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Launch of Strategic Plan 2000
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EASTERN CAPE PROVINCIAL GOVERNMENT

SPEECH BY PREMIER M.A. STOFILE AT

THE LAUNCH OF THE STRATEGIC PLAN 2000

UNIVERSITY OF FORT HARE
 12 MAY 2000



Mr Chairperson
 His Excellency, Deputy President of the RSA
 The Honourable Vice Chancellor
 Esteemed participants,

Thank you for inviting me to this very important event. It is indeed an honour for me to be invited to this very important University. As 
most of you know, Fort Hare has a very special place in my life. This is where I spent most of my adult life. This is where my knowledge 
and leadership skills were nurtured, honed and tested. Indeed, this is where my adult political life was tested, developed and nurtured. At 
this University I was exposed to all tendencies, experiences, trials and tribulations. I was exposed to the fullness of joy as well as the 
fullness of life. I am always happy to be back here  my old battle ground.

The University of Fort Hare is the second oldest Black University south of the Sahara. It was first conceived in the minds of African 
leaders as early as 1909. When it was finally established in 1916, it became the torch of hope for all our people. Its moto : In lumine tuo 
videbimus lumen became a living beckon. The barriers of ignorance were whittled down. Great men and women were produced who went on to lead 
Sub-Saharan Africa in different fields. Some of them continue in this tradition even in our own times. People who were not satisfied to be 
Homo sapiens only. They prefer also to be Homo modificans.

Today we are continuing in this exercise, the Strategic plan, to modify and shape through knowledge, experimentation and experience, our 
own environment in order to improve the limits of human existence. We hope to hammer out policies that will assist Fort Hare to be 
transformed so that she can be better positioned to contribute to the broader transformation, reconstruction and development agenda of 
South Africa. This is a task (strategic planning) that is going to demand the utmost integrity, sobriety and maturity from all stake-
holders (collectively and individually)

In my view, the guiding principles should be the following :

* To align the university to train people for living and not to be job-seekers. The reconstruction, development and transformation of a 
country cannot be contingent on how many people are in the employ of the public or private sector. It will only be a product of a high 
level of participation by the citizens of that country in productive and developmental activities. Research, inventions and policy changes 
must lead to empowerment with livelihood skills. This University must produce the required skills for the development of South Africa.

* To reposition the University to continue the quest for knowledge. But knowledge for development rather than knowledge for the sake of it. 
Knowledge must be a means to an end. In our case, the end is the empowerment of our people to become architects and custodians of their 
destiny.

In 1860 in the USA, research and teaching were unified in one institution. Germany adopted the same system in the early 20th century. This 
way state- financed institutions produced innovation to the economy and trained individuals for productive enterprises that produced 
innovations in the industrial sector.

In todays world, knowledge has become even more valuable for reconstruction and development practice. For transformation. I dare say that 
in our country we are not wanting at the level of theories for development and change. But at the level of practice and implementation we 
tend to stumble as the self-interest dominates the national imperatives. I have seen this happen in government. I have also seen it happen 
at this University after 1993. As a statement broadcast through the mouth of the late OR. Tambo said in the 1980s : "The tribe must die 
for the nation to live." Self interests must be subsumed in the broader interests of the University.

We have to bear in mind that the context within which this exercise is taking place is very hostile to HBUs like Fort Hare.

The struggle/scramble for resources is fast assuming racial dimensions again. White and privileged universities have a greater access to 
the corridors of power. Their lobby for the demise of the HBUs is very strong. We must also wake up and put the record straight more 
vociferously than hitherto. As I mentioned at the beginning, Fort Hare and her daughters (the other HBUs) provided South Africa with the 
bulk of her Black intellectuals. This was done under very trying circumstances. In the end we won. We cant, therefore, reward these HBUs 
for sustaining the struggle by making them colleges of white universities. This would be treachery of the highest order. It would be an 
entrenchment of the apartheid order in the present democratic dispensation. We must all join hands and heads and oppose any attempt to sell 
our universities out.

But first and foremost, we too must get our act together. We should be careful not to use the culture of entitlement as our sole weapon. We 
must work hard and align our universities for todays and tomorrows needs. This is what this Strategic Planning initiative is trying to 
achieve.

Let us make it work.

M.A. STOFILE

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