South Africa Marks 30 Years Since First Non-Racial Elections as West African Nations Celebrate Milestones

South Africa celebrated 30 years since its first non-racial democratic elections on Freedom Day, April 27, 2024. The historic 1994 election saw the previously banned African National Congress (ANC) party win overwhelmingly, with Nelson Mandela becoming the country's first Black president. The day marks the official end of the racial segregation and oppression of apartheid in the country.

People attended celebrations in Pretoria to commemorate this milestone. "The 1994 election marked the official end of the racial segregation and oppression of apartheid, which had denied Black South Africans the right to vote for decades," said President Cyril Ramaphosa in a speech. While the ANC is still recognized for its central role in freeing South Africans, the country continues to face deep socio-economic problems, including widespread poverty and high unemployment, especially among the Black majority.

The 30th anniversary comes as South Africa prepares for another critical election on May 29, with the ANC expected to lose its parliamentary majority for the first time. The governing party's support has fallen to just over 40% in an Ipsos opinion poll, and it may have to seek coalition partners to govern if it gets less than 50% of the vote. The main opposition Democratic Alliance (DA) party's support stands at 21.9%, while the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) party has dropped to 11.5%.

Why this matters: South Africa's celebration of 30 years of democracy takes place amid rising voter discontent due to issues like unemployment, corruption, crime, and poor services. The upcoming election could mark a significant shift in the country's political landscape if the ANC loses its majority and is forced into a coalition government for the first time since the end of apartheid.

Meanwhile, Sierra Leone and Togo also marked their independence anniversaries. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken congratulated the people of Togo on the 64th anniversary of their nation's independence, stating that the two countries "remain firmly rooted in the advancement of stability and peace throughout the world." The U.S. stands beside Togo as a close partner and looks forward to expanding their partnership in the coming year.

In Burkina Faso, interim leader Captain Ibrahim Traore announced a comprehensive development program for the country. However, authorities have suspended the broadcast of BBC Africa and Voice of America (VOA) for two weeks, accusing them of broadcasting "biased statements against the Burkinabe army without any tangible evidence." This follows the suspension of other Western news networks in recent months as the country battles a jihadist insurgency.

As South Africa reflects on its journey since the historic 1994 elections, the celebrations are tempered by the challenges the

Key Takeaways

• South Africa celebrated 30 years of democracy since 1994 elections.
• ANC expected to lose parliamentary majority in upcoming May 2024 election.
• Sierra Leone and Togo marked their independence anniversaries.
• Burkina Faso suspended BBC Africa and VOA broadcasts for 2 weeks.
• South Africa faces socio-economic challenges despite democratic progress.