Fun activities to do this Freedom Day
Stuck on ideas of what to do this Freedom Day? Don't fret. We have put together fun activities you can do to commemorate the day.
Each year, South Africa commemorates Freedom Day on 27 April. This is the day that the country held its first democratic elections in 1994. Prior to these elections, black South Africans were denied their right to vote.
Why not commemorate the day by learning more about the South African history?
We have put together a list of movies you can watch and places you can visit if you are around Gauteng.
Movies
Sarafina!
'Sarafina!' is one of the most popular and loved movies that shows the pain that black South Africans went through in order to get the freedom that we now enjoy.
The film is based on a character called Sarafina who fights against white supremacy, gets arrested, and is eventually freed from prison.
The film was written by Mbongeni Ngema and William Nicholson. It stars Leleti Khumalo, Miriam Makeba, John Kani, Ngema, and Whoopi Goldberg.
Long Walk To Freedom
‘Long Walk To Freedom’ tells the story of one of the greatest men that ever lived, Nelson Mandela.
It is based on the 1995 autobiographical book by the former South African President.
The film shows his story from childhood to his inauguration as the first democratically-elected President of South Africa.
Winnie Mandela
Winnie Mandela was an anti-apartheid activist. She fought hard to ensure that all people living in South Africa enjoy freedom.
The film ‘Winnie Mandela’ chronicles her life from her childhood through her marriage to husband Nelson Mandela's incarceration.
It was released in 2011. It is an adaptation of Anne Marie du Preez Bezrob's biography 'Winnie Mandela: A Life'.
Places to visit
Gauteng has great historical places that you can visit this Freedom Day.
Vilakazi Street
Walk the streets where two Nobel Prize winners lived - Vilakazi Street.
This is the street where both Nelson Mandela and Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu lived.
You can visit the Mandela House Museum to see where the iconic former President resided.
There is also the Hector Peterson Museum and memorial – the place where anti-apartheid activist Hector Peterson was killed by police during the students' uprising of June 16, 1976.
Union Buildings
Head to Pretoria, the capital city of South Africa, to visit the Union Buildings.
This is the place where the inauguration of South Africa's first democratically-elected President Nelson Mandela was held.
It is also the place where in 1956, 20,000 women protested against Apartheid laws and handed over a memorandum to Minister J.G. Strijdom.
What is great about the place is that you can enjoy a picnic in the garden. You will be surrounded by beautiful views of Pretoria.
WATCH: School goes viral for their fun Freedom Day celebration
Image courtesy of iStock/ @ Kongphop Petwichai