Harkeb
June 26th, 2006, 04:21 AM
An article to put the views on South Africa into perspective
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Forget the moaners - SA has pulled off a miracle
June 23, 2006
It is commonplace for some South Africans - almost always white South Africans - to luxuriate in a long list of things that are wrong with this country.
A letter published in 'The Cape Argus' from an expatriate living in England ("Is SA doomed?" Cape Points, June 20) was true to form, and ended with the usual prediction that we are heading for an African- style meltdown into chaos.
What always surprises me about these doomsayers is what short memories they have. Less than 20 years ago, this country was poised on the brink of a savage civil war between the forces of white and black nationalism.
Foreign investors had fled, a white minority imposed by force an array of racist laws over a black majority, parts of the country were ungovernable, foreign banks were refusing to extend loans - in short, our future seemed an inevitable decline into ever-increasing violence, repression and savagery on both sides.
In a change that must rank as one of the political miracles of modern times, this country was delivered from that bleak future and made a peaceful transition to a democratic state.
In the years since, successive governments have brought a prosperity and stability that few would have predicted possible.
Yet so many of these doom-sayers are completely blind to this broader perspective.
They seem to think that our first democratic election in 350 years is like throwing a switch. Where there was darkness, there will suddenly be light. In one instant all the ills and social problems of this country will be solved and everybody will live in a fairy-land.
When this does not happen, they complain bitterly that their unrealistic expectations have not been met.
Are there problems here? You bet there are! All the issues listed by the correspondent exist: intolerable levels of violence and crime, governmental incompetence, rape, corruption.
There remains massive poverty and inequality of wealth. The government has made great inroads on poverty, but not nearly enough.
We are a country in transition and battling with many social problems - problems that exist to some degree in most other countries in the world, even some with a long history of democratic governance.
How many governments in the world, let alone Africa, allow charges of corruption to be brought against their deputy presidents?
Our courts regularly show their independence and power to disagree with the government. The freedom of our press to expose corruption and criticise the government is virtually total. Considering our recent history, this country is a miracle of stability and democratic freedom.
I expect that it is up to each of us to draw our own conclusions about how South Africa is doing. The great majority, unlike the correspondent, are not able to sit it out in England writing letters telling us how dreadful things are here. They are involved and committed here and doing their best.
Even among those who do have such a choice, there are many who do not use crime, violence and corruption as the litmus test for our future, but instead are conscious of and grateful for the unexpected freedoms we all now enjoy, and see these as an indicator of our country's long-term health.
Jonathan Schrire
Wynberg
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Forget the moaners - SA has pulled off a miracle
June 23, 2006
It is commonplace for some South Africans - almost always white South Africans - to luxuriate in a long list of things that are wrong with this country.
A letter published in 'The Cape Argus' from an expatriate living in England ("Is SA doomed?" Cape Points, June 20) was true to form, and ended with the usual prediction that we are heading for an African- style meltdown into chaos.
What always surprises me about these doomsayers is what short memories they have. Less than 20 years ago, this country was poised on the brink of a savage civil war between the forces of white and black nationalism.
Foreign investors had fled, a white minority imposed by force an array of racist laws over a black majority, parts of the country were ungovernable, foreign banks were refusing to extend loans - in short, our future seemed an inevitable decline into ever-increasing violence, repression and savagery on both sides.
In a change that must rank as one of the political miracles of modern times, this country was delivered from that bleak future and made a peaceful transition to a democratic state.
In the years since, successive governments have brought a prosperity and stability that few would have predicted possible.
Yet so many of these doom-sayers are completely blind to this broader perspective.
They seem to think that our first democratic election in 350 years is like throwing a switch. Where there was darkness, there will suddenly be light. In one instant all the ills and social problems of this country will be solved and everybody will live in a fairy-land.
When this does not happen, they complain bitterly that their unrealistic expectations have not been met.
Are there problems here? You bet there are! All the issues listed by the correspondent exist: intolerable levels of violence and crime, governmental incompetence, rape, corruption.
There remains massive poverty and inequality of wealth. The government has made great inroads on poverty, but not nearly enough.
We are a country in transition and battling with many social problems - problems that exist to some degree in most other countries in the world, even some with a long history of democratic governance.
How many governments in the world, let alone Africa, allow charges of corruption to be brought against their deputy presidents?
Our courts regularly show their independence and power to disagree with the government. The freedom of our press to expose corruption and criticise the government is virtually total. Considering our recent history, this country is a miracle of stability and democratic freedom.
I expect that it is up to each of us to draw our own conclusions about how South Africa is doing. The great majority, unlike the correspondent, are not able to sit it out in England writing letters telling us how dreadful things are here. They are involved and committed here and doing their best.
Even among those who do have such a choice, there are many who do not use crime, violence and corruption as the litmus test for our future, but instead are conscious of and grateful for the unexpected freedoms we all now enjoy, and see these as an indicator of our country's long-term health.
Jonathan Schrire
Wynberg