President Cyril Ramaphosa has officially handed over a new sports centre, library and lab room at the Retlameleng Special School in the Northern Cape, as part of Human Rights Day celebrations on Saturday.
President Ramaphosa visited the school of the visually and hearing impaired learners including those with autism ahead of addressing Human Rights Day commemorations at AR Abass stadium in Kimberley.
The school achieved 100% matric pass rate in 2025.
“I want to thank you for your determination to be here, some of you face challenges at a personal level and also in your own families. You are an inspiration to all of us that despite what could have held many people back. You have decided with your own determination that you want to learn and it is actually a very proud moment also to hear that there was a 100 percent pass rate here at the school.”
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Addressing the learners and teachers, Ramaphosa congratulates the Northern Cape Premier Dr Zamani Saul for improvements seen in education quality in the province.
“And Premier, let me immediately say we really congradulate the Northern Cape for the achievments that you’ve made in education. You’re absolutely right when I phoned you about your results a few years ago, you immediately took it up and you accepted the suggestions that were put forward and today we can celebrate that Northern Cape is now 2.6% short of the top province in the country.”
‘Time for reflection’
Meanwhile, Deputy Government Spokesperson, William Baloyi, has described Human Rights Day as a time for reflection, as well as a time to protect and defend the rights that South Africans fought for.
Baloyi was speaking on the sidelines of government’s official commemoration in the Northern Cape, where he said persistent challenges such as inequality, poor service delivery, and unemployment serve as a reminder that the struggle for true freedom is far from over.
‘Unite for Change’
Gauteng MEC for Agriculture and Rural Development, Vuyiswa Ramokgopa, says political coalition organisation, Unite for Change is calling for unity and strong leadership, with the aim of turning the constitutional promise of human rights, including access to land, food, and economic opportunity into a lived reality for all.
