Letters to the Editor
Dear Editor,
The post- apartheid was not as successful as what everyone thought. The nation is still slowly recovering from the apartheid and may take decades to erase the old system completely. Poverty, education, corruption and racial discrimination are all still present in South Africa today.
Even after 20 years of ANC (African National Congress) rule, the black majority still earn a lot less than their white correspondent. Today, they still earn only 10 to 20 percent of the standard white man’s wage by doing lowly, unskilled jobs such as farming and factory work. Nine twelfths of South Africans under the age of 26 don’t have jobs.
Although the Bantu education system was replaced by the public- private system, many rural areas are still left underprivileged. School funds are often unavailable beyond the 7th to 9th grade. Also, enrolling your child in a private school requires a hefty school fee which majority of the black community could not afford.
Corruption in the South African Government has always been a big issue. Even Nelson Mandela in his lifetime could not completely eradicate corruption. Corruption in South Africa became widespread when Zuma and Mbeki were in office. Zuma was accused of spending approximately $25 million dollars on his estate instead of public service for his people and education.
Although the abolishment of the apartheid removed legal barriers for the black African community, racial segregation has always been and still is today a major issue. From a survey taken by the South African government in 2012, it has been found that 43% of South African citizens don’t talk to another person of different skin colour. 40% will socialise with different ethnic groups solely for business purposes and the remaining 17% will openly engage in verbal contact and speak to different ethnic groups.
The abolishment of the apartheid system DID open doors to the black and coloured community in South Africa but hasn’t made a huge impact in regards to freedom and inequality. It wasn’t that successful as there still is many inequalities present today in South Africa.
- Adam Ghanem
The post- apartheid was not as successful as what everyone thought. The nation is still slowly recovering from the apartheid and may take decades to erase the old system completely. Poverty, education, corruption and racial discrimination are all still present in South Africa today.
Even after 20 years of ANC (African National Congress) rule, the black majority still earn a lot less than their white correspondent. Today, they still earn only 10 to 20 percent of the standard white man’s wage by doing lowly, unskilled jobs such as farming and factory work. Nine twelfths of South Africans under the age of 26 don’t have jobs.
Although the Bantu education system was replaced by the public- private system, many rural areas are still left underprivileged. School funds are often unavailable beyond the 7th to 9th grade. Also, enrolling your child in a private school requires a hefty school fee which majority of the black community could not afford.
Corruption in the South African Government has always been a big issue. Even Nelson Mandela in his lifetime could not completely eradicate corruption. Corruption in South Africa became widespread when Zuma and Mbeki were in office. Zuma was accused of spending approximately $25 million dollars on his estate instead of public service for his people and education.
Although the abolishment of the apartheid removed legal barriers for the black African community, racial segregation has always been and still is today a major issue. From a survey taken by the South African government in 2012, it has been found that 43% of South African citizens don’t talk to another person of different skin colour. 40% will socialise with different ethnic groups solely for business purposes and the remaining 17% will openly engage in verbal contact and speak to different ethnic groups.
The abolishment of the apartheid system DID open doors to the black and coloured community in South Africa but hasn’t made a huge impact in regards to freedom and inequality. It wasn’t that successful as there still is many inequalities present today in South Africa.
- Adam Ghanem
Dear Editor,
“There is no need for further civil rights action in South Africa.”
I disagree with this statement as I believe that the true reason behind the still remaining corruption and racial discrimination in South Africa is due to weak Civil Rights. By upgrading and including new ones, a more diverse, equal and a multicultural utopia can be achieved. For the many small companies that run their businesses corruptly, penalties should be addressed when fair income requirements are not met. If any racial segregation is involved, laws that incorporate penalties should be enforced in order to act as a stigma. By penalizing unethical companies, this should send messages to other companies about what the government is capable of and how serious the government takes racial discrimination. It has been 20 years since the abolishment of the apartheid. Therefore, the South Africans should not have to live in their unjust and dark pasts. By enforcing more civil rights such as a penalty system for racism, it should help the South Africans let go of the apartheid period once and for all.
- Sam Hu
“There is no need for further civil rights action in South Africa.”
I disagree with this statement as I believe that the true reason behind the still remaining corruption and racial discrimination in South Africa is due to weak Civil Rights. By upgrading and including new ones, a more diverse, equal and a multicultural utopia can be achieved. For the many small companies that run their businesses corruptly, penalties should be addressed when fair income requirements are not met. If any racial segregation is involved, laws that incorporate penalties should be enforced in order to act as a stigma. By penalizing unethical companies, this should send messages to other companies about what the government is capable of and how serious the government takes racial discrimination. It has been 20 years since the abolishment of the apartheid. Therefore, the South Africans should not have to live in their unjust and dark pasts. By enforcing more civil rights such as a penalty system for racism, it should help the South Africans let go of the apartheid period once and for all.
- Sam Hu
Dear Editor,
If my own culture had to suffer and experience the racial segregation that the black/colored South Africans faced, I would be infuriated. It is shameful, degrading and embarrassing to a certain extent. If the world finds out how our culture is being treated, it inflicts pain on the rest of us around the world and lowers our reputation/status in society. If our culture was seen as the group that merely performs menial labor I would definitely do anything in my power to change the way our culture is being treated. I would firstly start a blog/access point where anyone with the same belief as I do can join me in my quest for equality. Then, I would spend my time writing articles about my viewpoint and the hardships our culture has to face. These articles will be published and posted for everyone to read especially on sites like Facebook etc. Now that the issue has been addressed, setting up our own website where all the information can be obtained would increase publicity and hence, more responses from citizens Just like Nelson Mandela, I would go around schools to break down and discuss the definition behind RACIAL SEGREGATION and make kids aware of my culture’s current position. In my power, this is probably all I can do. However, if the group continues to grow and we receive more followers, we’ll definitely be heard by someone and we’ll keep bugging them until they take action.
- Richard Doan