The President was delivering the keynote address at the official celebrations of Freedom Day in Middelburg, Mpumalanga .
This day marks 28 years since the first democratic elections were held in South Africa.
President Ramaphosa highlighted government’s efforts to improve the lives of South Africans under democracy.
The President says despite challenges faced by the country, South Africans should never let go of the taste of freedom.
Delivering the keynote Freedom Day address, Ramaphosa said the quality of life under democracy has improved compared to the apartheid era.
He urged south Africans not to give up on democracy and freedom, as many perished fighting for it.
“Despite all these achievements, and despite much progress, we are not yet where we want to be, having endured decades of injustice and hardship, in 1994 we were infused with hope and expectation. We held the vision of a promised land of freedom, equality, and shared prosperity. However, that vision has been tarnished by acts of corruption and state capture.”
President Ramaphosa addresses official Freedom Day celebration in Mpumalanga:
Almost three decades later questions have been raised about the seriousness of the democratic government on the land issue.
The President says government is doing all it can to reverse the legacy and injustices left by the apartheid regime.
He also assured South Africans that government continued to work on the land redistribution issue.
”In a free South Africa, we have recognised the injustices of the past, and we are implementing a programme to redistribute land to those who were dispossessed of their birth right.
The South Africa of today is democratic and open, and government is based on the will of the people, and every citizen is equally protected by law. The people’s voices are heard and their right to be part of any decision that affects their lives is protected.”
Meanwhile President Ramaphosa issued out a firm warning to looters, lambasting any attempts to loot and misuse relief efforts meant to assist residents of KwaZulu-Natal after the floods that devastated the province.
Earlier this month, the province saw floods that left over 400 people dead, displaced many others and destroyed key infrastructure.
“We have seen, even in KwaZulu-Natal, as help has been delivered to those who need it most and where some of our people have gone out to start helping themselves even when they did not need to do so and some pilfering and even stealing that help and we would see how as a nation we have been getting involved and getting sucked in into all this type of behaviour.”
On the recent attacks on foreign nationals, Ramaphosa urged people to refrain from attacking their fellow Africans.
He concedes that South Africa has an immigration crisis that is crippling the country’s economy, but says this cannot excuse acts of violence against foreign nationals.
Ramaphosa says South Africans should work toward unity and that the domination of one group over another should never happen in South Africa again.
He also cautioned government officials to deliver on government’s promises as this advanced the progress of democracy
