Sekela-sihlalo weBhunga lamaPhondo leSizwe, ngenxa yokunqongophala kwexesha, ndivumele ukuba ndikhahlela izinxiba-mxhaka ezikule Ndlu ndithi, ngqanga neentsiba zayo. Makhe ndithabathe ezi zixhobo zabafundileyo ndithi ... (Translation of isiXhosa paragraph follows.)
[Dr Z LUYENGE: Deputy Chairperson of the NCOP, due to time constraints, allow me to greet all dignitaries in this House and say, all protocol observed. Now, let me use the expertise of the learned and say ...]
... in recognition of the significance of Africa Day to the nation and the continent, it has been resolved that Parliament, as from 2011, will move to a programme-based approach in celebrating Africa Day. This decision informs the programme covering the life of the fourth democratic Parliament of South Africa, until 2014. Africa Day will no longer be an event or project for one specific day, but rather a programme stretching from one year to the next, that celebrates the origins and essence of what Africa Day signifies and means.
Africa Day will be celebrated as a programme, and there will be a developmental approach to activities, recognising significant milestones between 2011 and 2014. Each year will have a specific focus and theme, and will be celebrated in a series of programmes in a build-up culminating in the main event, the debate in the National Assembly.
The focus of the fourth democratic Parliament of South Africa on Africa Day will follow two distinctive streams. Stream one will consist of debating forums, dialogues, round tables and panel discussions whose focus will be on celebrating the origins of Africa Day and how Parliament, through Africa Day, can pursue the origins of Africanism. These discussions will reflect on Africa's deep academic and cultural roots. They will reflect on rich tangible and intangible heritage resources, and centres of learning such as Egypt, Mali, Zimbabwe and elsewhere on the continent.
The emphasis, as we go forward, is the significance of 25 May 1963 regarding the origins of Africa Day. Africa Day should be seen as an opportunity to capture the rich history of Africa, a history of Africa's liberation struggle against colonialism, and economic and social exploitation, and a history of the vision that its founders had back in the 1950s and early 1960s. This vision needs to be depicted. Political solidarity should form the basis of such events.
The second stream is aimed at building conscientisation regarding the meaning and significance of Africa Day through mass activity. Here, the focus will be on the provinces and linking in with provincial events, and events that provincial legislatures may be holding. In addition it will be linking up with nongovernmental organisations, universities and institutes, both in South Africa and on the continent, whose scope and mandate are to enrich our discussions and build greater political, social and economic solidarity, as well as social cohesion on the continent. The form that these events will take will be an expression of mass participation in the form of arts and culture, sport and recreation.
For 2012, Africa Day must form part of the centenary celebrations in Mangaung, Free State. In 2012 we will be celebrating an African liberation movement whose history and importance stretches across the continent, a liberation movement whose influence on the continent has resulted in profound progress through the formation of the African Union and the Pan- African Parliament, and in the development of an Africa economic programme driven through regional economic blocs on the continent.
These celebrations will reflect the importance of the centenary celebrations for Africa and the importance of a developmental approach for the continent. Efforts must be made in this regard to work with the centenary committee of the ANC.
Years 2013 and 2014 will reflect Africa's agenda in different forms. In particular, 2014 will provide the opportunity to reflect on the future direction of the continent as a whole, centred on issues of legislative importance, socioeconomic development, governance, and peace and security.
What I have outlined presupposes that this programme will include key past and contemporary leaders on the African continent. Key founding members of Africa Day, such as Kenneth Kaunda, must be invited to take part in the build-up programmes and debates.
By 2014 the fourth democratic Parliament must be able to look back and evaluate the four-year programme as the foundation for ongoing work post 2014. Therefore, after 25 May 2011, there will be an ongoing programme up until Africa Day in 2012. The same will apply for each year, culminating in 2014.
In order to ensure mass-based participatory celebrations, the build-up to each main event must include a series of community activities across provinces. These activities will reflect the specific focus for the particular year, leading to the main debate on Africa Day in Parliament. These events will take the form of open lectures, round tables, and focused seminars across provinces. We will identify organisations that have organised activities on Africa Day and join in these celebrations and activities as part of the programme of celebrating Africa Day.
The main purpose of the steering committee for Africa Day is to develop mechanisms to ensure political and strategic guidance for the celebration of Africa Day. Its role and responsibilities are as follows: to provide political and strategic direction; to assist in the identification and prioritisation of all matters related to the hosting of events for Africa Day; to recommend and endorse the deliverables for hosting Africa Day; to approve changes to the scope, if the need arises; to consider and approve requests for additional funding, when necessary; to facilitate the implementation of programmes and remove barriers impacting on progress; and to report to the presiding officers and relevant stakeholders on matters relating to implementation and progress, and any other related matter they deem important.
The goals of the committee are: to conceptualise the concept and programme for Africa Day; to establish what has been done in South Africa, and by other African countries on the continent in respect of Africa Day and determine what improvements can be made; to guide the progress politically and identify the purpose, nature and identity of the programmes for Africa Day; to determine how Parliament, through Africa Day, can take the initiative to recognise the contributions of other African countries that have helped South Africa to become what it is today; and to establish programmes that give effect to the political and historical origins of Africa Day, as outlined in the concept document, and use them as an opportunity to capture the rich history of Africa to ensure that the emphasis remains on the historical and political significance of Africa Day.
In all of this we as Parliament will have to develop a strategic relationship with key stakeholders, and partnerships to ensure that we establish the role of presiding officers both in the National Assembly and the National Council of Provinces the executive and departments, and determine where and how the role-players will participate; to establish partnerships and liaise with stakeholders to establish what programmes exist in South Africa and engage them to complement programmes of Parliament; and, as an activist and a people's Parliament, to involve the public in giving recognition to Africa Day, because public participation is the cornerstone of democracy and, of course, the core business of Parliament.
In conclusion, let me sound a cautionary note. For Parliament to achieve its objective of being a sectoral Parliament - and in the case of an African Parliament this is an ongoing programme and process- there has to be a far more serious approach and attitude to the importance of what in many countries is referred to as ``African Liberation Day''. This means that when we agree politically on what must be done, the administration of this Parliament must respond to those political directives. If this does not happen, we will merely be going through the motions of celebrating an event, instead of respecting the essence of what Africa Day means to all countries that have liberated themselves from the bondage of colonialism and oppression. Let us forever remember the heroes and heroines who made the ultimate sacrifice for us to be where we are today.
Xa ndisonga, ndifuna ukuthi oku bekusitshiwo lilungu elihloniphekileyo lale Ndlu uMama uNdude ... [In conclusion, I want to say what was said by an hon member of this House, hon Ndude ...]
... in relation to what she perceived the ANC to be, as well as her call on all members of the House to be responsible. The poet, Rudyard Kipling wrote in his poem If, and I quote:
If you can keep your head when all about you Are losing theirs and blaming it on you, ... you'll be a Man, my son!
Thank you. [Time expired.] [Applause.]