Business boom as 3 000 celebrate Human Rights
ROB KNOWLES
ABOUT 3 000 men, women and children congregated at the Port Alfred Hospital field last Wednesday to celebrate Human Rights Day at an event for which R1.4-million was splashed out.
The event was arranged by the Cacadu District Municipality and the Eastern Cape provincial government.
The keynote speaker was Eastern Cape premier, Noxolo Kiviet, who addressed the crowd in a large marquee amid much singing and dancing in celebration of human rights.
| WOMAN WITH A MESSAGE: Eastern Cape premier Noxolo Kiviet addressed more than 2 000 attendees at the Human Rights Day celebration held at the hospital grounds in Port Alfred on Wednesday last week Picture: ROB KNOWLES |
Kiviet said the ultimate goal of the government was to provide peace and prosperity for all, the ultimate objective of the promotion of human rights.
"We are here to honour that commitment, to cherish the contributions and supreme sacrifices of all our heroes and heroines who over the years of struggle for freedom paid with their lives for us to enjoy this freedom and development today,” Kiviet said in her keynote address.
"In line with government policy of strategic deployment of resources to address structural poverty, spatial development disparities and the gap between the rich and poor, we are seeing progressive massive investment in the development of the socio-economic infrastructure of the Eastern Cape,” she said.
"Over the next five years commitments of over R125-billion have been made to build our ports, railways, roads, agriculture and energy infrastructure to position the Eastern Cape as a major player in the socio-economic landscape of South Africa.”
Human Rights Day is held on the anniversary of what is known as the 1960 Sharpeville Massacre, when South African Police opened fire on a crowd of thousands who had gathered outside the Sharpeville police station to demonstrate against carrying pass books. Sixty-nine people, including eight women and 10 children, were killed and 180 people were injured.
Fifty-two years later the Eastern Cape government brought its road show to Port Alfred and extended an open invitation to residents and visitors alike to join them in order to commemorate the Sharpeville Massacre and celebrate Human Rights Day.
While scores of younger people gathered to watch others playing impromptu soccer and cricket matches, most of those in attendance visited the larger of the two marquees erected for the occasion. One accommodated the staff of various provincial and national government departments who answered questions and passed out literature, and the other seated around 2 000 people who listened to live music, watched local pantsula dancers and listened to the dignitaries who addressed them.
According to Ndlambe municipal spokesman, Cecil Mbolekwa, the entire event cost R1.4-million.
"This event was meant for Cacadu, it was Cacadu that decided that the event be in Ndlambe,” said Mbolekwa.
"We believe (local) business people have benefited, like hotels,” he said. "Remember some of the people were here for the past two weeks preparing for the event.”
He said the exposure Ndlambe received was another benefit of hosting the event.
The event was primarily aimed at Xhosa-speaking people, and the entire afternoon session was conducted in that language. There were few white faces in the crowd. 
In her address Kiviet said that the celebration coincided with national Library Week, and that it was important to develop a "culture of reading” among South Africans, something that has been lacking in the past.
Local residents pointed out the irony that the Port Alfred municipal library was closed during Library Week.
Also in attendance at the event, among other dignitaries on the day, were executive mayor of Cacadu district municipality, Khunjuzwa Eunice Kekana, sport, recreation, arts and culture MEC Xoliswa Tom and Ndlambe mayor Sipho Tandani.