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IT IS VERY GRATIFYING FOR ME TO BE HERE IN TSOLO FOR THE LAUNCHING OF THE TRANSKEI INITIATIVE. I'M HONORED TO REPRESENT USAID AT SUCH AN IMPORTANT EVENT AND TO SHARE THE DAY WITH SUCH ESTEEMED COLLEAGUES LIKE PREMIER STOFILE, THE MAYOR, THE CHIEFS, MINISTER OMAR, MINISTER RADEBE AND THE TSOLO COMMUNITY.
FIRST, I MUST APOLOGIZE FOR NOT SPEAKING IN YOUR HOME LANGUAGE, XHOSA. SECOND, I D LIKE TO THANK THE CHOIR FOR CREATING SUCH BEAUTIFUL MUSIC TODAY AND TO EXPRESS GRATITUDE TO THE TRADITIONAL DANCERS.
I AM VERY HAPPY TO BE IN THIS PART OF SOUTH AFRICA FOR THE FIRST TIME, SINCE I ARRIVED IN THIS MAJESTIC COUNTRY. I UNDERSTAND THAT THIS BEAUTIFUL AREA IS THE BIRTHPLACE OF MANY ILLUSTRIOUS SOUTH AFRICAN LEADERS. AND IT IS PARTICULARLY FITTING THAT THIS REBIRTH OF THE COURT SYSTEM IN THE TRANSKEI IS CRADLED NEAR THE BIRTHPLACE OF SOUTH AFRICA’S ESTEEMED PRESIDENT MANDELA.
IT IS VERY EXCITING TO BE THE NEW DIRECTOR OF USAID IN SOUTH AFRICA AT SUCH AN HISTORIC TIME. I FEEL FORTUNATE TO BE ABLE TO SUPPORT SOUTH AFRICA IN THIS CRITICAL TRANSFORMATION, TO THE RULE OF LAW AND JUSTICE FOR ALL ITS CITIZENS.
I CAN ASSURE YOU THAT THE UNITED STATES IS YOUR COMMITTED PARTNER IN THIS EFFORT TO EXPAND ACCESS TO JUSTICE ACROSS SOUTH AFRICA. WE SHARE THE VALUES THAT MOTIVATE SOUTH AFRICA’S EFFORTS TO ACHIEVE JUSTICE AND EQUITY FOR ALL, AND THESE VALUES ARE SYMBOLISED BY YOUR PRESENCE AT THIS EVENT HERE, TODAY, IN TSOLO.
WE KNOW THAT WITHOUT A PROPERLY FUNCTIONING JUDICIARY THAT IS ACCESSIBLE TO ALL CITIZENS, THAT ENJOYS THE TRUST AND CONFIDENCE OF THE PEOPLE, AND THAT PROTECTS THEIR RIGHTS, THE RULE OF LAW AND DEMOCRACY ARE AT RISK. THE MINISTER OF JUSTICE HAS MADE IT CLEAR THAT IT IS OF PARAMOUNT IMPORTANCE THAT THE SOUTH AFRICAN JUDICIAL SYSTEM BE MADE FULLY ACCESSIBLE TO SOCIETY AT ALL LEVELS, INCLUDING THE REMOTE REGIONS OF THE NATION.
THE COMMITMENT OF THE UNITED STATES AND USAID IS TO ASSIST THE MINISTRY OF JUSTICE AND THE GOVERNMENT OF SOUTH AFRICA TO STRENGTHEN THE ADMINISTRATION OF JUSTICE IN THE TRANSKEI AND OTHER REGIONS OF SOUTH AFRICA, THROUGH THE GOVERNMENT’S JUSTICE VISION 2000 PLAN.
THROUGH A BILATERAL AGREEMENT WITH THE GOVERNMENT (AND THE MINISTRY OF JUSTICE), USAID ALSO SUPPORTS SOUTH AFRICAN EFFORTS TO TRAIN AND PLACE HISTORICALLY DISADVANTAGED LAW GRADUATES; TO TRAIN MEMBERS OF THE JUDICIARY; TO MODERNIZE THE COURT OF APPEALS WITH A NEW COMPUTER SYSTEM, AND TO STRENGTHEN THE CAPACITY OF THE HUMAN RIGHTS AND GENDER COMMISSIONS TO CARRY OUT THEIR MANDATES.
ADDITIONALLY, THROUGH THIS AGREEMENT, WE ARE PROVIDING R11 MILLION FOR THE SPECIFIC TRANSKEI INITIATIVE THAT WE JOIN YOU IN LAUNCHING TODAY. BUT YOUR GOVERNMENT THROUGH THE DEPARTMENTS OF JUSTICE AND PUBLIC WORKS, IS PROVIDING R60 MILLION TO THIS INNOVATIVE INITIATIVE IN THE TRANSKEI.
THROUGH THE USAID GRANT, WE HOPE TO ASSIST THE MINISTRIES OF JUSTICE AND PUBLIC WORKS IN THE CONSTRUCTION AND IMPROVEMENT OF OTHER COURTHOUSES IN THE TRANSKEI, IN ORDER TO ESTABLISH CENTRES WHERE THE ADJUDICATION OF BASIC DISPUTES AND THE PROCESSING AND COMPLETION OF CRIMINAL CASES CAN BE EXPEDITED.
AS A LAWYER MYSELF, I BELIEVE THAT A COURTHOUSE IS A PLACE WHERE THE LAWS OF A NATION ARE FIRST APPLIED. THE LOCAL COURTHOUSE IS OFTEN THE FIRST PLACE WHERE THE CITIZEN ENCOUNTERS THE RULE OF LAW. THE PHYSICAL CAPACITY AND DIGNITY OF THE COURTHOUSE IS THUS SYNONYMOUS WITH THE ACCESSIBILITY TO THE RULE OF LAW, AND STRONGLY INFLUENCES CITIZENS’ RESPECT FOR IT. TODAY, THE CITIZENS OF TSOLO HAVE AN IMPROVED COURTHOUSE, REPRESENTING AN IMPROVED CAPACITY FOR THE APPLICATION OF JUSTICE IN THIS COMMUNITY.
I AM CONFIDENT THAT WHEN THE TRANSKEI INITIATIVE HAS BEEN COMPLETED AND THE COURTHOUSES OF THIS REGION ARE BUILT AND REFURBISHED, THAT THEY WILL SERVE YOU WELL, BOTH AS PLACES THAT EARN YOUR TRUST IN AN EFFECTIVE, FAIR AND JUST RULE OF LAW, AND AS A REMINDER OF THE COURAGEOUS EFFORTS YOU HAVE MADE TOWARD THESE ENDS.
LET ME CLOSE BY STATING THAT USAID AND MY GOVERNMENT ARE PROUD TO PLAY A SUPPORTING ROLE IN THIS TO IMPROVE YOUR JUSTICE SYSTEM AND SOUTH AFRICA’S EMERGING DEMOCRACY. AND LET ME THANK MY ESTEEMED COLLEAGUES FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO PARTICIPATE IN TODAY'S EVENT. I LOOK FORWARD TO USAID'S CONTINUED CLOSE PARTNERSHIP AND COLLABORATION WITH MINISTER OMAR, MINISTER RADEBE, AS WELL AS WITH ACTIVE PROGRESSIVE PROVINCIAL OFFICIALS LIKE PREMIER STOFILE, THE DEPARTMENTS OF JUSTICE AND PUBLIC WORKS, AND ALL SOUTH AFRICANS AS WE SUPPORT YOUR EFFORTS TO EXPAND ACCESS TO THE JUSTICE SYSTEM TO ALL CITIZENS OF THIS BEAUTIFUL COUNTRY.
THANK YOU.
