As South Africans celebrate Reconciliation Day, Speakers of Parliament have said that “there can be no meaningful reconciliation and unity without economic inclusion.”
- Speakers of Parliament have said that reconciliation requires economic inclusion.
- South Africa celebrates Reconciliation Day on Friday.
- Among the threats to reconciliation are gender violence and corruption, say the presidents.
As South Africans celebrate Reconciliation Day, Speakers of Parliament have said that “there can be no meaningful reconciliation and unity without economic inclusion.”
In a statement, the Speaker of the National Assembly, Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula, and the Chairman of the National Council of Provinces, Amos Masondo, said that South Africa had come a long way in the “process of reparation and healing for the many years of discrimination racial character that characterized the country’s difficult past”.
They said the public holiday served as an opportunity to focus on promoting social cohesion, healing, unity, nation building and renewal.
“There can be no meaningful reconciliation and unity without economic inclusion, hence the need to continuously intensify the implementation of social and economic transformation programs,” the statement read.
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They added that every citizen must unite in the fight against economic exclusion, poverty, unemployment, inequality, gender violence and femicide, as well as corruption and racism.
“The rate at which women and children are abused and some are killed in South Africa is alarming and unacceptable,” the statement read.
“Law enforcement agencies must continue to use available legal tools to safeguard and protect women and children. Parliament has also recently passed some very progressive legislation, such as the Domestic Violence Reform Bill, the Criminal Law (Sex Offenses and Related Matters) Reform Act and the Criminal and Related Matters Amendment Act, aimed at protecting the rights of women and children”.
Mapisa-Nqakula and Masondo said this year that the Zondo Commission “shined attention to rampant mismanagement and looting of state resources through corruption.”
According to the presidents, corruption impedes citizens’ prospects for economic emancipation.
Parliament recently passed the General Laws Amendment (Anti-Money Laundering) Bill, which is intended to address deficiencies related to combating money laundering and terrorist financing. The bill is expected to bring South Africa into compliance with global standards set by the Financial Action Task Force.
They added that “a reconciled South Africa is an ideal that we should all strive to realize.”
“The Constitution urges all South Africans to contribute to building a united, non-racial, non-sexist, free and prosperous nation. In the face of fierce and persistent racial tensions in the country, we must continue to embrace and celebrate the diverse yet connected people , languages, cultures and histories that make South Africa a unique nation,” the statement added.
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“Every day, we have the opportunity to reach out to one another to face our past, reconcile and work together to build a stronger nation. The future of this nation demands the continued recognition of human rights, democracy, and peaceful cooperation. existence for all South Africans, regardless of color and creed”.
