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Provincial congress of the New National Party
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Speeches and Media Releases
 Premier's Office

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EASTERN CAPE PROVINCIAL GOVERNMENT

SPEECH BY THE PREMIER, REV STOFILE

TO THE PROVINCIAL CONGRESS OF THE NEW NATIONAL PARTY

HELD IN PORT ELIZABELTH

ON 11 MARCH 2000



1. INTRODUCTION:

To be invited by Dr Schoeman and the Provincial leadership of the NNP to address this August Congress was a humbling honour. If I tend to 
be nervous during my speech, it is because I am still dizzy at being so highly honoured. Thank you very much for your kind gesture. I hope 
we can all build on it. I also hope the ANC can be able to reciprocate. Our Province and our people are thirsty for this spirit of 
"toenadering".

2. THE NNP AND THE ANC

South Africa enters the new century having achieved her formal political liberation. A new era of democracy, justice and peace has been 
ushered in. The foundation has been laid for our society to develop into a truly united, non-racial and non-sexist nation. This is a long 
journey and true equity and justice lie ahead of us. But a good beginning has been laid which is the envy of the world and the pride of 
true patriots.

It is very important to say from the beginning that although we have recently emerged from a conflictual situation, that struggle was never 
against the National Party per se.

It was a struggle against a philosophy of governing the country to the exclusion of the majority of its citizens. We could not stand by and 
watch segregation in all the peoples lives being the order of the day. That battle is over now and those philosophies have been defeated. 
We have no choice but to stand together and build our country and our Province. Nation-building depends on us. Posterity relies on us.

3. THE NATIONAL PARTY:

It is common knowledge that the NNP is the successor of the National Party.The latter was born of the spirit of nationalism. The 
nationalist spirit in turn was born out of the experience of the Afrikaner. This experience varied from being threatened by the presence of 
the Khoi, the San and the African nations to being fed up with British imperialism. Boer independence was incompatible with imperialist 
ambitions in Africa. The Afrikaners wanted to live without interference.

The painful experiences they went through is well documented. The annexation of the Transvaal by the British in 1877 became known by the 
Afrikaners as the First War of Independence. But the bigger and more vicious war was to be the "Anglo-Boer War". (Now called the South 
African War). This was perceived as the climax to "a century of wrong". Most of the civilised world regarded this as one of the worst wars. 
I do not intend to remind anyone here of what happened during that War.

All we will say is that after that War a new home for the Afrikaners became "Die Nasionale Suid-Afrikaanse Party"(S.A.P.) led by General 
Louis Botha. They dropped the word "nationalist" later because "it was unpopular with some in the country". But the real nationalist later 
broke away to form the Nationalist Party. This marked the emergence of Afrikaner nationalism as a fully-fledged political force in the 
arena of South African politics. In 1996, the National Party became the NNP and openly embraced non-racialism. But it still retained the 
spirit of nationalism. Right wing elements decided to leave the Party.

4. THE AFRICAN NATIONAL CONGRESS

Our Party has somewhat similar origins to those of the NP/NNP. The spirit of nationalism was born out of the desire to defend our country 
against intruders.

In 1912 the ANC was founded with the purpose of uniting the African majority against the Colonial Union, in pursuit of non-racial 
democracy. The ANC developed over the years to forge fighting alliances with Organisations of the Coloured and Indian communities, as well 
as white democrats. After the industrialisation of S.A., a working class emerged. The ANC formed alliances with the Trade Union Movement as 
well as the Communist Party of S.A. Together with our allies, we shared the common objectives of building a free, democratic and non-racial 
S.A. Both the SACP and COSATU have objectives unique to themselves. For the time being we are bound by our National Democratic Objectives. 
The ANC remains the only truly nationalist component of the Tripartite Alliance.

The history of how we adopted different forms of struggle until we had no choice but to fight back is well-known. Also the history of how 
we insisted that as many Parties as possible be involved in the Codesa Negotiations is well-known. It is our fervent view that S.A. belongs 
to all who live in it, Black and White.

The ANC is a broad multi-class, mass organisation, uniting the various sectors of society on the basis of a programme of transformation. 
The motive forces on which the ANC relies for changing S.A. are the African majority, the Coloured and Indian Communities as well as those 
Whites who share our vision. We believe that all of us stand to gain if our strategic objective is attained; that of a non-racial, non-
sexist and democratic S.A. We must all work for social change to succeed.

5. CHALLENGES:

It is common knowledge that both the ANC and the NNP have, until now, not succeeded in attracting the non-traditional communities into 
their folds.

This is to be expected after only six (6) years of freedom and over 300 years of segregation. The past endowed us with different privileges 
and wants. It also socialised us into communities that are suspicious of one another and that hate one another (at least at the ordinary 
persons level). History has placed on the shoulders of our generation to correct what our forefathers did, so that our children and grand 
children will truly live what has been an elusive dream: freedom, equality, opportunity, justice and peace. We dare not fail.

The building blocks towards that is the bridging of the socio-economic disparities among our people. Unfortunately both affluence and 
poverty are easily associated with colour. We must close the gap. The immediate needs our people are jobs, food, houses, proper education, 
security and other social needs. The Government alone cannot deliver All these. The ANC alone does not have the monopoly of wisdom on how 
to deal with our peoples needs. All of us, the ANC and the NNP, belong here. Hopefully you also want to die here like us in the ANC. You 
see, S.A. is the only country we have a right to. The same goes for you. But we cant say the same for most of the D.P. members.

This is what makes us special. You and We are the only Parties of true nationalists in this country. Which is why we cannot agree with 
those who despise nationalism both in 1910 or in 2000. Such people will lose the support of true South Africans.

In the inaugural meeting in 1910 General Botha pledged to strive for the "samesmelting" (fusion) of the two sections of the S.A.P. I cannot 
call for that. I merely think that we must find ways of working together in this Province. Mrs Anne Nash has been able to lead in the 
Provincial Legislature by example to show that the need for reconciliation and nation-building is far greater and far more important for 
our people and our Province than to play to the public gallery as Parties try to win members. This masks the integrity of a hunter for the 
family as opposed to the despicable selfishness of scavengers. With such a leadership like Dr Schoeman, Mrs Nash and the other leaders, a 
new hope is kindled in that the Eastern Cape is again ready to lead the rest of S.A. in what is to be done. But we must not rush, lest our 
objectives are misconstrued.

As we grapple with such issues as Agriculture, education, local government administration etc., we believe there is enough common ground 
between the two parties in this Province to co-operate. The modalities of such co-operation will develop in action as we learn to march 
together. I believe we do have the calibre of leaders to guide such a march. I believe that the hearts and souls of our people are yearning 
for such Unity of purpose and action. Conflict politics has no place in S.A. this century. I am confident that we shall win for unity. 
Love, justice and peace are the building blocks of Gods plan for creation.

May God grant us wisdom and strength to do what MUST be done rather than what WE want done.

Good Luck with the Congress.

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