It should be Sharpeville Day, not Human Rights Day – PAC

Pan-Africanist Congress (PAC) leader Mzwanele Nyhontso has accused the government of distorting history, saying the name of Human Rights Day needs to be changed.

In an interview with eNCA news, Nyhontso said the protest on the day in 1960 was organised, led and orchestrated by the PAC, but government had decided to call it Human Rights Day without even consulting the PAC and its leaders in 1995.

“We feel it was also a distortion of history. There is a reason why we want it to be called Sharpeville Day and that is so kids do not get wrong history because the [government] are distorting the right history of our country,” he said.

Mbulelo Mpongwana from Soweto said the naming of the day was as a result of the ANC and former president Nelson Mandela’s reconciliatory approach after the negotiated dispensation.

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Mpongwana said the PAC leader was correct.

“You cannot reduce a massacre of 69 people to Human Rights Day. Prior to 1994, this day was unofficially commemorated by stayaways,” he said. “Jews would feel offence at the Holocaust being mischaracterised as a human rights issue.”

Lindiwe Mkhize from Vosloorus said she wondered if the PAC leaders were actually given an opportunity to be part of the changing of the name. “I fully understand where Nyhontso is coming from in that they feel that they were left out. I feel the government was supposed reach out to the leaders of the PAC at that time,” she said.

But political analyst Goodenough Mashego said it was also the PAC’s responsibility to make outreaches. Mashego said the PAC had organised the pass protest and it was up to the PAC to keep that flame alive.

“For them to on this day have events, properly brand them and have activities to commemorate [the Sharpeville massacre] so it becomes part of human consciousness and not just a holiday on the calendar,” he said.

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