Key issues - Tell your story

The “Tell your Story” campaign of Government forms part of the overall 20 Years of Freedom campaign. Share your story.

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The “Tell your Story” campaign of Government forms part of the overall 20 Years of Freedom campaign.  Through the “Tell your Story” campaign all South Africans, young and old, are provided with an opportunity to reflect on what it was like to live in apartheid South Africa, to consider the changes that have taken place, the challenges that remain, and a way forward for the country.

South Africans can:

  • Share their experiences of apartheid and democratic South Africa with citizens from different social strata
  • Create awareness about what it was like growing up in apartheid South Africa, what role they might have played in ensuring democratic change and their experience of South Africa today.
  • Educate youth and young South Africans about the history of our country.
  • Be introduced and participate actively in the 20 Years of Freedom and Democracy campaign
  • Get dialogues and conversations started in local communities and to begin the process of building social cohesion and a national identity.

Heritage Month, which is celebrated in September, also gave people the opportunity to tell their stories.

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mxit

People shared their stories on Mxit (SA Government).

Yolanda Moroa: South African's are free. There are no slaves. Read more ...

Letlape Salaminah: My good story is that after 20 years of democracy we have got the chance to reflect on the distance we have covered since those dreadfully unhappy days. Read more ...

Franscinah: On 27 of April 1994 South Africans of all races voted for a democratic and non racial government. Read more ...

Thabang Mokoena: My family stayed in a shack for more than 10 years.  Read more ...

Issar Saar: In 1994 there was a change in my province because Nelson Mandela was the first president in South Africa. Read more ...

Dube Nhlakanipho: South Africa has changed. Before 1994 we now live a better life because of our heroes.  Read more ...

Sharon Hlungwani: My story is lovely. I was born in this country and I know more about this country. Read more ...

Mayibuye Ndlovu: SA is a better place now than before 1994.  Read more ...


Photos

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Send us your story

Send us your story, telling us how you experienced the transition:


Audio/Video

Listen to the interview with GCIS Acting CEO Phumla Williams asking you to tell your story for 20 Years of Freedom [mp3].

More audio files:

Born Frees tell their stories

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Another Born Free video

More videos...


Events

Nkosi Albert Luthuli - School Oral History Competition, 3 - 6 Oct

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'Tell your Story' provincial campaign plans [PDF]


Stories

South Africans share their stories by sending an email to: electronic@gcis.gov.za.

Neels du Toit: Democracy brought us significantly closer to a normal society. The obsession with ethnicity including race is in the process of being broken down. Read more ...

Nokwazi Hlubi: My tenure at our Embassy was also instrumental in that it fuelled my love for diplomacy.  Read more ...


GCIS

Government Communications asked its staff to share their stories.

Phumla Williams: In exile, being a woman was an asset. It toughened me up. Read more ...

Lennox Klaas: Before you were given a gun by the ANC you had to understand the politics in front of the barrel. Read more ...

Reginah Pooe: I was working as a cleaner for white people in Pretoria when my cousin first told me about a job in government.  Read more ...

 


Related links:

SA History Online contains numerous biographies of people who contributed to making South Africa a successful democracy.

Our partners

LeadSA

East Coast Radio

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LeadSA shares stories of a few South Africans to document our country’s journey to 20 years of democracy. East Coast Radio gave several on-air staff at ECR just one minute to tell their stories celebrating 20 years of democracy in SA. Multichoice celebrates 27 years of operation in South Africa this year - read the storry of the company and the lives it enriched.

 

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