The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ms Nkosazana Zuma, read an introductory speech on behalf of the Minister of Environmental Affairs, Mr Valli Moosa, the Minister of Defence, Mr Patrick Lekota, and the Minister of the Office of the Presidency, Mr Essop Pahad.
The following is a synopsis of the Minister’s responses to questions posed by the media:
(Q) Can you tell us, in specific terms, about the upcoming State visit of China?
(A) Minister Zuma: The Chinese President will be coming some time in April. This is a very important meeting as far as developing our relations with them. We believe that there is an enormous amount of potential for trade, tourism, and furthering multi-lateral issues with China, and we hope to cover a lot of ground during their visit.
(Q) What is happening in Angola? Is Unita on the retreat? What hard information do you have?
(A) Minister Zuma: This is one of the greatest tragedies of our time. Angola is a country that was never given a chance to develop after independence. You must remember that they have been at war for over 30 years, and so many have never experienced peace or stability. A lot of effort has gone into solving their problems, but the resolution must come from discussions between Angolans themselves. There cannot be a military solution to this problem. War is only postponing a peace settlement between the people of Angola. Now, the tragedy is that other countries, like Namibia, are getting involved. We hope that it will not involve any other countries, because the only real solution is to sit down and start discussions.
Minister Lekota: One must remember that guerilla warfare is a mobile war. If Unita has shifted it’s position, it does not mean that they have been destroyed. These groups always regroup and continue their fight, no matter how much a country tries to destroy them. As far as hard information, that is a matter for the Department of Intelligence. What is clear is that Angola and Namibia are too close to our own doorstep to ignore. Instability anywhere is a threat to our own instability. We will try to persuade these countries to find a peaceful resolution.
(Q) Is the Cabinet having any meetings about the rise of fascism in Austria?
(A) Minister Zuma: Of course, we cannot ignore this problem. We must be able to identify what brings on fascism so that we can stop it. Obviously, we have not learned much from World War II. President Mbeki has stated that we need to do more research on this topic. We also need to have more interaction with Western countries to determine what exactly is going on.
(Q) The United Nations (UN) has sent troops into the Democratic Republic of Congo. Will South Africa send military troops if asked? It was also revealed that South African arms dealers were supplying Unita even after UN sanctions were put in place. What action has been taken about this?
(A) Minister Zuma: South Africa’s stance is that if the UN asks us to participate, we will. We have sent some observers to the Congo already, but, if asked, we will go further. Regarding the Fowler Commission, Unita has long historic links with, for example, Defence, Security, and business. It is a difficult situation because Unita has the support of some very high-placed individuals in South Africa, and they make use of this support. The South African Government supports the sanctions that the UN put on Unita. We have tried to tighten security at our airports, but the problem we are facing is that people who work at airports are good at busting sanctions. This is a very difficult situation for us, as we cannot be embarrassed by airport workers who compromise South African integrity in order to make a quick buck through smaller airports.
(Q) How does this Government address China’s position on human rights? Do you think China is a democratic government?
(A) Minister Zuma: We respect human rights, and we encourage other countries to respect human rights. Our position on China is that we recognize their government, we have worked with their government, and we will continue to work with them in the future.
(Q) How do you feel about calls for elections in Angola?
(A) Minister Zuma: Any time the electorate is asked to decide on the leadership of the government, it is a good thing. It is important that they are held in the utmost environment so that they allow for full proper participation, and deliver meaningful results. When Angola is able to hold these types of elections, there will be greater hope for peace, and for discussions to underpin a more lasting stability in the country. This will lead to a respected government among it’s people, and not lead people to picking up guns. Of course, this is a very urgent matter. In the past, underlying problems have always meant that Angola has never had a stable government.
(Q) It seems all the solutions to Africa’s problems come out of the United States or Europe. Why are we looking to other countries to solve our problems, and not solving them ourselves?
(A) Minister Zuma: Africans must define Africa, and the future of Africa. We have begun to do this. There have been no problems in Africa that were solved by other countries. We are extremely confident that Africans are solving their own problems. For instance, Rwanda has dealt with the mass genocide, and Uganda has dealt with violations of human rights. In the end, these countries used their own resources to solve these problems. Even if the solution originates in other countries, it always comes back to the African people. As countries, we do not have to lead the solution but we must play our part, and I am confident that this is happening.
(Q) What developments have occurred in meetings between the southern African countries?
(A) Minister Zuma: There is definitely a co-ordinated effort between these countries. We are building on the World Trade Organizations (WTO) negotiations that occurred in Seattle last year. We will be developing strategies together, and looking at issues and programs that can bring our countries closer together.
(Q) What is the current state of restructuring of the National Defence force?
(A) Minister Lekota: At present we have 80,000 employees, and our target must be between 60,000 and 65,000 employees. We will be adopting an approach with the Intelligence Department and the Department of Home Affairs to help in the retraining of employees. These are disciplined, well-trained individuals who should not be lost. Currently, there are 30,000 people in the South African Police Services (SAPS) that are illiterate. We need to retrain these people, and place them in different positions. We must work hard to persuade them to be custom officers or intelligence officers once they have received the proper training. Most of these workers are very committed and loyal to the service of South Africa. We also want to adopt an approach to include courses, on such topics as computer literacy or HIV/AIDS counseling that provide certificates, as part of the overall training. This way, defence workers can start their careers here, but still go in to other areas later.
(Q) To what extent does the South African government believe in the allegations that high-level Angolan officials are taking actions to profit from the war?
(A) Minister Zuma: If that is true, it is a pity. We cannot do anything about that. We need for the Angolan people to find a political solution. Hopefully, Africa can show them that fighting with the force of arms is never the solution. The OAU stated they would not accept a government that won by force, and we support that position.