The ANC and its leadership across the Province,
Leaders of the Alliance,
Leaders of the business community,
Community gathered here today,
Leaders of civil society,
Colleagues in Cabinet,
Colleagues in the legislature,
Leader of the opposition and members of the opposition,
People of the Western Cape
Members of the media
Good morning, goeie more, molweni.
Mr Speaker, my speech is entitled 'Western Cape united' because I think it is an incredibly huge honour placed on my shoulders to address you here as the sixth Premier to serve this Province in the democratic era.
I realize that I am fortunate in comparison to my predecessors, to take over the reins of the Provincial Government in good working order.
It is a government that has, to a great extent, prioritized the delivery of a better life for those who need it most without neglecting anyone else. Many of us in this Chamber, whether we come from the ANC, DA, ID, UIF or any other political party - and whether we feel comfortable admitting it or not, will acknowledge having learned much from Comrade Ebrahim Rasool. These are not inconsiderable shoes to fill.
To lead this most beautiful but fractured province is a very daunting task - it is a massive responsibility that is on all of our shoulders.
Our road from the trauma of apartheid - from the Group Areas Act, influx control and racialized labour policies - was never going to be an easy walk.
It has been made so much more difficult by politicians who once again sharpened their knives to run racially divisive elections campaigns in our Province, in a society of acute economic disparity.
It is no secret that the ANC in the Western Cape has experienced differences of opinion in the approach to managing this transformation of our society.
These differences pre-date the Polokwane Conference and are not entirely unusual in an organization with a proud history of fostering robust debate.
Last week, the world united around the 90th birthday of our beloved father, Tata Nelson Mandela.
But if we really want to honour Madiba in the Western Cape, we must unite around his values and his principles. We must be able to follow his example.
We must build a Western Cape that cares about all people: White; Black; Coloured; Muslim; Christian; Jew; rich and poor; those living in rural and urban areas; those leaving with disabilities and not. We must be able to unite this province so that it is better for the people living in our province. It is not impossible, we have done it before.
Twenty five years ago, we came together under the banner of the UDF, inspired by the ANC - and I am very happy to see Rev Alan Boesak in the public gallery. What united us was our dream of a caring society, of a better life for all beyond our Berlin Wall.
Our task as we look forward to 2010 and beyond is clear - it is incumbent on all of us in this Hose to re-commit ourselves to the principles of non-racism and non sexism, sharpen our focus on the principles of managing a developmental state, intention developing people and facilities and not just private capital.
As a member of the African National Congress, now deployed to lead the Western Cape Province, I am guided by the organization's collective leadership and its policies. As the Government of the Western Cape, we must continue to do many things that we are already doing right. We must aim to ramp up service delivery because we have already laid those foundations. We must continue to articulate the bias towards improving the lives of the poor, while at the same time taking care to protect the rights of all, to build cohesion, to alienate no one from the other.
There has been considerable speculation as to whether Mr. Rasool's resignation will impact on other public sector jobs, as has occurred when the City's administration has changed hands. It is important to make the distinction that the Western Cape Provincial government is not changing hands. The principle 'if it isn't broken, don't fix it' applies.
The next year or so will be a period of building bridges and mending fences in the Western Cape. We may disagree politically, but it is incumbent on the Western Cape Provincial Government to work with all the municipalities, and very particularly to work with the City of Cape Town wherever possible to improve the lives of all our people. We must ensure that our policies remain aligned with those of national government and those of our Alliance. We must dedicate our resources to creating a province in which all people feel at home. From Khayelitsha to Kuils River, the Karoo and Constantia, from Matsikama to Manenberg, Gugulethu to Gardens, we all live in this province, we've made this province our home, and it is incumbent on us to look after our home.
Because this is the society we dream of. This is society we want to leave behind when our children are our age. This is what we want to do. And so, we cannot leave it to any one person to do, we must commit ourselves to do it(together). As we journey onward to 2010, we do so as 'Western Cape united', the team to beat. I call on the people of the Western Cape to join hands with me, to just be kindle the spirit of the late Dulla Omar, Christmas Tinto, Gaby Shapiro, Ivan Thoms very recently and Zoli Malindi - and there are just so many who went before us.
In conclusion Speaker, I want to thank the party for the honor they gave me. There are many people who chose me, and the fact that I have been chosen is a very daunting task and it is one that I hope I will be able to fulfill.
There are many people that I want thank. I want to thank the outgoing Premier Ebrahim Rasool, who is been a very dear Comrade for a very long period. He has worked very hard. He showed leadership and vision. And so, I thank him very graciously today for all of what he is been in my life. The officials of this Province who will have your sixth Premier, who have managed to keep us in a province that actually does the delivery. I want to thank all of you. I want to thank the leader of the opposition actually, for keeping me on my toes - and members of the opposition. This is what we fought for, and often when we are criticized we feel very sore, but the facts is that we have a freedom that allows a robust opposition. And so, I do want to say thank you very much to you.
I want to thank my personal staff who did not know what was happening for the last few months, but just thank you for hanging in there. I really particularly want to thank my family. In fact I want to thank my family and friends here today - without your support I could probably never do this. My dad is not here today, he is physically not able to be here, but I know he is with me. In my office at the moment, I have little people in my life that keeps me balanced - if it was not because of them, I know I would not be able to do what I do. This is my checkpoint everyday, have I done what I have to do because it is the right thing to do.
Speaker, thank you very much. Chief Whips thank you very much for allowing me to do this today.
