** Rethink freedom: a road strewn with pitfalls **
The drama that occurred recently at the masterful court of Wynberg, where a taxi-man lost his life while he presented himself for accusations of murder, deeply questions our current conception of freedom. On this day close to the day of freedom, this tragic event recalls how our fight against violence, injustice and exclusion is still relevant. More than a simple news item, this incident is part of a series of violence which seems increasingly trivial, eroding the confidence that we place in our judicial institutions and in our society in general.
The very notion of freedom, which was at the heart of the anti-apartheid struggle, deserves to be redefined and questioned. We are engaged in a continuous process, a path to trace, rather than celebrating a fully acquired victory in 1994. This situation of “limited”, as described by Victor Turner, where identities and values are blurring, draws our attention to the many dimensions of what it means to be free.
The violence that plays our schools and our courts questions our collective security. In a country where more than 60 % of young people between 15 and 24 are unemployed, it is legitimate to wonder if we can really consider ourselves free when access to a job and a dignified life remains a privilege for some. This concern, linked to equal access to opportunities, is essential to build a truly released society.
Contemporary political debates, often marked by polarization and division, fuel this feeling of division. Public figures like Julius Malema and organizations like Afriforum seem, through their speeches, to encourage a dynamic which would ignore the importance of social ties and reconciliation. In this climate, the promise of freedom could be seen not as a right granted to all, but as a concept shaped by specific interests, thus strengthening inequalities.
Education, often perceived as a vector of emancipation, also undergoes a weakening when the curriculum favors conformity rather than criticism and autonomy of thought. How can we prepare for future generations to meet the challenges of a complex world if we do not give them the tools to question and think critically? By neglecting to encourage this capacity, we risk creating a class of citizens that are hardly equipped to support a healthy and dynamic democracy.
At the heart of this reflection arises the question of empathy and collective responsibility. The rupture of community ties in a context where polarization becomes the norm encourages the perception that violence, corruption and exclusion would be fatalities, inevitable characteristics of our reality. This requires a challenge in terms of values: are we ready to see the vulnerability of others as a reflection of our common humanity rather than a weakness to ignore?
At the dawn of this freedom day, it is appropriate to question the cost of our freedom for others. Our silences, our choices and our indecision shape not only our present, but also the future of our children. The way we approach the great contemporary social and economic challenges will determine the type of society that we will bequeath them.
To move forward, it is up to us to reaffirm our commitment to justice, security and equity. This requires an investment in our institutions, but also in our ability to practice altruism and solidarity. The construction of a new morality cannot be done without a collective desire to reassess our priorities in terms of leadership and governance.
This implies that each citizen, each social actor, takes part in the redefinition of freedom. A freedom that is not just an abstract concept, but a reality that is built on a daily basis. It is a call for action which goes beyond superficial slogans and which is anchored in concrete acts of solidarity and community engagement.
In short, this reflection around our freedom must encourage us to reflect, a critical examination of our values and a desire for collective engagement. Because it is not only a question of remembering our past struggles, but of building together a future of dignity and justice for all.