This speech by the Prime Minister is impressive in more ways than one. What is especially noticeable is his particular choice of words which were most fitting for the occasion and the people directly concerned, the Kavango nation. Speaking simply and clearly, the Prime Minister outlined not only for those present on this occasion, but also for the outside world, the essence of the policy of separate development. The process of emancipation, in this case directly in the interests of the Kavango nation, would be worked out in the finest detail and applied in practice, was clearly explained to them. The Prime Minister went on to say that the Kavango's treasure that which is their own and protect it from outside intruders who do not have the interests of the Kavango people at heart.

Mr. Chairman, honourable Members of the Kavango Legislative Council:

It is my privilege as head of the Government of the Republic of South Africa, to be present here today and to participate in this ceremony.

This day will be remembered by future generations of the Kavango nation as one of the milestones on the road to self-determination.

On an occasion like this you can look proudly on your nation's development in the political field. During 1970, the leaders of your people decided that you were ready, with the aid of the Government of the Republic of South Africa, to set out on the road of development. As result of this decision, the Kavango Legislative Council was instituted, the First Session being opened on 22 October 1970. Several administrative departments were instituted, each with an Executive Council member in control. The institution of your Legislative Council heralded a new period in the history of your nation, namely that you now had a say in the governing of your nation. Your Legislative Council made its own decisions, you could now undertake the planning of your country's development, introduce measures and see to it that the departments carried out their activities properly.

Since 1970 the leaders of your people have fulfilled their task with devotion and, during 1972 your Legislative Council could ask that Kavango be declared a self-governing territory. In order to carry out your request, the Parliament of the Republic of South Africa had to amend the Act during 1973, following upon which Kavango could as from 9 May 1973 become a self-governing territory.

The Constitutional Committee appointed by you to draw up a constitution consulted and enlightened your people, so that your con is your own creation.

The Legislative Council consists of the five Chiefs of the five tribes in Kavango, two members nominated by each of the five tribal authorities and three members for each of the five electoral districts. They are elected by members of the Kavango nation who have the right to vote. There are therefore 15 nominated and 15 elected members in your Legislative Council.

Your Legislative Council is the highest authority in Kavango. You as members of the Legislative Council have a great responsibility. The development of your country and people lies in your hands. Therefore on behalf of the State President and the Government of the republic OF South Africa I wish to congratulate each one of you who has been elected or appointed to a responsible position. I hope and pray will always act with dignity and in the interests of your people.

Your old Executive Council was also replaced by a Cabinet of Ministers. Also of particular significance is that in accordance with your constitution, a general election was held for the first time. Your Legislative Council was also given more important functions and responsibilities. You are probably getting to grips with the matter further development of your people in various spheres. However road ahead for you and your people will not be an easy one, because in the development of any nation there is prosperity and there is adversity. Hard work, however, always brings the desired results.

There will always be those who will oppose the development of your country. People will give you well-meaning advice, but you be given advice which is aimed at retarding your development your fellow citizens and also people from outside the boundaries country will want to interfere in the affairs of your Government will need wisdom to be able to distinguish what is good and what is bad for your country. However, I am fully confident that as in the will act steadfastly and purposefully in the interests of your nation.

A government is made up of three elements, namely the legislative authority which in your case is the Legislative Council; the executive authority which is vested in a cabinet; and the judicial authority which at present is vested in the lower courts and is responsible for the administration of justice.

It is the duty of each member of the Legislative Council to find out quickly as possible what your powers and functions are. You must know in which respects you are able to make laws, what the functions of the Cabinet are, what the dudes of a minister are, what functions each of your departments are responsible for and how each department must be administered. You must also make sure that you are familiar with the rules of debates, for this will make things easier for your Council and ease the task of the honourable chairman.

Because you do not as yet have sufficient Kavango officials with the necessary experience and knowledge, officials of the Government of the Republic of South Africa have been put at the disposal of your Govern­ment. These officials, such as the secretaries of the different departments, magistrates, accountants, agriculturalists, and other professional personnel, have assisted you faithfully. These officials will still be at your disposal, and although progress has already been made in the training of Kavango officials on the lower levels, one of the primary tasks is to train Kavango officials as quickly as possible so that they can gradually replace the seconded officials.

While the officials from the Republic are in your country to help with development in various fields and to place the administration of your Government on a sound footing, you must accept them as part of the Government Service. Many of them have made great sacrifices in leaving their mother country to offer their services in the interests of your Government and your people. I ask you therefore, to accept them with appreciation while they are with you. They, in turn, must realize that they are here to serve your people and must treat you and your fellow citizens with respect. Mutual respect can only be to the advan­tage of your country.

I would, however, like to appeal to your fellow citizens to come forward, to make use of the institutions which have made available to them and to train for the different posts which are open to them in the Government Service. The sooner they do this and obtain the necessary qualifications, the sooner the officials from the Republic will be able to be withdrawn.

The Legislative Council has been vested with great authority and it is the duty of each member to act in a dignified and respectful way in the Council and also outside among the people. When the Legislative Council is not in session, you must inform the Kavango people of the activities of the Council and legislation that has been passed, and in general keep in touch with the people. If you have the support of your people, then you will be able to rule with power and wisdom.

It is the function of the Cabinet and the ministers to see to it that the decisions of the Legislative Council are carried out. The cabinet will also make independent decisions which must be carried different departments. Each Minister is in charge of a department and every year when the relevant budget item is being discussed a general survey of his department's activities and the progress that has been made in different projects. He must also put before the Legislative Council his department's policy. It therefore stands to Ministers must at all times keep themselves informed of what is going on in their departments. They must take special care that the funds of your Government be spent according to the approved budget and must guard against extravagance.

One aspect that I must stress is that in the development of a country and the budgets that must be introduced, it is necessary that you plan properly and determine priorities. Your available funds must be used to best advantage of your country's development. Essential services must be given preference and this is for you to decide.

You have a beautiful country. The Kavango River which flows through your country offers great possibilities for development agricultural potential must be expanded. At present your nation is largely dependent on arable land for its livelihood. Cattle farming is practised on a large scale. As the leaders of your people therefore necessary that you teach them how to conserve and protect the land. The Department of Agriculture of your Government service has officials whose job it is to help the people to apply improved farming methods and to give the necessary information with regard to the conservation and protection of the soil and natural vegetation. You must make these officials in order to obtain the maximum production from your available arable land. Your aim should be to develop the agricultural potential to such an extent that farmers can be assured of a livelihood and that Kavango can become self-sufficient as far as possible regarding basic needs, namely food, fibre and wood for general use.

The economic development of Kavango is one question on which your Government will have to concentrate. Your homeland has a great wealth of hardy, useful types of wood. Your people are famous, even in faraway countries, for their woodcarving. This industry must be rationalized and consolidated. The Bantu Investment Corporation will have to play major role in this respect. This corporation already buys large quantities of these and other articles made by Kavango's.

The activities of the Bantu Corporation have already stimulated your economy. I do not wish to go into the details, but I understand that with your approval, the Mangetti block has been allocated to the Cor­poration, and it aims at building up livestock numbering about 35 000. A breeding herd of about 15 000 cows with 500 bulls is aimed at. Approximately 1 500 cattle will be bought up every year in Kavango. The land will be divided into camps of 800 to 1 000 hectare, and water, watering troughs, etc., will be developed; a business complex and houses will be built for Kavango workers. In addition, this enterprise will also serve as a training school in modern techniques of farming for Kavango farmers. This project will stimulate the internal economy of your country and in due course your people will reap the benefits, because after ten years, the whole project plus all the improvements, will be handed over to the Government of Kavango by the Bantu Investment Corporation.

It is the policy of the Bantu Investment Corporation to carry out its development plans and proposed schemes in co-operation and consultation with the homeland governments. Co-operation between your Government and the Bantu Investment Corporation must be consolidated. You must bear in mind that the corporation is acting here in the interests of Kavango. Any profit made by the corporation from those enterprises which it operates (as yet there are no Kavango's available) is re-invested in your country in the form of new projects and the stimulation of those projects already in existence.

In future, your flag will fly alongside that of the Republic of South Africa, at your Council Chamber, administration building and at any other place that your Government determines. Although your Flag Bill has not yet been approved by the State President, I have seen the design of your flag and noticed that the middle section is entirely taken up by the colours of the Republic of South Africa. These colours on your flag, I have been told, symbolize co-operation with the Republic. Your flag should be a worthy symbol of everything that is clear and beautiful for you and must be treated with respect by your people.

While your proposed flag symbolizes, amongst other things, the co­operation between Kavango and the Republic of South Africa, for me it is a clear indication that in the future, as in the past, you will strive for co-operation with the Government of the Republic. To put it plainly, I want to give you and your people the assurance that in spite of the fact that your country is now a self-governing territory and you will be acting more independently than my Government as in the past, will stand by you with help and advice whenever necessary. The Govern­ment of the Republic of South Africa will do everything in its power to extend and strengthen the good co-operation between our Govern­ments. We will not fail you.

The Government of the Republic of South Africa has been gratified to see that up to now your leaders have governed your country in an orderly fashion and that law and order have been properly maintained. One can also understand why there is tranquillity in your country and the will to do only what is best for the Kavango, because an orderly community knows no lawlessness. Indeed you rule from the people for the people, as long as you treat your fellow citizens impartially, fairly and justly and you act honestly and sincerely on their behalf, their happiness, prosperity and progress will serve as an incentive for you, the leaders, to exert yourselves even more to speed up the development of your country to the advantage of your people who stand behind you.

Because the decisions that you take as also the legislation that you adopt will affect the welfare of the members of the Kavango nation, I must urge you to act wisely and cautiously. You must always ask your­self the following question: "Are we now acting in the interests of Kavango and its people?" If the answer is "Yes" then your fellow citizens will always be at your side on the road to self-determination.

The Government of the Republic of South Africa is pleased to note the strong standpoint that you have taken against terrorism. Objection­able acts against innocent people take place every day. Let there be no doubt on this score - these terrorists do not seek to liberate you or any other nation; they are after your territory and to achieve this goal they try to create disorder and division amongst the local population. Thanks to the co-operation of your people against this danger, there is still order in your country. The Republic of South Africa will always support you against any subversive attempt which may be directed against your country. May there always be peace in your country.

I would just like to remind you about the Advisory Council for South West Africa which I appointed and which consists of representatives from each nation in South West Africa. This Advisory Council will it is a clear indication that in the future, as in the past, you will strive for co-operation with the Government of the Republic. To put it plainly, I want to give you and your people the assurance that in spite of the fact that your country is now a self-governing territory and you will be acting more independently than my Government as in the past, will stand by you with help and advice whenever necessary. The Government of the Republic of South Africa will do everything in its power to extend and strengthen the good co-operation between our Govern­ments. We will not fail you.

The Government of the Republic of South Africa has been gratified to see that up to now your leaders have governed your country in an orderly fashion and that law and order have been properly maintained. One can also understand why there is tranquillity in your country and the will to do only what is best for the Kavango, because an orderly community knows no lawlessness. Indeed you rule from the people for the people, as long as you treat your fellow citizens impartially, fairly and justly and you act honestly and sincerely on their behalf, their happiness, prosperity and progress will serve as an incentive for you, the leaders, to exert yourselves even more to speed up the development of your country to the advantage of your people who stand behind you.

Because the decisions that you take as also the legislation that you adopt will affect the welfare of the members of the Kavango nation, I must urge you to act wisely and cautiously. You must always ask your­self the following question: "Are we now acting in the interests of Kavango and its people?" If the answer is "Yes" then your fellow citizens will always be at your side on the road to self-determination.

The Government of the Republic of South Africa is pleased to note the strong standpoint that you have taken against terrorism. Objectionable acts against innocent people take place every day. Let there be no doubt on this score - these terrorists do not seek to liberate you or any other nation; they are after your territory and to achieve this goal they try to create disorder and division amongst the local population. Thanks to the co-operation of your people against this danger, there is still order in your country. The Republic of South Africa will always support you against any subversive attempt which may be directed against your country. May there always be peace in your country.

I would just like to remind you about the Advisory Council for South West Africa which I appointed and which consists of representatives from each nation in South West Africa. This Advisory Council will meet periodically and on two occasions now has convened to discuss matters of mutual interest. It is by no means the function of the Ad­visory Council to meddle in the domestic affairs of the different nations and for that matter the activities of your Government. It is through the Advisory Council that I am kept informed regarding matters which are of mutual interest to all the nations of South West Africa. Your own representatives in the Advisory Council have made very responsible contributions to the discussions.

Your country and nation are today experiencing an historical day, because in the face of difficult circumstances the leaders of your people, through hard work, wise leadership and perseverance, have paved the way for your people's development. You, the leaders of today, must continue building on this, so that your country can reap the benefits of the progress and prosperity which it will bring about.

I pray that Almighty God will guide you in your discussions and give you the necessary wisdom to carry out your activities in this council in the interests of your people. Act purposefully and stand firm as a Government so that the confidence that is placed in you is not put to shame.

It is now my privilege to declare the First Session of the Second Kavango Legislative Assembly officially open.

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