South African History Online

Speech by President Mandela during the Masakhane focus week

Bothaville 14 October 1998

Premier of the Free State
Ministers
Mr Mayor
People of
Bothaville
Kgotsong

South Africans have shown a tremendous capacity to join hands when facing
difficulty. The apartheid system eventually fell because of the unity of those
who were denied their rights; and because all sectors of society recognised that
they had more to gain from working together than from fighting each other. It is
that same quality that has helped us, so quickly, to lay the foundations for a
better life.

When apartheid ended we faced the difficult task of reconstructing our
shattered society and providing the most basic of services for our people. We
had to build schools and hospitals; to provide housing and jobs; to boost our
economy; to protect our peoples rights through our constitution and our courts;
to help South Africa deal with the division of its past and start the healing
process; to deal with abuse and damage which engulfed most of our communities.

Essentially our task was to create the conditions in which every South
African has the opportunity to create a better life for themselves. But
government can not meet these challenges by itself. It requires of us all to
pull together, into a partnership, in order to bring about the necessary
changes.

In order to achieve these goals, we also needed to transform government from
a system serving minority interests to one that meets the needs of all South
Africans. And all these things had to be done in a country where most people
were denied experience of government or proper education and training. This is
why we have placed a heavy emphasis on building capacity in government.

In spite of all the difficulties, we have succeeded as a nation in beginning
to change life for millions of people in ways they could only dream about a few
years ago. Over the past four years government has been acting together with the
private sector, non-governmental organisations; workers and communities to
rebuild and develop our country. It is this spirit of partnership and
consultation that has allowed us to bring clean water to over 2,5 million
people, build over 600 clinics and electrify 2 million homes. This is only a
start, we know, and there are many needs still to be met. But it gives us
confidence that we will meet the challenge we now face of speeding up deliver.

Today we have come together to celebrate some of the fruits of democracy and
partnership in Bothaville/Kgotsong. Here the democratically elected local
authority and an increasingly united community have been working together with
national and provincial government to normalise life in a community that
previously had little infrastructure, poor housing, crime, unemployment and
boycotts of payment and services.

The two projects I have visited here in Bothaville/Kgotsong demonstrate what
can be achieved when we work together.

The off-site housing project has brought together many different
role-players: farmers, farm-workers, the departments of land, agriculture and
housing for the eventual benefit of 1000 people. Though the project was
conceived many years ago, it could only come to fruition with democracy. Farmers
involved in this project must be commended for their hands-on approach to the
development of their employees land and housing needs. It is by joining hands,
across the old divides, in practical action to overcome the legacy of our past,
that we will find true reconciliation and nation building. g

We have all been disturbed of late to hear about the increasing violent
attacks on farmers. In the Bothaville area, no less than five separate attacks
have taken place in the last year. The Rural Safety and Security summit we have
just held has, we are convinced, laid a sound basis for stabilising the
situation on farms.

But the complex problem of crime on our farms, as elsewhere, demand long term
solutions. In the meantime, we all need to commit ourselves to doing everything
in our power to stop that kind of violence. Efforts to secure more stable
farming environments by normalising labour relations and providing security for
workers will make an important contribution.

As the test case for the policy of providing off-site housing for farm
dwellers under the Extension of Security of Tenure Act, the Bothaville housing
project has been designed to allow easy access for to facilities such as
clinics, libraries and sports complexes, while securing land and housing. This
kind of effort can only enhance stability.

The infrastructure projects is no less important. Apart from bringing water
to over 14 000 people, it has boosted the local economy by employing local
people in the construction phase.

We should not forget that this infrastructure project in Bothaville is just
one among thousands other such projects across the country's 850 municipalities,
under the Municipal Infrastructure Programme. This Programme, now in its third
phase, has brought improvements to about eleven million people and there are
another 600 projects in the pipeline.

Your housing project is contributing to a national effort which is now seeing
about 1,000 houses brought into construction or completed every day.

Both these and other local projects have been initiated, built and are being
maintained by you, the people of Bothaville/Kgotsong. You have done it together
as a community. You have consulted and gone about responsibility creating a
partnership to give real meaning to Masakhane, that tradition of building one
another. I would like to say: Congratulations to you all!

During this Masakhane Focus Week, people all over the country are celebrating
similar achievements in building our nation. Masakhane is about people taking
responsibility for their own upliftment and participating in the governing of
their own lives. It is about empowering ourselves by creating good working
relations between government and communities, for the benefit of everybody, just
as you have done here and just as other communities have done.

It is about helping to build the capacity of our councillors and our
provincial governments so that they, in turn, can best service our needs. We are
celebrating progress in the implementation of our programmes for improved
services and living conditions. We are also gathering together to commit
ourselves further to tackling these and other challenges before us, like crime,
unemployment and AIDS.

When we say that the best solutions to these challenges can only be found
when work with each other, it requires a commitment of each and everyone of us.
Today we should all ask ourselves; what have I done to improve the surroundings
in which I live? Do I litter or do I protect my surroundings? Do I spread racial
hatred or do I promote peace and reconciliation? Do I buy stolen goods or do I
help reduce crime? Do I pay my dues or do I cheat on my taxes, service fees and
licences? Do I expect everything to be delivered to me or do I work with my
local councillors to create a better life for myself and my community?

Co-operation between government, business, workers and other sectors brings a
lasting relationship that benefits all. It is the road to creating jobs and
business opportunities, reducing crime and improving the lives of people where
they live.

These partnerships helped us lay the foundations for reconstruction. The
building has begun. Together we can turn our villages and towns, our cities and
rural areas into parts of a new South Africa that we can all be truly proud of.

Masakhane!

I thank you