Human Rights Day speech delivered today by Herman Mashaba, President of ActionSA.

21 March 2022

We Have Been Betrayed, But We Will Restore Our Human Rights and Dignity

Today is not a day of celebration. Today is not a day of chest-thumping. Today is not a day of browbeating. Today is a day loaded with difficult and painful memories.

Today is also a day that, for whatever reasons, reminds us of opportunities lost, chances not taken, and utterly grave betrayal, and violence exerted on the people by a select few elites.

On this day, in 1960, the illegitimate Apartheid State unleashed a bloody attack on its people.

These people may have had political views differing from the unjustly governing party at the time, but they were South Africans.

They were South Africans no different from you and me. They were South Africans seeking a better life. They were South Africans, who realised that the State had been engineered, and then re-engineered to target, harass, and oppress them.

They were South Africans who understood that the governing National Party, through the State, was determined to continue dividing the country along racial lines – pitting white against Black, Indian against Coloured, and every race against every other race.

Crucially, however, these South Africans also knew that the only way the system and the National Party’s tyranny could be undone, was, if they worked together – which they did.

What actually happened is common cause – about 5000 fellow South Africans, attended at the Sharpeville Police Station to surrender themselves for defying the country’s laws, by refusing to carry the de-humanising dom-pas.

It is a historic fact that 69 of that number, our fellow South Africans, were ruthlessly butchered by the Police in a barbaric act of fear, force, and vengeance.

This grossly violent act was heard in other parts of the country as well. To this day, our beloved country battles the scars of the events of that day.

We are a traumatised people. We remain a traumatised people.

We collectively suffer from the emotional and political weight of the events of 21 March 1960, and the many other traumas which have been visited upon us over the years – up to, and including, 1994.

Actionairs, South Africans and people of the world, I would be lying if I said our traumas came to an end in 1994. They did not! Yet, we were hopeful, excited, and expectant.

On 27 April 1994, we came out in our millions and rightly replaced an illegitimate government with a democratic government, hoping for restoration.

We hoped for progress, and, for widespread access to opportunities of all kinds.

We left, to the democratically elected government, the work of turning the state around, to re-engineer it, and compel it to recognise the dignity of each and every person within these man-made borders of our beautiful land.

Indeed, we are now free from the clutches of a state that used the law to keep us apart in our homes, workplaces, and in our recreational areas.

Today we can rightly commemorate, and we continue to mourn those who were murdered whilst peacefully fighting for our collective freedoms.

The post-1994 government began with the wind beneath its wings and the favour of the overwhelming majority of not just us, the people pf South Africa, but many allies across the world.

Shortly after assuming office, a rash of new laws were enacted to change our society, chief amongst them, being our world-renowned Constitution, our guiding social compact, which governs the various relationships between the people and the state, as well as between various arms of government, and, as between individual persons.

But, dear friends, just as quickly as our new government began to re-orient the state, some amongst those in government immediately set about the evil work of undoing what little progress was being made.

On this, we can rely on the instructive words of Sydney J Harris when he said:

“History repeats itself, but in such cunning disguise that we never detect the resemblance until the damage is done”

The evidence of this sad state of affairs in our nation is all around us and the examples are abundant.

As early as 1996, our now minister of Cooperative Governance, the ANC’s Dr Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, was embroiled in a corruption scandal regarding the financing of “Sarafina II”.

Quickly thereafter, the Arms deal followed, and haunts us to this day. Many have been convicted, imprisoned and subsequently released from jail for their crimes related to that unbelievably corrupt and possibly misguided transaction.

Tony Yengeni, the ANC’s one-time Chief Whip in Parliament, and, current NEC member, accepted a bribe to facilitate or protect one bidder.

Schabir Schaik, Jacob Zuma’s one time benefactor, facilitated what prosecutors say were bribes from Arms Deal bidders to the father of RET – the same man who has successfully evaded prosecution on the same charges for years.

With the Guptas in tow, the ANC has overseen State Capture, where billions of our limited resources were looted. Dare I say, President Cyril Ramaphosa’s government has not stemmed the tide. We never expected him to do so, anyway, because he was there when it was happening, he was there in the crook place, and he remains right there today!

All these people, as well as many others I have not listed, have modelled their unethical, criminal, and wicked and cruel conduct, on the very National Party who themselves ramped up the looting of billions of rands worth of our country’s treasure when it became clear that their time was up.

As if that was not enough, fast forward to 13 April 2011 where Andries Tatane was shot and killed by the police, whilst protesting for a basic right as enshrined in our constitution – the delivery of water in his municipality.

Where was the respect of his human rights?

Fast forward one year later to August 2012, where a total of 34 mineworkers were killed by the police in the North-western town of Marikana. These workers were killed whilst striking for better pay and working conditions at their employer.

Where was the respect of their human rights?

The facts speak for themselves. The Human Rights of all of us, all these people, have been betrayed.

Tell me now, how can the people look at the democratic government of today, and see it as being different to the apartheid government.

How can people believe that the “better life for all promised to them in 1994” is, indeed, better?

In democratic South Africa, the people of Emfuleni walk and drive on streets flooded with raw sewerage.

I am not a betting man, but I know as fact that 28 years into democracy, the people of Sharpeville, in the Vaal Triangle towns of Vereeniging, Vanderbijlpark and Sasolburg, are demonstrably worse off. I know as fact, though I am not proud to admit, that the people of Giyani, Makhanda and Ka-Nyamazane are worse off. Actionairs, South Africans, and people of the world, it gives me no joy, to note that this pattern is replicated in many parts of our country.

In Giyani, Limpopo, the people are still fighting to be provided with water – whilst billions of their money have been looted by tenderprenuers and their friends in government.

Where is the respect for their human rights? In Makhanda, Eastern Cape, the residents had to go to court to force the municipality to simply clean the town – a most basic duty of any municipality.

Where is the respect for their human rights? In KaNyamazane, Mpumalanga, the residents are subjected to daily water cut-offs, because the government does not possess the ability to effectively manage the water supply.

Where is the respect for their human rights? In Soweto and many other lower-income suburbs and townships, Eskom subjects the residents to daily electricity outages.

Where is the respect for their human rights? In such circumstances, is it surprising that we are today the world’s most unequal society?

Is it a wonder that we have the highest sustainable unemployment rate in the world? Actionairs, look around you, StatsSA tells us that almost 5 out of every 10 people you see are unemployed.

Our education system is so broken that every year almost half of our children do not stay in school from grade 1 until matric. Look around you again. The same StatsSA tells us that 7 out of every 10 of young people you see are unemployed and fast becoming unemployable.

What dignity exists in such circumstances? Does this tell you our rights are appreciated, or that our human respected and allowed the space to flourish?

How can we be free when we are the rape and murder capital of the world? We do not walk freely in our own neighbourhood streets. It is bad and scary during the day and many times worse in the night-time.

Our towns are filthy and have become overtaken by criminal syndicates. These syndicates gingerly run their criminal operations with the support of many corrupt policemen and are, evidently, overseen by corrupt politicians who rule over the rest of us, law-abiding citizens.

What has become of our fundamental Human Rights? What has become of our dignity?

I can tell you one thing: We Have Been Betrayed!

Our democratically elected ANC-led government has betrayed us all!

The other political parties, who are supposed to exercise oversight over the governing parties, including the ANC, have also betrayed us.

They have betrayed our hopes. They have betrayed our dreams. They have betrayed our aspirations. They have betrayed our faith. They have betrayed our dignity and, most painfully, they have betrayed the very thing we were promised in 1994:

• a non-racial, unified, inclusive nation that would allow each South African, whether citizen or resident, the opportunities to live safely, benefit economically and thrive in all aspects of human development.

Actionairs, South Africans and people of the world, THIS is the real State of the Nation!

We have become a disgrace, a laughingstock, and a country quickly losing hope and tearing apart at the seams.

Every other day, there is a protest in any one part of the country. These protests are often related to some or other failing of the government. The ANC-led government has failed to put the interests of South Africans first!

The ANC-led government, by its ineptitude, corruption and in the interests of political expedience, has ensured that South Africans, are at the back end of what duly belongs to them.

It is not at all surprising, therefore, that when we as ActionSA stand proudly and advocate for South Africans, the very ANC and other major parties call us xenophobic!

Time and again, since 2016, I have stood on many podiums, and I have said over and over again:

1. South Africa was built on the back of migrants and we, as ActionSA, want people of the world to come to South Africa, but they must do so legally and, when they are here, respect our laws. It is as simple as that!

2. No self-respecting country would allow anything to the contrary of that, and we will not allow it here. Not on our watch.

3. Saying this does not make us xenophobic. These are simple and basic principles of governance in a globalized world, but if anyone wants to misconstrue it as xenophobic, then so be it.

Listen to me when I say: if the ANC, or any other party, are happy to continue betraying South Africans on the back of some pie-in-the-sky view of what it means to truly advance the interests of South Africans, then, let them do so!

As ActionSA, we will do no such thing.

Friends, I know as well as you do, that all of the accusations, vitriol, and nonsense we are regularly subjected to, do not dissuade us.

We are not discouraged, and we are not shaken. We know exactly where they come from and why they come. We know very well that they originate from a vulgarising of our position on Immigration and a belated appreciation of the extent to which South Africans are GATVOL.

Gatvol of being overlooked. Gatvol of being taken for granted. Gatvol of not being cared for by their own government and the other political parties. Our position has always been clear, as I have described above.

We want an Immigration System that works!

We want an Immigration System that works!

It is a position founded in our Constitution, law, and rationality.

Our position recognises the human rights of both South Africans and all Immigrants, legal, documented or otherwise. These rights are inherent and exists by mere virtue of being a human being! Lastly, it throws forward into the future, seeking to get everybody to imagine a different, better, South Africa.

It seeks to ensure the respect of our current laws, refining them to be fit for purpose and not simply exist as words on a paper.

The issue is about Jobs and Safety!

Friends, we are all betrayed by this seemingly deliberate mismanagement of Immigration – both South Africans and Immigrants. Whilst South Africans are not served by a limitation of services and opportunities, as a result of the mismanagement of this crisis, Immigrants themselves are even more under-served.

The fact of the mismanagement of the system, by the ANC-led government, whilst other political parties have looked on is an unforgivable betrayal of the human rights of all of us in South Africa. If you are an immigrant and you do not have papers, you are exposed to greater degree of vulnerability to abuse by unscrupulous employers.

They can mistreat you in the workplace knowing very well that you have very little, if any recourse.

What happens when they mistreat you and try to report them to the authorities?

• The authorities demand what?
• Papers!

What happens when you try to get basic healthcare services, a basic Human Right?

• The authorities demand what?
• Papers!

What happens when you are trying to come into the country legally, bringing your much-needed scarce skills for use in our advanced industries?

• The authorities demand what?
• Papers!

You cannot properly enjoy that which is due to you by right, in the absence of proper papers.

As I have shown, even when you have the right papers, the system is so broken and so frustrating that it places even you at risk of grave legal consequences, and it stalls the needed development of the country. 

Your situation is even worse when you are in the country illegally, as the broken system forces you into dangerous situations – jeopardising the very same human rights will speak of, today, in glowing terms.

I have previously spoken about how, as a result of this, some people end up becoming Human trafficking statistics. Even those corrupt elements in the police end up extorting migrants, legal or otherwise, because they know that Home Affairs is so inept that the migrant will struggle to find recourse.

I will also state what should be a common cause fact: the safety of all people who reside in South Africa is related to the state’s ability to track, trace, and assist in the prosecution and, possibly, detention of alleged criminals.

How can the state do this effectively, if it doesn’t have a realistic and up-to-date record of everybody within its borders?

This, dear friends, is a betrayal of the basic human rights of migrants themselves.

We want migrant entrepreneurs to come to South Africa, but we want them to be bringing scarce skills and serious investments into the country.

The rebuilding of many of our industries and industrial areas that have become abandoned and gone into disrepair – including in places such as the Vaal Triangle in the southernmost parts of Gauteng, reaching up to Babelegi in the northern-most part of the province will not happen by wishing it into existence.

If foreign money wants to be involved, then let it come here legally and let’s FIX South Africa.

One thing that we will not have is the notion that the operating of salons, domestic services and spaza shops is a specialised skill.

It is not. These jobs must be reserved for South Africans!

You will not dare try to drive to Poland and open a Spaza Shop and think that kind of nonsense will be allowed! Let the Polish take care of the Poles, the French take care of the French and South Africa take care of South Africans.

Entry-level jobs must be reserved for South Africans, and those immigrants who want to work in higher-level jobs, must bring scarce skills that employers cannot find amongst the talent pool of South Africans.

That is our law. Some may wish that I was making that up, but it doesn’t change the fact.

We understand very well that there are many who do not want the situation to change because, in one way or another, they benefit from the current chaos. I have already spoken of political parties but let us not forget about the role of Trade Unions, their Federations, and other allies, including SADTU, COSATU and the SACP!

It serves their interests to have this nonsense. Whilst the situation persists, they can secure the interests of their career unionists, hoping that one day the ANC will deploy them into government and parliament.

Over the years, our education system has declined, the state of the labour force has deteriorated, with ever-declining membership, but leaders of these structures have become MP’s, Ministers and Deputy Ministers. They have used the people, our school kids and workers as steppingstones for their own narrow advancement.

That is yet another betrayal.

Friends, our laws must be respected by all, as they are what gives effect to our Constitutionally enshrined Human Rights! That is what a party that cares does for its people. It protects them and creates opportunities and an environment for them to thrive.

That is why we believe so much in the Insourcing of vulnerable labourers such as cleaners and security guards. Insourcing provides dignity to the most downtrodden, by removing the hyena tenderpreneurs and ensuring these workers are employed directly by organisations.

When I was Mayor of the City of Joburg, I didn’t just talk about Insourcing. I did it.

We cannot be a party that continues the betrayal of the human rights of South Africa and all who live in it. If that is the party you want, you can find it elsewhere.

This is not your home!

During the recent local government election campaign, ActionSA promised that Insourcing would be done in every government in which we are involved.

We have secured that agreement in Tshwane, Ekurhuleni, and Johannesburg. Whilst we are not leading the political portfolios that must affect that agreement, we will continue to push hard for it to be started in Tshwane and Ekurhuleni and continued in Johannesburg.

Actionairs, friends, all people of the world, let us accept that we have been failed. For 28 years, the ANC and other political parties have failed us. Having accepted that, let us acknowledge that we have it within us to restore our fundamental Human Rights and our dignity.

I am telling you; we have it within us to change the narrative and change the lived reality of everybody in South Africa.

Not all is lost!

We have an opportunity to restore the Human Rights and Dignity of ALL who reside in South Africa.

2024 is our opportunity.

2024 is our opportunity to get rid of those who have betrayed us, once and for all.

From the recent election campaign, now that we are in government, I am very happy with the work of our MMC’s across the Gauteng Metros.

• Joburg Safety MMC, David Tembe, in Joburg has re-started operation Buya Mthetho – a programme intended to restore the rule of law in our cities.

• Ekurhuleni Safety MMC, Tlhogi Moseki, in Ekurhuleni has recently launched the Same.

• Joburg Economic Development MMC, Nkuli Mbundu, in Joburg is finalising the Informal Trade Policy, and will soon re-start the Inner-City Revitalisation Programme. This programme which seeks to rebuild our inner cities, making them attractive spaces to live and work in.

• Tshwane Economic Development MMC, Andre Le Roux, is leading the revitalisation of the Tshwane Market and is re-connecting the City with serious Private Sector stakeholders such as the banks and property investors.

• Joburg Transport MMC, Funzi Ngobeni, re-launched A Re Sebetseng with the Joburg Roads Agency and is fast-tracking the revitalisation of Metrobus as well as expanding the Re-a-Vaya service.

• Tshwane MMC for Housing, Abel Tau, is leading the charge in providing decent accommodation to the People of Tshwane, including those who are affected by natural catastrophe’s such as flooding – which happens regularly in the City’s low-lying areas.

Under ActionSA, we have already begun delivering on our 2021 election promises.

Taken together, what we have shown, and we still seek to achieve shows a political party that:

• understands the plight of all who live in South Africa,
• has a plan to improve the material conditions of the present-day, and,
• has a vision of how to do so in the medium and long term.

2024 is our opportunity to restore. It is our opportunity to build a truly inclusive society, in which all South Africans live, benefit and thrive.

2024 is our last chance!

We cannot fail.

We dare not fail.

We will not fail.

We will FIX South Africa and restore our Human Rights and our Dignity!

Issued by ActionSA, 21 March 2022