President Ramaphosa reflects on the cost of political violence as South Africa marks Reconciliation Day

As South Africa commemorates Reconciliation Day, President Cyril Ramaphosa has reflected on the devastating impact of past political violence, noting how it cost many families their loved ones.

Thousands have gathered for the event at the historic Blood River Museum in Nquthu, northern KwaZulu-Natal. Delivering the keynote address, the President highlighted the historical scars of political conflict, particularly within the province.

President Ramaphosa pointed to the decades of fighting between the ANC and the IFP, which resulted in significant loss of life across the region.

"This province, KwaZulu-Natal, knows this pain all too well, as our premier said earlier in his speech. The people of this province experienced decades of political violence in the 1980s and 1990s that destroyed families and led to the loss of many lives for many people."

Despite this painful history, the President noted that South Africans made a collective decision to pursue peace and reconciliation rather than conflict. 
"The majority of South Africans were victims of a political order that denied them their humanity," Ramaphosa stated. "And yet, at the dawn of democracy, they did not choose vengeance or retribution."

READ: Reconciliation Day: Unresolved past conflicts threaten stability, warns Premier Ntuli