South African History Online

The start of a long journey

Introduction to Issue of Forbes Magazine Devoted to the
New South Africa

New York, 1995

The inauguration of a democratically-elected government in May 1994 created
the necessary conditions for South Africans to address the challenging task of
changing our society for the better. This is what we had set ourselves to do
during the years of struggle to rid our country of apartheid.

Now South Africans can, under conditions of freedom, work together to make
our country the land of our dreams. This means further enhancing the freedoms we
now enjoy; improving the security of citizens at home, in the streets and at
work; and raising the quality of life of all South Africans.

Reconstruction and development means all these things: to change for the
better all aspects of our lives.

Among the urgent tasks the South African government has set itself is to work
with all citizens to improve the provision of education, health services,
housing, water supply, land, electricity, refuse removal, roads and so on.
Everything should be done to create conditions in which the economy can improve
and provide more jobs.

Government is firmly committed to macro-economic policies which promote South
Africa~s Reconstruction and Development Programme (PDP) as an integrated

• * Government is firmly committed to the gradual reduction in the fiscal
  deficit, thereby avoiding the debt trap;
  
• To this end, government intends to ensure that recurrent government
  expenditure does not increase in real terms;
  
• A further commitment is to reduce government dis-saving over time;
  
• Government is committed to changing the ratio of government spending
  towards increased capital expenditure;
  
• Government is committed to financing the RDP primarily through
  restructuring national, provincial and local government budgets to shift
  spending, programmes and activities to meet RDP priorities.
  
• Government will reorganise and train the civil service to ensure effective
  and efficient services to all citizens and progressive cost savings.
  
• Government will develop our human resources, facilitate labour market
  reform and establish effective collective bargaining-based rights for all.

To realise all these objectives, South Africans are committed to co-operation
and hard work.

Immediately after the Government of National Unity was installed, we started
the planning required to meet these goals. At the same time we also launched
Presidential Lead Projects aimed at improving the lives, especially the poor,
women and children. But this was just the beginning.

For, in the end, we should change the allocation of public funds to the new
priorities. Government should involve the people more actively at all stages of
development. We should operate in an open manner guided by the wisdom of the
people themselves. From the project started last year, many of these ideals have
started to take shape. But we continue to learn many lessons.

Although the process has started, we realise we cannot meet our full
potential without international assistance, investment and expertise. This
special edition outlines the concrete steps that have been taken by South
Africans thus far, in the long journey towards a better life for all. As this
account shows, the task is not an easy one. But, working together in the spirit
of Masakhane, South Africans are more than capable of realising the good things
that our beautiful country can offer.

Nelson Mandela,
President,
Republic of South Africa