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We have most of the trimmings of democracy today, including regular, free and fair elections; freedom of speech; freedom of association; and the basic human rights that free people around the world enjoy. This is a great improvement over the situation just two decades ago when most people in the country were oppressed by a minority of the population.
The value of free participation in the political process cannot be stated strongly enough since it is the cornerstone of any free society. We get to vote for the people who rule us, we expect them to be transparent and we can hold them accountable for their actions. These are all safeguards against the sort of repression and domination we see in countries that are not free.
Yet freedom is not just about voting and taking part in the political process. It is also about having the space to improve one’s life and the lives of all South Africans. People who live in the shackles of poverty and deprivation cannot be said to be free.
The challenge of uplifting the poor is one that should be right at the front of our minds on Freedom Day. Education; access to basic facilities such as electricity, water and housing; and access to employment opportunities are all part of being free people. There is nothing that restricts one’s freedom more than living in poverty.
It is also worth remembering that freedom is accompanied by responsibility and has certain limits in the law. We share our world with other people and irresponsibly exercising freedoms without consideration for fellow human beings can lead to conflict and chaos.
We all have freedom of speech, for example, but that does not mean that hate speech is acceptable in our laws or our society. It’s about looking outside ourselves and finding a balance where we can all coexist in peace, instead of being selfish.
Enjoy your freedoms – they are precious – but do not lose sight of the fact that we can achieve so much more if we all exercise our freedom in ways that help rather than harm our fellow South Africans. This is the best way that we can celebrate the sacrifices of the great men and women who fought with such determination to create the free country we live in today.
*For more information on Legal & Tax, visit http://www.legalandtax.co.za, call 0860 LTS LTS (587 587) or email info@legalandtax.co.za.
Follow us @LegalandTax on Twitter or join us on Facebook to keep up with Legal & Tax news and views.
Follow Women24 on Twitter.
The value of free participation in the political process cannot be stated strongly enough since it is the cornerstone of any free society. We get to vote for the people who rule us, we expect them to be transparent and we can hold them accountable for their actions. These are all safeguards against the sort of repression and domination we see in countries that are not free.
Yet freedom is not just about voting and taking part in the political process. It is also about having the space to improve one’s life and the lives of all South Africans. People who live in the shackles of poverty and deprivation cannot be said to be free.
The challenge of uplifting the poor is one that should be right at the front of our minds on Freedom Day. Education; access to basic facilities such as electricity, water and housing; and access to employment opportunities are all part of being free people. There is nothing that restricts one’s freedom more than living in poverty.
It is also worth remembering that freedom is accompanied by responsibility and has certain limits in the law. We share our world with other people and irresponsibly exercising freedoms without consideration for fellow human beings can lead to conflict and chaos.
We all have freedom of speech, for example, but that does not mean that hate speech is acceptable in our laws or our society. It’s about looking outside ourselves and finding a balance where we can all coexist in peace, instead of being selfish.
Enjoy your freedoms – they are precious – but do not lose sight of the fact that we can achieve so much more if we all exercise our freedom in ways that help rather than harm our fellow South Africans. This is the best way that we can celebrate the sacrifices of the great men and women who fought with such determination to create the free country we live in today.
*For more information on Legal & Tax, visit http://www.legalandtax.co.za, call 0860 LTS LTS (587 587) or email info@legalandtax.co.za.
Follow us @LegalandTax on Twitter or join us on Facebook to keep up with Legal & Tax news and views.
Follow Women24 on Twitter.
