Gauteng Premier, Mr David Makhura,

The Minister of Social Development, Ms Bathabile Dlamini and all Ministers present,

Deputy Ministers, MECs, MPs and MPLs,

Mayors and Councillors,

Honoured religious leaders,

Compatriots,

It is a privilege to address you at this first national interfaith national thanksgiving ceremony to mark the 20 years of freedom and democracy in our country.

Let me begin by acknowledging the presence of our religious leaders from various faiths, who have travelled from all corners of our country to be part of this historic national event.

Siyajabula ukuba nabaholi bezenkolo abaningi kangaka abavela ezweni lonke, bezogubha nathi iminyaka engamashumi amabili selokhu kwatholakala inkululeko.

We have gathered, as people of various faiths, to give thanks and praise for the 20 years of freedom and democracy, which were attained through the blood, sweat and tears of our people.

We are also celebrating the successful elections and the transition to the fifth administration, which also proved that our country’s democracy has matured.

A multi-religious gathering such as this one embodies the ideals of mutual tolerance and acceptance enshrined in the Freedom Charter and our Constitution.

It was these very values and ideals that laid the fertile ground in which our struggle for national liberation struggle took root, under the leadership of the oldest liberation movement in Africa, the ANC.

It was also these ideals that later led to the formation of the Institute for Contextual Theology and the development of the Kairos document, which laid the foundation for religious movement’s involvement in the struggle for liberation. 

It is an honour indeed to spend time with religious leaders.

Today we are also acknowledging and celebrating the contribution of the religious sector to the process of renewal, reconstruction and development of our country.

Our religious leaders have not been spectators in either the struggle or the reconstruction and development of the country.

Today we are able to say that we have made great strides and that life is better for millions more people in 20 years, even though others are still waiting, given the backlogs.

We have reason to be hopeful that tomorrow will be a better day  because our country can only succeed when we work together.

In counting these achievements, we cannot exclude religious leaders, for they played a key role.

Brothers and sisters

That we have organised this national thanksgiving ceremony here in Regina Mundi is truly significant.

At the height of apartheid, Regina Mundi opened these doors and the church became a platform to mobilise our people and take the struggle forward.

The church earned a reputation as a world-wide symbol of the determination of our people to free themselves from the clutches of the oppressive government.

In this very church that was our refuge, we give thanks and praise, and recommit ourselves collectively, to rebuild and heal our country.

We also in this very church, take the opportunity to recognise outstanding and progressive clerics who were in the frontline of the liberation struggle.

We do this remembering that the ANC was founded in a church and that its early leaders were religious leaders such as presidents John Dube, Zac Mahabane, Charlotte Maxeke and Albert Luthuli.

We remember in later years, religious leaders such as amongst others, Sister Bernard Ncube, Reverend Motlalepula Chabaku, Dr Beyers Naude, Imam Abdullah Haroon, Archbishop Dennis Hurley, Archbishop Desmond Tutu, Reverend Alan Boesak, Father Smangaliso Mkhatshwa and many others from diverse religious backgrounds.

We also honour Mme Kenosi Mofokeng, Reverend Mcebisi Xundu, Suraya Bibi Khan, Father Michael Lapsley and Moulana Farid Esack. There are others from beyond our shores such as Father Trevor Huddlestone who dedicated their lives to fighting the apartheid evil.

We applaud this generation of religious leaders who defied the apartheid regime and mobilised many of our people to join the struggle on the side of the oppressed.

We salute them for practising a theology that accepted that an oppressed people could never be spiritually free. That liberation theology took us many steps forward towards our freedom.

We also acknowledge the contribution of the church to the social development of our people.

The schools and hospitals that were built by religious missions during the apartheid era offered opportunities and services for many of our people who were denied these during that period of repression.

Our country is fortunate that our religious leaders have continued to work for the common good since the dawn of freedom.

Religious leaders know best what is happening in our communities, because you live with the people. You are the first port of call for many families in the event of difficulties.

At the heart of our call for support from our religious leaders, is the need to help us to strengthen families because families are the basic unit of our society.

Protecting families from disintegration and vulnerability is a key national task. Stronger families are a recipe for a successful secure and stable democratic society.

We need your help to build  society where children respect their elders, where they know the difference between right and wrong, and where they grow up to become responsible citizens. It must also be a society where adults respect and protect children. 

In this regard, we appeal to religious leaders to make a special contribution to the success of initiatives such as the Moral Regeneration Movement and the Charter of Positive Values.

Religious leaders are already doing a lot to support families. We appreciate the support of religious leaders in the fight against HIV and AIDS, drugs and substance abuse, domestic violence, child abuse and many social ills.

We have valued your support immensely in helping government to identify orphans and vulnerable children and adults for social grants and other forms of social assistance by government.

We also meet here at a time when our country is experiencing disturbing acts of violence against innocent children.

The recent senseless killing of children here in Johannesburg has caused a lot of pain and frustration in the community. 

The Gauteng provincial government has taken an active and visible stance against these horrible incidents, demonstrating the ANC administration abhorrence of the ill-treatment of children. 

Since 1994, we have built and maintained an admirable reputation globally with regard to protecting and promoting the rights of children.

We must not allow criminal elements to tarnish this reputation.  We must protect our children, together.

We would also like to work with the faith-based sector to take forward the process of healing, reconciliation, tolerance and a common nationhood in our country.

We need your support in building a truly caring society, where all will treat one another with tolerance, respect and dignity.

All these nation building tasks will not be completed in the first twenty years of our freedom.

Nor will it be completed in the next coming 20 years, nor even perhaps in our lifetime. But we need to continue on this journey together, towards a better South Africa and a better life for all.

As we stated during the State of the Nation Address, the road ahead is long and demanding. Inde lendlela esiyihambayo. But we are determined to succeed, as we have always succeeded in our efforts to overcome challenges that have faced us before.

Compatriots,

We are meeting during Women’s Month.

During this month we honour women past and present for their contribution to building the South Africa, of our dreams.

As we are all aware, this year marks 60 years since the signing of the Women’s Charter on 17 April 1954, which called for the uniting of women in common action for the removal of all political, legal, economic and social conditions that held women back.

We recall with pride the history of selflessness and the visionary leadership of those gallant women who resisted the triple yoke of racism, class and a patriarchal oppression.

We salute women. Malibongwe igama lamakhosikazi!

Noting the crucial role of our faith-based sector in the building of this country, we have begun, through the Department of Social Development and other government entities, to consolidate networks of faith-based partnerships.

These networks will build strong partnerships in dealing with, amongst others, health, education, the impact of HIV and AIDS, violence against women and children and violence in society in general, substance and drug abuse as well as general population and development issues.

The fruits of many of these partnerships are evident in many parts of our country.

Brothers and sisters, compatriots,

We are truly happy to celebrate to 20 years of freedom through a national interfaith dialogue today.

We are ready to continue working with religious leaders to move South Africa forward in building a truly united, non-racial, non-sexist, democratic and prosperous society.

In the memory of Father Huddlestone, Bishop Denis Hurley, Sister Bernard Ncube and other illustrious and selfless religious leaders who led the way, let us continue to promote human rights, peace, justice and tolerance and a caring society.

Let us continue to build our country together.

May God Bless South Africa. Nkosi sikelel’ i-Afrika.

I thank you.