Human Rights Day – are we doing justice in celebrating this day?Despite a constitution that guarantees our human rights, Xolisile Copiso believes that attaining these rights is still linked to the colour of your skin and to a person’s economic position in South African society. Instead of celebrating the day we should be using this day to fight the injustices that continue to prevail.
March 21 has passed and the South African public celebrated the day in different forums to mark their rights as human beings. These rights are guaranteed by the South African constitution and are the culmination of the events that took place 47 years ago in Sharpeville. This day is significant to those that were directly or indirectly affected by the history which led to the declaration of March 21 as a public holiday.
Uthini?Kufanele engabe sisebenzisa Usuku Lwamalungelo Abantu ukulwa nezinto ezingesibo ubulungiswa, kusho uXolile Copiso. Uthini?INumsa Ekurhuleni igubhe usuku lokunakekela izingane lwamazwe omhlaba ngokunikeza ukudla nezipho kwabeswele emikhukhwini eGermiston. Ucabangani ngalolu shintsho kulokho okujwayelekile?
Is it possible for us to say without fear that indeed our human rights are not subject to your economic position in South African society?
One of the critical rights that is guaranteed which determines whether a person is a human being or not is that of human dignity. Human dignity is broad but even though that may be the case it can be narrowed down to fewer things that determine your being. Those few things are access to work, a house, security and to basic services. Based on these few things that I’ve highlighted and comparing them with the profile of the Chris Hani District Municipality (CHDM) I’m left with no option but to conclude that the human dignity that is guaranteed by the constitution is a myth.
Wat síª jy?Xolisile Copiso síª ons moet Menseregtedag gebruik om ongeregtighede te beveg. Wat síª jy?Numsa se Ekurhuleni-streek het Internasionale Kindersorgdag gevier deur voedsel en geskenke aan behoeftiges in “˜n informele nedersetting naby Germinston te gee. Wat dink jy van hierdie verandering van die norm?
This is based on fact – 33% of the population of CHDM has no annual household income. Only 1% is on more than R307 201. It will be naí¯ve of me to disregard the fact that this municipality is rural but then so is the rest of Africa. That does not suggest that rural people are not entitled to human dignity which they have not tasted let alone enjoyed in the new dispensation. This is a lovely part of the country. It is blessed with mountains and Blue Cranes which are the national bird. The nature that exists in this part of the country is longing for enjoyment but unfortunately only the haves continue to have the luxury to do so. They do that with arrogance and disregard for human dignity because you continue to see them driving their 4x4s or farm bakkies sitting alone in front with blacks experiencing the bitter cold at the back of the bakkie.
Na le reng?Re lokela ho sebedisa Letsatsi la Ditokelo tsa Botho ho lwantsha ho se be le toka, ho rialo Xolisile Copiso. Na lona le reng?Lebatowa la Numsa la Ekurhuleni le ile la keteka letsatsi la matjhaba la tlhokomelo ya bana ka ho fana ka dijo le dimpho mafutsaneng le dibakeng tsa mekhukhu mane Germiston. Na lona le nahanang ka phetoho ena ho se neng se se se tlwaetswe?
In this part of the country people are mostly treated according to the colour of their skin especially at the workplace. One factory that I visited two weeks ago has two tea or change rooms – one fully maintained with the necessary toiletries, microwave, fridge etc which is only used by whites and some coloureds and another room which is used by Africans. Are we doing justice in celebrating this day? Are we supposed to be ignorant and celebrate what does not exist? Should we not use this day to fight the injustices that continue to prevail in our societies as it was done at Sharpeville? That would be a better way of acknowledging the role that was played that turned the tide in 1960.
You be the judge!
Celebrating international children’s dayTo celebrate international children’s day this year, Ekurhuleni region broke from a long tradition. Instead of treating Numsa members’ and their friends children to food, the region identified a group of “children that are more needy than our children” says Ekurhuleni gender coordinator, Maria Bogatha. “We think most of them probably never ever receive gifts!” Bogatha says.
With donations from Trident Steel, Timken, Siyahambi and Atlas Copco the region was able to buy toys and feed lunch to almost 100 children at the Good Hope Pre-School in Kutalo, an informal settlement in Germiston. The three-roomed shack bubbled with excitement as small children lined up for their toys and then sat down to eat and drink their fill. For crí¨che mother, Jone Louw and her team of “˜mothers’, the day was a “gift from God” and a break from their long day where their first child arrives at 5.30 in the morning and the last one leaves at 5.45 in the evening.
The bulk of the children do not pay. “How can I expect them to pay when most of their parents are not working? The only income the family has is from the child support grant!”
Those that do work pay R60 for an older child (10 of the children) while parents of babies pay R100 a month (18 of the children). For the rest, Louw relies on “social welfare and God” to provide for the food that she dishes out to her charges.