Accra, Aug. 4, GNA - Dr Tshenuwani S. Farisani, Speaker of Limpopo Parliament in South Africa, on Friday said the return of Ghana to civil constitutional rule had made Pan-Africanists all over the world very proud.

He said most Africans wept when Ghana fell into military dictatorship and economic hardships because: "Ghana is the mother of African liberation and her depression and failures are bound to have effect on true Africans."

Speaking in an interview with the Ghana News Agency, Dr Farisani said: "Throughout my life, I have always admired Ghana for her unrelenting support for the African liberation movement and the projection of the African personality."

Dr Farisani was a delegate at the just ended week-long conference of the Commonwealth Parliamentarian Association. He said the overthrow of Osagyefo Dr Kwame Nkrumah in 1966 made enemies of the Blackman very happy as they always used the misfortune of Ghana and other countries as a pointer to the consequences of self-rule in Africa.

He said during the days of Apartheid, the white racists spared no effort in castigating and ridiculing the African National Congress (ANC) and other progressive forces and what they intended doing with the free South Africa.

According to Dr Farisani, Ghana personified blackness, independency, courage, refuge and above all the rehabilitated African. He said he was impressed by the modest achievement of Ghana in the economic and social fronts and expressed the hope that Ghana would continue to walk the path of good governance and democracy. He said South Africa had a lot to learn from Ghana to enrich her young democracy.

Dr Farisani said although the transition from a racist regime to a multi-party democratic regime had been swift in a sense there were a lot to do to raise the standard of living of all South Africans. He said South Africa under the ANC Government was already experiencing prosperity among the black population, who used to be hewers of wood and drawers of water.

He said under a broad black economic empowerment programme, the Government of South Africa had introduced various strategies such as tax holidays for infant industries conceived and managed by black people as well as encouraging joint ventures between well-established white people and inexperience black people.

Dr Farisani said South Africa would hold on to its belief in the "rainbow coalition" where all races, creeds and ideas are allowed to mingle and interact with each other freely.

He commended the local organizing committee of the CPA for "organizing such a wonderful conference where the best of Africa has been on exhibition".