Our greatest achievement is SA is unity, says Ramaphosa

Hundreds of people from all corners of Limpopo Province braved the rainy weather on Saturday, 16 December, when they converged at the Thohoyandou Stadium to celebrate Reconciliation Day. President Cyril Ramaphosa addressed the crowd, joined by the MEC for the Treasury in Limpopo, Seaparo Sekoati (representing Premier Chupu Mathabatha), the Minister for Sport, Art and Culture Zizi Kodwa, other MECs, and senior traditional leaders. Traditional dance groups entertained the guests.

“Every year on this day, we celebrate our greatest achievement: reconciliation between the races and the forging of a common identity as South Africans. Reconciliation is not an act of forgetting or ignoring the wounds of the past. Instead, it is a courageous and intentional effort to confront our history, learn from it, and build bridges of understanding across the chasms of misunderstanding and mistrust. Reconciliation is a commitment to creating a society where everyone is valued, diversity is celebrated, and the scars of the past are transformed into stepping stones towards a brighter and more compassionate future. As we mark Reconciliation Day, we are reminded of just how extraordinary our experience was. Many believed it was not possible for the former oppressor and the oppressed to make peace and reconcile, and yet we did so. Our national days, our flag, the national anthem, and our national symbols stand as a testament to a new, unique nation that emerged from a difficult and bitter past,” said Ramaphosa.

He added that they continued to focus on the needs of young people. “The Presidential Employment Stimulus has provided income, work experience, and skills for more than 1.2 million unemployed people. More than 1 million young people have been able to access opportunities for learning and employment through the SA Youth online platform.”

Before addressing the people, Ramaphosa visited Fulufhelo Special School, based at Thohoyandou Block G. He was informed by the school’s principal, Mr William Ramaano, that some learners’ parents must arrange transport for their children to travel nearly 70km to school every day because of a lack of scholar transport. “We want to change life for the better for these learners with special needs. I am worried about the situation, that learners with special needs are not well catered for. The principal of the school tells me that they often have to wait for countless hours for lessons to start because of transport issues. I promise to make sure they get proper scholar transport,” he said.

Date:20 December 2023

By: Silas Nduvheni

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