Address by President Cyril Ramaphosa on the occasion of the Day of Reconciliation, Vredendal North Sports Grounds, Western Cape, Monday, 16 December 2024

Programme Directors,
Minister of Sport, Arts and Culture, Mr Gayton McKenzie,
Ministers and Deputy Ministers,
Western Cape MEC for Infrastructure, Mr Tertuis Simmers,
Members of Parliament,
MECs,
Executive Mayor of the West Coast District Municipality, Cllr Roelof Strydom,
Executive Mayor of the Matzikama Local Municipality, Cllr Johan van der Hoven,
Religious, traditional and community leaders present,
Representatives of political parties,
The community of Vredendal,
Distinguished Guests,
Fellow South Africans,

Molweni. Sanibonani. Dumelang. Avuxeni. Lotjhani.

Goeie Dag.

I greet you all on the Day of Reconciliation.

It is an occasion where we remember and celebrate our journey as a country towards nation-building, healing, social justice and forgiveness.

This Day of Reconciliation is dedicated to ‘healing historical wounds and forging new futures’.

For much of our history, this day – the 16th of December – stood as a symbol of the wounds of our history.

For some it was a celebration of victory.

For others, it was a painful reminder of conquest and dispossession.

Since the advent of democracy, we have sought to do away with symbols that are divisive.

We chose to mark the 16th of December as a day of reconciliation.

A celebration of our unity in diversity.

It gives me great pleasure to commemorate this year’s Reconciliation Day here in Vredendal, the Valley of Peace.

This Valley of Peace is blessed with fertile land.

It is a farming area. Many of its inhabitants are farmworkers.

As we work to reduce unemployment, we see the value of agriculture and land reform in growing our economy and creating jobs for our people.

We know that history has no blank pages.

Under the inhumane apartheid system farmworkers bore the brunt of exploitation.

White commercial farms were built on the labour of slaves and South Africa’s indigenous people.

Since the advent of democracy 30 years ago, we have driven a series of legislative changes to advance the rights of farmworkers.

We have passed a law to prevent the arbitrary eviction of families living on farms.

And yet we know that farmworkers and labour tenants are still being evicted in a number of places without being afforded alternate accommodation.

We call on all employers to treat people humanely and ensure that they have decent accommodation.

We insist that all should ensure that the law is uphold and the rights of all people are protected.

The working conditions of farmworkers are regulated by the Labour Relations Act.

For the first time, minimum wages were set for farmworkers.

Now, no farmworkers may be paid below the National Minimum Wage.

As part of land reform, we have encouraged employment share schemes.

This is where workers in agriculture and other sectors can have shares in the companies that they work for.

There have been initiatives in the Matzikama area to implement this approach.

We must look at how to expand this so that the people in this area have a greater share of the local economy.

Fellow South Africans,

Reconciliation Day is about advancing reconciliation, justice and nation-building.

It promotes social cohesion and healing.

The past may be behind us but we are left with its wounds.

We have deep scars as a reminder of our painful experiences.

We cannot heal these historical wounds by forgetting our past. There are things that should be done to heal the wounds of the past.

But we must also learn from our past.

We have come a long way as a country of diverse cultures, languages, beliefs and traditions.

Here in Vredendal, we have a beautiful and diverse community that is an integral part of our rainbow nation.

Here, a person can be as proud of their coloured heritage or their Afrikaans language as they are of their South African identity.

They can be white or African or Indian, speak English or Xhosa or any other language, while being a full and equal member of the South African nation.

History records the great acts of political activism by the people of this province.

Coloured people were not spared the brutality of slavery, dispossession and segregation.

The apartheid regime tried to divide us and turn us against one another, but they did not succeed.

Through democracy we have worked to restore the dignity of all who suffered under apartheid, including coloured people.

Our national Coat of Arms pays tribute to the Khoi and San.

The human figures are depicted in an attitude of greeting, symbolising unity.

This represents a sense of belonging to the nation and to a collective humanity.

The motto is written in the language of the /Xam people.

It means ‘diverse people unite’.

Five years ago, we signed the Traditional and Khoi-San Leadership Act into law.

This gave formal recognition of Khoi-San institutions of traditional leadership.

With the support of the Pan South African Language Board, we have worked to ensure that Khoi, Nama and San languages are offered as part of the school curriculum.

Our public broadcaster, the SABC, initiated and continues to support XK-FM, the only radio station in the country that supports the !Xun and Khwe languages of the indigenous San people.

Through the Department of Sports, Arts and Culture, we are supporting community and civic organisations dedicated to preserving the distinct cultural identity and heritage of the Khoi and San people.

Since the advent of democracy we have done much to advance reconciliation and redress.

The cornerstone of South Africa’s journey is our progressive Constitution.

It enshrines human rights and promotes equality for all citizens.

It protects the rights of previously marginalised groups.

These groups include racial minorities, women, people with disabilities, children, the elderly and the LGBTQI+ community.

This is a stark departure from the exclusionary policies of apartheid.

As part of building a new nation, we established the Truth and Reconciliation Commission chaired by the late Archbishop Desmond Tutu.

The Commission was tasked with uncovering human rights abuses committed during apartheid and providing a platform for victims and perpetrators to share their stories.

This was part of the process of restorative justice.

The TRC succeeded in creating a collective historical memory.

It helped to ensure that the horrors of apartheid would never be forgotten – and that they would never be repeated.

Our task is now to complete the work of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission.

To take forward the work of nation-building.

We have learnt from the past 30 years that reconciliation means fostering cultural understanding and promoting social cohesion and social justice.

In post-apartheid South Africa, initiatives to promote unity in diversity have been pursued through various platforms, including sport, education, the arts and recognising the important role of families.

Government, working alongside civil society, has invested in education programmes that emphasise human rights, anti-racism, and inclusivity.

This spirit of inclusivity is to be found in the Government of National Unity that was formed following the general election in May.

The Government of National Unity brings together diverse parties, with different policies, perspectives and histories.

Yet, we are united by a commitment to build a better South Africa for all its people.

Whether we are African, white, Indian or coloured, we are all South African.

We are determined that we leave no-one behind.

This rich diversity is our nation’s greatest strength. It is what makes us who we are.

We are all bound together by the spirit of Ubuntu.

The word Ubuntu has its roots in the IsiZulu phrase “umuntu ngumuntu ngabantu”.

A person is a person through other people.

I am because we are.

Guided by this idea, reconciliation involves both the healing of historical wounds and the bridging of social, economic and racial divides.

Our goal is to foster unity and social cohesion amongst the country’s diverse communities, and encourage mutual respect and understanding.

Reconciliation means we have to end inequality.

Reconciliation means we can no longer live in a country where some people live in privilege and comfort while others are deprived and face great hardship.

Despite the achievements of the past 30 years, South Africa continues to face significant challenges on its journey towards reconciliation.

Our country is still divided by poverty and unemployment.

We are therefore taking action as the Government of National Unity to build an inclusive economy and create jobs.

We are investing in social and economic infrastructure.

We are making our economy more competitive through reforms in electricity, telecommunications, water, road, rail and ports.

We are expanding programmes that have successfully created work and training opportunities for young people.

As part of the work to reduce poverty, we continue to support poor households through free basic services, fee-free schools, subsidised housing opportunities and financial aid to tertiary students from poor and working class families.

As a government, we are strengthening the institutions that must fight corruption and crime.

Corruption undermines the trust between the people and the public representatives that have been elected to serve them.

Crime, gender-based violence and instability cause great misery and hardship. They strains the social fabric.

They worsen tensions in an already divided society.

Over the last few years, we have seen progress in the fight against corruption and serious crime.

We have seen perpetrators being arrested, prosecuted and convicted.

We are calling on all South Africans, we are calling on all communities, to work with the authorities to end crime and corruption in our society.

Reconciliation is not a symbolic act.

It requires a fundamental transformation of society to create a fair and just nation.

The programme of the Government of National Unity has therefore prioritised inclusive growth, job creation and transformation.

It has prioritised the fight against poverty and building a capable, developmental state that meets the needs of all South Africans.

Through this work, we will together transform our society.

And so, on this day, we reaffirm our commitment to forge a new future for our country.

We reaffirm our commitment to work together through a National Dialogue to define the path that our nation will take.

Through our various actions we are reigniting our collective vision and shared passion to create a South Africa that works for all its people.

We are confronting our challenges with the courage and determination displayed during the darkest days of the struggle against apartheid.

South Africa has a rich history of inclusive solutions to problems.

I hereby announce that we will hold a National Dialogue next year to enable a conversation among citizens on shaping our country’s future developmental path.

The National Dialogue will seek to build on the achievements of 30 years of democracy.

The National Dialogue will give us an opportunity to address the challenges we have been facing for the past 15 years of low growth and unemployment, poverty and hunger, poor governance, slow land reform and corruption.

We will also want the National Dialogue to address pressing challenges such as gender-based violence and femicide, social fragmentation, racism, homophobia and sexism, violence and instability.

The National Dialogue will strengthen and consolidate the process of social compacting, where we come together as different sectors and communities to find common solutions.

It is envisaged that the National Dialogue will be informed by an extensive public consultation process in local areas organised by various sectors of society.

Since the announcement I made on the National Dialogue during my inauguration in June, we have received many representations from civil society, including foundations established by stalwarts of our struggle for freedom.

Further consultation is underway with other formations within society on the form and content of the National Dialogue.

In due course, I will appoint an Advisory Panel of Eminent Persons to provide guidance and advice through the National Dialogue Process.

The Advisory Panel will include men and women of stature who have played prominent roles in nation building and advancing social cohesion.

I will also appoint a National Dialogue Steering Committee to coordinate the National Dialogue process.

This Steering Committee will include representation from the Foundations that have played a leading role in championing the idea of the National Dialogue process, government, labour, business and the community constituency.

All the necessary structures and processes of the National Dialogue will be in place early in the new year so that the preparations can commence in earnest.

We expect that the National Dialogue will reach agreement on the critical challenges facing the nation.

It is expected to develop a shared vision of what it means to be a South African and of a common value system, that will guide current and future generations.

With a renewed commitment to social justice, economic empowerment, and cultural understanding, our country can continue to build on its achievements.

We can fulfil our destiny to be a truly reconciled, equal, caring and united nation.

Next year, South Africa will become the first African country to lead the influential group of the world’s largest economies, the G20.

We have outlined an ambitious agenda for our G20 Presidency under the theme ‘Solidarity, Equality, and Sustainability’.

I call on all South Africans to be part of making South Africa's Presidency a success.

The road ahead will not be easy.

And yet even as we may sometimes think our challenges are insurmountable, let us reflect on how far we have come.

We must reflect on our achievements and remember that, as South Africans, we are stronger when we are united.

As we celebrate this day with loved ones, let us make a concerted effort to also reconcile as families and friends. Healthy families produce a healthy society.

As one of the famous amapiano artists Kabza de Small sings in his hit Imithandazo, a song with an appealing prayer in both isiZulu and Xitsonga languages:

“Hold on my friend, I’ll come back my friend.

“Don’t cry my friend. It will all be well my friend.

“Hear the prayers of your children. Pour down your spirit of success.”

I wish you all a blessed, safe Reconciliation Day.

May God bless South Africa and protect her people.

I thank you.