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The Executive Mayor Cllr Mamedupi Teffo officially opened the three days Human Rights Commission Indaba towards Social Harmony held at Park Inn Hotel in Polokwane joining the MEC for Limpopo Department of Transport and Community Safety Mme Violet Mathye.When addressing the delegates, Executive Mayor Cllr Mamedupi Teffo reminded them of what happened years back. “When addressing the Conference on Racism eight years ago, President Thabo Mbeki implored delegates to answer with honesty the question of whether or not we are making progress towards achieving the objective of nation-building and deal with the consequences of an honest response, however discomfiting it may be,” said Executive Mayor.
She added that, “If we can thus be honest too with this challenging question, we will be able to see if there are genuinely new things we can do to achieve the non-racial society that the Constitution calls for.” The former Chairperson of the Human Rights Commission, Professor Barney Pityana wrote in the year 2000 that “Reconciliation in South Africa is a big challenge. It is often bedevilled by confrontational politics. For it to happen, it has to transcend the hurdles erected by our past, and the legacy of that past which lives with us today”.
“It is obvious that the racial tensions and the brutality that we see in the farms tell us that the reconciliation efforts we have tried over the past 30 years have not succeeded. But what gives us hope is the will and dedication of the SARHC to improve race relations, and to condemn all racially motivated attacks whenever they occur,” added Executive Mayor.
“We are also encouraged by the swift action by law enforcement through arrests, the NPA through prosecutions and our courts through refusal of bail applications and heavy sentences to remove the perpetrators from society and send a strong message,” emphasized Executive Mayor. She added that, “If all these efforts can be strengthened, we will create an environment where farming communities feel safe, valued, and empowered. We hope that this Indaba will commit to taking the necessary steps to protect our vulnerable communities and secure a brighter future for all.” The three days Indaba was held from 26 to 28 November 2024.
