By Johnathan Paoli
Under the theme “Building the Africa We Want through Solidarity, Equality and Sustainability,” this year’s national Africa Day celebrations urged renewed commitment to the continent’s ongoing struggle for justice, dignity, and self-determined development.
Spearheaded by the Department of Sport, Arts and Culture, the commemorations were held at the historic Freedom Park Heritage Site and Museum in Pretoria, marking the 62nd anniversary of the Organisation of African Unity (OAU), predecessor to the African Union (AU).
Deputy Minister Peace Mabe and Freedom Park CEO Jane Mufamadi led the national programme, which brought together government officials, cultural organisations, labour unions, artists, and community groups to honour Africa’s shared struggles and aspirations.
Mabe emphasised that Africa Day is not just a celebration, but a moment of serious reflection.
“This year’s theme challenges us to go beyond ceremony. It demands that we address injustice, uplift the marginalised, and build sustainable development—by Africans, for Africans,” she said.
The day featured traditional attire and cultural performances, highlighting Africa’s diverse heritage. A standout moment came from renowned academic and sculptor Pitika Ntuli, who delivered a poetic reflection on African identity in the 21st century.
Africa Day is not merely a commemoration of the OAU’s founding in 1963; it reaffirms the Pan-African ideals of unity, self-determination, and economic liberation—echoed across multiple events during the weekend.
In Johannesburg, civil society groups, labour unions, and grassroots movements led an Africa Day Solidarity Walk from Mary Fitzgerald Square to Constitution Hill.
Participants included Giwusa, Samwu, Hurisa, and the Southern Africa Network for Immigrants and Refugees (Sanir), highlighting the persistent injustices facing workers, migrants, and the poor.
Giwusa president Mametlwe Sebei criticised African governments for espousing unity while enacting xenophobic policies and enabling authoritarianism.
“True Pan-Africanism cannot coexist with dictatorship or the scapegoating of migrants. Africa remains shackled by global capitalism and local elite complicity,” Sebei said.
AU-led events elsewhere featured heads of state, diplomatic missions, and UN agencies, aligning with the AU’s 2025 theme: Justice for Africans and people of African descent through reparations. Calls for redress over slavery, colonisation, and economic exploitation are growing louder.
At Freedom Park, conversations also centred on education, memory, and resistance. Hendrick Makaneta of the Foundation for Education and Social Justice called for integrating African heritage into school curricula to foster unity and combat xenophobia among youth.
Throughout the commemorations, one sentiment prevailed: Africa’s future depends not on symbolic gestures or foreign investment promises, but on its people.
“To build the Africa we want, we must first recognise the Africa we have—scarred by history, but rich in spirit,” said Makaneta.
“Our journey is not yet complete, but our footsteps grow firmer each year.”
Echoing this, NUMSA deputy general secretary Mbuso Ngubane urged that Africa Day be more than symbolic.
He stressed the central role of workers in the continent’s liberation, from mines and markets to homes and fields.
Despite ongoing repression and exploitation, Ngubane said hope lives in grassroots resistance and youth-led movements.
“Let us remember this Africa Day not with speeches, but with action. Let us organise across sectors, formal and informal; between employed and unemployed; men and women; rural and urban workers,” he said.
“Real freedom lies not in elite pacts or infrastructure deals, but in worker-led transformation.”
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