Reconciliation Day serves as a reminder of work that lies ahead

16 December 2023

ActionSA joins millions of South Africans in commemorating Reconciliation Day and the progress we have made since 1994. As we commemorate this day, we, however, acknowledge the significant work that lies ahead to build a truly inclusive, just and equal society.

Nearly thirty years after Apartheid, we cannot ignore that race still is an important indicator of the opportunities someone will have in life. The legacy of Apartheid-era racial discrimination has been perpetuated by the failures of the ruling party, leaving many previously disadvantaged South Africans trapped in poverty. Overcoming this legacy and ensuring that all South Africans have the same opportunities for upward mobility is central to ActionSA’s mission to fix our country.

As someone who built a business with an Afrikaner and Indian South African during the height of Apartheid, I experienced first-hand how race-based policies sought to divide our people. Today we celebrate that we are no longer people who are limited by who we are allowed to speak to, where we can go and what we can do based on the colour of our skin.

But, we also reflect on the persistent inequality, high levels of unemployment and service delivery failures. Three decades since the advent of our democratic dispensation our country remains defined by Apartheid-era spatial planning, unequal access to quality education and healthcare, dysfunctional infrastructure, and a growing gap between the rich and poor.

ActionSA believes that we cannot fulfil our destiny of a non-racial future as long as the brutal legacy of our history persists; a history that deprives too many of our fellow South Africans of the most basic of life’s dignities. We, therefore, remain unwavering in our commitment to build a truly non-racial society where every South African has access to opportunities to improve their lives and build a better future. A nation where all citizens live in dignity, with equal opportunities for upward mobility.

This is only possible if we remove the government that has insistently perpetuated the inequality of the past. Next year South Africans have an opportunity to vote for change that will resuscitate the promise of a united South Africa that we fought so hard for.

ActionSA stands at the ready to build an inclusive and prosperous South Africa by implementing policies that will directly address inequality, create jobs, support entrepreneurs, and provide quality education and healthcare to all South Africans.

Issued Herman Mashaba, ActionSA President, 16 December 2023