Celebrating Freedom Day with mixed emotions
Some youth in Polokwane question why days like Freedom Day should be celebrated when issues such as unemployment, poverty and corruption exist.
POLOKWANE – South Africa is celebrating yet another Freedom Day and this year, the day marks 29 years of a democratic South Africa.
However, despite over two decades of democracy, younger generations say they do not know the significance of this day and why it should be celebrated while issues of unemployment and lack of free higher education still exists.
“Twenty nine years after the attainment of so-called ‘freedom’, we as the youth of South Africa have realized that there’s no freedom to celebrate,” said Kamogelo Poto.
Poto, who is the University of Limpopo’s school of education chairperson under the EFF student council, said that every year, young people who aspire to further their studies queue for hours with the hope of registering but are turned away due to financial constraints.
“Meanwhile, those who are fortunate to register, study for three to four years and accumulate debt which creates a rolling effect on employment as they are denied opportunities because of money owed, thus making them unemployable,” he said.
Other than unemployment and lack of education, some youth say the 1994 elections were about political freedom but that is wasn’t enough as they obtained that freedom but not economical freedom.
“We need economic freedom because that means people will live free from poverty and therefore will not struggle like we are now,” said Samuel Mahlo, a resident of Polokwane.
“We do not have economical freedom and we want it. Once we are liberated from the economic struggle, our country will become better which means people will be able to find jobs and be able to start their own businesses,” he added.
Those who know the apartheid and democratic South Africa share the same sentiments with the youth as they also highlighted that South Africa was a better place to be before 1994.
Martin Van Onselen said South Africa is not the same anymore as everything is ruined ‘from the streets to our government and corruption is worse’
Onselen also emphasised that despite the current state of South Africa, it is of paramount importance to still celebrate the day so that the future generation can be able to know the history of South Africa.
