Durban – President Jacob Zuma has at the Human Rights Day celebrations in Durban earlier today announced that government has drafted a national action plan to combat racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance.
Addressing the thousands of citizens who had gathered at Moses Mabhida Stadium, the President said the plan will help ensure that the concerns of individuals and groups encountering racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance are not brushed aside or underplayed, and that they are more effectively addressed.
“We have set ourselves on a mission to build a united, non-racial, non-sexist, democratic and prosperous South Africa.
“We are building a South Africa in which nobody will be discriminated against because of the colour of their skin, in the provision of services and opportunities by both the public and private sectors,” he said.
Human Rights Day 2016 has been declared as the National Day Against Racism and a foundation to lay a long-term programme towards building a non-racial society.
President Zuma said the draft plan is designed to raise awareness around anti-racism, equality and anti-discrimination issues among public officials, civil society and the general public, mobilising support from a wide range of people.
The plan emanates from the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action which was adopted at the 3rd World Conference Against Racism held in Durban in 2001.
The Department of Justice and Constitutional Development has been tasked with coordinating the development and finalisation of the plan.
“A national action plan steering committee, which comprises government departments, Chapter 9 institutions, international human rights agencies, faith-based organisations as well as civil society organisations has been established to enable wide consultations on the plan.