oDe to martyrs
Mpetjane Lekgoro, Ambassador of South Africa to the UAE, honours the memory of those who were martyred in the struggle for the country’s freedom
aS a yoUng maN MPeTjaNe LekgORO, ambaSSadOR Of SOUTh afRica TO The UaE, jOiNed The RaNkS Of The afRicaN naTiONal CONgReSS (anC) TO fighT fOR PeOPle’S fReedOm fROm aN aPaRTheid gOVeRNmeNT ThaT WaS RUliNg The afRicaN PeOPle agaiNST TheiR Will.
“SO FReedOm Day, fOR me, maRkS a hiSTORic day iN SOUTh afRica WheN OUR PeOPle WeRe able TO Seize POliTical POWeR TO deTeRmiNe TheiR OWN deSTiNaTiON,” he NOTeS WiTh PRide iN aN iNTeRVieW WiTh Khaleej Times.
FReedOm Day iS celebRaTed aS a NaTiONal hOliday iN SOUTh afRica. “SOUTh afRicaNS aSSemble iN diffeReNT WayS ThROUghOUT The cOUNTRy aNd abROad. SOme gaTheR WiTh familieS aNd fRieNdS iN The NeighbOURhOOd, While SOme aTTeNd cOmmUNiTy meeTiNgS aNd big RallieS iN diffeReNT STadia aNd OPeN SPaceS TO RemiNd ThemSelVeS aNd hONOUR The memORy Of ThOSe WhO SUffeRed PeRSecUTiON iN ORdeR fOR SOUTh afRica TO be fRee,” he addS.
LekgORO called ON SOUTh afRicaNS liViNg iN The UaE TO hONOUR The memORy Of ThOSe WhO WeRe maRTyRed iN The STRUggle fOR The cOUNTRy’S fReedOm. “aS SOUTh afRicaNS, We ShOUld alSO dedicaTe OURSelVeS TO achieVe The fReedOm SPelled OUT iN OUR FReedOm ChaRTeR ThaT The dOORS Of leaRNiNg mUST be OPeNed TO all, ThaT TheRe mUST be hOUSiNg fOR all aNd TheRe mUST be emPlOymeNT SO ciTizeNS caN eNjOy The WealTh ThaT The NaTURal ReSOURceS Of SOUTh afRica OffeR.”
LekgORO fORmeRly SeRVed aS a MembeR Of paRliameNT aNd laTeR aS a MembeR Of The ExecUTiVe COUNcil Of gaUTeNg pROViNce. “i WaS TheN aPPOiNTed by The pReSideNT aS ambaSSadOR TO The UaE,” he addS.