In navigating the realities of an increasingly unpredictable global environment, President Cyril Ramaphosa has urged independent nations and citizens of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) to remain vigilant in the face of emerging challenges that may threaten independence and the stability of the region.

Ramaphosa also expressed solidarity with the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic, who he said continued to be denied the fundamental right to determine their own destiny.

He warned commemorating liberation would remain incomplete if some fellow Africans continued to yearn for self-determination.

Commemorating Southern Africa Liberation Day, Ramaphosa urged citizens to continue demonstrating solidarity and to honour liberation heritage and interconnect communities through meaningful and enduring cooperation, through the naming of heritage sites, museums, monuments, streets, buildings, and other institutions after the fallen heroes and heroines of liberation struggles.

“In doing so, we preserve their legacy, inspire future generations, and reaffirm our collective commitment to the values of freedom, unity, and dignity for which they so selflessly stood,” he said.

“As with the SADC founders and many who fought tirelessly for liberation, we reaffirm that it is neither the colour of our skin, nor the size of our military arsenals, nor the magnitude of our national budgets that should determine our humanity or the sustainability of the human race as a whole,” he stated.

Ramaphosa highlighted the importance of dialogue and peace in safeguarding freedom and said collective work must be done for a just and equitable world.

Meanwhile, he said that in celebrating Southern Africa Liberation Day, citizens should honour the men and women who fought to liberate the Southern African region.

“…through their unwavering commitment and resilience, many freedom fighters and ordinary citizens made immense sacrifices in the fight against colonial rule and apartheid, laying the foundation for the peace, dignity, and sovereignty we uphold today.

“We also recall, with profound appreciation, the solidarity and support of our international partners – most notably the people and government of Cuba – who deployed their military forces to stand alongside regional liberation movements and independent States. Together, they confronted the South African Defence Force of the apartheid regime in the historic Battle of Cuito Cuanavale in Angola,” he said.

He noted that this decisive confrontation marked a turning point in the struggle for liberation in Southern Africa, contributing significantly to the independence of Namibia in 1990, and paving the way for the first democratic elections in South Africa in 1994.