We must honour the past and look to a better future

Today marks Reconciliation Day. It is a day for all South Africans to come together to collectively remember our past, and look forward to a shared future.

In this spirit I joined with a group of 18 year old South Africans to meet Mr Johannes Thebe today. Mr Thebe is one of millions of people who were victims of the apartheid state. In 1986, he was shot in the back by the apartheid police and has been partially disabled ever since.

Mr Thebe graciously invited us into his home so that we could talk about his experience and educate the youth about the past. These young people were all born after 1994.

We spoke about apartheid, its impact on our lives today and the best way forward for our country. I was overwhelmed by Mr Thebe's ability to forgive the apartheid police for what they had done to him. He is a role model for us all.

He explained that we should never forget what happened under apartheid and that we must forge a better future for all South Africans. It is incumbent on us now to deliver the opportunities, education and better life Mr Thebe and others sacrificed for.

Let us all unite in this spirit and work towards a future where all South Africans are truly reconciled. The DA is committed to this mission and will do whatever we can in those places where we govern to bring South Africans closer together and erase the material legacy of apartheid.

Statement issued by Mmusi Maimane, DA National Spokesperson, December 16 2012

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