President Cyril Ramaphosa has called on South Africans to uphold non-racialism, non-sexism, equality, democracy and human dignity, while rejecting violence against women, xenophobia and intolerance.
In his weekly newsletter following Heritage Day, Ramaphosa said South Africa’s heritage was not only something to celebrate, but also something to defend.
“We cannot allow violence against women to define who we are. The abuse, rape and killing of women is a stain on our national conscience,” he said.
Ramaphosa also warned against xenophobia, while stressing that migration must take place within the law.
“The peoples of Africa provided moral and material support to our liberation struggle and our democracy. Democratic South Africa remains committed to advancing the ideals of African unity and integration,” he said.
He also rejected racism and defended measures aimed at addressing historical racial inequality.
“There is no equivalence between measures designed to overcome racial exclusion and the apartheid laws that were designed to enforce racial exclusion, dispossession and inequality,” Ramaphosa said.
The President further condemned claims of a “white genocide”, describing them as false.
“At a time when unemployment is high and we need to grow our economy and attract investment, travelling to foreign capitals to spread the falsehood of a ‘white genocide’ and discourage investment in one’s own country is neither responsible nor patriotic,” he said.
Ramaphosa urged South Africans to protect social cohesion and uphold the constitutional values that unite the country.
“We may be a diverse nation, but we are united by the constitutional values that make us South African. These values transcend race, gender, language, culture and geography,” he said.
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