By Phenyo Selinda
Young South Africans redefine freedom through dialogue, art, and activism at the Nelson Mandela Foundation event.
Nearly 31 years into democracy, the question of what freedom truly means remains at the heart of South Africa’s national dialogue. On Thursday, June 26, the Nelson Mandela Foundation became a vibrant space of reflection, resistance, and reimagining as young people from across the country gathered under the theme Born Free but Still Not Bound: Redefining Freedom for South African Youth.
June, known for the historic 1976 student uprising, continues to carry the weight of memory. But as many young people shared, the legacy of freedom is still unevenly felt. South Africa remains the most unequal country in the world, with economic hardships and social instability disproportionately affecting the youth.
Amahle Invelo Jaxa, a passionate youth social activist, challenged attendees to confront this harsh reality. She quoted her father, saying that being “legally free but economically excluded is no better than being in chains.” Her words cut deep: “Yes, we are free to speak our minds, but who listens when unemployment is almost at 45%… when 60% of them have never had a job?” She stressed that memory must be a form of resistance. “An idea, unlike walls, cannot be locked down… As young people, we cannot afford to inherit struggle passively but must repurpose it to fuel our ideas and our art.”
Marievonne Daya from the University of Johannesburg’s College of Business added a sharp perspective: “Freedom cannot be measured just by the fall of apartheid alone; it must be stated in every day of our lives.” She mapped out today’s youth challenges: unemployment, crime, substance abuse, and mental health, and called on her peers to carry forward the unfinished struggle of 1976 for a better standard of living.
Adding gravitas to the occasion was Dr Naledi Pandor, former Minister of International Relations and Cooperation and current Board Chair of the Nelson Mandela Foundation. She marked the 70th anniversary of the Freedom Charter (adopted in June 1955) and honoured the memories of the 1976 youth uprising.
“Apartheid is a crude, sophisticated system of social engineering,” she said, drawing a controversial yet thought-provoking comparison to Israel’s treatment of Palestinians. “The struggle and concept of resistance were enriched through young people’s leadership,” she added, naming icons like Solomon Mahlangu, Steve Biko, and Hector Pieterson. “If we don’t think of the rhetoric of what society we are trying to form, then we are building a dangerous society.”
Programme director Nomahlozi Ramhloki the dialogue and advocacy coordinator at the Nelson Mandela Foundation,closed the event with a powerful reminder: “The thing about freedom in 1994 is that the work was only beginning,” she said. It would be a betrayal if we inherited a democracy and did nothing with it.
What unfolded at the Nelson Mandela Foundation was far more than a panel discussion. It was a spark, a collective reawakening, as young South Africans boldly imagined a future where freedom is no longer just a memorious status but a lived, inclusive experience.
