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C. Revell: Address to 2nd Africa Summit
Written by Princess Chantal Revell, National Khoisan Council, South Africa
Friday, November 23, 2018
Address to Africa Summit 2018, Cape Town, South Africa, Nov. 21–25, 2018
I greet you in my indigenous language. I would like to acknowledge the Royal House of Mandela and King Solomon who are in our midst. I would like to acknowledge the other indigenous chiefs and leaders who are in our midst. The leadership of UPF and every other esteemed leader who is in our midst. I welcome you to Cape Town as the first indigenous person, an indigenous woman who was brought up in Cape Town in an indigenous cultural way but did not know it until today.
We were the first people to embrace every other religion. We were the first people to embrace other cultures. We went through such turmoil and pain up until today, fighting to get our true identity restored, being known as the so-called colored, landless.
We know what it is to suffer. We know what it is to lose life and blood, fighting for the land. In 1999 Madiba gave us a platform called the National Khoisan Council to come and sit with our government and discuss our recognition formally, constitutionally. We are still doing that.
Looking at the world today, looking at the world in front of me, our indigenous people of South Africa, who will also live freely, come together in peace and extend a hand of peace in love, say the land of South Africa belongs to all who live on it but yet it is not for us.
It is causing so much turmoil, so much trouble. Nearly a 15-minute drive from here on the Cape Flats, youngsters die by gunshots. It's like a war zone out there because of loss of identity and a loss of love and peace, instead there’s fighting for recognition, fighting to be a part of the world.
Today, I thank you, the leadership of UPF, for bringing peace into Cape Town, South Africa. And let us also be a part of this platform, let us also be a part of you, as the human race, to restore peace and dignity to my people, who are very much alive. The values of family are very much alive. And, we are saying, let us share everything in this world, in this country, and not be sidelined any more.
I thank you from indigenous peoples, in Jesus’s name.
To go to the 2018 Africa Summit Schedule page, click here.