The country today on April 27, commemorate Freedom Day, which is an annual celebration of South Africa’s first democratic elections of 1994.
In 1994, the elections were the first non-racial national elections where everyone of voting age from any race group was allowed to vote.
Since then, the month of April is viewed as Freedom Month, celebrating peace, unity, the preservation and the restoration of human dignity.
The Advertiser spoke to 24-year-old graphic designer Shavaun Cronje to find out what does Freedom Day mean to her.
“Apart from having a free day to rest, it’s a day to be thankful that apartheid was fought to be abolished. For that, I know the people that I know today. On Friday I’ll just be catching up on the hobbies that I’ve been putting off and spending the day with my loved ones.”
Klippoortjie resident Tammy Mabitsela shared with the Advertiser on where he was during the first democratic elections and what the day means to him.
Mabitsela said: “In 1994 I was 40 and I was at Spruitview looking forward to vote for the first time. I was happy that as a country we will have liberation from the non-racial and sexist country.
“I was happy that through our votes we had voices. Fast forward to 2018. Freedom has turned into a nightmare. We never expected that black people will be exploiting one another, selling their souls to other people. Ministers and presidents are now involved in corruption.”
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