President Cyril Ramaphosa gave an address on National Day of Reconciliation in Bergville, KwaZulu-Natal. He discussed how the country has progressed in restoring bonds broken in the past and building a united nation. However, more work still needs to be done to achieve true reconciliation through addressing issues like unequal land ownership and transforming society to end inequality in areas like access to opportunities. Reconciliation requires acknowledging the injustices of the past while also focusing on a shared future of unity and equality for all South Africans.

1. ADDRESSBY PRESIDENTCYRIL RAMAPHOSA ON THE OCASSION OFTHE NATIONALDAYOF
RECONCILIATION
16 DECEMBER 2019
BERGVILLE COMMUNITY SPORTSCOMPLEX, OKHAHLAMBA LOCAL MUNICIPALITY
Programme Director,
Ministerof Artsand Culture,Mr Nathi Mthethwa,Premier of KwaZulu-Natal,MrSihle Zikalala,Ministers
and MECs, Membersof the National andProvincial LegislaturesLeadersof variouspolitical,trade union
and civil societyformations,MayorsandCouncillors,Traditionalandreligiousleaders,Fellow South
Africans,Sanibonani!Dumelang!Molweni!Avuxeni!Goeie Dag!Thobela!
It ismy privilegetobe here inBergville tomarkournational Dayof Reconciliation,atime tocelebrate
howfar we have come inrestoringthe brokenbondsof the pastand in buildinga unitednation.
A special greetingtothe people of eMangwaneni,thisplace thatissorich inhistory.
From the foundingof EzintabeniZoKhahlambabyInkosi uZikhali,tothe establishmentof the Bergville
MountainVillage inthe late 1800s, to the SouthAfricanWar of 1899, whena small fortwasbuilthere,
thisarea has beenwitnesstoa past of both turbulence andprogress.
Bergville isalsothe gatewaytothe uKhahlamba-DrakensburgParkwhere the Sanrock art at thisWorld
Heritage Site givesusaglimpse intothe livesof ourancestorswholivedhere thousandsof yearsago.
The designof our national coatof arms payshomage to our Khoisanforebears,andeverytimeitis
displayedwe are remindedof the deepandenduringlinksbetweenusandourancientpast.
Thisis a place of immense beauty,lyingatthe footof the majesticDrakensberg.
But like manypartsof thisprovince ithasbeeninthe grip of drought.
So we were all immenselypleasedlastweekwhenthe heavensopenedtogive some relieftoBergville.
As we celebrate the comingof the rains,todayisa day for celebration.
A celebrationof the triumphof reconciliationoverretribution,of goodwill overanimosity,andof
fellowshipoverhatred.
That we have beenable toovercome a bitterpastand standhere todayto proclaimourselvesproud
SouthAfricans,blackandwhite,istestimonytothe strengthandresolve of agreatpeople.
Thisday of the yearwas proclaimedasthe Day of the Vow by our apartheidrulerstorememberthe
fierce battle in1838 at the Ncome Riverbetweenthe Voortrekkersandthe Zulupeople underHis
MajestyKingDingane.
In that historicbattle,brave Zuluwarriorswithassegaissuccumbedinlarge numberstothe firepowerof
the Voortrekkers,and,itis said,the Ncome Riverranred withthe bloodof these freedomfighters.

2. It istherefore significantthatthisdayof the year alsomarksthe dayin 1961 on whichUmkhontowe
Sizwe,the militarywingof the ANC,wasformedtoresistthe savageryof apartheiddispossessionand
oppression.
Whenwe attainedourdemocracyin 1994 we tooka consciousdecisionthatthe 16th of December
wouldbe a day we commemorate bothhistorical events,andindoingso,reconcile ournation.
Thisday, that once symbolised the dominationof one groupoveranother,isnow anoccasionto
celebrate the pactwe made to start on a cleanslate – tostrive towardsrealisingasocietyfoundedon
reconciliation,non-racialism, non-sexism, equality,peace,justice anddemocracy.
Thisis the societythatthe people of thiscountryenvisionednearly65yearsago in the FreedomCharter,
whentheysaid:
We,the People of SouthAfrica,declare forall ourcountryandthe worldtoknow:
that SouthAfricabelongstoall wholive init, blackand white,andthatno governmentcanjustlyclaim
authorityunlessitisbasedonthe will of all the people;
that our people have beenrobbedof theirbirthrighttoland,libertyandpeace bya formof government
foundedoninjustice andinequality;
that our countrywill neverbe prosperousorfree until all ourpeopleliveinbrotherhood,enjoyingequal
rightsand opportunities…
Thisvisionof a nationreconciledisembeddedinourdemocraticConstitution.
As we gatheredtoadopta newfundamental law forourfree land,we said –in the Preamble tothe
Constitution –thatreconciliationisaboutrecognisingthe injusticesof ourpast,and workingtogetherto
correct them.
Reconciliationisaboutacknowledgingthateventhoughwe are diverse,withdifferenthistoriesand
experiences,languagesandcultures,we canbe united.
Today,as we gather here tocelebrate thisday,letusaffirmthe principleswhichguide usaswe work
towardsreconciliation,unityandpeace.
Let usaffirmthat, indeed,we cannotachievereconciliationunlesswe firstrecognisethe injusticesof
our past,unlesswe are forthrightandhonestaboutthe sufferingthatthe people of thiscountryhadto
endure.
As a country,it isimportantthatwe recognise the devastatingeffectof dominationbycolonialand
apartheidrulers.
It isimportantthat we recall howthe indigenousAfricanpeople wereforcedoff theirland,deniedeven
the most basicof rights,howfamilieswere tornapartbythe migrantlaboursystem.
Reconciliationisalsoabouthonouringthose whosufferedforjustice andfreedom.

3. We shouldrecall how,enduringdispossession,racismandpoverty,Africanpeopleactivelyresisted
attemptsto turnthemintoaliensinthe landof theirbirth,keepingupsustained,active andorganised
resistance.
We shouldrecall howAfrican,colouredandIndianSouthAfricans,togetherwithwhitedemocrats,
foughta brave and protractedstruggle forfreedom.
We shouldrecall the sacrificesthatsomanyof our people made –sufferingimprisonment,exile,
bannings,torture,deprivationandevendeath –sothat we can today call ourselvesademocracy.
We doso not onlyto honourtheirmemories,butalsosowe shouldneverforgetthe price thatwaspaid
inhuman sufferingforthe achievementafree SouthAfrica.
ReconciliationisaboutacknowledgingthatSouthAfricabelongstoall wholive init,unitedinour
diversity.
It makesusall equal citizensof thiscountry,withanequal claimtobeingSouthAfrican.
Thismeansthat thiscountrybelongstothe descendantsof those whocome to these shoresjustafew
generationsagointhe same measure asit belongstothose whose ancestorshave livedhere for
centuries.
If all the people inthiscountry,blackandwhite,cancall thisplace home,thenitisessential thatall its
people mustshare equallyinthe land,the resources,the wealthandthe opportunityinSouthAfrica.
Reconciliationistherefore alsoabouthealingthe woundsof the pastbyrestoring the landand the
wealthtoall the people,andrealisingthe rightsof all SouthAfricanstodignity,securityandcomfort.
We knowthatunlesswe move withspeedtoaddressthe unresolvedbusinessof nation-building,true
reconciliationandunitywill be difficulttoachieve
Thisis clearlydemonstratedinaccesstoand ownershipof land.
Righthere inBergville isastark example of the necessityof transformingpatternsof landownershipfor
the benefitof ourpeople.
Thistownis the centre of a dairyand cattle ranchingarea andplaysan importantrole inthe economyof
the province andthe country.
But skewedpatternsof racial ownershiphave playedouthere forcenturies,where communitiesand
subsistence farmerswere removedfromtheirancestral landtomake wayforwhite-ownedcommercial
farms.
The story of land dispossessioninthisprovince isindeedapainful one,andmirrorsthe livedexperiences
of millionsof ourpeople acrossthiscountry.

4. It isthe priorityof thisgovernmentto accelerate the processof landreform, andindoingsowe will be
guidedbythe decisionsof ourParliamentandrecommendationsof the Presidential AdvisoryPanel on
Land Reform.
At the same time we will continue withthe restitutionprocess,andwithfreeingupstate-ownedlandfor
farmingandfor the buildingof housesforourpeople.
We call on private landowners,commercial farmersandthe private sectortotake proactive stepsto
accelerate the landreformprocessbysupportingfarmworkersandcommunitiestoacquire landandto
farm it.
Reconciliationrequiresthatwe endinequalityinall itsforms,notonlyinaccessto land,but inaccess to
water,educationandskills,toemployment,tohousing,tohealthcare andto basicservices.
It isthisgoal,of improvingthe livesof the poorand marginalised,thatstandsatthe centre of the
programme of thisgovernment,andtowhichwe mustmobilise ourcollective efforts.
Reconciliationisnotonlyaboutrace.
It isalso abouteffectingreconciliationonmattersthataffectthe humancondition.
It meansbridgingthe divide betweenwomenandmen.
Thismeansthat the empowermentof womenandthe achievementof genderequityisone of ourmost
importanttasks.
Reconciliationmeansthatwe needworkwithgreatereffortandurgencytoendthe scourge of gender-
basedviolence.
We cannotbe a strongnationif we continue toabuse womenandchildrenandare intoleranttowards
membersof the LGBTQI+ community.
Let usimpart the value of respect toour young,so that boysand youngmenlearntorespectwomen
and girls.
Let usspeakout againstviolence whereverwe see it,whetheritinvolvesourbrothers,ouruncles,our
sonsor our friends.
Let ussay enoughisenough.
Sekwanele.
Reconciliationcannotbe basedonpiouswords,mustbe basedonall SouthAfricansreachingouttoone
anotherto supportone anotheras we rebuildanationfree of racism, exploitationandoppression.
We see evidence of national reconciliationinordinarystoriessharedbyourpeople,includingonsocial
media.

5. Theyare storiesof coexistence,of friendshipandcamaraderie,butalsoof compassionandempathy.
Of a white manengaginginlobolanegotiationsonbehalf of anadoptedblackdaughter.
Of an Afrikaans-speakingtoddlerinaSpringbokjerseyfluentlyrenderingthe national anthemwithhis
eyesclosed.
Of interracial couplesandadoptionsandblendedfamilies;of neighboursof differentraceshelpingeach
other,and of domesticworkersgraduatingat universitybecause theiremployerssupportedtheir
dreams.
Thisis notsuperficial unity.
These storiesshowthatalthoughwe have along wayto go to become a trulyunitednation,daybyday,
little bylittle,we are breakingthe barriersof race and classthat were putup to divide us.
ReconciliationmustmeanthatSouthAfricansmustreachout to one anotherthroughlanguage,cultural
appreciation,sportsandthroughthe activitiesof dailylife.
Althoughthere maybe pocketsof intolerance,we remainapeople preparedtosee eachotheras
equals.
We witnessedthisclearlywiththe outpouringof joywhenthe Springbokswonthe RugbyWorldCupin
Japanlast month,andwhenour Zozibini Tunzi wascrownedMissUniverse lastweek.
We sawSouth Africansof all races take to the streets,proudlywavingthe national flag,andproclaiming
theirpride intheircountry.
We needonlylookaroundusto see justhow far we have come.
For the firsttime,ournational rugbyteamis captainedbya black man, SiyaKolisi.
Our mostfamousathlete isa blackwomanfromGa-Masehlong,Mokgadi CasterSemenya,andourmost
famousswimmer,Chadle Clos,isawhite man.
We see itinour schools,where blackchildrenandwhite childrenlearnandplayside byside.
Andwhenthe newspaperscarrystoriesof the topperformingmatriculantstheyare African,white,
Indianandcoloured.
We see itinuniversitiesthatare becomingever-more inclusive,where studentsgraduate intraditional
attire and theirfamiliesbreakoutintoululationanddance.
We see itinour Parliament,where youngandold,blackandwhite representthe interestsof their
communitiesandgive voice totheirconcerns.
We see iton our televisionscreens,where programmingreflectsthe diversityof culturesof thiscountry,
but mostespeciallythe diversityof language.

6. Let usnot see language asa barrierto coexistence,butasa meansto reachout to those of different
cultures.
Let usmake an efforttolearneachother’slanguages andto teachour ownto others.
We will notallowthe prophetsof doomtotell usthat we are worse off thanbefore 1994, or that race
relationshave deteriorated.
We have reachedacrossthe divide andembracedeachother,andin thismonthandeverymonthwe
mustcontinue todo so.
Despite ourbackgrounds,culturesandbeliefsandpolitical affiliations,we are one nation.
FellowSouthAfricans,
In celebratingthe 25years of democracy,andin line withestablishedinternational practice,Ihave
decided,intermsof the Constitution,togranta special remissionof sentence tospecificcategoriesof
sentencedoffenders,probationersandparolees.
Remissionsof sentencesare alwayscarefullyconsidered,takingintoaccountthe interestsof the public
and the administrationof justice.
We recognise thatincarcerationhasfollowedajudicial processandthatsentenceshave beenduly
imposedafterconviction.
There have beenpreviousremissionsof thisnature grantedtocoincide withimportantnational days.
These include PresidentNelsonMandela’sinaugurationon10 May 1994, the firstanniversaryof our
freedomon27 April 1995, Madiba’s80th birthdayon18 July1998, the firstyearof PresidentMbeki’s
secondtermof office on30 May 2005 and incelebrationof 18 yearsof freedomon27 April 2012.
The processwill be done invariousphases,startingwithspecialcategories,includingwomen,children,
the elderly,youthandinmateswithdisabilities.
The Ministerof Justice andCorrectional Serviceswill provide the relevantdetailsandspecific
circumstanceswithregardto relevantoffenders.
It mustbe emphasisedthatthisremissionexcludesthose sentencedforviolent,aggressiveandsexual
offences,aswell aspeopledeclareddangerous criminalsintermsof section286A of the Criminal
Procedure Actof 1977.
CompatriotsandFriends,
In strivingtobuildastrong andunitednationwe will notforgetourpast,nor seektodiminishitsimpact.
It liveswithustodaystill.

7. But as the famoussonof thisprovince AlanPatononce said:
“It isnot ‘forgive andforget’asif nothingwronghad everhappened,but‘forgive andgoforward’ – (itis
about) buildingonthe mistakesof the pastandthe energygeneratedbyreconciliationtocreate a new
future.”
We looktothis newfuture withhope.
We are all productsof our past,but letit notbe that ourpast shouldholdusdown.
Justas the riverthatonce ran redwithbloodhasbeenwashedclean,sotooletus renew,letus
reconcile,letusmove togethertorealise the SouthAfricawe all want.
Let usgive true effectandmeaningtothe profoundwordscontainedinthe Preamble toour
Constitution,inwhichwe say:
We,the people of SouthAfrica,
Recognise the injustices of ourpast;
Honourthose whosufferedforjustice andfreedominourland;Respectthose whohave workedto
buildanddevelopourcountry;andBelieve thatSouthAfricabelongstoall wholive init,unitedinour
diversity.
We therefore,throughourfreelyelectedrepresentatives,adoptthisConstitutionasthe supreme lawof
the Republicsoas to -
Heal the divisionsof the pastandestablishasocietybasedondemocraticvalues,social justice and
fundamental humanrights;
Lay the foundationsfora democraticandopensocietyinwhichgovernmentisbasedonthe will of the
people andeverycitizenisequallyprotectedbylaw;
Improve the qualityof life of all citizensandfree the potential of eachperson;and
Builda unitedanddemocraticSouthAfricaable totake its rightful place asa sovereignstate inthe
familyof nations.
May God protectour people.
Nkosi Sikelel’iAfrika.Morenabolokasetjhabasaheso.
God seënSuid-Afrika.GodblessSouthAfrica.
MudzimufhatutshedzaAfurika.Hosi katekisaAfrika.
I thankyou.
IssuedbyThe Presidencyof the Republicof SouthAfrica