Note to editors: The following speech was delivered by Dr Ivan Meyer, Federal Chairperson of the Democratic Alliance in Mitchells Plain, Western Cape on Freedom Day 27 April 2025. Please find attached Afrikaans and English soundbites.
Good morning, Goeie môre, Molweni, South Africa!
And good morning, Cape Town!
The founding father of our new democracy spoke about freedom during his inauguration on Thursday, 10 May 1994, when he said:
“The time for healing of the wounds has come;
The moment to bridge the chasms that divide us has come.
The time to build is upon us.”
President Mandela continued in that ground-breaking speech when he said:
‘Let there be justice for all;
Let there be peace for all.
Let there be work, bread, water and salt for all”
These words were profound back in 1994, and they are still profound today as we gather here to celebrate Freedom Day.
Today, we mark 31 years of democracy — more than three decades since South Africans made the brave, collective choice to leave apartheid behind and build a country founded on freedom, fairness, and equal opportunity.
The freedoms we won in 1994 were hard-fought, and they brought real progress. Millions more South Africans now have access to clean water, electricity, healthcare, and education. Our peaceful transition from apartheid to democracy is still admired across the world. For that, we have much to be proud of.
But the truth is, not all South Africans enjoy the same freedoms or opportunities. We remain one of the most unequal societies in the world. Too many people — especially the youth — face rising unemployment, crime, addiction, and homelessness.
Every day, we see stories of hardship in our communities.
But here’s the thing: these challenges are not insurmountable.
because there are places in South Africa where the promise of democracy is not just remembered—it’s being delivered.
There are places like Cape Town, Mosselbay, Swartland, Overstrand, Midvaal, Kouga, and many more where the DA is governing.
Places like the Western Cape, the best-run province in SA, are under the Democratic Alliance’s governance. Led by Premier Alan Winde and our Provincial Leader Tertius Simmers, we’ve achieved significant milestones in service delivery and economic growth.
Governed by the Democratic Alliance and led by Premier Alan Winde and our Provincial Leader Tertius Simmers.
Let me be clear: we would not be where we are today without the sacrifice and bravery of others. So, let us also pause today to honour one of South Africa’s great liberal champions — Helen Suzman.
During apartheid’s darkest days, Helen stood almost alone in Parliament. With energy, humour, and fierce determination, she fought for freedom and justice. She never gave up—not when it was hard or dangerous.
Today, South Africa needs that spirit again.
While democracy gave us the right to vote, many are still waiting for their freedom—the freedom to live with dignity, to feel safe, and to build a better future.
Across much of our country, hope has faded.
Public services have collapsed.
Crime is out of control.
Electricity is way too expensive.
Street and traffic lights are not working
Jobs have disappeared
And state capture continues, just with new faces stealing
Leadership is nowhere to be found.
But here in the Western Cape, we’ve shown that things can be different.
We’ve kept Helen Suzman’s legacy alive by putting people first and delivering real, practical freedom.
And on this Freedom Day, we say:
South Africa is not a failed state.
The freedom we earned in 1994 is not a mirage.
It is real. And it’s worth fighting for again.
Because here’s what happens when the DA governs:
Things work.
Jobs are created.
Public money is respected.
And services are delivered.
And it’s not just happening in the Western Cape.
All across the country, where people have chosen the DA, the results are real.
In Midvaal, Gauteng, the DA runs the only municipality in the province with a clean audit.
It collects 90% of revenue owed, among the highest rates in South Africa.
It spends 12% of its budget on maintenance — far above the national benchmark — and delivers top-tier electricity, water, sanitation and waste removal services.
In uMngeni, KwaZulu-Natal, the DA has turned things around.
They’ve entered the new financial year with money in the bank, recovered R25 million in debt, and pay Eskom a month in advance.
Maintenance spending has more than doubled, and a new Coding and Robotics Lab has been launched at a local school to equip learners for the future.
Older residents now receive rate rebates, and those earning R13,500 or less get an even greater benefit.
In the Eastern Cape, in Kouga, the DA has invested over R140 million upgrading informal settlements, bringing water, sanitation, and electricity to more households.
They’ve also spent R150 million on water infrastructure and purification, tripled the budget for Safety and Security, and approved a plan to resurface 100km of roads.
This is not just a Western Cape story.
This is the DA difference.
This is what we mean when we say the DA gets things done.
We govern by four simple values:
Freedom. Opportunity. Fairness and Diversity.
These aren’t slogans.
They’re the compass guiding everything we do.
Where others talk, we act.
Where others break promises, we deliver.
Where others put their parties first, we put South Africa first.
Where others serve themselves, we serve the people of South Africa
That’s what real leadership looks like.
That’s what real freedom feels like.
And the best part?
It’s possible everywhere.
If we can do it in Cape Town,
If we can do it in Midvaal, uMngeni, and Kouga,
Then we can do it in Johannesburg, Tshwane, Mogale City, Bloemfontein, Kimberly, Durban, Middelburg, Polokwane, Nelson Mandela Bay—and beyond.
We have the track record.
We have the momentum.
Now, we need the mandate.
South Africa needs voters who choose with both heart and mind.
Voters who want a future that works.
Please vote for parties with a proven track record of delivery, like the Democratic Alliance. Parties that put people before politics and have a clear vision for a prosperous South Africa.
Parties that put people before politics.
We’re on the verge of a massive fight to rescue our country in the 2026 municipal elections. It will not be business as usual. It will be a battleground for South Africa’s survival. Your vote is crucial in this fight.
It will not be business as usual.
It will be a battleground for the survival of South Africa.
Every single vote will count.
Recent elections have seen the arrival of smaller parties claiming to have voters’ interests at heart. These “popcorn parties” persuade voters with populist rhetoric but can’t make meaningful change. Most use their small support bases to further their own agenda, often undoing progress.
The recent passing of the fiscal framework in Parliament, which included a 0.5% VAT increase and was supported by Actionsa and BOSA, is a classic example of the risk that small parties pose for South Africans.
So, make no mistake — this is not just another election.
It is a defining moment in the fight to rescue our beloved country from those who have broken it or never cared about it.
Let us be clear: The ANC has destroyed and stolen our freedom
Let us be clear: The ANC is out of touch with the people of South Africa.
Let us be clear, the ANC does not care for the people of SA.
You will decide what happens in that defining moment. So, start today by checking your registration status with the IEC.
It takes one minute — SMS your ID number to 32810.
If your children have recently become eligible to vote, ensure they’re registered too.
Activism starts with you here today. Make sure you are ready to vote and spread the message far and wide so that everyone is ready to vote in the upcoming local government elections.
So, stand up.
Speak out.
And let your vote shape a future worth fighting for.
Today, as we celebrate Freedom Day, we honour the sacrifices that made our democracy possible. As Mr Mandela said in 1994, there was no easy road to freedom.
We remember the vision of 1994 — of a South Africa that works for everyone.
And we remind our nation that this vision can still be realised.
In DA-run governments, it already is.
This province shows that a better South Africa is not only possible — it’s already happening.
Just imagine what we could do if this model were taken nationwide.
Power stations that work.
Police who protect.
Roads that are maintained.
Hospitals and clinics are working
Schools are centres of teaching and learning,
Let us get our schools, educators and learners back on track as in the Western Cape.
Children with a real chance at success.
That country can be built.
That country is already starting here.
So let Freedom Day be more than a reminder of where we’ve come from —
Let it be a rallying call for where we’re going next.
Cape Town — you are the proof.
And so is Mosselbay, Stellenbosch, Overstrand, George, Saldanha Bay, Swellendam, Midvaal, Kouga, Swartland, Hessequa, Bergriver and many other places where the DA governs.
Western Cape — you are the example.
And in South Africa, now is the time to take this progress to every corner of our nation.
Let’s turn our country around and rescue our towns and cities with the courage and commitment of leaders like Helen Suzman.
Happy Freedom Day, South Africa.
Thank you, thank you, Mitchells Plain, thank you, South Africa. Let freedom reign.