SayProCMR Human Rights Day SpeechBy Keamogetswe Toka, Chief Finance Officer, SayPro

Delivered on Human Rights Day

Good day, colleagues, partners, and fellow advocates of human dignity,

It is an honour to stand before you today, not just as SayPro’s Chief Finance Officer, but as a proud custodian of an organisation that places people at the centre of its mission. On this Human Rights Day, we pause to reflect, to honour, and — most importantly — to recommit.

Human Rights Day is not only a remembrance of our painful past — it is a reminder of our responsibility. A responsibility to ensure that justice, equality, and dignity are not just ideals, but realities, experienced by every individual — especially those who have been left behind.

As CFO, my role is often associated with numbers, budgets, and compliance. But make no mistake — finance is not just about figures, it is about fairness. It is about making sure that resources reach those who need them most. It is about ensuring that the dreams of a better life are not delayed because of a lack of funding or misallocation of priorities.

At SayPro, we believe that every rand spent is an opportunity to restore dignity, to build capacity, and to unlock potential. From funding youth development projects in rural areas to supporting small enterprises led by women and people with disabilities — our financial decisions carry human consequences.

And so today, I echo the deeper message of Human Rights Day: Rights must be funded. Justice must be resourced. Equity must be intentional.

We cannot talk about empowerment if education programmes are underfunded.
We cannot speak of transformation while communities live without basic infrastructure.
We cannot proclaim dignity when livelihoods are unstable and unsupported.

That is why, at SayPro, we take a firm stand: Every cent must count. Every investment must uplift. Every project must change lives.

As we remember the victims of the Sharpeville Massacre and all those who stood — and still stand — for freedom, let us not forget that economic justice is human justice. It is not enough to speak about human rights without addressing poverty, unemployment, exclusion, and inequality.

To the young person waiting for an opportunity,
To the woman running a small business without access to capital,
To the child walking long distances to school —
You are the reason we do what we do.

So today, let this speech not just be words — but a pledge:

• A pledge to continue building transparent, accountable, and impact-driven systems.
• A pledge to champion inclusive economic empowerment.
• A pledge to treat every person, every community, as worthy of investment, time, and belief.

On behalf of SayPro’s finance department, I promise that our work will always serve the people. Because human rights are not just policies — they are practices. And financial justice is a cornerstone of a truly free society.

Thank you for believing in SayPro. Thank you for standing up for human rights. And thank you for building a future where dignity is not a privilege, but a birthright.

Let us make that future real — together.

Thank you.