Item 1193 - Draft Speech for Madiba for the Sonke Festival

Part of speech in isiZulu

TRANSCRIPT

DRAFT

Ngibingelela Umphathi Wohlelo,
Ngibingelela abaholi bendabuko,
Ngibingelela abaholi be ANC bakazwelonke,
Ngibingelela abaholi be ANC kusifundazwe saseNatali, Ngibingelela, amashoshozela kaANC asemkantsha ubomvu abanjengo Dorothy Nyembe, Tryphina "Mamboxela" Njokweni,
Florence Mkhize kanye no Archie Gumede,
Ngibingelela amanxusa amazwe omhlaba, Muzi wakwethu,

The Master of Ceremony,
Members of the National Executive Committee,
Traditional Leaders of Southern Africa,
ANC Leaders in Natal,
ANC Stalwarts like Dorothy Nyembe, Tryphina "Mamboxela" Njokweni, Florence Mkhize and Archie Gumede,
Members of the Diplomatic Corps,
Fellow Countrymen and Women,

Kuhlangene lana amanxusa awo wonke amazwe alapha eMzansi
Afrika. Kuhlangene lapha bona labebantu abhlangana eMangaung eminyakeni ecishe ibe amashumi ayisishiyagalombili nambili mhlazane kusungulwa uKhongolose. Ngethemba ukuthi uDokotela Pixley ka Seme neNdlovukazi eyabe iyibamba yamaSwazi uLebotsibeng bamamatheka bodwa emdlinzeni abo.

Gathered here are the representatives of the entire Southern African Region. Gathered, here are the same peoples who assembled in 1912 in Manguang to form the ANC, Dr Pixley ka Seme and the late Queen Regent of the Swazis, Queen Lebotsibeng, must be smiling in their graves.

Kuhlangene lapha abantu abanamasiko ehlukene. LeSONKE FESTIVAL ibukeka ingesemqoka kunazozonke hayi nje kuphela ngobuningi babantu abalana kodwa ikakhulukazi ngomyalezo esinika wona. Igcizelela into eyodwa: Singehlukana ngamasiko kodwa singabantu ababodwa futhi sinekusasa elilodwa - iNingizimu Afrika ebumbene, yentando yeningi, engabandlululi ngobulili nangobuhlanga.

Kuhlangene lana abantu okungenzeka ukuthi bakholelwa ezintweni ezehlukene kwezombangazwe. Kodwa singabantu ababodwa futhi abanekusasa elilodwa - singabantu baseNingizimu Afrika.

Assembled here are men and women from different cultures and backgrounds. This SONKE FESTIVAL is proving to be the mother of all rallies and festivals not only because of sheer numbers of people attending but mainly because of its content. It emphasises one thing: we may be of different cultures and backgrounds but we are one people with one common destiny - a united, non-racial, non-sexist and democratic South Africa.

Also, assembled here are men and women who may be of different political persuasions. But we are one people with one common destiny - we are all South Africans.

lzimbangi zethu zisigxeka ngokuthi asikugcizeleli ukwehlukana ngamasiko. LeSONKE FESTIVAL ikhombisa ubuwula bezimbangi zethu. Ababandlululi nemisheshelengwane yabo asebadayisa ngemiphefumulo yabo baba izigcilikisha ezisebenzela uhulumeni wedlanzana ongafuni nokumbona umuntu omnyama, basitshela ukuthi ukuze sikhombise ukuthi siyahambisana nokwehlukana ngamasiko kufanele sizikhiphe inyumbazana singahlanganisi nezinye izizwe zomhlaba.

Izitha zethu zisibuka njengezilwane zona ezingenazidingo ezikhulayo. Umthetho ophethe konke ukuthuthuka koluntu uthi abantu abahlangane nezinye izizwe. Lomthetho uthi makube nenqubekela phambili, Uthi lomthetho ekwehlukeni kwethu kuzalwa ubumbano. LeFestiva isitshela lokho. Ithi kuthina nanxa sehlukene ngamasiko kodwa singabantu baseNingizimu Afrika; singabantu baseAfrika singabantu bomhlaba.

Our detractors keep on accusing us that we do not recognise the diversity in our cultures and customs. This SONKE FESTIVAL proves the fallacy of such accusations. The racist bigots and those among us who have sold their souls to become arrogant local functionaries of a regime that despises everything African and democratic advise us that to prove that we recognise the diversity in our cultures and customs we must remain in our political shells and quarantine ourselves from the rest of humanity.

They see in us animals who are not governed by the law of growing necessity for that law dictates that we break out of our shells and reach out to the rest of humanity. It dictates social progress. That law says to us out of diversity grows unity. That is what this Festival tells us to do. It tells us that while we may be of different cultures we all belong to one South Africa. We belong to Africa and we belong to the world.

Kufanele futhi ukuba leFestivali yenziwe kwenye yezifunda zaseNatali ngoba phela umoya wokuqala wokwakha inhlangano yabantu abacindezelwe kuleli waqala lapha eNatali. Leyo inhlangano ebutha bonke abantu ngaphandle kobuhlanga futhi endala kunazozonke eAfrika -uKhongolose. Loyomoya usaphenduka isivunguvungu senkululeko esesiziwa kuwo wonke umhlaba.

It is also appropriate that the SONKE FESTIVAL was organised and takes place in one of the Natal regions for it was in this province that the first whispers to form an organisation that would unite in struggle our people across ethnic lines were uttered. That whisper transformed itself into reality when the oldest national liberation organisation in Africa, the ANC, was formed in 1912. That whisper has become a mighty force that today reverberates throughout the world.

Siyothi siwenzile umsebenzi mhlazana sinqobe ubandlululo. Siyonqoba ngamagalelo amashoshozela ethu. Kuningi esesikuzuzile emzabalazweni. Kodwa amabutho obandlululo azama ukukuchitha konke lokhu esesikuzuzile. Bahlala njalo bakha itulo lokusenzakalisa. Kufanele sivikele lokho esesikuzuzile. Indelela yokuzivikela ukuba isitha singasiniki ithuba lokuphefumula.

The apex of our struggle is victory and victory lies in the combative capacity of our democratic formations. Already, through unity in struggle we have scored many strategic victories. But the forces of darkness are desperately trying to regain the lost ground. They never leave the boardrooms where they studiously plot our undoing. We need to defend our democratic gains. "But as always" to quote our late Chairperson, Oliver Tambo " the best form of defence is the offensive." "Victory for the people is no longer a remote desire but an unfolding reality”.

Ezinyangeni eziyisthupha nezinsuku ezintathu ncimishi ngo April 27 ngonyaka ozayo abantu bakithi kuyoba okokuqala ukuba baziqokele ikusasa labo okhethweni olukhululekile olungabandululi ngokwebala. Nga1elolanga niyosho ukuthi nifunu ikusasa elinjani. Niyokhetha phakathi kobandlululo nentando yoningi. Niyokhetha udlame nenhlupheko noma ukuthula nokunethezeka. Sikholelwa ekutheni niyovota ngobuhlakani ngokuvotela lezozinhlangano ezabamba iqhaza elikhulu emzabalazweni wenkululeko.

SEKUNJALO! VOTELA UXOLO!
SEKUNJAL0 VOTELA INTANDO YENINGI!
SEKUNJALO! VOTELA iANC!

Exactly in six months three days to come on April 27 next year the people of this country will for the first time in their history decide their destiny in non-racial and democratic elections. On that day you will decide the fate of our country. You will choose between apartheid and democracy, You will choose between poverty and violence on the one hand and peace, stability, and prosperity on the other. We are convinced you will use your vote wisely by voting those organisations whose members spared neither life nor limb so that you, ordinary people, can decide your destiny.
NOW IS THE TIME!
CHOOSE PEACE!
NOW IS THE TIME!
VOTE DEMOCRACY!
NOW IS THE TIME! VOTE ANC!

Emasontweni ambalwa edlule umuntu akathembenga amadlebe
akhe uma ezwa omunye wabaholi ekhuluma kuRadio Zuli ethi
uthembisa abantu ukukhala nokugedla kwamazinyo; uthembisa abantu izinyembezi negazi. Mina-ke nginithembisa ukuthula, inkululeko nokunethezeka. Niginithembisa imisebenzi, ukuphepha ubugebengu nodlame. Izinkinga zenu izinkinga zami. Ikhambi lenu ikhambi lami.
Few weeks ago one did not believe his ears when one political
leader spoke over Radio Zulu and promised people nothing but blood and tears. I promise peace, freedom and prosperity. I promise you jobs, security, an end to crime and violence. I promise you freedom of association and expression. Your problems are my problems, Your solutions are my solutions.

Kuwona lamasonto edlule kube nabanye abantu abebebambe inkomfa yabo eCape Town. Labantu abakaze bawuthi vu umlomo ngesikhathi uhulumeni wobandlululo usiphuca amalungelo ethu. Inkomfa yabo yayinephuzu elilodwa elisemqoka: Ukuthi bangayithena amandla kanjani iANC. Baqholosha bathi bangabanikazi bentando yeningi futhi abakaze babulale. Imihlola lena. Cha bona singasho ukuthi kwezinye izikhathi babekuphikisa ukwedlulela kobandlululo kodwa abakaze bayiphikise ingqikithi yalo.

Kuyiqiniso ukuthi bangabanikazi bentando yobasi basezimayini, izimboni ezinkulu kanye nezimboni ezihlangene namabutho okuvikela ubandlululo. Kungenzeka ukuba abakaze badubule muntu ngezinhlamvu. Kodwa izimboni zabo izona ezakhiqizela amabutho obandlululo izikhali ngaphandle kokuphoqwa. Esikhundleni sokusebenzisa izinhlamvu basebenzisa ezinye izindlela zokubulala abantu bakithi – amaholo aphansi nokungaphephi emisebenzini. Kwakuthi obaba abasebenza ezimayini urea imimoya eyingozi yakhona isibadlavuze amaphaphu bengeselusizo kubona babaxoshele ezabelweni lapho babezobhuqwa indlala baze bafe. Ukusho kwabo ukuthi abakaze babulale muntu kufana nokosozimboni bamaGerman ngesikhathi sikaHitler ababekade bemxhasa ngezimali zokukhiqiza izikhali abathi emuva kwempi yomhlaba bathi bona abakaze bawabulale amaJuda nezinye izizwe.

Also, few weeks ago some strange forces who only yesterday did not only acquiesce but at times nodded to the tramplings of our rights by the apartheid regime held their conference in Cape Town, They had one major item on their agenda: How to weaken the ANC and thus weaken democracy in this country. They came out boasting that they are the owners of democracy and they have no blood in their hands. Strange fellows indeed. To give them a due they did at times oppose some excesses of apartheid but never its essence.

Yes, they own democracy only for the mining magnates, big DP monopolies and the military industrial complex which they ultimately own. They may not have directly used bullets against our people but their businesses voluntarily beefed up the apartheid security forces. Instead of a bullet they chose better methods of killing our people - starvation wages and denial of industrial safety to workers. They exposed miners in the bowels of the earth to poisonous gases and dumped them into the bantustans to die after they were of no use to them. Their argument is exactly like that of the big capital in Nazi Germany which financed Hitler's gas chambers and claimed after the War that their hands were not stained with the blood of Jews and other nations. You will pass a judgement on them on April 27 next year.

Akunanhlangano, ngisho neANC imbala, enelungelo lokuthi ingabanikazi bentando yeningi. Ukuzigqaja lokho kwezombangazwe okungafuneki. Abanikazi bempela bentando yeningi uquqaba lwabantu. Inina uqobo. Inina eniyokhetha izithunywa enizifunayo ukuba ziyonimela eMkhandlwini Wokudweba uMthethosisekelo akwenze lokho ngentando yenu.

Ukuthi iNingizimu iyoba macezucezu (federal) noma kuyoba ebumbene yentando yeningi. kukunina. Thina bakaKhongolose sithi sifuna Afrika ehlangene eyoba nohulumeni wezwe lonke onamandla okuxazulula izinkinga zezwe; ohulumeni bezifunda abanamandla okuxazulula izinkinga zezifunda nohulumeni bezindawo esihlala kuzona abanamandla okuxazulula izinkinga zakulezo zindawo.

No single organisation, including the ANC, can claim the monopoly of owning democracy. That would be political arrogance. The real owners of democracy are ordinary men and women. It is you who will elect your representatives to the sovereign Constituent Assembly that will write the democratic constitution on your behalf.

Whether South Africa would be divided federal state or a united democratic state will depend on you [Federalism issue]. But be careful. What is the history of those people who make so much noise about federalism? The ANC position is clear. We want a strong central government that will address national problems; we want a strong regional government that will address regional problems; we want a strong local government that will address local problems. That is all we want.

Emasontweni ambalwa edlule izingxoxo (negotiations) zizuze lukhulu ngesikhathi ziphoqa uhulumeni wobandlululo ukuba avume umthetho woMkhandlu wokuwelisela izwe kuNingizimu Afrika entsha (Transitional Executive Council) okuwumthetho oyigxathi elikhulu ekuqumbeni phansi wona umbuso wamaBhunu imbala.

Ukuphumelela kwalomthetho kwanginikeza igunya lokucela osozimali bomhlaba ukuba baqale ukutshala izimali kulelizwe ukuze kuvuleke amathuba emisebenzi. Loyomsebenzi wenzeka ngempumelelo enkulu.

Kukhona-ke abangakujabulelanga lokhu abanye babo bebe bezibiza ngabalweli benkululeko, Akusimangalisi lokhu ngoba siyabazi ukuthi bangabalweli benkululeko ngegama njena. Kusukela ngo 1990 kuyoyonke imikhankaso engokhukhulelangoqo esibe nayo labozakwethu babezithola bemi namaBhunu begxekana nathi. Sasisodwa noquqaba lwabantu kuleyomikhankaso futhi leyomikhankaso yaba impumelelo enkulu. Samangala ngelinye ilanga sesibona uNobhala Jikelele wabo esehleli nontarnolukhuni bamaBhunu.

Ukuphikisana kwabo neTEC nombutho kazwelonke wokuthula (National Peace Keeping Force) okuyizakhiwo zokubhekelela ukuthi ukhetho luhambe kahle kusho ukuthi bona ngokwabo bathi uhulumeni ka De Klerk awube unompempe futhi ube umdlali. Sibuza kubo ukuthi bawathembeni amaBhunu? Yini lena ebahlanganisa namaBhunu? lzwe linamehlo.

Few weeks ago the negotiations process achieved a decisive victory by ensuring that the racist Parliament legislates on the Transitional Executive Council (TEC) which is one of the steps heralding its own demise. That step allowed me to go around the world asking foreign investors to reinvest in South Africa so that there may be jobs. That mission was a resounding success.

Of course, not everybody including some who claim to be on the left is happy with this victory. We are not surprised for those forces are on the left only in terms of their cliches', rhetoric and demagogy. Since 1990 in all strategic campaigns of mass action they have found themselves in the same trench with the racists criticising us. We literally remained alone with the people and those mass actions were a resounding success.

They are opposed to the TEC and the National Peace Keeping Force whose main task is to level the playing field and thus in reality they are saying the apartheid regime can be both a referee and a player. Why do they trust our enemies so much? What is common between them? History shall absolve us.

Kufanele siqaphe sivule amehlo. Zonke lezinhlangano zingaphikisana ngamasu kodwa ziyavumelana ngokuthena amandla uKhongolose nombuso wentando yeningi. Ilokho okubahlanganisayo. Okubakhinyabezayo ukuswela ukulandelwa iningi. Amandla ethu lawo. Emaphusheni abo bacabanga ukuthi sesivaleleke esakeni kuhle kwekati. Abangakwazi ukuthi sihamba emuva nasemaceleni abo. Umhlaka 27 kuApril ozayo usuku lapho siyogadla okokugcina kubona.

We must exercise maximum vigilance. All these forces might disagree with each other in terms of tactics but they all agree with the apartheid regime's grand strategy of undermining the ANC and democracy. That is their common denominator. But their weakest point is that they lack the support of the majority. In their dreams of dreams they think they have encircled us.
What they do not know is that we are marching in their rear and their flanks, April 27 next year is our zero hour for the final assault

Ngithi kubaholi be ANC lapha eNatali niyilwe impi yokhetho njengoMbelebele neziGqoza - arnabutho eLembe ayengakwazi ukuhlehlela nyova, Ngithi kunina valani zonke izikhala ukuze isitha singaphunyuki.

I command the ANC Natal leadership to fight the battle for elections like Umbelebele and IziGqoza - armies of Shaka that never knew how to retreat. Cut off the enemy's retreating routes and turn its retreat into a complete rout.

Ngifunga ngamazwi eSilo uCetshwayo awakhipha ezinduneni zakhe ngaphambi kwempi yaseSandlwana. INkosi uCetshwayo:
UZulu laduma obala,
Kwakungemunge kwakungemthole;
yathi ezinduneni zayo: " Niyohamba kancane ukuze ningakhathali."

I invoke the words of our great King Cetshwayo when he gave his final battle orders to his senior commanders before the great Battle of Isandlwana when he said:- "You will march slowly so that you may not tire yourselves."

Jeff Radebe, S'busiso Ndebele, Harry Gwala, S'fiso Nkabinde, Aaron Ndlovu nawe Senzo Mchunu ngithi kini kulomkhankaso khombisani ubuqhawe bezinduna zempi zeSilo uCetshwayo ezayibamba eSandlwana - oMavumengwana, Tshingwayo, Dabulamanzi nenduna yakhe yezokuhogela umoya ngesitha, uS'gcwelegcwele.

I order you to emulate King Cetshwayo's commanders like Mavumengwana, Tshingwayo, Dabulamazi and that genius military intelligence officer, commander S'gcwelegcwele. Emulate their mass heroism.

Kuzifunda zaseNatali ngithi kuzona niyokhankasa njengamabutho kaCetshwayo iSangqu, iNgobamakhosi, uThuiwana, uMcijo noMbonambi abhuqa arnaNgisi eSandlwana. Niyomemeza nithi "Ngadla mina kababa!" "Uyadela wena osulapho!."
Ngifunga ngamazwi eNkosi uDingane:
Uvezi unonyanda,
Umgabadeli owagabadela inkunzi yakwaBulawayo; ngesikhathi ithi
"Phuza Nzobo ngoba kusasa siyobe siphuza igazi lamaBhunu."

Ngithi kunina jabulani kuleSONKE FESTIVAL ngoba kusasa siyobe sigida phezu kobandlululo.
I order you to enjoy in this FESTIVAL for tomorrow we shall celebrate over the defeat of apartheid. To the battle comrades!

Njengoba nizophuma imizi ngemizi nikhankasela amavoti isu lami lithi abantu nibatshele amaqiniso. Siyonqoba ngeqiniso hayi ngamanga. Isikhali sethu sokuqina leso. Ningasilahli. Ngale kwalokho siyonqotshwa kulempi. Ngiyonibuza njengeSilo uDingane ebuza induna yakhe uNdlela kaSompisi emuva kokwehlulwa impi ngoba uNdlela ayengasebonzisanga isu leSilo. UDingane wathi:- "Ndlela kaSompisi, isu lami beselehlulekile yini na?"

As you move from door to door raising the flag of liberation and democracy my battle plan is to tell the people the truth. That will ensure victory for us for the truth will always triumph over falsehood. That is our decisive weapon. Never lose it.

Isikhali esikhulu sezitha zothu udlame. Izitha ziviva, zibuthe, zihlomise ziphake amabutho okuqashwa ukuzohlasela abantu bakithi ukuze bangenwe amanzi emadolweni badikibale umzabalazo. Basebenzisa indlala ukuthenga abanye abantu abamyama ukuba babulale abafowabo nodadewabo.

Izitha zethu zithi namuhla kulwa iANC ne IFP. Zithi kulwa umZulu nomXhosa. Zithi umhlaba wonke ulwa namaZulu. Akesibheke umlando. Eminyakeni eyishumi eyedlule amaBhunu asitshela ukuthi wona awangeni empini yaseAngola. Impi yomndeni yabantu baseAngola bebodwa. Ngokunjalo eMozambique naseLesoto bathi abahlangene nakancane nalezozimpi.

Kodwa kwagcina kuvelile ukuthi iwona amaBhunu
ayengobhongoza balezozimpi. Ngokunjalo nalana kuyogcina kuvelile ukuthi amaBhunu angobhongoza baloludlame. Ayikho lento yokuthi isisukela. sodlame ingxabano phakathi kweANC ne IFP noma umZulu ulwa nomXhosa.

Lapha eNatali kugcwele amaZulu kodwa kuyafiwa. EKapa akukho IFP kodwa nakhona kuyafiwa. AmaBhunu afike abulale abalandeli beANC agijime ayothi babulewe iIFP. Asuke lapho ayobulala abeIFP athi babulewe iANC. Sisale sixabana sodwa. Uma oJenene bamaBhunu bebengekho kuloludlame pho uDe Klerk wabaxoshelani abanye ojenene bakhe?

The greatest weapon of our enemies is violence. They organise, arm, train, deploy and command foreign and internal mercenaries against the people to intimidate them into submission. Today they claim it is the ANC against the IFP and vice versa. They claim it is Xhosa against Zulu. They say it is the whole world against Zulus. It is the same thing which was said by Hitler's Propaganda Minister, Joseph Goebbels, that the world was against Germans.

Let us look at contemporary history. For over a decade apartheid generals told the world they were not involved in the Angolan war. They claimed it was Angolans against Angolans. They said the same about Mozambique and Lesotho. At the end what came out? The generals had to grudgingly admit that they were responsible for those wars. Similarly, the truth will come out even here in South Africa.

Take the case of Natal which is overwhelmingly Zulu speaking and yet people die here daily. In the Cape there is virtually no IFP yet there is violence. What is common between Natal and the Cape is the presence of the apartheid security forces and hence violence. It is within this context that the entire ANC national leadership fully supports the peace initiatives initiated by this region of Southern Natal.

Kulonyaka sikhumbula izinsuku ezibaluleke kakhulu emlandweni womzabalazo.
1. Iminyaka engamashumi ayisishiyagalombili selokhu iSilo uDinuzulu sakhothama ngo October 1913. Phela emlandweni wobabamkhulu ayikho inkosi eyahlushwa abaMhlophe ngaphezu kwenkosi:-
Usifuba singungu, singungubele,
Nyakana sibhobokayo
Umuntu uyazizwa izindaba,
Mlomo owada suku ukhulume,
Uyayiyibona imilomo eminingi
lyavumelana phakathi kwezwe,
Kuvunana oZibhebhu benoHamu,
Kuvunana oZiwedu benoMnyamana,
Isidlova kasidinwa nakuhloma,
Ingani oButhelezi basadiniwe,
AbaseMatheni basadiniwe.

Siyokhumbula amaNgisi ebopha iSilo ayosibhadlisa ejele esiqhingini eSt Helena. Sathi siphuma lapho sabuye saboshwa iminyaka emine ejele eNewcastle emuva kwempi kaBhambatha. Emuva kwalokho sadingiselwa e Middleburg eNtilasifali lapho okaNdaba akhothamela khona. Phela iSilo sikhothama njena saba abanye bababumbi bakaKhongolose ngo 1912. ISilo saze sabekwa ukuba iPhini likaMongameli Wokuhlonishwa wokuqala kaKhongolose. Sikhothama nje sasisabambe lesosikhundla kuANC.

llabo abagqunywa emajele, badingiswa, basebenza ngomshoshaphansi, babulawa futhi bahlukunyezwa abaMhlophe phakathi kwethu abangabalandeli beqiniso bamaqhawe akithi anjengalawa.

This year we mark the 80th Anniversary of the death of King Dinuzulu who passed away in October 1913. King Dinuzulu was the first Honorary Vice President of the ANC. The British colonial forces imprisoned the King on St Helena Island for defending the rights of his people_ He was later imprisoned for four years at Newcastle Prison after Chief Bhambatha had revolted against the tax system. After his released the King was exiled to Middleburg where he passed away.

It is those who suffered imprisonment, forced into exile and underground and hunted down like wild pigs by the apartheid regime who are the real standard bearers of that heroism. They are the ones who are the great transports of that tradition.

2. Iminyaka eyikhulu selokhu kwafika iqhawe uMahatma Gandhi kuleli owayeliqhamukisa kwelaseNdiya. Kwathi emuva kwempi kaBhambatha amaNgisi akhipha umthetho othi kuyicala elibomvu ukulapha amabutho kaBhambatha. Kodwa uGandhi wazidela amathambo walekelela ekulapheni amaqhawe akithi. UGandhi wahlanganisa umzabalazo wamaNdiya nowabantu kulelizwe.

It is hundred years of the arrival of Mahatma Gandhi on the shores of Natal. Gandhi fought against all forms of oppression. After the Bhambatha Revolt of 1906 the British colonial forces made the treatment of Bhambatha's soldiers a treasonable offence. But Gandhi risked imprisonment and organised for medical treatment of Bhambatha's soldiers.

3. Iminyaka engamashumi ayisishiyagalombili selokhu
abaMhlophe bashaya umthetho owaziwa ngokuthi iLAND ACT owasithathela wonke umhlaba wethu.

It is 80 years since the White colonisers passed the notorious Land Act which finally robbed our people of all fertile and rich land.

4. Iminyaka engamashumi ayisikhombisa selokhu iANC yaqoka uNkosi Sikelela iAfrika njengehubo lesizwe.

It is 70 years since the ANC chose Nkosi Sikelela iAfrica as its national anthem.

5. Iminyaka engamashumi amahlanu selokhu kwabunjwa uPhiko Lolusha IweANC ngo 1943. UMongameli wayo wokuqala kwaba uAnthony Lembede wakhona lapha eMbumbulu.

It is 50 years of the founding of the ANC Youth League in 1943 whose first President was Anthony Lembede from Umbumbulu, South of Durban.

6. lminyaka engamashumi amabili selokhu kwaba neziteleka zabasebenzi balapha eNatali. Lezoteleka zaphoqa uhulumeni ukuba avumele izinyunyana zabamnyama zisebenze ngokomthetho kulelize kwaze kwakhiwa oCOSATU.

It is 20 years since the Natal Workers Strikes of 1973 which later forced the authorities to recognise African trade unions that later coalesced into COSATU.

7. Kanti lona unyaka weshumi selokhu kwakhiwa iUDF eyakhuphula izinga lomzabalazo kulelizwe.

It is ten years of the UDF which helped to galvanise our people into action. It is precisely because of those actions that today am able to address you in this rally.

We also remember with pride heroes and heroines such as:
Asikhohlwa futhi amaqhawe akithi afana no:
John Mafukuzela Dube, Prixley ka Seme, Josiah Gumede, Chief Albert Luthuli, Alex La Guma, Moses Mabhida ka Sitimela, MP Naicker, Helen Joseph, Neil Aggett, Yusuf Dadoo, Oliver Tambo, Chris Hani, Msizi Dube, Nobleman "Mzala" Nxumalo, Johhny Mfanafuthi Makhathini, Joseph Mdluli, Mduduzi Guma, Makhosi Nyoka, Lindiwe Mthembu, Nonsikelelo Cothoza, Victoria Mxenge nabanye.

Maqhawe namaqhawekazi, seningalala ngokuthula niphumule ngoba usuku lwenkululeko selufikile. Niyobe nikhona emgubhweni wosuku lwenkululeko. Niyobe nihola amabutho enu. Niyobe nikhona ngesikhathi icilongo lenkululeko likhala phezu kwezintaba zaseSandlwana. Akukho esiyokukhohlwa. Akekho esiyomkhohlwa.

Great martyrs, you may now finally rest in peace for the day of freedom has come, You will be there in the victory parade triumphantly leading your regiments. You will be there when the victory trumpet sounds over the sacred hills of iSandlwana. Nothing shall be forgotten. Nobody shall be forgotten.

Thank You.

Drafted by Dumisani Makhaye - ANC Southern Natal Media Officer.
Date: 11 October 1993