STATE OF THE NATION ADDRESS 2004
Mbeki tells people: get involved
Candace Freeman
6 February 2004
President Thabo Mbeki has called on all South Africans to play a critical role in the process of growth, reconstruction and development as the country approaches its second decade of freedom.
Delivering his state of the nation address in Cape Town on Friday, Mbeki said: "We must achieve greater progress with regard to the integration of our system of governance, achieving seamless cooperation both within and among all spheres of government.
"At the same time, we must further consolidate the practice of creating public-private partnerships and building government-civil society cooperation."
People's participation, the President said, was needed to give further impetus to development and transformation in the country.
"As we enter our second decade of democracy of liberation, we must continue to build a sense of national unity, united action and the new patriotism that have manifested themselves in our people's response to the calls
of Faranani, Masakhane, Letsema and Vuk'uzenzele, which urge people to cooperate, volunteer and do things for themselves."
Mbeki said government should ensure that the people were properly positioned within the global community of nations, fully understanding and responding to the diverse political, economic, social and technological challenges of the process of globalisation.
Mbeki saluted the public sector managers and leaders that had emerged over the last decade. At the same time, he said, the country should be impatient with public servants "who see themselves as pen-pushers and guardians of rubber stamps ... who think they have the right to ignore the vision of Batho Pele, who come to work as late as possible, work as little as possible and knock off as early as possible".
Batho Pele is both a core principle of the government and a programme of the department of public service and administration to improve public service delivery.
Mbeki said that
attention would be given to raising skills levels within the public sector and ensuring its managerial and technological modernisation.
"Working together, in conditions of entrenched democracy, respect for human rights, peace and stability, we must continue to produce the good news that has made our country a place of hope even for other people in the rest of the world", Mbeki said.
Source: BuaNews
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