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Thabo Mbeki Quotes

South African Politician

Thabo Mbeki is a prominent South African politician who served as the President of South Africa from 1999 to 2008. He dedicated his political career to promoting democracy and economic development in South Africa and actively participated in African continental political affairs.

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All People South South Africa Needs Matter Economy Government Ifs Country Should Capacity Particular Continents Problem Process Has Beens Instance Issues Said Black

Famous Thabo Mbeki Quotes

“We identified various sectors of the economy, which we said were growth sectors. I have mentioned tourism. We said, for instance, agro-business. We grow a lot of food and fruit and things like that. It must be possible to process those.”

Said Grows Process Growth Economy Fruit Various Instance Tourism

Author:Thabo Mbeki

“One of the issues that I have raised in that context is our transport system, road, rail and ports. We have raised this before, that the South African economy has grown at a rate that has overtaken the capacity of the transport system. And therefore, we have said that it is necessary to expand our capacity in the ports.”

Said Economy Issues Capacity South Raised Rate South Africa Transport Port Rail

Author:Thabo Mbeki

“The Communal Land Rights Bill then said, since there would be those collectives set up in terms of the other legislation, there was no need for them to set up other structures to deal with the land issues.”

Needs Said Would Be Term Deals Issues Rights Land Bills Structure Collectives Legislation

Author:Thabo Mbeki

“Historically during the years of the White minority regimes, the State, the national Government held this land in trust for these communities. We said, but no, why should we do that ( return the land to the communities). We didn't say return the land to particular traditional leaders, but to the communities.”

Should Years Said States Government Community White Leader Land Particular Return Traditional Minorities Regimes

Author:Thabo Mbeki

“I come back to what I had said earlier: the policies might be there but are people benefiting from the policies? You do find that in many instances, though the policies exist, they are not having the necessary impact. That is a particular challenge in local government, because that is where all the services get delivered.”

People Said Government Might Challenges Policy Particular Impact Locals Instance Local Government

Author:Thabo Mbeki

“You can say to this unemployed family, people are indigent, that they must pay for water and this and that and refuse removal and so on. They have no money. We may very well say that, but does the municipality have the capacity to do it? So, that's why we said that we need to have a thorough look at the functioning of local government and that will include the financing. So that this poor person does indeed access that water.”

People Needs Wells Looks May Persons Doe Said Government Water Poor Pay Capacity Refuse Access Locals No Money Thorough Unemployed Removal Financing Local Government Municipality

Author:Thabo Mbeki

“I must say that, in the first instance, we got the request from many African countries who said, look, you people had better host the Parliament. So, the general feeling around the Continent was that it would be better that the Parliament was based here. In part, because of what this country has done with regard to establishing a democratic system, and we have responded to that. We have said, fine.”

People Firsts Looks Said Country Done Feelings Would Be Fine Regard Democratic Instance Host Continents Parliament Request

Author:Thabo Mbeki

“What moved us was not so much what would it do for South Africa, but there has been a great keenness on the Continent that the location of the Pan African Parliament must add to its credibility. And, so we said, fine, it's a contribution to this process of the democratisation of the African Continent.”

Has Beens Said Process Fine Moved Add South Contribution Continents South Africa Location Parliament Credibility African Continent Keenness

Author:Thabo Mbeki

“As I said, the matter of the Pan African Parliament was raised with us by other African countries who said we should host.”

Should Said Country Matter Raised Host Parliament

Author:Thabo Mbeki

“A number of African countries came to us and said, we request that South Africa should not field a candidate, because so many other African countries wanted to, and, in any case, South Africa would continue to play a role in terms of building the African Union, and so on. And they actually said, please don't field a candidate, and we didn't. As I have said, it is not because we didn't have people who are competent to serve in these positions.”

People Should Said Country Play Wanted Term Numbers Roles Cases Fields Position Building Please Unions South Candidates South Africa Request Competent African Union

Author:Thabo Mbeki

“Our troops are in Burundi. We were requested by African countries who said, look, the United Nations is not moving on this matter, can you people deploy people, so we can move Burundi forward.”

People Looks Said Country Matter Moving Nations United Troops United Nations Our Troops Burundi

Author:Thabo Mbeki

“We are not being arrogant or complacent when we are said that our country, as a united nation, has never in its entire history, enjoyed such a confluence of encouraging possibilities.”

Said Country Nations United Possibility Our Country Enjoyed Arrogant United Nations Complacent Confluence

Author:Thabo Mbeki

“If we only said safe sex, use a condom, we won't stop the spread of AIDS in this country.”

Ifs Said Country Use Sex Safe Safety Spread Aids Condom

Author:Thabo Mbeki

About the Author

Born: June 18, 1942
Known for: South African Politician
Quotes: 169

Books & Sources

Africa Define YourselfRelated source material

Africa: the time has come : selected speechesRelated source material

Speech of Deputy President, Thabo Mbeki, at the ANC National Constitutional Conference, March 31 to April 2, 1995, World Trade CentreRelated source material

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