Address by the Minister of Sport, Arts and Culture, Zizi Kodwa on the occasion to launch Freedom Month, Freedom Park, City of Tshwane
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Minister Zizi Kodwa, Freedom Month 2023 Launch

Programme Director:

Deputy Minister of Sport, Arts & Culture, the Hon. Nocawe Mafu.

MEC for Arts, Culture, Sport and Recreation in the North West, the Hon. Keneetswe Mosenogi.

Distinguished Guests.

Member of the media.

Ladies and Gentlemen.

Fellow South Africans!

I extend my warmest greetings to all of you fellow South Africans. We are gathered here today to mark the official commencement of Freedom Month, a month in which we celebrate the journey we have travelled together as a nation from that important foothold that 1994 provided us with.

This month marks the culmination of our collective efforts to bring about the new order. Along the way many of our patriots perished in the result. Amongst them we will cite two:

  • Today, marks exactly 44 years since the hanging of that brave patriot Solomon Kalushi Mahlangu only few meters from here.
  • In four days from today, we will also be marking the 30th anniversary of the brutal murder of Martin Thembisile “Chris” Hani.
  • Also this month will be laying to rest the mortal remains of Ms Kholeka Thunyiswa Shabaani on the 22 April 2023, in Gqeberha. Ms Shabaani is amongst the nurses that were recruited by President OR Tambo following the request by President Julius Nyerere of Tanzania to help with the health sector following the departure of British Nurses who said they could not work under the African led government. This cemented the relationship between the two sister African countries.

We cite these as a reminder that indeed our freedom was never free, ultimate price was paid by some of our patriots. 

This year will mark 29 years since that history-making moment in 1994. And given the all-important 30-year anniversary that is now almost upon us in 2024, we will be using this year’s celebration as a stepping stone or build-up towards the 30th anniversary milestone. This year, we have elected to celebrate Freedom Month under the theme: “consolidating and sustaining our democratic gains”.

What is intimated in the theme is that even though there had been missteps on our path, there is still reason to pause and celebrate the efforts that we have made as a nation to create a country of our dreams as outlined in our primary law of the land, the 1996 Constitution.  

The Freedom month provides an opportunity to the entire government and our people to pause and critically reflect on the journey we have travelled since 1994 and what needs to be done to extend the frontiers of freedom.

There is therefore a reason to celebrate because great strides have been made since 1994 and while it would be impossible to enumerate all, I think it would be important nonetheless that we foreground some of the most notable ones. We cannot say we are free if most of our people are denied the most basic of services necessary in improving the general quality of life

The latest Stats SA Household Survey (2021), which is a regular survey that gives an empirical account of improvement or otherwise in terms of the general standards of living in households across the country paints a picture of improvement – much in stark contrast to 2002, let alone against the state of play at the dawn of freedom and democracy in 1994. Amongst our achievements we can site the following as reflected the 2021 Household survey:

  • 89.3% of households in this country are connected to the national grid compared to only 76.7% in 2002, this is highlighted even as we acknowledge our current challenges around energy generation and energy security.
  • In South Africa today, there are more households that have access to improved sanitation. In the 2021 General Household Survey, it is reported that for example that between 2002 and 2021, there is a recorded 22.4% increase in improved sanitation – from 61.7% in 2002 to 84.1% in 2021. The most notable higher rates of improvement on this front were in the rural provinces of the Eastern Cape and Limpopo.
  • In South Africa today, there are also more households that have access to clean piped water – unlike was the case during apartheid and at the dawn of democracy in 1994. For example, in 2002 there were 84.4% of households accessing clean piped water compared to 88.7% that were accessing the same benefit in 2021.
  • Conceivably, there are more young people accessing higher education than was the case prior to the dawn of democracy in 1994, even as we say there are still challenging with higher education student funding.
  • South Africa is also one of the few countries that have succeeded in terms of universal access to primary education – which is one of the important Sustainable Development Goals (SDG). It is for this reason that in 2021, the rate of persons that are 20 years and older that did not have any form of education decreased from 11.4% in 2002 to just merely 3.2% in 2021.
  • Today there are more black persons and women who occupy the top and middle management tiers in the public sector than had been the case at the dawn of democracy in 1994. We remain concerned however, that the private sector has been lagging behind on this front.

It is for this reason that there are serious considerations being made to amend the current employment equity legislative and policy regime, so as to give it more teeth and deal decisively with perennial offenders.

Unemployment remains a serious blemish to our constitutional democratic order, most notably among our young people. We do believe however that some of the initiatives at the level of the government have had some desired effect. The Youth Employment Services (YES) programme, an initiative between government, business and labour has been providing experiential learning opportunities and thereby enhancing their chances for future employment.

Government also has a very well coordinated internship programme, with all government departments having to enrol interns for a maximum period not exceeding two years, which in most instances has enabled some of the young people to obtain employment in the public sector but also outside of the public sector

The triple challenges of unemployment, poverty and inequality however still remain and it is suggested by some pundits that this may account as a contributing factor to some of the social ills that continue to stymie progress. The aftershocks to the economy owing to the COVID-19 pandemic have also not assisted our cause.

These are challenges that we are seized with and for which government is hard at work, round the clock in finding long term solutions, while implementing short term measures so as to ensure that the country remains active and productive

As we mark official commencement of Freedom Month, let us celebrate many gains we have made while also being true to ourselves in terms of the many obstacles that lie ahead. These would require from us, that is all sectors of our nation to dig deep in our consciousness and our resilience to combat the challenges of our society.

In closing, please allow me to remind you that the 2023 National Freedom Day celebration will be in the Matlosana Local Municipality, in Klerksdorp, at the Alabama Stadium. The event is to be presided over by His Excellency the President of the Republic. Amongst the participants there will be a display by all the sections of the South African National Defence Force. 

There are build-up activities throughout the month leading to this main event and the full schedule, once completed, would be shared with members of the media.

I thank you for your attention!