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First National Colloquium of the African Association of Political Science: South Africa
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Speeches and Media Releases
 Education

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EASTERN CAPE PROVINCIAL GOVERNMENT

SPEECH BY THE HONOURABLE MEC FOR EDUCATION : MR STONE SIZANI

ON OCCASION OF THE FIRST NATIONAL COLLOQUIUM OF THE AFRICAN ASSOCIATION OF POLITICAL SCIENCE: SOUTH AFRICA HELD AT FORT HARE UNIVERSITY

ON

26 MAY 2000



SOUTH AFRICA  SETTING THE STAGE FOR THE AFRICAN RENAISSANCE

There is a huge responsibility that has been placed on South Africa as a result of the latters achievement of the democratic order that 
came about in 1994.The former administration of this country, a bastion of all the nefarious practices that went with partenalism, and 
domination, was the last example to prove the formidability of all those systems of enslavement and its concomitant practices.When that 
kingdom fell even in spite of the fact that most African countries had attained their freedom long before this event, greater and newer 
forms of freedom started to appear on the horizons of most African countries, because whether we admit this or not, the African world out 
there had always been aware of the potential for economic renewal that lay at the Southern tip of Africa.Thus, in many ways, 1994 saw the 
emergence of a new self  perception of Africa, by all Africans.That perception saw South Africa leading the economic transformation of the 
Dark Continent.The better life for all that we were preaching in the African National Congress, was seen by our brothers and sisters both 
in Africa and in the Diaspora, as signalling the hope for better things to come in this our lovely continent, which was characterized by 
poverty, disease, disenfranchisement and all the ills that the North had exported with its renegade elements.Thus in many ways, stability 
both political and economic, has become an essential element in South Africa, if we are to assume with dignity the leadership mantle 
imposed on us by our brothers and sisters within our continent.>

A number of crucial elements can thus be viewed as essential ingredients in this the recipe for stability in Africa, if such a movement is 
to be led from South Africa.It will be essential that a set of necessary conditions be met within this country if we are to assume the vast 
responsibility that may see us emerge as the leader in the exercise of reasserting our African heritage.

Are we ready for the Responsibility?

The curtain has been drawn on the honeymoon that characterised our first democratic government.The second is faced with a number of issues, 
questions to which will consistently need an answer in the affirmative.Such issues, among others, are:

* Leaders who are decisive
* Plans that are implementable, and that entail implementation strategies
* A sound monetary policy
* Labour stability
* Labour market regulation, and
* Putting governments finger on the crime situation in the country.

This is by no means a finite list of the responsibilities that lie on Mr Mbekis government, especially since the latter gentleman has 
still to evolve his own Mbeki  magic, and to juxtapose it against the erstwhile magic that we have known to be of gargantuan magnitude.

1.A decisive government

There are a number of areas where we can say, with an element of confidence that our government has taken decisive and positive steps.Such 
steps as we shall be addressing shortly, have tended to restore our morale as a nation and have led the financial giants, on whose whim we 
so much depend, to feel that the current political climate is conducive to economic growth and development.Government has accepted, albeit 
reluctantly, that the voice of the financial giants does count in working towards both political and economic stability in our country.The 
argument regarding whether or not at this stage the finances are in the wrong hands belongs in another debate.

Governments decisiveness can be demonstrated in a number of ways, among which are the changes in the Cabinet, which latter exercise has 
spelt governments sensitivity to key areas of operation, like Safety and Security, the Public Service and Administration, and Education, 
to name but a few.Worthy of singling out in this aspect is the retention of Trevor Manuel as Minister of Finance.It is a fact that this 
Minister has restored the confidence, not only of the country, but also of the international community that we are indeed in control, we 
are in government. Coupled with Manuels decisiveness on matters financial, is the willingness of government to confront organized 
labour.Last confrontation on salaries demonstrates the resolve with which government is now prepared to engage our partners in labour.

Last years confrontation, and the stance adopted by government can only serve to lubricate governments machinery for handling the tricky 
processes of rationalisation, privatisation and the maintenance of tight fiscal controls, as represented by the strategy of GEAR.

The SDC intervention is another area that is often quoted to illustrate this element of decisiveness in our present  day government.The 
conflict in that country did indeed pose a threat to stability in our region.Our role in that conflict was never an insignificant one.It 
was as high  profile as has been our role in SADC affairs, in the integration of Regional economic matters Pretoria has been instrumental 
in forcing through a radical shake  up of the SADC secretariat in order to transform the SADC from a soft donor  fund gathering 
organisation into one designed to foster and promote regional economic integration and trade.

The envisaged slashing of cross  border tariffs is another example that will serve to strengthen the notion that industries across the 
region need to be more competitive and economies more open.These are but a few examples that can in our view serve to demonstrate the 
decisiveness that government has adopted in the short lifespan of our second democracy.

2.Monetary Policy

It does seem as well that government has effectively ring-fenced our monetary policy to prevent political interference  hence the 
inability of political groupings to interfere with interest rates etc.

An earlier notion, that the appointment of ANC stalwart Tito Mboweni into the Reserve Bank would threaten the independence of that 
institution has been dispelled.Mbowenis stated priority objective is to reduce inflation.On the related issue of interest rates, Mboweni 
seems resolute to base decision on reducing these on both global and domestic factors rather than on the political whims of any of the role 
 players.

3.Labour stability

Another notion dispelled is the perennial one that labour unrest in this country would reach epidemic proportions.Beginning from 1994, 
its only fair for even the worst critics of government to concede that unrest in this sector had indeed subsided.Ironically the much 
maligned alliance between government and labour has been instrumental in the decline of labour disputes, because, through that alliance, 
organised labour has been able to influence governments labour policies.That has, without doubt tended to prevent the eruption of any 
serious disputes.

Evidence now abounds that labour has its focus on workplace  related issues and broader worker concerns, and the division is now evident 
between that and the role of other political structures in articulating purely political demands.

4.Labour market regulation

Our second democratic government has enhanced its credibility by reinforcing the governments stance on labour market regulation through 
the removal of obstacles to the creation of employment and investment.This has been on the ANC table even before the second democracy came 
into being.Government has had to be seen to be moving away from apartheid era labour abuses.There is constant pressure for government to 
review legislation that inhibits growth, investment and job creation. It is then incumbent upon government to walk the thin line between 
the rampant exploitation of labour from the past and the current system that discriminates heavily against employers.

The review of labour market regulation entails the removal of technical obstacles to job creation and productive investment issues 
arising from that have to do with:

* The Labour Relations Act in as far as it has to do with dismissals
* Minimum bargaining, and
* The removal of the inherent bias against employers in arbitration mechanisms.

5.Crime

Predictions about crime are that the scourge will be with us for the next five years, and will place a high premium on business.Government 
has been urged from a number of quarters to take action to stem the tide of criminal behaviour.What we must accept in any case is the fact 
that such levels of crime had to be a spin  off of our political transformation.This tends to happen the world over where the move has 
been one from disenfranchisement to majority rule.

We must always remember that the changes in government after 1994 led to a number of things, among which was a rather demoralised police 
force and even bureaucracy, with allegiance sometimes to their erstwhile masters.Evidence suggests nonetheless that this is only a 
temporary problem in our country because this is an inherent transitional problem.Certainly the legislation has been somewhat tightened and 
we have evidence that more criminals are being brought to book.

It does seem from the foregoing then, that we have met the prerequisite for leading the African renaissance from our corner of the 
continent.All African eyes look up to us for the realisation of the African dream and it does seem that we as a country are ready to take 
on that responsibility with the same resolve that saw us through the dark and evil days of apartheid, into our promised land.It will 
require effort from all and sundry but it is not formidable.

I would like to conclude by referring to a speech delivered by our President at Midrand in August of 1998.Mbeki begins the speech by 
alluding to the numerous wars that plague the African continent:

* The struggle for political power in Lesotho
* The DRC
* Eritrea and Ethiopia because of a debate about an acre or two of land, guns have usurped the place of reason
* In Guinea  Bissau.Algeria and Somalia

He says, The children of Africa continue to be consumed by death dealt out by those who have proclaimed a sentence of death on dialogue 
and reason.

He sees the solution for all these instances of greed for power and material things as an African renaissance, as he goes on to say:

the time has come that we say enough and no more, and by acting to banish the shame, remake ourselves as the midwives of the African 
renaissance.

Mbeki seems to take that responsibility in its fullest sense.

His aversion for the ills that are manifest on our continent is demonstrated by the strong language he uses.He says:

It is out of this pungent mixture of greed, dehumanising poverty, obscene wealth and endemic public and private corrupt practice that many 
of Africas coup detat, civil wars and situations of instability are born and entrenched.

I conclude with a statement that for me reflects the determination as well as the pride that Mbeki has in the concept.He says:

A people capable of such creativity could never have been less human than other human beings, and being as human as any other, such people 
can and must be its own liberator fro the condition which seeks to describe our continent and its people as the poverty stricken and 
disease  ridden primitives in a world riding the crest of a wave combatants for the African renaissance

a call to rebellion

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