SINENHLANHLA ZUNGU
DURBAN - ON Tuesday South Africa commemorated the 27th year since the first democratic elections were held on April 27, 1994. Under the apartheid regime, the majority of South Africans were not allowed to vote. Inter-racial activities were banned and the rights of black people were almost non-existent. April 27 brought about freedom, including freedom to vote for the previously oppressed. South Africa adopted a Constitution which honours all citizens regardless of race, ethnicity or culture.
While the government has made great strides in working towards a more racially inclusive economy, a number of citizens expressed concern that the Covid-19 pandemic had reversed some of the progress that the country had made.
The people’s paper spoke to a few people in and around Durban about what freedom meant to them in light of the Covid-19 pandemic and the current economic exclusion that the majority still face. Here’s what they had to say …
Bongiwe Mpanza: It doesn’t feel like freedom to me. Black people are still supressed. We are still excluded from participating in the country’s economy. For those reasons, I cannot say that we are free.
Manqoba Luthuli: I do not feel free at all. Even though I have the right to freedom of speech, I am still unable to speak my mind because what I say can still get me in trouble if it does not please those in power.
Velenkosini Ntuli: Post-apartheid, freedom is a big deal but people are still financially excluded. Service delivery is one of our major concerns. Things only got worse after the pandemic.
Siphelele Danyisa: Freedom for me has to do with the fact that I am able to move around. I can now freely go to a park and live a particular lifestyle that people could not live before 1994. I am now able to go outside and breathe.
Makhosi Msimango: We are now able to share this beautiful land with all races. We got a second chance to do it all together as a rainbow nation.
Ryan Show: Freedom means a lot to me. It means that there is now more relief financially as everyone gets a chance to partake in the economy.
Nomusa Makhathini: We are not free at all. The only freedom we have is that of movement. Psychologically, emotionally, socially and economically we are still not free.
Kagiso Mashego: Due to the pandemic, the level of our freedom has dropped with all the Covid-19 regulations being in place. I feel like this particular Freedom Day is not worth celebrating.
Silindile Zungu: We are not entirely free. The freedom that our forefathers fought for is not what we are experiencing now. Black people are still largely excluded in the economy and the pandemic has worsened things.
Mpendulo Mabaso: What this day brought was non-racial democratic elections. I appreciate the work done by those who fought for it. Peace, unity remains nothing but a thought of what this day should have been 27 years later.
Msizi Zungu: We may be free politically but we are not economically free. The pandemic has shown that the majority of black people remain frozen in time within the social injustices created by the apartheid system.
Phikinkani Zondo: Freedom to me feels like a privilege. We felt imprisoned in our own land. Things are better now. Our Constitution is looking out for us, one way or another.
sinenhlanhla.zungu@inl.co.za
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