The Minister of Arts and Culture, Mr Paul Mashatile

Deputy Minister, Dr Joe Phaahla

Advocates of Social Cohesion

Distinguished Guests

Ladies and Gentlemen of the Media,

Good Afternoon,

In 1955, South Africans from all walks of life, representing diverse organisations and civil society gathered in Kliptown in Soweto, to draw a common vision and programme for a united, democratic, non-racial, non-sexist and prosperous South Africa.

At this same historical venue in July this year, we successfully hosted a Social Cohesion Summit, which brought together delegates from government, political parties, labour, business, faith based organisations and civil society, to discuss the type of society we want to build.

We discussed how all the various strands of South African society can come together into one big cohesive whole, as envisaged in the country’s National Development Plan.

We discussed various themes including, economic inequalities, social interaction, prejudice and discrimination as well as national identity and unity.

We discussed how to build a caring, successful, united and prosperous society together.

It was a significant gathering indeed.

Therefore, today is also a significant gathering, as we are gathered to receive the product of that gathering, the Social Cohesion Summit Report and Declaration.

This report and declaration will serve as a guide as we work together across sectors, to attain the ideals outlined in the Constitution of the Republic.

Government will lead the process of initiating further interactions and ensuring the implementation of the commitments contained in the Summit Declaration.

Ladies and Gentlemen

The Declaration of the National Cohesion Summit 2012 could not be clearer. It says:

“We came here representing the diversity of our nation, black and white, women and men, rich and poor, young and old, urban and rural, speaking different languages, with a diversity of beliefs, coming from many different places, seeking to fulfill the injunction of our Constitution “diverse people’s unite.”

And that: “We came together to renew our commitment, mobilise and unify society in our ongoing national movement of healing the divisions of our painful past and establishing a society based on democratic values, social justice and fundamental human rights.”

Indeed, our Constitution, the values of human dignity and our belief in the intrinsic value of human life are what drive every South African as we together build a country that all of us can be proud of.

The Summit was correctly not based on romantic notions of unity while glossing over problems.

We are proud of the achievements we have scored in burying apartheid and colonialism as well as building a new society. 

However, the challenges of poverty, unemployment, homelessness, landlessness, and the divisions around race, class and gender still stand on our way of achieving a socially cohesive and united society.

We believe that none of these challenges are insurmountable, if we work together as different members of society and leaders of our respective communities.

This was demonstrated as much at the close of the National Summit on Social Cohesion when all the delegates declared that:

“This summit recognises that social cohesion depends to a large measure on our ability, as society, to address these challenges. On the other hand, we need as society to cohere around a vision of a better South Africa, the attainment of which would not be possible if we do not work together.”

I would therefore like, on behalf of government, to recommit ourselves to mobilising society in its entirety, to work together to build a caring and proud nation, based on shared values and a vision outlined in the Constitution, and  which are embodied in the Social Cohesion report and declaration.

We further commit government to work towards the implementation of the recommendations of the National Development Plan as a long term vision which should serve as a basis for partnerships across society to attain the South Africa of our dreams, as eloquently articulated in the Constitution.

Finally, we will work hard to ensure that social cohesion and nation building underpin all national, provincial and local government strategic priorities.

I would like to thank all sectors of society and the Advocates for Social Cohesion for the hard work already done, as borne out by this Social Cohesion Report.

Working together we can create a proud and caring South Africa.

Working together we will heal the divisions of the past and establish a society based on democratic values, social justice and fundamental human rights.

I thank you