Pretoria - Government has officially launched the draft National Action Plan to combat Racism, Discrimination, Xenophobia and Related Intolerance in a consultative dialogue with key stakeholders, in Cape Town.
This consultative dialogue marks the beginning of public consultations to rally society to make constructive inputs to the final document of the National Action Plan (NAP) that will be submitted to Cabinet for approval.
It is envisaged that the NAP will form the basis for the development of a comprehensive policy framework to fight racism. It provides the basis for the development of a comprehensive public policy against racial discrimination and assists the country in giving effect to its international human rights obligations related to the elimination of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance.
It is also envisaged that it will provide for specific outcomes and a technical guiding framework for government’s policies, programmes and strategies to combat racial discrimination, and is a step towards complying with the obligation to give effect to the constitutional value of equality and non-discrimination.
Speaking at the launch of the draft plan, which also marked the first public consultation process on Tuesday, Justice and Constitutional Development Deputy Minister John Jeffery said the recent outbreaks of racial conflict shows that the country needs the NAP.
The incidents have also put a renewed focus on eradicating racism and racial discrimination.
“It is not government’s NAP, it is not only civil society’s NAP, it is our country’s NAP and the challenge lies therein as to how to ensure that all our people are given the opportunity to provide input in the process. Ultimately, ownership of the NAP should reside with the people,” Deputy Minister Jeffery told delegates, including representatives of the judiciary and Chapter 9 institutions.
The Deputy Minister said South Africans owe it to themselves to oppose racism as it bodes ill for society, particularly in its quest for integration.
“No person is born a racist. If one looks at little children playing, they all play together, they have no issue with difference. Often they do not even speak the same language, but somehow they all understand each other.”
However he acknowledged that there is no magic solution to the problem as freedom is hard work.
Deputy Minister Jeffery said South Africans cannot afford to gloss over the differences as a multicultural society and the legacy of the history of segregation, which is still in existence in society.
“We must tirelessly work at fighting discrimination with renewed and ongoing efforts to build a human rights culture.” – SAnews.gov.za
