Ramaphosa marks end of Mandela, Sisulu centenary celebrations
PRESIDENT Cyril Ramaphosa unveiled inscriptions of the country’s constitutional values at Parliament to officially mark the end of centenary celebrations in honour of Nelson Mandela and Albertina Sisulu on Tuesday.
Joined by dignitaries, parliamentarians and representatives of the Sisulu and Mandela families, Ramaphosa said the values “defined the great national endeavour of the last quarter century, inspiring our people, guiding our actions, setting our destination”.
He added that the inscriptions were not mere adornments. Instead, they were a constant reminder of the ideals of the democratic and more humane society that South Africa was still in the process of constructing.
Speaking to the guests and members of the media, Ramaphosa remarked on the symbolic importance of the inscriptions on the steps.
He said “the citizens of this country — and their representatives — who pass through these doors will be reminded of the fundamental principles upon which our society is founded”.
He continued that this reminder should serve to inspire reflection on “whether our daily actions advance or betray the cause of freedom and democracy”.
Speaking about the significance of the timing of this unveiling, Ramaphosa noted that “the human rights we celebrate on the 21st of March cannot have meaning without the values and principles inscribed on these steps”.
Referring to the inscribed values individually, Ramaphosa asked: “Are we contributing, each of us in our own way, to forging a society characterised by equality and diversity, unity and reconciliation? Are we building institutions that promote openness and participation, oversight and accountability? Are we pursuing a national programme that advances reconstruction and development?”
With the unveiling representing the end of the celebrations of the centenaries of Nelson Mandela and Albertina Sisulu, Ramaphosa said that “there are few South Africans who have embodied the values reflected here with such consistency and integrity as they did”.
He continued that “to immortalise Nelson Mandela, Albertina Sisulu and many of their generation, we have to etch these values on our collective conscience to push the frontiers of human fulfilment and of human freedoms”. — Sapa DELAYING Brexit to June 30 would bring “serious legal and political risks”, the European Commission warned yesterday in an internal briefing note ahead of an EU summit.
Britain has asked to postpone Brexit to that date, but the commission, the EU’s executive arm, urged leaders to choose instead between a short delay to May 23 or a longer one “at least until end 2019”.
The European Council, which groups the member states, confirmed it had received the letter from British Prime Minister Theresa May asking for the delay, with leaders of the remaining 27 EU countries to decide on a possible postponement at their Brussels summit on today and tomorrow.
May needs more time because her lawmakers have refused to approve the deal she struck with the EU to leave the bloc.
Elections to the European Parliament will be held on May 23-26, and the commission said that if Britain is granted a long delay, it must organise ballots.
“Any extension offered to the United Kingdom should either last until 23 May 2019 or should be significantly longer and require European elections.
“This is the only way of protecting the functioning of the EU institutions and their ability to take decisions,” said the commission note, which was prepared yesterday morning before May’s letter was received.
It will be for the leaders to decide on the length of the extension – and all 27 must give their approval – but the commission said they faced a “binary” choice: May 23 or the end of 2019 at the earliest.
“Any other option (as for example an extension until 30 June 2019) would entail serious legal and political risks for the European Union and would import some of the current uncertainties in the United Kingdom into the EU27,” it warned.