Mr. Deputy President, Ministers, Ladies and Gentlemen, Thank you for inviting me once again to your magnificent country to explain, from an overseas perspective, the nature of the battle before us. When I started my company, Greenwich Mean Time, in 1995, my colleagues and friends said that I was crazy. The united opinion back then was that the year 2000 problem affects old computers, old programs, and thus large companies. Perhaps you even believe that today. Well it is wrong - very wrong.
Today marks a watershed event for the future of South Africa.
Today I can finally tell those of you who have a moral responsibility to lead this great country, that the year 2000 problem inside that innocent looking PC on your desk is worse than the mainframe issue. And today, I can tell you, that most South African companies and government organisations do not understand this. Today, with 500 days until the end of this century, we are faced with a battle on many fronts. Due to the excellent work of the NY2KDSC, and the foresight of some of your ministers, South Africa is relatively well aware of the problem. We have also formed a triumvirate with the UK and Australian governments to share knowledge and experiences.