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South Africa, 20 Years After Freedom

April 27, has been a national holiday in South Africa, since 1994, the year thousands of South Africans took to the polling stations in the nation’s … Continue reading South Africa, 20 Years After Freedom


South-Africa-Freedom-DayApril 27, has been a national holiday in South Africa, since 1994, the year thousands of
South Africans took to the polling stations in the nation’s first all-race elections.

The election that brought Nelson Mandela, the man South Africans adore as one who freed them from white domination, into political office, as president.

But he was not just the President of a country; he was President of a modern South Africa, one that was full of hope, reconciliation and Equality despite its past.

The election also ushered in two consecutive decades of rule by the African National Congress.

At a commemoration of the event in the Union Buildings in Pretoria, President Jacob Zuma spoke about the nostalgia of the day, but urged the country to look ahead, in continuing democratic rule.

“On the 7th of May, let us go out in our millions to vote and celebrate our hard won freedom and democracy. Let us vote to consolidate democracy and all our achievements of our young nation,” Zuma told the crowd.

Sunday’s celebrations were special in that they were the first ‘freedom day’ since the passing of former President Nelson Mandela, in December last year, at the age of 95.

But the celebrations were not restricted to South Africa alone, as the South African community in Nigeria invited friends, business partners, and members of the diplomatic corps to commemorate the event at the Emmanuel Chapel Methodist Church in Lagos.

It was a thanksgiving service characterised by prayers for a nation still growing its democracy.

They sang songs of praise for 20 years of uninterrupted democracy.

But the message must not be lost. a sermon delivered by South African civil servant, writer and cleric, Frank Chikane, stressed the need to continue the struggle to achieve what it’s freedom signifies.

South Africa, like most other countries in Africa, has not reached full development status, but the government can point to real successes, such as a fast growing black middle class and the laying of the foundations of a Welfare State with 16 million poor people, which is about a third of the population, now receiving monthly income grants.