The African National Congress (ANC) government of South Africa is consistently deceiving the majority into believing that democracy is freedom. Indeed, the people are free from the shackles of apartheid, yet have not earned respect and remain enslaved. The government and individual black South Africans continue to commit a despicable crime since the advent of political freedom in 1994. It is a self-inflicted crime of remaining economically dependent on the small, white minority group. There has been little or no progress by the black majority in extricating themselves from the race of laborers and consumers. The black majority have failed to become producers.
It is the selfish actions of the majority that keep them a begging race that fails to fill the needs of progress and earn respect. Future generations have no hope of advancing into an independent, productive race if the current generation cannot create respect.
In 1994, the majority gained a black government, freedom from a struggle and the notion that everything would be free, and that destroyed the spirit of entrepreneurship. The people are not to blame, as it was the ANC government that perpetuated this notion and made unrealistic promises to the masses. These promises would keep the people dependent on government and, in return, the voters would ensure that the ruling party remain in power.
The minority had no choice but to stand back and watch as the masses ran around looking for handouts from a government. The behavior of both the government of South Africa and the masses demonstrated the problem of being ready to govern South Africa in a manner of indigence. The average person remains dependent on politicians’ statements and has lost the process of moving forward. There is no doubt many people have worked hard and have deviated from government dependence, yet the stigma of poverty is prominent throughout South Africa.
There is an evident social distance between the first and second economy, and the majority need interconnected networks of trust, moral obligations and a sense of belonging. The majority need to change the mindset of dependency on the government in order to liberate the current generation. The masses should move away from the illusion of freedom.
By creating a public sphere and creating wealth; producing food for communities; and participating in children’s early childhood development, change can occur. Food is a necessity of life and, for this reason, the majority need to start producing and stop depending on the government to supply. It is time to wake up and move away from the tamed life the ANC government has generated.
With change, the social distance can be eradicated, but it will have to start with taking responsibility, understanding the art of creating and stopping the complaining. This could change the way the mindset has been programmed by a government that abuses the goodwill of its people.
The current era is, sadly, a divided one, between class, gender, and other African foreigners. Mental slavery can only be removed when individuals have open minds, embrace education and follow the path of redemption. There are close to 40 million black people in South Africa, and they no doubt have the power to make a radical change from social division and poverty. By staying bound by false promises of the ANC government, there is no awareness of how powerful the masses stand as they consciously remain frightened to reach out to genuine democracy. The majority need to cast away the fear of the unknown and move away from the comfort zone.
The fear of reprisals and exclusions should remain in the past. The majority need to blow the whistle on looting and corruption in South Africa and the ANC government. They must take a new direction, and use the community media, youth, and church groups to start a new democracy by encouraging truth, liberty and prosperity. Procrastination must stop, and the fear of the unknown should be embraced with dignity in order to move away from the mental status that keeps the majority in chains.
African history is written in the blood of heroes, and now is the time to make history, become dominant and break away from the code of history to write a new story. New ways must be found of progressing so that a future free from poverty, crime, and corruption and be embraced. The journey is long, the freedom is real and expectations begin with taking a small step to move away from white dependency, and dependency on the political largess of South Africa. South Africa is a rich country with a poor population.
Opinion by Laura Oneale
Edited by Jennifer Pfalz
Sources:
Southafricatoday: ANC Deception of Wanting Peaceful Reconciliation and Rebuilding
Interview with Menzi Solomon Shange
Southafricatoday: ANC Deception of Wanting Peaceful Reconciliation and Rebuilding
Interview with Menzi Solomon Shange
PUBLISHED TODAY ON THE GUARDIAN LV
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