The topic of apartheid in South Africa continues to be a controversial issue, with some quarters continuing to romanticise the oppressive system with misinformed narratives about better infrastructure and services, forgetting to mention that these things used to be reserved for a small racial minority only.
Professor Jonathan Jansen, a renowned academic from Stellenbosch University, recently came under fire for his column in which he asked whether South Africans were truly better off now than under the oppressive regime.
He comes to the conclusion that though the country’s citizens, both black and white, may be better off in theory, as the former oppressive laws and restrictions are no longer in place, they may be worse off in terms of safety, quality of life, education, and other aspects.
The Citizen decided to ask ordinary South Africans if they agree with Jansen’s take on the topic.
Watch what they had to say below:
What was apartheid really?
Apartheid was a system of racial segregation in South Africa that existed from 1948 to 1994, where black South Africans were stripped of their political and civil rights, subjected to discrimination and poverty, and separated into separate homelands with inadequate housing and limited access to services.
The apartheid government used violence and repression to maintain control, and its legacy continues to shape South African society today.
There are still many who argue in favour of apartheid, claiming that it was necessary for stability, separate development was beneficial for all, and the apartheid government was benevolent.
In conclusion, apartheid was a dark period in South Africa’s history and should not be romanticised.
Also Read: Imagine a South Africa without the ogre of apartheid and its consequences
The public should be educated about the reality of apartheid and its devastating effects on society to ensure that its lessons are not forgotten.
