April 17 Marks Freedom Day In South Africa

Come along as we discuss South African Democracy

The Republic Of South Africa

As per Wikipedia:

“The country is officially the Republic of South Africa (RSA). Its population is about fifty-nine million people. Correspondingly, it is the world’s twenty-third most populous nation. It boasts of 1,221,037 square kilometres (471,445 square miles) landmass. It is no wonder that RSA has three capital cities, Pretoria, Bloemfontein, and Cape Town. Johannesburg is the largest city, with the most African indigenous population living there. The country is vibrant with African ethnicities. As well as Asians, predominantly from India, Europeans, and the rest. RSA borders The Kingdom of Eswatini, of Lesotho, Botswana, Namibia, and Zimbabwe”. For detailed information, kindly view the attached link.

Freedom Day, April 17

Before 1994, RSA had no freedom. As a matter of fact, nor was there a statutory holiday dedicated to emancipation. Things changed on April 27, 1994. To evidence, some RSA whites live in slums, see.

Democratization

Since April 27, 1994, RSA commemorates the first democratic elections held in the country. Someone may wish to understand the date’s pragmatism. I am delighted to shed more light on this subject. Kindly see below:

Thanks to political revolutions, “the nation transformed into a non-racial, non-sexist, and democratic society. In essence, freedom day gave the country’s Africans electoral power. Prior, they had never voted due to racially charged segregation laws of the apartheid regime.” Source, (Ibid).

South African Apartheid

I tend not to miss a teaching/learning opportunity. Particularly on RSA. I have lived experiences and emotional ties to that nation. Hence, time is hereby set aside for speaking on apartheid in the RSA context. I am delighted to begin this segment by naming two notable nations linked to RSA apartheid. In doing so, someone tied to this group may obtain history. Even if from the victim’s stance, as opposed to the victor. Yes, I change the narrative when time and chance permits.

Information from Britannica, carry facts we will build our talk upon. Kindly see below:

“Apartheid is an Afrikaans term. In English, the word is synonymous with apartness,”

Commentary: I had no prior knowledge of this. The reason is that RSA was the only southern African nation Dutch colony. As the norm, colonial legacies include languages and cultural inheritances. These infiltrators were intrinsic to which explorers landed where. Ideally, I am driving the point that I do not speak or understand RSA’s Dutch colonial language.

Who was set apart from what and why via the Dutch colonial laws?

As mentioned, apartheid was oppressive to none-Whites. Yet, it enriched colonists. How? Divisive, strategic laws were formulated. Their function was to safeguard and upkeep white supremacy. Generally, apartheid policed the economic, social, and political subjugation of RSA’s indigenous people. Despite freedom day, race effects are evident, tangible in South Africa to date, So, pondering on freedom without revisiting history may derail us from fixing the world.

The Dutch Political Ideology

Colonists in RSA meant business. To show:

“The Dutch immigrants formed a political party named National Party (NP). Its alternate names were the National Party of South Africa, Afrikaans Nasionale Party van Suid-Afrika (1914–39, 1951–98), also called New National Party –(1998–2005), People’s Party or Re-united National Party (1939–51),” (Ibid).

Talk about organized repressive minds! Analysis: It took a village to control native South Africans. The common agenda was creating the illusion that one race was superior to local Africans. Most white settlers collaborated. Together, they are guilty of dehumanizing the place and the looting of the region. My allegation is evidence thus:

“Its following included most of the Dutch-descended Afrikaners and many English-speaking whites. The National Party was long dedicated to policies of apartheid and white supremacy,” (Ibid).

“Knowledge is power.” I am empowering myself through writing, and what will you do with yours? My writing goals include telling historical facts governing whiteness from my reality. In so doing, I situate collective blame on the doorstep of oppressors, intergenerationally. Why? Their wealth acquisition came about at a loss to Africa.

April 27, 1994! What was the state of RSA’S African population on this date?

Unfortunately, many of us are ignorant of our historical ties to global affairs. Had it gone my way, breastfeeding would include fundamental child-appropriate race teachings. Probably, the miseducation may quickly end. People would wake up from their slumber. As it stands, some individuals uphold racial apparatuses, unawares. Nonetheless, we live and learn.

Reverting to the topic at hand! When Africans voted for President Nelson H. Mandela, what were their economic, social, and political realities? I believe this research is necessary as we journey into comprehending what freedom day entails for RSA.

I admit to dedicating myself to cumbersome tasks. In our case, those that biologically matched President-elect Nelson. H. Mandela, were landless when freedom day became a thing. Sadly, this is an ongoing reality. That said, may we quickly unpack land laws that created landownership in the present RSA. This engagement endeavours to help us abandon pitying Africa. Instead, let us self-check against evidenced racist laws that empower whites today. My other writing weakness: “calls to action”.

The Natives Land Act 27 of 1913

It triggers spiritual terror that whites own RSA land. Africans have a unique human-nonhuman co-existence. Due to limitations, this topic will not be interrogated. But, as we progress, kindly note my comments. Please watch this clip

Ironically, Afrikaans academics based in RSA details that:

“ The Natives Land Act layed the foundation for apartheid and territorial segregation and, for the first time, formalized limitations on black land ownership. 12 The Act introduced ethnic differentiation based on the mistaken belief that differentiation between dissimilar races was fundamentally desirable. 13 According to section 1(1) of the Act,”

Feedback: Noting white academia pivoting the underlying land reality causation in RSA is gratifying. To show, the cited The Natives Land Act 27 of 1913 belongs to:

“Henk J Kloppers. B Com (Law), LLB, LLM (PU for CHE), LLD (NWU), Post Graduate Diploma in Financial Planning (UFS). Senior Lecturer at the Faculty of Law North-West University [email protected]. This dual research included Gerrit J Pienaar. B Jur et Com LLB LLD (PU for CHE).Professor at the Faculty of Law North-West University Potchefstroom campus. Email: Gerrit.Pienaar@nwu.ac.za,”

Statistics

According to a 2017 land audit by the South African government, 72 percent of the country’s arable land remains in the hands of whites, who account for fewer than 10 percent of the total population. Since the ruling African National Congress came to power in 1994, under the stewardship of Nelson Mandela, one of its central undertakings has been to relieve this disparity. But to date, the spotty efficacy of the ANC’s land-restitution efforts has seen barely a quarter of such land restored to black farmers, according to the farmers’ organization AgriSA.

My two pence: This world is progressive, and naturally, changes are inevitable. No one is safe from racial consequences. The sooner we correct our historical hereditary position needs urgent resolutions. The RSA land issue is a crisis for everyone, as it is color blind now. Worse, Africans, similarly to pre-colonial whites in the country, are taking full advantage of their freedom.

May we talk about the Black Economic Empowerment (BEE) post-1994 regulations? These set out to restore African descent’s finances. Kindly see the following breakdown that shines a light on the future of South Africa. If you ask me, April 27 is a nightmare for white located in RSA:

“The Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment Act (Act 53 of 2003) essentially works on the understanding that years of systemic racism contribute to contemporary economic woes, and that government intervention can stem the results of past racist regimes. Black people, of South Africa, were disposed of their land by the apartheid regime as a result black people have been systematically excluded from the economy. The apartheid regime excluded black people from fair trades, professional employment, and general freedom of movement. B-BBEE seeks to compensate for some of the previous injustices,” — source.

Conclusion:

This article dedicated itself to April 27 and what the date means for South Africa. We debuted the talk by locating the country. Followed by discussing its population, landmass, ethnicity, and neighbouring nations.

Relying on videography, the country’s slum problem, arising from ancient colonial laws, was introduced. In the carefully used link, it was evidenced that poverty has turned a blind eye to racism, as white folks lost their power and linked economic buffer in 1994. This year is synonymous with the RSA democratic election and freedom from white oppression of “Blacks”.

In as much as it was not only Dutch colonists spearheading RSA racism, this article explained Apartheid and linked it to this nation. As we explored the oppressive nature of colonists, we established that even Anglophones played a racial card in RSA. This fact was established by examining the predominantly Afrikaans political party, whose affiliates, it was said, were from the UK, National Party (NP),

The land was at the fore of the discussion. We indicated a gross ownership error at play in contemporary RSA land distribution. Historical law leading to mass white land grabs were unpacked via Henk J Kloppers and Gerrit J Pienaar. These are RSA scholars, who talked about their country’s land problems profoundly. I thought their scholarship was positive and necessary.

Finally, freedom means many things, and this is true for RSA. One key area I wished to highlight was the post-democratic money laws. They are the Black Economic Empowerment (BEE). Without beating about the bush, their purpose is true to their assigned adjectives.

If this is RSA’s freedom trajectory, I am (very) afraid on behalf of the nation’s other races. For, “Cash is king.” Developments due to April 27, 1994, in RSA may befall any country. In closure, change is coming tomorrow. Where will it find you? I hope it does not send formerly privileged folks into utter poverty, like in RSA. They say, “a stitch saves nine,” and I believe this is true.