𝗙𝗿𝗲𝗲𝗱𝗼𝗺 𝗗𝗮𝘆 𝗶𝗻 𝗘𝗿𝗺𝗲𝗹𝗼: 𝗖𝗮𝘂𝘀𝗲 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗖𝗲𝗹𝗲𝗯𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝗼𝗿 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝘁𝗲𝘀𝘁?

This weekend, South Africa marked 30 years of democracy — but in Ermelo, for some, Freedom Day felt more like a moment of melancholy than a celebration.
 

Despite a visit from Acting President Gwede Mantashe, residents say the real state of freedom in Msukaligwa is hard to cheer for: persistent power cuts,  unsafe water,  crumbling roads, and  near-zero communication from the municipality.
 

“We’re told to celebrate, but we pay for services we don’t receive,” said one local.
 

As banners fluttered and speeches promised unity, many asked harder questions:  
What is freedom without dignity?
What is progress when daily life remains a struggle?  
Neglect is the new oppression!

April 27, 1994 still matters. But so does the present.

So we ask: What does freedom mean in 2025 — right here in Ermelo?