Human Rights day was fathomed by the founding fathers and mothers of our democratic dispensation that was led by leaders such as Robert Sobukwe, Dikgang Moseneke, Zephania Mothopeng, Chief Albert Luthuli, Zondeni Veronica Sobukwe, Nelson Mandela, Toivo ya Toivo, Albertina Sisulu and Winnie Madikizela-Mandela among others. Fundamentally, and worth emphasising, is that it is premised on the events of 21 March 1960 in Sharpeville, one of the darkest days in our history of subjugation under that heinous system of apartheid. On that fateful day, 69 people were killed and a further 180 wounded when apartheid police opened lethal fire on a peaceful crowd that had gathered in protest against the abominable Pass Laws.
The day is regarded as having marked an affirmation by ordinary people who rose in unison to proclaim their rights in spite of institutionalised discrimination and threats to their lives. In our new dawn, following the advent of democracy in April 1994 our founding fathers and mothers, decreed that the day be commemorated as Human Rights Day as a stark reminder of our inalienable rights and the immeasurable costs paid for the attainment of our treasured human rights.
The South African Parliament data bank refers to human rights “as rights that everyone should have because they are human”. Back in 1948, the year sadly during which the apartheid Nationalist Party came to power in RSA, the UN defined 30 articles of human rights in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. The UN established universal human rights on the basis of four principles, which are: Humanity, Freedom, Justice and Peace.
In their undeniable wisdom, our founding fathers and mothers included “indivisible human rights” in the cornerstone of our Constitution – better known as the Bill of Rights, which forms Chapter 2 of the 1996 Constitution of our beautiful and beloved land.
At various intervals of history, humanity is often called upon to self-reflect on its relevance, accomplishments or shortcomings alike.
And true to history / herstory, the events of yester-years provide us with a basis to comprehend the here-and-now, which in turn serve as fundamental grounds to map out the kind of a future we deem desirable for ourselves and the entire “human race”, to borrow from Robert Mangaliso Sobukwe, our liberation icon affectionately known and, dare I say – correctly -referred to as “Prof”.
As we commemorate Human Rights today, it is incumbent upon us to undertake reflections of ourselves as individuals and as a collective – as society at large – to dissect the extent that we’ve travelled thus far in our endeavour to re-humanise our diverse communities.
But we can only do a decent job of it all if we exhibit a proper understanding and appreciation of our history, a history of where we come from in order to give requisite meaning to our collective lives 28 years following the dawn of our relatively nascent democracy.
In reclaiming and reimaging the African intellectual futures we must invent systems, processes that will flourish and advance human dignity, sustainability in shaping the identity of Unisa as a true African university located on the continent.
As already noted, understanding and appreciating our history is key to embracing and wrestling with present-day challenges. There is plenty of such across society but more so, in so far as the role of higher education and academia in general is concerned.
Soon UNISA will be turning 150 years old, a testament to the university’s running power and contribution to knowledge production and the skilling of the masses of our people, but also to the values of justice, fairness and equity.
In the 150 years of our existence, we need to pause and assess projects and programmes that have worked to our satisfaction and areas that need our urgent attention for improvement.
We are morally and duty-bound in this day and era to stay true to our core mission of the academic project.
Prof Puleng LenkaBula
Principal and Vice-Chancellor
(21/03/2022)
Publish date: 2022/03/21