South Africa’s Freedom Day: April 27
Freedom Day is a public holiday in South Africa.
The people of South Africa commemorate Freedom Day every 27th of April where the first election was held after the apartheid system was abolished in the country. Before this was instituted non-white constituent of South Africa had limited rights, under the apartheid law, to vote for their chosen political candidates.
Apartheid was later abolished following the general election that took place in 1994 instituting the, what was then known, as the first universal adult suffrage in South African nation.
History of South Africa’s Freedom Day
Under the supervision of Independent Electoral Commission (IEC), South Africa conducted its first major and nationwide election in 1994 after the fall of the Apartheid policy. Freedom Day marks the first multiracial election on April 27, 1994 which gave way for Nelson Mandela to presidency. Mandela was the head of the African National Congress, a political party which won the majority of seats in the government during the first fully representative democratic election in 1994.
Mandela is an anti-apartheid activist who campaigned for the abolition of apartheid, a legal racial discrimination system in South Africa. He was put in prison in charges of political sabotage and other crimes against the apartheid policy and languished in prison for 27 years. In the day of his release in February 11, 1990, he worked his way to once again campaign for a fully represented democratic national election in South Africa and give way for all non-white constituents to vote for their chosen candidates.
It was noted that 19,726,579 voted during the first national election. A tripartite Government of National Unity was later established to work on the total abolition of Apartheid system in South Africa and cure some of the detrimental social issues plaguing the country.
South Africa’s Freedom Day: Traditions, Customs and Activities
During Freedom Day, a reenactment of the release of Nelson Mandela is usually held in front of Victor Verster, the place where Mandela spent the last day of his prison sentence.
Speeches and musical concerts are also held commemorating the eventful day which led to the release of Mandela and first multiracial election that happened in South Africa in 1994.
Other interesting posts:
- South Africa Commemorates Its Day of Reconciliation
- Malawi Freedom Day
- South Africa Celebrates Human Rights Day
- South Africa National Women’s Day
- South Africa Enthusiastically Observes Heritage Day
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