South Africa celebrates 20 years anniversary of apartheid's end

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South Africa on Sunday celebrates the 20th anniversary of its first ever all-race, democratic election that ended decades of sanctioned racial oppression under the apartheid system. The day will be marked by street parades, speeches, prayers, music and military salutes and displays. After the historic April 27, 1994, the day has been retained as a holiday and named Freedom Day.

President Jacob Zuma leads the main festivities at the Union Buildings, the seat of government in Pretoria, where generations of apartheid leaders penned many of the racial laws that South Africa's first black leader Nelson Mandela fought most of his life.

For many South Africans it brings back sweet memories of the euphoria as black, Indian and mixed race voters stood in long meandering lines, alongside whites, to cast their first ballots, AFP reports.
FW de Klerk, apartheid South Africa's last president, described the day as "our proudest moment as South Africans".
But 20 years on, the euphoria has died down and the country is counting both the gains and failures of the democratic era.
South Africa boasts among other things, one of the strongest constitutions in the world, an independent judiciary and is probably the most developed country on the continent.
But the successes are tainted by mismanagement and high level corruption blamed largely on the ANC-led administration.
This year's anniversary of democracy coincides with South Africa's fifth democratic election on May 7 where voters will cast ballots in a fiercely fought contest.
The ruling African National Congress is expected to retain power, despite anger over graft and glaring socio-economic disparities under its rule.
Government has chosen to hold celebrations on Freedom Day under the theme "South Africa - a better place to live in".