Parliament joins the rest of Africa and the diaspora in celebration of Africa Day.

Africa Day marks the birth of the Organisation of African Unity, the forerunner of the African Union, 54 years ago. In marking this day, Parliament celebrates the ideals of African unity, cooperation, human solidarity, African consciousness, Ubuntu and peace.

We reflect on our proud past, our current challenges and future opportunities and reaffirm our common heritage and our common future.

At the heart of our common heritage and human solidarity are the values of Ubuntu. The principles of Ubuntu, which include common humanity, mutual respect, caring and protection for one another, is a thread running through our Constitution and shaped the institutions we established to protect our democracy.

We must at all times oppose that which undermines the sacred values that bind us in our common humanity. We must shun divisive acts, systems and other practices that stand opposed to African unity, that destabilise and impoverish our Continent, including xenophobia.

In this regard, all of us must unite and redouble our efforts to defeat the repulsive scourge of gender based violence in our country. Instances of subtle or blatant abuse happening within our communities must be exposed and rooted out in the spirit of human solidarity. The abuse of cultural and social institutions to perpetuate conservatism and patriarchy must never be allowed to thrive in our society.

Please find recorded views of the Speaker of the National Assembly, Ms Baleka Mbete, on Africa Day, land redistribution and gender based violence https://www.dropbox.com/s/b9qplyu1o4t3t53/Afica%20Day%20Speaker%27s%20Message.mp3?dl=0 (Africa Day)

https://www.dropbox.com/s/rg3ajukc64eo7yo/Speaker%27s%20Message%20on%20No%20to%20Violence%20Against%20women.mp3?dl=0 (gender based violence)

Issued by Parliament of the Republic of South Africa