SA’s democratic government has come a long way

The upcoming celebrations marking 30 years of freedom and democracy next year will provide South Africans from all walks of life the chance to reflect on what it was like to have lived in apartheid South Africa. It is also an opportunity to reflect on the changes that have taken place since 1994, the challenges that remain, and the way forward for the country.

We have made significant progress in transforming the apartheid state into a democracy founded on the values of human dignity, nonracialism and nonsexism, the rule of law and universal adult suffrage, as mandated by the constitution.

We have created a vibrant democracy where the lives of all people are valued, and indeed protected, by democratic institutions. The independence of our democratic institutions, guaranteed by the separation powers, is a hallmark of our democracy.

However, living in South Africa today makes it easy to forget just how different life was in the apartheid era. In 1994, the new democratic government inherited a society with gross inequalities across every sphere of life as a result of apartheid policies that systematically excluded black South Africans.

Basic needs were neglected, and things we now take for granted — such as access to water, electricity, housing, education and health care — were mostly unavailable to the majority. Every part of society was highly fragmented and structured to serve only a small portion of the population.

This was the stark reality faced by the new government in 1994, and since then we have worked to ensure that the basic needs of people are met by providing them with housing, water, electricity and telecommunications.

The stark disparities at the time were brought to light by the first democratic census in 1996, which showed that of the 6.5-million households headed by black Africans, 2.8-million used electricity, 2.5million candles and 1.1-million paraffin for lighting. Census 2022 shows that the proportion of households using electricity as the main source of energy for lighting now stands at 94.7%, and the use of paraffin and candles has decreased to almost negligible levels.

A similar picture emerges when it comes to water, with Census 2022 showing that 82.4% of households have access to piped water, either inside their dwelling or in their yard. In 1996, only 31.1% of black African households had access to a flush or chemical toilet. Last year, people with access to a flush toilet stood at 70.8%.

Another notable success has been the expansion of our social welfare net, as well as significant advances in health and education. Census 2022 shows that our welfare system has made a huge difference to the lives of the poorest households, especially schoolchildren, by ensuring no-one slips below a minimum standard of living.

Our basket of social services includes free basic services, education and social housing for the poor, as well as an extensive social security grants system. We have also ensured that we have a health system that is responsive to the needs of the people. We have the world’s largest HIV treatment programme, and millions of South Africans who previously had no hope now live productive lives owing to our huge rollout of ARVs. Treatment has led to an increase in life expectancy and low levels of mother-to-child HIV transmission rates.

The strides we have made in education and literacy have also been remarkable. In 1980, the overall literacy rate stood at only 76.2%, while in 2021 it had reached 95.33%. The matric pass rate in 1995 was only 53.4%, but had increased to 80.1% last year, and in 2021 an incredible 256,031 (36.4%) of school pupils obtained a bachelor-level pass. It is also notable that enrolment in public universities has increased from 494,356 in 1994 to more than a million this year.

This is not to pretend that we do not have deep challenges facing us. The triple challenge of poverty, inequality and unemployment remain our biggest obstacles. In addition, the state capture years and international conflicts have shaken our economy. Corruption in both the private and the public sector continues to hinder development.

While more must be done to meet the ambitious targets we have set for ourselves, the progress we have made so far shows that our development is the result of carefully designed government programmes since 1994. Despite the many headwinds we have faced, especially since Covid, we remain a society on the move.

What has remained clear is the ability of South Africans to rise above adversity and pull together and now, more than ever, the collective future resides in the hands of the people.

Addressing a rally in Durban on February 25

1990, then-president Nelson Mandela said: “Since my release, I have become more convinced than ever that the real makers of history are the ordinary men and women of our country. Their participation in every decision about the future is the only guarantee of true democracy and freedom.”

These powerful words are a reminder that democracy is about the people, and citizens are at the heart of making it stronger. Let us reflect on our 30-year journey and together find ways to take our nation to even greater heights.

Census 2022 shows that our social welfare system has made a huge difference to the lives of the poorest households, especially schoolchildren, by ensuring no-one slips below a minimum standard of living