PRESIDENT CYRIL RAMAPHOSA’S 2020 NEW YEAR MESSAGE
Fellow South Africans,
As the 25th year of our democracy draws to a close, we look back on a year that has been filled with both highs and lows, a year in which we measured great progress, but also encountered several setbacks.
In May millions of South Africans went to cast their votes, peacefully and enthusiastically, this once again demonstrated for all the world to see that we are a robust and vibrant democracy.
We recommitted ourselves build a new society founded on the will of the people, in which all South Africans – black and white – truly belong.
And yet, for many South Africans, the hardships endure.
While our economy created jobs, these have not been nearly enough to stop the rise in unemployment or the deepening of poverty.
Many South Africans’ lives have changed for the better, but many others are yet to feel the benefits of the economic reforms and new investment.
This has also been a year in which we have had to confront the darkest forces of our nature.
As a nation, we have witnessed the brutality perpetrated by men against women and against children.
We have seen lives, both young and old, ended with brutal violence.
We have seen fear in our homes, schools and streets.
Yet, as a nation, we have stood as one in our determination to end the crimes perpetrated by those men who have no respect for the lives, the rights or the dignity of women and children.
An outpouring of grief and anger has incited the nation to action, to undertake an emergency response plan that will turn the tide on this national shame.
Despite the difficulties of this past year, day-by-day, we draw closer to our ambition of a better life for all South Africans.
Day-by-day, we are drawing closer to our goal of providing quality health care to all South Africans, and redistributing land to all those who work it and all those who need it.
We are making progress towards our aim to provide free higher education to all students from poor and middle-class families, and to ensure all children benefit from early childhood development.
Each day, we draw closer to our target of R1.2 trillion in new investment in the factories, mines, refineries, shops that will drive our economic renewal.
Steadily, we are rebuilding the public institutions that are so vital to our democracy, restoring our law enforcement agencies, and taking forward the fight against state capture and corruption.
And so, we enter this New Year and this new decade, encouraged by the progress we have made under difficult conditions, knowing that we still have many mountains to climb, and many treacherous rivers to cross.
From January, South Africa takes up its position as chair of the African Union. We will seek to work with our sister countries to realise an Africa Free Trade Area that stretches from Cape Town to Cairo, and from Dakar to Mombasa.
We know only too well the enormity of the challenges that confront us, but we are united in the knowledge that we have the means and the determination to overcome them.
Just as the strongest steel is forged in fire, just as diamonds are forged deep inside the earth’s crust under the most extreme pressure, let us turn adversity into opportunity.
In doing so, let us each play our part: for upon the conduct of each depends the fate of all.
By working together towards the South Africa that we all want, sparing neither strength nor courage, we will progress and we will succeed.
I wish you and yours a successful and peaceful 2020.
Happy New Year to you all.
Issue by: The Presidency, 31 December 2019
FROM THE DESK OF THE PRESIDENT
Monday 16 December 2019
Dear Fellow South African,
Today, I will travel to Bergville in KwaZulu-Natal to observe our national Day of Reconciliation. It says much about our country that this day, 16 December, marks two events in our history that are enduring symbols of conflict and resistance.
We commemorate the epic battle of 1838 on the banks of the Ncome River, and the founding of Umkhonto we Sizwe on the same day over a century later. These two historical events are of deep significance; and now symbolic of our ability to transcend a bitter legacy and forge a new path.
As we take stock of how far we have come in healing the divisions of the past and building a united nation, we have much to be proud of.
One need only observe the outpouring of joy when the Springboks won the Rugby World Cup in Japan and when our Miss South Africa Zozibini Tunzi was crowned Miss Universe. South Africans of all races took to the streets in an outpouring of national pride.
We see it elsewhere every day. In our sport that is now desegregated, in our Parliament, in our transformed places of higher learning and our schools, and on our television screens where programming reflects the diversity of our nation and its languages and cultures.
Racism and bigotry no longer define our nation. Where they do occur, they are isolated. Where there have been manifestations of intolerance, we have been able to unite behind the values of tolerance and respect for diversity that define our Bill of Rights.
Yet, we still have much further to go.
The SA Reconciliation Barometer Survey 2019, which is published by the Institute for Justice and Reconciliation, reports that a vast majority of South Africans agree that our country still needs reconciliation. At the same time, just over a half of respondents believe that South Africa has made progress with reconciliation since 1994.
According to the survey, most respondents agree that reconciliation is impossible as long as corruption continues, political parties sow division, those who were affected by apartheid continue to be poor, gender-based violence remains, we continue to use racial categories to measure transformation, and racism in our society remains unaddressed.
This confirms that true reconciliation is not only about social cohesion. It is also about political and economic transformation.
Since we attained our democracy our people have demonstrated time and again their immense capacity to look beyond superficial differences in the quest to achieve true nationhood, and with it, embrace a fuller humanity.
This is not to diminish the impact of the past. The South Africa of today still suffers from the effects of centuries of discrimination, dispossession and unequal development.
As the author William Faulkner famously wrote of the American South: “The past is not dead and buried. In fact, it isn’t even past.”
We must address the unfinished business of our democratic transition. We must close the festering wound of inequality that exists between our people. We must forge ahead with land reform and social development. We must continue to transform our workplaces and restructure our economy so it benefits all.
In this sense, reconciliation is a very practical undertaking. It is about the work that needs to be done to unlock investment in our economy, to reduce the cost of doing business and to promote growth. It is about the urgent measures we need to take to ensure a reliable supply of electricity to homes and businesses. It is about ensuring that our scarce water resources are preserved and equally available to all.
Reconciliation means that we should continue to use the capability of the state to improve the lives of the poor, to have a tax regime that is progressive and public finances that are responsibly managed.
Reconciliation also requires that we reduce the massive inequalities in access to quality health care through, among other things, the introduction of a National Health Insurance. We need to improve the quality of education in township and rural schools in particular and ensure that there is universal attendance in early childhood development centre.
We will continue to seek out and forge durable social compacts to attain our vision of a South Africa that has been fundamentally transformed. We must all play our part if we are to bequeath to our children a society that has truly reconciled.
As the Irish Nobel Peace Laureate Mairead Maguire has said: “It is time to put aside egos, individual and collective, for the sake of the youth.”
Let us make a concerted effort to move forward together, focusing on what unites us instead of what divides.
Let us reach out to each other on this day, during this Reconciliation Month, and throughout the year.
I wish you all well over the festive season and all the best for the new year.
Best wishes,
President Cyril Ramaphosa
STELLENBOSCH CHRISTMAS MARKET NAMED AS ONE OF THE BEST IN THE WORLD
A Stellenbosch Market has been added to a list of the 50 best Christmas markets in the world, voted in by over 1.5 million people.
South Africa actually has a Christmas Market that competes with the best in the world! The Stellenbosch Slow Market hosts an annual festive market and it has landed fifth on a list of the 50 best Christmas markets around the world.
Big 7 Travel has released its official list of the top 50 finalists recently. With the festive season approaching, travellers across the world are finalising plans for winter breaks.
This year’s top Christmas markets were ranked on a number of factors, including but not limited to vendor variety, entertainment, local traditions, readers suggestions from 1.5 million social audience and previous awards.
“This fantastic local market celebrates artisan crafts and food all year round, but their annual Christmas fest is a must-visit. There are all sorts of goodies to browse, such as gingerbread houses, artisan home décor, 100% raw organic chocolate, biltong and German Christmas biscuits.
"As well as plenty of gift inspiration, you can chow down on all the trimmings, with Christmas cakes and puddings, toffee apples for the kids, Christmas trifle and mulled wine for the adults."
Not only was the Stellenbosch Slow Market added but the Franschoek Village Christmas Market was also chosen. It appears 39th of the list.
Source: www.goodthingsguy.co.za
SANDF ANNOUNCES MEMORIAL SERVICE OF LATE ARMY CHIEF MOKHOSI
The memorial service for late Chief of the South African Army, Lieutenant General Thabiso Mokhosi, will be held on 17 December, the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) has announced.
“Following the untimely passing of the newly-appointed Chief of the South African Army, Lieutenant General Thabiso Collin Mokhosi on Tuesday, 10 December 2019, the South African National Defence Force hereby announces the scheduled memorial service…on Tuesday, 17 December 2019 at the Thaba Tshwane City Hall with the service commencing at 08:30 for 09:00,” the SANDF said.
Lieutenant General Mokhosi will be laid to rest at the Heroes Acres, Zwide Cemetery on Saturday, 21 December after a funeral service that will be held at Nangoza Jebe Hall in New Brighton, Nelson Mandela Bay in the Eastern Cape Province.
At the time of his passing, Mokhosi held the position of Chief of the South African Army with effect from 1 November 2019. Prior to his recent appointment as the Chief of the SA Army, he served as the General Officer Commanding at Joint Operations Headquarters.
The Minister of Defence and Military Veterans, Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula, the Deputy Minister of Defence and Military Veterans, Thabang Makwetla, the Secretary for Defence, Dr Sam Gulube and the Chief of the SANDF, General Solly Shoke have expressed their heartfelt condolences to Lieutenant General Mokhosi`s family, friends and relatives.
President of the Republic of South Africa and Commander-in-Chief of the South African National Defence Force His Excellency Cyril Ramaphosa has offered his condolences to the family and friends of Lieutenant General Thabiso Mokhosi, Chief of the South African Army, who passed away today, 10 December 2019, in a Pretoria hospital.
The President has said the passing of Lieutenant General Mokhosi is a heart wrenching loss to the South African National Defence Force as it comes at a time when his dedicated and exemplary service was needed most. The President has also extended his condolences to the South African Army and the Defence family as a whole.
MANDELA REMEMBERANCE WALK AND RUN
This year South Africa will be remembering the 6th year since Madiba passed away. It has since become a South African tradition that thousands of South Africans including athletes and families come together to commemorate this historic day with a half marathon and a fun family walk. The Mandela Remembrance Walk & Run will take to the streets of Pretoria on the 8th of December in a big way. Last year’s event saw 20,000 runners and walkers cross the start line in honour of Nelson Mandela, and with this year’s event once again offering a 21km, it’s going to be bigger than ever!
This year many of South Africa’s top runners, personalities and athletes – among them musician Kabelo Mabalane, Bafana stars Aaron Mokoena and Shaun Bartlett, television star Andile Gaelisiwe and top runners Gerda Steyn and Collen Mulaudzi – will join in the event to ensure that Madiba’s memory is kept alive.
Taking place at the Union Buildings, the event will honour Madiba and his commitment to South Africa.
Details of event:
Date: 8 December 2019
Time: 07h00 - 14h00
Venue: Union Buildings, Pretoria