South African (SA) President Cyril Ramaphosa has described SA’s first democratic election as the birth of a new nation, marking a historic moment when about 20 million people voted for the first time in 1994.
Speaking in Bloemfontein, Free State Province, Ramaphosa led this year’s Freedom Day commemorations, paying tribute to the thousands who lost their lives in the struggle against apartheid.
He emphasised that while freedom is now a shared national achievement, the pain and suffering endured remain an unevenly remembered chapter of the country’s past.
Observed under the theme, “Freedom and the Rule of Law: Thirty Years of Democratic Citizenship,” the commemoration brings together government, civil society and various sectors, united in celebrating SA’s democratic journey while reflecting on the work that still lies ahead.
–SABC–
