Namibia and SA ‘tied together’

NAMIBIA and South Africa have a shared history, having fought a ‘titanic struggle’ against apartheid, and their future is linked, South African President Thabo Mbeki said in the National Assembly yesterday.

Mbeki is in Namibia for a two-day state visit. Addressing members of the National Assembly and the National Council, the Judiciary and diplomats, President Mbeki said: “The reality is that both our (countries’) histories and our destinies are inextricably tied together.In a literal sense, we shall sink or swim together.”Being invited to address the Namibian Parliament was a ‘special moment for him,’ Mbeki added.”My delegation and I can through this address, speaking on behalf of the South African people, thank our brothers and sisters in this country with whom we engaged in a common titanic struggle to defeat the apartheid crime against humanity, which represented itself here in Namibia also as a colonial monster.”Namibians and South Africans alike drew strength from each other’s victory in the liberation struggle against the apartheid regime, and Namibia’s Independence in March 1990 “was an important milestone that ensured that the freedom of the people of South Africa could not be postponed for much longer,” Mbeki said.”All of us, members of the ANC, led by that outstanding revolutionary, Oliver Tambo, whose 90th birthday we celebrated only three days ago, were greatly inspired to attend Namibia’s Independence celebrations in this city on that historic day.”The fact that both countries suffered the same fate in the past and experienced the same liberation from oppression had served to “cement ties that bind us to a common destiny,” Mbeki said in his Parliamentary address.Mbeki then gave an overview of his African Renaissance concept and its practical implementation through the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (Nepad), of which he is the main architect.”Africa’s time has come, the 21st century becomes an African century … a continent free from poverty and disease and defined by peace, security, development and prosperity.”Mbeki mentioned several development initiatives under Nepad, such as a 9 000-kilometre underground telecommunications cable along the African east coast between Durban and Port Sudan, a broadband network and the establishment of the Pan-African Infrastructure Development Fund a few months ago.”For the African Renaissance to work and indeed for the vision of a peaceful and prosperous continent to be realised, we need not only political will, but also creative African solutions for our problems,” Mbeki emphasised.Africa was at an important stage of transformation, which was like another revolution.”Let us, together as we did during our common struggle for freedom from apartheid tyranny, join hands in this new revolution that should bring peace, security, development and prosperity to all Africans as well as the unity of our continent,” Mbeki concluded.Addressing members of the National Assembly and the National Council, the Judiciary and diplomats, President Mbeki said: “The reality is that both our (countries’) histories and our destinies are inextricably tied together.In a literal sense, we shall sink or swim together.”Being invited to address the Namibian Parliament was a ‘special moment for him,’ Mbeki added.”My delegation and I can through this address, speaking on behalf of the South African people, thank our brothers and sisters in this country with whom we engaged in a common titanic struggle to defeat the apartheid crime against humanity, which represented itself here in Namibia also as a colonial monster.”Namibians and South Africans alike drew strength from each other’s victory in the liberation struggle against the apartheid regime, and Namibia’s Independence in March 1990 “was an important milestone that ensured that the freedom of the people of South Africa could not be postponed for much longer,” Mbeki said.”All of us, members of the ANC, led by that outstanding revolutionary, Oliver Tambo, whose 90th birthday we celebrated only three days ago, were greatly inspired to attend Namibia’s Independence celebrations in this city on that historic day.”The fact that both countries suffered the same fate in the past and experienced the same liberation from oppression had served to “cement ties that bind us to a common destiny,” Mbeki said in his Parliamentary address.Mbeki then gave an overview of his African Renaissance concept and its practical implementation through the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (Nepad), of which he is the main architect.”Africa’s time has come, the 21st century becomes an African century … a continent free from poverty and disease and defined by peace, security, development and prosperity.”Mbeki mentioned several development initiatives under Nepad, such as a 9 000-kilometre underground telecommunications cable along the African east coast between Durban and Port Sudan, a broadband network and the establishment of the Pan-African Infrastructure Development Fund a few months ago.”For the African Renaissance to work and indeed for the vision of a peaceful and prosperous continent to be realised, we need not only political will, but also creative African solutions for our problems,” Mbeki emphasised.Africa was at an important stage of transformation, which was like another revolution.”Let us, together as we did during our common struggle for freedom from apartheid tyranny, join hands in this new revolution that should bring peace, security, development and prosperity to all Africans as well as the unity of our continent,” Mbeki concluded.