Mr Speaker, we owe a big debt of gratitude for the freedoms we now enjoy to the African leaders and heads of state, who met in Addis Ababa in May 1963 to develop a master plan to liberate the people of Africa from the brutal rule of the colonial regime. This 50th anniversary of the African Union, AU, provides us with an opportunity to reflect on the progress made thus far.
There are today a growing number of stable democracies in Africa. African people in many parts of the continent are able to elect governments of their choice. Economic performance and regional integration in many parts of the continent are progressing, although at a slow pace. These two are important, if we are to free our people from the yoke of poverty and underdevelopment. We abhor and condemn the ongoing change of chains practised by some of the African states on the continent.
Despite these achievements, more than a quarter of the African population is poor and uneducated whilst thousands die every day from curable diseases. We find it very difficult to accept this. After many years of independence, Africa remains involved in civil wars, coups and counter- coups. We need bold leadership to rid the continent of these problems, as they make the task of renewing Africa impossible to accomplish.
South Africa has lost the influence it once had on the African continent and its leaders. Nowhere is this more evident than in the fact that the South African government no longer plays a leading role in continental issues. The Central African Republic fiasco and South Africa's embarrassing retreat from the country recently have made matters worse. This leadership void has created a breeding ground for the recolonisation of Africa.
The time has come for South Africa to recapture the lost ground as the continental leader. I thank you.