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South Africa has, since attaining independence, made a lot of gains, however, for most South Africans true freedom still remains elusive.
These were the sentiments expressed by President Cyril Ramaphosa as he lead the official Freedom Day celebrations in Makhanda, Eastern Cape on Saturday.
“In the past 25 years there has been considerable progress made in improving the material conditions of our people and yes, South Africa has changed from the South Africa that we inherited 25 years ago”.
“From the dark days of bantu education we have managed to dramatically expanded access to education. From early childhood development, through to school and university colleges there has been great developments. More than nine million learners attend no-fee schools with an equal number of learners provided with a meal at school every day.”
“Seven in 10 South Africans make use of the country’s network of primary health care, either entirely free or for a minimal fee. More than 17 million social grants are paid to poor and vulnerable South Africans each month through our public employment programs, we have also provided a basic income and work experience and training opportunities for many of the unemployed people in our country,” said the Ramaphosa.
He also added that over the last 25 years the economy of our country has doubled in size and the number of people who are employed has also increased from 8 million to 16.5 million South Africans.
“Even with these remarkable achievements, too many of our people still live in poverty, too many of our people are still unemployed, too many are still homeless in our country and too many still lack the basic necessities of life”.
“Many things have changed in our county, the lives of our people in many cases have been improved but we all admit that we still have to better the lives of many of our people, so our work is still not done. There is still a lot of work that still need to be done.”
He reiterated that South Africa was still a “deeply unequal country” were the difference between “urban and rural, those who own land and those who have been deprived of it” still remains gravely unfair.
Even with these challenges still yet to be addressed, the president remained optimistic saying as the country enters its next 25 years of freedom, South Africans “should renew their determination to realize a South Africa that still has the promise that we all saw in 1994, the promise that utata uNelson Mandela had in his heart when he became the first democratically elected president of our country”
“We enter a new phase in the life of our nation, determined to build an economy that will serve all the people of our country, to create the jobs that our people need to develop the skills and the talents that the future demands and build a safe, stable and thriving communities,” said Ramaphosa.
He added that he took courage from 25 years ago “many around the world also thought that the challenge of apartheid was an intractable problem without a solution” but the South Africans “were able to demonstrate to the whole world that we had the ability, the courage and the strength and commitment to resolve a problem that the world had thought was unsolvable, triumphing over both apartheid and colonialism. Together we can overcome the challenges of the present”.
Ramaphosa then encouraged the scores of people who had gathered at the Miki Yili Stadium to celebrate the country’s 25 years of democracy to “in 11 days’ time and exercise their hard won right to vote for the government of their choice. Like those who went to the polls for the first time in 1994”.
The Ramaphosa said he remained resolute that “together we can address the challenges that lay ahead, because as we have worked together, we have built housing for millions of South Africans, we have provided water, sanitation and electricity to poor households across the country”.
“As we celebrate we need to focus our attention and efforts in ensuring that all South Africans can equally experience the economic and social benefits of this freedom that South Africans are celebrating today. We want South Africans to be able to have a sense that they are participating in the economic benefits of the freedom that we all achieved 25 years ago”.
He said “we cannot be a nation of free people when so many people still live in poverty, we cannot be a free nation when so many in our country still live without enough food, proper shelter, without access to quality health care, and without the means to earn a living”.
“We cannot be free when the residents of Makhanda have to go for so long without a reliable supply of clean water,” which was met with loud applause from community members who had packed the stadium.
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