Allow me to express our warmest greetings to everyone present here this evening. I wish to personally thank Swami Ramkripananda and the Swamis of the Spiritual Council for inviting us to celebrate the Diwali Festival at the Chris Saunders Park in Umhlanga. The teachings of the Great Hindu Saint, Swami Sivananda is to Serve, Love, Give, Purify, Meditate and to Realize God through one’s daily action on this earthly plane.
One of the most popular festivals of Hinduism, Diwali symbolizes the spiritual "victory of light over darkness, good over evil, and knowledge over ignorance". It is also the day when Lord Rama returned from 14 year of Exile to establish Ram Rajya which means restoration of a just and equal society in the Kingdom of Ayodhya situated in North India. These planned activities give us the opportunity to reflect on what has gone before and reconnect with the light and spirit of Diwali or the row of lamps that guide us towards divinity. Swami Sivananda and his teachings are practical and universal. Swami Sivananda was a great synthesiser of religions working with all faiths to promote religious harmony.
He practiced the Hindu teachings of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam – The World is one Family. A great saint of the Divine Life Mission in South Africa was Swami Sahajananda whom I interacted with and opened many clinics during my term as MEC for Health. During the erstwhile KZN Government, the Divine Life built hundreds of schools, creches, clinics and peace Centres and together with pollical leadership of KZN, we attended many large religious functions and assisted the Divine Life Society to accelerate service delivery in the province. Swami Ramkripananda of the Sarva Dharma Ashram is one such servant that Swami Sahajananda produced and continues to work in the Chatsworth area.
I have been accompanied by the KZN Interfaith Committee led by Bishop Mhlokoane, Bishop Mambo Mkhize and Pradeep Ramlall.
From its earliest days, the Swami Ramkripananda of the Sarva Dharma Ashram in Chatsworth was noted for its organisational capacity and its dedication to the upliftment of the poorest of the poor in society. Swamiji feeds over 5000 people daily and educates hundreds of children through various means. He has empowered women through sewing skills and even providing them with an accredited certificate. During Covid Swamiji continued his humanitarian work in food relief to the greater part of Chatsworth and surrounding areas, mainly impoverished areas.
Together with the Swamis of the Sannyasa Spiritual Council of South Africa, they have joined forces with the Ethekwini Interfaith to provide relief work in the flood affected areas in April 2022. I am very pleased to see that the Swamis who are not attached to material possessions and have taken a vow of sacrifice (renunciation) towards serving humanity. It is in the true spirit of renunciation of this material body that the devote their entire life to God and his children.
I have seen many children at the Ashram in Chatsworth that have been given refuge and taken care of by Swamiji. The newly formed spiritual council of Swamis will help to give spiritual direction to the Hindu Community in meeting the needs of the community and its Seva Activities. I wish to applaud the formation of the new spiritual council of Swamis.
We should also recall the important role played by India in championing South Africa’s freedom struggle. It is this shared history that binds our two nations together.
My hope is that in the spirit of celebrating Diwali we reach out to all who have faced problems in our beloved country. We need to reflect on the injustices of what happened in Phoenix and start the process of healing and forging unity and Ubuntu. We have many great leaders to inspire us and Swami Sivananda is one such great Hindu Saint. Mahatma Gandhi also promoted Satyagraha and Ahimsa to overcome injustices of pain, divisions, sufferings and poverty.
I have over the past several years had the privilege of being associated with the Hindu Community and we have a shared common vision of working together towards promoting unity, coexistence and harmonious relations between all communities of our beautiful country. The rich tapestry of cultures faith and ethnicities is one of the great assets that makes South Africa unique in many senses.
This diversity is one of our core strengths which we must celebrate and cherish. I am indeed pleased to part of the process that has to the led the Sarva Dharma Ashram hosting this Diwali Festival to bring about unity and peace in our Province. I have visited the ashram in Welbedacht and participated in its functions which are conducted by young African children who even went to Delhi to perform the sacred Hawan Ceremony.
OUR INSPIRATION THIS EVENING IS RE- BUILDING AN INLCUSIVE ECONOMY
As we officially open the Diwali Festival we must use this moment to inspire all and install hope and renewal in all South Africans to collectively address the serious challenges that we are facing as a country. As a young democracy we have made major strides in addressing some of the major challenges of the past, however South Africa today is at cross roads.
The levels of poverty, inequality and unemployment continues to be a burden that we must all jointly shoulder and address. The low levels of economic growth, the severe energy crises, food shortages and growing levels of social discontent especially amongst the youth, necessitates serious and urgent attention. We need to as a collective put South Africa back onto the path of growth and recovery by relooking at some of our policy choices and ensuring that we address the plight of the poor and marginalized.
Economic growth, creation of decent jobs, opportunities for small scale entrepreneurs, ensuring that economic space is opened to the previously disadvantaged communities and ensuring opportunities up especially to our youth and women.
In order for South Africa to succeed, government and all sectors of society must work in partnership in mutual trust and mutual responsibility in ensuring that the country is revitalised and re-energized in realizing the ideals we set for ourselves at the dawn of our democracy.
In addressing the plight of the poor and those in distress including the time of natural disasters and calamities, I would like to pay tribute to the Sannyasa Spiritual Council for their humanism that you displayed in the extensive assistance you provide at the height of the floods in in KwaZulu-Natal.
Critically, we need to intensify the rollout of socio-economic development projects as civil society and businesses.
Tangible programmes for the upliftment of communities, pioneered by Sarva Dharma Ashram and the Sannyasa Spiritual Council will have a long-lasting impact.
Since the arrival in this country, the Hindu community has played an important role in nourishing all sectors of South African society, the political, economic, social, religious and cultural dimensions and South Africa is the richer for it. I do not have to remind you of the number of eminent leaders from the Hindu Community that played a sterling role in South Africa’s freedom struggle including sacrificing their lives. You continue to be an important and dynamic part of the economic life of South Africa.
Let us take inspiration from this Diwali festival to work together to build a stronger, more resilient, prosperous and inclusive South Africa where no one is left behind. Together we are stronger and together we will prosper.
Once again, I wish to express our appreciation to the Swamis of the Sannyasa spiritual council and all the organizers. We thank you for coordinating this festival of inspiration. I wish all Hindus a Happy Diwali and Prosperous New Year.
This was a speech delivered by ANC NEC member Mkhize at the Festival of Umhlanga Ubuntu Diwali event on Saturday October 22.