Chairperson, hon Ministers, the Deputy Ministers present here and our guests in the gallery ...
Ndzi ri perile. [Good evening.]
Allow me, Chairperson, to say that our assessment of the contribution of culture towards social cohesion and a caring society resonates well with the Reconstruction and Development Programme, RDP, when it provides a description that arts and culture are within the system of socialisation and reflect the whole organisation of society. Our appreciation of the Heritage Day debate recognises that cultural expression and arts and culture permeates all aspects of society and are integral parts of social and economic life.
However, the 1994 democratic breakthrough sought to affirm and promote the rich and diverse expression of South African culture by giving constitutional right to all people to practise their culture, language, beliefs and customs.
In the post-1994 situation, the ANC's key task has been to promote the development of a unifying national culture representing the aspirations of all South Africans. The key task includes promotion of the principles of nonracialism, nonsexism, human rights and democracy.
This includes the task of conserving and promoting South Africa's national heritage. Part of this perspective places arts education squarely within the national education curricula. This pertains to preprimary schools and the secondary and tertiary levels, including informal educational structures.
In creating cultural expression, I have no doubt, Chairperson, that the language, dance, songs, symbols and art and crafts are expressions of heritage. They transmit ideas, expressions, collective memory and the interpretation of the cultural value systems.
Our country is a multilingual society with a significant number of languages, and it is this diversity that becomes the strength of our heritage and democratic values. In this regard, the ANC policy recognises, protects and develops all languages.
Our Bill of Rights constitutes a cornerstone of democracy in South Africa. The Constitution enshrines the rights of the people in our country and affirms the democratic values of human dignity, equality and freedom. These values contribute to the growth of our democracy. Section 30 states that -
Everyone has a right to use the language and to participate in the cultural life of their choice, but no one exercising these rights may do so in a manner that is inconsistent with any provision of the Bill of Rights.
This section provides that diverse cultures and the development of languages are not to be used for political cessation from the rest of South Africa, the promotion of division, ethnic mobilisation, narrow identities or chauvinistic Africanism.
Section 31(1) states that -
Persons belonging to a cultural, religious or linguistic community may not be denied the right, with other members of that community, to enjoy their cultural practices, religion and the use of their language.
This section promotes vibrant development of constitutional values amongst different communities, particularly the historically oppressed communities.
In the past 16 years, there has been a concerted effort to build South Africa as a nation state, to build national common identity and South Africanness. We have made advances to reverse the legacy of apartheid colonialism. Our nation achieved some values of a caring society inspired by the traits of human compassion, which informed our struggle against apartheid colonialism. Indeed, the need for spiritual matters, sustenance of such beliefs and moral values are as communal as they are profoundly personal.
Key to the contribution of culture towards a caring society is the promotion of the principle of ubuntu. This is a principle that promotes human solidarity. It recognises human responsibility towards the needs of others.
The principle of ubuntu must permeate all levels of society. It must be promoted in government, civil society, nongovernmental organisations, NGOs, the education system, and at justice and policy levels. This requires a strong developmental state with the capacity to mobilise economic resources. The ubuntu project could help create conditions for a caring society.
The ANC-led government remains committed to creating a united, cohesive society out of our fragmented past. As hon Comrade President Zuma once said:
As the ANC we committed to promoting unity in diversity and to developing a shared value system, based on the spirit of community solidarity and a caring society. Our shared value system should encourage us to become active citizens in the renewal of our country. We must build a common national identity and patriotism.
Ubuntu has always been the cornerstone of South African society whereby South Africans are united by one common objective - to help those who could not help themselves.
I would argue that the road towards social cohesion and development of a caring society requires transformation of economic and social relations. This type of transformation does not take us away from the route towards such a caring society. This articulation was affirmed in the 2007 Strategy and Tactics document.
In this regard, the national democratic revolution is about transforming the power relations that reproduced colonialism of a special type and that relate to subcultural expressions, alien cultures, subcultures and crass materialism.
Chairperson, the values of a just, caring society, including Ubuntu-Botho principles, should be integrally connected to social structure. Their success or failure could depend on the nature and task of society in terms of addressing priorities, such as levels of crime and corruption; unemployment and poverty; available decent jobs and social equity; and the degree of the wage and income gap.
In this regard, social cohesion and a caring society should be linked to building the infrastructural conditions for and development of a caring society. It should overcome the legacy of apartheid colonialism. We must change apartheid social geography, inequalities and uneven development and do so through a new economic growth path.
Our Strategy and Tactics document argues that a national democratic society should be founded on a growing economy. Accordingly, it could be an economy that promotes development and decent jobs in order to meet our government's seven priorities.
I believe that the values of a caring society, inspired by the traits of human compassion, informed our national struggle against national oppression. Indeed, the need to work together among all our people became relevant more than ever before in the 16 years of our democracy.
As the ANC, our premise should move from the understanding that comprehensive social transformation entails changing the socioeconomic conditions of all our people. In doing so, we should be inspired by values of collective solidarity. Thank you. [Time expired.] [Applause.]