South Africa Freedom Day

Freedom is not an ornament, but a set of tools to go about building a fairer, safer and sustainable society. Undoubtedly, South African democracy and ...

That is why this is not the time to mourn the loss of the dream of freedom, but to act and organise for its preservation. This is not a job to be left for the people and organisations you consider to be activists – the challenge is too big even for them – but for every person in society who says they subscribe to life, dignity and human rights. With the indispensable help of civil society mobilisation to get people to vote, democracy held the line against right-wing populist parties in Slovenia and France on Monday. But, as we are seeing in the US, without addressing inequality and its drivers – including the climate crisis – this is just a stay of execution. The juxtaposition between the way the path is cleared for Elon Musk to buy Twitter and the treatment of Julian Assange and Edward Snowden could not be greater. The United Nations (UN) was far from perfect but today, in response to crises, multilateralism is being replaced with unilateralism; the UN is being downgraded and bypassed. Freedom is not just something we demand only of the government, but also something we must actively create within and around ourselves.

Freedom Day needs to be used by South Africans to renew their commitment to correcting their country's faults.

Of critical importance for the meaningfulness of the day are the democratic dividends which should spawn a good society. The process of establishing a democratic system in South Africa involved establishing political and governance systems based on the supremacy of the constitution and the rule of law, where equality became one of the organising principles of the post-apartheid society. It is because of this that Freedom Day is becoming increasingly derided by many in the cynicism which has percolated into a grievance. And the days that mark its anniversary often create incendiary moments where the grimace of discontent – particularly on the faces of those who are in the margins of society – finds expression. Surging socioeconomic disparities affront the very notion of a good society. In other words, is this day still worthy of commemoration?

Freedom Day celebrates 27 April 1994, the first time every South African citizen was given the right to vote regardless of race.

The South African government said Freedom Day 2022 “comes at a time when South Africa is about to embark on a massive vaccination programme”. ALSO READ: The perfect brekkie for Freedom Day This year, South Africans will celebrate the country’s 27th Freedom Day on Wednesday, 27 April.

Freedom Day in South Africa is the annual celebration of South Africa's first non-racial democratic elections in 1994. It marks the end of 342 years of ...

We have to renew our minds to the possibilities of change that come with forgiveness and understanding. We must face our pain, collectively, head on, as painful as it is and allow light to come in. It made me realise that much of society in South Africa had not healed. It made me realise that South Africa is in parts a deeply traumatized society. At the time, I was aware I had to personally walk through my pain, and not try to avoid it. It marks the end of 342 years of colonialism, segregation and apartheid white minority rule.