Programme Director
Members of the Executive Council
Mayors and Councillors
All Government officials present
Family of the late Evelina de Bruin
Family of Ntsikilelo Mbetha
Members of the media
Ladies and Gentleman

Vandag is dit vir my 'n besonderse voorreg om nog 'n stap te neem in die behoud van ons geskiedenis van ons gevalle helde en heldinne en in dieselfde trant by te dra tot nasiebou. Vandag het ons die voorreg om in 'n vrye en nie-seksistiese demokratiese samelewing te bly, maar dit is belangrik dat ons moet onthou dat hierdie Vryheid het nie op ‘n skinkbord gekom.
 

Dames en here, dit het ongelukkig teen ‘n baie hoë prys gekom.

Our people were subjected to the most inhumane treatment and most vile of human rights abuses. Despite all these crimes against humanity, great men and women rose with courage and conviction to fight not only an unjust system but to liberate all of us  and free us from the shackles of Apartheid. Today, as part of commemorating of our heritage, we want to reflect on our past and value the journey of sacrifices made by those who have crossed our paths, and those who have gone before us.

Ladies and gentlemen, heritage is a loaded and powerful idea. It is rooted in a sense of history but it is also a concept of the future because when we think about the past, it will help us reflect in order to shape the future as we move forward.

Heritage then, is about the interrogation of our identity. It is about understanding the things that have made us what and who we are, as individuals and a society. By having that understanding, we no longer remain the passive victims of the time into which we were born. Instead, we can liberate ourselves and determine our own destiny.

We are privileged to understand these things now.  We are the beneficiaries of a legacy of ideas that helped us free ourselves and our country. But like all great movements, this revolution of the mind had its leaders. And we honour two of those leaders here today.

In the spirit of commemorating our sixtieth anniversary of the historic women’s march to the   Union Buidings I want to start with Ouma Evelina de Bruin.

Dames en Here, Evelina de Bruin was n boorling van hierdie provinsie wat onder swaar tye gebukkend gegaan het. Soos ons bewus is, is ons mense destyds ontneem van onderrig en moes hulle noodgedwonge as arbeiders en huishulpe onder swaar omstandighede werk. Dit was juis hierdie omstandighede wat in Evelina de Bruin wakker gemaak het die strewe na Vryheid en gelykheid.

Min is bekend oor Ouma de Bruin en dit is eers gedurende die verhoor van die Upington ses en twintig dat sy bekendheid verwerf het. Ons almal hier is bekend met die geskiedenis van die verhoor. Ouma de Bruin was dan een van die  vertiende veroordeeldes wat ter dood gevonnes was. Hier in die gevangenes is sy onderwerp aan die mees ondenkbare toestande.

Baie mense sou geknak het, maar Ouma de Bruin het geweet waarvoor sy hierdie duur prys betaal en vandag geniet nie net haar naasate die vryheid en gelykheid waarvoor sy geveg het nie, maar ook elke Suid Afrikaner, wit en swart.

Die storie van Ouma de Bruin, nes die van almal wat die hoogste prys betaal het vir Vryheid en gelykheid, is een van smart en ook een wat wys dat die menslike gees nie so maklik gebreek word as jy in jou hart vrede het dat waarvoor jy ly tot voordeel van jou medemens is nie.

Vir vyf jaar is Ouma de bruin onder haglike omstandighede aangehou. Twee hiervan was as ‘n doods veroordeelde. Na verskeie petisies en apêlle is sy op 29 Mei 1991 vrygelaat. Dit was kort nadat haar man oorlede is en selfs dit is van haar ontneem. Sy kon nie eens ‘n laaste vaarwel hom toeroep nie.

Similarly today we also wish to pay tribute to a young man, who at the tender age of 17, was forced to leave his home and flee to Namibia because he had been very vocal about the oppression suffered by our communities at the hands of Apartheid. As a result of his bravery and courage, the Provincial Government deemed it necessary to honour him as part our unsung hero programme as we do with our all our struggle veterans. We will never be able to repay him for his sacrifice nor his family who suffered many a sleepless night after every search for their son yield no results. We however want to thank him for the role that he played in paving the way for us to enjoy a free, non-racial and non-sexist South Africa.

Ladies and gentlemen, as South Africans from all walks of life, we have a responsibility to respect and acknowledge the past, celebrate the present and build the future together.

Government has an extensive ongoing heritage programme that includes the upgrading and declaration of historic sites to ensure a more representative and inclusive South African history and heritage. More importantly, this also contributes towards shared values and a common national identity in the country.

Furthermore, the renaming of buildings, building and maintenance of new monuments and historic sites has a greater potential to stimulate economic activity and create much needed jobs in communities where these sites are located. These sites will also contribute towards cultural tourism both domestically and internationally.

As Government, we will continue to work together with the people of this Province and the world to ensure that we preserve and promote our rich cultural heritage. We regard this work as central towards transformation, nation building, national identity and building a socially cohesive South African society that is non-racial, non-sexist, democratic, united and prosperous.

The renaming of the Provincial Building to Evelina de Bruin and namimg of this building as the Ntsikilelo Mbetha complex falls within that category of honouring our cultural heritage.

Today we had the privilege to hear the rich history of a remarkable woman and a brave young man who sacrificed not only those near and dear to them but they were prepared to give up their own lives for the liberation of others.

These new names should create a general feeling of belonging because it captures our history and creates a context of relevance. We are pleased therefore, to conclude Woman’s Month and commence heritage month with such a historic event. This naming and renaming today also marks a historical milestone in our heritage.

To the family and close relatives of Ouma Evelina de Bruin and Ntsikilelo Mbetha I want to say that I am glad that on this day and through the working together of all stakeholders, we are able to honour them in such a small but very significant manner. May you find inner peace and be proud of the contributions made by your family members.

In conclusion ladies and gentlemen,  this is the start of a reconciliation programme that tries to shape a better future from a divided past. It is by building, brick by brick, the Northern Cape of tomorrow that truly belongs to everyone. These are the bricks with which we build the most powerful parts of our heritage.

They are the people and ideas that made us who we are and that will help us move this beautiful Province of ours forward.

I thank you