President Cyril Ramaphosa will on Monday, 27 April 2026, lead the national Freedom Day Commemoration to be held in the Mangaung Metropolitan Municipality in Bloemfontein, Free State Province.

Freedom Day 2026 marks the 32nd anniversary of South Africa’s first democratic elections held on 27 April 1994 and stands as a testament to the country’s journey towards democracy, justice, equality and human dignity.

Freedom Day 2026 is commemorated under the theme, “Freedom and the Rule of Law: Thirty Years of Democratic Citizenship”.

The commemoration highlights three decades since the adoption of the Constitution and underscores the importance of constitutional supremacy, the rule of law, and democratic citizenship in shaping South Africa’s future.

This year’s national event takes place within the context of several significant national milestones, including the 30th anniversary of the adoption of the Constitution, 70 years since the Women’s March if 1956, and 50 years since the Soweto youth uprising.

These milestones continue to shape South Africa’s democratic journey by inspiring continued transformation.

The Freedom Day commemoration will bring together all organs of state and all three spheres of Government, alongside representatives from civil society and various sectors, in a unified national celebration of the country’s democratic progress.

Freedom Month provides an opportunity for South Africans to reflect on the gains of democracy, honour the sacrifices of those who fought for freedom, and recommit to building a united, inclusive and just society. It also serves as a platform to promote active citizenship, deepen understanding of constitutional rights, and strengthen social cohesion, particularly among young people.

The commemoration will feature ceremonial elements, including participation by the South African National Defence Force, adding to the significance of the national occasion.

President Ramaphosa will lead the Freedom Day Commemoration as follows:

Date: Monday, 27 April 2026
Time: 10h00
Venue: Dr Rantlai Molemela Stadium, Bloemfontein

Media enquiries: Vincent Magwenya, Spokesperson to the President - media@presidency.gov.za

Issued by: The Presidency
Pretoria

President Cyril Ramaphosa has today, Saturday, 25 April 2026, arrived in the Kingdom of Eswatini as the Kingdom celebrates the 40th anniversary of the coronation of His Majesty King Mswati III, as well as the King’s 58th birthday.

2026 marks King Mswati III’s Ruby Jubilee as the Eswatini monarch as His Majesty commenced his reign in 1986. 

President Ramaphosa’s honouring of the invitation as a guest at the national celebration in the Kingdom of Eswatini underscores the strong and fraternal relations between South Africa and the Kingdom of Eswatini. 

South Africa and Eswatini share strong historical and cultural ties that were formally established at the end of the apartheid era in South Africa. 

President Ramaphosa’s schedule is as follows:

Date: Saturday, 25 April 2026
Time: 15h00
Venue: ICC, Mbabane, Swaziland

Media Programme

15h00: Arrivals/Livestreaming
Venue: ICC, Mbabane

Media enquiries: Vincent Magwenya, Spokesperson to the President - media@presidency.gov.za

Issued by: The Presidency
Pretoria

The Deputy Minister in The Presidency, Nonceba Mhlauli, will join the Minister of Higher Education and Training, Buti Manamela, for a Freedom Day BackChat Conversation focused on the constitutional rights of students and the responsibilities required to realise them.

Held as part of Freedom day activities, the engagement will be anchored on the theme:
“Beyond Fee-Free Education: Are constitutional imperatives Honouring the rights of students?”

This year’s BackChat shifts the focus from abstract notions of freedom to a more urgent and grounded inquiry: What does the Constitution promise students? What responsibilities does it impose on all of us? Where is the gap between that promise and lived realities of students and what must be done by government, institutions of higher education, and students themselves, to close it?

The conversation will interrogate whether the post-school education and training sector is fully honouring the rights guaranteed under the Constitution and what is required to give effect to these rights in practice.

BackChat platform will bring together a diverse cohort of students from universities, Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) colleges, and Community Education and Training (CET) institutions. The platform provides a space for open dialogue between students and government leaders to engage in conversation on important issues affecting students which can be used to formulate policies.

Media Participation:

Members of the media are invited to follow a live-streamed BackChat conversation in commemoration of Freedom Day, featuring the Deputy Minister in the Presidency, Nonceba Mhlauli, alongside the Minister of Higher Education and Training, Buti Manamela.

Date: Monday, 27 April 2026
Time: 18h00
Platform: YouTube (Live Stream)

Media enquiries: Mandisa Mbele on 082 580 2213 / MandisaM@Presidency.gov.za OR Matshepo Seedat on 082 679 9473 / Seedat.M@dhet.gov.za

Issued by: The Presidency
Pretoria