Refresh ideals of first April 27

TODAY, exactly 24 years ago, millions of South Africans made their way to the polls at the crack of dawn to cast their ballot in the first-ever democratic elections.

With an ‘x’ in a box, history was made and our country was sent on a new course.

The African National Congress (ANC) won by an almost two-thirds majority, signalling an end to the merciless reign of the apartheid government.

Iconic images of queues snaking outside voting stations were broadcast far and wide as the world’s eyes focused on South Africa and its new dawn.

Nelson Mandela, in a statement after voting, said: “It is the beginning of a new era. We have moved from an era of pessimism, division, limited opportunities, turmoil and conflict. We are starting a new era of hope, reconciliation and nation building.”

The message from the ANC was clear: servicing the needs of the people would drive their agenda.

Mandela highlighted several issues the party would focus on when he took office as the first democratically elected president.

They included: job creation, building houses, building schools and hospitals, and providing compulsory free quality education, running water and electricity.

“These are our priorities,” he said at the time.

For the country, it was a moment of euphoria. The winds of change were blowing and there was finally a glimmer of hope that those who had been oppressed would have an opportunity at a better life.

Over the past two decades, the country has seen significant change.

A 2016 report by the South African Institute of Race Relations found that:

Employment for African people had more than doubled from 1994 to 2015 from 4 980 000 to 11 625 000;

Formal dwellings has increased from 5 794 399 to 13 404 199 between 1996 and 2016;

Access to piped water increased from 7 234 023 in 1996 to 15 218 753 in 2016; and

Access to flush or chemical lavatories increased from 4 552 854 in 1996 to 11 436 619 in 2016.

But the honeymoon period was never meant to last forever.

As the country prepares for the general election next year, communities are becoming increasingly vocal about unfulfilled promises. In the past two weeks alone, violence has broken out in Keiskammahoek in the Eastern Cape and the North West as residents took to the streets to demand better services.

For the ANC, the next few months will be an uphill battle as it attempts not only to restore faith in the party’s leadership but also repair divisions within its own structures. For too long, the narrative in the country has been dominated by the troubles with former president Jacob Zuma and the controversies surrounding the infamous Gupta family and their alleged corrupt relationships with senior leaders.

With political parties gearing up for next year’s elections and making countless promises to the electorate, it will help them to remember the ideals of hope, reconciliation and building our nation.