South Africa: a first glance

Having moved to South Africa about a month ago, it was interesting to observe how a country that had the unfortunate label of being the world’s last practitioner of segregation and apartheid, had come along. Although I had yet to uncloak the ugly shroud of ethnocentrism, I had to delve back in time to see where the journey began and try an extrapolate where it would end. The journey began in 1992. De Klerk, the last bastion of white supremacy had to cede power to Mandela and his political party. The voice of the people had spoken, and the years of international condemnation were taking their toll. So the process started. Sounds easy aye? Give the power to the ‘blacks’. Alas some-things are a bitch to implement. Luckily African National Congress’s (also known as Mandela’s ANC) concerted efforts to sweep in broad institutional changes, have resulted in ground realities making a remarkable leap since 1992. Their emphasis on programs such as ‘equal opportunity’, social welfare and education have done their bit in negating some of the effects of the previous rulers but alas resentment is foreseeable by-product amongst the Afrikaaners (the ‘white’ descendents of Dutch colonialists) who are trying to come to terms with their diminished role. Although resentment is present amongst the right-wing contingent of the Afrikaaners, what struck me as humanity at its best were the ‘black’s’ concerted efforts at reconciliation. Given the treatment that was doled out to them ever since the arrival of the Dutch and British I had assumed that the ‘blacks’ would have done their bit to make at least a bit of retribution, or if nothing else, take advantage of the spoils of power. But alas, Manelda and Desmond Tutu’s conviction ensured that a ‘reconciliation council’ was set up to specifically tackle the issues that might arise when a previously subjugated population is in the position to do something to a former subjugator. Needless to say both men are Nobel peace prize winners (they sure know how to pick them don’t they?). The vision of these leaders ensured that the climate in the country did not digress into violence… a scenario that seemed very likely. Instead the emphasis on reconciliation resulted in a progressive outlook from which the most holistic and humanitarian constitution was born. South Africa quickly embraced the open arms of international legitimacy and due to its ability to overcome difficulties, South Africa became a regional leader. BUT the remnants of years of agitation have not disappeared. Crime is rampant. Literacy is still low. HIV is a spreading at an unprecedented rate… and many many more. But there better off that they could have been considering that they started this journey only fourteen years ago.