SA review achievements, challenges on Africa Day

The South African Parliament has joined millions of people all over the continent in celebrating Africa Day. The two houses held a joint sitting to debate the achievements and challenges of the continent. Most political parties agreed that the continent has made important strides forward.

Baleka Mbete, the Speaker of the National Assembly, told the sitting that Africa's contribution to human civilisation was being downplayed. Mbete said Africa needed to re-write its distorted history. African countries celebrate the formation of the Organisation of African Unity (OAU), the predecessor of the African Union (AU) and political parties across the spectrum were united in the ongoing struggle to re-shape Africa's destiny.

Mbete said: "It's not as if when colonisers came to Africa they came and civilised Africa, in fact Africa did contribute to world civilisation and that's the issue our children must know."

DA criticises Zimbabwean and Swazi govts
Fatima Hajaig, an ANC MP, said when the civilisation of Egypt was teaching the Greek scholars about mathematics, medicine and complicated surgery, most of Europe was in the dark ages.

The Pan Africanist Congress (PAC) said Africa needed to stop recolonising herself by depending on aid from the West. Motsoko Pheko, the PAC leader, said Africa's plan must include an Africa that does not export raw materials and import them back as processed materials at inflated prices. But, the Democratic Alliance (DA) was scathing. The DA criticised the governments of Zimbabwe and Swaziland for alleged gross human rights violations.

To give effect to the African spirit, a memorandum of understanding to strengthen co-operation in sport was signed between South Africa and Mozambique.