Page 6 Better deal for albinos pledged€¦ · has albinism, said at first children at her school...
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NEWS and FEATURES Page 6 18 June 2010 Julius Nyere Avenue Formerly Warwick Avenue JULIUS Kambarage Nyerere, the first president of Tanzania, and earlier Tanganyika, was a much- admired statesman and pan- Africanist, but history has been less kind in its judgement of his domestic policies and indigenous brand of socialism. Born on April 13, 1922 in Butiama, in what was then Tanganyika, Nyerere was the son of the chief of the small Zanaki tribe. He was 12 before he started his formal education. He attended the Tabora Government Secondary School. His intelligence was soon recognised by the Roman Catholic fathers who taught him. With their help, he trained as a teacher at Makerere University in Kampala (Uganda). On gaining his diploma, Nyerere taught for three years before receiving a government scholarship which allowed him to study for a Master of Arts in history and political economy at the University of Edinburgh. He was the first Tanzanian to study at a British university and only the second to gain a degree outside Africa. In Edinburgh, partly as a result of his exposure to Fabian thinking, Nyerere began to develop his particular vision of connecting socialism with Africa communal living. On returning to Tanganyika, Nyerere was forced by the colonial authorities to choose between politics and teaching. He was reported as saying he was a schoolmaster by choice and a politician by accident. Working to bring a number of different nationalist factions into one grouping, he achieved this in 1954 with the formation of the Tanganyika African National Union. He became President of the Union (a post he held until 1977) and entered the Legislative Council in 1958. He became Chief Minister in 1960. A year later Tanganyika was granted internal self- government and Nyerere became Premier. Full independence came in December 1961 and he was elected President in 1962. Integrity Nyerere’s integrity, ability as a political orator and organiser, and readiness to work with different groupings was a significant factor in independence being achieved without bloodshed. A committed pan- Africanist, Nyerere provided a home for a number of African liberation movements including the African National Congress and the Pan African Congress of South Africa, Frelimo when seeking to overthrow Portuguese rule in Mozambique, Zanla (and Robert Mugabe) in their struggle to unseat the white regime in Southern Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe). He also opposed the brutal regime of Idi Amin in Uganda. After a border invasion by Amin in 1978, a 20 000-strong Tanzanian army along with rebel groups, invaded Uganda. It took the capital, Kampala, in 1979, restoring Uganda’s first President, Milton Obote, to power. The battle against Amin was expensive and placed a strain on government finances. There was considerable criticism within Tanzania that he had overlooked domestic issues and had not paid proper attention to internal human rights abuses. Tanzania was a one party state – and while there was a strong democratic element in organisation and a concern for consensus, this did not stop Nyerere using the Preventive Detention Act to imprison opponents. In part this may have been justified by the need to contain divisiveness, but there does appear to have been a disjuncture between his commitment to human rights on the world stage, and his actions at home. His collectivisation of the country’s agricultural system caused output to plummet and only World Bank and IMF loans averted bankruptcy. In 1985 Nyerere gave up the presidency but remained as Chairman of the party – Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM). He gradually withdrew from politics, retiring to his farm in Butiama. In 1990 he relinquished his chairmanship of CCM but remained active on the world stage as chairman of the Intergovernmental South Centre. One of his last high-profile actions was as the chief mediator in the Burundi conflict (in 1996). He died in a London hospital of leukaemia on October 14, 1999. [email protected] Source: Wikipedia As part of a series on the heroes honoured in eThekwini’s new street and building names, Swazi Dlamini profiles Julius Nyerere Father of a nation JULIUS NYERERE NONDU NGCONGO THE Government has com- mitted itself to giving people with albinism a better deal. That’s the word from Minis- ter of Women, Children and People with Disabilities, Nolu- thando Mayende-Sibiya. She was speaking at an event organised by her dep- artment and the eThekwini Health Unit, at the Inkosi Albert Luthuli International Convention Centre recently. The event was on the eve of the World Cup and Mayende- Sibiya said that not enough had been done at stadiums to protect albinos from the sun. Albinism is a congenital disorder characterised by an absence of pigment in the skin, hair and eyes. People with the disorder suffer from problems with their vision and are more prone to sunburn and skin cancer. The Minister said albinos deserved the same consid- eration given to people with other disabilities and must be remembered in government planning and the provision of services. She had raised these con- cerns in Parliament and said “statistics show that the number of people living with albinism is increasing and their needs must be taken into serious consideration because they are citizens too”. Mayende-Sibiya said she wanted everyone to become better educated about albi- nism so that people with the disorder can live normal lives. She promised to visit schools to encourage teachers to make more effort to help albino pupils. Respect The department was leading a campaign to encourage the public to treat albinos with the respect they deserve, said Mayende-Sibiya. It includes advice for people with albinism on how to take care of their skin and eyes. Maskandi singer Mrashiya Biyela shared his story at the event of not getting a record- ing deal because of his skin colour. Dudu Mokoena, Manager of Vulnerable People in the Municipality’s Community Participation and Action Sup- port Unit, said it was sad to hear such stories. “Please people, let us unite and treat these people fair and with respect because they are like us,” said Mokoena. Councillor Simon Zwane said he was committing him- self to helping albinos because he knows the pain they feel at being excluded and not receiving services like everyone else. “Our Municipality is trying to cater for all kinds of people and it has many programmes to help the disabled. I will take them to the correct doors,” said Zwane. Nkosingiphile Sithole, who has albinism, said at first children at her school gave her strange looks, but thanks to the campaign, there has been a change in their thinking. “Even on radio and tele- vision they talk about these things and now, eventually, they are accepting me for who I am,” said Sithole. Also at the event were Deputy Mayor Logie Naidoo and Dudu Khoza of Ukhozi FM. [email protected] MACK MAKHATHINI THE Municipality, the Kwa- Zulu-Natal Department of Education and members of the Durban Chamber of Com- merce held a business break- fast at the City Hall recently to look at tackling difficulties facing the department. KZN Education MEC Senzo Mchunu said education was the cornerstone for the nation’s development. “For this reason, education has been prioritised as a means through which South Africans can be extricated from the shackles of poverty and helplessness,” he said. Mchunu said the govern- ment had decided on a new outcomes-based approach which focused on quality basic education, especially numeracy and literacy. It had set as goals improving the matric pass rate to 80% by 2014 and increasing the number of Grade 12s passing maths and science. “There are challenges and hurdles that need to be over- come for these targets to be achieved, particularly when one compares our budgetary allocation in relation to the needs,” Mchunu said, noting that science teachers, espec- ially at rural schools, lacked equipment and labs. “The bulk of our budget goes to staff salaries. This leaves very little to address the challenges we face,” he said. Mchunu said it was vital that more schools and classrooms were built or repaired and that support structures for learn- ing and teaching were prov- ided, if the government’s goals were to be met. Mayor Obed Mlaba said he was passionate about edu- cation. “My parents decided I should leave home at the age of 12 to live with relatives, all in pursuit of education,” said Mlaba. He commended businesses for assisting the government but appealed to corporates to advertise responsibly. “Let’s stop using the youth in advertisements to promote alcohol. “Children cannot decide for themselves so they are vulnerable. We don’t want a nation of drunkards.” “I’m pleading to you to be part of nation building.” Bidvest pledged R1-million towards education and Apollo Tyres SA promised R100 000. Other companies promised to consult their boards. [email protected] Better deal for albinos pledged EDUCATION FIRST: Vukani Khumalo, of the KZN Education Department, Deputy City Manager of Procurement and Infrastructure Derek Naidoo and Education MEC Senzo Mchunu at a breakfast meeting Picture: MACK MAKHATHINI SHARING IS CARING: Members of the Albanism Society of South Africa, Pinkie Dlamini, Sibongile Nxumalo, Bheki Mvubu, Matthew Dumakude, Councillor Simon Zwane, Nomasonto Mazibuko and Ukhozi FM Presenter Dudu Khoza Picture: NONDU NGCONGO Education MEC drums up support from businesses
Transcript of Page 6 Better deal for albinos pledged€¦ · has albinism, said at first children at her school...
NEWS and FEATURESPage 6 18 June 2010
Julius Nyere AvenueFormerly Warwick Avenue
JULIUS Kambarage Nyerere,the first president ofTanzania, and earlierTanganyika, was a much-admired statesman and pan-Africanist, but history hasbeen less kind in itsjudgement of his domesticpolicies and indigenousbrand of socialism.
Born on April 13, 1922 inButiama, in what was thenTanganyika, Nyerere was theson of the chief of the smallZanaki tribe.
He was 12 before he startedhis formal education. Heattended the TaboraGovernment SecondarySchool. His intelligence wassoon recognised by theRoman Catholic fathers whotaught him. With their help,he trained as a teacher atMakerere University inKampala (Uganda).
On gaining his diploma,Nyerere taught for three yearsbefore receiving agovernment scholarshipwhich allowed him to studyfor a Master of Arts in historyand political economy at theUniversity of Edinburgh.
He was the first Tanzanian
to study at a British universityand only the second to gain adegree outside Africa.
In Edinburgh, partly as aresult of his exposure toFabian thinking, Nyererebegan to develop hisparticular vision ofconnecting socialism withAfrica communal living.
On returning to Tanganyika,Nyerere was forced by thecolonial authorities to choosebetween politics andteaching. He was reported assaying he was a schoolmasterby choice and a politician byaccident.
Working to bring a numberof different nationalistfactions into one grouping, heachieved this in 1954 with theformation of the TanganyikaAfrican National Union.
He became President of the
Union (a post he held until1977) and entered theLegislative Council in 1958.He became Chief Minister in1960.
A year later Tanganyika wasgranted internal self-government and Nyererebecame Premier. Fullindependence came inDecember 1961 and he waselected President in 1962.
IntegrityNyerere’s integrity, ability as
a political orator andorganiser, and readiness towork with different groupingswas a significant factor inindependence beingachieved without bloodshed.
A committed pan-Africanist, Nyerere provided ahome for a number of African
liberation movementsincluding the AfricanNational Congress and thePan African Congress ofSouth Africa, Frelimo whenseeking to overthrowPortuguese rule inMozambique, Zanla (andRobert Mugabe) in theirstruggle to unseat the whiteregime in Southern Rhodesia(now Zimbabwe).
He also opposed the brutalregime of Idi Amin inUganda. After a borderinvasion by Amin in 1978, a20 000-strong Tanzanianarmy along with rebel groups,invaded Uganda. It took thecapital, Kampala, in 1979,restoring Uganda’s firstPresident, Milton Obote, topower. The battle againstAmin was expensive andplaced a strain on
government finances. Therewas considerable criticismwithin Tanzania that he hadoverlooked domestic issuesand had not paid properattention to internal humanrights abuses. Tanzania was aone party state – and whilethere was a strongdemocratic element inorganisation and a concernfor consensus, this did not
stop Nyerere using thePreventive Detention Act toimprison opponents.
In part this may have beenjustified by the need tocontain divisiveness, butthere does appear to havebeen a disjuncture betweenhis commitment to humanrights on the world stage, andhis actions at home.
His collectivisation of thecountry’s agricultural systemcaused output to plummetand only World Bank and IMFloans averted bankruptcy.
In 1985 Nyerere gave up thepresidency but remained asChairman of the party –Chama Cha Mapinduzi(CCM). He graduallywithdrew from politics,retiring to his farm inButiama.
In 1990 he relinquished hischairmanship of CCM butremained active on the worldstage as chairman of theIntergovernmental SouthCentre.
One of his last high-profileactions was as the chiefmediator in the Burundiconflict (in 1996). He died in aLondon hospital of leukaemiaon October 14, 1999.
[email protected]:Wikipedia
As part of a series on the heroes honoured ineThekwini’s new street and building names, Swazi Dlamini profiles Julius Nyerere
Father of a nation
JULIUS NYERERE
NONDU NGCONGO
THE Government has com-mitted itself to giving peoplewith albinism a better deal.
That’s the word from Minis-ter of Women, Children andPeople with Disabilities, Nolu-thando Mayende-Sibiya.
She was speaking at anevent organised by her dep-artment and the eThekwiniHealth Unit, at the InkosiAlbert Luthuli InternationalConvention Centre recently.
The event was on the eve ofthe World Cup and Mayende-Sibiya said that not enoughhad been done at stadiums toprotect albinos from the sun.
Albinism is a congenitaldisorder characterised by anabsence of pigment in theskin, hair and eyes.
People with the disordersuffer from problems withtheir vision and are moreprone to sunburn and skincancer.
The Minister said albinosdeserved the same consid-eration given to people withother disabilities and must beremembered in governmentplanning and the provision ofservices.
She had raised these con-cerns in Parliament and said“statistics show that thenumber of people living withalbinism is increasing andtheir needs must be taken intoserious consideration becausethey are citizens too”.
Mayende-Sibiya said shewanted everyone to becomebetter educated about albi-nism so that people with thedisorder can live normal lives.
She promised to visitschools to encourage teachersto make more effort to helpalbino pupils.
RespectThe department was leading
a campaign to encourage thepublic to treat albinos with therespect they deserve, saidMayende-Sibiya.
It includes advice for peoplewith albinism on how to takecare of their skin and eyes.
Maskandi singer MrashiyaBiyela shared his story at theevent of not getting a record-ing deal because of his skincolour.
Dudu Mokoena, Manager ofVulnerable People in theMunicipality’s Community
Participation and Action Sup-port Unit, said it was sad tohear such stories.
“Please people, let us uniteand treat these people fair andwith respect because they arelike us,” said Mokoena.
Councillor Simon Zwanesaid he was committing him-self to helping albinosbecause he knows the painthey feel at being excludedand not receiving services likeeveryone else.
“Our Municipality is tryingto cater for all kinds of peopleand it has many programmesto help the disabled. I will takethem to the correct doors,”said Zwane.
Nkosingiphile Sithole, whohas albinism, said at firstchildren at her school gave herstrange looks, but thanks tothe campaign, there has beena change in their thinking.
“Even on radio and tele-vision they talk about thesethings and now, eventually,they are accepting me for whoI am,” said Sithole.
Also at the event wereDeputy Mayor Logie Naidooand Dudu Khoza of UkhoziFM.
MACK MAKHATHINI
THE Municipality, the Kwa-Zulu-Natal Department ofEducation and members ofthe Durban Chamber of Com-merce held a business break-fast at the City Hall recently tolook at tackling difficultiesfacing the department.
KZN Education MEC SenzoMchunu said education wasthe cornerstone for thenation’s development.
“For this reason, educationhas been prioritised as ameans through which SouthAfricans can be extricatedfrom the shackles of povertyand helplessness,” he said.
Mchunu said the govern-ment had decided on a newoutcomes-based approachwhich focused on qualitybasic education, especiallynumeracy and literacy.
It had set as goals improvingthe matric pass rate to 80% by2014 and increasing thenumber of Grade 12s passingmaths and science.
“There are challenges andhurdles that need to be over-come for these targets to beachieved, particularly whenone compares our budgetaryallocation in relation to theneeds,” Mchunu said, notingthat science teachers, espec-ially at rural schools, lackedequipment and labs.
“The bulk of our budgetgoes to staff salaries. Thisleaves very little to address thechallenges we face,” he said.
Mchunu said it was vital thatmore schools and classroomswere built or repaired and thatsupport structures for learn-ing and teaching were prov-ided, if the government’s goalswere to be met.
Mayor Obed Mlaba said hewas passionate about edu-cation. “My parents decided Ishould leave home at the ageof 12 to live with relatives, allin pursuit of education,” saidMlaba.
He commended businessesfor assisting the governmentbut appealed to corporates toadvertise responsibly.
“Let’s stop using the youth inadvertisements to promotealcohol.
“Children cannot decide forthemselves so they arevulnerable. We don’t want anation of drunkards.”
“I’m pleading to you to bepart of nation building.”
Bidvest pledged R1-milliontowards education and ApolloTyres SA promised R100 000.Other companies promised toconsult their boards.
Better deal foralbinos pledged
EDUCATION FIRST: Vukani Khumalo, of the KZN Education Department, DeputyCity Manager of Procurement and Infrastructure Derek Naidoo and Education MECSenzo Mchunu at a breakfast meeting Picture: MACK MAKHATHINI
SHARING IS CARING:Members of the Albanism
Society of South Africa,Pinkie Dlamini, SibongileNxumalo, Bheki Mvubu,
Matthew Dumakude,Councillor Simon Zwane,
Nomasonto Mazibuko andUkhozi FM Presenter
Dudu Khoza
Picture: NONDUNGCONGO
Education MEC drums upsupport from businesses
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