South Africa celebrates Human Rights Day

Simamkele Vakaza

21 March 2016

Gauteng Premier David Makhura will lead the National Human Rights Day commemoration in Sharpeville. The theme of the celebrations this year is "Racism not in my name".

Gauteng Premier's spokesperson, Phumla Sekhonyane says, "This year’s theme is 'Gauteng United against racism'. Gauteng will be celebrating the day in a manner that reaffirms the commitment of the provincial government to a non-racial and non-sexist society."

On this day struggle heroes who fought against pass laws in 1960, are remembered. Apartheid police killed 69 people and wounded 180 others that were protesting against pass laws.

Meanwhile, the Pan Africanist Congress  says they will be taking part in Human Rights Day celebrations in Sharpeville and in the Western Cape.

 PAC spokesperson, Kenneth Mokgatlhle says,"Today we are very disappointed because those lives we feel like they were betrayed because we are not reaping the rewards that those lives were sacrificed for. 

We are going to be in Sharpeville but some of our comrades will also be travelling to Cape Town where we will be taking part in similar campaigns in Langa."