Hon Speaker, today's debate is about Pan-Africanism and the African Renaissance.
I listened very carefully to the hon Chief Whip of the Majority Party, who was basically the main speaker on behalf of the ANC. With all due respect to the Chief Whip, what I heard was a very good history lesson about Pan- Africanism. What concerned me, however, is the fact that I heard nothing about the present, never mind the future. I am interested in the future and I know that we have got to listen to the past, but what about the future?
Pan-Africanism is an ideology and movement that encourages the solidarity of Africans worldwide.
Dit is 'n denkrigting wat ongeveer 200 jaar lank bestaan. [This is a philosophy which has been in existence for approximately 200 years.]
It is based on the belief that unity is vital to economic, social and political progress, and aims to unify and uplift people of African descent.
Die agb Hoofsweep van die meerderheidsparty het ook daarna verwys. Dit bring onmiddellik die vraag, natuurlik, na vore: Wat word bedoel met "African people" [Afrikane] of "people of African descent" [mense van Afrika-oorsprong]? Die gedagte aanvanklik was gewees, uit die aard van die saak, dat dit gegaan het oor swart mense en nie andere nie.
Die agb Ramatlakane van Cope het baie duidelik daarop gewys dat dinge is dinamies, definisies verander, en dat Afrikanisme vandag baie meer beteken as net om swart te wees. Iemand soos Gaddafi, wat 'n baie groot voorstander van Pan-Afrikanisme was, was iemand uit die Arabiese noorde van Afrika. Net so, is daar mense, uit die aard van die saak, aan die suide van Afrika wat nie swart is nie, wat wit is, en wat hulself beskou as deel van Afrika, en wat daarop staatmaak.
Die probleem het gekom, onder andere, by iemand soos Kwame Nkrumah van Ghana, wat een van die groot stigters en vaders van di gedagte was, met sy denke van soek eers die politieke koningkryk en al die ander dinge sal bygevoeg word - die gedagte van kry die politieke mag en al die ander dinge sal vanself kom. Dit is nie nodig om goeie onderwys, hospitale en paaie te bou en in stand te hou nie. Kry eers die politieke mag.
Ons hoor gereeld van potensiaal. Afrika het enorme potensiaal. Afrika-lande het enorme potensiaal. (Translation of Afrikaans paragraphs follows.)
[The hon Chief Whip of the Majority Party has also referred to that. This immediately poses the question: What is meant by African people or people of African descent? The idea, of course, initially was that this concerned blacks and not others.
The hon Ramatlakane from Cope made it very clear that things are dynamic, that definitions change, and that Africanism today means much more than merely being black. Someone such as Gaddafi, who was a major proponent of Pan-Africanism, was someone from the Arabian north of Africa. Similarly, there are, naturally, people from the south of Africa who are not black, who are white, and who regard themselves as part of Africa, and who rely on that.
It posed a challenge, inter alia, in respect of someone such as Kwame Nkrumah of Ghana, who was one of the great founders and fathers of this school of thought, with his thinking of first seeking the political kingdom and all the other things will be added - the idea of acquiring political power and everything else following as a matter of course. It is not necessary to provide good education, and build and maintain hospitals and roads. First acquire political power.
We regularly hear about potential. Africa has huge potential. African countries have huge potential.]
It means nothing. Do not tell me about countries and continents with potential. Tell me about people with potential - and yes, we all have potential.
Maar wat doen ons daaromtrent? Hoe word dit toegepas in die praktyk? Die hele gedagte van geen opvoeding voor bevryding eers bevryding en dan opvoeding. Waar het dit ons gebring in die praktyk? Ons, in Afrika, moet besef dat die wreld ons niks skuld nie. Die gedagte van Pan-Afrikanisme is om groot strukture te vorm en eenheid in Afrika te skep, en om te verseker dat hierdie sterk strukture met die res van die wreld kan kompeteer. (Translation of Afrikaans paragraph follows.)
[But what are we doing about it? How is this applied in practice? The whole idea of no education before liberation; first liberation and then education. Where has this got us in practice? We, in Africa, should realise that the world does not owe us anything. The idea behind Pan-Africanism is to develop large structures and create unity in Africa, ensuring that these large structures are able to compete with the rest of the world.]
That is not what it is about. It is about economic realities.
Afrika sal moet leer om te presteer ten opsigte van die ekonomie. Dit bring ons om terug na die basiese beginsels van dissipline, van hardwerkendheid, en van mense wat werklik hul potensiaal ten volle benut. Ons moet weg kom van 'n blaamkultuur wat s, "Ek is geregtig op dit; die wreld skuld my dit." Dit beteken in die praktyk niks. Die verantwoordelikheid l by ons en daarvoor het ons sterk leierskap nodig - baie sterk leierskap, wat ek bevrees is ons tans nie in Suid-Afrika kry nie, en ons betaal die prys daarvoor. Suid-Afrika raak agter in die proses. Die toekoms l voor. Kom ons praat liewers daaroor. Baie dankie. (Translation of Afrikaans paragraph follows.)
[Africa will have to learn to achieve in respect of the economy. This brings us to the basic principles of discipline, of diligence, and of people who truly utilise their potential fully. We need to get away from a culture of blame that says, "I am entitled to this; the world owes me this". This means nothing in practice. The responsibility lies with us and for that we need strong leadership - very strong leadership, which I am afraid we do not currently have in South Africa, and we are paying the price for that. In the process, South Africa is lagging behind. The future lies ahead. Let us rather speak about that. Thank you very much.]