[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 154 (2008), Part 6]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 7664]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




 RECOGNIZING THE CONTRIBUTIONS OF CONGRESSWOMAN MAXINE WATERS TO SOUTH 
                                 AFRICA

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. CHARLES B. RANGEL

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                         Thursday, May 1, 2008

  Mr. RANGEL. Madam Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Congresswoman 
Maxine Waters on receiving the Order of the Companions of OR Tambo 
Silver Award.
  Since 1980, Congresswoman Waters has worked tirelessly to improve the 
situation of the South African people. During the long reign of the 
apartheid regime, Representative Waters organized marches, participated 
in rallies and welcomed countless antiapartheid leaders to the United 
States. Spearheading the national divestment movement, Congresswoman 
Waters persuaded countless American corporations to withhold investing 
money in South Africa until apartheid ceased to exist. When South 
Africa held its first free elections 1994, Representative Waters was 
asked to be a member of the official U.S. delegation that attended the 
inauguration of the country's first black president, Nelson Mandela. 
Clearly, Congresswoman Maxine Waters played a vital role in ending 
apartheid.
  In my opinion, there is no one more deserving of one of South 
Africa's most prestigious awards. Congresswoman Maxine Waters devoted 
her career to ensuring that all people no matter their origin, race or 
culture, have the chance to experience freedom.

                          ____________________