30 years on, South Africa's dream of unity lies shattered – DW – 04/27/2024
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Thirty years after the end of apartheid, South Africa is looking back on a democratic but deeply divided society. Political divisions have fueled a growing disappointment with Nelson Mandela's liberation party, the ANC.

Thirty years after the end of apartheid, South Africa is looking back on a democratic but deeply divided society. Political divisions have fueled a growing disappointment with Nelson Mandela’s liberation party, the ANC.

As a newly democratic country, South Africa got off to a euphoric start with its first free elections in 1994.

People queued up for hours to cast their votes, full of hope, optimism and joy. That positive spirit continued as Nelson Mandela was elected president after spending 27 years in prison.

The African National Congress (ANC), Mandela’s political party and former anti-apartheid movement, came into power, ending not only white minority rule but centuries of colonialist mentality. It’s still in power today.

However, looking back on the past 30 years, the assessment on the state of Mandela’s “rainbow nation” is sober: The economy in the Cape of Good Hope is ailing, society is still divided along racial lines and people feel their politicians don’t understand them.

Meanwhile, the gap between rich and poor has kept growing — despite the fact that the ANC made the issue a central concern when it came to power in 1994. Frustration over these shattered dreams runs deep.

  • juicy@lemmy.todayEnglish
    16·
    7 months ago

    They were born into an economic apartheid even if political apartheid has ended. And they’re only 7.3% of the population.

    Only 18% of the local population regularly use private providers and despite being much smaller than the public sector, it accounts for about half of expenditures. About 79% of doctors work privately, leaving only 21% of doctors for the public sector. The distribution of healthcare resources is inequitable because it disproportionately favors private health care. There are over 120 medical schemes that historically excluded black South Africans until 1970 and still mostly cater to wealthier demographics. Medical schemes vary by occupation and the capacity of people to afford them. The schemes requires members to pay copayments and for services not included in the benefits package. Only 16% of the population has a medical scheme because the cost is still a barrier to a majority of South Africans. About 73% of white individuals are members of a medical scheme, 52% of Asian individuals and only 10% of black Africans, indicating a clear racial disparity in private coverage.

    source

    • Wanderer@lemm.eeEnglish
      33·
      7 months ago

      So what’s your point here? White people deserve to be killed and raped?

      Good quote. Maybe the government that has been in power for the last 30 years should have done something about that.

      • juicy@lemmy.todayEnglish
        16·
        7 months ago

        You’re holding on to that strawman so tight your knuckles are turning white.

        • Wanderer@lemm.eeEnglish
          23·
          7 months ago

          What point are you making then?

          [Video about south Africans white and black being victims of violent crime]

          You said you have no sympathy for white south Africans.

          That’s just an outright racist statement. Whatever happens to any white South African, what they deserve it? It doesn’t matter? They had it coming? I want to know. Then you try to back up your racism with stats about poor funding from a black majority government

          I’m asking you what your views are. It seems obviously to me your racist.

          Some 3 year old baby gets shot and slowly bleeds to death. You don’t care? Would you say that’s good?

          I have no sympathy for white South Africans

          It seems clear to me you don’t care what happens to any white south African because (and only because) they are white. That couldn’t be more racist.

          • juicy@lemmy.todayEnglish
            11·
            7 months ago

            My point is that it’s racist to focus on the plight of white people in a country where by any objective statistical standard white people are far better off than the rest of the country and are just a tiny minority. It’s like stepping over people bleeding out to put a bandaid on scraped knee.

            The white people in South Africa should have paid huge reparations. They got off easy, and now want us to feel sorry for them because they are experiencing some of the strife and violence that is the direct result of apartheid. They are like a physically abusive parent seeking sympathy when their adult children are openly hostile and struggling with mental health from the childhood abuse.

            • Wanderer@lemm.eeEnglish
              11·
              7 months ago

              Think that video talk about everyone. The only person talking specifically about white people is you. In which you seem to be saying fuck them they all deserve it because they are white.