SOUTH AFRICANS CELEBRATE FREEDOM DAY

My life here in Kenya is surrounded by a lot of South African friends.  I have been so lucky to have been taken under their wings and made part of their South African family.  I am a member of the South African Women’s Association (SAWA); I am invited into their homes and also to their South African events.  It sometimes makes me a little sad that I have not been able to find an Australian community to fall in with, I have yet to make friends with a single Australian, but in saying that after all my time I have spent with my SA friends, I believe that Australians and South Africans have a lot in common, the same sense of humour, love for BBQ’s, socializing and having fun.  As I try and Kenyan-ize myself, I find that my SA friends are trying to South African-ize me with Australia still in my heart each day. 

In saying that I was lucky enough to receive an invite from the South African High Commission to help in the celebration of what the South Africans call Freedom Day.  I didn’t know the history behind the celebration and after hearing the speech made last night from a member of the High Commission it hit a chord with me and prompted me to look a little further in the history of Freedom Day, realizing what a great and historic milestone this national holiday is to the country of South Africa.  Freedom Day is a public holiday in South Africa celebrated every year on 27th April. On this day in 1994, the first democratic and non-racial national election was held in the country.  In the election held in South Africa in 1994, everyone of age over 18 of any race even noncitizens were allowed to vote. The ANC (African National Congress) was voted into power and Nelson Mandela was elected as the first President of South Africa on 10th May.  Freedom Day is celebrated with a great enthusiasm by all the South Africans with lots of social events throughout the country. On this day people pay tributes to all those who sacrificed their lives to gain liberation.  It is an annual celebration of South Africa's first non-racial democratic elections of 1994. Peace, unity, the preservation and the restoration of human dignity hallmarks Freedom Day celebrations. 

The road to democracy was a long and difficult one. Since the arrival of the White man at the Cape in 1652, the indigenous peoples of South Africa came under White control and domination. Soon all peoples of colour were denied the vote and hence a say in the running of the country. South Africa was never truly independent nor democratic. The exclusion of the majority of South Africans from political power was at the centre of the liberation struggle and resistance to white minority rule.  Despite much opposition to White rule to halt white encroachment on black land in South Africa, blacks were systematically herded into restricted areas and homelands and their rights to equal opportunity denied.

With the formation of the South African Native National Congress (which later became the African National Congress (ANC)) in 1912, the resistance movement became formalised. The ANC strived to improve the conditions of the blacks. Its task became more difficult after the Nationalist Party victory of 1948 - when the grand machinery of Apartheid was put into motion and became law. Each race was given different privileges, some more and others less.  Nevertheless, the ANC and its allies continued to seek the freedom of all its peoples and continued to challenge the unjust apartheid laws. When The Congress of the People (held in Kliptown in 1955), adopted the Freedom Charter, the blue-print for a democratic South Africa was laid. The Charter affirmed 'that South Africa belongs to all who live in it, black and white, and that no Government can justly claim authority unless it is based on the will of the people'.

In 1961 South Africa became a Republic and the 31st of May was declared a national holiday (Republic Day) by the National Party, yet it was never celebrated by all South Africans. The Umkonto we Sizwe, the military wing of the ANC was formed during this period as a means of armed resistance. Many of the leaders were banned, imprisoned and tortured.  After 1976 the liberation struggle gained momentum. The Soweto Uprising of 1976 saw increased militancy. Trade Union movements started to revive and assert the rights of workers. Hundreds of residents' associations, sports, student, women's and religious organisations joined the resistance struggle. The Church could no longer stand by silently and added its voice to the liberation struggle.  In 1984, the Government introduced the Tri-cameral parliament, giving Coloureds and Indians the right to vote. The Blacks, who were in the majority, were excluded from this formula. The United Democratic Front (UDF), launched in 1983, brought over 600 organisations together to demand the scrapping of the Tri-cameral parliament. In 1985 the Government declared a State of Emergency in an attempt to suppress the freedom movement.

By 1988 a stalemate had been reached. The Government began looking for a way out and as a result started negotiations with the ANC leadership. The ANC, South African Communist Party (SACP), Pan African Congress (PAC) and other organisations were unbanned on 2 February 1990. A non-racial constitution was eventually agreed upon and adopted in 1993. The new Constitution came into effect on 27 April 1994, the day the nation cast its vote in the first democratic election in the country. The ANC was voted into power and Nelson Mandela was inaugurated as the President of South Africa on 10 May.

The significance of Freedom Day, today, celebrates Freedom Day to mark the liberation of the country and its people from a long period of colonialism and white minority domination - which means that they no longer have the situation in which political power is enjoyed and exercised by a minority of the population, to the exclusion of the majority. Freedom Day is not an African National Congress day, but a day for all South Africans. When South Africa was liberated both the oppressor and oppressed were liberated. We pledge "Never again would a minority government impose itself on the majority".  South Africans are "One people with one destiny". It is therefore imperative for South Africans of diverse political and economic backgrounds to work towards a common objective. On Freedom Day they celebrate the relentless efforts of those who fought for liberation, of the many men and women who took up arms and courted imprisonment, banning’s and torture on behalf of the oppressed masses.

With these momentous occasions, it makes me think about these African countries, and their struggles throughout their history that Australians are really oblivious to.  We have had such a short history to compare with.  Certainly none of the same issues that West Africa has had with the slave trade, civil wars (even in recent history), and then apartheid, poverty, famine and disease in other African nations.  Australia has been lucky enough to avoid (in most circumstances and certainly not on the scale of Africa) these issues on a whole and it makes me think what a lucky nation we are, what a privilege life an Australian gets to live, to feel safe, with the right to vote and much more which we really do take for granted.  I actually feel sorry for people that do not get the opportunity to travel, to leave their perfect bubbles and explore, experience and learn about other countries, their cultures, their struggles and to then realize for themselves what a great life they get to go home to at the end of their trip. 

South Africa has come a long way in 20 years and I hope that the country continues to grow and prosper in the next 20 years.  Happy Freedom Day to all the South Africans I know, and to those I don’t, Happy Freedom Day to you as well.