The founding fathers of South Africa democracy received a hero’s welcome as they arrived to cast their votes.
Looking frail but still displaying a formidable presence, Dennis Goldberg was chaperoned by the African National Congress (ANC) to vote at Sentinel School in his neighbourhood of Hangberg, Hout Bay.
The anti-apartheid struggle veteran is one of the few surviving Rivonia Treason trialists.
He expressed optimism in the future of our democracy. “We have come a long way since 1994 and we made mistakes. But what we fought for was equality not to make a new elite but to make a genuine social democracy, but with a sufficient majority President Ramaphosa will be able to deal with the corrupt elements.”
[WATCH] Goldberg says he feels gratified after casting his vote, having being part of the generation of Nelson Mandela, Govan Mbeki, Walter Sisulu. “This is what we wanted and we have to build our democracy” #SADecides #SAelections2019 pic.twitter.com/BW0h2gQ91a
— SA Gov News (@SAgovnews) May 8, 2019
Goldberg was bestowed with the Isithwalandwe award, the highest honour a South African can earn for his contribution to justice and a non-racial democracy. He received it with fellow treason trialist and struggle stalwart Andrew Mlangeni, who voted in Cape Town.
Another recipient of this illustrious award and struggle heroine, Sophie De Bruyn, joined millions of South Africans casting their ballots.
She says her vote is to commemorate those who sacrificed their lives in the fight for democracy.
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