The fight for social justice will never end — and we embrace this

Sipping my morning tea as I reflect on the year that was to write this column, it strikes me that we have not, in fact, fallen apart, as some had predicted.

It started off on a bit of a chaotic note from a geopolitical perspective, with US President Donald Trump assuming his second term in office and immediately issuing various proclamations. They have had a destructive effect on the world, including jeopardising life-saving healthcare in our country.

However, Trump is but a symbol of a world at odds with itself as we fight to retain our moral compass in the face of immorality and individualism, which threaten the hard-fought social justice gains that have been made. This year was one that truly tested our commitment to the universal principles of humanity, equity, justice and peace.

Reflecting on this in the foreword of the UN’s World Social Report, UN secretary-general António Guterres says: “These are troubling times. Rising tensions and increasing polarisation are threatening global co­operation. Thus, international solidarity is needed now more than ever…

“Inequality, insecurity and deep distrust are rife across the world. Countless people are struggling to make ends meet while wealth and power are concentrated at the top. Economic shocks, conflict and climate disasters continue to erase hard-won development gains. For too many, life is marked by uncertainty and insecurity, which, in turn, are fuelling frustration and deepening divisions.”

More than lamentation from the left and centre is needed because the right is mobilising and acting to entrench itself, as is evident from the state of the world.

So, what if, as a society and global community, we refused to participate in the destructive systems that commodify our humanity and degrade our societal development? What if we refused to be a part of the regressive thinking that sees the marginalised as the enemy, and instead built a society based on love for each other that seeks to thrive as a collective?

What if, as we end the year, our resolution is that we will all put our civic duties and obligations first? Our Constitution outlines a nation that obeys the law and respects human dignity, equality and the freedom of all people in South Africa. It also places a duty on us to participate in the democratic process by voting in elections, engaging in public debate and participating in government decision-making processes. And it envisages a society that promotes sustainable development, social justice and national unity while celebrating our diversity.

What continues to buoy me are the many tireless men and women in civil society who take this seriously. I meet, work with and report on them, and many of them barely have the resources to sustain themselves. Yet, without fail, they reach beyond themselves to do the necessary work of helping others.

These men and women have not been waylaid by the callousness and carelessness casting a foreboding shadow over our society. These upright global citizens see the world for what it is and continue to work towards what they know it could be.

That is why, as I reflect on 2025, I know my physical exhaustion is only temporary. Because come January 2026, we ride at dawn towards a more equitable society. DM

This story first appeared in our weekly DM168 newspaper, available countrywide for R35.