Consensus THE QUARTERLY NEWSLETTER OF THE FW DE KLERK FOUNDATION The FW de Klerk Foundation Volume 5, Issue 3 4th Quarter /November 2008 The Congress of the People and our constitutional democracy by Dave Steward

On Saturday 1 November my colleagues with repeated calls from the platform for from the Centre for Constitutional Rights the removal of any placards that might be and I attended the National Convention at offensive to any party - including the ANC. the Sandton Convention Centre. We did so Despite the upmarket address, this was as observers, because of our interest in any definitely not a gathering of the elite or of developments that might affect the the rich. constitution. Now that six days have The speakers included Mbazhima Shilowa, passed - and the organization has adopted Mosioua Lekota, Barney Pityana, Wendy a name - the Congress of the People - it is Luhabe and an icily incisive Andile Mzwai on perhaps appropriate to consider the behalf of the black business community. implications of the new party for our The heads of attending political parties constitutional democracy. were all invited to make short statements: It was a remarkable experience. The they included Helen Zille – dressed in a cavernous hall was filled to overflowing white jack adorned with roses; fluent in with some 4 000 delegates from all parts of isiXhosa and well able to adapt to the idiom the country, many of whom had been of the meeting; the Rev Kenneth Meshoe of bussed in overnight from distant provinces. the ACDP; ; It was overwhelmingly a black African and a representative of Prince Mangosuthu event. White faces could be seen scattered Buthelezi who was unable to participate among the audience – but they were a because he was busy celebrating his 80th small minority. The meeting was also very birthday (greeted by a spontaneous chorus much in the black African idiom: vibrant, of 'Happy birthday, dear Buthelezi' from the exuberant, with the proceedings floor). punctuated by spontaneous dancing and A few themes emerged clearly from the singing. All the speeches and interventions speeches. The first was a sense of deep were started and ended with raised-fist grievance over the manner in which salutes and shouts of “Amandla!” – with President Mbeki had been “recalled” by the roaring responses of “Ngawethu!” new ANC leadership – and the subsequent Each speaker was greeted with a chorus of purges of Mbeki supporters in political and “Long live!” and “Forward with the public service structures throughout the Convention! Forward!” The gathering was country. The second was a clear demand characterized by remarkable goodwill - for electoral reform (To p 12)

In this issue/In hierdie uitgawe: Erodering van burgery en professies p 2 Managing diversity p 4 Real-politiek van SA toekoms p 6 Heritage Day celebrates equal cultural rights p 8 Departure of presidents p 10 Eradication of poverty p14 Page 2 Concensus Erodering van burgery en professies

Demokrasie verwys nie net na die minister. Die voormalige raad van 52 lede parlement en gereelde verkiesings nie. Dit moes 'n minimum van 34 lede uit die vereis ook dat mense vry moet wees om te gesondheidsberoep insluit, waarvan 25 deur assosieer met ander wat dieselfde belange die professionele liggame self aangewys is. op die hart dra - alles binne die raamwerk Die nuwe raad sal 43 lede hê, waarvan die van die wet. Mense moet vry wees om te helfte deur die professionele rade aangewys assosieer binne sportklubs, vakbonde, sal word. Voorheen is die meeste lede van professionele organisasies, belasting- hierdie rade deur die lede van die betrokke betalersverenigings en die hele spektrum beroepe gekies. Volgens die nuwe stelsel sal organisasies wat gesamentlik as die al die lede van die nuwe rade deur die burgerlike gemeenskap bekend staan. 'n minister aangewys word, om “duur” Lewendige burgerlike gemeenskap is sowel verkiesings te vermy. 'n teken as 'n vereiste vir 'n gesonde Wetgewing is ook ingestel om aan die demokrasie. regering soortgelyke beheer oor beroepe Die teenoorgestelde van 'n vrye burgerlike betrokke by die boubedryf, insluitend gemeenskap is die Leninistiese “bo na argitekte, ingenieurs, projek- en onder” rigting van elke aspek van die konstruksiebestuurders, landskaps- samelewing. Volgens hierdie siening moet argitekte, eiendomswaardeerders en alle organe van die samelewing voldoen bestekopnemers, te gee. Die nuwe wet stel aan die voorskrifte van die dominante die skepping van 'n oorhoofse liggaam voor, staatsideologie. Ongelukkig is daar die Suid-Afrikaanse Raad vir die Beboude duidelike en doelgerigte aanduidings dat Omgewing, wat hierdie beroepe sal reguleer die regering meer en meer fasette van die en koördineer. burgerlike samelewing wil beheer. Net soos in die geval van die mediese Sport is veronderstel om deur die verkose beroep, gee die wet die minister verreikende verteenwoordigers van die verskillende magte om lede van die Raad aan te stel en dissiplines bedryf en beheer te word. gee ook aan haar die magte oor die Inderdaad verbied IOK- en FIFA-regulasies aanstelling van spesifieke beroepsrade. spesifiek regeringsinmenging. Desnieteen- Onlangs het die Wysigingswet op die staande gee die Wysigingswetsontwerp op Uitsaaibedryf aan die parlement, m.a.w. die Nasionale Sport- en Ontspanning spesifiek regerende politieke party, die mag gegee om aan die minister van sport die mag om “in die SABC Raad te ontslaan. Voorheen kon te meng in enige dispuut of beweerde raadslede slegs op aanbeveling van die raad wanbestuur of enige verwante aange- self afgedank word. So het die laaste sprake leentheid in sport of ontspanning wat van onafhanklikheid van die nasionale moontlik 'n sport- of ontspannings- uitsaaier ook verdwyn. Dit is nie in die aktiwiteit 'n slegte naam mag gee” openbare belang om die regering toe te laat alhoewel 'n minister nie mag inmeng in om in te meng in die burgerlike samelewing sake wat met die verkiesing van spanne nie. Dit is ook nie in die openbare belang dat verband hou nie). Daar is ook toenemende die regering die mag moet hê om te besluit regeringsinmenging in die mediese beroep. oor wie die beroepe moet beheer nie. Die Wet op die Gesondheids-beroepe Sentraal tot ons grondwetlike bedeling is dat verander die samestelling van die demokrasie alle vlakke van ons samelewing, beheerraad vir die mediese beroep, die en instellings van ons samelewing, moet Gesondheidsberoepsraad, en verwyder in deurdrenk. werklikheid die outonomie van Dit gebeur nie: toenemende “bo na onder” gesondheidswerkers om hul eie sake te regeringsinmenging in wettige aktiwiteite hanteer. Dit ontneem die beroep ook die van die burgerlike samelewing ondermyn 'n reg tot verteenwoordigende demokrasie en krities-belangrike dimensie van ons plaas algehele beheer in die hande van die demokrasie. Volume 5, Issue 2 Page 3 SACP and COSATU cuckoos in the ANC nest By Dave Steward

We should have no illusions about the Power' and made announcements of which political forces that have been at play since all South Africans (and particularly ANC the ANC's Polokwane conference in members) should take careful note. It December last year - and that culminated called for a 'reconfigured alliance' that in President Mbeki's precipitate departure would henceforth provide strategic from office. leadership of the National Democratic At Polokwane a coalition led by the SACP, Revolution (the Alliance's core ideological COSATU and others opposed to President programme). It proposed the Mbeki, assembled 20% more delegates establishment of an Alliance Political than President Mbeki - and were thus able Council 'to oversee broad political issues, to seize control of the ANC. including policies, popular mobilization, Because control over the ANC gave them governance challenges and deployments.' the power (in terms of s.47(3)(c) of the The Council would meet regularly and Constitution) to dismiss any recalcitrant would comprise the top six leaders of the ANC MP from Parliament - their victory also ANC; the top five leaders of the SACP; and gave them de facto power over the the top six leaders of COSATU. legislative and executive branches of the This proposed shift in the balance of power state. Since then, the new ANC leadership, within the Alliance is in line with the recent in which the SACP and COSATU play a pro- demand by the Young Communists League minent role, has dictated who should be that the SACP, COSATU and the ANC should 'deployed' as premiers of our provinces - each have one third of the names on the and who should be 'recalled'; which policies ANC's electoral list. (In fact, the SACP has should be adopted by Parliament (most already almost reached this target: it has notably, the abolition of the Scorpions) and 80 of its members in Parliament - 20% of which should be set aside; and recently, the total and 30% of the ANC's who our president should be (and who he parliamentary caucus.) should not be). The SACP evidently wants to expand this All South Africans, and particularly role and give its parliamentary caucus its traditional members of the ANC, should be own distinctive voice and identity. deeply concerned over these develop- According to Comrade Nzimande, the SACP ments. would like to see 'increased participation Classic communist revolutionary theory and presence of communists in all prescribes a two-phased revolution: first, a legislatures, so that the voice of the national liberation phase under the communist party is felt at levels which are leadership of the 'national liberation important'. The Conference called for movement' (the ANC) - which, as the 'increased visibility of communists' on the 'vanguard party', leads a broad coalition to (ANC's) final electoral lists. It wanted 'a the achievement of national liberation. delegated contingent of elected During the second phase, the communist representatives who, on appropriate party is supposed to assume the role of occasions, speak directly for the SACP 'vanguard party' and lead the country to (despite the fact that they would have been the establishment of socialism and elected on an ANC list). ultimately of communism. At its policy The SACP also proposed that the Alliance conference in Johannesburg, Secretary- should establish deployment committees General , spoke of the at all levels, from the national to local, to necessity of strengthening the party's decide on the appointment of cadres to all 'vanguard party' role, thus announcing its posts (presumably including all political, intention to steer the Alliance in a direction government, public service and state consistent with communist ideology. corporation posts). According to The Policy Conference considered the Nzimande, the SACP would have to develop relationship between 'the Party and State (To p 13) Page 4 Concensus Challenge of the century: managing diversity This is an extract of a speech by former 200 countries now include more than 6 000 President FW de Klerk to Johnson different cultural communities. More than Controls, in Chicago on 15 October 130 countries have cultural minorities 2008. For the full version, please visit comprising more than 10% of their www.fwdklerk.org.za populations. Cultural diversity is being augmented by new waves of migrants One of the inescapable implications of seeking economic opportunities and globalisation is an enormous increase in the freedom. Everywhere people are on the interaction between people from different move - and everywhere they are backgrounds, cultures, languages and confronting once homogenous societies religions. The management of the resulting with new challenges. cultural, language and religious diversity The preservation of cultural diversity is also will be one of this century's greatest one of the central issues in the debate on challenges - for the international where globalisation is leading us. Many community; for countries and for people believe that the identity, purpose companies. and dignity that they derive from their The inability of countries and the cultural heritage is being threatened by the international community to manage global tidal wave of English-language mass diversity is already by far the most serious culture. The pervasive media, cause of conflict in and between countries. entertainment and communication Deep and unresolved differences in the influences that it broadcasts are brashly worldviews of conservative Moslems and consumerist and often respect few the West are one of the factors that boundaries or traditional values. contribute to global terrorism. We humans are complex social beings with The ability of companies to understand and many important concentric relationships. accommodate diversity will also be a critical We are individuals. We belong to families. success factor in a world in which production We pursue our economic interests.We is increasingly integrated on a global basis belong to clubs and organisations. Many of and in which companies have to compete in us have religious affiliations. We often highly diverse cultural markets. belong to distinct cultural groups. We have Throughout the world populations are gender and sexual orientation. becoming more cosmopolitan: the world's (Top5)

At the Johnson Controls speech were, seated (from left): Mrs Elita de Klerk, Mr Geoff Colvin (Fortune Magazine), Mr FW de Klerk, Iain Campbell (Johnson Controls). Standing are (from left): Mr Rakesh Kishan (UMS Advisory), Ms Julie Williams (Johnson Controls), Mr Steve Quick (Johnson Controls), Mr Milton Scott (The Tagos Group) and Mr Pieter de Haan (Philips Lighting) Volume 5, Issue 3 Page 5

Challenge of the century (From p 4)

We are citizens of countries and of trying to integrate culturally diverse increasingly we belong to the international immigrants into existing European community. cultures. Toleration of cultural diversity in All of these relationships are important to Britain has diminished as a result of the us and some are critically important. In involvement of some British-born Moslems many, if not most of them, we are in terrorist activities aimed at fellow minorities. True freedom consists of our Britons. being able to make lawful choices for Increasingly, the view is that toleration of ourselves and our families in all these diversity is - but on the basis that spheres. The borders of these freedoms everyone must accept the core values of should be defined only by manifest public the nation. interest and the point where our freedoms All of this is, however, part of the broader begin to impact negatively and unfairly on challenge of managing cultural and the interests of others. religious diversity in a world in which inter- For example, I am an individual. I belong communal conflict is by far the greatest to the De Klerk family. I belong to the threat to peace and stability. Reformed Church. I am a member of a A deep sense of cultural, religious or ethnic number of private organisations – including alienation lies at the root of many of the a number of golf clubs. little wars throughout the world, most of I am an Afrikaner. I derive my language, which seldom impact on the evening news. my history, and my traditions and much of Nearly all the conflicts in countries around my identity from this fact. I am also very the world have their roots in the failure to proud to be a citizen of the new vibrant and manage diversity. multi-cultural . Like my Too often, minority communities feel that ancestors since 1688, I am an African – and they are not sufficiently accommodated, I like to think that I am a citizen of the politically or culturally, in the processes by world. which they are governed. None of these relationships is mutually They feel that their governments are exclusive. People can be all these things at insensitive to their languages and cultures; the same time. Their reasonable rights in that they are subject to discrimination, all these spheres need to be protected. repression and efforts to integrate them Neither should they suffer discrimination forcibly into the majority culture. because of any of these affiliations. This sense of alienation often breaks out in The management of diversity is also an conflict, rebellion, demands for secession increasingly important challenge and and sometimes in acts of terrorism. reality for the United States. Religious diversity also lies at the root of There are now more than 12 million illegal some of the ongoing conflicts in the world. immigrants in America. For most of your Differences between Hindus, Moslems and history, the invariable practice was for Sikhs in India; and Moslems and Christians immigrant communities to coalesce around in Nigeria and Sudan all create volatile the existing national identity and to learn to situations that can explode into violence speak English as soon as possible. and terrorism at almost any time. The accommodation of diverse immigrant Religious and cultural alienation are also groups has become one of the most some of the main underlying causes of controversial issues in Europe. international terrorism. It has played a decisive role in recent Many terrorists are motivated by a deep elections in a number of European sense of religious and cultural grievance. countries. Three years ago it led to some of The rampant advance of globalised the worst riots that France has experienced consumer culture with its attendant since the Second World War. At the same political and social ethos, poses a time the EU has committed itself to a policy (Top9) Page 6 Concensus Real-politiek van toekoms in SA

Opsomming van 'n toespraak deur wat dit kon help verseker, sonder om die Dave Steward, uitvoerende direkteur ANC te laat skeur. van die FW de Klerk Stigting, by die Die stryd tussen hierdie faksies was SAOU-kongres in Port Elizabeth op 2 venynig en is na Polokwane nog steeds aan September 2008. die gang. Verlede jaar het die Mbeki- beheerde nuusbrief “ANC Today” die Die ANC se “National Consultative linkervleuel beskuldig van sameswering Conference” in Polokwane in Desember met die regterkant van die politieke verlede jaar was moontlik die belangrikste spektrum, wat uit die DA en die meeste politieke gebeurtenis sedert die ontstaan blankes bestaan. As gevolg hiervan, sê van die nuwe Suid-Afrika 14 jaar gelede. “ANC Today”, het hulle “teenstanders van Diegene wat in Polokwane bymekaar die leiers van die nasionale demokratiese gekom het, het nie alleen besluit wie Suid- revolusie geword”. Afrika vir die volgende 5 of 10 jaar gaan lei In 'n latere uitgawe het die hare behoorlik nie, maar ook watter politieke en gewaai. Die skrywers van “ANC Today” het ekonomiese beleidsrigtings gevolg gaan Lenin, Marx en Joe Slovo aangehaal en word. COSATU getipeer as “anarcho-syndicalists” Daar was drie belangrike denkrigtings by (anargistiese sindikaliste). Uiteindelik het Polokwane teenwoordig. Diegene wat die anti-Mbeki faksie by Polokwane president Thabo Mbeki vir die volgende vyf geseëvier en het hulle 60% van die stemme jaar as ANC-president herkies wou hê en ingepalm. Die vraag is dus, wat gaan nou dat hy moes voortgaan om 'n beduidende gebeur, of miskien moet ons liewer vra wat invloed op regeringsbeleid uit te oefen is die beste waarop Suid-Afrika kan hoop? nadat hy volgende jaar as president sou In die eerste plek, het ons 'n situasie wat uittree. Dan sou daar twee magsentrums grondwetlik onaanvaarbaar is waar die na 2009 wees, een in 'n verswakte ANC in Luthuli-huis die werklike mag in die presidensie en die ander by die ANC se hand het, terwyl president Mbeki en die hoofkwartier in Luthuli-huis. Parlement, wat veronderstel is om die land Die tweede faksie wat in Polokwane om te regeer, hul opdragte van die party mag meegeding het, is die ANC-alliansie se ontvang. linkervleuel, hoofsaaklik COSATU, die SAKP In die tweede plek het 'n onuithoubare en die ANC Jeugliga. Zwelinzima Vavi, situasie ontstaan waar die COSATU se sekretaris-generaal, het reeds presidentskandidaat van die ANC in verlede jaar verklaar dat die stryd om die volgende jaar se algemene verkiesing vir hart en siel van die ANC begin het. Hierdie ernstige misdade aangekla is en teoreties linkervleuel was diep ongelukkig oor die nog in die hof moet verskyn. As gevolg ortodokse makro-ekonomiese benadering hiervan doen sy volgelinge alles in hul van die regering en ook skerp krities vermoë om te verseker dat die klagtes teenoor die ANC-kaders wat teruggetrek sal word. In hul pogings multimiljoenêrs geword het en het in die betoog hulle in die strate en by ons howe. algemeen gevoel dat die huidige leiers die Hulle verklaar dat hulle bereid is om mense ANC se sosialistiese geskiedenis verraai dood te maak om mnr Zuma te beskerm - het. COSATU was ook krities teenoor en hulle beskuldig die Grondwetlike hof dat president Mbeki se VIGS-beleid, sowel as dit 'teen-revolusionêr’ is. Belangrike sy rol in Zimbabwe. stemme in die besigheidswêreld en elders Die derde groep het diegene ingesluit wat vra vir 'n 'politieke oplossing' om die krisis nie aan die linkervleuel behoort nie, maar te ontlont deur amnestie aan mnr Zuma te wat nie entoesiasties was oor 'n verdere verleen. termyn van vyf jaar vir president Mbeki as Ander, meer beginselvaste stemme bepleit president van die ANC nie. Hulle het dat ons die ou Latynse stelling moet volg: vernuwing bepleit en het gesoek na leiers (Na bl 7) Volume 5, Issue 3 Page 7 Real-politiek (Van bl 6)

'Fiat justitia rual coelam' - laat die reg dit omdat ideologie die botoon gevoer het. geskied al tuimel die hemel'. Dit is neerdrukkend dat die huidige Intussen bly die ANC erg verdeeld. Een van diskoers binne die ANC steeds oorheers die grootste uitdagings voor aanstaande word deur swaarwigtige verwysings na jaar se algemene verkiesing is om die Lenin, Marx en Engels. beweging weer te probeer herenig. Aan die Die belaglike twispunt is wie dan nou een kant sal pogings aangewend word om werklik die “vanguard party” (voorpunt president Mbeki en sy ondersteuners meer party) is en wie moet die rol speel van die tevrede te stel. Aan die ander kant sal daar ware vlagdraer van die nasionale gepoog word om hernieude verbintenisse demokratiese revolusie! tot eenheid te verkry van al die groeperinge Die ideologiëe aan die orde is negentiende wat by die drieledige alliansie betrokke is. eeuse sosialisme en die beswaarlik Maar toegewings sal deur die linkervleuel verdoeselde rasisme van die nasionale gemaak moet word, moontlik in die vorm demokratiese revolusie. van 'n groter toewyding aan die Die een is op soek na die mitiese nirvana transformasie van Suid-Afrika na 'n van die klaslose gemeenskap. Ontwikkelingstaat. Die ander streef na die ewe denkbeeldige Dit alles laat ons met die vraag wat gaan doel van 'n nie-rassige samelewing wat nou gebeur? gedefinieer word as 'n staat waarin daar President Mbeki sal nie na die verkiesing in demografiese verteenwoordiging op alle 2009 met 'n ware gevoel van vervulling kan vlakke van eienaarskap, bestuursbeheer aftree nie. Ten spyte van die leierskapsrol en werkverskaffing in die private en wat hy vir bykans 15 jaar gespeel het, vir openbare sektor sal wees. die eerste vyf jaar as die baie aktiewe Wat Suid-Afrika in stede hiervan nodig het, adjunk van president Mandela, en vir die is leierskap wat hom sal laat lei deur die volgende tien jaar as president in eie reg, is werklikhede wat ons omring en nie deur die hy ondubbelsinnig deur die meerderheid in dwaling van ideologie nie. sy eie party verwerp. Sommige van die werklikhede is die Dit was kritieke jare vir ons jong werklikheid van onaanvaarbare armoede demokrasie en in die geheel gesien het ons en ongelykheid in ons samelewing, die op baie terreine belangrike vordering werklikheid van werkloosheid wat gemaak. onlosmaaklik verbind is aan onvoldoende Die sleutelvraag sal wees of president standaarde in onderwys en opleiding en Mbeki se opvolger sal voortgaan met sy en rigiede arbeidsbeleid, die werklikheid van Trevor Manuel se verantwoordelike makro- VIGS, die werklikheid van misdaad en die ekonomiese beleidsrigtings, of sal hulle werklikheid van ons vaardigheidstekorte. eenkant toe geskuif word deur die Ons benodig doeltreffende beleid om die oordrewe toepassing van die Ontwikkeling- wanbalanse van die verlede aan te spreek, staat en groter regeringsinmenging in die maar ook in hierdie verband moet die nuwe ekonomie? president en nuwe leiers hulle laat lei deur Na my mening is die fundamentele vraag realisme eerder as ideologie. egter of die nuwe president en regering Dit sluit onder meer in dat as meriete nie deur ideologie gelei sal word of deur die die hoofoorweging by aanstellings en dwingende werklikheid van ons bevorderings is nie, sal enige organisasie of omstandighede. instelling gou die meeste van sy Op watter terrein ookal waar die Mbeki- verdienstelike personeel verloor. presidentskap goed gevaar het, was dit As organisasies en instellings mense met omdat dit 'n pragmatiese benadering en kritiese vaardighede en ervaring verloor, werkbare beleid aanvaar het. sal hulle in ‘n toenemende mate misluk en Dit is veral waar van sy makro-ekonomiese as eiendomsreg verwater word, sal daar benadering. En as dit swak gevaar het, was (Na bl 9) Page 8 Concensus Heritage Day celebrates equal cultural rights According to our Constitution our new The ideology of African hegemony is society has been founded on the principles increasingly manifested in insensitive of human dignity, non-racialism and the attacks on the heritage of other achievement of equality. All citizens are communities. equally entitled to the rights, privileges Most recently the Tshwane Municipality and benefits of citizenship and all our has announced its intention of changing official languages must enjoy parity of the names of 47 of 's most esteem and must be treated equitably. In prominent streets. Among them are terms of s 9, everyone is equal before the Kruger Street and Pretorius Street. law and the state may not discriminate The former is named after President Paul unfairly against anyone, inter alia on the Kruger, who was the leader of the most basis of their language, culture or birth. S. significant anti-colonial struggle in the 31 protects the rights of people belonging history of our country which involved the to cultural and linguistic communities to deployment of some 400 000 British troops enjoy their cultures and practise their in South Africa and deaths of many tens of languages and s 185 provides for the thousands of South Africans of all races. establishment of a commission to promote The city was founded by Marthinus respect for the rights of cultural, religious Pretorius and was named after his father Andries Pretorius. Do they not deserve to be honoured and remembered by all South Africans? We will only truly be able to celebrate Heritage Day when all South Africans can identify with all our great heroes from all our communities at all our times of historic challenge. We will only be able to celebrate Heritage Day in the spirit of our Constitution if we all rejoice with Cetshewayo after the victory of Ishlandwana; if we all weep with Ngqika Photo: Alet Pretorius, Beeld at the loss of his lands in the Amatolas; if and linguistic communities. we all march with Gandhi in his first historic Through these measures, the Constitution protests protects and acknowledges the equality against and human dignity of all South Africans - injustice - and of all our communities - and gives and if we can recognition to the multicultural, multi- all call Paul religious and multi-linguistic nature of our Kruger and society. Andries The idea of 'African hegemony in the Pretorius our context of a multicultural and non-racial own. society', proposed in the ANC's 1997 On Heritage document on Nation-formation and Day let us Nation-Building is completely remember irreconcilable with this vision of cultural and respect equality in the Constitution. the contri- The same is true of its historic butions to our interpretation which dismisses the rich and history of all often troubled history of some of our our people communities simply as 'colonialism of a and all our special kind.' communities. Cetshewayo Volume 5ssue 3 Page 9

Real-politiek (Van bl 7) weinig beleggings wees. As die nasionale afgelope veertien jaar was die deurdagte akkoord verwoord in ons grondwet van en vasberade verset teen die Ont- 1996 sistematies geërodeer word, sal die eieningswetsontwerp. Vir die eerste keer basis van ons nasionale eenheid en het 17 organisasies en politieke partye van versoening vernietig word. In plaas dwars oor die politieke spektrum bymekaar daarvan om deur ideologie gelei te word, gekom om die wetgewing saam teen te moet ons volgende president gelei word staan. Die aankondiging dat die wetgewing deur die ontluikende internasionale teruggetrek is en nuwe gebare van konsensus oor die weg tot sukses. Dit versoening, veral teenoor die Afrikaanse benodig onder andere goeie regering, sterk gemeenskap, is bemoedigend. Daar is 'n en doeltreffende demokratiese instellings, toekoms vir ons almal in Suid-Afrika, maar onafhanklike en toeganklike howe, dit sal vereis dat ons ook real-politiek sal doeltreffende polisiëring, lae vlakke van moet bedryf. Ons sal moet organiseer, ons korrupsie en mededingende markte en sal moet kyk na die werklike magsbronne openheid vir internasionale handel. Die waaroor ons beskik en dit deurdag ter real-politiek van die toekoms hou ook 'n bereiking van alle Suid-Afrikaners se plek vir minderhede in. Een van die redelike belange, moet aanwend. Lees die bemoedigendste verwikkelinge van die volledige artikel op www.fwdklerk.org.za

Challenge of the century (From p 5) fundamental threat to conservative case of Slovakia and the Czech Republic societies and particularly to fundamentalist and was the basis for the fragmentation of Moslems. They fear it with every fibre of the Soviet Union and the old Yugoslavia. In their being precisely because their people South Africa, from 1960 onwards, we tried find its shiny consumer products, its flashy, to achieve a solution to our complex free-wheeling life-style and its amoral pop problems on the basis of ethnic territorial culture so alluring. They regard the partition. We failed because economic and unrestrained freedom, sexual demographic forces had already integrated emancipation, abortion on demand, gender the country to such an extent that equality and materialism that they see in separation was impossible. Western media as a mortal affront to the In our shrinking and increasingly inter- austere piety of Islam. The result is often dependent world, the challenge is not how fanatical rejection of western culture and different communities should best go their its chief exponent, the United States. separate ways. It is, rather, how they can One of the great challenges of the new best learn to coexist in a spirit of harmony millennium will be to address cultural and and mutual respect. religious alienation and to devise norms The challenge is to devise approaches and and approaches that will enable different to establish norms that will enable different communities to live together in peace. cultural and ethnic communities to coexist There is an urgent need for more intense within the same states. To achieve this, we and informed debate on how the must reach broad agreement on the international community should deal with cultural, linguistic and educational rights ethnic, cultural and religious diversity. For that such communities should enjoy. some, the obvious solution to inter- However, we also need to reach agreement communal conflict is partition, particularly on underlying values that can provide a where communities constitute clear basis for co-operation and unity. majorities in definable geographic areas. Read the full speech on This was accepted as the solution in the www.fwdklerk.org.za Page 10 Concensus Departure of presidents and the implications for popular sovereignty

President Mbeki's decision to resign the came in the middle of August, it was at the presidency is the second time in twenty initiative of President Botha and not the years that South Africa has experienced party leadership. In the final analysis, there such a development. The first was the was no way that the irascible president was resignation of President PW Botha on 14 going to leave office quietly and with August 1989 (four years minus a day after dignity as the party leadership would have his fateful Rubicon speech). There are preferred (by contrast, President Mbeki some superficial similarities in the two acted with exemplary dignity and events which have been remarked upon in restraint). the media. In both instances the underlying The third difference between the demise of breach arose from the problem of trying to the two presidents is by far the most deal with two centres of power - in essence significant: it lies in the fact that where the President is no longer leader of throughout the former process power lay in the political party in power. Both presidents the hands of the caucus of the majority addressed the nation on television, both party in parliament and not in the hands of appeared to be isolated and rejected. the unelected party machine (even though That, however, is where the similarities the electorate was then limited to white, end. In PW Botha's case there was no coloured and Indian South Africans protracted power struggle by elements represented in the tricameral parliament). within the National Party to challenge his The same is not true with regard to the leadership of the party. Instead, termination of Mr Mbeki's presidency. The inexplicably and out of the blue, on 2 disturbing reality is that, between national February 1989, he wrote a letter to the NP elections, sovereignty does not lie in the parliamentary caucus in which he hands of the elected representatives of the announced that he had decided to resign as people, but in the hands of those who party leader but to stay on as President. control the majority party. The caucus decided there and then to elect This is because section 47 (3) (c) of the a new leader, and after the third ballot FW Constitution makes MPs entirely dependent de Klerk emerged as the victor. He was as for their continued membership of the surprised as anyone else by this House of Assembly on their continuing unexpected development. membership of the party on whose list they Secondly, the party under FW de Klerk's were elected. In other words, the elements leadership made every effort to try to that control the party also control the accommodate President Botha until the legislature and the executive (but expiration of his term of office before the fortunately, not the judiciary). next general election in September that (To p 11) year. The reality of two centres of power proved to be an uncomfortable constraint on both President Botha and on the party. President Botha was angered and frustrated by the fact that his virtually unquestioned domination over the cabinet had been diluted; the party was equally frustrated that the arrangement prevented them from proceeding as rapidly and decisively as they wanted on a clearer and more reformist path. The continuing squabbles and the lack of clarity probably cost the NP electoral support in the pivotal 1989 national election. Nevertheless, when the breach Former President PW Botha Volume 5, Issue 3 Page 11 Departure of presidents (From p 10)

This does not present a very visible the policies on which they stood. There is problem where the President also controls something profoundly distasteful with the the party machine - as President Mbeki did idea that our President can be 'recalled' for the first eight years of his presidency. with no reference to the electorate. It is However, it becomes critical when the equally disturbing that the unelected President no longer controls the party, as leadership of our ruling party should be we have seen since able to dictate to our elected Polokwane. representatives in parliament which At Polokwane the policies they should or should not support. shifting votes of 10% of It is time that we had another look at the the delegates (less than implications of s.47(3)(c) for our 400 people) effectively democracy. It is time that we dusted off placed control of the the recommendations that Van Zyl 'heart and soul' of the Slabbert made regarding our electoral ANC in the hands of system. President Mbeki's In terms of his proposal 300 MPs would be opponents - primarily elected from 69 multi-member Former President the COSATU/SACP constituencies, each with three to seven Thabo Mbeki MPs, who would be elected on the basis of party lists. The remaining 100 MPs would partners in the tripartite coalition. be elected from a closed national list. His Every five years the electorate determines proposal would ensure much closer which party should enjoy this immense accountability to the voters as well as power - and to this degree it does remain minority party representation. It would sovereign. However, between elections also contribute to the separation of powers there can be substantial changes within the between the legislature and the executive - power structures of political parties (as which in recent years has all but happened at Polokwane). disappeared. And perhaps it is time that we The new leadership can dismiss the leaders thought about the need for a president who for which the electorate voted and discard would be directly elected by the people.

Mr FW de Klerk addressing the Blackburn Institute at the University of Alabama in October. The topic of his address was “Bridging the gap: Globalisation without isolation: American leadership in a globalised world.” Page 12 Concensus Congress of the People From p 1

– for the establishment of a system where election next ear, but not enough to reduce public representatives from city councillors the ANC's support to less than 50%. In this to the president will be answerable to the regard, the power of the ANC brand can electorate rather than to the leadership of simply not be emphasized enough. The the ruling party. The third was a strong new party is clearly well-funded; it demand that no-one should be above the evidently has substantial grass-roots law – accompanied by voluble disapproval support particularly in the Western Cape, of the abolition of the Scorpions. A fourth the Eastern Cape, the Northern Cape and was the emphatic rejection of Julius the North-West Province. Significantly, the Malema's inflammatory rhetoric and un- leader of the South African National Civics African disrespect for his elders. Strangely, Organisation (SANCO) pledged the full there was only one brief reference to the support of his organization and all its charge that the ANC had been taken over nationwide structures. by COSATU and the SACP – which I would My conclusion is that the new movement have imagined would have been a central will be a serious political contender and will point of attack. help to change the face of South African Finally, there was a strong sense of the politics. It is unlikely that it will win need for a new political party to oppose the sufficient support to unseat the ANC virtual monopoly of political power that is government at the national level – but it presently enjoyed by the ANC. probably has the ability to bring the ANC's There was, however, very little indication of majority below 66% and to form coalition the philosophy and principles upon which governments with other opposition parties the new party would be based. What we in two or three provinces. observed was primarily a voluble rejection All this will be good for democracy and for of the post-Polokwane leadership of the constitutional government. Democracy ANC and anger at the manner in which works best when there is a real prospect President Mbeki and his supporters had that ruling parties can be voted out of been treated. power. We need electoral reform to ensure We were told little or nothing about the that parliament is answerable to the people social and economic policies that the new (and not to party hierarchies) - and that the movement would propose. executive is accountable to parliament. As COSATU pointed out in a long statement We must support every move to reassert before the event, many of the leaders of the the rule of law. If the Congress of the new movement had been closely implicated People can contribute to these goals, it will, in the controversial positions adopted by indeed, be an important development for the Mbeki presidency on AIDS and our young democracy. Zimbabwe – and the dictatorial manner with which it had dealt with dissent. So what are the prospects for the new party that is due to be launched in Bloemfontein (the ANC's birthplace) on 16 December – and what are the implications for our constitutional democracy? A senior adviser to the new movement told me that the new party's first goal would be to bring the ANC's majority below the 66% it requires to change the constitution. This would represent a relatively modest 5% of the national vote. The probabilities are that the new party will get more than 5% in the Photo: The Times Volume 5, Issue 3 Page 13

SACP cuckoos (From p 3)

mechanisms for communist deployees in ‘Accountability, responsiveness and all spheres to be accountable to the party openness’ require that parties should (rather than to the ANC). (In terms of the contest elections under their own names Constitution public servants and members and on the basis of their own policies. It is of the security forces are supposed to be unacceptable that parties - with clearly politically impartial and are supposed to be distinct identities, policies and philosophies accountable only to constitutionally - should insinuate themselves into appointed authorities). parliament and into power under the guise The SACP and COSATU would achieve all of other parties. this without having to win a single vote in Voters have a right to know that when they their own names during the election next cast their votes for the ANC they are year. Not surprisingly, Comrade Nzimande actually voting for an alliance in which the observed that the struggle for state power SACP and COSATU clearly plan to play the need not always be pursued through dominant role. They will, in effect, be elections. Although elections were voting for the ascendancy of the SACP - a important, there was not a ‘pre-determined party that incredibly enough still believes singular route for the working class (i.e. the that Marxism-Leninism is the solution to all SACP and COSATU) to hegemonise state mankind’s problems. power.’ Another route would, of course, be the route that the SACP has evidently chosen: 1) enter into an alliance with the Please visit our most popular party; 2) reconfigure the alliance so that the SACP and COSATU control the key decision-making processes, website at including the deployment committee; and 3) deploy SACP/COSATU cadres throughout the system and ensure that www.fwdklerk.org.za they are accountable to the SACP/COSATU!. There is very good reason why the SACP and COSATU will cling to the power and for these and other benefits they derive from the Alliance, stories rather than fight future elections under their own names. According to an IPSOS MARKINOR survey conducted in April, 2007 Besoek gerus ons only 8% of South Africans (and 5% of ANC supporters) would vote for a breakaway SACP/COSATU party. So, we have a situation where a party with only 5% of webwerf by ANC support controls 30% of its seats and - together with COSATU - played a crucial role at Polokwane in seizing effective www.fwdklerk.org.za control of the ANC - and thus of the state. All of this constitutes a serious threat to our democratic institutions. One of the vir hierdie en ander founding principles of our Constitution calls for ‘universal adult franchise, a national stories common voters roll, regular elections and a multiparty system of democratic government, to ensure accountability, responsiveness and openness.’ Page 14 Concensus International Day for eradication of poverty

International Day for the eradication of declined from 39.5% in 2000/01 to 27.7% poverty, celebrated on 17 October, is yet in 2006/07. The percentage of people another day on the international calendar living in the middle income groups (LSM 4 - of days dedicated to the promotion of 7) increased from 44.3% to 52.8%; and human well-being. Like most such days it those in at the richest levels (LSM 8 - 10) will in all likelihood go largely unmarked increased from 16.1% to 19.6%. and uncelebrated. Yet it deals with poverty An important factor in combating poverty - which is a dominant and grinding reality in in the poorest LSM levels was undoubtedly the lives of millions of South Africans. This the substantial increase in the number of is also an issue of constitutional people receiving social welfare grants of importance, since the Preamble to the one kind or another from 2.4 million in Constitution commits our society to 1996/97 to 12.4 million in 2007/08. improving 'the quality of life of all citizens'. However, it is widely accepted that social Also, the enjoyment of a number of the transfers cannot provide a long-term fundamental rights in the Bill of Rights solution to the problem of poverty. At best depends in practice on the ability of people they are a palliative. What we require are to break free from the stranglehold of policies that will lower unemployment and poverty. increase the skills levels of jobs. The Like so many other facets of our national government can claim with some pride that life assessment of our performance with it has helped to reduce unemployment regard to the elimination of poverty from 29.4% in 2001 to 23% in September depends to a large extent on the statistics 2007. However, these figures relate only that you choose to consult. to people who are still actively looking for According to a recent survey by the South employment. If one includes those who African Institute of Race Relations (SAIRR) have given up their search for jobs severe poverty levels in South Africa have unemployment stands at 34.3% - and doubled in the last 10 years. The SAIRR probably 40% of the black population. claimed that "using the globally accepted The prime causes of unemployment lie in measure of poverty, of people living on less the catastrophic inability of our education than one US dollar per day” poverty had system to produce adequately educated increased dramatically both in absolute entrants for the job market; in challenges numbers and proportionally between 1996 created by competition in globalised and 2005. markets; and in rigid labour policies. Of However, the Government's Development the 1.19 million black school children who Indicators, released in July 2008, revealed entered the education system in 1995 only just the opposite. According to its 278 000 passed matric last year. Of these assessment the percentage of people living only 42 000 were functionally literate and below the poverty line of R250 per capita numerate. What is equally disturbing is per month (in constant 2007 rands) that only 25 415 matriculants (the great declined from 31% in 1995 to 23% in 2005. majority of them white) passed maths at The Report also pointed to a significant the higher grade, compared with 29 475 in decrease in the proportion of the 1995. population living in the poorest Living Our dismal performance in the field of Standard Measures (LSM) levels 1 to 3 education is one of the main causes not between 2000/01 and 2006/07. The only of poverty, but also of unemployment, following chart, based on the LSM analysis, crime, inequality and the failure to meet provides a graphic illustration of the transformation targets. progress that we are making in combating Labour rigidity also contributes to poverty: unemployment - and thus to poverty. According to the analysis, the percentage We urgently need the kind of two-tier of people in the poorest levels (LSM 1 - 3) (To p 15) Volume 5, Issue 3 Page 15

Eradicate poverty (From p 14) labour system that was mooted at the remains one of the greatest challenges ANC's National General Council meeting in confronting our society. It contributes to 2005. In terms of the proposal it would unacceptable human deprivation and have been easier for school leavers to enter inequality and to South Africa's shockingly the job market within a much more flexible low 122nd position on the UNDP's Human framework - while established workers Development Index. Combating poverty would have continued to enjoy all their remains one of our greatest challenges. present labour rights. The proposal was Much greater effort will be required from shot down by COSATU. Government and all sectors of our society if There can be no doubt that poverty we wish to address it successfully.

Proceedings of Conference on Unity in Diversity

A comprehensive document on the proceedings of the Conference on Unity in Diversity, hosted by the FW de Klerk Foundation in cooperation with the Konrad Adenhauer Foundation earlier this year, is now available. The document contains summaries of all the speeches as well as summaries of the panel discussions. The keynote speaker at the conference was Prof Fernand de Varennes of Australia, while other speeches were delivered by Mr FW de Klerk, Prof Kader Asmal, Ms , Dr Vusi Gumede, Dr Pallo Jordan, Prof Francois Venter and Mr . To obtain a copy of this document, send an email to [email protected] and add “CUID document” to the subject line. Please include full contact details, including a physical address, to which the document can be posted. Volume 5, Issue 3 Page 16 Besige oorsese program vir FW de Klerk

Oor die afgelope twee maande het mnr FW globalised world”, en “ The challenge of the de Klerk, voorsitter van die FW de Klerk Century: managing diversity” by Stigting in Kaapstad, uitgebreide reise verskillende universiteite bespreek. oorsee onderneem. 'n Deel van hierdie Universiteite wat hy besoek het sluit in die program was in sy hoedanigheid as Universiteit van Oklahoma, die Brigham voorsitter van die Global Leadership Young Universiteit in Utah, die Missouri Foundation (GLF). Mnr De Klerk het die GLF University of Science & Technology. Al die in 2004 gestig ter ondersteuning van die toesprake is goed ontvang en het wye ontwikkeling van demokratiese regering in mediadekking in oorsese koerante geniet. al sy fasette wêreldwyd. Hy het ook die raadsvergadering van In September het hy onder andere Johnson Controls in Chicago toegespreek. deelgeneem aan die Stern Stewart Daarna het hy die Green Dubai World Institute by Tegernsee naby Munich. In Forum in Dubai toegespreek, sowel as die Londen het hy ook die jaarlikse SA Charity Arab Institute for Security Studies in Golf Day in London bygewoon waarvan hy Amman. 'n beskermheer is en alhoewel reën die spel Mnr De Klerk het toe weer na Kanada gereis onderbreek het, was dit weer eens 'n waar hy eers die raadsvergadering en glinstergeleentheid waar geld vir daarna die algemene jaarvergadering van verskillende Suid-Afrikaanse die GLF bygewoon het. Tydens sy besoek welsynsorganisasies ingesamel is. aan Toronto, Kanada het mnr. De Klerk met Na 'n aanvanklike besoek aan Londen in die Young President's Organisation (YPO) Oktober en vergaderings met die GLF se vergader en 'n toespraak by 'n gesament- advieskomitee, is mnr De Klerk na die VSA like byeenkoms van die Empire Club en die waar hy 'n hele reeks toesprake gehou het. Kanadese klub gelewer. Dit het optredes in Oklahoma, Utah, Tydens die laaste been van sy oorsese reis Chicago, Alabama en Rolla Missouri het hy aan 'n projek deelgeneem waar 'n ingesluit. Hier het hy onderwerpe soos “The spesiale skildery van hom deur Richard third world – is it sinking or shrinking?”, Stone in London gemaak word. Die skildery “Bridging the gap: Globalisation without sal later ten bate van die FW de Klerk isolation – American leadership in a Stigting verkoop word.

At the Johnson Controls meeting were, from left, Mr Jim Keppler(Keppler Speakers), Mr Steve Quick (Johnson Controls), Mrs Elita de Klerk and Mr FW de Klerk.