President Cyril Ramaphosa has called on South Africans to reaffirm their commitment to reconciliation, unity and nation-building, saying the country’s democratic foundation was built on choosing healing over vengeance.
Delivering the keynote address at the national commemoration of the Day of Reconciliation at the Ncome Museum in Nquthu on Tuesday, President Ramaphosa said the 16th of December remains a powerful moment for the nation to confront its painful past honestly while committing to a shared and peaceful future.
“This year, we return to eNcome not to reopen old wounds, but to reaffirm our promise to future generations that South Africa shall never again be divided by hatred, injustice or exclusion,” the President said.
The commemoration took place under the theme: “Reaffirming Reconciliation for Future Generations” and was led by the Department of Sport, Arts and Culture, in partnership with the KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Government.
President Ramaphosa reflected on the Battle of Ncome in 1838, where thousands of Zulu warriors lost their lives defending their land. He said the day symbolised the complexity of South Africa’s shared history.
“Commemorating the 16th of December provides us with an opportunity to confront our past with honesty, acknowledge the complexities of our shared history and commit ourselves to building a peaceful future together,” he said.
He recalled the many historical events that marked brutal repression against black South Africans, including Sharpeville, Langa, Boipatong and the political violence that engulfed KwaZulu-Natal in the 1980s and 1990s.
Despite centuries of dispossession and oppression, the President said South Africans chose reconciliation at the dawn of democracy.
“Where others wanted to break, they chose to build. Where others wanted to sow division, they chose reconciliation,” he said, quoting former President Nelson Mandela’s call to live in a way that respects and enhances the freedom of others.
President Ramaphosa emphasised that reconciliation remains an ongoing process, noting that poverty, inequality, crime, corruption and gender-based violence continue to undermine social cohesion.
“For as long as the majority of black South Africans live in poverty, for as long as inequality persists, our country will not find true reconciliation. Our pursuit of inclusive economic growth and job creation, our efforts to reduce poverty and bring down the cost of living, are essential for reconciliation.
“We cannot be reconciled as a people if our communities are terrorised by criminals and deprived of what is due to them by corrupt officials,” he said.
He also called on men to play a decisive role in ending violence against women and children, urging them to “harness the warrior spirit” to protect the most vulnerable in society.
“Real men do not abuse women and children. Real men protect women and children,” the President said.
President Ramaphosa concluded by encouraging South Africans to use the festive season to reconcile within families and communities, saying healthy families are the foundation of a healthy nation.
“Our pursuit of inclusive economic growth and job creation, our efforts to reduce poverty and bring down the cost of living, are essential for reconciliation.
“We cannot be reconciled as a people if our communities are terrorised by criminals and deprived of what is due to them by corrupt officials,” the President said. – SAnews.gov.za
