TRIBUTES were paid to Mr Kader Asmal, the South African Minister for Water and Forestry, when he addressed the Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs yesterday.
The members spoke of the dedicated, tireless work he had put into the Anti Apartheid Movement when he lived in Ireland and they congratulated him on being made a minister in Mr Nelson Mandela's government.
Mr Moosajee Bhamjee TD, a native of South Africa, said he was delighted to see Mr Asmal back in Ireland. He had always thought that Mr Asmal would become a member of the Irish parliament. Now they were both in parliament, Mr Asmal in South Africa and he in Ireland.
Senator Sean Maloney asked if, now that peace had come to South Africa, Mr Asmal had any advice on how it could be brought to Northern Ireland?
Senator Mick Lanigan said it was good that local government was given such importance in South Africa. He agreed with Mr Asmal that local government was the heart of democracy, yet Ireland was the most centrally governed nation in the world.
Other members expressed concern about the problems in Mozambique and the hope that South Africa might be able to play some part in resolving these.
Replying to questions, Mr Asmal said he would have to be discreet because he was now a minister and could not go into the questions of Northern Ireland and local government in Ireland.
Earlier, in his address to the committee, Mr Asmal said the transition of power in South Africa had been successful and Mr Mandela had shown great leadership. There was enormous unemployment and they were working towards creating jobs. They were also trying to minimise borrowing. They had just adopted their written constitution and South Africans took great pride in this document.
They had come from the evil of a monstrous system to a Government of National Unity, which showed great maturity.
Mr Asmal said he hoped that Ireland, especially now that it held the EU presidency, could help, especially in matters relating to trade. He stressed the importance of water in a country like South Africa and said he was working to ensure it was supplied to all areas.