By Safia Khan and Tarryn Booysen
On April 27, South Africa marks the 30th anniversary of the end of apartheid, when we, South Africans, finally won the fight for all to be recognised as equal citizens. We will hold a national election just a month later, on May 29.
Every election in South Africa is a chance for us to remind ourselves that our country belongs to all those who live in it. But this year’s vote has special meaning.
It will be a chance to reflect on what we have learned as a nation through our many successes and failures over the last three decades.
Ironically, perhaps the most important lesson to reflect on is that elections, though important, are just one part of a functioning democracy. Indeed, over the last 30 years, we have learned that in a democratic society, real results depend on people holding their leaders accountable through protest and community organising, not by voting alone.
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Photo credit: Kandukuru Nagarjun
