Human rights ‘cannot be outsourced to the government alone’ – Ramaphosa

2026-03-21 - 14:00

President Cyril Ramaphosa used his Human Rights Day speech on Saturday to call for all South Africans to unite in protecting and providing human rights. This year’s celebrations come as experts warn that a water crisis, electricity outages, crime and other failures have violated basic human rights enshrined in the constitution. Ramaphosa acknowledged that progress had been made, but “progress does not erase the truth that too many South Africans still experience the indignity of unemployment, the injustice of inequality, and the daily struggles for basic services. “For them, the Constitution is yet to be a living reality in full. We must confront an uncomfortable but necessary truth, that the rights that exist on paper are not fully the rights lived by our people. Don’t just blame government However, Ramaphosa said that the blame cannot only be laid at government’s door. “We need to deepen partnerships between all key stakeholders in our country. The work of human rights that we are celebrating today cannot be outsourced to government alone. It belongs to all of us. It cannot be the function of the human rights commission at all. “It is a task that we must all undertake. In order for every person in South Africa to feel that the rights that were promised in our Constitution are truly being enjoyed by all. He singled out the need to work together to “combat social ills like gender-based violence, criminality, and substance abuse. ALSO READ: Ghosted at Sona 2026: Is Ramaphosa’s government really taking GBV and femicide seriously? But why is government dragging its feet then? Ramaphosa’s comments come as his government drags its feet to implement a promised National Council on Gender-Based Violence and Femicide (NCGBVF) board. The board was provided for within the National Council on Gender-Based Violence and Femicide Bill, which was signed in May 2024. That signing came nearly two years after it was first formally introduced in Parliament and six years after it was initially proposed. Nearly a year after the Bill was signed, the women, youth and persons with disabilities portfolio committee finally recommended 10 candidates for appointment to the president earlier this month. Only time will tell when it will finally be signed off by Ramaphosa. Presidential spokesperson Vincent Magwenya told The Citizen only that Ramaphosa will announce the final names “once the process of appointments has been concluded”. So, while the government is not alone responsible for the fight against gender-based violence, it has delayed an important step in the fight against the crisis for several years. It has also been criticised for a lack of due diligence, which appears to make their actions just a token or a tick-the-box exercise. NOW READ: Ruling days are over for panicked ANC