Programme Director and Samsung Electronics Transformation Manager, Ms Lenhle Khoza;

President and CEO of Samsung Africa, Mr Sung Yoon;

Samsung Electronics Director, Mr Hlubi Shivanda;

CEO of Habitat for Humanity, Mr Patrick Kulati;

Religious and Traditional Leaders;

The Community of Umbumbulu;

Distinguished Guests;

Ladies and Gentlemen;

Thank you for inviting me to address this important gathering where we are witnessing the positive impact that can be felt by individuals, families, and communities when business embodies the persona of a good corporate citizen.

This gathering demonstrates that, working together with business, civil society, and communities, we can find solutions to enhance human dignity, advance social justice, and deepen social cohesion.

Coming here this morning and thinking about the selfless service that we are celebrating, Margaret Mead’s words kept coming to my mind. It is her who said: “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful committed citizens can change the world: indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has.”

Today is thus surely a day of great joy and fulfilment for the community of Umbumbulu and the families who will be receiving these new homes to rebuild their lives and rekindle their dreams. It is day that marks an important and necessary change in their lives and those of their children.

On behalf of the recipients and all our citizens, we wish to extend our deep sense of gratitude to an excellent corporate citizen, Samsung, for this much needed investment.

Samsung continues to lead by example by working with communities and civil society to build strong communities and a strong future.

Across the world, Samsung has built a reputation of being known as a morally conscious company that utilises its strength and resources to benefit local communities.

We wish to thank you President Yoon and your management team for responding positively to the need to lend a helping hand in this community in the aftermath of the floods that ravaged Umbumbulu and many parts of KwaZulu-Natal in April this year.

The trail of destruction that was left by the floods remains fresh in our memory. The wounds of families who lost their loved are deep and still fresh, and will take a long time to heal. As the provincial government, we are heartened by Samsung for deciding to get involved in assisting our government to alleviate the suffering of the flood victims.

We also wish to take this opportunity to applaud the leadership and social activists from ‘Habitat for Humanity’ for their crucial role in working with Samsung to ensure that these decent homes have been built and are provided to the needy and most deserving members of this community.

We know ‘Habitat for Humanity’ to be a global non-profit organisation that is driven by a belief in a humane world where every person has a decent place to live. True to their ideals, they are known for building homes, communities, hope, dignity, cohesion and a brighter future.

By working together and forging such successful partnerships, we have answered the National Development Plan’s call to serve. The success that we are celebrating today is a positive sign that as stakeholders, we are living up to the vision statement of the NDP which says:

I am not self-sufficient alone.
We are self-sufficient in community.
Through our service we show our solidarity.
We enjoy the same quality of service.
We are connected through our caring.
The beating heart of our country is a community that has all the enablers of modern life:
• We have water.
• We use a toilet.
• We have food on the table.
• We fall asleep without fear.
• We listen to the rain on the roof.
• We gather together in front of heat.

By working together, we have set ourselves on a course to restore the dignity of our people through the implementation of the NDP, which puts the interests of the vulnerable poor at the centre of its vision.

Ladies and Gentlemen,
I have no doubt that in reporting to President Ramaphosa about this successful partnership, he will only be full of praise. The President visited our province and witnessed for himself the devastation of the torrent rains.
In his inauguration speech on the 25th of May 2019, the President made the clarion call and said,“ Let us forge a compact – not merely as business and labour, not as those who govern and those who are governed – but as citizens and patriots of this great nation, free and equal and resolute.”

Here in KwaZulu-Natal, we are proud to be associated with a dependable ally like Samsung. We consider it to be a partner with deep roots in this part of the country.

We have worked together with this global enterprise to establish the Samsung Electronics Engineering Academy which we launched in 2017 in KwaMashu. Samsung’s manufacturing plant is located at the Dube Trade Port and the company’s main warehouse and storage facility is in Cato Ridge. Like all other provinces, KZN is also a beneficiary of the “Caring4Girls” programme by the company which creates bursaries to support girls in schools as well as provide sanitary towels to girls in schools.

Today, Samsung working together with “Habitat for Humanity” and this community have enabled families realise the Freedom Charter demand: “There Shall be Houses, Security and Comfort” which South Africans from all walks of life articulated in 1955. They also said:
“All people shall have the right to live where they choose, be decently housed, and to bring up their families in comfort and security.”
We wish to make a special plea to many other companies to emulate the example of Samsung of balancing shareholders needs with those of their customers and communities.
We urge them too to collaborate with organisations like ‘Habitat for Humanity’ and help our government accelerate the delivery of decent shelter and sanitation, especially to the marginalised rural poor.
It is by working together that we will build the South Africa of our dreams – a South Africa that belongs to all who live in it, black and white, and which is united in its diversity.
Government cannot solve all its many challenges without the participation and commitment of the private sector.
We hope that all stakeholders, business in particular, will be encouraged to do more to selflessly serve and make a meaningful contribution to the reconstruction and development of our country. And may they be inspired by Rabindranath Tagore who said:
"I slept and dreamt that life was joy. I awoke and saw that life was service. I acted and behold, service was joy."
Ladies and Gentlemen, may we continue to serve in joy and Let Us Grow South Africa Together!
I thank you!