Pretoria – As the nation marks South Africa’s first non-racial democratic elections, opposition political parties have shared their Freedom Day massages with the rest of the country.
Sej Motau from the Democratic Alliance said while the DA supported the country’s freedom, the party remained concerned about the level of poverty and unemployment. “Poverty and unemployment still remain top of the challenges that confront our people on a day to day basis and it is what robs them of their freedom,” he said.
The DA said it was committed to working with other political parties and the people of South Africa “to change the country for the better”.
The PAC called on the government to speed up basic services such as housing and improve on education and healthcare. “Our people cannot enjoy their freedoms freely if they continue to suffer this poverty…freedom means to be able to live a dignified life and as things stand we are not happy,” the party said.
The IFP’s Oscar Maseko said: “We believe that protecting our freedom is speaking truth to power and that the power we secured is never abused. We are called upon to celebrate this freedom together for we remain on the side of the ordinary men and women of this country.”
The UDM expressed concern over the recent service delivery protests which, it said, were often violent and disruptive. “We may be free politically, but we are not free economically and this is a challenge that needs our government’s attention. It is a shame that 17 years in democracy we still see such service delivery protests,” said the parties Thandi Nontenja. – BuaNews
