racial struggle, as clearly espoused in the Freedom Charter.
Reconciliation was the core principle during the multi-party negotiations. It was expressed in practical terms in the inclusive nature of the negotiation process, which allowed the representation of all political parties irrespective of their size or beliefs.
It was further reflected in the manner in which the Interim Constitution was crafted, particularly with regard to the constitutional imperative to establish a Government of National Unity. The Truth and Reconciliation Commission further enhanced the route towards reconciliation and closure.
We believe that the ten-year celebrations also provide an opportunity to formally applaud the graciousness of the millions who were ready to move on and forgive those who had caused them pain and suffering over generations. We must also recognise those who have acknowledged that they may have, by omission or commission, contributed to the suffering of the majority during the period of apartheid rule.
We are also using this period to review the progress we have made in governance. When we moved into government in 1994, we hit the ground running. People expected an immediate improvement in the quality of their lives. To be able to deliver on expectations, we had to urgently transform government, and fundamentally change the thinking, focus and the manner in which things were done.
The indicators point to steady progress across all sectors over the last ten years. Millions of people have gained access to services of which they were deprived under apartheid, and macro-economic stability has been achieved.
Our country has gained recognition and respect internationally, and we have also been actively involved in the drive to rebuild our continent. The active continental involvement is informed by the belief that South Africa cannot be an island of peace and development in the midst of poverty and underdevelopment in Africa.
A further consolidation of democracy will take place in April this year during the third general election. All systems are in place to ensure everything goes well, from a security and political level, and we do not anticipate any large-scale disturbances.
Ladies and gentlemen, allow me to use this opportunity to also acknowledge the outstanding contribution of the media in bringing about freedom and democracy in our country. There are many journalists who defied the apartheid government's internal security and censorship laws to tell the truth and expose the evils of apartheid.
I mention this because this important historical fact is not always highlighted when the apartheid story is told.
We cannot, due to the limited time, mention all these outstanding men and women. We can note for example the contribution of the "Drum" generation during the 1960s, such as Can Themba, Nat Nakasa, Henry Nxumalo, Casey Motsisi and others.
We also acknowledge the courage of the generation that followed, from the 1970s onwards, such as Sophie Tema, Percy Qoboza, Sam Nzima, Peter Magubane, Jacques Pauw, Tony Heard, Mono Badela, Subrie Govender, Thami Mazwai, Don Mattera, Allister Sparks, Joe Thloloe, Jon Qwelane and many others.
The dedication to freedom and democracy led others to establish alternative newspapers during the 80s, such as Anton Harber and colleagues with the Weekly Mail, Guy Berger and colleagues with South, Zwelakhe Sisulu with New Nation, Max du Preez with Vrye Weekblad as well as the founders of the New African newspaper, Saamstaan, Work in Progress and other progressive community publications.
There is also the generation that bravely reported on the intense repression of the 80s, including covering the conflicts engineered by the apartheid security structures in KwaZulu-Natal, Eastern Cape, Western Cape, Gauteng, Free State and other areas.
Our democracy brought about media freedom, which is enshrined in the Constitution. Journalists are now able to exercise their right to freedom of expression without hindrance or fear.
However, we believe that the full story of the free South Africa is yet to be told, especially from the perspective of the majority of South Africans. We hope that the ten-year celebrations will encourage the media to honestly reflect on the achievements of the past ten years - how we moved from the brink of civil war and total destruction, to peace, harmony and stability.
Once again, I am pleased to have had the opportunity to share some thoughts on our activities with the Cape Town Press Club.
I look forward to a continued fruitful relationship and engagement between ourselves as government and the media, in the next decade of freedom.
I thank you.
Issued by: The Presidency
26 February 2004
Source: The Presidency
Title: J Zuma: Cape Town Press Club
ADDRESS BY THE DEPUTY PRESIDENT, JACOB ZUMA, TO THE CAPE TOWN PRESS CLUB, Cape Town, 26 February 2004
The Chairperson of the Cape Town Press Club, Donwald Pressly
Ladies and gentlemen of the media, business Diplomatic community.
Thank you for affording me the opportunity to interact with you today, on the eve of a general election as well as the celebration of our ten-year anniversary of freedom and democracy.
Many people locally and internationally call our transition to democracy a miracle. Others call us a global pilot project. They say so because it was unthinkable before 1994, that the transition from apartheid to a non-racial and democratic society would happen at all, or occur as smoothly as it did.
The ten-year anniversary celebrations provide us with a wonderful opportunity to come to terms with this outstanding achievement.
What we must celebrate most of all, is the peace and reconciliation that we achieved. This was, no doubt, made possible by the fact that the seeds for reconciliation had been sown earlier, as the struggle against apartheid was primarily a non-racial struggle, as clearly espoused in the Freedom Charter.
Reconciliation was the core principle during the multi-party negotiations. It was expressed in practical terms in the inclusive nature of the negotiation process, which allowed the representation of all political parties irrespective of their size or beliefs.
It was further reflected in the manner in which the Interim Constitution was crafted, particularly with regard to the constitutional imperative to establish a Government of National Unity. The Truth and Reconciliation Commission further enhanced the route towards reconciliation and closure.
We believe that the ten-year celebrations also provide an opportunity to formally applaud the graciousness of the millions who were ready to move on and forgive those who had caused them pain and suffering over generations. We must also recognise those who have acknowledged that they may have, by omission or commission, contributed to the suffering of the majority during the period of apartheid rule.
We are also using this period to review the progress we have made in governance. When we moved into government in 1994, we hit the ground running. People expected an immediate improvement in the quality of their lives. To be able to deliver on expectations, we had to urgently transform government, and fundamentally change the thinking, focus and the manner in which things were done.
The indicators point to steady progress across all sectors over the last ten years. Millions of people have gained access to services of which they were deprived under apartheid, and macro-economic stability has been achieved.
Our country has gained recognition and respect internationally, and we have also been actively involved in the drive to rebuild our continent. The active continental involvement is informed by the belief that South Africa cannot be an island of peace and development in the midst of poverty and underdevelopment in Africa.
A further consolidation of democracy will take place in April this year during the third general election. All systems are in place to ensure everything goes well, from a security and political level, and we do not anticipate any large-scale disturbances.
Ladies and gentlemen, allow me to use this opportunity to also acknowledge the outstanding contribution of the media in bringing about freedom and democracy in our country. There are many journalists who defied the apartheid government's internal security and censorship laws to tell the truth and expose the evils of apartheid.
I mention this because this important historical fact is not always highlighted when the apartheid story is told.
We cannot, due to the limited time, mention all these outstanding men and women. We can note for example the contribution of the "Drum" generation during the 1960s, such as Can Themba, Nat Nakasa, Henry Nxumalo, Casey Motsisi and others.
We also acknowledge the courage of the generation that followed, from the 1970s onwards, such as Sophie Tema, Percy Qoboza, Sam Nzima, Peter Magubane, Jacques Pauw, Tony Heard, Mono Badela, Subrie Govender, Thami Mazwai, Don Mattera, Allister Sparks, Joe Thloloe, Jon Qwelane and many others.
The dedication to freedom and democracy led others to establish alternative newspapers during the 80s, such as Anton Harber and colleagues with the Weekly Mail, Guy Berger and colleagues with South, Zwelakhe Sisulu with New Nation, Max du Preez with Vrye Weekblad as well as the founders of the New African newspaper, Saamstaan, Work in Progress and other progressive community publications.
There is also the generation that bravely reported on the intense repression of the 80s, including covering the conflicts engineered by the apartheid security structures in KwaZulu-Natal, Eastern Cape, Western Cape, Gauteng, Free State and other areas.
Our democracy brought about media freedom, which is enshrined in the Constitution. Journalists are now able to exercise their right to freedom of expression without hindrance or fear.
However, we believe that the full story of the free South Africa is yet to be told, especially from the perspective of the majority of South Africans. We hope that the ten-year celebrations will encourage the media to honestly reflect on the achievements of the past ten years - how we moved from the brink of civil war and total destruction, to peace, harmony and stability.
Once again, I am pleased to have had the opportunity to share some thoughts on our activities with the Cape Town Press Club.
I look forward to a continued fruitful relationship and engagement between ourselves as government and the media, in the next decade of freedom.
I thank you.
Issued by: The Presidency
26 February 2004
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