SOUTH Africans celebrated Freedom Day yesterday as political parties held separate celebrations, with the main government event held in Pretoria.

Several political parties used the occasion to drum up support for the coming local government elections.

Parties also spelt out their Freedom Day messages:

• ANC

"As we celebrate Freedom Day marking the 17th anniversary of the dawn of constitutional democracy, we pay tribute to scores of our struggle stalwarts and masses of our people who paid with their lives for us to enjoy the fruits of democracy.

"We pay particular tribute to such gallant fighters for freedom as Chris Hani, Oliver Tambo, Dulcie September, Ruth First, Vuyisile Mini, Solomon Mahlangu and countless others - some whose remains are buried on foreign soil.

"Our fallen heroes - who also fought for the liberation of other African countries - have not only made an indelible mark in our struggle for freedom but also left a legacy for the current leadership to emulate.

"The ANC's successful launch of the major offensive against the tyranny of apartheid, which ultimately led to Comrade Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela becoming the country's first democratic president, can be attributed to the selfless and heroic struggles waged by the people of South Africa. For this, they endured imprisonment, harassment and death.

"Today South Africa's Constitution, which guarantees freedoms of speech, association and the media - among others - make our country a world-acclaimed constitutional model, with a culture of human rights fully guaranteed.

"While there are still pockets of human rights abuses, we are satisfied that these - which include the recent brutal killing of Ficksburg activist Andries Tatane - are being effectively dealt with by our criminal justice system.

"We also pride ourselves in our multiparty democracy, which ensures that elections are held every five years, with citizens freely electing a new government and leadership into power."

• DA

"Freedom Day is the most important day on our political calendar. It marks the moment in 1994 that we, the people of South Africa, first tasted freedom.

"For those of us who were there, April 27 1994 will live in our memories to our last breath. And for those who come after us, it will live in history as a beacon illuminating the triumph of humanity over inhumanity.

"The apartheid system was an affront - an often violent affront - to the very notion of humanity.

"By degrading some of us it degraded us all.

"Oppression is always driven by the worst instincts of humankind - greed, fear, hatred. It is sustained by a callous indifference to the suffering of others.

"Freedom Day is also a day to remember those who resisted the inhumanity of oppression and fought to overcome it.

"There are the heroes who inspired us: Luthuli, Ghandi, Mandela, Tambo, Sisulu, Brown, Paton, Suzman, Hani.

"There are also the millions whose names were not captured in the headlines, but who fought back every day for generations, and in the end, triumphed.

"Our Constitution, with a Bill of Rights at its heart, protects us all. It is our collective response to the oppression of apartheid."

• IFP

"The day is a historic holiday as it is our Freedom Day. It was on this day that we had our first democratic elections on April 27 1994.

"We have a whole generation that did not experience all the humiliations of the racist and apartheid era.

"For those of us who went through the brutal system of apartheid, today means a lot."

• ID

"The Independent Democrats wish the people of South Africa a happy Freedom Day. As we celebrate this historic occasion, we reflect on the enormous sacrifices of those who fought against apartheid and the serious challenges that still confront us.

"Most importantly, we recommit ourselves to working tirelessly to address those problems - and to build on the legacies of Mandela, Tambo and Suzman."

• YCL

"April 27 1994 shall always be an important date in our calendar. It is a date that brought hope to our people. Many fallen heroes and heroines did not only wish to be part of it, but fought and died for it."