Freedom Day in SA: a myth, or a reality waiting to be reclaimed?

FREEDOM Month, marked every April in South Africa, commemorates a monumental event in our history, the first democratic elections held on April 27, 1994, symbolising the official end of apartheid, and the beginning of a constitution anchored, grounded in human rights, dignity and equality.

- SIVA NAIDOO

For many South Africans, April is a time of national pride. It's a chance to celebrate how far we've come to remember the long and painful Struggle against apartheid, and to honour the courage of those who fought for liberation. It's a month of flags, speeches, school assemblies and patriotic music. For some, it's deeply emotional.

But Freedom Month is also complicated. For many, the freedoms promised in 1994 have not fully materialised. Unemployment, inequality, unsafe communities and poor public services make the word "freedom" feel hollow. In fact, for young people growing up in poverty, or for those still experiencing racism, exclusion or xenophobia, freedom remains a myth.

Freedom Month can feel more like a provocation than a celebration.

For some, like older generations, who lived under apartheid, April is a time of profound gratitude and reflection. For others like foreign nationals facing daily threats of violence, or LGBTQI+ South Africans fighting for basic rights, it's a reminder that legal rights don't always translate into lived experience.

The meaning of April, then, is not uniform. It is layered, contested and evolving. And perhaps that's the point: Freedom Month should be less about self-congratulation and more about collective reckoning. It should challenge us to ask: Whose freedom are we celebrating? Whose freedom remains deferred? And what kind of freedom are we building for future generations? True freedom is not just about casting a vote. It's about dignity, safety and equal opportunity for all.