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SPEECH BY PRESIDENT NELSON MANDELA AT THE OPENING OF THE 350TH CLINIC BUILT
SINCE SOUTH AFRICA'S FIRST DEMOCRATIC ELECTION

20 September 1997

Premier Ramathlodi of the Northern Province;
Members of the National and
Provincial Legislatures;
diKgosi;
Distinguished Guests;
Ladies and
Gentlemen,

I am deeply grateful to be invited here today to join you in celebrating this
milestone in our long journey towards a better life. When our new government was
elected in 1994, we all entered our democracy full of hope and determination to
build a new South Africa.

With our freedom won, we faced the challenge of using our limited resources
to provide the majority of our people with adequate housing, education and
health services. These things are regarded as basic human needs anywhere in the
world and yet most of our people had been denied them.

This province was one of the worst affected by the policies of apartheid. It
was treated mainly as a source of cheap labour for urban areas; it was neglected
and deprived of resources. It was turned into one of the poorest parts of South
Africa.

Because there were very few hospitals and clinics, only those with money and
who were healthy enough could travel the long distances to get proper medical
help. This was the situation of millions of South Africans across the
country.

One of the most important steps the government has taken to deal with this
crisis in our nation's health was to introduce free universal primary health
care. Since April last year, for the first time in our history, basic
health-care has become available to everybody without cost.

And to make that health-care easily accessible, to especially the poor, we
launched the clinic-building programme so that there would be a clinic within
walking distance - five kilometres - of every household.

Primary Health Care uses measures for both prevention and cure, like
immunisation, family planning and health education. But in order for these
programmes to work we also need to make sure that communities have adequate
shelter, employment, sanitation and clean water supply. Poverty and lack of
essential services are the greatest threat to our nation's health.

As a nation we have made progress in this regard since 1994. Government's
programmes for housing, electrification, school-feeding and water supply are
already improving the lives and the health of millions.

But this is only the start. While bulk water supply and electricity have been
extended to some areas in Mankweng, and while projects to create new jobs are
taking shape, this area, like most others in our country, has much to catch
up.

So we all need to work together to speed up the delivery. The government
appreciates that people have been patient, and much hard work will still be
needed. Our goals will take years to achieve and success requires communities to
take active roles in their own upliftment.

It is all of you, through your civics, police forums, co-operatives and other
development bodies, who are going to make the difference. But with your
co-operation and your creative ideas we can build those classrooms, fix those
roads, attract investment for more jobs and light up all our communities with
electricity.

The fast-track building of clinics is one way in which government, the
private sector and communities are working together for the common goal of
improving peoples' lives.

It is because of this partnership that an average of five clinics are now
being built each week and we are approaching a total of four hundred new
clinics.

It is this spirit of Masakhane that has brought direct access to affordable
quality health-care to more than 8.5 million people.

Today we are gathered at the 350th clinic built in South Africa since April
1994. We are amongst a population of 17.000 people from neighbouring villages
who can all walk to the clinic. We are in a community that now enjoys mother-
and child-care services, family-planning and psychiatric services; who can get
treatment for chronic conditions and communicable diseases.

Together with the other clinics in Mankweng, Nobody is an investment in our
future. I would like to use this occasion to thank all the nursing staff, the
doctors and others who make this clinic and other clinics work. They are truly
helping to build our nation.

This achievement is an inspiration as we intensify the building and upgrading
of health and educational facilities for may, many more people in this area; in
the Northern Province and across our land.

The foundation for a better life has been laid. Forward ever!

Thank you.

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