Phiwokuhle Mothemela
A survivor of the Langa massacre in Kariega (Uitenhage), Thozama Dyesha, says her life and the lives of other survivors and families of other victims have not changed since the incident back in 1985.
She was 28 when she was struck by rounds in her back, stomach, hand, and leg.
“Every year on the 21st of March, we receive food parcels and leaders go away only for them to come back the next year,” said Dyesha on Friday, during a Human Rights Day commemoration event.
Thirty-five people were killed and 27 more were wounded when apartheid-era police opened fire on the group who were attending the funeral of another person who was killed earlier by the police.
At the memorial site, Dyesha clung on to deputy president Paul Mashatile, where he, and several government ministers, including the minister of sports, arts, and culture, Gayton McKenzie, and premier Oscar Mabuyane, laid wreaths to honour the victims.
Later, and, despite the rain, a crowd gathered at the Derrick Ferreira Stadium in Kariega, where deputy-president Mashatile delivered the keynote address for the Human Rights Day Celebrations.
McKenzie, who spoke ahead of Mashatile, challenged him to fix the divisions that he said South Africans battle with.
In his response, Mashatile said: “The Sharpeville and the Langa massacres both starkly illustrate the grave human rights violations by the then apartheid government.”
“These tragic events exemplify the immense human cost of oppression and compel us to renew our commitment to building a society where such injustices are never repeated.”
He also said this year’s theme: "Deepening a Culture of Social Justice and Human Rights," is not simply a slogan, it is a commitment to ensure justice and equitable outcomes for marginalised people, requiring renewed commitment from all sectors of society.
“It calls on us to deepen our efforts in building a culture that respects and upholds human rights. This requires us to recognise the inherent value and dignity of every individual, regardless of their background, beliefs, or circumstances. It is important for us to actively confront the systemic inequalities that perpetuate injustice.”
He said the government’s commitment is reflected in the efforts of countless individuals fighting for justice around the world and in the sacrifices made by many on different fronts, including the brave South African Defence Force troops deployed to the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Mashatile also hailed Gqeberha social activist Pamela Mabini who was gunned down at her home in KwaZakhele two weeks ago.
“The task before us requires a unified effort, a partnership between government, civil society, business, and each citizen.”
“Let us embrace our responsibility to shape our nation's future by exercising our democratic rights and working together to build a South Africa where social justice and human rights are not merely ideals, but a lived reality for all,” Mashatile said.
