Addressing a crowd at the Moses Mabhida Stadium, Zuma said government chose the theme “South Africans United Against Racism for Human Rights Day” due to the need to continue working together to eliminate racism and its manifestations in the country.
“Our mission since 1994 is to create a united, non-racial, non-sexist, democratic and prosperous South Africa. This is the task of every South African. Earlier this year, our country experienced explosions of anger due to racist utterances and writings which reminded South Africans that the vestiges of white supremacy and racism still exist in some sections of society,” said Zuma.
He said it became clear that there are people who still yearn for the past where black people were treated like second class citizens because of their skin colour.
“We know that the majority of South Africans abhor racism and racial discrimination. That is why our theme correctly says that we are united against racism.
“The struggle against apartheid was in the main a struggle against racism, which is the notion that one group of people is better than others, and is superior to others simply because of their skin colour,” he said.
KwaZulu-Natal Premier Senzo Mchunu said Human Rights Day was an important day for all South Africans in all sectors of society – from rural to urban areas and across various races and economic classes.
He said government condemns any form of racism which may be directed to any member of society.
“The colour of today’s South Africa is one. It is non-racialism,” said the Premier.
