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Minister of Science and Technology, Mr Mosibudi Mangena
Director-General, Thami Mseleku
Members of Staff of the Department of Education
Thobela!
Goeie môre
Sanibonani
Molweni

Ngijabula kakhulu ukunibona futhi. Namhlanje ngize lapha ukuzonivalelisa. Ngize futhi ukuzonibonga.

Iminyaka emihlanu engiyichithe nani, ibe iminyaka ebaluleke kakhulu empilweni yami. Nangemukela mina nomndeni wami, nangembesa ngengubo efudumele.

Ho lona basebetsi bohle ba Department of Education ke re: Ke a leboga! Ke fihlile mona departmenteng ke sa tsebe motho, empa le ile la fetola departmente ena lehae laka. E seng ho nna feela, empa le ho mofumahadi waka, Louise, le bara baka, Rafiq le Adam. Kamehla ha ba etla ofising yaka, ene e ka ba etla hae.

Ke kopa hore lerato le tshehetso tseo le mphileng tsona, le di fe Minister e motjha, hore le yena a tle a kgone ho etsa mosebetsi wa hae hantle.

I have been really privileged to have worked with all of you. The love and support you gave me kept me going even in the most challenging of times during my term of office.

I wish to pay special tribute to my former Deputy Minister, and now Minister of Science and Technology, Mosibudi Mangena, for being such a wonderful colleague and comrade. Mr Mangena and I worked together as a leadership team, despite the fact that we came from different political parties. I take this opportunity to wish him well in his new job as Minister of Science and Technology.

I also say a big 'thank you' to the Director-General, Thami Mseleku. Thami was not only my Director-General. He was my comrade too. He went out of his way to ensure that the Government succeeded in developing and implementing policies to provide quality education and training for all our people.

I have said this before, and say it here again, that it is significant that in ten years, the Department of Education has had only two Directors-General. In the past five years, no senior manager resigned as a result of disagreements or conflict. This is testimony to what we have made the Department to be - a home for all its staff.

Let me also express my gratitude to the senior managers of the Department for keeping the Department going, for directing the activities of the staff and for giving much needed leadership.

I thank my personal office staff for the support they provided me. My advisors, my Chief Director, my personal assistant, my Media Liaison Officer, my private secretaries, my parliamentary officer, my administrative assistants, my typists, my reception and registry staff, my messengers, and my drivers and security staff - all of them worked very hard to make the Minister's Office a base from which the I could deliver on the mandate the President had given me.

I wish to also thank the professional and the support staff. These are the people who do much of the spadework in their own quiet ways. They ensure, among other things, that their provincial counterparts are trained; that there is adequate monitoring and evaluation of provincial programmes; that national and provincial systems work properly; that there is proper financial management; and that there is appropriate human resource management.

Finally, I want to thank the ordinary workers of the Department of Education - the security staff, the cleaners, and the maintenance staff. Without these humble workers, we would not have worked in a healthy, safe and secure environment.

Bobaba nomama, ngiyabonga ngomsebenzi wenu omuhle kangaka. I thank all of you members of Team Education. May you grow from strength to strength as you work together in the people's contract to create work and fight poverty.

When I became Minister of Education in 1999, things were not as they are presently. So much has changed since I entered the hallways of what was then the Magister building. We exorcised the ghost of apartheid education when we renamed our building Sol Plaatje House, after one of the greatest intellectuals and freedom fighters our country.

We have built a real family, who care about one another's welfare and well-being. When I addressed you during the end of year function in December last year, I noted the work of the social and bereavement committee, the counselling service, and the Adult Basic Education and Training Programme. Initiatives like these give character to humanity. They show that we did not only advocate for our schools, colleges and universities to live by the values of human dignity and ubuntu, but we as a Department of Education led by example.

As we celebrate ten years of freedom, we also celebrate the great strides we have made at all levels of the education system. We are beginning to see real change taking root. We are moving into new areas, which have previously been neglected and we are building on the significant gains that we have already made. Indeed, you should all feel proud as it is through your dedication and commitment to education, which has enabled us to meet the objectives, which were set when I came into office in 1999.

However, we cannot now simply fold our arms; much more remains to be done. And I know that the new Minister of Education, Mrs Naledi Pandor, and the new Deputy Minister, Mr Enver Surty, can count on all of you to do your bit in tackling the challenges that lie ahead.

Although I shall no longer work with you as Minister of Education, I promise to add my weight to your efforts in my role as a Member of Parliament and in whatever capacity I may have in the next few years.

In closing let me salute each and everyone of you for your unstinting commitment to uplifting the quality of life of all of our people.

Hopolang hore Afrika Borwa eka atleha, ha feela batho bohle ba sebetsa mmoho!
Suid Afrika sal wen, mits haar mense saam werk!

Indeed, South Africa will win, provided its people continue to work together in a people's contract!

Pula
Ke a leboga
Baie dankie
Ngiyabonga

I thank you.

Issued by: Ministry of Education
3 May 2004

Source: Department of Education (http://education.pwv.gov.za)