The Rector and Vice Chancellor, Prof Gumbi,
Chairperson of Council, Mr Thula,
Deans and all other members of the academic community,
President of Convocation,
Our guest speaker, Chairperson of the Electoral Commission, Dr Brigalia Bam,

Graduates families and friends,

Good day to you all!

It is an honour for me to preside over such an an occasion in which we recognise and reward scholastic achievement and hard work. Mine is a simple but very fulfilling task, as Chancellor of this august institution.

I stand to congratulate the parents, students and the academic community for the many years of hard work that have culminated in the graduation ceremony today.

Our graduates, who have excelled in various fields in the arts, will now contribute to the socio-economic development of our country.

We have reached a constructive and pragmatic phase in our education system. We went through a period where we thought the only critical fields of study were commerce, law or the natural and applied sciences.

The realisation has sunk in that our country needs to advance not only economically but also socially. Social transformation is a priority in our country as the goals of social development; nation building and social cohesion must be delivered on.

The nation requires well-grounded graduates and youth who will leave this institution ready to contribute meaningfully to national goals of achieving sustainable growth and to create decent jobs.

The country has to deal with the pressing challenges of unemployment, poverty and inequality. When we say we want to halve unemployment and poverty, and substantially reduce social and economic inequality, we rely on our graduates to help us achieve those goals. We require them to conduct research and tell us where we are going wrong, and how to move forward.

Also important ladies and gentlemen, is that no profession is more important than others. We require our graduates to work hard and contribute to the growth of the country's economy in whatever field of study - be it education, local government, health or transport. Every sector is important in the national task of growing our economy and creating decent jobs.

We also encourage them to expand their horizons and looking beyond their current fields of study or workplace. Dear graduates, you must view yourselves as important players in the bigger scheme of building a successful and prosperous country.

Ladies and gentlemen, our continent continues to face the challenge of skills drain, especially to the developed world.

Our Constitution guarantees freedom of movement for our people, and the world offers many opportunities for the youth. However, we urge our graduates to see it as their national duty to stay at home and help to develop the country, at least for a few years. There are many opportunities in the country for skilled professionals, as we have a skills shortage. There is therefore no need for our graduates to emigrate to other countries, especially to the developed North. South Africa needs you.

We need our doctors, teachers, nurses, police officials and social workers as much as we need information technology specialists or engineers. South Africa cannot be a skills factory for the developed world. We have in recent years lost a number of teachers, nurses and social workers who seek greener pastures in Europe and Asia. Government is working on retention strategies now through improving salaries and working conditions.

Ladies and gentlemen, building cohesive communities is one of our primary tasks as parents, educators and students. Part of this is the raising awareness of certain social ills that we fought against as formerly oppressed people.

We have a Constitution that guarantees human rights, and which outlines the kind of society we envisage.

We say in our Constitution that we seek to heal the divisions of the past and establish a society based on democratic values, social justice and fundamental human rights.

The enjoyment of these rights cannot be the preserve of South Africans only. True democrats should extend these rights to all human beings from any part of the globe, including the African continent.

We are proud of the international and truly African character of the University of Zululand. The student population has students from Swaziland, Lesotho and other Southern African Development Community countries.

There are also students from sub-Saharan African states including Nigeria, Tanzania, Cameroon, Ghana and Kenya, as well as from Pakistan, Europe and the United States.

One notes also that an International Students' Officer was recently appointed to cater for the well-being and orientation of foreign students. This is an acknowledgement that we live in a global village.

I am saying this ladies and gentlemen, out of deep concern and outrage at the manner in which foreigners have been treated in some parts of the country, including Alexandra this week. Xenophobia has no place in a democratic, free country like ours.

Our people should avoid taking out frustrations they face due unemployment or crime and on immigrants.

It is Alexandra today and could be another area tomorrow if we do not deal with this matter adequately. We urge people to leave issues of illegal immigration to Government to sort out through humane legal methods and instruments.

If there are criminal elements within the immigrant community as is alleged, such information should be given to the police. People should not take the law into their own hands. We should always uphold the rule of law in our country.

Our people should also accept the fact that many immigrants have a right to be in our country, and we should treat them with respect and dignity. Not all foreign nationals are in South Africa illegally. Also, many contribute immensely to the social and economic life of our country, for which we should be appreciative.

With regards to illegal immigrants, a long-term approach is required to assist our neighbours to become more politically stable and economically well off. This will help reduce the flow of unwanted immigration into South Africa, and at the same time create the basis for mutually beneficial economic trade between South Africa and our neighbours.

We should work together as the academic community, government and all sectors to contribute to creating a better Africa and find long-term solutions to challenges we face.

Parents, graduates, Vice Chancellor and academic community as a whole, congratulations on your success. We wish our graduates all the best as they work to build a better and prosperous country with their new qualifications and skills.

Thank you.

This is the prepared text of an address by the Chancellor of the University of Zululand and ANC President, Jacob Zuma, to a graduation ceremony of the University on May 15 2008. Issued by: the African National Congress