April 27th is an important date in the history of south Africa and also for south Africans. The very first ever democratic election that took place on April 27, 1994. Which is now tagged freedom day.
The African people in south Africa experienced a very shameful and brutal past. A system called apartheid that denied them their basic rights and needs in their own motherland.
Celebrated annually on April 27, Freedom Day is one of the most important dates on the South African calendar. It is a day on which South Africans are encouraged to reflect on the struggles of the brutal Apartheid regime that saw political leaders, students, teachers and ordinary citizens lose their lives in the long, arduous battle for democracy and political stability.
True to the George Santayana adage, “To know your future, you must understand your past!” And with this understanding firmly clasped in our hands, may history never repeat itself. May we remember that a long, winding and prickly road to healing and building awaits.
Check out important dates and numbers to note about south Africa’s Freedom Day
- 1948 Apartheid, an Afrikaans word meaning ‘the state of being apart’, was officially administered in South Africa. When the all-White National Party government took over the reins of power that year. After they took over power, they immediately enforced the racial segregation policies already in place.
- 1994 South Africa’s first-ever non-racial, democratic election took place; which allowed all individuals over the age of 18 to cast their vote. Prior to 1994, voting was a privilege only extended to the country’s White population.
- 27: Is the number of years South Africa has been ‘defining’ its fledgeling freedom.
- 300: Is the number of years colonialism plagued South Africa. Colonialism also introduced politically enforced prejudice and oppression.
- 19 political parties contested in the 1994 election. These were: African National Congress(ANC), National Party (NP), Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP), Pan Africanist Congress of Azania (PAC), Freedom Front (FF), Democratic Party (DP), African Christian Democratic Party (ACDP), Africa Muslim Party (AMP), African Moderates Congress (AMC), Dikwankwetla Party of South Africa (DPSA), Federal Party (FP), Minority Front (MF), Sport Organisation for Collective Contributions and Equal Rights (SOCCER), African Democratic Movement (ADM), Women’s Right Peace Party (WRPP), Ximoko Progressive Party (XPP), Keep It Straight & Simple Party (KISS), Worker’s List Party (WLP), and Luso-South Africa Party (LUSO).
- 19.7 million South Africans voted out of the 22.7 million eligible voters.
- 62.65%: Is percentage margin with which the African National Congress (ANC) — the ruling party — won the 1994 election. The National Party (NP), the official opposition, followed with; 20.39 %; Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP) with 10.54 %, Freedom Front (FF) with 2.2 %; Democratic Party (DP) with 1.7 %, Pan Africanist Congress (PAC) with 1.2 %; and the African Christian Democratic Party (ACDP) with 0.5 %.
- 27 April 1994. South Africa’s new flag, bearing six colours and signifying a nation headed towards unity; replaced the old Apartheid flag which had been used since 1928. The new flag was designed by the late Frederick Gordon Brownell, a South African vexillologist and genealogist.