The Long Walk to Freedom in Progress: A Page We’re Still Writing…….

 

“I wasn’t there in 1994, but I’ve felt the ripple effects of that moment in every classroom discussion, every historical recollection, every whispered dream of a better tomorrow”  - Caleb Gaffoor  

April 27th Freedom Day — marked the day millions of South Africans lined up with unity and hope, to cast their votes in the country’s first democratic election. It was the end of apartheid, the beginning of a new chapter, and the birth of a vision: a South Africa where everyone, regardless of race, could live with dignity, opportunity, and freedom. 

Thirty-one years later, we honour that moment. But we also ask: what does freedom mean to the generation born after apartheid? Are we truly free, or are we still navigating the complex terrain of inequality, mental health struggles, and systemic barriers? 

When Nelson Mandela cast his vote in 1994, he did so not only for himself but for generations of people who had been denied a voice. For decades, apartheid systematically excluded South African people of colour from basic human rights. That first vote symbolized more than political participation — it was a reclaiming of humanity. 

The world watched as South Africa transformed from a state of oppression to one of promise. We became a democracy built on the values of equality, justice, and reconciliation. Freedom Day reminds us that freedom was not given, it was fought for. 

Growing up post-1994, many of us were called “Born-Frees” — a term loaded with both hope and pressure. On paper, we are the freest generation South Africa has ever seen. We can speak, love, dress, and dream as we choose. But lived experience often tells a more complicated story. 

For some youth, freedom means having access to quality education. For others, it’s the ability to safely express their identity without fear of discrimination. For too many, however, “freedom” feels like a distant ideal when basic needs remain unmet. 

Mental health is another frontier where freedom still feels incomplete. Despite growing awareness, many young people face stigma, lack of access to care, and the overwhelming weight of intergenerational trauma. Freedom must include the right to heal, not just survive.

While we’ve made strides as a nation, deep inequalities persist. Economic opportunity is still largely shaped by race, geography, and access to resources. Youth unemployment remains staggeringly high, and mental health services are often inaccessible, especially in rural and underserved communities. 

We need to move beyond performative celebrations and confront the harder truths. True freedom cannot exist where poverty, violence, and exclusion continue to thrive. It’s not enough to be politically free if we are not emotionally, mentally, and economically free as well. 

As a young South African, I’ve come to understand freedom, not as a destination, but as a continuous act of creation. It is in the courage to speak up when something feels unjust. It is in choosing to heal, to hope, to build despite adversity. It is in every young person who dares to dream in a country that sometimes forgets to dream with them. 

Freedom, to me, is the ability to imagine a better world and then work toward it, with others, in community. It is both a right and a responsibility. 

This Freedom Day, I invite you to reflect: What does freedom look like in your life? Who still feels left out of that freedom? And what role can you play in bridging that gap? 

Let us honour the past, not with passive remembrance, but with active participation. Let us be the generation that not only inherits freedom but expands it. 

April 27th Freedom Day — marked the day millions of South Africans lined up with unity and hope, to cast their votes in the country’s first democratic election. It was the end of apartheid, the beginning of a new chapter, and the birth of a vision: a South Africa where everyone, regardless of race, could live with dignity, opportunity, and freedom. 

Thirty-one years later, we honour that moment. But we also ask: what does freedom mean to the generation born after apartheid? Are we truly free, or are we still navigating the complex terrain of inequality, mental health struggles, and systemic barriers? 

When Nelson Mandela cast his vote in 1994, he did so not only for himself but for generations of people who had been denied a voice. For decades, apartheid systematically excluded South African people of colour from basic human rights. That first vote symbolized more than political participation — it was a reclaiming of humanity. 

Because freedom is not just a page in history. It is a page we are still writing.

By Caleb Gaffoor 

Published by Project Potential RSA