People take part in a march marking Human Rights Day at Mary Fitzgerald Square in Johannesburg, South Africa, March 21, 2026. (Xinhua/Chen Wei)

JOHANNESBURG, March 21 (Xinhua) -- "We will not be bullied!" The slogan, also printed on white crew-neck shirts worn by many participants at the People's March held on Saturday at Mary Fitzgerald Square in downtown Johannesburg, South Africa, reflected the country's determination to defend its sovereignty and democratic gains.

As South Africa marked Human Rights Day, which commemorates the Sharpeville Massacre of March 21, 1960, when apartheid police killed 69 unarmed protesters, thousands of people marched from the downtown square, across the Nelson Mandela Bridge, to Constitution Hill in Johannesburg, the country's largest city and the provincial capital of Gauteng.

Led by the African National Congress (ANC) together with its alliance partners, including the South African Communist Party, the Congress of South African Trade Unions and the South African National Civic Organization, the march brought together business formations, labor groups, civil society movements and citizens from across the country.

The rally saw participants dressed in green, yellow and black, the colors of the ANC flag, alongside traditional leaders in cultural attire, singing and dancing to showcase the nation's heritage.

"The message is very clear from the ANC. We are saying no to bullying. We are tired of bullying," Tebogo Munyai, a regional leader for ANC Ward 21, told Xinhua, noting that the gathering aimed to stress the need to end the bullying of South Africans. He also highlighted the role of the country's Constitution in ensuring that South Africa belongs to all, with security and health guaranteed regardless of race.

Minister of International Relations and Cooperation Ronald Lamola, who took part in the march, said the country needed no outside interference in its domestic and foreign policies. "And it is encouraging to see thousands of South Africans here today, marching and defending this sovereignty, but also saying this is our country," he noted, stressing the importance of continuing to pursue an independent foreign policy.

"No force on earth, however powerful, can interfere with the sovereign authority of the people of South Africa to govern their own affairs," the ANC said earlier in an announcement for the national event, which included simultaneous regional marches and solidarity gatherings.

"We, the people of the Global South, know fully well that our people, our economies and our natural resources were exploited to build the economies and sustain the standard of living, overconsumption and economic development of the Global North," it added.

Speaking at the national commemoration in Kimberley, Northern Cape province, under the theme "A Legacy of Courage: Protecting Rights, Preserving Humanity," South African President Cyril Ramaphosa called for renewed efforts to close the gap between constitutional rights and everyday reality.

"Our task is to ensure that the rights and freedoms contained in the Constitution are not only protected in law but experienced in the daily lives of all South Africans," he said. ■

A man holding a placard attends a march marking Human Rights Day at Mary Fitzgerald Square in Johannesburg, South Africa, March 21, 2026. (Xinhua/Chen Wei)

An aerial drone photo taken on March 21, 2026 shows people participating in a march marking Human Rights Day in Johannesburg, South Africa. (Xinhua/Chen Wei)

An aerial drone photo taken on March 21, 2026 shows people participating in a march marking Human Rights Day in Johannesburg, South Africa. (Xinhua/Chen Wei)