South African Retrospective: General Facts and Opinions
Since I'm no longer going to the office and using their usually-reliable internet connection, I'm going to have very limited opportunities to update the site from now until I get back (and once I get back I may not have an internet connection to use regularly, so who knows what will happen?). Therefore, I've decided to get this entry done now.
South Africa is a very complicated place, and it's hard to sum up what I learned and how I found my time here to be. So I guess I'll start with the country itself.
South Africa is a very complcated nation, thanks to their history of apartheid and colonialism. People lhere are generally friendly, but there is a massive gap between the rich and the poor. It is probably a smaller gap than exists in the States, but it's far more obvious here. Why? Because in the States, few if any people cannot find food to eat or shelter in case they need it. Here, millions of people don't get enough food and have no place to go for protection. So the rich are richer in the States, but the poor are MUCH poorer here.
The government is a work in progress. A lot of the blatant cronyism and corruption that plagues many other African nations has become the norm here also, though less blatantly than in plaes like Nigeria. Most countries are guilty of such embezzlement, but at least industralized nations feed the vast majority of their people. Most are willing to accept a certain level of government corruption as long as the poorest are at least somewhat looked after (which is not yet the case in South Africa). This country has an established tax collection system and a great deal of natural and corporate wealth, so there really is little excuse for the deplorable state of the impoverished, the low salaries paid to nurses, teachers and other public servants, and the sorry state of home-creation that exists here. The houses built for black townships during the apartheid era are actually of higher quality than the ones being built for the poor now. That is simply inexcusable.
Regardless, it's obvious that the ANC government is far better than the apartheid one, if for no other reason than the fact that they do not keep certain groups in near-slave conditions to build a better life for a few.
Though president Thabo Mbeki is an intelligent and eloquent man, he is also a weak leader. He does not take criticism in stride; rather, he becomes very defensive. If the criticism comes from a non-black, he will not hesitate to play the race card; everyone who says anything critical about his government is racist, or playing into the hands of racist whites. This alone would be despicable; however, his response to the HIV epidemic in this country is even more despicable. He has gone on record to say that he doesn't believe HIV causes AIDS, and that no one has ever died of AIDS. Despite the possible scientific merit of these opinions, they aren't exactly helpful in a society which is still very uneducated when it comes to HIV prevention.
The ANC has put a policy of Black Economic Empowerment into place, which is similar to affirmative action in the States. I cannot think of a country where affirmative action is more needed than in South Africa. Unfortunately, these programs often result in business and corporate ownership being awarded to former prominent ANC members. There needs to be a deeper program in place, one that actually uplifts all formerly disadvantages groups, and one that doesn't rely too heavily on subjective criteria.
In sum, there is a lot of work to be done for the government to realize its promise to the people of "a better life for all." There must be a more honest and substantive program put into place to uplift people, because it's hard to justify having a presidential jet, presidential airport and private golf course while 45% of your population is malnourished. (Yes, the article is old...it might be down to 45% or 35% by now, but the figure is still unacceptably high).
Societally, South Africa has a great deal of diversity. There are eleven national languages(!), and most blacks speak most of them. They include isiZulu, seSotho, Tswana, Venda, Xhosa, Afrikaans, English...I blanked on the rest for the moment. There are very large Jewish, Dutch, German, Indian and U.K. populations. Colored people (typically a mix of black and white) have their own distinct cultural identity, and tend to speak Afrikaans. There is a huge Muslim population, though Christianity is the dominant religion.
The legacy of apartheid has left South Africans even more obsessed with racial issues than America. There is a great deal of tension between different ethnic groups, particularly blacks and whites of all backgrounds. South Africans still describe most events and people in terms of race. It will probably take at least a generation for this to change.
The climate here is not the stereotypical "hot-ass Africa" that people speak of. Summers are generally milder than in many parts of the States, as are winters. However, South African home builders seem to be in denial about the existence of cold weather; as a result, most homes have no insulation. This means that there is often no reprieve from freezing (00 C) weather when you walk into a home. There was more than one occasion where I wore a winter hat to bed. Coastal areas tend to be rainy in winter and very pleasant in the summer, much like the west coast of the USA.
As in most african countries, the populace has a high degree of illiteracy and low levels of education. In South Africa, most of this has to do with the legacy of aparthied rather than gross government negligence. The gap is especially great between black and white South Africans. Though blacks now dominate politically, whites still own the vast majority of economic and educational resources in the country. It is a very unique and fascinating dynamic.
Crime is a huge issue in South Africa, but it is not as universal as the rumors suggest. South Africa has the highest rate of rape per capita in the world, and the third-highest murder rate (with Colombia at number 1, and Swailand at number 2). The rape statistic only exacerbates the HIV epidemic, which I'll go into below. Crime rates are obviously highest in urban areas, with Johannesburg being by far the most crime-ridden location. Muggings, carjackings and robbery have actually worsened in the past 10 years. However, in other areas the crime rates are significantly lower.
HIV/AIDS is a massive problem. It is estimated that anywhere from 12.5% to 33% (one-third) of the population of South Africa is HIV-positive. Worse, more than 88% or South Africans do not practice safe sex. The problem stems from lack of education, cultural practices, and insufficient government attention to the problem. I used to think blaming the high African AIDS rates on cultural issues was racist. After living here, I've changed my mind.
Johannesburg is the financial center of the country, and the largest city. Cape Town is the oldest city and port, as well as the main tourist attraction. Durban is the second-largest city, and another financial hub. Pretoria is the executive government seat and the capital of South Africa. I've been to all these places at least once.
There is an incredible amount of natural beauty and diversity of wildlife, as well as quality drinking water and fishing locations. All the most famous African animals may be found here, and there is a great deal of unspoiled terrain to explore.
That's about all for generalities. Next up: my personal experience in South Africa, and its effect on me going forward.
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