Call for public to unite against racism
Anti-Racism Network South Africa has called on the public to support Anti-Racism Week from 14 to 21 March.
The Anti-Racism Network South Africa (ARNSA) has called on the public to support Anti-Racism Week, which runs from 14 to 21 March.
The launch took place at Constitution Hill in Johannesburg, where Anti-Racism Week patrons; guest speaker, Gauteng Education MEC Panyaza Lesufi; and various supporting organisations gathered.
ARNSA’s coordinator, Busisiwe Nkosi, explained that Anti-Racism Week, which is being held for the fourth time in South Africa, aims to create public awareness about racism, how it affects individuals and broader society, and how it can be tackled. “Anti-Racism Week is held annually during Human Rights Month. It culminates on Human Rights Day and the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination. It’s about ensuring that there is countrywide focus on tackling racism and that it remains on the national agenda,” Busisiwe said.
Busisiwe went on to say that this year the focus is on sports and anti-racism with an international cricket match between South Africa and Sri Lanka being dedicated to supporting the campaign.
“The week will also be an opportunity for the country to reiterate its support for Caster Semenya, who is currently challenging the IAAF’s regressive policies, which raise questions about its treatment of black female athletes.
“We have also refined the Zimele Racism Reporting App, which was piloted last year. Now, the South African Human Rights Commission has agreed to partner on the initiative to respond to complaints received via the app. So there will be a strong focus on how technology can be used to tackle racism. We are also planning to engage in discussions on how to tackle racism in schools and workplaces.”
Busisiwe added that while Anti-Racism Week is initiated by ARNSA, it aims to get all sectors of society involved and encourages self-initiated activities during the week.
Ahmed Kathrada Foundation Director, Neeshan Balton, who serves on the ARNSA Steering Committee, said that this year’s Anti-Racism Week happens at the same time that similar campaigns are being held globally.
“On March 16, there will be demonstrations against racism in various countries. This is in response to the growth of right-wing racist and fascist movements globally, which are driven by an anti-immigrant, anti-black, anti-Muslim and anti-Semitic agenda.
“These movements are increasingly connected to each other, make use of new media technology to mobilise support and are gaining enough popularity to contest, and in some instances, win elections in both developed and developing countries. In some ways, the era that we live in is reminiscent of the period preceding the rise of Nazism in Europe,” Neeshan said.
Fellow ARNSA Steering Committee member, Stan Henkeman, from the Institute for Justice and Reconciliation, echoed Neeshan’s views. He indicated that in South Africa little thought was given to finding solutions jointly, “… in a way that does not polarise, but brings people together around common basic values”.
Stan also said, “Over the last few years, we have seen a series of race-related incidents in South Africa. More recent examples have included the segregation of learners at a school in Schweizer Reneke, racial tension at Clifton Beach and racialised discourse surrounding the deaths of pupils at Hoërskool Driehoek. A noticeable trend in many of these instances is the inability of stakeholders to bring people together to find joint and long-term solutions. There’s often a polarity of views that is sometimes exacerbated by political or community leadership, with little regard for the serious consequences that inflamed racial tensions can result in.
Allan Zinn, from the Centre for the Advancement of Non-Racialism and Democracy, said, “We hope that this type of activism can be built upon and that we can start addressing the sometimes overlooked structural racism that remains in society.”
To access more information about Anti-Racism Week, visit https://www.arnsa.org.za and check out the visual media and information toolkit. Follow @AntiRacismNet on Twitter. Also, tell us what you will be doing for Anti-Racism Week. Email info@kathradafoundation.org or Whatsapp 078 5474 981.
