Madam Speaker,
Comrade President
Honourable Members of Parliament,
Fellow South Africans,
Ladies and Gentlemen.
Madam Speaker
The achievement of democracy in 1994
marked the birth of our country as an African nation on the southern
tip of the continent. It provided us with the opportunity to:
(1)
Set up a government based on the will of the people and on
people-centred and people driven principles. It provided us with
an opportunity to
(2)
Strengthen the ANC as a leader and commander in the implementation of a
practical programme of social change and a movement rooted among the
people. Hence the slogan “ ANC LIVES! ANC LEADS!
It is precisely for that reason that
the President during the State of the Nation Address (SONA) declared a
War Against Poverty…” A National War Room for a War Against
Poverty to be precise.
Masibambane ngezandla singamasebe
kaRhulumente silwe nendlala silamlele abantu ekuthwaxweni linxele
likaKhetsekile. Sonke masibambelele eKhubeni siqinise imisipha
neentsinga.
Uhlabe ikhwelo uMongameli ukuba
kungabiko siseko sikaRhulumente esibulaleka sodwa. Isebe
lezeNtlalo-ntle, elamaphondo nooRhulumente baseMakhaya, elezoShishino,
Imihlaba nolimo, Imisebenzi kaRhulumente nelezempilo – abambane abe
yinkwa nenkwa kuliwe nendlala.
Masahlukane nesiqhelo – naxa ndisazi
ukuba isiqhelo siyayoyisa ingqondo, ude agwebe ngesikaJoji uMongameli
athi, “Business Unusual.”
Kunyembelekile uMbutho wesizwe i-ANC
ufuna sibe ngamafelandawonye anjongo ikukubumbana alwe indlala.
Ewe silenzile igalelo kodwa kuninzi ekufuneka sikwenzile. Ewe
uninzi lunawo amanzi okusela kodwa kusekho abangenamanzi. Baninzi
abanombane bakho abangenawo. Baninzi abazuza indodla nenkam-nkam
bakho abacholi naphantsi.
Ngokumisela amaphulo ophuhliso
lwamakhosikazi, umlisela nomthinjana, umgqeku nomqikela, abantu
abahlala emaphandleni, abantu abakhubazekileyo nabalimeleyo, abantu
abahlaselwe zizifo, iingwevu neengwevukazi zethu - Silwa nendlala.
Ngokumisela iinkqubo zophuhliso
lwezakhono noqeqesho – Silwa nendlala.
Ngokuthoba iminyaka ukuze namadoda
aminyaka ingama- 60 azuze indodla – Silwa nendlala.
Ngokumisela amaphulo okudala imisebenzi
ngesebe lezemisebenzi- Silwa nendlala.
Njengoko abacinezelwa bengazange bavume
ukuthoba kwimpatho gadalala yabamhlophe, abavumi nangoku ukuthoba
ngenxa yendlala. Abantu baphucwa imihlaba yabo ngolunya –
Umhlaba! Ubutyebi belizwe busezandleni
zegcuntswana! Mayibuye! Uninzi alukabinazo
izindlu. Amandla!
Cde President, I agree with you, that
we must prepare our people for War Against Poverty. Yes Cde
President our people have political freedom however, that political
freedom without economic control is hollow. It is for this reason
that I agree with you that let us mobilise our people for this stage
and phase of our struggle. “A Luta Continua”
Our theme from the January
8th Statement is “Mass mobilisation to build a caring
society”. It has been the ANC that cared and it is only the ANC that
cares. It is the ANC together with our labour movement that can
mobilise domestic and farm workers under the banner of a strong and
vigilant trade union. It is the ANC together with our labour
movement that can sustain a programme of action towards protecting
vulnerable workers. “ All workers shall be free to form
trade unions, to elect their officers and to make wage agreements with
their employers ,” says the Freedom Charter – and it continues “
That our country will never be prosperous or free until all our
people live in brotherhood, enjoying equal rights and opportunities.
“
Sir Francis Bacon however, advised us
many years ago that – “knowledge is power”. Therefore it would be of no
use to create jobs and develop skills when our people remain ignorant
of the jobs being created, where they are created, what skills they
require, and so forth. Therefore the need to enhance employment search
mechanisms that would not cost job-seekers is very important – as
highlighted by the President in his speech. Government stepping
up efforts to expedite the process.
It is the ANC that is committed to
human rights and the rights of all workers irrespective of gender,
race, creed or religion. The ANC has no ”buts”, “ifs”
“howevers”, “whenevers”, and “wherevers” when it comes to the
rights of workers and the constitutional rights of South Africans in
general. Only the ANC government can win this war. Only the
ANC can end Rural Poverty. Only the ANC can bring dignity to
people with disabilities. Only the ANC can ensure that we have
youth of quality standards to enter the labour market. Only the
ANC can provide universal access to basic services such as water and
electricity. Only the ANC can provide support to the elderly and
indigent people. Only the ANC is the home of the truly
dispossessed and all South Africans. Our strength flows from our
roots among the people. Only the ANC government can and will win
this war against poverty. Comrade President I am absolutely sure
that in this house – the ANC is the Only Organisation that is “Proud of
its past “and the Only one “Confident of the Future”
Amandla
Matla
I thank you
