Pretoria - The commemoration of national days takes place throughout the country and changing venues does not diminish the role played by the people of that particular community where it all started, said the Presidency.
The Presidency noted the complaint by residents of Sharpeville that the commemoration of Human Rights Day was not held in that area.
South Africans commemorated Human Rights Day on Wednesday.
"We wish to emphasise that the commemoration and celebration of national days take place throughout the country and not necessarily in areas where certain events have a historical link," Presidential spokesperson Mac Maharaj said on Thursday.
The Presidency said most media houses incorrectly reported that this was the first time that Human Rights Day was held outside Sharpeville. Last year, President Jacob Zuma addressed the main commemoration event in Cape Town.
"Changing venues does not diminish the role played by the people of that community where it all started. Instead, it means their heroism is now being shared by the rest of the country.
"We urge the South African public to understand that no single community owns the history of the country. It is a shared history from which all citizens must learn, be inspired and move forward in building a non-racial, non-sexist, democratic and prosperous South Africa," said the Presidency.
Other national days like Youth Day and Women's Day were also commemorated around the country as they were not owned by any one community, added the Presidency.
On 21 March 1960, 69 people were killed while scores others were injured when police opened fire on demonstrators who were protesting against the pass laws in Sharpeville. On the same day, three protesters in Langa in Cape Town were shot and killed while many others were injured. In Vanderbijlpark, another person was shot at a similar demonstration at a police station.
South Africa's Constitution was signed by former President Nelson Mandela at a public ceremony that was held in Sharpeville. Human Right Day was declared by government as far back as 1996 to celebrate the country's transition to a democratic system that honours and respects human rights.
The Day is about the remembrance of the tragic past and also to highlight the need to promote human rights and democracy.
At yesterday's main event held in Kliptown, Soweto, Zuma said: "We must never take our freedom and human rights for granted".
