Poor won't rebel - Mbeki
2004-02-22 13:04
Johannesburg - President Thabo Mbeki has assured business leaders that the poor, hungry and unemployed masses will not rebel against the ANC.
"We know there will be no rebellion among the masses of our people because we will talk to them and say: 'This is what we can do. We understand that you are hungry and poor... we will come to you'," the president told well-heeled potential donors attending an ANC fund-raising dinner at the Grand West Casino, Cape Town, on Friday.
Mbeki spoke confidently about the trust the poor have in the ANC and said they would be patient and not put business and investment in the country at risk.
He said that a few years ago, some people predicted that the poor would lose patience because the ANC was too slow in improving their conditions.
"I don't hear that anymore. But the people who complain about the slow pace of change are those who drive Toyotas. They are complaining because they want do drive BMWs," Mbeki said. He said people would understand the ANC's explanation.
"ANC leaders went to jail for them, and they understand the ANC better. But it does not mean that the ANC does not make mistakes ... it does not do foolish things. Of course it does," he said.
Need money to solve problems
Mbeki said the problems facing the country in the next decade were "simple and straightforward".
"But to solve them is another matter. We know what went wrong and we know what we inherited. It is also simple to know what needs to be done - to fight poverty, unemployment, gender discrimination and other legacies of the past."
He said although it was simple to identify what needed to be done, it might be difficult to do the things needed for change.
However, the country had done very well in the past decade. "People who are watching us from far see much better than us - they say what we have done is truly amazing."
He said there was a greater possibility of solving problems this time round than before.
Western Cape ANC 'broke'
"The ANC in the Western Cape is broke," he added. "We need money so we can continue to do things that are positive for the country.
Earlier, Mbeki told the largely Afrikaans-speaking University of Stellenbosch community that the government had no intention of eliminating the diversity of languages at universities if it served the national purpose.
Mbeki, who was awarded an honorary doctorate by the university for his role in promoting democracy, questioned whether Afrikaans-speakers had "come home to the new South Africa".
"How many have migrated inwards rather than merely fashioning a tolerable physical existence ... in our society. What role will the university play to facilitate the homecoming of Afrikaners?"
He said some political parties were using "hereditary prejudices" in their electoral campaigns.