Letters

New African, Apr 2004

South Africa: Good progress, but...

I read the article, South Africa-10years on (NA, Feb), with great interest. As South Africa holds elections on 14 April, I feel it is time to assess the record of the ruling ANC.

There has been marked progress in many areas, such as rural electrification and the provision of low cost housing for low income families. There has also been speedy and remarkable progress in the representation of women in politics with about 25% of women occupying seats in the Federal Parliament. Women also occupy 62% of the deputy ministers' posts and a third of cabinet posts. South Africa now ranks seventh in the world in terms of its representation of women in parliament - surpassing even some developed countries!

But as your article mentioned, there has been minimal progress in terms of land redistribution and reparations. The ANC government is going to pay US$3,890 each to only about 19,000 victims of apartheid. This is indeed much less than the amount recommended by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) and I am sure there are many more victims of apartheid than the 19,000 who are entitled to compensation.

There has also been no progress on income redistribution between the white minority and the black majority. A recent report by the University of Western Cape titled "Staying Poor in South Africa" revealed that black households are getting poorer. According to the report, incomes in black households fell by 19% between 1995 and 2000, while those of white household rose by 15% in the same period.

Whites still hold a disproportionate amount of wealth in post-apartheid South Africa and it seems that the so-called Black Empowerment has only benefited a small elite with political connections linked to white businesses. The ANC surely needs to return to the egalitarian ideals of its founding fathers.

Trevor Johns

London, UK

Forget the past?

I write in response to Gavin Fletcher's letter, "Forget the past, move on" (NA, March). Fletcher claims that journalists who write on African issues always seem to dwell on the injustices of the past - slavery, colonialism etc. It might be easier to move on if injustices were a thing of the past.

Unfortunately for Africans, we are still treated as inferior beings. I would like to draw Fletcher's attention to South Africa. It wasn't too long ago that apartheid was banned. How one race can justify such an evil deed as apartheid is beyond belief. There are still places in South Africa, Namibia, etc (NA, March) where the indigenous people are not welcome in some restaurants, clubs etc.

Europeans are well known for going to places under false pretences and then taking over. Read the history of North America - how the Red Indians were murdered and their land stolen from them; Australia - how the Aborigines were murdered and their land stolen from them; New Zealand - how the Maoris were murdered and their land stolen by the Europeans.

When Europeans first arrived in Africa, it was under the pretence of religion and fair trade, and unbeknown to our welcoming forefathers who took them at face value, we were deceived, captured and sold to foreign lands.

Blatant slavery may be a thing of the past, but economic slavery is still going on. We seem to be forever indebted to Europeans. Why is that? We do not seem to benefit from any of our resources. Ghana, for example, is one of the largest producers and exporters of cocoa and gold. How do we benefit from the sale of these products to Europe?

Even in trade, we are not dealt with fairly. The so-called aid given to African countries has conditions attached. Military materiel are rampantly sold to many African countries. We need to have good leaders who take the welfare of our countries to heart.

I do however agree with Fletcher that we need to tackle pressing issues such as unemployment, corruption, mismanagement, etc.

At the same time it is important not to forget the past as we look to develop our future. all one has to do is watch the Discovery or History Channels on European digital television, and you will be inundated with programmes about the Jewish Holocaust.

The Jews have not forgotten about this part of their history. They have even built a Holocaust Museum in Jerusalem so that they and their children and their children's children do not forget the past.

Needless to say, when the shoe is on the other foot, there is little change - look at the way Israel treats the Palestinians. Now that is another debate altogether.

In order for us to forget the past, move on and work together, we need first to receive respect and empathy from each other regardless of our ethnic backgrounds.

Loma Agyemang-Duah

London, UK

Needed: a new brotherhood

I am a French Caribbean married to a Senegalese. I really enjoy your magazine and send you a million thanks.

The February 2004 issue was particularly dear to me because of the articles on the Diaspora. I do believe that Diasporan Africans (which include all people of African descent everywhere) should associate with one another wherever they are to think and work for Africa. They could be retired people, students or ordinary men and women - they must transfer to Africa all they have learned to help those who have remained on the continent. A new brotherhood must emerge to replace those Westerners who deprive Africa of its soul. Thank you again for those eye-opening articles.