President Cyril Ramaphosa said the continued use of race-based terminology in official records remains a difficult but necessary part of South Africa’s transition from its apartheid past to a future of equality.
Ramaphosa was responding to questions from Members of the National Assembly, with economic growth and the cost of living among issues for deliberation on Tuesday afternoon.
He acknowledged the discomfort many South Africans feel when confronted with racial classifications still used in national surveys and statistical reports.
“The use of race-based terminology will always be difficult for a country like ours to accept, especially as we work to put behind us the racial injustices of the past,” Ramaphosa said.
According to Ramaphosa, the country’s national statistics agency, Stats SA, continues to use racial categories such as Black African, Coloured, Indian/Asian, and White in the census and other reporting.
He said that, while problematic, the continued use of these terms remains essential for tracking the country’s progress in addressing historical and structural inequality.
“Until we have reached our goal of equality for all people in our country, there will be circumstances when we need to use such terminology,” Ramaphosa said.
“Our responsibility is to ensure that these terms ultimately make the differences they refer to less and less important, until they are rendered meaningless and no longer serve any purpose.”
Ramaphosa emphasised the importance of seeing racial classifications not as permanent identifiers, but as tools to understand and dismantle inequality.
“We are, as you would say, on a journey, a journey away from the shadow of our horrible past, a past that defined us as separate groups and separate entities,” he said.
He added that the long-term goal is a South Africa where people are not divided by labels or historical classifications.
“What is important is that we stop seeing ourselves through definitions meant to divide us,” Ramaphosa said.
“We must rid ourselves of those divisions over time.”
However, Ramaphosa expressed confidence in the nation’s progress.
“It will take time,” he said. “But we are definitely on the journey toward a more united and equal society.
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