Issued by: Department of Constitutional Development
INAUGURATION OF THE NATIONAL KHOISAN FORUM, 27 MAY 1999: UPINGTON
A milestone in the constitutional accommodation of the Khoisan community was reached today with the inauguration of the National Khoisan Forum in Upington. The Forum, which is made up of representatives of the Griqua, Nama, Koranna, and San communities was formed as the culmination of a process of consultation and negotiations undertaken between these communities and the Department of Constitutional Development since 1995.
The main aim of the Forum is to represent these communities in interactions with Government aimed at promoting their culture, languages, heritage and traditional leadership.
The meeting, at which an executive committee was elected, was chaired by Mr M Dipico, Premier of the Northern Cape. Mr Zam Titus, Director-General of the Department of Constitutional Development, brought a message of support from the Minister for Provincial Affairs and Constitutional Development, Mohammed Valli Moosa.
Minister Moosa, who was personally involved in the discussions preceding the launch of the Forum, said that the inauguration of the Forum was a truly historic occasion, because for the first time in history the Khoi, San, Griqua, Nama and Koranna people had elected representatives to join Government in formulating programmes aimed at promoting their development.
Minister Moosa also noted that it was the first time that any government in South Africa has taken heed of, and actively developed policies and programmes specifically aimed at promoting, the constitutional rights, property rights, culture, language and education of the Khoisan communities. Indeed, successive colonial and apartheid governments had tried to exterminate, disinherit and marginalised the Khoisan people.
Minister Moosa is proud of the fact that a forum through which the feelings and aspirations of the Khoisan people can express themselves, now exists. The Minster also calls on all South Africans to lend full support to the aspirations of the Khoisan people, and pledged the commitment of Government to addressing the concerns of the Khoisan community.
With the establishment of the National Khoisan Forum, the pride and dignity of the Khoisan, as a people, has bee restored.
Issued by the Ministry for Provincial Affairs and Constitutional Development on 17 May 1999.
For further details, contact:
Fred Barron 082-4567-545
Taka Seboka 082-783-1249