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Tshwete appreciates unity at Freedom Day Celebrations
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MEDIA RELEASE
 FOR IMMEDIATE USE
 27 APRIL 2001

TSHWETE APPRECIATES UNITY AT FREEDOM DAY CELEBRATIONS

UNITY in action was explicitly displayed during the Freedom Day Celebrations in Graaff Reinet today (27 April, 2001) as people of all races 
and from all walks of life filled the Collie Koeberg Stadium to celebrate the day South Africa achieved its democracy.

Acknowledging oneness in freedom of the people today, political veteran Bob Kaba from Zwelitsha, said the celebrations were a momentous 
occasion "considering the number of people who converged here from different political beliefs’.

"Our democracy is unique in the sense that it embraces all political shades of opinion and parties," he said.

Guest Speaker, Safety and Security Minister, Steve Tshwete, who last year criticised other racial groupings for not taking Freedom Day 
Celebrations seriously, also acknowledged the diversity of the close to 10 000 people who honoured the event with their presence.

In his address, Tshwete said it was important that the children in South Africa be taught the significance of April 27 and the history of 
the country although the sceptics did not want that. He said April 27 was the day when South African people had their dignity restored.

He added that all South Africans despite their diverse cultures or races should do what has to be done to protect the freedom that so many 
South Africans had fought for. "We share a common destiny, only our backgrounds are different."

The agenda of South Africans according to Tshwete is to make it a land of everyone’s dreams, but that still had to be achieved. He said 
South Africa had to be respected in the whole world for being a strong democracy and the way that people lived.

"There must be nothing that makes us to fight. The road ahead is going to be very difficult, people in South Africa should be strong to 
fight for our disunity," he said.

According to Tshwete people were not supposed to spend much strength and effort to ensure that the South African democracy deepened since 
there was nothing more important than democracy.

Tshwete also encouraged the people of the Eastern Cape to be part of developmental initiatives as this was not only a government 
responsibility but discouraged the promotion of crime by purchasing stolen goods. He instead motivated people to be self-reliant especially 
the black people.

"We have a role to play in everything that government is doing in our country," he said.

People might have celebrated today, but April 27 was not an easy day to get. In the struggle against apartheid many people lost their 
lives, some disappeared some are disabled because the were brutally assaulted by the police and some were massacred.

Fortunately some political veterans who had survived all these incidents had an honour of being among the members of the Eastern Cape 
Executive Council, national government ministers - Stella Sigcau and Ngconde Balfour, Democratic Allience member and thousands of other 
people to celebrate the seventh National Freedom Day.

"One only hopes that this will continue for years to come as never before did it occur in South Africa, being the last bastion of 
colonialism and imperialism in Africa to be free," Kaba summed up.

Issued by Office of the Premier - Communications Division
 Inquiries: Thamie Mgwigwi - Tel: (040) 639 1544

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