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Speech by the Speaker at the Diploma Awards Ceremony of Fort Cox College
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 EASTERN CAPE PROVINCIAL GOVERNMENT
 SPEECH BY  SPEAKER MR M M MATOMELA
 AT THE DIPLOMA AWARDS CEREMONY OF FORT COX COLLEGE
ON 26 APRIL 2001



Honourable Dr Awumey, Principal of Fort Cox College, Guests of Honour, Members of the College Board of Governors, management, staff, 
students, parents, ladies and gentlemen:

It is a privilege and an honour to grace this distinguished Diploma Day of Fort Cox College. I came from the education profession and I 
still have an immense passion for education. Nothing gives me more pleasure to see our youth being empowered to face the challenges of our 
beloved country.

As Speaker of the Legislature of the Province of the Eastern Cape which, amongst other things, is the custodian of the Constitution of the 
Republic of South Africa and in particular the Bill of Rights, I would like to start off by quoting the fundamental right on education as 
contained in Section 29 of the Constitution:

"Everyone has the right -

(a) to basic education, including adult basic education; and

(b) to further education, which the state, through reasonable measures, must make progressively available and accessible."

As a representative of the democratic elected government it really gives me pleasure to witness a practical and living example of further 
education. Before I proceed any further let me congratulate all the students who will receive diplomas today. This achievement is not only 
wonderful for you as individuals but also for the country.

President Thabo Mbeki, in his first speech as president in Parliament on 25 June 1999 said:

""A historic document of the people of our country asserts that as a consequence of the victory of the struggle for national liberation, 
the doors of education and learning shall be open to all.

Many people, including our youth, died and sacrificed for the realisation of this objective. They did so because they understood the 
importance for themselves and all our communities of the right to freedom of ignorance.

Consistent with this correct view, we must ensure that education and training constitute the decisive drivers in our effort to build a 
winning nation"

Today we are involved in a different struggle. the struggle for economic empowerment and equality in access to land and resources. To 
succeed in our struggle we need those that are skilled and educated. Let all of us, teachers and students, embrace this idea to build a 
winning nation!!! Let us be all part of the solution and not be part of the problem.

I believe strongly that the success of our country and prosperity of our nation are solely dependent on the acquisition of skills and 
empowerment of our people to develop our beloved country to achieve a better life for all.

In the preamble to the White Paper on Agriculture, 1995 the following statement is made:

"..... agriculture is an important primary component in the national economy and for the community. Not only is agriculture often the major 
factor in rural economic growth and development, but the necessary programmes to support agriculture play a distinctive role in broadening 
the economic and social options of rural and urban people, and consequently in improving their quality of life."

The importance of agriculture to the economy cannot be over emphasised and the importance of the skills acquired by students who are 
awarded diplomas today to the development of the quality of life must be applauded. The importance is evident from the vision of a new 
agriculture in South Africa that emerged from the said White Paper which reads as follows:

"A highly efficient and economically viable market-directed farming sector, characterised by a wide range of farm sizes, which will be 
regarded as the economic and social pivot of rural South Africa and which will influence the rest of the economy and society."

Skilled people in agriculture are needed to ensure that this vision attained and does not remain a dream. We are fortunate in the Eastern 
Cape to have institutions such as Fort Cox College to assist in attaining this vision by developing and empowering our people for the 
benefit of our people.

I am aware of the fears and pressures of obtaining employment and one of the realities of South Africa is still that most black farmers, 
small scale or commercial have limited access to land and capital. The reason for this is no secret and is part of the legacy of apartheid 
and our history of land dispossession. However, development of agriculture to attain the vision is the challenge facing us in South Africa 
so as to ensure that we increase the participation of those who were previously disadvantaged. The government will dedicate resources and 
develop strategies to ensure that this happen. The comprehensive Agriculture Policy as contained in the White Paper on Agriculture tries to 
achieve exactly what is needed. I do not wish to engage you in all the intricacies of the Agricultural Policy but I feel it necessary to 
read to you the Mission Statement for Agricultural Policy:

"Ensure equitable access to agriculture and promote the contribution of agriculture to the development of all communities, society at large 
and the national economy, in order to enhance income, food security, employment and quality of life in a sustainable manner."

The students who are awarded diplomas today are receiving just award for hard work over a period of time. I am confident that they will 
reap the fruits of their hard work in future. The Province of the Eastern Cape is largely a rural province. We are currently also regarded 
as one of the poorest Provinces in South Africa. However, this Province has wealth in abundance in two areas, namely human resources and 
water, especially in the eastern part of the Province. The students sitting in this venue today are living proof of my statement and I am 
sure that they will help turn this Province around, by participating in the agricultural sector, to become one of the wealthy Provinces of 
our Country.

However, we must be wary that education is not all that is needed to be successful in life. hard work, commitment and patriotism are 
equally important. To succeed we have to be creative and innovative. The youth of this country has the benefit of looking at opportunities 
with a different eye. They are not hamstrung by practices of the past, but they can look at issues with a fresh attitude and arrive at 
innovative solutions with creativity.

I want to conclude by agin wishing all the students all thee sucess with whatever they are planning for the future. It is fitting that to 
close with a quote from a speech from former President Mandela, delivered in 1993 at the occasion of the anniversary of the Soweto uprising 
on 16 June 1976:

"Rather, we should first and foremost, approach it from the point of view that the heroes of those struggles had a noble mission. They were 
inspired by a thirst for knowledge:

* knowledge which knows no colour;
* knowledge acquired through persuasion and hard work;
* knowledge that taps talents and releases creative energies; and
* knowledge that puts South African youth on par with the best in the world."

I am privileged to witness the rewards for such acquired knowledge on this Diploma Day of the Fort Cox College of Agriculture and Forestry.

I thank you

M M Matomela
 Speaker

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