Human Rights Day: have we learned anything since Sharpeville?

    For South Africans, 21 March is when we celebrate Human Rights Day; when we remember the Sharpeville and Langa massacres, and honour those who died in the struggle.

    Human Rights

    But, in 2015, just what are we celebrating? While our Constitution guarantees human rights for all, police brutality did not die along with apartheid. The Marikana massacre in 2012 is just one example of a continuing disregard for basic human rights. Hundreds of people die in police custody each year.

    As our violent history continues to repeat itself in the “new” South Africa, it’s worth remembering that struggle for human rights continues.