The following Human Rights Day message is an extract from a speech to be delivered by DA Leader Helen Zille at the Ga-phaahla Stadium, Siyabuswa, Mpumalanga March 21 2011:
Your vote is your most precious right
Somebody once said that a society can be measured according to how it treats its weakest members. This is something we must think about as we celebrate Human Rights Day in South Africa.
What are we doing to help the poor and vulnerable in our society?
Last week, Trevor Manuel admitted that the government had failed to deliver to the poor. He is right. Too many of our people live in poverty - without a job, without a house, without clean water, without sanitation and without electricity. The conditions in which so many of our people live in are an affront to their dignity.
There are many people in powerful positions who disagree with Trevor Manuel. "Look at how much better South Africa is today than it was under apartheid", they say. Of course South Africa is a far better place today than it was under apartheid.