Athlone: 9 April 2009

It gives me great pleasure to meet with the Muslim Judicial Council on this occasion to renew a dialogue which I have had and maintained with the Islamic community of South Africa for many decades.

On this occasion, you will not hear me say things which are new to me, because what I have come here to reiterate in your presence is what I have stated throughout my entire life. However, I hope that I might premise my remarks by stressing the importance of the present juncture. At this time all political parties approach every possible organised interest group or building block of our society to solicit its support. This is the time in which politicians make promises about everything to everybody; promises that are often forgotten the day after elections.

I do not think that the next elections should be a competition for who makes the biggest promise or reward the party of the leader with the greatest capacity to make outlandish promises. We have had far too many years of false promises.

Throughout my sixty years of political career, I have always shied away from promises and never made a promise I knew I couldn't keep. Therefore I have not come here to make promises, but to engage you in a serious dialogue about the challenges facing the Islamic community of South Africa and what we can do together to address them.

As you know, I have been the champion of pluralism in South Africa. Any other components of our liberation movement have rightly focused on the need to achieve and consolidate our democracy. We have all been part of bringing about the miracle of a democratic South Africa which has been the result of many contributions, and I for one will not undervalue my own. However, I have brought into the debate a question of what type of democracy we seek and what type of democracy could fit South Africa.

In itself, democracy is but the rule of a majority with the inherent power of imposing its will onto those who dissent. I brought into our debate, championed and throughout my life maintained that our democracy should be informed by and infused with the principle of pluralism. In this respect, I think that my contribution within the liberation movement is unique.

In a pluralist democracy, there are limits to the will of the majority. In a pluralist democracy there are areas in respect of which the individual is sovereign and a group of people are sovereign. In this type of democracy, government must actively promote conditions which enable both individuals and communities to be what they wish to be, to act however they wish, and be part of the greater South Africa without changing their characteristics. The only limit to such freedom lies in the recognition of fundamental rights which are inherent to any human being and must be respected by all.

The Islamic community to South Africa has a culture and tradition which enriches our country. It also creates an important bridge between our country and the greater Islamic world. I am committed to being responsive to the needs of this community. In my original province of KwaZulu Natal, I have been a member of the Islamic community, albeit not a Muslim myself, since a young age. I have attended many of their functions and assisted them in respects too numerous to mention.

During this lifelong association with the Islamic community of KwaZulu Natal, I have had the privilege of witnessing the industriousness and commitment of the people of Islam who, in my opinion, are amongst the most hard-working we have in South Africa. I know that there are still visible and invisible barriers within our society which impair the Islamic community from providing the full measure of its contribution to South Africa. We must work together to identify and systematically remove such barriers and obstacles.

In fact, the gap between legality and reality still remains wide. In law, our Constitution and the many institutions established under it, including the Equality Courts, have removed any legal barrier which discriminates against Islamic communities or impairs its social and economic growth. But laws are not sufficient and it remains difficult to legislate into existence changes of attitude and mindset within society. This is the type of work which must be promoted by political leaders such as myself working closely with your community.

Within Government, there are many barriers which need to be removed, attitudes which need to change and new spaces for the Islamic community which need to be opened. The same applies within society, especially in that which concerns workplaces.

As you know, I am a strong advocate of causes which require protection and political action. While everyone else was condemning the decision of the South African Government to bar the Dalai Lama's entry into South Africa, I felt that adding my words of condemnation to such a chorus would not be sufficient and I took action. I sued the South African Government in the High Court and, when the Judge there refused to hear the matter considering it not sufficiently urgent, I took it up to the Constitutional Court where, yesterday, I filed an appeal.

I am committed to continuing this type of work on behalf of that which remains to be done to bridge the gap between legality and reality. For forty years I have spoken truth to power on many issues ranging from how the transition from apartheid to democracy should have taken place to the battle on HIV/Aids. As the Islamic community identifies issues which affect it, I will gladly continue to perform this role also on its behalf. Therefore, on an occasion like this, I really come with the humility of somebody who is here to listen, not to preach.

I hope that on the strength of our friendship you may recognise in me a trusted ally and a long-term partner for the hard work which needs to be performed to complete the long unfinished agenda of our democratic and pluralist South Africa.

I thank you.

Contact:
Liezl van der Merwe,               083 611 7470.