Is South Africa a free country?
Freedom Day means something different to different people.
Actually, what is freedom?
The dictionary meaning of freedom is the power or right to act, speak or think as one likes, it also means the state of not being imprisoned or enslaved.
But what is freedom really? Are we free? As a democratic country one would actually think that we are all free.
I hold a different opinion though.
Also see: World Press Freedom Day highlights fighting for justice
In April 1994 black people took to the voting polls for the first time ever, a historic moment it was (though I was not yet born, history books confirm it).
They voted for different political parties and the African National Congress (ANC) won the elections by a majority of 62.7 per cent, though it was not a two/third majority, it was an overwhelming victory for a party which contested elections for the first time.
That was political freedom right there.
However, we still don’t have economic freedom. We do not have the land, majority of black people are unemployed, live in squatter camps and we are also not getting the same quality of education.
The government is trying to bring South Africans together and make sure everyone is equal, but I feel there are things which they are not doing right, or is it because some people in the government are involved in corruption scandals?
It beats me.
Are they really trying to get the land back or are they just fooling the public?
In terms of unemployment, what are they doing about it?
In different municipalities where different parties govern, only people of that party are employed, some are even employed without the relevant qualifications.
Also see: Unemployment stats paint a bleak picture of South Africa
Squatter camps are full of people who have been applying for houses, but no one knows happens to the lists with their name on.
In terms of education, I would like to applaud MEC Panyaza Lesufi, he is trying to fill the gap.
I believe he is the best MEC of Education Gauteng has ever had.
Any party that wins elections will be doomed not to have him as a minister of education, the man really is selfless.
With all the above, my question still remains, are we really free?
Without economic freedom, we are not yet free.
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