South Africa made strides at reconciliation: Zuma

South Africa had made phenomenal strides as a nation in the past 18 years in promoting national unity and reconciliation, President Jacob Zuma said on Sunday.

"But we know that we should do more than that to achieve true reconciliation," he said in a Reconciliation Day message.

"We need to bridge the inequalities, intensify the fight against poverty, combat crime and drug abuse; champion the interest of women, children and people with disability and combat all forms of racist, tribal and xenophobic tendencies."

Before 1994, December 16 meant different things to different people, Zuma added.

"For some it was the symbol of triumph, for others, the symbol of defeat or alternatively a potent symbol of resistance.

"We must use our national days to embark upon programmes that demonstrate that we are indeed united in our diversity. We should also embrace the values of ubuntu which include human solidarity, generosity, hospitability, friendliness, caring, compassion, harmony, forgiveness and neighbourliness."

Zuma said this was the responsibility of all South Africans, not just the government.