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Democracy is like apartheid to Khoisan

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Commissioners presided over a national hearing about a list of complaints made by the Khoi San communities to the SAHRC. Photo by Lucky Maibl
Commissioners presided over a national hearing about a list of complaints made by the Khoi San communities to the SAHRC. Photo by Lucky Maibl

“THERE can be no reconciliation without justice.”

Elwin White, the secretary-general of the Khoisan Council in Gauteng, yesterday told a Human Rights Commission hearing in Braamfontein, Joburg, that they are demanding land ownership.

White said: “South Africa’s rainbow nation reconciliation project has done nothing to alleviate 350 years of suffering by the Khoi, San and Nama people.”

The hearing was called to deal with complaints received from Khoisan communities about land restitution and the lack of official recognition of their languages.

“The Khoi and San are the indigenous people of the land, yet we are not properly consulted on matters relating to land ownership,” said White.

“The ruling party made provision for 11 official languages, but nothing has been done to include the languages of the Khoi and the San.

“Apartheid and the so-called democracy are the same thing to us.”

Mpho Monareng of the Pan South African Language Board said his organisation was doing its best to develop the languages of the Khoisan.

“We are also urging institutions such as broadcasters and universities to give minority indigenous languages more prominence,” he said.

Deputy land claims commissioner Thami Mdontswa said his department was committed to making sure the Khoi and San communities were included in land restitution.

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