Today, South Africans vote in their fifth democratic election. Here’s a round-up of images and links:
April 27 marked the 20th anniversary of South Africa’s first democratic election, which South Africans celebrate annually as Freedom Day. To learn more about the end of apartheid and South Africa’s 1994 elections, visit South African History Online. They’ve got a timeline of elections and entries on most of South Africa’s historical elections.
The Overcoming Apartheid site also has features a lesson on the end of apartheid and multimedia on the elections, such as this image of Madiba casting his first vote. For a longer read, check out the gripping account of Peter Harris on the challenges faced by South Africa’s Independent Electoral Commission in Birth.
The online ANC Archive also has great images of the ANC election campaign and Mandela’s inauguration. The Mandela Centre for Memory has an online exhibit on Mandela’s term as president.
South African History Archive has a collection of 1994 election posters and African Activist has 1994 South African Election Watch Campaign Updates.
South Africa’s Mail & Guardian commemorated the first elections with a moving slideshow of images and audio. There was also the 20 funny but not so funny “20 bizarre apartheid moments.”
Also be sure to check out the great images of Ra’eesa Pather (below) and reflections on the status of the Freedom Charter in the new South Africa from South Africa Votes 2014. Today they’ve got up a live blog of their conversations with voters.
Africa is a Country has several posts on 20 Years of Freedom and today Sean Jacobs considered the growing criticism of the ANC leadership.
Stay tuned for the results!
jill.e.kelly 