Cape Town – President Cyril Ramaphosa has urged South Africans to reflect on the state of human dignity in the country as the nation approaches Human Rights Day on 21 March.
In his weekly newsletter, the president emphasised that the Constitution guarantees every citizen the right to live with dignity, comfort, and peace.
“This year, we mark three decades since South Africa adopted its democratic Constitution. The Constitution is more than the supreme law of the land; it is a solemn promise that never again should any person be stripped of their humanity and dignity,” President Ramaphosa wrote.
Human Rights Day commemorates the 1960 Sharpeville massacre, when apartheid police opened fire on unarmed protesters, killing 69 people and injuring many more. Ramaphosa said the day provides an opportunity to evaluate whether South Africa is fulfilling the promises enshrined in its Constitution.
“Of all the values enshrined in our Constitution, one of the most fundamental is the advancement of human dignity. It is the foundation on which the rights to equality, to freedom from discrimination, to education, to health, to a safe environment and others are built. It is the idea that every person possesses an inherent worth that must be respected and protected,” he said.
Dear Fellow South African,
This year, we mark three decades since South Africa adopted its democratic Constitution. The Constitution is more than the supreme law of the land; it is a solemn promise that never again should any person be stripped of their humanity and dignity.… pic.twitter.com/OEqx79R7nA
— Cyril Ramaphosa 🇿🇦 (@CyrilRamaphosa) March 16, 2026
The president highlighted that human dignity is more than an abstract principle, noting that it is realised through laws, institutions, and policies. “Our courts continue to assert this right and, where necessary, order government and those in power to take measures to enhance people’s dignity,” Ramaphosa said.
Since the advent of democracy, the government has sought to improve living conditions across South Africa. “Millions of South Africans have access to water, electricity, healthcare, education and social support that were denied to them under apartheid,” he said. The president also highlighted progress for children, citing access to school meals, fee-free education, early childhood development programmes, and social grants.
However, Ramaphosa acknowledged that challenges remain. “Poverty, inequality and unemployment remain stubborn obstacles to the full realisation of human dignity for every South African. Closing those gaps is a constitutional imperative that belongs to all of us,” he wrote.
The president also outlined government efforts to stimulate economic growth and job creation, saying, “When we mobilise investment to build factories or open mines to create jobs and opportunities for emerging businesses, or when we build new roads and revitalise hospitals, we are working towards a society in which everyone has dignity.”
As South Africa faces economic uncertainties, Ramaphosa stressed the need to continue investing in infrastructure and reforms. “We must sustain our massive investment in infrastructure, continue with far-reaching reforms in energy, water and logistics, overhaul our skills development system and expand support to small businesses,” he said.
He called on citizens to uphold constitutional values in daily life. “On Human Rights Day this year, let us rededicate ourselves to the Constitution and to its most cherished principles. Let us resolve in our homes, schools, workplaces and communities to treat every person with the dignity that is their right – and let us never stop working until we have ensured that every person can live in dignity, comfort and peace.”
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Compiled by Betha Madhomu
