Gugulethu's Khwezi Hall was a hive of activity yesterday as people from all over the continent came together in song and dance to celebrate Africa Day.
Locals from the neighbourhood joined in the festivities under the theme: “African Unity is a basis for African freedom.”
Africa Day is celebrated on May 25 across the continent and marks the formation of the Organisation of African Unity (OAU), now known as the AU.
South Africa rejoined the continent and the international community in 1994 following the dawn of democracy.
Addressing those in attendance, chairperson of Frontline Africa Hilary Ojukwu said the day meant Africans have the right to freedom of expression, right to association and should be free from poverty and inequality.
Ojukwu said Africa today was different from the Africa before the formation of OAU, although there were still many problems, including poverty, inequality, civil wars, human trafficking and huge unemployment.
He said beneficiaries of apartheid do not want to share the wealth they inherited from their forefathers and this was creating an unequal society.
“We are saying that must change. We need our leaders to unite among themselves and unite our people.”
ANC representative Richard Dyantyi said South Africa cannot be seen as better than other African countries because its leaders found comfort from those countries when they were exiled.
“Africa is rich in mineral resources, but are our people benefiting from these minerals?”
SACP provincial secretary Benson Ngqentsu said it was sad Africa Day was not a public holiday in South Africa. He said the issue of Africans fighting among themselves should end. “We fight on the basis of tribalism and ethnicity.”