Human rights day in South Africa

machikajerry0105@gmail.com @Tokologo_JR

Human rights day is celebrated on 21 March , in remembrance of the Shapeville massacre which took place on 21 March 1960. This massacre occurred as a result of protests against the apartheid regime in South Africa, the Sharpeville massacre was a turning point in the history of South Africa, on 21 March 1960 without warning South African police of Sharpeville, an African township of Vereeneging South of Johannesburg shot into a crowd of about 5000 unarmed anti-pass protesters, killing at least 69 people- many of the shot in the back and wounding more than 200. This massacre created a crisis for the apartheid government inside the country and internationally. The government immediately declared a state of emergency and banned Political meetings.

Within less than a month, it banned both the Pan Africanist Congress (PAC) which had organized the action in Sharpeville and The African National Congress, After both the PAC and ANC turned to armed struggle and went underground. News of the massacre draw immediate international condemnation. The South African stock exchange sank, saved only by loans from a consortium of US banks. South African Human Rights day was declared a national holiday when ANC was elected as government with Nelson Mandela as the first democratic elected leader, Parliment's role on this day is to empower people so that the democratic processes become known to all South Africans.

Human rights has played an important role since many of us became aware of our rights as Citizens of South Africa, one would remember that during apartheid government people were not treated equally because of their racial groups. Some jobs were reserved for a particular group unequal payments was always a problem. Gender inequality was always questionable but after 1994 we have seen women in high positions both in the public and private sector those are things one can point to say yes Human rights has played a big role in the country. Welcome to the new South Africa.

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Machika Jerry Rantsho (The Village Child)

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