R2K Human Rights Day Statement: Defend the right to protest!
Busi Mtabane
21 March 2021
R2K Human Rights Day Statement: Defend the right to protest!
As we commemorate, Human Rights Day, the nation is still reeling from the shocking news of the death of Mthokozisi Ntumba, who was shot and killed by the police on his way from the doctor when police were targeting protesting students at Wits University.
Six decades after the Sharpeville massacre, the discourse around police brutality has still not taken a centre stage in South Africa. The outrage is short-lived, we soon find ways of blaming the protesters, we criminalise protesters, innocent citizens continue to die at the hands of police and no one is held accountable. Police continue to kill with impunity just like they did in Sharpville 61 years ago.
According to statistics published by the Independent Police Investigative Directorate, 32 people were killed and 25 people were allegedly tortured by the police during the first 40 days of the Covid-19 lockdown in South Africa.
Defend the right to protest!
When the government introduced Covid-19 regulations last year, political gatherings including protests were prohibited. We believe the government was using these regulations to suppress dissent. As soon as regulations were eased other gatherings were permitted except for political gatherings and we strongly believe that this is an attack on our constitutional right to protest.
The right to protest is pivotal for the proper functioning of a democracy and the ability for ordinary people to demand accountability and justice.
The government is manipulating the COVID-19 pandemic to find reasons to shut down protests and make it even harder for activists to organise and participate in protests lawfully. As citizens, it is our duty and our responsibility to defend the right to freedom of assembly. Also, there’s an urgent need to demilitarise policing in South Africa. Incidents of police brutality are escalating across the country. Protesters are being criminalised, shot at with stun grenades and rubber bullets and we cannot afford to remain silent as more protesters with legitimate grievances are at risk of severe injury and even losing their lives at the hands of the police as we have recently witnessed with Wits protests.
We also note and condemn the racialised and discriminatory nature of policing protests in South Africa. It is mainly Black protesters that are treated with disdain by police in this country, while white privileged protesters enjoy the right to protest with no disruption. This unfair, racialised and discriminatory treatment must end.
We reject the government's austerity budget!
Last month, the Finance minister delivered an austerity budget that will contribute to underdevelopment and poverty. As the Right2Know Campaign, we are not happy with neoliberal economic policies that have failed to create a conducive environment for democracy and have instead produced growing inequality, unemployment and poverty. The South African unemployment rate has increased from 30.8 percent to 32.5 percent and people are struggling to afford basic needs. We want a redistributive budget that ends the hardship for the majority and invests in our democracy.
We reiterate the call on Parliament made by other social movements, to “send the budget back to the Executive and require it to meet its socio-economic rights obligations and consider alternative ways of managing our public debt”.
We call for a people’s vaccine!
Most European countries are imposing new lockdowns as that continent has reportedly missed its chance to stop the third wave of the coronavirus epidemic. In South Africa, we are still in the dark related to the vaccine rollout. We note that the third wave will arrive in the next two to three months with the onset of Winter. We call on the government to ensure equitable and affordable access to the desperately needed vaccines.
End Xenophobia now!
We strongly condemn the recent destructive and violent attacks on foreign nationals in KwaZulu-Natal. We call on the government to condemn these criminal acts and take decisive action to address the recent criminal actions. We also call on political leaders to refrain from a narrative that seeks to propose foreign nationals as the problem in this country which we view as an unfortunate attempt to divert attention from the real frustrations and genuine challenges faced by communities. We cannot allow a situation where foreign nationals are used as a proxy for political battles. The government must put in place, strategies to mitigate the simmering tensions fuelled by certain political organizations that have been polarizing society with their xenophobic utterance.
The time is now for South Africans to accept that we did not achieve this democracy in isolation. Foreign and a number of African countries played a vital role in obtaining freedom in South Africa. The home we call South Africa is a benefit of relief granted to South Africans during the struggle for freedom. Now that we have achieved this freedom we must reflect on the road that led us here.
Lastly, we call on all South Africans to exercise the spirit of UBUNTU. Immigrants must feel safe in our country.
Ongazi Makazi!
We have a RightToProtest!
Human Rights Day!
For more information contact:
Thami Nkosi, R2K Countering Repression Organiser: 062 624 5992
Nomacebo Mbayo, R2K Western Cape Organiser: 078 762 6013
Sthembiso Khuluse, R2K KZN Organiser: 081 575 3832
Bongani Xezwi, R2K Gauteng Organiser: 067 724 4651
ONLINE VERSION: https://bit.ly/3f0FKwn
NB: Please attribute all contents of this statement to the Right2Know Campaign, not to any individual unless you contact a spokesperson for specific comments.
Sent on behalf of R2K by: Busi Mtabane
Right2Know Communicator
083 329 7844
bu...@r2k.org.za 
More about the Right2Know Campaign:
www.r2k.org.za | @r2kcampaign | @r2kcampaign | @r2kcampaign