South Africa’s hard truths

South Africa is widely considered as a modern industrializing country, with one of the world’s most progressive constitutions that prides itself on inclusiveness. South Africa is fondly known as the “rainbow nation” due to its diverse and multicultural society. Despite much internal and external resistance, it held a much heralded truth and reconciliation commission after Apartheid. Apartheid fundamentally damaged the social fabric and cohesion of the nation. The vestiges of Apartheid are still being experienced in the country’s socioeconomic and political sector. But South Africa has not seriously confronted all its evils, evidently.

South Africa has in recent times come under scrutiny. This is due to perceived racial animus towards Afrikaners. They are primarily descendants of Dutch or Huguenot settlers in the 17th century. The Afrikaners or Caucasians constitute about 8% of the population, yet, they own more than 80% of the farm and arable land in South Africa. This blatant disparity coupled with high unemployment within the majority population fosters deep-seated animosity toward a certain segment of the population. The United States government has accused president Cyril Ramaphosa’s government of racial genocide. President Ramaphosa’s political party (The African National Congress) has led South Africa since the end of Apartheid in 1994. At the heart or core of this political uproar is the Expropriation Act of 2024. It is akin to Eminent domain in the United States of America where the government can take private property for public use, even without the owner’s consent. However, it requires fair and equitable compensation. This power is derived from the Fifth Amendment of the United States Constitution, which prohibits private property for public consumption without just compensation.

The South African Expropriation Act aims to achieve badly needed land reform. It seeks to right some of the historical injustices linked to the Apartheid era. The Expropriation Act has good intentions. However, it is important that any expropriated land be handled legally. Just compensation must be provided. Crime is also a major societal ill bedeviling the Rainbow Nation. In his meeting with president Donald Trump, the South African leader asked for the United States government’s help. He sought assistance in fighting crime in his country. South Africa does not necessarily need Western assistance in dealing with crime. What the country needs is bold and effective leadership. The government needs to crack the whip and act decisively on criminal elements in the country, irrespective of the political colorization or affiliation of the culprits. South Africa has the wherewithal to deal with its internal problems. In other words, the missing link is the political will and determination to confront the menace.

Crime coupled with poverty creates an unholy alliance. Poverty is as much about powerlessness and exclusion is about low levels of wealth and income. It is as much a social, cultural, political, and religious reality as it is an economic issue. Personal failures, accident or natural factors do not necessarily cause poverty. Rather, it is entrenched in the social structures of a society that creates inequality.That is the current situation in South Africa where decades of economic and societal inequities have fomented deep-seated anger. These entrenched societal inequalities compounded by economic marginalization leads to crime.

The perceived moral turpitude in South Africa could just be a manifestation of the entrenched structural and economic deficiencies. History teaches that poverty and economic marginalization breeds crime and violence. Awareness of the possibilities for peaceful action for real social change should start with a shift in perspective. This shift arises from attention to injustice and the sufferings of the day. It also requires an informed critique of the values.