January 2009 dfa NowYour voice to be heard SPECIAL TRIBUTE MINISTER OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS, DR NKOSAZANA DLAMINI ZUMA PAYS TRIBUTE TO SOUTH AFRICA’s gooDWILL AMBASSADOR, MIRIAM MAKEBA Editorial Note DEAR COLLEAGUES, The dfa Now is an internal newsletter of the Department of Foreign Affairs published by the elcome to the first edition of thedfa Now for 2009. Directorate: We hope you had a good rest and wish you a fruit- Content Development. ful 2009. In this edition we report back on things thatW took place in the last segment of the year 2008. We pay Editor-in-Chief: Ronnie Mamoepa special tribute to ‘Mama Afrika’ Miriam Makeba our Goodwill Editor: Paseka Mokhethea Ambassador that passed away in November. May her legacy Compilation, Sub-Editing & Proofreading: and voice keep inspiring us to realise the importance of art tran- Elion Von Wielligh & Annelie Kirstein scending boundaries and uniting people. We also report on the 16 Days of Activism Against No Vio- Design and Layout: lence Against Women and Children and the message delivered Shaune van Wyk & Zimele Ngxongo by Deputy Minister Fatima Hajaig at the day of commemoration Pictures: Jacoline Prinsloo, Sanjay Singh & that was held in Tulbagh Park. We report on Zakumi’s debut at Unathi Ngamntwini our German Embassy and the tour of the Imilonji Kantu Choir in Switzerland. A view on the world, this month, is from the beauti- The views expressed in this newsletter do not ful city of Amman, Jordan and our mission in Beijing reports on necessarily reflect those of the DFA or the editors. the historic visit of the SAS Spioenkop to China. In conclusion The deadline for contributions is 30 January 2009. we have the farewell speech of former Deputy Minister Aziz Pa- Contributions may be sent to cbe000 or had delivered at his Farewell Dinner held in Midrand. [email protected] Happy reading! All enquiries: Paseka @ Tel: (012) 351-1569 Fax: (012) 342-1192 Government Activities Minister of Foreign Affairs, Dr Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma’s Tribute to South Africa’s Goodwill Ambassador, Miriam Makeba NE OF THE GREATEST song- of our country through which she con- stresses of our time, Miriam tinued to communicate a positive mes- OMakeba, has ceased to sing. sage to the world about developments The South African Goodwill Ambassa- in South Africa,” continued Minister Dr dor collapsed and passed away at the Dlamini Zuma. Veneto Verde hospital near Naples on Makeba’s remains were brought Sunday 9 November after performing at back to South Africa and President the Castel Volturno. Kgalema Motlanthe declared national In a tribute to Makeba, Minister of For- days of mourning from Thursday 13 eign Affairs, Dr Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma November until the day of the funeral, said “Throughout her life, Mama Makeba which took place on 15 November. Dur- communicated a positive message to the ing this time, all national flags at provin- world about the struggle of the people of cial and national levels, including Dip- South Africa and the certainty of victory lomatic Missions abroad, were flown at over the dark forces of apartheid (and) half-mast in her remembrance. colonialism through the art of song” Makeba will be remembered for her “It was accordingly befitting that with voice and how she used it in being a the dawn of peace, democracy and jus- Goodwill Ambassador for South Africa tice in South Africa, our Government saw in every sense of the word. w it fit to appoint her Goodwill Ambassador By Annelie Kirstein 2 DFA Now • January 2009 Departmental Activities “16 Days of Activism Campaign translates into sustainable 365 days of action to end violence against women and children within a co-ordinated system of Government and through partnership with all spheres of Government”. Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ms Fatima Hajaig 16 Days of Activism Against No Violence Against Women and Children HE 16 DAYS OF ACTIVISM empower and train employees around - Men as Partners (household and against No Violence against gender aspects. Participants for the workplace). TWomen and Children is a workshop were male employees - The vision of change for men in the United Nations campaign. It takes nominated from different Branches of workplace and institution place annually from 25 November (In- the Department to learn more on how • Managing Gender Transformation ternational Day of No Violence against men can be partners at home and in in the workplace. Women) to 10 December (Internation- the workplace. Men who participated in the work- al Human Rights Day). Since 1999 the Participants were empowered with shop were taken through the role on South African Government has run a the following knowledge: how culture, religion and their sociali- parallel campaign that includes issues • Men and Masculinities (the role of sation in society has influenced their relating to violence against children. culture, religion, economic factor, gender roles in society (family and at This campaign focuses primarily on etc in shaping Masculinity Identity, work). For them, training on masculinity generating an increased awareness focusing on: was an eye opener on how they could of the negative impact of violence on - Socialisation be partners in the fight against gender- women and children as well as society - Identity based violence in society. as a whole. - Stereotyping The annual Departmental 16 Days The Chief Directorate: Gender - Sex and Sexuality of Activism took place on 28 November organised two events for the Depart- - Culture and Religion 2008 with a keynote address by Dep- ment in support of the campaign. The - Ideology uty Minister Fatima Hajaig at Tulbagh first event was a workshop on men and • Gender, race, class and poverty in Park, under the theme of “Don’t look masculinity for 30 male participants, a specific gender context away – Act Against Abuse” which took place at 110 Hamilton • Masculinity in the workplace and In her keynote address, the Dep- Street, on 27 November 2008. institutions uty Minister welcomed everybody and The workshop was an integral part - The Social Maintenance of gender set the tone of the day that “16 Days of the Chief Directorate’s mandate to in organisations ... Continue on pg 4 DFA Now • January 2009 3 Departmental Activities ... Continue from pg 3 of Activism Campaign translates into refrain from cultural practice that treat sustainable 365 days of action to end women as second-class citizens in so- violence against women and chil- ciety and be partners. dren within a co-ordinated system of A summary of the event was done Government and through partnership by the Chief Director: Gender Ms Ruby with all spheres of Government”. She Marks, who request employees of the Imilonji emphasised that the objective of the Department to donate used items to campaign is to increase the level of two shelters that provides refuge to Kantu Tour to awareness amongst South Africans victims of domestic violence in Maraba pertaining to the incidence of violence stad and Mamelodi. Switzerland perpetuated against women and chil- The campaign continued for the rest dren. of the 16 days in the Department. Staff ne of South Africa’s most cel- Among the speakers on the day members are welcome to email their ebrated and world-renowned was Adv. Joyce Maluleke, Head of the suggestions and ideas for strategies to Ochoirs, the Imilonji Kantu Gender Desk in the Department of Jus- build and strengthen the campaign at Choral Society, toured Switzerland tice, who talked about the service char- DFA. In addition to this, daily informa- from 16 to 20 October 2008, at the in- ter for victims of crime in South Africa. tion bulletins was sent out to discuss vitation of the South African Embassy The Commission on Gender Equality aspects of gender-based violence, in- in Switzerland. was represented by Rev. Bafana Khu- cluding institutional forms of violence Imilonji Choral Society was found- malo who challenged men to be part- such as sexual harassment.w ed in 1983 at the height of the struggle ners in fighting gender-based violence Contributed by Chief Directorate: Gender for national liberation in the country in society. He asserted that men should under the directorship and founder Mr Thangana Krila Gobingca George KaMxadana. The group has performed at music festivals around the world, as well as at the inauguration ceremonies of former Presidents Nelson Mandela in 1994 and Thabo Mbeki in 1999. The visit of Imlonji Choir to Switzer- land was part of the mission’s strategy to advance the objectives of the mis- sion‘s key priority area in the Business Plan, namely Promotion of Tourism, Culture and Heritage. The objective was also to have the choir’s perform- ance as a complimentary event to the mission’s flagship project – Nelson Mandela’s 90th birthday celebratory multimedia exhibition, showing in Kae- (Top) Rev. Bafana Khumalo and (right) Adv. Joyce Maluleke speaking to staff. (Bottom) Deputy Minister, Ms Fatima Hajaig and Ms Ruby Marks during proceedings Football in Berlin he South African Embassy in Berlin held a press con- Tference with Danny Jordaan (CEO of the 2010 World Cup Local Organising Committee) and Hans Klaus from FIFA and Horst Schmidt. Zakumi also made his international debut at the Embassy. Zakumi is the official mascot for the 2010 World Cup. The event was covered by the local press and in South Africa by the SABC. 4 DFA Now • January 2009 Mission Activities figturm, Bern, from 15 October 2008 to the audience on their feet when they of different backgrounds. What a real 31 January 2009, following its highly opened their show with the South Afri- African melodic experience that was! successful showing at the Geneva UN can National Anthem and closed with Following Imiloji Choral Society‘s Head Quarters in September 2008.