01/07/2021
Twenty-seven years into democracy, we find ourselves at an interesting moment to examine both the progress and challenges faced by South Africa. Twenty-seven years is also the number of years Nelson Mandela spent incarcerated, most of which spent on Robben Island. Large-scale war was averted, and a negotiation process brought about a peaceful transition to a democratic system, yet socioeconomic issues remain a problem. Development policy aims to promote economic growth and social transformation, yet socioeconomic issues dominant the public discourse daily. Discriminatory legal and institutional practices of the colonial and apartheid areas have been effectively challenged, and a new, progressive constitution, with a bill of rights put in place. Yet these rights are yet to be fully enjoyed but many South Africans and remain a privilege for the elite. South Africa now faces new challenges, including an education system in crisis, unemployment, one of the highest Gini coefficient in the world and more recently the COVID-19 pandemic. All of which are placing considerable strain on the resources and the social fabric of society.
Recently South Africa has been inundated with several student-led protests, starting with at the end of 2015. The year 2016 was dominated by the protests, in which the students among other things demanded a free and, decolonized education system. In response the government announced “a free education” policy for lower income first year students attending university. The pragmatics of implementing this policy are yet to be tested, and at the beginning of each academic year since then, students protest directly related to this policy erupt. The protection of human rights is enshrined in the Constitution – hailed as one of the most progressive Constitutions in the world – but these rights are challenged by poverty and inequality and further compromised by the nature and makeup of South Africa’s multicultural society (manifested in terms of race, gender, language, ethnicity, religion, culture, and disability.) South Africa today provides a fertile environment for examining these dynamics and reflecting on questions about rights and multiculturalism in the post-apartheid era. Come and learn with us as we unpack some and many of these issues!