The celebration of Human Rights in 21 March

It was on March 21, 1960, that police in Sharpeville opened fire on a crowd of demonstrators as they opposed draconian pass laws put in place by the apartheid state.

About 69 protesters were shot and killed, many of whom were running away. In other sections of the nation, even more people died. The incident, which became known as the Sharpeville Massacre, made the world aware of the apartheid government's intentional abuse of human rights.

Sports, Arts and Culture Minister Nathi Mthethwa and Deputy Minister of Justice and Constitutional Development John Jeffery were in attendance for the launch of Human Rights Month under the theme “Consolidating and Sustaining a Human Rights Culture into the Future”.

Jeffery emphasised the importance of making sign language the 12th official language in South Africa.

“This is to give dignity to people who are deaf, (to show them) that their language, or the language that they communicate in, is being recognized,” said Jeffery

 

Done by: Alungile Njemla