While the country’s focus is at the ruling party’s 54th National Conference at Nasrec in Johannesburg, church leaders and various Non-Governmental Organisations have marched through the streets of Cape Town.
The march was part of the celebrations to mark Reconciliation Day. Protesters are calling for peace and justice.
Organisers say their objective is to highlight what they say is the unfinished business of reconciling the people of South Africa.
The march went through District Six, where the first forced removals of African people took place.
“We’re marching for peace and justice and we, as South Africans, who are gathered here today, believe that we cannot have peace without justice,” says March for Peace’s Deon Snyman.
The marchers believe there are a number of issues which our democracy has failed to address. These issues, they say, have stained the county’s peaceful transition to democracy.
“I think one of the challenges with reconciliation in South Africa is that there was no strong enough emphasis on justice and District Six is crying out for justice after so many years of democracy. Many residents in District Six feel that they did not receive justice,” says Snyman.
The organisers say they will continue to use Reconciliation Day to remind the government of what they call the country’s unfinished business.
