SPEECH BY THE ANC TREASURER GENERAL, DR MATHEWS PHOSA, ON THE OCCASSION OF THE ENOS MABUZA MEMORIAL LECTURE - MPUMALANGA PROVINCE, 2 October 2010
1. The late Enos Mabuza was a born leader who reached great heights in his career.
2. He excelled as a linguist, a political leader, as well as in the world of commerce (amongst others).
3. In the pre-liberation years he was creative enough to utilize the limitations of the oppressive political system to the advantage of the people he served.
4. As the Chief Minister of Kangwane, he not only used the limited resources available to him in the interests of that sub-region, but also served as a very important partner to the ANC.
5. He literally had his ear to the ground here at home whilst those of us in exile had to rely on selfless servants such as him to keep us abreast of what was happening here.
6. He utilized many of his overseas visits to ensure that extremely relevant information became available to the various exile structures of the ANC.
7. For that we will always honour him.
8. The question always remains (when we discuss great leaders of the past) as to what they would have done in current circumstances here at home.
9. We live in an economically depressed environment, we face the challenges of a young democracy, and we have to attempt to land on our feet -as the ANC in government- regarding the crucial matter of service delivery.
10. Leadership in these circumstances, therefore, needs to be dynamically flexible and creative enough to face our substantial challenges without fear or prejudice.
11. In my view the following are the issues which strong and vibrant leaders need to address in our current circumstances:
* Addressing the issue of defining our role in the region, continent, and on global economic and political platforms-within the understanding that regional cohesion and co-operation based on the strengths of regional economies will increasingly dominate global interaction.
* Addressing the issues of re-inventing our commercial models as far as trade is concerned, and specifically looking at the value inherent in further local and regional beneficiation of export products.
* Looking at every possible and potential route of creating more jobs, whether that be within the extended public works program or the beneficiation of products, or, importantly, the green economy initiative driven by the Economic Development ministry
* Further strengthening and protecting our financial services system, the very system that formed a bulwark against the global economic onslaughts recently.
* Liberating the energy sector with the clear distinction between the generation and distribution, and allowing competitors to enter this market through the vehicle of creating their own energy resources for expansion in the relevant mining and related markets.
* Standing firm on expanding black economic empowerment in such a way that it is not limited to small and medium enterprises only, but finding creative ways in which we can promote the creation of globally competitive big black companies
* Promoting further investment in South Africa by global leaders, such as we are currently witnessing in the financial services and retail industries.
12. Our challenge is one of also creating the circumstances within which we can enable the future Enos Mabuzas, Oliver Tambos, Nelson Mandelas and Johann Ruperts to flourish.
13. Our job is to ensure that our schools and secondary institutions become real universities of life within which entrepreneurship and leadership development will become the mantra of the day.
14. Let us all strive to create a better life for all in this wonderful country of ours-as Enos Mabuza did before he died so prematurely.
Our task, therefore, is to build continuity in leadership from the examples bequeathed to us from Enos Mabuza and other giants of the past.
I thank you.
Issued by the African National Congress, October 4 2010
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