LIMPOPO – AS WE mark the 21st anniversary since the country’s first non-racial democratic elections in 1994 on 27 April, Express speaks to some youngsters in Polokwane about what Freedom Day means to them.
Livhuwani Tshisikhawe says it means people are free from oppression. “I don’t just celebrate Freedom Day on that particular day, I celebrate my freedom on a daily basis. With that said, this day means a lot to me as it reminds me of opportunities that are available to me because of the sacrifices made by those who came before us,” Tshisikhawe says.
“We have the privilege of exploring opportunities that people never had during Apartheid. We were released from oppression, and this gave us a chance to be open about everything and have access to do anything in our lives. Today, we are allowed to experience things that the black youth of 1976 couldn’t experience,” Maggie Chabalala says.
Tshegofatso Mokoka says Freedom Day represents liberation from great oppression. “We are now allowed to attend school with all races, and share all facilities like parks and pubic toilets. I am grateful that there is no difference between blacks and whites, thanks to the freedom of South Africa. One thing that I like about freedom is that we now have freedom of speech. We are totally equal with all races. It has given our government a chance to allow the youth to express their feelings. We have freedom because of the youth of 1976,” Mokoka says.
Lesiba Mashao says freedom has a lot of meaning to him. “Freedom is the right that we were given by our government to pursue our futures and grow into the free individuals that we are today. Many people forget the struggle we went through to get were we are today. Freedom Day symbolise the gift we were given to pursue our dreams and remember the struggle. Because of freedom my sons have the opportunity to dream as big they want. Freedom paved the way to the African dream of getting everything that we want,” Mashao says.
Freedom means a lot to him, says Benedict “Mr Bup” Maredi, because it has created more opportunities for South African citizens. “Freedom Day is the day that all South Africans saluted their first black president. I was still young then, and it was not long before we recovered from the struggle. Freedom Day says to all South Africans that now we are free, we can be who we are. A lot of opportunities have opened to all South African citizens. It simply means we as South Africans can be proud of who we are,” he says.
Kate Khoza says: “As the youth of today living in freedom, we get to appreciate what we have thanks to our elders. Unlike them, we are able to freely move in and out of South Africa, and study at any institution of our choice without fear of victimisation or oppression. This is why I am strongly against the xenophobic attacks that have occurred lately; because South Africa as a free country must be able to accommodate anybody from any part of the world”.
