Every year since 1994, on April 27 we celebrate our independence holiday named Freedom Day. It’s very disheartening to note that our youths, especially “ama 2000s/born frees”, don’t even have a single clue about how this day came about.
Blood, sweat and tears were shed and a lot of sacrifices made. It didn’t take only South Africans to fight the ruthless apartheid rule. It was a collective effort from the outside world intensifying relentless pressure.
Neighbouring countries played the most significant roles by offering our brothers and sisters shelter and military training. It’s sad when we witness the acts of xenophobia unfolding and it keeps rearing its ugly head again and again. Politicians have to shoulder part of the blame for this.
They are the ones who must be teaching us the lives they led in exiles and the hospitality they received from our neighbouring countries during the Struggle of apartheid.
Apartheid united Africans as they were very influential and instrumental in our quest for freedom. We shouldn’t and mustn’t forget about apartheid but forgive. We are free, yes, only on paper but not in reality. How can we claim to be free when we still have kids falling in pit toilets?
How we claim to be free when we still have people sharing drinking water with animals? Just asking. Only when and unless gender-based violence against women and children is eradicated and alleviated then we can claim to be free. Aluta continua, not yet uhuru.
McDivett Khumbulani, KwaMhlanga, Mpumalanga
READER LETTER | SA is only free on paper, despite Freedom Day
Image: Gallo Images/Lisa Hinatowicz
Every year since 1994, on April 27 we celebrate our independence holiday named Freedom Day. It’s very disheartening to note that our youths, especially “ama 2000s/born frees”, don’t even have a single clue about how this day came about.
Blood, sweat and tears were shed and a lot of sacrifices made. It didn’t take only South Africans to fight the ruthless apartheid rule. It was a collective effort from the outside world intensifying relentless pressure.
Neighbouring countries played the most significant roles by offering our brothers and sisters shelter and military training. It’s sad when we witness the acts of xenophobia unfolding and it keeps rearing its ugly head again and again. Politicians have to shoulder part of the blame for this.
They are the ones who must be teaching us the lives they led in exiles and the hospitality they received from our neighbouring countries during the Struggle of apartheid.
Apartheid united Africans as they were very influential and instrumental in our quest for freedom. We shouldn’t and mustn’t forget about apartheid but forgive. We are free, yes, only on paper but not in reality. How can we claim to be free when we still have kids falling in pit toilets?
How we claim to be free when we still have people sharing drinking water with animals? Just asking. Only when and unless gender-based violence against women and children is eradicated and alleviated then we can claim to be free. Aluta continua, not yet uhuru.
McDivett Khumbulani, KwaMhlanga, Mpumalanga
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