SayProCMR | Human Rights Day 2025 SpeechBy Sapapi Johannes MputlaDeputy Chairperson, SayPro Royal CommitteeDelivered on 21 March 2025

[Opening – Warm Greeting]

Good morning, esteemed guests, SayPro leadership, partners, youth, and community members,

It is a true honour to stand before you today, on this important occasion — Human Rights Day — a day of deep remembrance, renewed commitment, and unshakable hope.

As the Deputy Chairperson of the SayPro Royal Committee, I speak not only from a place of leadership but from a place of service — to our people, our heritage, and our future.

[Reflection on the Day]

On 21 March, we remember the courage of those who stood at Sharpeville in 1960 — ordinary men and women who faced bullets with nothing but dignity and the desire to be treated as human beings.

Their sacrifice was not for speeches. It was for change.
It was for a South Africa — and an Africa — where rights are not privileges, and justice is not negotiable.

Today, we do not gather in silence. We gather in action.
Because the fight for human rights did not end at liberation. It continues — in classrooms, in clinics, in courts, in the hearts of our young people.

[The Role of SayPro and the Royal Committee]

At SayPro, our mission is clear: to empower, educate, and transform.
The Royal Committee is here not as observers, but as custodians — of culture, of community, and of accountability.

We stand alongside SayPro in ensuring that development reaches those who need it most.
That youth are not only trained — but trusted.
That tradition and innovation walk side by side.

Human rights include:

• The right to opportunity,
• The right to education,
• The right to be heard,
• And the right to lead one’s own future.

And it is our duty, as leaders, to protect these rights not just in law — but in life.

[Call to Unity and Action]

To the youth: you are not the leaders of tomorrow — you are the leaders of now.
To our elders: your wisdom is our foundation.
To our partners and supporters: let us continue to invest not only in projects, but in people.

Let us build a society where no one is invisible.
Where rural voices matter.
Where human dignity is not dependent on wealth, status, or place of birth.

[Closing – A Hopeful Commitment]

As we mark Human Rights Day in 2025, let us do more than remember.
Let us rebuild, restore, and reimagine.

On behalf of the SayPro Royal Committee, I pledge our continued support, guidance, and presence as we walk this path together — toward a future that is free, fair, and full of promise for all.

Human rights are not just a legacy — they are a living responsibility.
Let us honour them with action.

Thank you.
May we never forget where we come from — and may we never stop building where we’re going.

Ke a leboga.
Baie dankie.
Thank you.