Transformation and Identity - South Africa
The Netherlands is a diverse, modern society, with a long standing commitment to inclusivity and equality. This commitment formed the basis of Dutch society’s support for the anti-apartheid struggle and solidarity with the oppressed. Nevertheless Dutch society sometimes struggles with discrimination, unequal opportunities and socio-economic challenges. Descendants of immigrants are disproportionately affected by these challenges.
And, we recognize the Netherlands has a more complex history with South Africa. The Dutch East Indies Company in slavery and colonisation directly impacted the course of South African history and her people, as it has our own. Many South Africans carry the legacy of that history in their culture, language, and identity today.
We regard it as a responsibility to face our past in order to co-create a shared better future. We need to be truthful partners to reconcile and acknowledge, in order to be better equipped to cooperate and #cocreateSANL. We need to have that dialogue on who we are to better connect with respect.
Krotoa: Eva van de Kaap
The Dutch missions in South Africa are proud to support the production of Krotoa: Eva van de Kaap. The play tells the story of Krotoa through the experiences of two present day actors playing the lead characters of Krotoa and Jan van Riebek in the film Krotoa Eva. Both the South African and Dutch actors face their own struggles in bringing to life the once forgotten story of a young woman who played a key role as negotiator and translator in the settlement of the Dutch Cape Colony caught between two cultures. The play remains relevant in both South Africa and the Netherlands as an examination of a shared history that still shapes our present society.
Krotoa: Eva van de Kaap | Volksoperahuis
Orange Knowledge
The Netherlands believes that human rights should apply worldwide, to all people, in all places, at all times. Together with South Africa, the Netherlands strives to promote and protect women’s rights, gender equality, and LGBTI rights. Gender equity and access to opportunities for minorities is promoted in all training interventions of the Orange Knowledge programme. Engaging with the narratives of traditionally marginalized segments of our society in a postcolonial setting, helps understand and highlight their strengths and abilities to address social problems from their own perspective, which could provide appropriate interventions, which then honor the dignity of oppressed groups in re-shaping their identity.
Supporting Economic Transformation and Responsible Business Practices
The Dutch missions in South Africa work to improve economic inclusion by supporting black entrepreneurs, especially from disadvantaged/marginalized communities, in ways that promote economic growth in South Africa. Promoting and protecting the rights of vulnerable groups in South Africa, elevates the voices of these segments of the South African population. The missions support Dutch companies to fulfill their roles as responsible cooperative citizens in South Africa through Responsible Business Conduct.