Now, 2025, is the time to delve deeper into the culture of human rights in South Africa to reveal its true meaning.
Deepening the culture of human rights requires expanding the concept and our understanding of it. For too long the focus has exclusively been on individual rights.
People are not mere individuals. People come together in groups or communities, fostering a common awareness, such as religion, language, history and culture.
Such groups or communities also have rights nested under the overarching concept of human rights. For that very reason the definition of human rights in South Africa should be expanded to recognise the rights of groups and communities.
This brings one to the true test of democracy. Democracy does not mean “one person, one vote”. That opens the door to tyranny by the majority.
True, modern democracy is embodied by the protection and accommodation of minorities and groups, which are also significant fundamental human rights.
Although Human Rights Day is celebrated in South Africa today, the international celebration takes place on 10 December when the United Nations (UN) adopted the Universal Declaration of Human Rights in 1948.
Minority or group rights – just like individual rights – are internationally and officially recognised after the UN adopted a declaration on group rights in 1992.
In South Africa, however, those rights have always been subject to individual rights. In this context, the Freedom Front Plus (VF Plus) is the only political party endeavouring to create a home for groups and minorities.
The mere fact that there are twelve official languages in South Africa undoubtedly means that individual rights cannot offer the depth needed to accommodate the rich diversity of the country’s different groups and cultures.
This is the time for true human rights in South Africa.
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