afrol News, 2 January - South African President Thabo Mbeki believes that all hands must be on deck if the country wants to succeed in overcoming its numerous challenges it has been faced with. The President in his New Year speech lamented that the fights against poverty and crime had still not be won.

South Africa is viewed as the economic and democratic giants of Africa, but the country also has its own problems that have been undermining its progress. South Africa has been grappling with shortage of clean water, adequate health facilities, proper housing and a high spate of crime.

Poverty is also biting South Africans at an alarming rate mainly because of high unemployment.

And according to President Mbeki, concerted effort is needed from all South Africans if the country wants to overcome these challenges.

"We must intensify our efforts to deal with these challenges to accelerate our advancement towards the achievement of our objective, thus, a better life for all," Mr Mbeki said in his New Year's message.

Like most South Africans and visitors, President Mbeki is equally concerned about the rampant crimes in the country, admitting the menace as one of the major challenges facing all South Africans. "We must work together to eradicate violence against women, children and the elderly in our society".

"Unfortunately, there are many of our fellow citizens who will not be with us as we celebrate the New Year, having passed away during the festive season. I refer in particular to those who died as a result of the many accidents on our roads, as well as others who died as a result of various incidents of assault with intent to cause grievous bodily harm," he said appealing for the reduction of incidence of death from unnatural causes.

"This means that all of us must pay serious attention to the important messages with which all of us are familiar - Don't drink and drive! Pedestrians take extra care! Arrive alive! It also means that we must not allow that the parties we attend should turn into battlefields during which we kill the very people with whom we have come together to celebrate and enjoy ourselves."

President Mbeki reminded South Africans that it is legally and morally wrong to deprive a human being the right to live. He added that the society as a whole will always do everything possible to ensure that those guilty of murder or culpable homicide are caught and prosecuted.

He therefore appealed to all South Africans to unit in their quest to win over crime in a country mandated to host the continent's first-ever World Cup Championship in 2010.

After 12 years in office, the South African President admitted that the ANC-led government still had a lot of work to guarantee proper education as well as provide necessary skills training required for the country's economy.

Despite being the most advanced country in continental Africa, most South Africans live in underdeveloped neighbourhoods that lack basic infrastructure such as roads and water thus making it difficult for people to engage in decent livelihood activities.

Mr Mbeki said his government would be practical in its quest to succeed in fulfilling the hopes and dreams of the majority citizens. "This time next year, we must be able to say that we have liberated more people from the grip of poverty, joblessness, homelessness, ignorance, disease and other social ills," he said, as many South Africans remain disappointed over their personal lack of progress.

President Mbeki also announced that South Africa's Ambassador to the United Nations, Dumisani Khumalo, was taking up his seat in the chamber of the UN Security Council in New York - also a first time event in the country's history.

By staff writer

© afrol News

Related pages and feature

Current afrol News Top Stories