Pretoria: President Cyril Ramaphosa has reaffirmed South Africa’s commitment to fostering national unity and advancing human rights since the dawn of democracy. Highlighting the country’s strides in acknowledging historical injustices while promoting reconciliation, President Ramaphosa emphasized the significance of 21 March as a day dedicated to human rights advancement.
According to South African Government News Agency, President Ramaphosa, in his weekly newsletter, noted that South Africans have enjoyed greater freedoms and rights since democracy’s inception. He highlighted the independent judiciary and democratic institutions as pillars that citizens can rely on when their rights are threatened. The President expressed pride in the nation’s successive free and fair elections since 1994, which underscore the people’s confidence in their ability to influence governance.
President Ramaphosa stressed that all South Africans, irrespective of race, gender, or cultural background, enjoy equal rights protected by the state. He underscored the constitution’s guarantees for racial, cultural, and linguistic groups to enjoy their cultural practices and languages. He warned against divisive politics and false narratives suggesting persecution based on race or culture, urging South Africans not to be swayed by international events that could incite division.
The President emphasized the importance of freedom of expression, noting that even offensive views are protected under the constitution, provided they do not incite violence or promote hate. He reiterated South Africa’s solidarity with persecuted and discriminated peoples worldwide, advocating for a renewed global human rights movement.
Reflecting on the upcoming National Human Rights Day, which commemorates the 1960 Sharpeville massacre where 69 protesters were killed by apartheid police, President Ramaphosa urged South Africans to take pride in their human rights achievements while committing to strengthening this culture. The event marks over sixty years since the tragic protest against apartheid’s pass laws, a pivotal moment in the nation’s history.