CAPE TOWN – The Khoisan community has issued a 14-day ultimatum to the South African government, demanding formal recognition, respect for their traditional laws, and restitution of ancestral land. This bold move is part of a growing nationwide movement pushing for the rights of South Africa’s First Nations peoples to be acknowledged after centuries of marginalization.
On Thursday, a group of approximately 150 people, representing various indigenous communities, marched to Parliament in Cape Town. The peaceful demonstration culminated in the official handover of a detailed declaration and memorandum outlining their demands.
The procession was led by leaders from the Greater Aboriginal Community Council of Southern Africa (GACCOSA) and other indigenous organizations. Members carried banners, wore traditional attire, and chanted slogans calling for justice, dignity, and constitutional recognition.
According to the organizers, this was not just a protest—it was a symbolic return to the seat of power to assert their place in the nation’s history and future.
Khoisan Community Marches to Parliament, Delivering Memorandum With 14-Day Ultimatum
“We are the First Nations people of this land. We are not asking for charity. We are demanding justice and recognition,” said Larry Varrie, a prominent leader of the Khoisan community and a representative of GACCOSA.
The group formally submitted their memorandum and declaration to a government official at Parliament. Among their key demands are:
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Official recognition of the Khoisan as South Africa’s First Nation
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Restoration and protection of ancestral land
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Respect for traditional leadership and indigenous governance systems
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Inclusion of Khoisan languages and heritage in national education and public discourse
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Adherence to constitutional rights pertaining to cultural identity and land restitution
According to Varrie, Parliament now has 14 days to respond to the demands.
“The memorandum has been signed and returned. Now we wait. Members of Parliament told us that we would receive a response within 14 days,” he said. “If we do not, we will take our fight to the media, and we will decide, as a people, on the next steps. If they won’t give it [our rights], we will take it.”
The Khoisan community has long been at the forefront of indigenous rights movements in South Africa. Despite being the earliest known inhabitants of Southern Africa, many Khoisan people remain socially and economically marginalized, with little state support or legal recognition of their traditional governance and land claims.
While the South African Constitution provides for the protection of cultural and linguistic communities, Khoisan leaders argue that they have been largely excluded from land reform processes, traditional leadership structures, and cultural recognition efforts.
“Our history did not begin in 1994,” said one elder at the march. “Our story begins thousands of years ago, and we are still here, still fighting for our rightful place.”
This week’s march is part of a broader national campaign calling for the recognition of First Nations heritage and rights, including the San, Griqua, Nama, Korana, and other indigenous communities.
Advocates are calling for the legal and constitutional inclusion of indigenous governance systems, protection of sacred sites, and the use of indigenous languages in schools and public institutions.
Activists believe that meaningful transformation cannot happen unless the country addresses colonial-era dispossession, cultural erasure, and the invisibility of indigenous people in modern policy-making.
At present, the government has not issued a formal public response. However, a representative from Parliament accepted the memorandum on Thursday and assured the group that it would be passed on to the relevant authorities.
Legal experts say the Khoisan community’s case is strengthened by international law, including the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP), which South Africa has endorsed. The declaration upholds the rights of indigenous peoples to self-determination, cultural preservation, and land restitution.
The Khoisan community has made it clear that failure to respond will trigger further action. According to Varrie, this could include a media campaign, public mobilization, and possibly even legal action.
“We have waited long enough. We are not invisible. If they continue to ignore us, we will escalate,” he warned.
This latest march to Parliament is a powerful reminder that South Africa’s journey toward reconciliation and equity is far from over. For the Khoisan community, the struggle for recognition is not just about land or legal status—it is about dignity, identity, and belonging.
Whether the government meets the 14-day deadline or not, it’s clear that the call for indigenous justice is growing louder—and it will not be silenced.
Source- EWN
