By Shain Germaner
"Commemoration" and "celebration" were the words of the day in Sharpeville yesterday as thousands of residents and visitors marked Human Rights Day.
Human Rights Day, celebrated on December 10 internationally, is celebrated on March 21 in South Africa in remembrance of the Sharpeville massacre, which saw 69 protesters killed by police during a peaceful confrontation that turned violent in 1960.
Yesterday, the 50th anniversary of the tragedy saw a host of politicians gather at the George Thabe Stadium to speak about the importance of the day, drawing massive crowds.
Hundreds of hawkers dominated the area directly in front of the stadium, selling food, memorabilia and T-shirts.
People had travelled from all over the country to celebrate and commemorate the tragic event and its rebirth as Human Rights Day.
"Every year I come back to Sharpeville to commemorate the day," said Sabata Banda, from Soweto, who had arrived early with a large group of friends to hear the speeches.
"The speeches remind us that (the) Sharpeville (massacre) was bigger than all of us and that we need to remember these events."
Members of various political parties were in attendance, but the PAC drew the most attention. Several small groups of PAC members marched, chanted and sang while moving between the Sharpeville memorial and the stadium.
A PAC member, who did not want to be named, said that while there were plans to protest over service delivery inadequacy in Sharpeville, most members in attendance were present simply to participate in the commemoration. But the police were prepared for any potential protests, with a large contingent in the area.
However, not everyone was pleased with the event. Tiro Malebye, an artist and hawker, complained that while there was normally a platform for artists to show their work on Human Rights Day, this year the local council "had neglected the art scene".