As South Africans came together in April to commemorate 32 years of freedom, Members of Parliament in the National Assembly disagreed on how and why the nation should celebrate independence and freedom.
African National Congress MP Mr. Mondli Gungubele, who also holds the position of Deputy Minister of Telecommunications in the Government of National Unity, stated during a Freedom Day debate on the subject of “Social and economic fruits of freedom: Celebrating thirty-two years of democratic citizenship” that the government’s accomplishments since 1994 are not just numbers but actual fruits of freedom that should be honored.
According to Mr. Gungubele, the expansion of electricity connections to over 80% of households, widespread access to water and sanitation, the provision of over four million housing opportunities, education access, including free schooling, and a social protection system that reached over 18 million citizens were examples of genuine transformation that gave the Freedom Charter’s goals real-world significance.
“These are not just numbers. In actuality, they represent a full manifestation of emancipation. “Every home constructed signifies a break with apartheid spatial planning, every grant given for placation and peacebuilding, and every school created signifies an investment against poverty across generations,” he said.
Mr. Gungubele contended that the BBBEE Act, the Employment Equity Act, a progressive tax and social protection system, and other important tools used by the government to promote inclusive development were structural transformation tools meant to address historical dispossession.
Opposition parties in the National Assembly, however, harshly criticized the ANC for boasting about its accomplishments as a reason for South Africans to celebrate independence.
Ms. Noma Buthelezi, a member of the Umkhonto weSizwe Party (MKP), poured cold water over the ANC’s list of accomplishments and instead told the tale of millions of people who, according to her, had not yet experienced the freedom discussed in Parliament. “What precisely are we celebrating? For millions of South Africans, particularly the youth, freedom has become a narrative rather than a way of life. You are told you are free, but a young person sitting at home with a degree but no job does not feel free. A community that lives in constant fear of crime does not feel free, nor does a mother who is unable to provide for her children. Once more, may I ask what precisely we are commemorating?”
By urging people to celebrate a freedom they have never known, Ms. Buthelezi accused the administration of cruelty and deceit. “Asking people to celebrate something they haven’t experienced is harsh. Telling a generation they are free while keeping them from taking advantage of possibilities seems dishonest. Because South Africa does not now have complete freedom. It is the shadow of it, a shadow that sounds strong on podiums and looks nice in speeches, but it vanishes as soon as you enter our people’s reality, she contended.
Mr. Ian Cameron, the chairman of the Portfolio Committee on Police and a representative of the Democratic Alliance, said that one of the things keeping many South Africans from enjoying complete freedom in their nation is the government’s inability to shield residents from criminal activity.
“I would like to know if everyone in South Africa truly enjoys freedom. For the poorest among us, what are the benefits of freedom? Despite living under the daily control of criminal networks, citizens vote for a democratic state. On paper, the state exists, but in reality, gangs exist. Freedom is the ability to walk home, sell food, and operate a business without fear of retaliation, not the ability to cast a ballot. When tiny merchants are killed for failing to pay gangs, freedom does not exist.” According to Mr. Cameron, “freedom is not real while families are coerced into silence.”
The economic independence fighters were another group that shared the belief that inadequate service delivery, unemployment, and inequality tarnish South Africa’s independence.
Without economic freedom, political freedom is meaningless. According to party MP Mr. Sihle Lonzi, “real freedom must confront unemployment, confront land ownership patterns in South Africa, and unlock the mineral wealth to benefit all.”
Mr. Velenkosini Hlabisa, Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs and leader of the Inkatha Freedom Party, had similar views, stating that not all South Africans are truly enjoying freedom. Many South Africans are still unable to fully enjoy the benefits of democratic citizenship due to unemployment, inequality, and inadequate service delivery. True freedom is the ability for every citizen to live in safety, for a graduate to find employment, and for a woman to provide for her children. In order to fully enjoy the benefits of independence, we must move quickly,” Mr. Hlabisa stated.
Ms. Lerato Ngobeni (ActionSA) also believes that many South Africans cannot truly experience freedom because of the government’s failure to translate political freedom into economic inclusion and prosperity. “As we mark 32 years of democracy, we must ask, where are the social and economic fruits of this freedom for the majority of South Africans? Today, over 12 million South Africans are unemployed, and over 23 million are living in poverty, abysmal poverty, surviving on less than R1,300 per month. We do not want to only celebrate freedom; we want to experience it,” she said.
“Freedom Day is more than a celebration of political liberation; rather, it is a reminder of the promise of shared prosperity, justice, and opportunity for all,” stated Wayne Thring of the African Christian Democratic Party. Thirty-two years later, however, we have to face the painful fact that although political freedom has been guaranteed, social and economic freedom are still lacking. The realization of social and economic freedom has been postponed by poor leadership.
The Freedom Day debate in the National Assembly highlights differing perspectives on the meaning of freedom in South Africa after 32 years of democracy. While the ruling party points to improvements in service delivery, housing, education, and social welfare as evidence of progress, opposition parties argue that high unemployment, inequality, and insecurity prevent many citizens from experiencing real freedom. The discussion ultimately shows that although political freedom has been achieved, the full realization of social and economic freedom is still a work in progress.
