Human Rights Day: Human rights must not be selectively implemented

20 March 2018

The Freedom Front Plus is genuinely committed to human rights and believes that human rights and equal rights must be promoted in South Africa. People need to be honest when it comes to human rights by acknowledging all aspects thereof and not being selective, because that is hypocritical.

When human rights in South Africa are under discussion, the conversation has to start with the topic of mutual respect. The people of South Africa must learn to have mutual respect for each other’s differences, disagreements, languages and cultures. There can be no talk of human rights if one group tries to dominate or control another.

However, what we are currently experiencing in South Africa, particularly with regard to the issue of land, is an attempt at black domination and a majority that is bullying the minority. One of the characteristics of a representative democracy is that the majority must have respect for the minority groups and their rights.

Section 17 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights of the United Nations (UN) stipulates that “everyone has the right to own property alone as well as in association with others” and “no one shall be arbitrarily deprived of his property”. South Africa’s very own Constitution also determines in Section 25 that no expropriation without compensation may take place.

Accepting the motion of expropriation without compensation in Parliament is a violation of human rights and the fact that the ANC supported the motion is proof of the fact that they are selective in acknowledging and implementing human rights.

Issued by Pieter Groenewald, FF Plus leader, 20 March 2018