Item 442 - Address by President Nelson Mandela to the Town Council on receiving the Freedom of Heidelberg

TRANSCRIPT

Your worship, the Mayor of Heidelberg;
Councillors;

Distinguished guests;

Ladies and gentlemen

I am deeply moved at receiving the Freedom of Heidelberg. This is not the first time that a municipality has done me this honour, but there is always something very special about being made a citizen of a town, and being welcomed as a member of the community for whom that town is home.

This honour, I do know, is a tribute to the whole South African nation for their achievement in nation-building. And so it is also a solemn pledge by the community you represent to build your town into one that is true to the ideals of democratic South Africa.

Hierdie dorp en die omliggende gebied was oor die jare heen die toneel van geskiedkundige gebeure. Hier is belangrike hoofstukke geskryf in die verhaal van die stryd om vryheid en onafhanklikheid deur verskillende samelewings en groepe. Hierdie edel strewes na vryheid en onafhanklikheid kan egter vrede en voorspoed bring, slegs waar dit op gelyke wyse na elkeen en almal uitreik, en waar dit in 'n gees van eenheid bereik word.

Die toekenning van die Vryheid van Heidelberg aan my - en deur my aan al die mense van Suid-Afrika - is 'n gelofte dat elke Suid-Afrikaner hier tuis kan voel. Dit dien as bevestiging dat Heidelberg, in gemeenskap met die res van die land, die rug gedraai het op ons verlede van verdeling, uitsluiting en konflik; dat daar uiteindelik vrede gevind is in die erkenning van die gelyke regte van almal.

Hierdie gelofte is soveel meer betekenisvol aangesien hierdie Raad bestaan uit partye en persone wat in ons onlangse verlede nog in stryd met mekaar verkeer het. Hierdie Raad bring tesame persone en partye wat in belangrike opsigte verskillende opvattings mag huldig oor die toekoms van ons land, of selfs van die dorp. Maar u is verenigd in u verbintenis aan ons demokrasie, en u onderneming om saam te bou aan ons nuwe nasie.

Above all, yours is a pledge to address the legacy of our past by joining hands to seize the opportunities for growth and development and to make this a better place for all to live in.

May I thank you, in all humility, for the honour which you, as a Council, have bestowed on me. I look forward now to the opportunity of thanking my fellow-citizens of Heidelberg, in whose name you have acted. I thank you