Grand Opening of the Church of Scientology Johannesburg

Dr. Ben Ngubane, Minister of Arts, Culture, Science and Technology

Distinguished ladies and gentlemen, before I continue, I think it is highly appropriate that I thank the Church of Scientology, particularly the Citizen's Commission on Human Rights for exposing the most horrendous practices of apartheid—their system of mental treatment of people. They created horrendous camps, there was untold suffering and people were totally dehumanized. The Church of Scientology through the Citizens Commission became a real thorn in the side of the apartheid government and of course it was for the better for those who suffer from those conditions. So thank you.

It is my honor on behalf of the Ministry of Arts, Culture, Science and Technology of the Republic of South Africa, as well as on behalf of our national government to be here at this opening of the new Church of Scientology Johannesburg. This is a welcome addition to the culture of our nation.

More importantly it establishes a base to contribute to our ongoing transformation.

From this place, your Church can provide the three elements essential for realizing this transformation.

The first and most important element is literacy.

Scientologists have contributed to the educational base of our country through the "Education Alive" program. This program is having real impact on many, many young people of this country. It has been an initiative that has covered four decades of the activities of the Church of Scientology in this country.

They delivered the study technology of L. Ron Hubbard to hundreds of thousands of students and teachers — even in the face of apartheid-era opposition — and all through the support and contributions of your parishioners.

I have seen the value and power of this technology first hand. I have seen the transformation of gang leaders and members who had been illiterate and involved in crime and drugs. Here, they were studying and learning to read and write, becoming productive members of society, free of drugs.

Younger children were teaching their elders, while gang leaders became tutors.

I've also seen the results of a program run in the rural community of Bizana in the Eastern Cape, where pass rates went from 19-percent to 57-percent after just five weeks — using Mr. Hubbard's study technology. These methods of study represent a revolution in comprehension and the speed with which education and assimilation of knowledge can be accomplished. These are necessary assets for building our country, or any country for that matter.