Statement by André Gaum, Western Cape Education Minister

On 21 March 1960, our country and the world witnessed the deaths of many people in Sharpeville. Sixteen years later, Hector Petersen died in the Soweto uprising of 1976 and became the martyr for young people in the struggle for human rights.

We now commemorate these deaths years later by celebrating a new society being built on the foundations of our Bill of Rights.

During the past week, we have seen unfortunate examples of flagrant disregard for the most basic human right in the deaths of Tyrone Steenkamp, Miquela Apollis and Desmoné Smith, in a matter of days, due to the violence of gangs who have no respect for human life.

Like Hector Petersen, who died in 1976, the children who died on the Cape Flats last week are the martyrs of 2003. What is the use of human rights if they are not entrenched in everyday life, in all walks of life, across our province and our country?

The time has come to send a clear message to murderers that capital punishment is the only prize for those that rape and murder. We must acknowledge the fact that criminals are not deterred from these acts of violence by current punishment acts. I fully support the call of the Premier for the reinstatement of the death penalty.

We have the duty to strike the balance between upholding the right to life and the right to be safe and secure together with the most important right to human dignity. Without this balance being struck criminals will become more daring and people more threatened.

The Bill of Human Rights does not only safeguard against a violation of Rights, but also serve as foundation for the development of delivery of those Rights. We have the responsibility to pro-actively give content to these rights.

My department is involved in projects aimed at improving diversity and tolerance among learners and communities. One of the greatest testimonies in this regard is Plumstead High School that received a special award last week for achievement in the area of racial integration. We can be very proud of this great example within our own province.

Within the framework of diversity the management of rights on language, culture and religion are an important challenge to national and provincial government. My department is currently attending to the implementation of an important right in education, namely the right to mother tongue based education. Sign Language is an important part of these projects in order to empower persons with a hearing disability. It is time to seriously consider the recognition of Sign Language as the forth official language in the Western Cape.

The right to religious expression is another important human right that must be upheld. The moral regeneration of our society depends largely on the role of religion.

No more is our struggle to democratise our country. Our struggle is now to give life to our entrenched human rights and foster a human rights culture among all our people.

May we, as we celebrate Human Rights Day, remember the names of Tyrone Steenkamp, Miquela Apollis and Desmoné Smith. May they remind us of the daunting task that lies ahead as we struggle to become a nation that is underpinned by human rights, in theory, but also in practice.