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Listen to the Children of the Rainbow Nation

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Child Welfare South Africa today called upon the Government, the University leadership and the South African Police to show great restraint and leadership at this time as our rainbow nation children exercise their rights as enshrined in our Constitution to express their voice and be heard.

Rainbow Nation
Rainbow Nation

This is not about race or about politics but about the right to freedom of expression and the right to education as enshrined in our constitution.

The Constitution Section 29 enshrines the right to education, and defines the positive responsibilities of the state in this respect. The Section states “Everyone has the right to a basic education, including adult basic education; and to further education, which the state, through reasonable measures, must make progressively available and accessible.” The right to education is amongst others recognised in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and Section 29 expands on this provision in detail with regard to language, and the right to establishment self-funded of private schools.

Section 16 contains detailed provisions with regard to freedom of expression, stating “Everyone has the right to freedom of expression, which includes freedom of the press and other media; freedom to receive or impart information or ideas; freedom of artistic creativity; and academic freedom and freedom of scientific research.”

The students are our rainbow nation children and we and the founding father of our democracy have granted them the right to express their view with regard to their education.

Remember that these students are an elite few who have had been granted the privilege of attending University through their parents or Bursaries or funding but behind them is a forgotten mass of young people who, because of the standard of education they received, will never experience this privilege.

We do not condone violence on both sides but by and large these rainbow nation children have committed to a peaceful protest to ensure that the doors of education are opened to all.

We, as Child Welfare South Africa, call upon the leaders of today to engage with the leaders of tomorrow in listening and hearing what they have to say. We call on Government to refocus its goals and make Education THE priority of this country for ALL our children. The rainbow nation children of today have engaged the exact same tactics our forefathers did and in the struggle, rights that are enshrined in our Constitution and they do not deserve to be met with the same violent manner as our forefathers were.

We should be proud that they, the children of this Rainbow Nation, are exercising their rights given to them by the Constitution and we can never meet that right with Police force we should meet it by granting them the forums to be listened to and heard.

Our Rainbow Nation Children need to be heard and the doors of education must be open to all to ensure the future of this Proud Rainbow Nation.

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Alan Straton

Chief Cook, Bottle Washer and Broom Mechanic at MyPE
Passionate about Port Elizabeth and definitely NOT packing for Perth. Alan's ethos is epitomised in the words of Nelson Mandela; "I have fought against white domination and I have fought against black domination. I have cherished the idea of a democratic and free society. If need be, it is an ideal for which I am prepared to die." See more articles by Alan.