THE SPEECH OF THE NELSON MANDELA BAY MUNICIPALITY EXECUTIVE MAYOR, CLLR. Z.G WAYILE ON THE OCCASION OF THE HUMAN RIGHTS DAY ON 21 MARCH 2011-03-19

Senior leaders in Government

Leaders of the African National Congress and its alliance partners

Leaders of various political parties represented here today

Organised Labour and the Working Class at large

Organised Business

Religious leaders

Families of the victims of the KwaLanga Massacre

Members of the media

And the entire community of Nelson Mandela Bay, I greed you all in this wonderful Human Rights Day

We gather here today to commemorate yet another important day in the history of our country. Each time one of these important dates comes, there are always questions among a considerable number of people as to why we dedicate so much precious time to commemorate these events. Some have even gone to the extent of complaining that there are too many of them in South Africa that they cause a considerable disturbance to business.

There are two potential reactions to these questions. We can either lambaste at people for being ignorant or take time to explain our reasoning to them so they can understand. When we lambaste at them, people may become defensive and disinterested. So the best thing to do is to explain or perhaps educate them. Today I choose to educate about the importance of commemorating Human Rights Day.

The history of the advancement of the human race has, throughout the centuries, been characterised by appalling levels of oppression of one by another. Even though human beings are different to other species, because of their conscience and ability to reason, predator-prey relations have regrettably been at the centre of how we have treated one another, as if we are also ruled by instincts.

There have been individuals and groups of people in families, communities and in countries who have oppressed others and subjected them to their own will to advance their selfish ends. Slavery, Colonialism, fascism, apartheid, and even genocides and wars, among other things, have been examples of this domination in larger scales. The impact of these has been inequality in prosperity levels among what otherwise are equally created people. Some people have been super rich while others have lived in utter destitution. Some have had access to good quality education while others failed to make it through degrading education systems not worth their human dignity. Some have lived in tents for camping as a matter of choice while others lived and continue to live in shacks for lack of better alternatives. Some have lit candles in safe houses to create a romantic feel, while others have used them as the only source of light in unsafe homes always facing the possibility that they could cause fire that can lead the family to further destitution. All these have been results of manmade wealth for some groups and poverty for others.

However, just as long as there has been oppression, there has been a silent but sometimes loud voice crying for better lives for all in all parts of the world. While there have been a number of people or countries who have lived in a superiority complex, there has been a people who have believed in the noble principle of egalitarian societies and have cherished as a fundamental belief the ideal that all human beings are equal and deserve an equal chance at self-determination and wealth creation. This latter group of people has been the heroes and martyrs of liberation struggles of multitudes throughout history.

The Universal Declaration of Human Rights on 10 December 1948 following the end of the 2nd World War was an important milestone in the history of this global struggle against oppression of one by another and predator-prey relations as it were. Given its importance in the recognition of human rights throughout the world it was important that all member states of the United Nations participate in commemorating this day.

In South Africa there could not have been a better day to commemorate human rights day other than the 21 of March. This is the date on which heroes and heroines of our liberation struggle were massacred by the apartheid police in Sharpeville in 1968 and KwaLanga in 1985 during the so-called state of emergency.

When we celebrate this day, we pay homage to the slain heroes and heroines of our revolution; we remind ourselves of where we come from in order to understand the present; and we reflect on just how far we have come in our continuing struggle to create better lives for all.

Incidentally, this year we celebrate Human Rights Day just after elections were held in Haiti. What happens in that country is symbolically important for all former colonies in that it was in this country in the 19th Century that the world saw that it was possible for the enslaved and oppressed to overthrow dictatorships. The Haitian revolution is one of the most important milestones for Africans in the continent and the Diaspora and ought to be cherished in the history of the children of mother Africa in their continued quest for self-determination and better lives. Furthermore, waves of revolution have swept certain parts of the Middle East and North African region suddenly like a tsunami as millions of the oppressed are crying for freedom. Some have seen quick victories while others continue to fight on. The waves of revolution seem to be spreading to the subcontinent as the masses in Swaziland joined the global cry for democratic governance and accountability last week.

We also celebrate Human Rights Day just two months before South Africans exercise their democratic right to choose their government at a local level. This right which we now take for granted so much that some even choose not to exercise, was nothing more than a noble ideal 20 years ago. Truly, we have achieved the political aspect of the national democratic revolution.

While that is important, however, there remains a big task for us to continue the struggle until we achieve socio-economic liberation. The material conditions of living for many South Africans remain unchanged or are becoming worse as we continue to deal with the self-reproducing legacy of apartheid. Poor education, poor health care, unemployment and poverty continue to trap most of our people in perpetual poverty. Freedom has become meaningless for many South Africans with no impact whatsoever in their living conditions. So as we celebrate human rights day we remind ourselves that we are part of the ongoing global struggle by the oppressed to create better living conditions and recognition as equals in the land.

What this means is that we must continue to do all that is in our power to contribute to the broader objectives of poverty alleviation and job creation. Heroes in our time will no longer be people who sacrifice their lives at the hands of the enemy but will be people who go extra miles in sharing their fortunes with others and helping others reach their goals.

The critics of holidays may be right that dedicating a single day to celebrating historical milestones in itself does not necessarily mean we remain true to the ideals of those who sacrificed their lives in these days. Monuments built and historical days celebrated on behalf of slain heroes indeed do not necessarily mean we are committed to the causes they died for. The true commitment we can show towards slain heroes is continuing to dedicate all our lives 365 days every year to ensuring the advancement of their struggles.

No one is immune from this. Officials in government, political leaders in parliament and municipal councils, workers, managers and entrepreneurs in business and families and individuals in local communities all have a duty to play in advancing the cause of economic freedom. The phrase charity begins at home and the Xhosa proverb that ihlanza sihlamba esinye (hand washes another hand – literal translation) all prove to us that poverty alleviation or in fact the alleviation of social problems must first be fought at family and community level before they can be addressed at family level.

People must show care to one another so that we build caring families and communities first before we can take on the ambitious projects of creating caring companies and government bureaucracies. Uncaring institutions are results of uncaring families because such values as care are first natured at home before they get nurtured in society at large.

Therefore let us do all that we can at family, community and industry and government level to make sure that millions of people whose human rights and dignity continue to be undermined have better opportunities to change their lives. Lets us strive, through the values of self sacrifice demonstrated by our heroes and heroines to better lives for our fellow citizens.

I thank you.

Z.G Wayile