By the Chief Research Officer (CRO)– Patricia Tsebe
Good morning colleagues, partners, and fellow South Africans,
Today, as we commemorate Freedom Day 2025, we honour the courage of those who fought for democracy — and we reflect on how far we’ve come as a nation. But we also turn our attention to a critical question: how do we sustain and deepen that freedom in today’s world?
As the Chief Research Officer at SayPro, I have the privilege of working at the intersection of data, insight, and impact. And I can confidently say: freedom must be informed.
It must be guided by truth, by evidence, and by the lived realities of our people — especially our youth.
Freedom without opportunity is a promise unfulfilled.
Policy without data is a shot in the dark.
Progress without measurement is just motion without meaning.
At SayPro, we believe that research is not just about reports — it’s about responsibility. It’s about asking the right questions, listening to the voices that are too often ignored, and translating findings into action that changes lives.
On this Freedom Day, let’s recommit to the power of informed change. Let’s:
- Use research to reveal the gaps — in access to education, skills, employment, and inclusion.
- Let data tell the stories of the youth who are still waiting for the promise of 1994 to become a reality.
- Design policies and programmes that are evidence-based, youth-led, and context-aware.
- Challenge assumptions about what young people can or cannot do — and instead, invest in what the data shows us: that when supported, South African youth rise.
Let us also remember that freedom is not a one-size-fits-all concept. Our research must reflect diversity — of geography, of gender, of experience — so that no one is left out of our national vision.
Colleagues, knowledge is power — but only when we use it wisely, justly, and bravely.
So today, as we honour our past, let us embrace our role in shaping the future:
A future where freedom is measured not only by history, but by progress.
A future where research leads to opportunity, and opportunity leads to dignity.
To the young people of South Africa: you are not just the subject of research — you are the authors of our next chapter.
Let’s build a country where every insight leads to impact, and every voice counts.
Happy Freedom Day. Thank you.
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