Freedom Day: 'SA a free and sovereign country, not province of US'
As the country celebrates 31 years of freedom, acting president Gwede Mantashe said the world's eyes were 'glued on South Africa'.
Mantashe was delivering the keynote address at the national Freedom Day celebration at the AJ Swanepoel Stadium in Ermelo, Mpumalanga, on Sunday.
President Cyril Ramaphosa was expected to deliver the address, but he was booked off with the flu.
Unity
Mantashe said Freedom Day is to celebrate the 'unity of all South Africans.'
'On this Freedom Day, we honour our past, confront the present, and shape our future – together.
'We are a free country, we are a sovereign country, we are not a province of the United States… We will not allow anyone to define us, tell us what to do or who we are. We must reject all attempts to divide us or racialise us.'
[WATCH] Acting President Gwede Mantashe says President Cyril Ramaphosa is unwell and was therefore unable to address the #FreedomDay celebrations. #Newzroom405 pic.twitter.com/DBR0xFyQr1 — Newzroom Afrika (@Newzroom405) April 27, 2025
ALSO READ: Freedom Day: Ramaphosa not feeling well as country marks 31 years of freedom
Moving on
Speaking about the DA, Mantashe, South Africa, showed the world that it is possible to move beyond a 'bitter history'.
'To talk to the DA is a picnic. But if you want to build something, you form a coalition of forces. They are condemning. They are condemning forces, they want to fight over everything, whether it is the budget or anything they fight.
'Ideology has no colour, ideology is the mindset. We can leave the DA but I'm not sure if MKP and EFF are better options. They are so aggressive and hostile against the ANC. So it's like choosing a devil and running to the fire, that's it. You run away from the devil, you get into the fire. You burn in any way,' Mantashe said.
[WATCH] "You run away from the devil, you get into the fire," Acting President Gwede Mantashe says the ANC is not sure if the MK Party and EFF are better options to the DA in the GNU. #Newzroom405 pic.twitter.com/Wbgw42L0uy — Newzroom Afrika (@Newzroom405) April 27, 2025
Solidarity
Mantashe said South Africa have been sought out by countries embroiled in conflict, hoping to learn from 'our experience with national reconciliation, conflict resolution and dialogue.'
'We are committed to assisting where we can to contribute to peace. This week we received a visit from President Volodymyr Zelenskyy of Ukraine, where we discussed the role South Africa can play through the African Peace Initiative in contributing to the end of the conflict between Russia and Ukraine.'
Mantashe added the South Africa continues to stand in solidarity with the victims of conflict and war.
He reflected on the struggle to end Apartheid in South Africa and the responsibility to further help bring peace to other warring nations.
'We stand with the peoples of Palestine, of Western Sahara, of the eastern DRC, of Sudan, of Yemen, and with victims of gender oppression in Afghanistan and other parts of the world.'
Serving the nation
Mantashe said that before 1994, the government of the country served only 8% of the population.
'Some people feel we have deteriorated. But we remind ourselves and our people that before 1994, the government of the country served only 8% of the population. Today, it is serving every member of this population.'
[WATCH] Acting President Gwede Mantashe says: "Before 1994, the government of the country served only 8% of the population. Today, it's serving every member of this population; every citizen has a right to basic services." pic.twitter.com/1KvvdGhpfS — SABC News (@SABCNews) April 27, 2025
Mantashe said every citizen has the right to basic services and has the right to participate in the 'shaping government.' 'That's why we elect every five years,' he said.
ALSO READ: 'No change in 30 years': Freedom Day anniversary has subsided into despair
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Eyewitness News
an hour ago
- Eyewitness News
Marikana Massacre: SA govt receives backlash from EFF and BOSA
JOHANNESBURG – The South African government is facing criticism for its silence on the 'Marikana Massacre' as the country remembered 34 mineworkers who were gunned down by police in 2012. Saturday marked 13 years since the incident took place at the Lonmin Platinum Mine – now known as Sibanye-Stillwater - in the North West province during a wage protest Although a commission of inquiry had been conducted, no one has faced prosecution for the tragedy to date. Several organisations and political parties honoured and commemorated the lives that were lost during the tragic incident that occurred 13 years ago - and renewed their calls for accountability. For its part, the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) pointed out that many families lost fathers, brothers and sons - men who were fighting for their basic human rights and for dignity. ALSO READ: The party also criticised President Cyril Ramaphosa, a shareholder at the time at Lonmin, and the African National Congress (ANC) for failing to deliver justice. Build One SA (BOSA) also called on Ramaphosa to commemorate the massacre with a National Day, in honour of those breadwinners who were killed 13 years ago. The Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union (AMCU) also reiterated their demands for justice. And the Socio-Economic Rights Institute of South Africa (SERI) emphasised that true justice could only come through successful prosecutions.
IOL News
2 hours ago
- IOL News
Thabo Mbeki Foundation denies claims of opposing National Dialogue
Former president Thabo Mbeki declined an invitation to attend the first convention of the National Dialogue that was held in Pretoria at the weekend. Image: Boxer Ngwenya / Independent Newspapers The Thabo Mbeki Foundations has denied claims that they were planning to create a parallel structure to oppose the National Dialogue, a two-day event that concluded on Saturday at the University of South Africa (Unisa). The foundation, along with other prominent legacy foundations, withdrew from the National Dialogue process a week before it started, citing concerns over its implementation and rushed timelines. Several organizations, including the uMkhonto weSizwe Party (MK Party), Freedom Front Plus, ActionSA, FW De Klerk Foundation, Solidarity, and Afrikaner Leierskapsnetwerk (Afrikaner Leadership Network, ALN), also withdrew from the National Dialogue, questioning its legitimacy, transparency and effectiveness. The MK Party specifically raised concerns about the financing of the event, while others accused the ANC of using the dialogue to polish its image ahead of the 2026 local government elections. However on Sunday the Mbeki Foundation said there was no plan to start a parallel structure saying the foundations were in constant talks and it was not anything new. Former President Thabo Mbeki just before the event kicked off declined an invitation to attend the national dialogue's first convention and in a letter dated August 12 from Mbeki Foundation chairperson Geraldine Fraser-Moleketi to Nedlac executive director Makhukhu Mampuru, fueled allegations of a parallel structure. Fraser-Moleketi also disputed the characterisation of the upcoming Unisa convention as the "first," stating that the preparatory task team (PTT), operational for 13 months, convenes all public meetings and national conventions of the dialogue. The national dialogue is a result of an agreement among the parties forming the Government of National Unity. While considered Mbeki's brainchild, the process has exposed strained relations between him and President Cyril Ramaphosa. The National Dialogue aimed to engage all South Africans in a countrywide discussion on challenges facing the country and forge a new vision. However, the event revealed a clear disconnect between government officials and ordinary citizens with delegates expressing frustration at being left out of the process, saying they only learned about the convention through the media. Discussions during the proceedings were frequently intense, centered on immediate concerns such as crime, corruption, educational disparities, and the perceived inadequacies of the justice system. In a breakout session on "Crime and Corruption," delegates shared personal stories and emphasised the need for tougher law enforcement, community policing, and quicker legal action. Qophumlando Dlangamandla, a teacher from North West, reportedly said, "I dream of a South Africa where education matters, where rural children are given the same tools as those in Gauteng." Bonginkosi Zwane reportedly spoke emotionally about his young grandson, a victim of rape, and called for the return of the Scorpions, saying, "All that I dream of is the return of Scorpions. Back then, we saw real and swift action against criminals." Tensions came to a head in the main plenary, where President Cyril Ramaphosa was present. Activist Sihle Lubisi addressed the hall directly, criticising the ANC and the organisation of the National Dialogue. "We are the foot soldiers. We know what's happening on the ground. All of you here have bodyguards and we don't. You say it's a National Dialogue, but you shut us down! "You are here because the 2026 elections are coming. You're trying to buy our silence," Lubisi said. The National Dialogue concluded with a call for diverse methods of dialogue, crafted in communities using local knowledge and expertise. Delegates emphasised the importance of inclusivity and citizen-led discussions. Lindiwe Mazibuko, Co-Deputy Chairperson of the Eminent Persons Group closed the event. "We have come together from all walks of life, engaged in respectful dialogue, and dared to envision a more inclusive, citizen-led future for South Africa." The process to establish a representative Steering Committee was extended by two weeks to accommodate more diversity and ensure nobody is left behind.
The Citizen
2 hours ago
- The Citizen
Shivambu to consult King Misuzulu Ka Zwelithini
Mauibuye Afrika is expected to launch a political party that will add to the country's growing list of political parties. Former uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) party secretary general. Floyd Shivambu is expected to meet Zulu monarch King Misuzulu Ka Zwelithini on Monday to consult him about the idea of starting a new political party. Shivambu and other leaders of the Mayibuye Afrika movement are in KwaZulu-Natal this weekend as part of consultations for the formation of a new party that Shivambu will lead. He said he will also report to the King what he has been told by South Africans in the various consultations that he had all over the country. 'Tomorrow we will go speak to the King to say this is what we have heard from the people of KwaZulu-Natal. When he sees the movement existing in the province, he should be in full knowledge of what the people of KwaZulu-Natal have said,' he said. Shivambu told delegates at the consultation gathering in Durban that the new political party, which will come out of the consultation processes, should be able to capture the confidence of South Africans and win elections. 'Thus far majority of the people that have spoken to us they say we should constitute an alternate political movement. 'A political movement is different from a political party they say we should respond to all the crisis and the lack of activism in all sectors of society they say we should constitute a movement that will have unions in it. It must have civil society organisations within it …But it must also have a political party that must contest elections from 2026 onwards and content elections not just for the sake of it, but contest elections with the aim of winning.' ALSO READ: Calls for Kolisi & Co to 'save' the National Dialogue, ActionSA claims convention will cost R25 million Does South Africa need another political party Shivambu said the outcomes of the 2024 general elections show that the current existing political parties have not managed to capture the hearts of the majority of South Africans. 'We have observed that all the political formations and parties that exist in South Africa do not enjoy the support and the confidence of the majority of South Africans that is demonstrated by the simple fact that out of the 42 million adult people in South Africa above the age of 18, less than 18 million people participate in elections. 'So, the majority of adults in South Africa who are eligible to vote have no confidence in any of the existing political parties,' he said. What's next for Mayibuye Afrika? Meanwhile, Shivambu said KZN is the last province that his movement is doing consultations with. He said the organisation will now formalise the structure of the movement and come up with a constitution and other important documents. NOW READ: MK party terminates Floyd Shivambu's membership
