E/CN.4/1999/15/Add.1
page 9
may appease the frustrations caused by the amnesties granted to the
perpetrators.
28.
The Commission has tried to make clear that the
reconciliation is a collective undertaking which must
Africans regardless of any distinction, thus enabling
slowly towards a common destiny enabling it to escape
past.
2.
fostering of unity and
be tackled by all South
South Africa to proceed
from the demons of the
Reconstruction and Development Programme
29.
The reconstruction and development programme is the instrument for the
transformation of South African society. A governmental programme devised by
the ANC and its partners, its objective is to reform economic and social
conditions for the majority of South Africans left wanting by the apartheid
regime. It will attempt to eliminate from all sectors of the economy and society
(employment, industry, agriculture, culture, health, security) the divisions and
disparities bequeathed by apartheid.
30.
The Programme is structured around five main sub-programmes : meeting
basic needs; human resources development, construction of the economy,
democratisation of the State and society, and implementation of the actual
reconstruction programme.
31.
The interest of the Programme for this study is that it focuses on the
implementation of economic, social and cultural rights as well as on civil and
political rights. In that regard, the government considers that its first
priority is “to begin to meet the basic needs of people, i.e. to provide them
with jobs, land, housing, water, electricity, telecommunications, transport, a
clean and healthy environment, nutrition, health care and social welfare. This
includes programmes to redistribute a substantial amount of land to landless
people, build over one million houses, provide clean water and sanitation to
all, electrify 2.5 million new homes and provide access for all to affordable
health care and telecommunications.”
32.
The development of human resources “deals with education from primary to
tertiary level, from child care to advanced scientific and technological
training. It focuses on young children, students and adults. It deals with
training in formal institutions and at the workplace.”
33.
Concerning civil and political rights, the government believes that
implementation of the programme must involve all levels of South African
society. This aspect of the reforms determines a new role “under the
Constitution and Bill of Rights for national, provincial and local government,
the administration of justice, the public sector, parastatals, the police and
security forces, social movements and NGOs.” It sets up a democratic information
system aimed at promoting socio-economic development. The active role being
played by civil society in the establishment of democracy in South Africa is
discussed below.
34.
The Special Rapporteur was able to see for himself how the programme is
being implemented in education, at municipal level, in the army, in the police
and in the legal system :