Item 1285 - Notes for President Mandela Minstrel Carnival Green Point Stadium

TRANSCRIPT

'n Gelukkige Nuwe Jaar aan almal !!

Express my personal thanks to every troupe, every captain and every minstrel for the hard work and long hours of preparation that went into making today such a successful event.

Also want to thank the Minstrel Development Board for organising the carnival in the interests of developing the culture and not just for profit; because this is also the first year that the City Council has made these facilities and their staff available to the carnival at no cost, they also deserve the thanks of all of us.

This celebration of rich and raw talent in music, singing and dancing is as part of Cape Town and of South Africa as Table Mountain itself. This New Year celebration could never happen anywhere else with as much soul as in Cape Town. Yet, over the years the Coon Carnival has seen hard times - promoters who did not always consider the needs of the minstrels, some individuals who saw the Carnival as a chance to sneak in a gang fight, and yes, the famous march through Cape Town was even banned for a number of years.

Now, it must be different. The kind of South Africa which we have fought for is a country which will recognise and provide a place for the culture of all her people , a country which will help to develop new talent from amongst you and a nation which is proud of her many different parts. That time has now come - the Minstrel Development Board will have to attend to this.

In the same way as when Paul Adams takes a wicket, he does not do it for only Grassy Park or the Cape Flats , he does it for all South Africans. Or when Francois Pienaar scores a try, he does not do it for only Afrikaners or Gauteng, but he does it for all South Africans. In that same way, this carnival is an expression of the richness of the culture of all South Africans. It is as much a part of us as the Zulu reed dance or a braaivleis - this celebration is us , it makes this nation what it is.

The South Africa which we are building is a land that must offer hope and opportunity to all her people, especially the youth. I want to ask all of you to work with us in 1996 to free this country of crime. Here in the Western Cape especially I want to ask that we work together in 1996 for freedom from gang wars and the drug lords. We can do it together.

It gives me great pleasure to open this 1996 Minstrel Carnival and to invite all of you to have a jol !!