Address by Premier Hazel Jenkins at the occasion of the Black Lawyers Association National General Meeting,
Kimberley, 23 May 2009
Programme Director
President of the Black Lawyers Association, Ms Andiswa Ndoni Esteemed Members o the Black Lawyers Association
Distinguished Guests Ladies and Gentlemen
Thank you for the honour of inviting me to this important occasion of your National General Meeting.
Allow me, first and foremost, on behalf of the people of the Northern Cape, to welcome all of you present
here to our beautiful Province the Northern Cape.
I am certain that this National General Meeting will give you an opportunity to engage in constructive discussions
and deliberate on a number of pertinent matters that will continue to build and strengthen your organization.
I have no doubt that your deliberations will be fruit full and in line with your historic mandate which seeks to
ensure that all enjoy equal human rights, promote the rule of law ,have access to justice for all and to deepen our democracy.
Our government remains committed to the transformation of a just and equitable society and the achievement
of equality and the advancement of human rights and freedoms an enshrined in our constitution. Central to this
country's constitution are the issues of human rights and dignity. In order to address the legacy of injustice and to
create a society based on human rights, redressing the entrenched inequalities and restoring the dignity to our
people is a non-negotiable imperative.
We resolved to deepen democracy and further strengthen our structures of governance to make them
more responsive to the needs of our people. We are determined to build a strong and vibrant society.
Programme Director,
Your National General Meeting is taking place not long after our historic April 22 National Elections which renewed
our mandate as the ANC to serve the interest and aspirations of all the people of South Africa.
This election was an important milestone in the country because it demonstrated the capacity and willingness of our
people to work together across a large section of the population and all sectors of society.
The ANC has followed the tradition of popular participation in putting together its programme for the next five years,
through extensive consultative process involving Professional bodies, Business sector, Religious bodies, sport fraternity,
traditional leaders, labour movements and reaching out to each and every section of our society.
All our people have participated in the process of changing our country for the better; I am sure some of you
gathered here have also made your input into the ANC manifesto.
The overwhelming electoral victory have now afforded us the opportunity to put in place an efficient and effective system
of governance empowered to serve the people. Build an inclusive people's contract to transform as many of our people as possible
into conscious agents of change for the construction of a winning and humane society, acting in unity and uniting in action.
We will intensify our offensive to tackle the twin challenges of underdevelopment and poverty
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