Dr. Jean-Bertrand Aristide Former President of Haiti

Bafowetu nodadewethu,
httpLwafika usuku olungaliyo! Usuku lokuvalelisa phambi kokubuyela ekhaya. Usuku lokubonga ngenhliziyo yonke uMongameli uZuma nohulumeni, uMongameli omdala uMbeki nomkakhe MaZanele, uTata othandekayo uMadiba nomndeni wakhe, abangane bethu baseUniversity of South Africa neWits University, nani nonke bafowetu nodadewethu baseNingizimu Afrika.

Mina nomdeni wami, ngeke sasikhohlwa lesi sikhathi eside futhi esihle esihlale la nani, enhliziyweni kamama Afrika.Umoya wobuntu siwubonile kusukela ngalolo suku lokuqala sihlangana nongqongqoshe uDlamini Zuma ngo 2003 ngalo kuze kube namuhla. Hayibo ! Okoko bethu vele bayaziqhenya ngathi wakathi siyakombisa ukuthi umuntu ngumuntu ngabantu. Halala Afrika! Halala izinkanyezi zobuntu zaseNingizimu Afrika!Ukuhlakhanipa kwokoko bethu kuyingqala! Ubuntu nodumo lweAfrika nalelizwe. Umhlaba udinga vele lokuzibamba ngomoya ophanzi. Izinkanyezi zobuntu mazikhanyise ezulwini nomhlaba wonke jikelele.

Kuyiqiniso uma kuthiwa: “Lapho kukhona uthando, indlela ikhona.” Yiqiniso ngoba uthando ngumoya omuhle ongakheti bala; uthando aluboni imingcele. Ngenxa yalo moya wobuntu, loluthando vele lwaluvutha ngaphakathi kithina, futhi sifuna ukuthi luvuthe izinsuku zonke.

Thina nomkami uMildred nabantwana bethu uChristine noMichaëlle, kufanele ukuba sihambe manje. Ngakolunye uhlangothi, sifikelwa usizi lokubashiya abangane abathandekayo, kodwa ngakolunye futhi, umoya wethu uthi cwa ngoba sibuyela ekhaya ngemuva kweminyaka esikhombisa. Futhi laphaya, eHaiti, bajabula kakhulu ngoba basilindile, bebefuna ukuthi sibuyele ekhaya ngokushesha. Kuyimvelo lokho! Iphupho labo lizofezeka. Ndawonye, sizoqhubeka ngokwabelana ngaloluthando olungapheliyo.

Yize iHaiti ikude nalapha, thina ma-Afrika nezizukulu zikaMama Afrika, sizokhumbulana kakhulu. Kuhle ukugcina amasiko ethu nezimpande zomndeni wase-Afrika. Asisoze sayikhohlwa leyo minyaka esikhombisa. Asisoze sazikhohlwa izimpande zamasiko ethu. Ngesikathi zonke sizobatshela abantwana nezizukulu zethu : Manikumbule lapho okoko bethu bazalelwe khona. Niqubele ngokubona lendawo eya eAfrika. Niqonde ngqo ngalo mgwaqo.

Bafowetu nodadewethu, kafushane, singabonga kanjani? Kealeboga ka pelo yame yotlhe. Sibonga kakhulu futhi kubangane bethu ababalwa kulezo zigidi ezingamashumi amahlanu zabantu abakhuluma isiSwahili. Kubo sithi: Rafiki zetu, salamu nyingi sana! Umoja ni nguvu, utengano ni udaifu. Mtu ni watu. Nanitakia kila la heri!

Bafowethu nodadewethu, sinifisela impilo enhle nokuhle kodwa. Inyanga kayizelaphi ! UNkulunkulu abe nani ! Ukwanda kwaliwa umthakathi !

Baie dankie. Tot siens !



17 March 2011

Dr. Jean-Bertrand Aristide Former President of Haiti
Pretoria, South Africa

(Translation from Zulu language)

Dear brothers and sisters.

The great day has arrived! The day to say good bye before returning home. The day to whole-heartedly thank President Zuma and the Government, Former President Mbeki and his wife Zanele, our beloved Madiba and his family, dear friends of the University of South Africa and Wits University, all of you, brothers and sisters of South Africa.

My family and I will never forget this long and beautiful time spent with you in the heart of Mama Africa. We saw the spirit of Ubuntu from the first day that we met with Minister Dlamini Zuma in 2003, until today. Indeed, the cleverness of our Ancestors is outstanding. Ubuntu is an honour to Africa and to this country. The world truly needs this philosophy. May the stars of Ubuntu shine in the sky over the entire world!

It is true to say: “Where there is love, there is a way out.” It is true because love is the great spirit that transcends colour; love doesn’t see borders. Because of this spirit of Ubuntu, this love burns inside of us and we want to keep it burning every day.

My wife Mildred, our daughters Christine, Michaëlle and I, must leave today. On one side we experience sadness in leaving our dear friends, but on the other hand, we are delighted to return home after 7 years. In Haiti also they are very happy because they were waiting for us and they have wanted for us to be back home as soon as possible. It’s normal. Their dream will be fulfilled. Together, we will continue to share this endless love.

Although Haiti is far from here, we Africans and descendents of Africans will remember each other. It is great to preserve our culture and the roots of our African family. We will never forget these 7 years. We will never forget the roots of our culture. We will always tell our children and great children: Remember the birthplace of our Ancestors, keep looking at the way that leads to Africa, go straight on that road.

Dear sisters and brothers, in short, how to express our gratitude?

(Isiswana language) Thank you from the bottom of our hearts!

(Zulu language) Thanks to our friends from among the 50 millions Swahili speakers. To them we say:

(Swahili language) Warm greetings, dear friends! Unity is strength, division is weakness. I am because we are. We are because I am. Best wishes to you!

(Zulu language) Dear brothers and sisters, we wish you a prosperous life and all the best!

(Afrikaans language) Thank you ! Bye bye !

17 March 2011













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