South Africa will commemorate the 2016 Freedom Day celebrations on 27 April 2016 at Giyani Stadium, Limpopo under the theme, “Together Building Better Communities – Local Government is Everybody’s Business.”
Freedom Month celebrate the historic occasion in 1994 when South Africa achieved democracy, where all its citizens became free from racial discrimination and oppression. The first democratic elections were held on 27 April 1994, resulting in an unrivalled milestone in the history of South Africa.
This year, Freedom Month will amongst others seeks to reflect on how South Africa achieved its freedom and democracy; the 20 years of our Constitution and the progress made in the past 22 years as well as how South Africans should work together to implement the National Development Plan (NDP).
The year also coincides with the local government elections which are instruments of democracy as local government elections represent people’s right to choose whom they should entrust with their local government affairs of the country.
As part of this year Freedom Month Celebration, the Department of Arts and Culture and other Government departments has exciting programme of activities for the month of April:
- The Department of Arts and Culture will host three(3) Lectures on Freedom, Democracy and Responsible Citizenship on 21, 23 and 26 April 2016. These lectures will take place at Umthombo Building – Umthombo 1, Wits University in Johannesburg at 17h00; University of KwaZulu-Natal, Howard College Theatre in KwaZulu-Natal at 11h00; and the University of Venda in Limpopo at 17h00 respectively.
- Also on Thursday, 21 April 2016, Deputy Minister Mabudafhasi will flag Muthuhadini Combined School in Elim and further engage with schools, hospitals, old age home, correctional service, and households to encourage them to read for leisure and to donate books in Elim, Waterval in Makhado Municipality in Limpopo province, respectively. The event forms part of the World Book Day pre-event activity. The Deputy Minister will also utilise the event to speak about Freedom Month.
- Deputy Minister Mabudafhasi will speak at the World Book Day on Friday, 22 April 2016 at Moses Mabotha Civic Hall in the Fetakgomo Municipality in Sekhukhune, Limpopo.
- The department will host two Lectures on Freedom, Democracy and Responsible Citizenship on Saturday, 23 April and Tuesday, 26 April 2016. These lectures will take place at the University of KwaZulu-Natal Howard College Theatre in KwaZulu-Natal and the University of Venda in Limpopo at 11h00 and 17h00 respectively.
- The Deputy Minster will also on Tuesday, 26 April 2016 attend the Launch of Braille National Symbols Project at Filadelfia Secondary School, Soshanguve in Pretoria.
- On Wednesday, 27 April 2016, the Department of Arts and Culture will host the 2016 Freedom Day Celebration 2016 at Giyani Stadium, Limpopo Province.
- Deputy Minister Mabudafhasi will on Thursday, 28 April 2016 host the National Flag at Nkoa-Nkoa Primary School, Tzaneen in Limpopo. The event is part of the Department of Arts and Culture’s “Flag in every School” project that aims at educating learners and citizens about nation building and social cohesion.
- The Department of Arts and Culture will host African World Heritage Regional Youth Forum from 28 April to 4 May 2016 at Robben Island Museum in partnership with African World Heritage Fund and UNESCO World Heritage Centre.
“We urge everyone to celebrate Freedom Month as an opportunity to strengthen solidarity, tolerance, national identity and social cohesion in our country,” States Minister Mthethwa.
Enquiries:
Lisa Combrinck
Cell: 082 821 4886
E-mail: LisaC@dac.gov.za
Teresa Magidela
Tel: 012 441 3626
Cell: 060 601 7724
E-mail: TeresaM@dac.gov.za
