South Africa marked Freedom Day -a historic day on which millions of South Africans voted 30 years ago the country’s first democratic elections with a goal of ending apartheid.
"The weight of centuries of oppression was no longer holding us down,” said President Cyril Ramaphosa in a speech marking the day, “On that day, as a united people, we stood tall as South Africans".
African National Congress (ANC) was the one that won the election 30 years ago and government power has been held by this for three decades.
ANC’s reputation has been hurt by widespread accusations of corruption and its inability to effectively tackle pressing issues including crime, inequality, poor service delivery, and unemployment, which remain staggeringly high.
Ramaphosa, addressing the Freedom Day Saturday at the Union Buildings in South Africa’s administrative capital, Pretoria, highlighted S. Africa’s achievements under his rule.
"We have built houses, clinics, hospitals, roads, and constructed bridges, dams, and many other facilities. We have brought electricity, water, and sanitation to millions of South African homes," he said.