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Minister of Mineral and Petroleum Resources Gwede Mantashe delivers the keynote address at the National Freedom Day celebration in Ermelo in Mpumalanga on 27 April 2025.
Acting President Gwede Mantashe says that South Africans still have much to celebrate in terms of their freedom, despite the challenges they are facing.
He delivered the keynote address at the National Freedom Day celebration in Mpumalanga.
Mantashe spoke on behalf of President Cyril Ramaphosa, who is unwell.
The marking of the country’s 31st anniversary of the democratic dispensation has seen citizens of Ermelo lamenting the deteriorating infrastructure and high unemployment rate in their province.
Mantashe, however, says that one of the biggest things to celebrate on this day is the restoration of the dignity of citizens.
“On the 27th of April 1994, the dignity of South African people, black and white, was restored. Many people believe that the freedom in 1994 only liberated black people. What they don’t understand is that it liberated white people from doing something immoral. Apartheid was declared an evil against humanity. When it was destroyed in 1994, every South African was liberated from that evil against humanity and that is what we should be celebrating.”
Mantashe has also urged South Africans to reject racial divisions as the country celebrates the 31st anniversary of democracy.
“We’ll not allow anyone to define us, nobody must define us and tell us who and what we are or turn us against one another. No one will do that. We are a people, we must make choices that unite us. We must roundly reject all attempts to divide us on racial lines.”
Some residents of Ermelo in Mpumalanga attending the celebrations say the day should be a foundation for building a better future for South Africans.
More than 2 000 people are attending the event.
One resident says, “Freedom Day is very important because it’s whereby we get freedom for this country. Whereby everyone is free to do whatever he wants to do in this country, especially young people because we know where we are coming from. The history tells us very well where we come from and where we are going as the country.”
“I’m with the people living with disabilities. We’ve come to enjoy and celebrate Freedom Day. It’s a day of freedom. We must be happy and rejoice,” adds another resident.
Well wishes for Ramaphosa
Meanwhile, Sports, Arts and Culture Minister Gayton McKenzie has wished Ramaphosa a speedy recovery.
Mackenzie says that he spoke to the President earlier today and he had to heed the doctor’s orders.
