South Africans will unite against racism to celebrate Human Rights Day
The Month of March marks the Human Rights Month Celebrations in South Africa to remind all South Africans about the sacrifices that were made in the struggle for liberation and to celebrate the achievement of democracy in 1994. This year’s celebrations take place under the theme, South Africa United against Racism.”
In the recent months, the country experienced an upsurge in racist incidents that manifested themselves on various platforms especially on social media. President Jacob Zuma will address the national event, the Human Rights Day that will take place on 21 March 2016 at Moses Mabhida Stadium in Durban, KwaZulu-Natal.
The historical basis of Human Rights Day is attributed to the Sharpeville Massacre that took place on 21 March 1960 as residents of Sharpeville and citizens across the country, embarked on protest marches against pass laws. The apartheid police shot and killed 69 of the protesters at Sharpeville and many other people were killed in other parts of the country.
The tragedy came to be known as the Sharpeville Massacre and it exposed the apartheid government’s deliberate violation of human rights to the world. These events mobilised the international community into action against the apartheid government. The United Nations (UN) subsequently declared 21 March as the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination.
Speaking on the matter during the State of the Nation Address, President Zuma urged all South Africans to confront the demon of racism. He made a call that South Africans should devote their time to anti-racism campaigns in which organisations and the public across the board join in a coordinated national effort and pledge to fight racism at all levels. The President declared that Human Rights Day 2016 be commemorated as the national day against racism and as a foundation to lay a long-term programme on building a non-racial society.
The month of March therefore is an opportunity for all South Africans to improve their understanding on what constitutes racism and to have a constructive national dialogue on how to address it. South Africans need to be united on all fronts to address the scourge of racism.
This year’s commemoration coincides with the 20th anniversary of the signing of the final draft of the Constitution into law and the 60th anniversary of the 1956 Women's march to the Union Buildings. The signing of the Constitution took place in Sharpeville on 10 December 1996. The Constitution laid the foundation for a democratic and open society in which government is based on the will of the people.
Government will host various activities throughout the Human Rights Month to remind all South African residents to continue working together to further consolidate democracy and celebrate the achievements of 20 Years of the Constitution.
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