President Cyril Ramaphosa has called on South Africans to desist from allowing "detractors abroad and at home", who are trying to dampen and diminish the gains of 30 years of democracy.
Coincidentally, a man's attempt at collapsing the Freedom Day celebrations was foiled by protocol officials and ushers after he tried to disrupt Ramaphosa's address by chanting: "Freedom is not free!"
He also carried a placard that read "35 years of struggle".