In commemorating Human Rights Day, the National Assembly organised a debate on the topic – Three decades of respect for and promotion of human rights. Opening the debate, Ms Nompendulo Mkhatshwa from the African National Congress (ANC) and the Chairperson of the Portfolio on Higher Education, Science and Innovation argued that over the 30 years of the democratic dispensation, her party has successfully implemented laws and policies to protect human rights and improve the lives of South Africans.
Ms Mkhatshwa went on to relate how the ANC government has increased budgeting for basic education, social protections and rolling out the largest HIV/Aids treatment in the world. “It is indisputable that today the lives of millions have improved. We, however, acknowledge that as long as poverty, injustice, and gross inequality persists in our communities, none of us can truly rest and we need to do more; we need to do better and we need to do it together.
Ms Mkhatshwa added that the ANC must acknowledge their shortcomings as the governing party in order to chart a brighter future for the country. “Citizens feel we have been soft on corruption, [that] we do not care about the ordinary citizens and that some of our members have undermined this democracy by advancing their own selfish personal interests.
“As recommended by the State Capture Commission, we are putting in place laws, institutions and practices that reduce corruption of any sort and scale. To date, the NPA investigating directorate has taken 34 state capture and corruption cases to court, involving over 200 accused persons,” Ms Mkhatshwa said.
Ms Bridgette Masango of the Democratic Alliance argued that the human rights of the majority of South Africans are being flouted. “The right to dignity is unfortunately reserved for the few connected cadres. There is no dignity for the nearly 30 million South Africans who will go to bed hungry next year, the stunted children, the families who skip one meal a day, the elderly who are abused and killed,” she said.
She also accused the government of flouting human rights and gave examples of people sleeping in the entrance of Sassa and Post Office branches to collect their social grants so they can put food on the table and older people whose grants are not paid for months while their families starve.
Also participating in the debate, Inkatha Freedom Party leader Mr Velenkosini Hlabisa of the Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP) said Human Rights Day should transcend mere commemoration to become the embodiment of behaviour that must be reflected in every public office to protect the Constitution.
“As we mark 30 years of human rights, we should pause to evaluate whether government has honoured the commitment to protect human rights. There is no dispute on progress made since 1994 but we should have done more,” Mr Hlabisa said.
The Freedom Front Plus’s Mr Wouter Wessels accused the ANC of destroying and reversing the achievements made since 1994 and of undermining the dignity of ordinary South Africans. “Honourable Mkhatshwa says progress made by the ANC government cannot be disputed but what she leaves out is that the progress that was made since 1994 has since been destroyed and reversed by the same ANC government,” he said.
He gave examples of what he said were ANC failures if the past decade, which included a decrease in the literacy rate, grade 4 learners who cannot read and dysfunctional water supply systems and public hospitals.
Mr Steve Swart of the African Christian Democratic Party (ACDP) said while his party acknowledges that progress has been made in terms of upholding the rule of law, ensuring media freedom and the independence of the judiciary; the scorecard was dismal when it comes to justice; access to food, quality education, healthcare, decent housing and unemployment. “The ANC government is increasingly incompetent and incapable, rife in corruption and serving their own narrow and personal political interest,” he claimed.
Mr Brent Herron of the Good Party said over the past 30 years South Africa’s commitment to the Constitution and Bill of Rights has been tested, and has proven to be resilient and unbreakable, while both the Constitutional Court and the judiciary demonstrated their independence.
However, he said, poor South Africans struggle to live lives in which their rights are protected, while those who have the resources going to courts and others make use of Chapter 9 institutions, such as Public Protector and Human Rights Commission.
Sakhile Mokoena
20 March 2024
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