Cope is rooted in deep Christian roles and discipline. We strongly believe in the principle of Batho Pele – putting people first. As a country, we managed to achieve political freedom and democracy in 1994. We can identify with some of the subsequent achievements, such as changed attitudes, human dignity, and some privileges and rights.
Cope is rooted in deep Christian roles and discipline. We strongly believe in the principle of Batho Pele – putting people first. As a country, we managed to achieve political freedom and democracy in 1994. We can identify with some of the subsequent achievements, such as changed attitudes, human dignity, and some privileges and rights.
However, we are not quite convinced that as Africans, especially the previously disadvantaged, we have achieved economic freedom and the freedom of association.
As we remember the past and and look forward to the future, we celebrate the present with mixed feelings.
This is because so many of our people do not have basic human rights.
This means that there is a sector of our population, and a large number of citizens of our country, who find nothing to celebrate.
We remember the Sharpeville Masscacre and Marikana.
We remember the shooting of Tatane by our own police.
In many other less publicised incidents, we still experience police brutality.
Can we say this is total freedom?
The freedom we fought for?
As much they nominally have the right to move around freely, the right to live in a place and area of their choice, people don't really have choices when it comes to accommodation.
Travelling through the width and breadth of the country, you are confronted by dilapidated shacks in informal settlements, where people are forced to live because they don't have choices.
Although the citizens of this country are entitled to basic human dignity, their dignity is stripped by living in areas without proper water, toilets or electricity.
Without the government changing the living conditions of the poor, not everyone in this country will celebrate Human Rights Day.
