Build One South Africa (BOSA) joins South Africans in commemorating Freedom Day, marking the 32nd anniversary of our country’s first democratic elections held on 27 April 1994.
This day stands as a powerful reminder that, even in the face of profound injustice, violence, and division, South Africans chose a higher path of peace, freedom, and democracy.
The transition from apartheid to constitutional democracy remains one of the most remarkable achievements in modern history, forged through courage, sacrifice, and ultimately a shared belief in a shared future.
Thirty-two years on, we honour those who paid the ultimate price for our freedom and those who led the nation through the turbulence. Their legacy lives on in our Constitution, in the institutions that safeguard our rights, and in the democratic freedoms we exercise today.
But Freedom Day must also be a moment of honest reflection. While political freedom has been secured, too many South Africans remain excluded from its full promise. Freedom is undermined when millions are trapped in poverty and when opportunity remains out of reach for most.
Today, 57% of South Africa’s children live in multidimensional poverty. Unemployment, particularly among the youth, continues to rob a generation of hope and possibility.
BOSA believes that the next phase of South Africa’s journey must be defined by the expansion of economic freedom and the restoration of dignity for all. This requires bold reforms to grow the economy, create jobs, and ensure that opportunity is not determined by where you are born, but by your potential and effort.
As Coretta Scott King reminded us, freedom is a constant struggle, and one that must be carried forward by every generation.
On this Freedom Day, BOSA calls on all South Africans to recommit to the values that united us in 1994: non-racialism, non-sexism, equality, and shared prosperity. We must reject the politics of division and work together to build a country where our diversity is our strength instead of a fault line.
The divisions of the past must not define the future we build together. BOSA remains committed to building one South Africa that is united in its diversity, anchored in dignity, and driven by opportunity for all.
Media Enquiries:
Roger Solomons
BOSA Spokesperson
072 299 3551