South Africa celebrates the 25th anniversary of its first democratic elections

With celebrations all over the country and an eye on the elections of May 8, South Africa commemorated this Saturday 25th anniversary of his first democratic elections, who has definitely buried the racial segregation of "l & # 39; apartheidand they made Nelson Mandela president.

"That day, 25 years ago, we founded a new country, South Africans, a country defined by principles of equality, unity, non-racism and non-badism", said the current president, Cyril Ramaphosa, at the main event commemorating this anniversary, which was held in the city of Makhanda (until 2018, called Grahamstown), in the south East of the country.

The 1994 elections were held from April 26 to 29 (although the official birthday is celebrated every year on the 27th, baptized "Freedom Day"), with the eyes of the world placed in South Africa.

They were left behind 4 years of difficult transition and thousands of deaths due to political violence, in addition to serious doubts as to whether the country would not explode in a civil war.

"This is an unforgettable opportunity for all South Africans to realize the hopes and dreams we have had for decades. a South Africa that represents all South Africans, the beginning of a new era, "Mandela said on April 27 this year, after voting for the first time in his life.

For almost four decades (since 1948), apartheid had worked oppressive machinery intended to maintain the "status quo" of the white minority that controlled the country, a legacy of Dutch and British colonization.

Segregation has condemned the black population to degraded education, to live in cluttered ghettos, to enter public buildings through different doors or to use separate means of transport, among many other limitations.

Apartheid has regulated all aspects of life, including interracial love relationships, which were prohibited. And, of course, this also prevented the majority of the population from voting.

It all ended in April 1994, when Mandela wrote the victory with 62.65% support.

However, despite the past quarter of a century, the "rainbow nation" is still far from realizing the dreams with which it went to the polls in 1994.

South Africa today is one of the most unequal nations in the world, with poverty rates above 50% and rampant corruption, spread throughout the public apparatus – especially during Jacob Zuma's tenure (2009-2018) – undermine both citizens' trust in the institutions and that of the citizens. foreign investors.

Economic growth, although South Africa is the most industrialized country on the continent, remains low (0.8% in 2018) and many public services – from education to the production of energy. electricity – are very mediocre.

The unequal land deal, most often between white hands and high unemployment (27%) are other factors that aggravate the country's socio-economic cracks.

"We can not be a nation of free people when so many people are still living in poverty, (…) without enough food, without an appropriate roof," said South Africa's President today. .

In spite of all these problems, the Mandela African National Congress (ANC) has remained undefeated in all elections held to date in the country.

All indications are that when South Africans return to the polls on May 8, the trend will continue and Ramaphosa will revalidate the office that he inherited from Jacob Zuma in February 2018, when his own party forced him to resign for his numerous scandals.