UBUNTU, UNITY AND EQUALITY

Building Bridges To Become A Thriving Nation

By Ongama Mtimka External Relations Manager, Ubuntu Education Fund

Introduction

Diversity Month
Great initiative Good that students are taking the lead in its implementation Recipe for success for us as a nation how we transcend our dividing social lines to bring about social cohesion and unity

Ubuntu, unity & equality: keywords which all have to do with the kind of society we would like to become as a nation and the world post-apartheid and in the 21st century Now that we have achieved democracy and at least acknowledge our common citizenship, we need to build social cohesion and prosperity together

Thinking about ubuntu the origins

The translation of the saying umntu ngumntu ngabantu to a person is a person through other people to define ubuntu is simplistic the so what element is not explicit Compassion towards other people sympathy, generosity & charity (Love, effectively) A person is said to have ubuntu when they show acts of kindness to other people, just because they also are human beings, not because they are friends, acquaintances or even known for that matter Human beings across cultures do actually have Ubuntu not necessarily an African phenomenon in

Thinking about ubuntu the origins 2

Ubuntu must have emerged during the times of economic self-sufficiency: subsistence farming arguably we are naturally compassionate Families were highly productive, produced more than they needed, enabling exchange and philanthropy Great spirit of generosity and greater sense of cohesion and unity Isisu somhambi asingakanani you should not limit the food you serve to a person thats travelling a long distance

Discussion

For us to have victories at a social level we need to have the right calibre of individuals who are genuinely committed to serve engage Is there a link between ubuntu and economic status? What lessons can we learn from Ubuntu to resolve some of the challenges we have as a nation

Our responsibility

The real test of a [person] is not when s/he plays the role that he wants for himself, but when s/he plays the role destiny has for him, Sren Kierkegaard Having been born in the transition period and post-apartheid, destiny or history has bestowed upon us the task to build unity and ensure we build a better and egalitarian SA The task of the generation before us was to bring out about freedom and they performed this task with great self-sacrifice and commitment

Our responsibility: NPC Report

Our responsibility
NPC states the 2030 vision for SA to address its challenges (read for further info) Targets for reducing poverty, unemployment, further industrialisation and economic growth In general our task is to ensure that we empower ourselves and work hard to achieve this SA dream better life for all What will it take?

Cadres of a special type

Latin American and East Asian Developmental states have had highly competent and efficient bureaucracies who worked hard to deliver services to people Integrity & honesty:

Crisis of corruption impedes on effective service delivery

Creativity & Innovation

We must continue to reflect critically on what we do so we can find new ways of doing things Successful countries have been great at innovation, we need to stop being a consumer state

Discussion

How do we work together towards a common goal when the need for redress (as evident in policies) has potential to alienate others?

Lets make the pie bigger

SA economic pie

Haille Selasse
Throughout history, it has been the inaction of those who could have acted, the indifference of those who should have known better, and the silence of the voice of justice when it mattered most that have it possible for evil to triumph

THANK YOU visit www.ubuntufund.org