Chairperson, Evidence Leaders, Commission Staff, I appear before this Commission at the request of the commission but also to assist the commission in its work, and

I make this opening statement, on behalf of the African National Congress.

I appear here in my capacity as ANC President, having been elected to this position at the ANC’s 54th National Conference in December 2017.

Today, as the COVID-19 outbreak is spreading rapidly across the globe, it constitutes the most urgent and serious challenge to both the health of the humanity and world peace and development.

Faced with this unprecedented situation, we, major political parties of various countries tasked with the weighty responsibility of improving people’s wellbeing, promoting national development and safeguarding world peace and stability, hereby issue our joint appeal as follows:

Saturday, 11 May 2019

The People of South Africa have Spoken. They have spoken clearly.

In the same year that the nation celebrates the milestone of 25 years of freedom, South Africans through their actions have again consolidated the gains of freedom.

Again, the people of this country have gone to the polls in their millions, bracing extreme weather conditions and logistical challenges, as they did 25 years ago.

South Africans have once again risen to the occasion and demonstrated that our democracy is deepening, robust and maturing.

09 May 2019