Zuma: Economic freedom remains elusive
President Jacob Zuma led the National Freedom Day celebrations in Manguzi in KwaZulu-Natal on Thursday as South Africa celebrated 23 years of freedom.
Zuma reflected on government's achievements as well as work that still needs to be done.
Senior government officials, including Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa, attended the event where Zuma used his official speech in KwaZulu-Natal to address economic inequality and racism in the country.
Speaking during the rally he said: "We have achieved political freedom but economic freedom still remains largely elusive. It is for this reason that we speak about radical economic transformation," he told the crowd.
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He added that the majority of black people are still economically disempowered and are dissatisfied with the economic gains from liberation.
"The level of inequality remains high. White households earn at least five times more than black households," he said.
He also added that the pace of transformation in the workplace, the implementation of affirmative action policies as required by the Employment Equity Act, also remains very slow.
"We are also very much aware of our people's quest for land. We reiterate that we will use all available instruments necessary in expediting land restitution and respond to land hunger," he said.