Freedom Day is the commemoration of the first democratic elections held in South Africa on April 27, 1994. The date is now a public holiday.
These were the first post-apartheid national elections to be held where everybody over the age of 18 could vote regardless of race.
The election was conducted under the direction of the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC), and marked the culmination of the four-year process that ended apartheid.
Millions queued in lines over a four-day voting period. Altogether, 19,726,579 votes were counted, and 193,081 were rejected as spoilt.
As widely expected, the African National Congress (ANC)took a sweeping victory, taking 62% of the vote.
The ANC formed a Government of National Unity with the National Party (NP) and the Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP), the two other parties that won more than 20 seats in the National Assembly.
In this special Freedom Day podcast, SABC News Producer, Lebo Tshangela, speaks to IEC Deputy CEO responsible for Outreach and Communication, Mawethu Mosery about preparations for the 1994 elections.
Below is the full podcast:
