At a delicate crossroad

SOUTH Africa officially turns 24 tomorrow. One score and four years remains a good landmark in anyone’s life, particularly for us, the Rainbow Nation, thrust into the world with so much promise on April 27, 1994.

Memories of the fairy tale come flooding back. Millions of South Africans of all creeds and colours, who had been at each other’s throats for decades, queueing as one, patiently and expectantly, to cast their votes for the new utopia.

They’re fond memories of being the new kid on the block, striding the globe like a colossus, morally and righteously. We remember the promise.

Those days are gone. In all those years we have done some things well and others appallingly badly. We still rejoice, hold hands and mourn together. We export our business and economic acumen. We supply food, goods, electricity and services to far and wide.

We are a nation of inconsistencies, of conflicting emotions. But, by and large, we remain the bright spark of the continent.

However, we have glaring shortcomings. While April 27, 1994 is still undoubtedly the most important day in our modern history, the economic underpinnings of apartheid have hardly shifted, leaving us with an incomplete revolution and, some warn, perched atop a ticking time bomb.

Inequality remains firmly entrenched, and racial inequality has hardly shifted by the emergence of the black middle class. Nor have dents been made against unemployment and poverty. We still have dreadfully high unemployment rates. Apartheid’s legacy is that white unemployment is below 8%, while 40% of the black majority is still jobless. The average black household still earns about one-sixth the annual income of the average white household.

Crime levels are still unacceptable – we still have one of the highest murder rates of any nation.

Racism has not evaporated, as a casual glance at our social media platforms will attest.

Our courtrooms are hearing cases that make any sensible person hang their heads in shame.

The ruling party is racked by internecine infighting, despite a new leadership.

The South Africa of 2018 is at a delicate crossroad.

However, there’s still a lot to celebrate about the triumph of 1994.