Faizel Patel, Radio Islam News, 2015-03-21
As the country marked Human Rights Day on Saturday, the Ahmed Kathrada Foundation expressed concern about the resurgence of racism and interracial mistrust in South Africa.
The Foundation called on South Africans to mark Human Rights Day by creating awareness about, and pledging to fight against, racism.
21 March is commemorated as Human Rights Day in South Africa, and is marked globally as the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination.
The day is used to remember those killed in the Sharpeville massacre 55 years ago.
The Kathrada Foundation’s director Shan Balton said that while South Africans may celebrate the triumph over apartheid on this day, we should not forget that racism is still prevalent in our society.
Balton said political freedom and dignity was won through the defeat of apartheid and was entrenched through the adoption of the constitution.
However he said we cannot be hypocritical and celebrate our human rights record when schools are still racially divided.
“What we have found is a resurgence of racism embedded almost in many of our schools both public and private.”
Balton also raised concerns about the various forms that racism takes, providing an example of the recent xenophobic attacks in Soweto.
He said South Africans should use Human Rights Day to recommit to the ideal of non-racialism. – EWN
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