South Africa marked 30 years since the end of apartheid and the birth of democracy with a ceremony in Pretoria on April 27, 2024.
The event included a 21-gun salute and the waving of the national flag. However, the celebration was overshadowed by growing discontent with the current government.
President Cyril Ramaphosa, leader of the African National Congress (ANC), spoke at the ceremony, acknowledging the progress made since 1994 but also the significant challenges that remain, including poverty, inequality, and unemployment.
The ANC has been in power since the first democratic election in 1994, but its popularity is waning, and it is predicted to lose its parliamentary majority in the upcoming election.
The ceremony took place amid a backdrop of discontent, with many South Africans expressing frustration with the government’s failure to address pressing issues such as joblessness, crime, corruption, and basic service delivery.
A new generation of South Africans, born after 1994, is looking for change and is expected to make its voice heard in the upcoming election.
