March is Human Rights Month

March is recognized as Human Rights Month in Mzansi – a time when people around the world come together to celebrate and promote human rights and equality for all.

This year’s Human Rights Month programme launched under the theme, “Consolidating and Sustaining Human Rights culture into the future”.

The Department of Sports, Arts and Culture officially launched the programme on Thursday (March 2) at Freedom Park Heritage Park & Museum in Tshwane. Minister Nathi Mthethwa joined by the Deputy Minister of Justice and Constitutional Development, John Jeffery, led the launch.

Other institutions in attendance were the Pan South African Language Board, Commission for Gender Equality (CGE) and South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC).

Locally, citizens hold annual events in commemoration of the people who lost their lives in the Sharpeville and Langa Massacres.

Back in 1960, in apartheid police in Sharpeville (in the Emfuleni Local Municipality in Sedibeng) fired on a crowd of protesters who surrounded the police station in a peaceful demonstration, killing or wounding some 250 of them. In Langa (in the Western Cape), police reportedly killed more than 20 protesters and injuring 27, some very badly. Most of the slain marchers were shot in the back.

These events are described in the history books as most violent demonstrations against apartheid in South Africa.

The government has recognized the sacrifices made by those who were striving for freedom and equality, and declared March 21 a public holiday called Human Rights Day.

In both locations of the massacres, government has placed monuments in remembrance of the fallen and for people to host commemorative events.