South African History Online

26 September 1992

Mr. State President, FW de Klerk, and members of your delegation;
Members
of the delegation of the African National Congress;
Ladies and gentlemen.

Allow me to express my appreciation that we have finally been able to meet.
At the very least, the simple act of our coming together at this level is bound
to send a signal of hope among all South Africans. We are duty-bound not to
disappoint them.

I would like to congratulate Secretary-General Cyril Ramaphosa, Minister
Roelf Meyer and their assistants for their outstanding work in preparation for
the Summit. The ultimate accolade, however, goes to the people of South Africa
who, in their various ways, have ensured that the issues of peace and democracy
remain high on the political agenda.

There were moments when the temptation to despair seemed most attractive.
Indeed, the issues would not have been critical, and the urgency to address them
not acute, if difficulties did not arise on the way.

Now we have assembled - representatives of the ANC and the government - to
seek practical solutions to the most urgent questions facing our country. I take
this opportunity to welcome back to our midst the political prisoners who have
just been released, and hope that the others will join us soon. This important
step, and practical measures to address violence, will help create the climate
so necessary for substantive negotiations to resume.

We have come here in the hope that by the time this Summit ends, a firm basis
will have been laid for the resumption of negotiations.

This is what all our people want. This is what our economy needs. This is
what our country yearns for.

The African National Congress has not come here to claim victories. We have
come to earnestly tackle the problems facing our country. We must emerge with a
firm resolve to clear the path to a new and democratic order. South Africa must
be the winner.

We believe that if negotiations have to succeed, all parties and
organisations should be able to strengthen themselves. As difficult as it is, it
would be a grave mistake for any organisation to behave in negotiations blinded
by sectarian interests.

Certainly, the National Party and the African National Congress are products
of specific backgrounds. We must try to regulate the emotions arising from these
backgrounds in the interest of our common future.

We have to be pro-active in the face of the current situation and
dispassionately address the objective realities of the day.

Recently we have had a spate of massacres like Boipatong and Bisho. We have
been blaming each other for these events. It is our duty to ensure that an
Interim Government of National Unity is brought about speedily. This will go a
long way in addressing many of these problems. I hope that when next we meet, we
will be able to agree on dates for elections for a Constituent Assembly and the
installation of an Interim Government.

Our economy has been badly damaged. Starvation, lack of jobs, the education
crisis, poor services and crime infect our society like the plague. The longer
these problems remain unsolved, the more they feed upon themselves to drag the
country further down the precipice. And the longer the transition to democracy
takes, the more are solutions to these problems postponed.

But to reach that stage, we have to attend to violence and political
intolerance with a new determination. All members of our society - including
those in the so-called homelands - must enjoy freedom of speech and association.
They deserve, without exception, the right to life.

By tackling with serious intent the matters on the Summit's agenda we shall
strengthen the National Peace Accord and contribute immensely to national
reconciliation.

This Summit has the potential to lay a firm basis for speedy movement towards
democracy. The adoption of a constitution to which all South Africans pay
allegiance and a government truly representative of all the people are the most
important milestones in this process.

My delegation and I will do all in our power to ensure that the Summit
succeeds. There is no alternative for South Africa.

Issued by:

The Department of Information and Publicity,
P.O. Box
61884,
Marshalltown 2107,
Johannesburg.