1. For the People By the People
The ten-year anniversary of the new South Africa is closely approaching. At
this stage of growth for the fledgling democracy it is necessary to investigate
whether or not the democracy is true and therefore providing its citizens with all
that a democracy should need. One must assume that life and the policies that affect
the aspects of everyday citizens' lives are overall good and considerably better then
under the old government. It is evident that because of the diversity of culture in South
Africa, the relative young age of the new government and a mixture of social, economic,
and political woes, that not all people will agree with the previous assumptions.
Hopefully, though, the majority of people will agree that they are adequately provided
for by the government and that as a democracy it is effective. By conversing with the
people of South Africa, the effectiveness and validity of the government and its impact
on citizens' lives can be brought to light. However, the interviewees must reflect the
diversity of the country, such as encompassing the thoughts and opinions of men and
women, all tiers of the social ladder, a range of age groups, and a reflection of the
cultural rainbow that makes South Africa so unique. Thankfully, I was able to gather
information from a wide spectrum of citizens and because of this, the conclusions that I
reached will reflect both weaknesses and strengths of the government, which need to
be highlighted.
One thing that can be noted is that society has become more integrated since the
end of Apartheid. The extent of the integration can be, and is largely debated, among
local people, and between cultural and/ or economic groups. Despite this integration
there is still racism and still divisions that are both physical and mental. However,
people are no more tolerant of the existent racism because they see the integration that has,
and is still occurring, as progress. With integration comes an inflow of new theories,
such as the hope that the next generation of South Africans will be better off and also
that racism is an obstacle that with the future generations will eventually overcome.
There seems to be a shared sentiment that the next generation will see the
improvement in the matured government and thus the citizens will have more
opportunities, such as jobs and quality education, then they do now or did in the past.
The future is the motivation for South African citizens. The past and its
negative remnants are still clung to by some South Africans. This survival of the

2. past is hindering the growth of fresh ideas, thoughts, and actions among citizens and
the new government. It is those that cling to the past that still carry racist views.
Surprisingly enough, it seems that the Coloured and Asian/ Indian people are the
ones that cling to the past the most. It would be expected that the White citizens,
because they had what was considered the "privileges" and the rule of the land in
South Africa during the Apartheid, would be the group that would want to retain the
memory and actions of the past. One thing is important in terms of the outcome of the
future; the next few years are crucial. The next few years must be, and hopefully will
be, the period during which the government improves and establishes more effective
policies and gains respect from its citizens.
Despite the barriers still erected, there is a sense of unity that appears to be
growing stronger. Sports is the largest factor that brings people of all races, ages, and
economic classes together. One noted event was the 1995 Rugby World Cup that was
held in South Africa. This is seen as a crucial period in the development of unity and the
establishment of a common South African identity that traversed all colour lines,
economic classes, and cultural groups. While it can be disputed that the event was
essentially white, it was however celebrated and prided by most South Africans. The only
question that people answered the same during my interviews was "do you have a sense of
belonging in South Africa?" The answer was always yes.
Even though unity among South Africans is strengthening, division still exists, and
remains strong still. The division exists not only because of evident reasons such as
existing Apartheid social and economic structures within society but also because South
Africa is “The Rainbow Nation”. While this is an aspect of South African culture and
history that instills pride and character, it also divides. There are 11 official languages;
this fact is crucial. Language divides and hinders the conglomeration of citizens. Ideas,
and action or reaction sparked by the different ideas amongst the groups cannot be
exchanged or implemented. It is a social characteristic that people of the same
language or cultural group come together.
The motto "The Rainbow Nation" brings images of the new South African flag and
to the man who first held up this flag so proudly. Nelson Mandela is an inspiration to all
South Africans, regardless of race, sex, etc. He epitomizes the stoic hero who stayed
true to his country despite his country’s deplorable actions against him. He is a man who
stood up for what he believed in and in the end reached the highest potential. His pride
and his accomplishments are echoed throughout the citizens. He is the South African role
model for what he endured and for his push towards a unified South Africa.

3. Even though there were, and maybe still are, great politicians in South Africa
who did make a difference, the citizens do not see many in the new government.
While most believe that their tax money is going towards good programs and
policies, they also see their money going to satisfy their government officials'
extravagant demands. They see their politicians buying expensive cars and other
material items while public needs such as health care are being ignored.
Surprisingly, it was the white citizens and the black middle-class who see their
majority of their money going to good use. It was the black lower-class who sees
differently and probably they are correct, in terms of whether tax money is being
allocated to the right places, because they are the ones that the tax money is
supposed to be helping. This is true especially in terms of health care and education,
which is still not up to par with that deemed for white citizens.
What is most surprising is the opinion held by lower-class black South
Africans. To them, their lives are worse off than under Apartheid. They see fewer
opportunities, which is true when you look at the ever-increasing unemployment
rate. One woman I spoke with explained to me that before Apartheid she had a
better job and that there were more jobs available. Now with her new job she cannot
even afford food. The cost of living, in terms of basic needs, has increased while
conditions of living have deteriorated. Why is it that with all the welfare policies
introduced has the government failed here?
Despite the end of Apartheid and the promise of equality, the government
still seems to be selecting who should benefit from its policies even though in theory
the government should be working for every citizen. One thing that I noticed while
talking to the interviewees was the evident comparison in education. Those that
belonged to the black lower-class had difficulty communicating. In most instances
there was a language barrier, but in other instances some had never heard of
Affirmative Action or democracy. The inadequacy of education was very apparent
between members of the black lower class and those of the black middle -class.
Even if both were Zulu, and English was not their first language, the lack of
knowledge was apparent.
Education seems to play a significant role in shaping the mind of the South
African citizen. Those who attended a university were more willing to believe in
their contributions to society and were more forgiving of the government’s faults.
The students saw their time at the university to gain power and skills, which will
someday benefit South Africa as whole and affect even the lower classes. They also

4. seem to be more critical of racism and thus more staunch and active in its demise.
With the increasing number of non-whites now attending universities, Affirmative
Action has been placed back in the spotlight. While most people agree that it is
overall good, it is seen as a tool that can be used for only so long. With the new
graduates being from all different cultural, economic, and social backgrounds
Affirmative Action and the reasons behind it must be reviewed. If there are now
black people who are gaining the same skills as their white counterparts then they
should be judged by their qualification and not by their race. Diversity is important in
employment but not as important as employing people that possess the necessary skills
to contribute to an industry's capability
The government is not fulfilling its obligation to the citizens: a basic but general
accusation. The government is not altogether incompetent or corrupt. Most of the
people I spoke with believe the government is maturing, and hopefully this is true. If
this is the case, then this rocky transition is acceptable to the people. The problem lies
in the fact that their government has not built up enough social capital yet. Therefore
the citizens do not believe or trust that the government will provide them with the basic
needs that a democracy should provide. It is not expected though that such a young
government will be able to rectify all the ills of the former government in such a short
amount of time but at least within a generation. All in all, the people appear not to
expect a lot from their government but are patient with what the government will provide
for them. Overall they see their government as efficient and the flaws that it possesses
will be corrected in the future.