South African History Online

Address by President Nelson Mandela on the occasion of the president's budget debate in the Senate

18 June 1996

Mr. President;
Deputy-President Senators;
Ladies and Gentlemen.

I stand before you fully conscious of the historic significance of this
moment. South Africa has reached a watershed in the democratisation of our
society.

In a matter of weeks, we expect the final constitution to be certified. And
this may therefore be the last time that I personally have the honour of
standing before this august body to account.

This naturally invokes sadness. But the dark sentiment is overwhelmed by the
sense of joy that we are proceeding as a nation to higher forms of political
relations and representation. The dissolution of the Senate is not the falling
off of an appendage. It is the rebirth of a body better empowered and better
constituted to take our democracy to new heights.

The adoption of the constitution and events since then have thrown up many
and varied challenges. Some of them compel us to come back again and again to
the question: what is nation-building and what is the New Patriotism abroad in
our land! I will return to these questions in my address today because of the
special role of the Senate and the future Council of Provinces; because of the
implications of references to individual and collective rights in the new
constitution; and not least, because of aspects of the recent Western Cape local
government elections.

As we address these questions we should remind ourselves that nation-building
is not something new. It has been continually forged in the struggle for
freedom. Enforced division has engendered in our people a powerful urge towards
unity as a condition for freedom and peace. The struggle against apartheid was
an act of building unity amongst the oppressed and democratic forces on the
basis of a vision of a free South Africa in which, as the Freedom Charter says:
"South Africa belongs to all who live in it - black and white".

Not sufficiently recognised, but important to acknowledge as a powerful force
for nation-building, is culture.

Our country has given birth to many outstanding artists, musicians, writers
and performers who are celebrated for their unique.