Special Report Transcript Episode 38, Section 7, Time 26:15

The old symbols that we have, they are there, they are symbols, but they represent a particular history and a particular past that has not been associated with respect for human dignity and human rights, they are integrated. What we need are new symbols. // … And I think we should be able to use our tragedies, if we need to use them, in a manner that empowers us. // The issue of symbolic monuments should really focus on the triumph of our people over apartheid, you know, that the heroic aspect of our symbols must actually be what gives us confidence to actually love our country, to be patriotic to it, etc, etc. // He’s absolutely right that most of the representation of the Commission and of the history has been of victims and of pain and there is a whole other story about celebration and strength. // We have a victim mentality. ’76 is not about the people who died. Apartheid crumbling down is not about the people who died, you understand, it’s about what they achieved through their death so your emphasis must move. That’s what I’m trying to say and when you move it that way it’s different, it’s a different story altogether. What I’m saying is we need to reach a country where even white people can actually celebrate those people.

Notes: Bheki Nkosi; Eric Myeni; Bheki Nkosi; Claude Braude; Eric Myeni

References: there are no references for this transcript