Deputy Minister Thandi Moraka: SADC media welcome cocktail and documentary launch

Programme Director;
Ambassador Tebogo Seokolo, Chairperson of the Standing Committee of Senior Officials and the Head of Africa Branch;
Mr Clayson Monyela, the Head of Public Diplomacy at DIRCO,
Mr Zane Dangor, Director General of the Department of International Relations and Cooperation
Representatives from the German Development Cooperation, Distinguished guests,
And most importantly, Members of the Media,

Good evening.

Allow me to begin by warmly welcoming all members of the media who have travelled from across South Africa, the Southern African region and beyond to cover the 46th Ordinary Summit of SADC Heads of State and Government here in Durban. Your presence here is not only appreciated, but also indispensable.

The media occupies a unique place in our societies.

You inform. You educate. You investigate.

You hold institutions accountable.

And perhaps most importantly, you help societies understand themselves by telling the stories that shape our collective memory and define our shared future.

Every generation inherits a story. The question is whether that story is preserved, understood and passed on to those who come after us. If it is not told memories fade. If it is not documented, lessons are lost. And if it is not shared, future generations may never fully appreciate the struggles, sacrifices and achievements that shaped their present. That is why we are gathered here today.

The gathering which brings us this historic city and venue comes at a time when we as the Southern African Development Community are confronting several challenges, rapid climate change, high levels of youth unemployment and low levels of economic growth.

These are shared challenges which require us to collaborate meaningfully regional integration is no longer theoretical concept or a distant bureaucratic process, but as a living project that improves people's lives and expands opportunities for future generations. This challenge is particularly important in Southern Africa.

Where we share a deeply common heritage, which in-spite of the cruel intervention colonial borders has endured. Our bonds are rooted in migration. Mzilikazi's migration to Zimbabwe and subsequent establishment of Bulawayo makes the people of this very province inseparable from the people of Zimbabwe. This is true for every other province in South Africa and capital city in Southern Africa, we do not just share rivers and mountains, we share cultures and languages from Kwa-Mashu to Lilongwe.

Many young citizens across our region know SADC by name, yet they may not fully understand the history that gave birth to it, the sacrifices that sustained it, or the role it continues to play in advancing peace, stability, democracy and development.

Some people who part of my generation did not witness the solidarity of the Frontline States. But here I am as its beneficiary.

Many in this room and of this current era did not experience the formation of the Southern African Development Coordination Conference, or the evolution of SADC into the regional community we know today.

This reality informed the thinking behind the documentary we launch today.

The documentary entitled: "30 Years of South Africa's Contribution Towards Building a Common Future in the Southern African Development Community (SADC)" was conceived as a strategic public diplomacy and educational initiative. Its purpose is not merely to look back, but to help reconnect, with our history and our story regional integration with the people it ultimately serves, particularly young people.

This documentary reflects on South Africa's thirty-year journey within SADC. But more importantly, it tells the story of a region.

A region that chose solidarity over division.

A region that chose cooperation over isolation.

A region that understood that its future would be stronger if pursued collectively rather than individually.

It is therefore not simply a story about South Africa's contribution to SADC. It is equally a story about what regional solidarity has meant for South Africa.

Our democratic journey was nurtured by the support of the region. Our prosperity remains linked to the prosperity of the region.

And our future remains deeply connected to the future of Southern Africa as a whole.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Communication is not an accessory to regional integration. It is an essential part of regional integration.

Citizens cannot support institutions they do not understand.

Communities cannot take ownership of initiatives they know nothing about. And young people cannot inherit values and aspirations that have never been shared with them.

This is why the work of journalists, editors, broadcasters, photographers, content creators and communicators remains so important. You help bridge the distance between institutions and citizens. You help transform information into understanding. And you help ensure that regional integration remains people-centred rather than institution-centred.

It should not be that threshold for reporting about SADC is when there are crises only. We should also speak of the aspirations and acheivements of our community not just the hurdles we encounter.

As South Africa assumes the substantive Chairship of SADC, we remain committed to strengthening awareness of the regional project and bringing SADC closer to the people it serves. This documentary forms part of that broader effort.

Allow me to extend sincere appreciation to all those who contributed to this important initiative.

I wish to particularly extend our heartfelt appreciation to the German Development Cooperation (GIZ), through the Strengthening National-Regional Linkages in SADC Programme, whose partnership and support were instrumental in making this project possible.

I also wish to acknowledge the dedicated officials of the Department of International Relations and Cooperation, interview participants and production teams whose contributions helped bring this story to life.

Members of the Fourth Estate,

This documentary is not the end of a conversation. It is the beginning of one.

We hope it stimulates discussion.

We hope it deepens public understanding.

We hope it encourages young people to engage more actively with the future of our region.

And we hope it contributes to building a stronger sense of regional consciousness among the peoples of Southern Africa.