How depressing is South Africa?
Any attempt to expropriate land (stealing) will plunge South Africa into economic chaos. They've been tilting that way for years, and the country seems to get poorer and more corrupt every day. The poisonous politics of race and socialism mixing here. Democratic voters should take note of this as their carelessly speak of "reparations" here in the USA, and whatever that may entail.
Responsible government can not be created from thin air. Limited government, respect for the individual, and civic responsibility are what creates and sustains good government.
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The ANC faces an impossible task politically and economically. On the one hand, it can placate many of its voters by taking the route of the Economic Freedom Fighters and expropriate White owned property. But that would only lead to White flight and at least the possibility of another Zimbabwe. Alternatively, the ANC could continue along its current more incremental path of growth and distribution of that growth largely to the Black community (and keeping the White business community largely placated). But this latter path will take many, many decades (if not longer) of sustained growth to meet the expectations of the poorer black citizens.
The most realistic economic option may be the most unrealistic one politically: tamp down the expectations of the many millions of poor black people that their financial plight will materially improve during their lifetime.
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There will never be any accountability if one party is virtually guaranteed to win every national election. A portion of the population needs to vote for a different party if for no other reason than to make the ruling party feel like it needs to perform or it will be voted out.
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Still a young democracy. Where can I go to read about the first 25 years of American democracy? I would love to compare the two. Bottom line is that we're witnessing an evolution that is to the dislike, but also the semiapproval of many.
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@R.Terrance
I have recently read Heirs of the Founders by H.W. Brands. It focuses on the early 19th century political battles between the powerful men of the time. I think it may be the book you are looking for.
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Please read A People’s History of the United States by Howard Zinn.
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Grabbing land from white farmers, uncompensated, will make Zimbabwe look good by comparison. I just had a South African relative visiting this past week, who said the farmland in SA is remarkably good, the produce far superior to what we have in America, and a growing, successful wine industry. For white farmers to just be ousted, while most of the native recipients will have no agricultural training/experience, will hasten their departure and leave the industry at a near total standstill.
To achieve a moments worth of what native South Africans consider justice, without conceding that the origins of white ownership predate the current generations by several hundred years, is a grave mistake. And a cruel injustice to the current owners.
There should be land distribution, and a system in place that trains rural people in modern agriculture, while keeping the current owners/corporations on to oversee/assist. This process can take many years. Truthfully, some of the rural poor don't understand this, but for mega rich ANC leaders to deflect on their mega billions of theft, they are using this ruse to keep poor black South Africans voting. It will become a case of Cry the Beloved Country for a very different reason. And it will ultimately fail. I sure hope Mr. Ramaphosa won't allow it.
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@Rosalie Lieberman
Agreed, there 'should be' a system to train rural blacks
in farm management. There should be lots of things that
are not and never will be. They've had a quarter century to set up that training pipeline. Where is it?
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This article is poor excuse for foreign affairs reporting. One gets the impression that only a return to white leadership will satisfy the writer. First, the article sets a high bar for a country emerging from white supremacy and neo-colonial economic exploitation.
Yet, the writer expects you to believe that a fledgling black political leadership could transform this land into a paradise. This is absurd on so many levels. Furthermore, the article ignores the real progress achieve by black leaders under dire conditions:
South Africa has undergone several democratic elections. It has grown a black middle class from nothing to about 10 percent of the population. Yet 90 percent are still mired in the rural poverty of white misrule. Leaders contend with the legacy of white control of land. Just claims for restitution are denounced as black racism.
Leaders grapple with issues over which there is little control. A worldwide recession, a sustained drought, an arrogant skilled white and Asian population, and the scourge of HIV and other public health challenges. Still, they have held together an unwieldy patchwork of ethnic groups, languages, religions in a political framework.
In sum, the article fails to provide any context or insight for understanding. It simply makes the superficial case of "corruption." Surely readers interested in African news deserve better than this?
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@roger sounds to me like you've added your own agenda and opinions, I didn't get any of that from reading this article. I can't see anything the author wrote that would lead someone to draw your conclusions.
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@roger
Actually, that's not what the article is implying at all. Maybe you ought to read closer. The article did an excellent job raising the issue of the absolutely endemic corruption in the ANC that is STILL THERE to this day. The last 9 years of ANC rule prior to Ramaphosa taking over were catastrophic for the country; looting of public enterprises and horrific corruption and lackluster economic growth (mainly due to policies championed by the hard left of the ANC and the SACP). The results are what we see today: economic growth hovering around 1% (very poor for a developing economy), electricity loadshedding, high levels of debt, and worse race relations than ever.
"Yet 90 percent are still mired in the rural poverty of white misrule. Leaders contend with the legacy of white control of land. Just claims for restitution are denounced as black racism."
Cite your source for this. Almost all the major parties support some form of land restitution. Unfortunately, expropriation without compensation (which Ramaphosa supports) will be catastrophic for the country. It's failed everywhere it's been tried.
Also, please tell me what your view is of politicians in the country like Julius Malema (who will get around 12% of the vote) and ANC leaders who say things like "all whites stole land" or "shoot the boer" or "we need to slit the throat of whiteness."
People reading this comment section deserve better than your comment.
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@GT
Hello, GT.
Speaking of agendas, you must admit that the real "corruption" in South Africa is the legacy of white misrule. This article fails to provide the backdrop for readers and compounds the distortion of history.
True sovereignty means the right to manage -- or to mismanage -- your own affairs. The case of Trump is an example.
Good reporting means providing people who may not know the full story with a basis for interpretation. This article failed to do so -- that is the only agenda.
Another wealthy nation laid low by corrupt leftist promising justice while filling their personal coffers.
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Nelson Mandela would be turning over in his grave if he saw what South Africa has become today. Greed and corruption are rampant. But what angers me the most are South Africa’s lion “farms.” Over 12,000 lions bred in captivity are being tortured from birth to death. And their deaths are the most gruesome imaginable since Western hunters (otherwise known as cold-blood killing machines) are paying large sums of money to terrorize and then murder these majestic animals in canned hunts, where helpless and defenseless lions are confined in enclosures with absolutely no means of escape. It’s the most sickening spectacle I have ever seen. A horrifying expose recently revealed that in just two days more than 50 lions were massacred in this monstrous manner. After the lions are savagely slaughtered, their body parts are harvested and then sold to East Asian countries for use in their so-called “traditional medicine” and trinket industries. It’s absolutely appalling. Please boycott South Africa until they outlaw and close these wretched wildlife concentration camps.
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S Africa's population grown is consuming all of its incremental production. S Africa needs family planning and declining population grown. Increasing population is eating is seed corn. The headset of racial issues is clouding the understanding of the problem of growing population and ecological reality.
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"the endemic corruption that has come to define the A.N.C., Nelson Mandela’s once celebrated liberation movement."
Which word here is the most explanatory?
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This and future elections are nothing more than rearranging the chairs on the Titanic! Many of the existing, powerful ANC recidivists will remain, largely untouchable by Ramaphosa. Added to the near-bankrupt wreckage of the country by past ANC-dominated governments, it is impossible to conceive of a future for that country the future that can resolve the current near intractable public sector and democratic-principle problems.
For the vast majority of the population South African night is dark and full of terrors!
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The racial and economic inequity has to be fundamentally dismantled. A little pain for all will result in prosperity for most.
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Trust me straight up land appropriation is the worst thing you can do for your economy. Look how well that turned out for Zimbabwe.
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@Truth Today
A little pain, yes. But to really improve the lives of the black majority would require a lot of pain (for the White minority at least) through a forced transfer of their wealth.
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@Stephen
You are sadly correct. I remember years back reading about a disenfranchised white farmer in Zimbabwe who felt sorry for the large number of native blacks who "took over" his large farm, and the only equipment they had, or knew how to use, were simple hoes. He stayed for a while to train some of the new owners, but it didn't work. A thousand isolated plots, disconnected workers using antiquated means without any training in modern technology, resulted in disaster for that country. Positive change takes time, training, and will leave many white farmers out, but it need not be cruel, or stupid.
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It’s shameful that after they have achieved independence that the Government is corrupt. Mandela must be turning over in his grave.
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@Independent1776
It's the nature of all things human. Corruption and chaos are the natural forms of human gravity.
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@Independent1776
That's actually the problem: Mandela. He was old by the time he was elected and largely viewed his role in life as completed with the transfer of the country to black control. And he was trusting: Zuma and many of the other hacks were deputies under Mandela.
Now, there is nothing more dangerous than a frustrated electorate. The future looks very dark for South Africa, unless they find another Mandela and soon.
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