PRESIDENT Cyril Ramaphosa says the Sharpeville protest against the pass system in 1960 was a struggle for social and economic rights.
The president said this is why government, working in partnership with social partners and civil society, is striving to give effect to the principle that human rights are not negotiable.
Ramaphosa delivered the national message on Human Rights Day.
This year’s Human Rights Day marks the 61st anniversary of the Sharpeville massacre, where 69 black people were brutally killed by apartheid police during a protest march against the abuse of their human rights.
“Over the past year, government, working in partnership with social partners and civil society, has given effect to the principle that human rights are not negotiable,” said Ramaphosa.
“We have strived to meet our many obligations under the Constitution and the Bill of Rights that is the cornerstone of our democracy. Through the provision of care to the sick and social support to the vulnerable, we have worked together to give effect to the most important rights of our people – the right to life, to health and to dignity.”
He further said that in recognition of the severe impact of the pandemic on people’s livelihoods, government has implemented social and income support measures to support struggling households, workers and businesses.
“And in this, the next phase of our response to the pandemic, we are working to ensure that the COVID-19 vaccine is available to every person in our country,” said Ramaphosa.
“We have been able to weather the coronavirus storm in large part because of the strong culture of human rights in our country.”
- Inside Politics
