African National Congress leader Thabo Mbeki has been re-elected as President of the Republic of South Africa for his second term by the National Assembly.
He was elected unopposed on Friday after nominations were called for by Chief Justice Arthur Chaskalson.
Democratic Alliance leader Tony Leon congratulated him for his “handsome victory” and the way he had come to power “as a consequence of a free and fair election” on April 14, he said to clapping from members of the Assembly.
In his speech after his re-election, Mbeki thanked MPs for electing him as president. He also thanked Chaskalson, the speaker and the deputy speaker.
“During the election campaign, all the political parties represented in this House undertook that, if elected to govern our country, they would do many things that would help to improve the quality of the lives of millions of our people,” Mbeki said.
“Together we recognised and spoke about the reality that despite the fact of our hard-won freedom and democracy, very many of our people continue to lead miserable lives. Together we spoke about the challenges of unemployment and poverty; of lives destroyed by disease and crime; of the unfinished work of ending the racial and gender imbalances that continue to characterise our society; and of the need to strive further to achieve the related goals of national reconciliation and social transformation.”
Mbeki said he is certain that even those who only experienced the election campaign by watching its television coverage could not have missed the great enthusiasm with which the electorate welcomed the opportunity to choose South Africa’s national and provincial governments.
“This was both a vote of confidence in our democratic system and a message to all of us present here, of the expectation of the masses of our people that the legislatures and governments they would vote for would do everything necessary further to change their lives for the better,” he said.
“Whatever anyone and all of us might have said during the election campaign, we are aware of our people’s sincere appreciation of the changes that have taken place during the last 10 years. That appreciation also tells us what else we need to do to respond to the needs of our people.
“The fact that our country has done what it has, also tells the people that we can do more. Indeed, it would be entirely logical and correct that these masses should expect that we will even do better than in the past, given the experience we have accumulated over the last decade.”
Mbeki added that a people-driven process of change should be encouraged.
“Gathered in this House is an important segment of our country’s national leadership. This leadership has a continuing responsibility to ensure that together we respond to the needs of our people, about which we all spoke during the election campaign.
“We share a common responsibility to encourage our political organisations as well as inspire and mobilise the people, to join hands in a popular national movement to speed up the process towards the achievement of the goal of a better life for all our people,” he said.
Congratulations all around
The DA’s Leon said the issues that define the political debate in the past election “are the very same issues that will continue to define the South African reality in the months and years ahead: unemployment, crime, poverty, HIV/Aids and corruption”.
“We will, and we do, disagree with the ANC on how these challenges are to be met. We will, and we do, oppose those policies that we believe are more likely to harm the people than to help them.”
Home Affairs Minister Mangosuthu Buthelezi, leader of the Inkatha Freedom Party, said: “All the Inkatha Freedom Party and I congratulate the president.”
Mbeki is to be inaugurated on Freedom Day on April 27 at the Union Buildings in Pretoria. The president has achieved “a clear mandate” to fight poverty and HIV/Aids, said Buthelezi, whose party lost the mandate as lead party in the province of KwaZulu-Natal.
The election of Mbeki takes place within the context of negotiations taking place between the ANC and the IFP over the latter’s position in the new KwaZulu-Natal government. At present sources close to the negotiations indicate that the IFP has been offered just three seats in the KwaZulu-Natal administration.
United Democratic Movement leader Bantu Holomisa joked — after he arrived at the podium of the Assembly a bit late — that he had forgotten “that I am [the leader] of the fourth-largest party”.
“I extend congratulations to our newly elected president. Today we have all sworn an oath of affirmation [as MPs]. As we represent our individual policies and constituencies, I hope we all remember that we should be working towards a greater and more prosperous South Africa,” said Holomisa.
Independent Democrats leader Patricia de Lille referred to “Comrade President”. Referring to her new party, she said she hoped to be a constructive “and independent opposition”.
“We will motivate you to do better. We will not rejoice about mistakes,” she said.
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