Transcript copy: Speaking notes for Home Affairs Minister Dr Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma during interview with eTV 360° prior to the election of the chairman for the African Union Commission African Union Commission, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

14 Jul 2012

Question: Minister, why are you running for this position [Chairman of the African Union Commission]?

Answer: (Minister Dlamini Zuma): Well, I am a citizen of the African continent and I have every right to run for any position that is available. But of course, I am also running because the region from which I come has decided to field me as a candidate for this position, a position that has not been held by the southern region for 49 years - since the formation of the Organisation of African Union and the African Union.

In addition to this, I think we can make a contribution to the African Union as our pan-African organisation and this is really what we would like to do - to make our humble contribution to the African Union.

Question: Minister, what contribution will you make to the African Union should you be elected?

Answer: (Minister Dlamini Zuma): No one person makes a contribution in an organisation. First of all I would have to work very well with the team and ensure we work with the team to really improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the organisation in carrying out its mandate.

Of course you know that decisions are taken by member states but then there are certain things that the African Union, as the Commission needs to implement. And I think we need to sharpen that end to be more efficient and effective.

Question: Minister, talking about efficiency, there has been a lot of criticism particularly about the African Union Commission that it has not delivered on its mandate to bring peace and security or economic development to the continent.  How will you improve this?

Answer: (Minister Dlamini Zuma): The important thing is that the African Union Commission has certain things its must do. And there are certain areas where member states themselves must do the work. But there are programmes within the African Union that have been agreed upon in the African Union - infrastructure programmes or programmes around agriculture, human resource development. Of course on peace and security we must always remember is that the primary responsibility for peace and security lies with the United Nations Security Council. 

It was simply because the Security Council was very sluggish in coming to African issues that Africa decided that it must itself have its peace and security architecture so it could move fast in making sure things do not fester until they become uncontrollable before the United Nations Security Council becomes involved. But this is primarily their responsibility. 

You see the Organisation of African Unity (OAU) liberated the African countries. Now we must develop economically, socially and culturally. And we need to develop our population. We know that Africa has the youngest population. We must ensure they are educated, healthy, skilled, they can become a big force for change in terms of our economic development. We need to look at our natural resources - how do we beneficiate them, how they can be used for the benefit of our people on the continent.

What I believe is that we need to agree on a few things that we can all agree on and say we need to run with these and not look at what we differ on, rather on what we agree on. When we have agreed on the few things we want to run with, then let us run with them and ensure we implement.

Question: Minister, you talk about what we need to look at that unifies us but your candidacy has highlighted divisions based on linguistics and even regionally. What is your response to this?

Answer: (Minister Dlamini Zuma): I do not think that the divisions have arisen because of the campaign. What has happened is that there is a position that all member states were advised of by the African Union. It asked that if countries had candidates to field to fill these positions they should do so. And this is what we have done. This should be a democratic election that should not really be based on anything besides the capacity and the merits of the two candidates.

What has happened is that people have brought in all sorts of other extraneous issues. The important thing is that there are two candidates that are standing. One has had a full mandate and of course, if you have had a full mandate and if you want to run for a second term, the people you have been serving will vote as they think they should. The important thing is that if people were just concentrating on who are these candidates, what do they have to offer, there would be no divisions. When people begin to look at things like what languages people speak, and also just the issue of fairness is important because if you are family of nations, no group should feel they are on the margins. Southern Africa has tried - this is the third time they are trying so I think this is why they feel strongly but the important thing is what kind of candidate have they fielded and this is what people should be looking at.

Also, we are all equal in the African Union. There are no permanent members, there are no people with vetoes, we are all equal members and I think we should be treated equally. I do not see why as a citizen of this candidate I should not be treated equally.

Question: Minister, this is what your critics say: South Africa is biting of too much; South Africa is a member of the G-20, BRICS and now it wants someone who has contributed a lot to its own country to have the position of chairperson of the Commission?

Answer: (Minister Dlamini Zuma): This is precisely what I am saying - we are all equal in this Organisation. There are no big countries. You can talk about this in the United Nations. You have the P5 who are members of the Security Council and who have the power of the veto. Nothing goes in the Security Council without the agreement of all five. There is nothing like this here - we are all equal. We are all equal members, we have one vote, there is nothing different.

And secondly, South Africa is not running as a candidate for the African Union.  Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma is running as a candidate for the African Union. And if elected, it will be me who will be here, not South Africa. So, I do not understand what is meant by South Africa is stretching and is everywhere. Yes, we may be in BRICS, they are a member of the African Union and if I am elected, I will be working here full time. I will not be stretched between South Africa and Addis Ababa and I will be implementing what has been agreed by the African Union, not what has been agreed by South Africa. So I think it is just a red herring, this whole thing about South Africa. It is red herring, just as it is a red herring to talk about Francophone and Anglophone. Now I am told you cannot have an Angolophone and an Anglophone as chair and deputy chair. In the previous commission the Chairperson, President Konare was Francophone, the Deputy Chair from Rwanda was Francophone. There was no problem. Why is this a problem now?

Why are we having these rules that are being made as we are going along. It did not happen 100 years ago. It happened now, before the current chair's term. And there was no problem. Now if there is a possibility of South Africa and Kenya it is becoming a problem and I think the African Union should just look at the merits and decide and leave all these other issues.

Question: Minister, many people have noted your great technocratic abilities in turning around institutions with challenges as Minister in various portfolios. Will you do the same thing at the African Union should you be elected?

Answer: (Minister Dlamini Zuma) Well, should I be elected I will first have to see what is going on and then like a doctor, you first diagnose and then you treat. I will have to take it from there.

Issued by the Department of Home Affairs, July 14 2012

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