NATIONAL COUNCIL OF PROVINCES (NCOP) DEBATE ON THE SIGNIFICANCE OF FREEDOM DAY CELEBRATION BY LEAH MABUZA- MPUMALANGA MEC FOR CULTURE, SPORT AND RECREATION.
uploaded on: April 29, 2026 at 13:33 pm
Honourable Chair of the National Council of Provinces Delegates of this respectable house Minister and Deputy Minister of Sport, Arts and Culture My counterparts, Members of the Executive Councils on call Compatriots Ladies and Gentlemen
1. 27th April 2026 marked 32 years of Democratic South Africa and 30 years of Constitutional Democracy.
2. As we celebrate this day we need to take stock, reflect and remind ourselves that Freedom is not merely an absence of an oppressive regime but it is also the presence of an active and capable state machinery to lead transformation of society and organs of states including professionalization of the Public Sector.
3. 27th April marks a significant protracted struggle for liberation, equality and economic justice.
4. Take home message from the President of the Republic of South Africa, His Excellency Cyril Matamela Ramaphosa addressing the nation on the 27th April 2026 in Bloemfontein Mangaung Metropolitan. Open quote “We stand here today not only as citizens of a Democratic Nation, but as custodians of a hard won legacy, a legacy shaped by sacrifice, courage and an unbreakable belief in Freedom and social justice” close quote.
5. As we proudly celebrate our Freedom and Democracy, we pay tribute to all those gallant Freedom fighters who sacrificed their lives so that we would be free and all those who participated or supported in whatever form the National Liberation Struggle.
6. We pledge to defend and reinforce the values and objectives that served to underpin our liberation struggle.
7. One of the key revolutionary tasks was to build national unity and social cohesion towards the total eradication of racial oppression and exploitation.
8. Over the past 32 years of Democratic South Africa, much has been done to realize this vision.
9. Colonial Apartheid misrule characterized by Institutional and Systematic racism has been dismantled.
10. We cannot deny it that guided by the Rule of Law, robust systems and Institutions have been established to promote, uphold and advance the ideals of a South Africa that belongs to all who live in it.
11. The government of the people has done much more to restore the dignity of the people, even though the 7th Administration admits that more still needs to be done.
12. When addressing an occasion like this in 2003, the former President of the Republic of South Africa , Mr. Thabo Mbeki said, open quote “ We celebrate Freedom because it has given us the possibility to deliver services to the people that have not been delivered throughout the years of white minority rule, we celebrate Freedom Day because millions of our rural people now have access to clean water, electricity and services that benefit especially women and children, and we celebrate with many of our poor children because they are now assured of at least one decent meal a day through the national school nutrition program ” close quote.
13. Hon Chairperson, I am in agreement with this factual statement. ? Decent houses with title deeds to millions of our people have been built. ? Sport and Recreational facilities are being funded mainly through the national fiscus that is why post 1994 South Africa posses resident capacity to host any sporting global event. It has already hosted African Cup of Nations, FIFA World Cup, Rugby World Cup, Cricket World Cup and many more events of International magnitude and stature with huge contribution to our GDP. ? STATS SA confirms that compared to pre-1994 there is a remarkable improvement on access to sanitation, water and electricity (numbers don’t lie) ? These basic services are no longer the preserves of the few, based on the colour of the skin. ? Strengthening local government remains a strategic focus of our Freedom because it is the site where we can do most to transform lives of our people which include rural development , farming communities and areas under traditional leadership. ? The 7th Administration continues to push back frontiers of poverty by providing comprehensive security net for the most vulnerable. ? Many strides have been achieved to open the doors of learning and culture through a school quintile resourcing formula and NSFAS to cater for the poor and the poorest. ? Our constitution provides the right to communities to practice their Religious or customary beliefs, traditions and culture without fear guided by the Rule of Law embedded in the Constitution of The Republic of South Africa.
14. Indeed, the Freedom achieved in 1994 must substantively advance and defend material improvements in the lives of all citizens of this country.
15. We know that despite our achievements, SA remains a highly unequal society confirming that the institutionalization of the NDR remains a struggle process.
16. This means that effectively the NDR is not yet complete. When addressing the nation, the President of the Republic of South Africa, His Excellency Cyril Matamela Ramaphosa made important remarks, pen quote “ The majority of the South Africans are still excluded and marginalized from the ownership, management and control of the economy of this country, and that millions of our people, especially black people, still live in object poverty” close quote.
17. It is precisely for those revolutionary reasons that, on the occasion of the 2026 Provincial Freedom Day celebration, our Premier, Hon Mandla Ndlovu underscored and reaffirmed the commitment of the Province to massive infrastructure investment to stimulate inclusive economic growth, creation of more jobs, increasing access to healthcare and Educational facilities over and above the sustainable provision of basic services because Freedom must defend material improvements of all our people.
18. Compatriots! In whatever we do, we must also ensure that the role of women in the consolidation of our Freedom and Democracy is high on the national agenda.
19. To strengthen our Democracy means the emancipation and economic empowerment of women in terms of access to finance, fast tracking skills development and government procurement system must become responsive to the urgent imperatives of gender balance. The none negotiable economic empowerment must also include Youth and People with Disabilities. 20. Equally, we call on our Youth across the spectrum of society to ensure that they work hard to empower themselves with Education and requisite scarce skills because the youth must be the vanguard of a national development trajectory they are going to inherit.
21. To strengthen public trust, Freedom and the Rule of Law enjoins us to fight and defeat crime and corruption through ethical governance.
22. Hon Chairperson, the Human Rights declaration in Chapter 2 of the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa is a key pillar of our social justice system.
23. Our Freedom calls all South Africans to unite and defeat poverty and under-development in our discourse of “no surrender” towards a developmental state whilst re-affirming the constitution as the foundation.
24. Freedom celebration calls on us to renew our pledge in building a better South Africa free from high levels of unemployment, poverty and socio economic inequalities.
25. Freedom celebration calls for a better world free from Uni-polarity, and bullying tactics using military and economic super power.
26. Our Freedom celebration calls on the international community to join hands to stop the wars and human genocide in Palestine and in other parts of the world.
27. Accordingly, our Freedom must continue to advocate for multipolarity to advance the national developmental objectives which must also find expression in the African Continental Free Trade Area, this is a landmark agreement which seeks to unite 54 African Nations into a single market of 1.4 billion people with a vision to boost Intra African Trade by 60% by 2035.
28. Hon Chairperson, we remain committed to the ideals of the African Renaissance, Development of the continent and its economic uplifment is central to our Freedom and success of South Africa’s National Democratic Revolution and its developmental objectives.
29. Freedom celebration to us is also about African solidarity. Long Live Africa and and her Diaspora! Long Live African unity and solidarity! I wish you a Happy Freedom Month. Thank you Chairperson!
Honourable Chair of the National Council of Provinces Delegates of this respectable house Minister and Deputy Minister of Sport, Arts and Culture My counterparts, Members of the Executive Councils on call Compatriots Ladies and Gentlemen
1. 27th April 2026 marked 32 years of Democratic South Africa and 30 years of Constitutional Democracy.
2. As we celebrate this day we need to take stock, reflect and remind ourselves that Freedom is not merely an absence of an oppressive regime but it is also the presence of an active and capable state machinery to lead transformation of society and organs of states including professionalization of the Public Sector.
3. 27th April marks a significant protracted struggle for liberation, equality and economic justice.
4. Take home message from the President of the Republic of South Africa, His Excellency Cyril Matamela Ramaphosa addressing the nation on the 27th April 2026 in Bloemfontein Mangaung Metropolitan. Open quote “We stand here today not only as citizens of a Democratic Nation, but as custodians of a hard won legacy, a legacy shaped by sacrifice, courage and an unbreakable belief in Freedom and social justice” close quote.
5. As we proudly celebrate our Freedom and Democracy, we pay tribute to all those gallant Freedom fighters who sacrificed their lives so that we would be free and all those who participated or supported in whatever form the National Liberation Struggle.
6. We pledge to defend and reinforce the values and objectives that served to underpin our liberation struggle.
7. One of the key revolutionary tasks was to build national unity and social cohesion towards the total eradication of racial oppression and exploitation.
8. Over the past 32 years of Democratic South Africa, much has been done to realize this vision.
9. Colonial Apartheid misrule characterized by Institutional and Systematic racism has been dismantled.
10. We cannot deny it that guided by the Rule of Law, robust systems and Institutions have been established to promote, uphold and advance the ideals of a South Africa that belongs to all who live in it.
11. The government of the people has done much more to restore the dignity of the people, even though the 7th Administration admits that more still needs to be done.
12. When addressing an occasion like this in 2003, the former President of the Republic of South Africa , Mr. Thabo Mbeki said, open quote “ We celebrate Freedom because it has given us the possibility to deliver services to the people that have not been delivered throughout the years of white minority rule, we celebrate Freedom Day because millions of our rural people now have access to clean water, electricity and services that benefit especially women and children, and we celebrate with many of our poor children because they are now assured of at least one decent meal a day through the national school nutrition program ” close quote.
13. Hon Chairperson, I am in agreement with this factual statement. ? Decent houses with title deeds to millions of our people have been built. ? Sport and Recreational facilities are being funded mainly through the national fiscus that is why post 1994 South Africa posses resident capacity to host any sporting global event. It has already hosted African Cup of Nations, FIFA World Cup, Rugby World Cup, Cricket World Cup and many more events of International magnitude and stature with huge contribution to our GDP. ? STATS SA confirms that compared to pre-1994 there is a remarkable improvement on access to sanitation, water and electricity (numbers don’t lie) ? These basic services are no longer the preserves of the few, based on the colour of the skin. ? Strengthening local government remains a strategic focus of our Freedom because it is the site where we can do most to transform lives of our people which include rural development , farming communities and areas under traditional leadership. ? The 7th Administration continues to push back frontiers of poverty by providing comprehensive security net for the most vulnerable. ? Many strides have been achieved to open the doors of learning and culture through a school quintile resourcing formula and NSFAS to cater for the poor and the poorest. ? Our constitution provides the right to communities to practice their Religious or customary beliefs, traditions and culture without fear guided by the Rule of Law embedded in the Constitution of The Republic of South Africa.
14. Indeed, the Freedom achieved in 1994 must substantively advance and defend material improvements in the lives of all citizens of this country.
15. We know that despite our achievements, SA remains a highly unequal society confirming that the institutionalization of the NDR remains a struggle process.
16. This means that effectively the NDR is not yet complete. When addressing the nation, the President of the Republic of South Africa, His Excellency Cyril Matamela Ramaphosa made important remarks, pen quote “ The majority of the South Africans are still excluded and marginalized from the ownership, management and control of the economy of this country, and that millions of our people, especially black people, still live in object poverty” close quote.
17. It is precisely for those revolutionary reasons that, on the occasion of the 2026 Provincial Freedom Day celebration, our Premier, Hon Mandla Ndlovu underscored and reaffirmed the commitment of the Province to massive infrastructure investment to stimulate inclusive economic growth, creation of more jobs, increasing access to healthcare and Educational facilities over and above the sustainable provision of basic services because Freedom must defend material improvements of all our people.
18. Compatriots! In whatever we do, we must also ensure that the role of women in the consolidation of our Freedom and Democracy is high on the national agenda.
19. To strengthen our Democracy means the emancipation and economic empowerment of women in terms of access to finance, fast tracking skills development and government procurement system must become responsive to the urgent imperatives of gender balance. The none negotiable economic empowerment must also include Youth and People with Disabilities. 20. Equally, we call on our Youth across the spectrum of society to ensure that they work hard to empower themselves with Education and requisite scarce skills because the youth must be the vanguard of a national development trajectory they are going to inherit.
21. To strengthen public trust, Freedom and the Rule of Law enjoins us to fight and defeat crime and corruption through ethical governance.
22. Hon Chairperson, the Human Rights declaration in Chapter 2 of the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa is a key pillar of our social justice system.
23. Our Freedom calls all South Africans to unite and defeat poverty and under-development in our discourse of “no surrender” towards a developmental state whilst re-affirming the constitution as the foundation.
24. Freedom celebration calls on us to renew our pledge in building a better South Africa free from high levels of unemployment, poverty and socio economic inequalities.
25. Freedom celebration calls for a better world free from Uni-polarity, and bullying tactics using military and economic super power.
26. Our Freedom celebration calls on the international community to join hands to stop the wars and human genocide in Palestine and in other parts of the world.
27. Accordingly, our Freedom must continue to advocate for multipolarity to advance the national developmental objectives which must also find expression in the African Continental Free Trade Area, this is a landmark agreement which seeks to unite 54 African Nations into a single market of 1.4 billion people with a vision to boost Intra African Trade by 60% by 2035.
28. Hon Chairperson, we remain committed to the ideals of the African Renaissance, Development of the continent and its economic uplifment is central to our Freedom and success of South Africa’s National Democratic Revolution and its developmental objectives.
29. Freedom celebration to us is also about African solidarity. Long Live Africa and and her Diaspora! Long Live African unity and solidarity! I wish you a Happy Freedom Month. Thank you Chairperson!