Mbeki was speaking at an event in Midrand, marking the South African Human Rights Commission’s (SAHRC) 20-year anniversary.
The commission is holding a two-day seminar aimed at highlighting its role in society and discussing racism.
Mbeki says South Africa continues to be defined by economic inequality and remains an unequal society.
“They stand at the centre of South Africa’s future as the home of a stable democracy, human right, equality, peace, stability and shared prosperity.”
He adds South Africans must discover why significant strides have not been made to reverse the imbalances of the past.
