Hon Chairperson, hon members of the House, distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen, you must listen carefully. The theme for our discussion is: Accelerated socioeconomic transformation - the key to human rights and better future for all. Cut to the chase, in terms of our historical struggle for liberation, social emancipation and democratic transformation under colonisation and subsequently under successive colonial and apartheid regime, the overwhelming majority of our society, black people in general and Africans in particular were deprived of human rights. In terms of social and economic development, they were systematically underdeveloped on all fronts.
The term underdevelopment as here used is different from development. To explain the difference, please allow me to cite Andre Frank, the academic economic historian and sociologist, who in his journal article entitled "The Development of Underdevelopment" reprinted in full from Monthly Review, September 1966 and based on the situation at that time, correctly opened and I quote: " ... over and above racial oppression and merciless class exploitation of the
oppressed". It employed patriarchy to suppress and imaginalised the development of women. Racial oppressed women were the worst affected. These are the historical realities we have to recognise when we talk about accelerated socioeconomic transformation as the key to human rights and the better future for all. One of the ironies face in South Africa is that those who have both supported and benefited from the oppression and merciless exploitation of the previously oppressed are all out involved propaganda campaigning protecting themselves as the political professors of democracy.
IsiXhosa:
Hayi, yibani neentloni maan, iintloni ziyamakha umntu. [Kwaqhwatywa.]
English:
By the way, a significance section of them opposed the inclusion of socioeconomic right in our Constitution and demanded qualified franchise.
IsiXhosa:
Le nto ifana nqwa nohloniphekileyo ogqiba ukuthetha.
English:
By reaffirming and affecting the constitutional imperative of socioeconomic transformation and firmly incurring it in human rights, we are therefore moving South Africa forward and thereby, also growing South Africa.
IsiXhosa:
Phaya elalini yenkosi yam uKama kukho umlambo ekuthiwa nguQhukru apho sasisikha khona amanzi. Kulapho ndafumana khona esi siva kuba ndandifunda ukungcekelela. Abanye benu ngelo xesha babefundiswa ezinye ezinto. Kule lali ikhona nendawo elihlathana apho oomakoti batheza khona. Emva kowe-1994 xa kuphatha i-ANC sababona oomakoti belali yethu befana nabezinye iindawo. Oomakoti bangoku abanazo iinyawo ezicandekileyo ngenxa yokusebenza nzima, betheza bekwathutha namanzi imini yonke. Yiyo le nto sisithi ziyazingca nge- ANC kuba iwakhulule amakhosikazi. [Kwaqhwatywa.]
English:
As part of the national socioeconomic transformation imperative, the achievement that the ANC-led government implemented since our first general election held in April 1994 should further be expanded deepened and defended.
IsiXhosa:
Siza kuyikhusela le nkululeko.
English:
There is no other political party capable of leading all of these and other social achievements experienced by the millions of our people under the ANC- led government.
IsiXhosa:
Zibalulekile ke ezi zinto xa sithetha ngamalungelo abantu ...
English:
...and better life for all, in particular economic transformation will contribute to the sustenance and expansion of social delivery. In this regard, it is crucial to read the South African economy of the internal and external features of colonialism of a special type. Under President Cyril Ramaphosa, the ANC-led government has produced important economic turnaround outcomes in particular, increasing investment confidence.
IsiXhosa:
Bamthembe kakhulu lo khapteyini wethu.
English:
This will go a long way in growing South Africa. Chairperson, 22 years ago, our country launched the Human Rights Commission on an important day, the Human Rights Day. The decision was taken by the leadership of our country and then was further embraced by the fact that United Nations resolved that in commemoration of Sharpeville massacre, 21 March, be designated as the international day for the elimination of racism and racial discrimination. This is an indication of how countries of the world were perterped in the way in which our people were subjected to atrocities by one of the most cruel regimes the world has ever seen, hence the decision by the United Nations. The decision not have been take by the United Nations if they were not aware of this injustices in South Africa, it is because of the tireless work by great leaders of the ANC led by Oliver Reginald Tambo, especially during the times of international solidarity, vigorous campaign under very difficult times in South Africa. At that time, most of our leaders were jailed, including the Rivonia trials.
I think it will be proper for us just to remind them about what we have benefited. I just want to add on what the hon Minister said that ...
IsiXhosa:
...thina bantu asikwazi ukungavuyi kuba...
English:
... we are at a stage where doors of learning and culture have been opened to all. Today, almost 90% of schools in South Africa are no fees schools. Our children do not go to school hungry. They do not walk more that five kilometres distance. The ANC government provides transport for them. Enrolment of learners improved from 51% to 81%. University students enrolment improved from 347 000 students to over a million. Today, more than 90% of mud schools have been discarded. Bucket systems in our towns and townships have been eradicated. Women used to circum to domestic violence because they could not divorce themselves and their respective children because their husbands were sole providers. But today, women are independent, have equal opportunities and capabilities as men, or even more than men. People with disabilities, who used to be treated as parasitic welfare in the past, enjoy equal rights like any other South African citizen today. In actual fact ...
IsiXhosa:
... siza kube sibhiyozela ubomi bukamama uSonanti phaya eMpuma Koloni, imboni eyabona ukuba uphi utata uJongumsobomvu Maqoma
eRobben Island. Siza kube sibhiyozela amalungelo abantu abunkawu eMzantsi Afrika. [Kwaphela ixesha.] [Kwaqhwatywa.]
English:
Thank you very much, Chairperson. [Applause.] [Time expired.]