SayProCMR Human Rights Day SpeechBy Puluko Nkiwane, Chief Marketing Officer, SayPro

Delivered on Human Rights Day

Ladies and Gentlemen, colleagues, partners, and fellow champions of dignity and justice,

Today, we gather not merely to remember a day on the calendar — we gather to honour the spirit of humanity itself. Human Rights Day is not only a commemoration of the past but a call to action for the present and the future. It is a reminder that the freedom, equality, and dignity we speak about must be lived, defended, and extended to all.

At SayPro, our mission has always been rooted in the belief that every person, regardless of background, birthplace, or circumstance, deserves the right to live with purpose, power, and pride. From our youth programmes to enterprise development, from education to digital empowerment, we do more than provide services — we restore dignity.

But human rights are not just legal words etched in constitutions or declarations. They are the fuel behind every child’s dream, every woman’s voice, and every youth’s breakthrough moment. And as Chief Marketing Officer of SayPro, I have the honour and the responsibility to ensure that our message is loud, clear, and impossible to ignore: Human rights are non-negotiable.

In South Africa, Human Rights Day is deeply connected to the Sharpeville Massacre — a tragic moment in our history where voices demanding justice were silenced with violence. Today, we do not mourn silently — we rise collectively. We lift those voices higher. And we say: never again will indifference define our society.

We, at SayPro, are not bystanders in the story of transformation. We are architects of change. Every training we conduct, every entrepreneur we support, every voice we amplify is a direct investment in a more just and equitable future.

But let us be honest — our work is far from over.

• Children still go to school hungry.
• Women still face violence and discrimination.
• Youth remain locked out of opportunity.

This is our fight. This is our mandate. This is our mission.

So I ask each of you: what will you do today to ensure that human rights are not just protected, but practiced? How will you make dignity a daily reality, not a distant dream?

Let Human Rights Day not be a passive reflection, but an active resolution — to build, to speak, to uplift, and to serve.

As SayPro, we will continue to be relentless in our pursuit of equity. We will challenge systems that silence. We will create platforms that empower. And most importantly, we will show the world that Africa’s greatest resource is its people — bold, brilliant, and brave.

Thank you for standing with us. Thank you for believing in a future where rights are respected, voices are valued, and every human being can walk freely — with dignity and hope.

Let’s make human rights more than a promise. Let’s make them a practice.

Thank you.