Celebrating Human Rights Day

The 21st of March is a very important day in South Africa as it is linked with what happened on the date of 21 March 1960, and the events of Sharpeville. On that day, 69 people died and 180 were wounded when police fired on a peaceful crowd that had gathered in protest against the Pass laws.

SALO spoke to one of the “born-free’s” about Human Rights Day, Zikhona Tsoni, 23, who described this day as a reminder that education and access to opportunities are not privileges, but rights that those who came before us fought for.

“Without the fight for Human Rights and liberation, I wouldn’t be a student that is studying a course of her dreams today, especially knowing I come from a very poor background,” Tsoni said.

Tsoni is currently doing her Honours degree in Public Administration at Nelson Mandela University. She concluded by saying that those in management positions in different universities and other institutions should ensure there is zero discrimination and equal rights for all.

“We should live in a world where women are given equal opportunities [to]  men and in a society where there’s completely no discrimination based on gender and race,” Tsoni added