Freedom day South Africa

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.

President Cyril Ramaphosa will lead the national celebration of Freedom Day on Wednesday, 27 April 2022, as South Africa marks 28 years of freedom and ...

Every South African will need to be part of the great effort to restore our economy to health, to create more jobs, and to grow more businesses through the Economic Reconstruction and Recovery Plan. Every South African will need to remain part of the fight to overcome COVID-19.” The task of rebuilding our society and our country is a great one. According to the Presidency, “Part of the backdrop to Freedom Day 2022 is the 25th anniversary of South Africa’s Constitution, the country’s ending of the COVID-19 national state of disaster, the response currently to a natural disaster in the province of KwaZulu-Natal, and the implementation of the Economic Reconstruction and Recovery Plan.”

The Foundation for Human Rights says South Africans are justified in their frustrations as the country prepares to celebrate Freedom Day on Wednesday.

"One the one hand these have very real material drivers - inequality, lack of opportunity, poverty. "It's a collective failure. But it is still worth celebrating."

Press Release - President Cyril Ramaphosa will lead the national celebration of Freedom Day on Wednesday, 27 April 2022, as South Africa marks 28 years of ...

Today, South Africa seeks to realise the constitutional vision of a democratic and open society in which government is based on the will of the people and every citizen is equally protected by law. Only accredited media will have access to the stadium. Freedom Day allows South Africans from all walks of life and backgrounds to renew their commitment to the ongoing transformation of our society and to celebrate the country's sovereignty and identity as part of healing the divisions of the past.

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.

The public holiday is a commemoration of the day South Africa held its first democratic elections in 1994.

“Today, South Africa seeks to realise the constitutional vision of a democratic and open society in which government is based on the will of the people and every citizen is equally protected by law. “Part of the backdrop to Freedom Day 2022 is the 25th anniversary of South Africa’s Constitution, the country’s ending of the Covid-19 national state of disaster, the response currently to a natural disaster in the province of KwaZulu-Natal, and the implementation of the Economic Reconstruction and Recovery Plan,” the President’s office said. “Freedom Day allows South Africans from all walks of life and backgrounds to renew their commitment to the ongoing transformation of our society and to celebrate the country’s sovereignty and identity as part of healing the divisions of the past.