Hon Chair and hon members, on 19 February 1960 the present Old Assembly dining room here in Parliament, which was the original assembly chamber of the old Cape parliament from 1854 to 1910, was temporarily converted back into a parliamentary chamber for the address to Parliament by the then Prime Minister of Great Britain, the honourable Harold Macmillan.
Macmillan's now famous speech on the "wind of change" blowing across Africa heralded the systematic withdrawal of British colonial rule from Africa over the ensuing years and the eventual granting of independence to most African Commonwealth states. Independence had by then also been given to a number of French, Portuguese and Belgian states, and others soon followed suit - some peacefully and some through conflict.
It is, of course, undeniably true that the imbalances caused by colonial rule and the apartheid system here at home were at that time also evident in many African countries where unequal development and distribution of wealth prevailed. The topic of today's debate, namely "African renewal, advancement and development" should have been the theme for each independent African state all those 50 and more years ago.
Voorsitter, die teendeel is egter ongelukkig waar. Die winde van verandering het van rigting verander en in tornado's van verwoesting ontaard. Pleks van hernuwing, was agteruitgang stelselmatig aan die orde van die dag in talle lande van ons geliefde vasteland, Afrika. Van vooruitgang was daar weinig sprake en Uhuru is ongelukkig ook nie aan vooruitgang gelykgestel nie. (Translation of Afrikaans paragraphs follows.)
[Chairperson, the opposite, however, was unfortunately true. The winds of change altered direction and degenerated into tornadoes of destruction. Instead of renewal, a systematic decline was the order of the day in numerous countries of our beloved continent, Africa. There was little indication of progress and Uhuru was unfortunately also not accompanied by progress.]
In many countries despots and dictators managed to take power and, sadly enough, mostly under the guise of democracy and along the route of manipulated election results. In their drive to enrich themselves and their closest cadres, these heads of government caused the progressive collapse of infrastructure, exploited the mining industry and virtually destroyed commercial agriculture through unsustainable land grabbing under the pretence of land distribution.
Empa, modulasetulo, ha ke re mafatshe a mona Aforika a mabe kaofela. Ke a dumela hore ho na le mafatshe a lokileng haholo. Mona haufi le rona ho na le Botswana mme hodimo ho na le Rwanda. Ka morao ho polao ya baahi ka bongata, ba hlokometse batho ba bona hantle haholo. Ha ke lle le bona. (Translation of Sesotho paragraph follows.) [Chairperson, I do not mean that all African countries are bad. I acknowledge that there are very good countries. Right next to us is Botswana, and up north there is Rwanda. After the massive genocide that occurred, they are taking very good care of their people. I send my condolences to them.]
The truth is that today collapsed infrastructure, inferior service delivery, widespread poverty, substandard education, inadequate health care and the abuse of human rights are prevalent all over Africa. We only have to look at two examples right on our doorstep - and let us not mince words.
Kunjalo, Sihlalo, siyazi ukuthi uMugabe lapha ngaphezulu bamkhipha kudala okhethweni kodwa labo abasabayo ukuthi bazowa uma ephuma yena, bayawashintsha amavoti ngemva kokhetho. [Uhleko.] Nalapha eduze kwethu eSwatini, iNgonyama yoMswati, iphila kahle yona nabafazi bayo bonke kodwa abantu bayahlupheka, bayalamba. (Translation of isiZulu paragraph follows.)
[Indeed, Chairperson, we know that Mugabe lost votes a long time ago, but those who fear that they will lose out if he steps down, change election results after the elections. [Laughter.] Even in Swaziland, King Mswati and his wives are living well, but the people are living in poverty, and they are starving.]
Even in our own beloved South Africa signs of the African trends have emerged. When Harold Macmillan made his "wind of change" tour through Africa, South Africa had the best infrastructure in all of Africa, but sadly during the past 17 years the South African government seems to have been hellbent on replicating the African example.
Zikuphi iindlela zethu? Azisekho, sekusele imigodi kwaphela kizo zoke iindlela esikhamba ngazo. Nawufuna ukukhamba kuhle kufanele ukhambe ngeendlela ezibhadelelwako, ukhambe ubhadela amatholigayidi indlela yoke. Zayaphi iintimela? (Translation of isiNdebele paragraph follows.)
[Where are our roads? They are no longer there; only potholes remain in all the roads that we travel on. If you want to travel safely you must use the roads which are paid for and then pay at the tollgates the whole way while travelling. What happened to the trains?]
All these have been allowed to go into disuse, but the good news is, that a fresh new wind is sweeping through Africa and people are waking up to reality. I want to call on the leaders of Africa therefore, and tell them that they have a clear duty to promote true democracy, education and health care throughout Africa. I call on the leaders represented in the Pan- African Parliament to make this their paramount objective.
Ngithi Halala, Afrika! Halala! [Kuphele isikhathi.] [Ihlombe.][I am saying, Bravo, Afrika! Bravo! [Time expired.] [Applause.]]