The stage is set, comprehensive preparations have been finalised and Durban is prepared to host the 46th Ordinary Summit of SADC Heads of State and Government at the Inkosi Albert Luthuli International Convention Centre (ICC).
The summit kicks off today at the ICC in Durban, with leaders from around the regional bloc poised to engage on matters that will impact the future of Southern Africa and its people.
At a welcoming dinner hosted by President Cyril Ramaphosa for the regional leaders, Minister of International Relations and Cooperation Ronald Lamola highlighted the coastal city’s historic role as a hub of regional unity, struggle and diversity.
Lamola described the Inkosi Albert Luthuli ICC as a fitting host for the summit, particularly with regard to the liberation hero it is named after.
Speaking on the life of Inkosi Albert Luthuli, Lamola described the leader’s life as a reflection of the “interconnected character of Southern Africa” even before the words ‘regional integration’ entered the Southern African lexicon.
Luthuli was born near Bulawayo, which is in present day Zimbabwe, into a family with roots in then Natal and he later returned to the province as a teacher, traditional leader and a President-General of the African National Congress.
“His life reminds us of the bonds that connect the peoples of this region. Durban itself is a repository of that history. Here in Durban, women, some with roots extending beyond South Africa, rose against a regime that sought to dispossess them of one of the few economic activities open to African women as the time, the sale of traditional beer.
“It was also here that workers carried the struggle for dignity and democracy…mostly notable during the Durban strikes of 1973. A year later, Durban was a sight of one of the two Viva Frelimo rallies planned in 1974 to celebrate a major breakthrough of Mozambique’s struggles against Portuguese colonialism,” Lamola said.
The minister added that the city itself is a reflection of South Africa’s diversity and the “many hands that build our cities, drawn from across South Africa, across our region and from as far afield as the Indian subcontinent”.
“This history makes Durban a fitting place from which to imagine the future of our region – a peaceful and inclusive region in which all our people can enjoy sustainable economic wellbeing, justice and freedom.
“[Today] the hard work begins of the summit. We will confront important questions about the state of our region and the progress we are making towards Vision 2050,” Lamola stated.
Safe and secure
Meanwhile, police spokesperson Brigadier Athlenda Mathe has moved to assure heads of state, officials and delegates that security measures are in place to ensure a smooth event, adding that police have left nothing to chance with meticulous planning.
“We are aware of the planned marches ahead of the heads of state meeting and we can assure the people of…South Africa that we have put adequate and sufficient measures in place to ensure that there are no disruptions to this regional event.
“We are urging the demonstrators and protestors to respect the rule of law and to protest peacefully and lawfully. We will not allow any criminal incidents and activities, we will not allow intimidation, disruptions and threats that are being made to various Heads of State.
“We would like to assure the participants of the summit that the measures that we have put in place are quite sufficient, they are adequate, we have enough members on the ground to ensure that this event takes place without any major incident,” Mathe stated.
She noted that police have been hard at work at all summit build-up events and meetings with no disruptions or incidents reported.
“The NATJOINTS [National Joint Operational and Intelligence Structure] has a proven track record of ensuring the safety and security of major events in the country so we are quite confident that this event, too, will take place in a safe and secure environment,” Mathe assured. – SAnews.gov.za
