Revisiting the Freedom Charter: Is It Still Relevant to the Contemporary Coalition Era in South Africa?

By: Bongiwe Khumalo,

The practice of institutionalized racial discrimination known as apartheid persisted in South Africa from 1948 until the early 1990s. The victims of the oppression, inhumanity, and discrimination that characterized the Apartheid system of government—primarily Black South Africans, Indians, Colored people, and a small portion of White people—began a fervent campaign against it in 1952, following decades of minority rule under the system. The African National Congress, South African Indian Congress, South African Congress of Democrats, and the Colored People’s Congress were the campaign’s participating parties. They organized multiple conferences, multiracial sensitization campaigns, and mobilization efforts against the authoritarian political culture that the white minority had imposed at the expense of other groups, especially Black Africans.

The Freedom Charter was created as a result of the consolidation of these demands, and it represented the aspirations of most South Africans at the time. The ten main headings of the Freedom Charter each contain multiple elements that are primarily focused on equal rights, rights to the land, equality before the law, respect for human rights, employment and job security, access to education and culture, housing, security, and comfort, among other things. As such, the Freedom Charter was the culmination of a protracted process of discussion and deliberation involving individual concerns. Understanding the document’s significance is made easier by the fact that many of its requests were taken into account in the creation of the new democratic dispensation.

One of the main tenets of the Freedom Charter, participatory democracy, is one area in which South Africa excels today. Since the emergence of democracy, minority rule has been abolished, leading to the Freedom Charter’s catchphrase, “The people shall govern.” Given the suffering, injustice, discrimination, and tyranny, as well as the unpleasant experiences and inequality that marked the apartheid era in South Africa, political equality is unquestionably a monumental accomplishment. Similarly, South Africa has made enormous progress toward achieving human rights like freedom of speech, association, religion, privacy, and movement. A certain amount of equality before the law is ensured and statutes that discriminate against Black people have been removed.

Despite its progress, South Africa continues to be the world’s most unequal society. South Africa is ranked number 1 out of 164 nations in the global poverty database based on the World Bank’s Gini index of inequality, demonstrating the persistent problem of inequality in consumption, income, and opportunities. The reality of persistent and constant wealth inequality is at odds with the epistle of wealth equality embedded in the freedom Charter.

Access to housing is one of the primary components of the Freedom Charter, to which the South African government has contributed significantly. The implementation of government housing subsidy schemes after the dawn of democracy is a testament to the government’s commitment. Among the government’s coordinated efforts to provide assistance are the Reconstruction and Development Plan of 1994, Breaking New Ground of 2004, the Social Housing Policy of 2006, and later housing programs.

African Black South Africans access to free and affordable dwellings and address the aberration of the Apartheid era. The irony lies in the fact that millions of Black South Africans continue to seek safety in streets and informal settlements in major cities, which are reminiscent of the filthy, overcrowded shelters of the Apartheid era. Furthermore, there is still a noticeable level of segregation in South Africa’s major cities, with few Black South Africans living in neighboring White neighborhoods or the suburbs. With this reality, can we conclude that the Freedom Charter’s pillars of “housing, comfort, and security for all” have been realized?

Unrestricted and mandatory education, regardless of race or color, is emphasized in the Freedom Charter. The progressive investment in education over time reflects the dedication to achieving this aim. Among the top educational systems in Africa is found in South Africa. In addition, the adult literacy rate indicates that South Africa has done well in the educational system after Apartheid was ended. As an illustration of this successful performance, consider the increase in the literacy rate from 72.20% in 1980 to 92.89 in 2009. However, the rate of adult literacy rose at a declining pace from 2009 and 2017, and then it quickly decreased. The research department at Statista found that African Black children’s school engagement rates do not compare favorably to those of other racial groups. Specifically, the study

According to the aforementioned, South Africa has performed satisfactorily in a number of the Freedom Charter’s requirements. The country has performed poorly on several Freedom Charter components, making its observance a pertinent objective in modern-day South Africa. Stated differently, the Freedom Charter serves as a reminder of the obstacles that African Black people still face today. Certain facets of national life continue to be disadvantageous for South Africa. The government has been held accountable for not accomplishing these objectives. For kids from low-income families, the government offers free education; nonetheless, complaints have been made regarding, among other things, the unequal distribution of resources and the restricted educational opportunities available to children with special needs.

The government must contribute to the implementation of the Freedom Charter, but the so-called underprivileged cannot be absolved of responsibility. Although it is advantageous to provide free or inexpensive housing, selling such homes amounts to mental slavery and corruption among the recipients. Although systemic corruption enables recipients to sell free dwellings, it also suggests that those who engage in this behavior would rather live in subpar housing. “You can lead a horse to water, but you can’t make him drink,” as the proverb goes. If the Freedom Charter’s objective is to be accomplished, the citizenry regardless of their socio-economic background must undergo a mental shift and an attitude adjustment.

In conclusion, not all of the numerous objectives stated in the Freedom Charter have been accomplished. The success of the Freedom Charter depends on people’s willingness to pursue their right to emancipation and accept responsibility for its realization, while the government’s role is to create the conditions necessary for people to free themselves. The Freedom Charter will ultimately make sense to all South Africans, according to Ansa Heyl, “if individual endeavor and government intervention are seen as equally important.” The fight to realize the rights outlined in the Freedom Charter is still ongoing. Ultimately, one of the Freedom Charter’s main accomplishments is democracy. But until they are accomplished, the Freedom Charter’s objectives will remain unattainable.

Ms.Bongiwe Khumalo is an educator and a researcher, and writes in her personal capacity.