Address at the University of Western Cape

The University of Western Cape is rightly recognized not only as an institution of learning but also as a place of vision, struggle and hope. The university has given so many young people a decisive start in adult life, shaped their characters, given them knowledge and an appreciation of the need to grasp context, not only to understand facts.

When I accept this honour today, I do so on behalf of the thousands of Norwegians who were a part of the long struggle against apartheid.

The freedom of South Africa was won by the South Africans themselves. We had the privilege to play a modest role in supporting you from afar. I take this prize as a token of what we have done together in the past - and as an encouragement to what we can achieve together in the future.

The University of Western Cape is today a focal point for academic cooperation between South Africa and universities in Norway - including my own Alma Mater - the University of Oslo. The cooperation was initiated in 1994 by the University of Tromsø, which is situated North of the Arctic Circle.

In fact, the Chancellor of this University - Archbishop Tutu - accepted a honorary doctorate at the University of Tromsø not too long ago. We still remember his visit to the northern part of cold winter-Norway. There - as wherever he travels in Norway - Desmond Tutu spread warmth, joy, insight and enthusiasm. It is not least due to his efforts, that this unique relationship was made possible.

Today - South Africa has crossed the doorstep to a new future. A demanding and challenging future. Securing democracy, fighting poverty, fostering development, creating jobs, healthcare and education to new millions - it is a daunting task.

But the new South Africa will make it. The new South Africa has proved to be a winning nation. Bafana Bafana is possible because of a culture of achievement and commitment that I have seen all around me since I arrived here.

Regardless of the size of future challenges - very little can compare with what you have already achieved. Who had believed ten years ago that such watershed changes could take place in such a peaceful and conciliatory manner? South Africans have thought the world invaluable lessons. And the new South Africa will continue to do so.

Building the new South Africa is above all the task of the younger generation. Your success will depend on the way in which you manage to develop the extraodinary potential of the human resources of your country. To a large extent - universities and the broad range of educational institutions hold the key to the future of South Africa.

What South Africa needs now is a growing economy and firm redistributive policies. Human knowledge is the ultimate resource as an engine of growth and change. It is not natural resources in themselves that give us wealth. If resources alone could make us wealthy, we could have reached a high standard of living millions of years ago. Waterfalls did not become a source of general wealth until Benjamin Franklin helped us understand electricity. Similarly, oil yielded little prosperity until Henry Ford found new ways to make use of it.

Similarly, it is not gold or diamonds that will make South Africa prosperous, but the riches of its people and the educational institutions that serve those people.

Knowledge is an infinite resource. There is more than enough for everybody - if learning is made available to all and not only the few.

The strength of an economy depends on an equal spreading of a high level of education. The private sector and the market cannot handle this alone. Fostering academic elites yields much less if there are large groups with little or no competence at all. Education is a basic public good and should be a basic public service.

The messages coming from the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund in the 1990's sound different from the messages of the 1980's. Today's message puts a prime emphasis on the human factor - on education and on training. In order to succeed, emerging economies need a strong and performing public sector as a solid backbone of the national economy.

President Mandela made education the first of priorities in his speech to Parliament last Friday. His message was one of embracement - of inviting all to move together towards a non-racial, democratic and equitable educational system. The center piece of his strategy is to establish a quality-driven public school system, available to all South African children. This is a view that I fully support - based on our own experiences and tangible results.

For decades, Norway had little official contact with South African authorities. A government that would not maintain dialogue with its own people could not expect dialogue with the outside world. During those years of struggle, however, we developed a broad network between NGO's and individuals - including many in the academic field, several of them anchored at this university.

Today - relations are open. People travel and meet. Business invests and students exchange. Organizations and institutions establish direct links.

At last - our cooperation can be open and not clandestine. We have signed an agreement with the Government of South Africa on development cooperation and a five year program is now being implemented. One third of the resources will be channeled through NGO's to support promotion of human rights and democracy. One third will be directed towards business development with a particular emphasis on small and medium sized enterprises. And one third will be direct state to state cooperation with a particular emphasis on transfer of knowledge and experience in fields such as electrification, resource management, local administration and democratization.

A part of this support will be aimed at encouraging cooperation in the academic field. We do so - both because we believe we have something to contribute and because we know that we have a lot to learn. Your universities are fortunate to have excellent scholars and first-rate research. We can enjoy a mutual benefit of shared knowledge and pooled resources. The historical background, the cultural riches, unique natural habitats and untapped stores of ideas make you valued partners in the search for new insights.

The University is not a servant for the Government, but it can contribute to governance by subjecting the performance and policies of government to independent scrutiny. It can improve governance by supplying talent for governmental service. Your School of Government shows your full understanding for the important role of this University.

The function of the universities is not only that of critical opinion, but also a roster from which highly qualified key personnel will be recruited. I am impressed by the University of Western Cape's ability to adjust to new circumstances and to meet the challenges implied in the construction of the new democratic South Africa.

A major challenge is to build capacity so that new scores of young people can have access to academic opportunities. As a token of our support and encouragement - it is my pleasure to expand the scholarship program funded by Norway by 1 million Rand. May that fund provide new opportunities.

But university capacity is not only about numerical capacity - it is also about organization. One vital dimension on your agenda concerns financing schemes. In this field, we may have experiences to share. Over the years we have developed a public funding system where the government and the students share the total costs of education. This may be a field where our educational authorities can benefit from direct contact.

As graduates - students engage in public life. Too much talent around the world is focused on feathering one's own nest, rather than working for the common good. But you are the harbingers of hope for the destitutes who would give years of their lives to be in your position.

Attending university is a privilege. Enjoying that privilege means that you have a responsibility towards your country. As long as great differences remain among the South African people, this peaceful revolution is still going on. And the Universities must be the first line of soldiers in that ongoing struggle for full liberation.

Put your ears to the ground and listen to the marching of the millions. Thirsting for knowledge. Hungering for economic freedom. South Africa has taken its political freedom. The road ahead is long and dusty. You, the frontliners, must lead the way.

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