IFP PIETERMARITZBURG ELECTION RALLY

ADDRESS BY

MANGOSUTHU BUTHELEZI, MP

PRESIDENT OF THE INKATHA FREEDOM PARTY AND MINISTER OF HOME AFFAIRS

Pietermaritzburg: MAY 21, 1999

South Africa has twelve more days in which to accept the challenge of creating a better future. Today we stand less than two weeks away from our country’s second democratic elections. I have come to Pietermaritzburg to speak directly to the people of this region, with no pretty sounding words or false election promises. We cannot afford to lose the truth at this crucial juncture. I am here to tell you that something can be done to rescue South Africa from its collision course of chaos. The IFP elephant is coming to the rescue to lead South Africa along a better path. The decision to act is ours. The power to make a difference is ours. But most importantly, the future for which we fight is ours, and ours alone.

Many promises have been made to the people of Pietermaritzburg by the ANC in this province. The people of Pietermaritzburg are called upon to choose their destinies not only for tomorrow, but for the long haul, and they must do so looking at the broader context. Choose your horse thinking about the direction in which it will lead you. Assess the ANC promises against the fact that it is clear that the ANC is determined to abolish provinces or to dramatically reduce their powers and functions. The more the system of government becomes centralised, the more the people of Pietermaritzburg will become irrelevant and marginalised.

The people of Pietermaritzburg are very important for KwaZulu Natal and the IFP treasures their support and will always do whatever it can to meet their expectations. However, the people of Pietermaritzburg are not high on the agenda of those who rule in Pretoria or Cape Town. The ANC in this province wishes to use the people of Pietermaritzburg against their own interests to defeat the IFP. If the IFP loses, the people of Pietermaritzburg lose. If the IFP wins, together we all win and the people of Pietermaritzburg will triumph together with the province of KwaZulu Natal.

It is time now to ask the crucial questions which will decide whether we are satisfied with getting more of the same after the coming elections, or if we want something different from the next five years of governance. Has enough been done to bring South Africa closer to our final dream of liberation for all our people, or has the fight been forgotten by those who are in power? Have we come far enough? Could we have done better? When we answer these questions, South Africa must be ready to march forward and demand more for our country on June 2. The IFP elephant will be ready to lead the way.

If South Africans want to see something different and something better from the next five years of government, the IFP must be strengthened. However, if South Africa is complacent enough to want five more years of more of the same, the people can vote for the ruling party. A vote for the ruling party will ensure that nothing changes and nothing improves. A vote for the opposition will mean the same. The voice of the opposition has not been heard so far and there is no reason why it will now begin to make any difference to the way things are done. Only the IFP can challenge the government to do better and more. Only the IFP’s contribution of strength and real leadership, of charisma and experience in the next government, can make a real change to the future of our people.

South Africa needs the contribution of the IFP in our next government. We have not yet achieved the genuine liberation which we sought for South Africa when we first took up our liberation struggle. We have, by far, not come close enough to the dream of an economically prosperous and socially stable country. We have fought for so long and with such great sacrifice for a country in which every South African may live free from the burden of poverty and the indignity of unemployment. We struggled so that freedom would mean opportunity for all, so that no more will our children and our adults suffer ignorance for lack of education, experience and exposure.

The people of Pietermaritzburg must realise that our destinies are intertwined. I wish to speak especially to my brothers and sisters of the white community of Pietermaritzburg with whom I have walked for many decades. We walked together because we had a common dream which we still share. We cannot abandon the dream for there is no alternative to it for anyone concerned. We held the dream that through our efforts, hard work and mutual understanding we could one day expand the areas of progress, wealth and social security which were once limited to the white and affluent segments of our population, so as to make them available to everyone in our province. Together we set out on a long journey to one day make the whole of the new South Africa as comfortable for everyone as the old South Africa once was for the white community. White and black people must continue to walk hand in hand to pursue the original dream of liberation which we conceived as a journey towards economic prosperity and social stability.

Since the days of the Buthelezi Commission of 1980 and the KwaZulu Natal Indaba of 1986, we understood that the liberation movement in this province had special features rooted in negotiations and non-violence and aimed at addressing the needs and aspirations of all of us irrespective of race, colour and creed. We set out on a journey to win together over a common enemy and we never sought to come to a juxtaposition in which one could become a winner, at the expense of one who would become a loser.

We understood that victory over poverty, social instability, oppression and economic decline is either for all, or for no one. Therefore, now more than ever, I urge our brothers and sisters of the white community not to make the mistake of seeking a separate political enclave and withdrawing from the liberation movement to which they belong. People of goodwill must stick together, because it is only together that we can succeed. I am the first to recognise that what we have achieved is not what we wanted. What we want can only be achieved if we remain together under the IFP banner.

Our original dream was for a South Africa in which we knew no fear or want, no suffering or grief. This is not the South Africa I see, and yet it remains the South Africa for which I work, day in and day out. I will not stop until we see this dream become our reality. Until we see every South African free from the fear of criminality which puts us in fear for our lives, for our children, our possessions, our property, our security and our future, until then, the IFP will not stop fighting for the rule of law. The IFP’s struggle is for the rebirth of justice. The IFP wants to see South Africa become governable so that once and for all, we may become well governed. I have dedicated the greatest part of my life to this struggle. I will not abandon my people now. This is our fight and it is our country. The IFP is committed to putting the rule of law into place in South Africa and ensuring its application to all our people, all the time.

The IFP knows that we can turn the tide against criminality if we have the moral back-bone to say, thus far, and no further. We want to see our justice system working so that criminals are behind bars, rather than our people. Why must South Africans be locked trembling in their houses, when criminals walk the streets unchecked? The IFP has the courage to demand tougher sentences for specific crimes to deter those who laugh at our justice system. We want to see our prisons become more than mere centres for criminal higher learning through the strengthening of rehabilitation programmes aimed at returning a positive contribution into our suffering communities. The IFP will not allow warlords, thugs and murderers to rule our country. This is our country and we believe it is time to call a referendum on capital punishment so that citizens can finally air their views.

Our struggle continues. I will not rest until every South African lives free from a lack of essential services such as housing, health-care, electrification, running water and sanitation, or until our communities see the development of better infrastructure such as roads, hospitals, schools, libraries, shopping centres, community centres, old age and children’s homes, pension offices and development complexes. We cannot afford to celebrate what we achieved in 1994, unless we continue to fight for what we do not yet have. There is still a vast sea of need among our people. The rewards of our 1994 victory must reach all our people, not merely the new privileged few sitting in the seats of power. Our fight must continue. The IFP is fighting for the future of all South Africans and we believe our battle can be won.

The June 2 elections will offer the opportunity to every South African to join in the righteous demand of the IFP for something better for South Africa’s people in 1999. The IFP has always been committed to a South Africa of economic prosperity and social stability in which we finally bring substance to the words "free at last". In 1994 we stood firm in our demands at the negotiation table to ensure that the changes we would achieve as a country would be changes of substance for all our people, and not merely changes of appearance. Today, the fight of the IFP is still the fight of the people. Today, we still carry the voice of the people and demand tangible results from government, rather than empty words.

The IFP does not rely on words and public relations operations to win the trust of the people. We know that trust cannot be bought on the credit of false promises, but must be purchased with the hard political cash of action and results. Our track record speaks for itself. South Africa can trust the IFP to deliver. We have done so in the past and we will do so in the future. We are committed to action. For this reason, the IFP does not hold summits and conferences to discuss the concept of employment creation. Rather, we have tabled concrete ideas and offered real solutions to address the problem of unemployment. The IFP knows that without training our people to become effective members of our country’s work-force, we will not be able to create jobs that people can do. I know that work brings dignity and I believe that every South African has a right to the opportunity of employment.

We need to revise our education system with the aim of equipping young people with the necessary skills and background to join the productive sector as soon as possible upon leaving school. Education has always been our leverage with which to lift ourselves out of darkness. I have shared this understanding with the people of KwaZulu Natal for many years and together we have rallied under the banner of ‘Education for liberation’ even when others thought education could wait. We need to bring a new culture of empowerment which begins with knowledge and experience and exposure. By growing our human resources, we are securing our economic prosperity and a future of hope.

In the past five years, we have heard nothing but jobs, jobs, jobs, from our government. Yet since 1994, government has lost over five hundred thousand jobs. Five hundred thousand more families have lost their income. Five hundred thousand more people can no longer afford their children’s education, or their bond payments, or their medical bills. Five hundred thousand more people are looking to a government of non-delivery and waiting for an answer which never comes. Promises will not feed these people, or clothe or educate them. Promises will not give them houses or jobs or hope. Only the IFP’s contribution of good policies and firm action can change the shape of things to come.

I fear that some leaders are seeking power for the sake of power. They have forgotten the plight of the people. We do not place our image above the needs of our people. For this reason, we do not believe that an election should be won at their expense and we will not use the tactics of false promises, empty words, expensive adverts or cheap mud-slinging campaigns to get more votes. Some parties may believe that this is the way to win an election. The IFP knows that it is better to win a country in which real efforts bring real results. It is particularly disturbing that some parties have now taken to attacking one another.

The IFP will not stoop to the level of playground politics. We are the champions of excellence because we believe in the dignity of our people. We reserve our fight for political issues, not political opponents. The IFP’s fight is against poverty and crime and unemployment. The IFP’s fight is against ungovernability, ambivalence and weakness at the top levels of government and the difficulties experienced on the ground. We walk with our people and we hear their needs. We focus on action which will bring positive solutions both today and tomorrow. The IFP is serious about the future of our country and we are the party with a plan to make South Africa work.

From its position within the Government of National Unity, the IFP has contributed to the formulation of countless pieces of legislation over the past five years. This in itself is a remarkable achievement and yet, until the policies are implemented, there will be no actual benefit for our people. The IFP has demanded results from our government. We have stood firm against poor decisions and the adoption of legislation which we knew would be to the detriment of all our people. We have condemned the influence of those who do not have the best interests of the people at heart and have moved the political axis of power closer to the centre.

For instance, the IFP supported the GEAR strategy as being the major part of government’s plan to grow our country’s economy. We fought for the rapid implementation of GEAR, for we know that there is no hope of addressing the myriad of social difficulties without first accelerating our economic growth rate. However, GEAR has been sidelined by the negative and undue influence of trade union barons and communists over our government. Today, the once heralded GEAR strategy is not even mentioned in the manifesto of the ruling party. As this stage, we will need to go beyond GEAR and adopt hard economic options if we are to rescue our failing hopes for a prosperous South Africa.

There is no place in the next government of our country for weakness and ambivalence. The IFP will not allow government to be dictated to by those who are fighting to line their own pockets. The influence over government of trade union barons and communists must be stopped. This is the IFP commitment. I have always supported trade unionism which protects and defends the rights of workers. Our workers are the life source of South Africa’s productive capacity and I was one of the first leaders to set up a trade union in our country. Yet I knew then, as I know now, that trade unions must remain separate from government. The worker must remain the focal point of trade unions, not power or money or greed.

It is appalling and yet very revealing of the direction of the present government that the head of South Africa’s biggest trade union is now set to control the wealth of our richest province. The trend of the ruling party towards greater elitist policies is obvious and it is above all the people who will bear the burden of this conspiracy. The IFP is committed to a government which governs for the benefit of all the people. The old South Africa was built upon the blood and sweat of us all, but reserved its benefits for a privileged few. We cannot make the same mistakes in building our new South Africa. A new privileged few cannot be allowed to emerge under the banner of democracy, but with the heart of autocracy.

The tendency in our present government to adopt short-term and short-lived social benefits at the expense of long-term economic gains, has been to the detriment of our shared future. South Africa needs a government with real back-bone and the courage to do whatever it takes to see South Africa succeed in ten or twenty years. The IFP has always operated with a long-term vision for our country which takes into consideration what we need to achieve further down the road and what must be done now in order to attain our goal. We do not look only at the now and hope that the future will take care of itself. It is our future and our country. We must demand a leadership which is as committed to the future as it is to today.

The emphasis of the present government on immediate solutions has developed as a result of the rising demands of the electorate for results from the promises made before 1994. In the run-up to the 1994 elections, some parties made irresponsible and unrealistic promises, preying on the euphoria of our recent political liberation and suggesting that our so-called miracle could be followed by another and yet another. This type of election ploy won many votes, but it has not won us a better country. The IFP is the only party which will tell it like it is. Our 1994 liberation miracle was born through hard work and painful sacrifice. Our 1999 miracle will be achieved in just the same way, or not at all.

There is no easy road to prosperity. I have always only promised the people of South Africa one thing. We have ahead of us a long and uphill road filled with the treacherous obstacles of poverty, economic decline, social dysfunctionalism, criminality, indolence, lack of productivity, lack of discipline, lawlessness, entitlement and despair. We have a tough road ahead. Yet, if we are willing to accept the challenge of walking this road, I know that South Africa is assured a victory. We can have a real miracle after June 2 if we can orchestrate a real revolution starting right now. I have never made a promise I could not keep. This has been my promise to South Africa and together with the IFP, we can make it happen.

Our revolution will not succeed if the catalysts fail. The catalysts of our revolution are the people of goodwill throughout our country who wish to see a real change for the better in the next five years. Our revolution is not about breaking down, but about building up. We want to arrest the tide of crime and unemployment, of people’s disinterest and government’s ambivalence. We want to change the future and make a real difference to the way things are done from now on. There is only one way to achieve our goal. The revolution of goodwill must be led by the IFP. Together with the IFP, we will win.

The IFP is committed to the people of goodwill for we know that a victory for South Africa will not come from national government or from legislation alone. It is the people who will make South Africa work. The power to change the future of our country is within our hands. The IFP’s fight has always been for individual people, for families and communities. If we start from the basic building blocks of our society, we can rebuild South Africa from the bottom up and see a new generation of South Africans who can govern their own future.

The IFP is committed to getting the power to govern straight into the hands of the people. Our fight for provinces and for provincial powers has been about empowering our communities. Our fight for federalism has also been about empowering our communities. It is from within the hearts of our people that a new South Africa will grow. Our revolution of goodwill must be powered by our communities and led by the IFP. Only the IFP has the experience, the dedication, the vision and the plan to see democracy finally work, for the people, by the people and through the people. This is the message of the IFP.

The choices are ours to make. Let us choose a better South Africa. Let us choose to strengthen the hand of the IFP in the next government so that the IFP can strengthen the hopes of the people. The IFP elephant is coming to the rescue to lead our revolution of goodwill. Together with the IFP, we can make South Africa a winning country. Let us walk with the IFP elephant in KwaZulu Natal. If the IFP wins, our communities win. If the IFP wins, our province wins. If the IFP wins, we all win. Let us make South Africa governable.

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