A Nation at Work for a Better Life 2000
A Nation at Work for a Better Life 2000
j
What are the ke}' issues raised in
the President's speech?
There is a very strong message of
hope. The President reflected on the
many important achievements of the
past year - including ongoing economic
growth and increasing investment
- and pointed out that these
achievements arc set to continue.
The programmes to address our
urgent social needs have been clearly
defined. In his first State of the Nation
Address in June last year the President
spelt out the Government's priorities.
His 4 February speech was both a
report on progress and an indication
of the path the Government is determined
to follow in the coming year in
order to take us towards those goals.
The President also made it clear
that the Government is working as a
collective rather than as individual
departments or ministries. Issues like
criminal justice, economic investment
and rural development are dealt with
jointly, and departments and ministries
are planning and implementing
together to bring about the best possible
results for South Africa.
But isn't there a dan er of the
Government startin to relax now?
Not at all. The President made it clear
that the Government is committed to
dealing with the many difficult challenges
ahead.
'The good that has been done puts
into sharp relief everything that has
still to be done to extricate millions of
our people from the conditions of
poverty, racism, sexism and violations
of their human dignity', he said.
Discrimination is one of the greatest
challenges. Do you think we are
making progress in getting rid of it?
The Government is making some
progress, but much still needs to be
Hope has taken the place of despair
done. The President pointed out the
danger of only reflecting on our successes
as a country - and ignoring the
deep-seated divisions that still exist.
The President said many people
are sti II 'forced to swallow the bitter
fruit of racial inequality and arrogance'
- but are rebuked when they
speak out against the pain they
endure.
'This racism will continue unless
all of us engage this monster consciously
and systematically', he said.
So what has the Government been
doing about discrimination?
Equality is entrenched in our
Constitution and several laws have
been passed in the last few years as
part of the general offensive against
discrimination. The President specifically
referred to two new laws that are
specifically aimed at bringing about
equality. The first, the Promotion of
It is ten years since our organisations were unbanned, the last political prisoners released and the exiles began
the journey back to the land of their birth.
In the course of a mere decade, we have ended the pernicious system of apartheid white minority rule and put
in place a constitutionally governed and stable democratic system.
We have put behind us the centuries-old practice of resolving competing interests through repression, violence and war.
We have turned an economy that was headed towards a catastrophic meltdown into one that is poised to advance in a way that will
address the needs of all our people.
Where suffering and degradation were the only things that were certain in the lives of millions, we have created the situation in which
these millions are better able to carry their pain - because hope has taken the place of despair.
We have ended our dark days as a pariah country, and the nations of our common universe are confident that out of South Africa will
emerge a thing of value that will contribute to the building of a more humane world.
At no other point have we been as well placed to take decisive steps towards the creation of the humane and people-centred society for
which banned organisations struggled for decades. - President Thabo Mbeki
Local government elections
This year we will be holding our second local government elections. The
Government is confident that we will all work together to ensure they
are held in conditions of peace and peaceful political competition - and
that they are free and fair.
We appeal to members of the Public Service and the population at large to again volunteer their
services to help the Independent Electoral Commission, so that it can carry out its tasks as effectively
as it did in the general election.
I am also convinced that we will be able to remove the misconceptions that have arisen around
the demarcation process - particularly issues relating to communal areas and the constitutionally
guaranteed role of traditional leaders and institutions of government.
I would like to reassure our traditional leaders that the demarcation process bears no relationship
whatsoever to, and has no negative impact on, their role and powers. We will still rely on
them to continue to mobilise the people they represent to participate in the processes of further
entrenching democracy and enhancing development in the rural areas. - President Thabo Mbeki
Equality and Prevention of Unfair
Discrimination Act, outlaws discrimination
and the second, the Preferential
Procurement Policy Framework Act, will
ensure that black people have greater
access to government business.
- the first of its kind and. as the President
said, 'a real honour for South Africa'.
Economic inequal_!!}, results in
tremendous suffering for poor
people. What is the Government
doing in this regard?
Getting rid of poverty remains one of the
Government's central objectives. Poverty
is closely linked to racism. sexism and
crime, and only by getting rid of ii can
dignity be restored to all South Africans.
• A Local Economic Development
Fund has already been set up.
allowing municipalities to stimulate
local economic development. The
fund is already giving hope - and
an income - to unemployed people.
• Several improvements have been
made to the Government's Public
Works Community Programmes,
which have improved the quality of
life of rural people by providing
roads and other fonns of
infrastructure.
• This year, the Government will
launch its Integrated and Sustainable
Rural Development Programme.
This will ensure there are sustainable
development programmes for
each rural community or district by
the year 20 I 0.
• The Government is getting rid of
the bottlenecks that slow down the
distribution o[ poverty relief funds.
A recently completed gender audit will
help to advance the rights of women. and
the new Integrated Strategy on Disability
will address some of the challenges that
arc faced by people with disabilities. Bringing back the culture of learning
And what about racism in particular?
The Government has discussed this with
the Human Rights Commission (HRC).
which has agreed to convene a National
Congress against Racism later this year.
The Government will work closely with
the HRC to ensure it achieves the objective
of a non-racist and non-sexist society.
And next year our country will host an
International Conference against Racism
The Tirisano programme launched by the Minister of Education is an
important plank in increasing levels of education and training. This
year, the Government will pay special attention to improving the
management of schools to ensure we inculcate the culture of learning, teaching and discipline
throughout the school system.
The Government hopes more schools will follow the approach taken by the lthuteng Trust - an
outstanding example of the South African miracle. The trust has ensured that 1 500 Soweto
youths not only study hard, but also carry out important voluntary community work, including
educating their peers to turn against crime, rape and drug abuse.
As you can see, there are several
plans and programmes already under
way and, as the President said several
times in his speech: 'We have
never been better positioned than we
are today to achieve progress.'
Buildin infrastructure will
obviously help create jobs, but
what else is the Government dol!!g
about ·ob creation?
Decisions from the 1998 Jobs
Summit are already being implemented,
such as the joint ventures
with the business sectors to promote
tourism. These are important initiatives
and, as the President said, the
response has been positive.
'We are very encouraged by the
response of our people as a whole
that we should transform ourselves
into a nation at work', he said.
'Throughout the country, from the
wine farms in the Western Cape to
rural communities in the Northern
Province, people arc responding to
this call and engaging in productive
economic activity.
'We will work further lo encourage
this paitnership with the people
for development - which will help to
lay to rest the false notion that the
Government has the exclusive responsibility
to create jobs and therefore
that everybody should wait for
the Government to create these jobs:
In addition, the Government is
reviewing its two small-business
development agencies, Ntsika and
Khula, to speed up the growth of
small and emerging businesses -
which will have a positive impact on
job creation. In addition, laws that
hamper small business are going to
be reviewed.
The media has iven a lot of covera9e
to the President's comments on
the labour movement. What did he
actually say?
The President said the Minister of
Labour had discussed the impact of
our labour legislation with business
and the trade union movement and
they had agreed that some labour
legislation had had unintended consequences.
'We need to simultaneously
address issues such as fair labour
standards and the fostering of economic
growth and job creation·, he
said. 'To ensure this happens, some
amendments to the Labour Relations
Act, the Basic Conditions of
Employment Act and the Insolvency
Act will be int.roduced this year.'
But what about strikes? Didn't the
President have some strong words
for workers who down tools?
There's a clear distinction between
strikes that follow the legal process,
and strikes such as the recent one at
Volkswagen - which the President
referred to as being not only illegal,
but also unj ustified.
'Strikes such as the one at
Volkswagen cannot be tolerated', he
said. 'Jobs. a better life for our
people in the context of a growing
economy and our standing in the
eyes of the investor community
cannot be held hostage by elements
pursuing selfish and anti-social
purposes. The Government will not
waver from this position.·
How will the Government make
sure the econom continues to
grow?
The Government has set up a highprofile
International Investment
Council that will play a critical role
in attracting more foreign companies
to South Africa. Some of the world's
most successful and respected business
leaders will serve on the council
- and this can only add to the country's
investment prospects.
Say no to
mobile
coffins
The Government is determined to carry
out its programme to renew the
minibus taxi fleet and introduce other
measures to ensure that this sector
provides a safe, dependable and disciplined
service to the public.
While we are ready to engage in genuine
consultations, it is a mistake to
think that the Government can be
intimidated into taking wrong de·
cisions.
Ageing minibuses which were designed
as family vehicles cannot be allowed to
roam our roads, condemning paying
passengers to risk their lives by travelling
in mobile coffins.
- President Thabo Mbeki
Better governance
Government still has to complete the restructuring of the Public
Service. It will do this by:
■ raising skills levels in the public sector and ensuring it
keeps professional personnel
■ improving management, financial accountability and service delivery
■ combating corruption and the abuse of public resources
■ enhancing the motivation of all public sector workers to serve the people of
South Africa
■ increasing the proportion of public funds spent on investment.
Additional steps will also be taken this year to ensure the rightsizing of the
Public Service.
The Government is also introducing
measures to make sure the economy
continues to be well managed.
This will include setting inflation targets,
phasing our foreign exchange
controls and encouraging people to
save money.
What about crime? What did the
President have to say about that?
There's no doubt that the Government
has stepped up the fight against
crime, including a restructuring and
revamping of the entire criminal justice
system. Areas of high population
density are at the centre of the
Government's Urban Renewal
Programme, as that is where poverty
and crime are at their highest.
'This work is proceeding apace',
the President pointed out, 'and
includes the improvement of our
capacity to deal with the crimes of
rape and the abuse of women, children
and the disabled. Similarly, we
will not relax our efforts to root out
corruption in our society, with special
focus on the public sector.'
Is the President committed to
addressing the scour_ge of
HIV/AIDS?
There are ongoing campaigns to
increase public awareness and the
Government continues to explore
new ways of combating HIV/AIDS -
for example, through the recently
launched National AIDS Council.
In July, South Africa wiU host the
13th International AIDS Conference;
this will help to focus attention on
this important challenge.
The President said it was also
necessary to strengthen the
Partnership Against AIDS to ensure
that the anti-AIDS message reaches
all our people.
The President was clear on the
Government's commitment: 'All possible
interventions will have to be
made to deal with the challenges of
poverty and malnutrition, diseases
such as tuberculosis. malaria. hepatitis
and others, as well as the development
of the required vaccines.'
Another topic that is obvious[y
close to the President's heart is our
role in the African Renaissance.
What did he have to say about this?
The President repeated the
Government's commitment to making
this the African Century - and said
the Government will do everything it
can to ensure this is realised.
'We also pledge our support to
Nelson Mandela and Sir Kctumile
Masire of Botswana as they work
with the governments and people of
Burundi and the Democratic Republic
of Congo to bring about peace and
democracy', he said, and stressed that
South Africa will continue to con-
Tax
morality
Low tax morality
has led to an
increase in tax
criminality The South African Revenue
Service will soon introduce new meas·
ures which will result in tough action
against non-compliant taxpayers who
defraud the fiscus of millions of rands
through VAT and customs fraud, tax
evasion - or not registering for tax at
all. Tax criminality feeds other forms of
criminality and will not be tolerated!
- President Thabo Mbeki
Our growing economy ' The growth of South Africa's economy is usually measured by looking
at our gross domestic product (GDP). This is the value of all the
goods and seNices produced in the country over a particular period.
■ From 1993 to 1998, South Africa's GDP grew by 2,7% a year.
SuNeys predict that GDP is going to increase by between 3,5% and 6,5% over the next two
years - a sure sign that our economy is improving.
■ The growth in our economy can also be seen in the increased investment by foreign
companies: direct foreign investment in South Africa has increased from R941 million in
1993 to almost R6,5 billion in 1998.
■ Inflation, which tends to slow the growth of our economy, has come down from 12,5%
during 1990-1994 to 5,2% in 1999. It is expected to come down further during this year
to 5,0%.
■ The interest rate - the rate at which you can borrow money from the banks - has also come
down dramatically: it was 25,5% in 1998, but has dropped to 14,5%.
These are sure signs of the growth and continued potential of South Africa's economy.
tribute to global development in its role
as chairperson of both the Non-Aligned
Movement and the Commonwealth. At
the same time, we will increase economic
relations with countries of the South for
our mutual benefit - including Nigeria,
Saudi Arabia, Brazil, India, Malaysia and
China.
'As much as the rest of the world
stood by us as we fought to end
apartheid, so we have an obligation lo
contribute to the construction of a better
world for all humanity' , he said.
It sounds very positive ...
As the President said: ' It is out of these
noble feelings that our own new world
will be born, whose sighting - perhaps at
a distance - has inspired the spirit of
hope which reigns so confidently in all
comers of our beautiful land.'
Full copies of the President's speech are
available electronically on the GC/5
web site at http://www.gcis.gov.za
Text versions of the speech are available
from the GC/5 marketing directorate at
(012) 314-2911 or Private Baq Xlj,5, -
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