What happened to reconciliation?

ON DECEMBER 16, the country commemorated the 24th anniversary of the Day of Reconciliation.

As usual, many South Africans celebrated this important day in our calendar with family and friends. Others were on holiday enjoying time off work.

Not many of us, though, took the time to really reflect on where we come from as a country, where we are now, and the direction we are headed. That is, many among us did not pause to ask, or even seek answers to, the question: What is the state of the reconciliation project in South Africa?

Do we, in the wake of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, still have reconciliation as a project to foster unity among South Africans?

The debate on the expropriation of land without compensation has exposed the deepseated ill feelings that many South Africans harbour that are not helpful for reconciliation. Or perhaps the debate on land reform has shown that we are not as united as we purport to be, and that the project of reconciliation may have died with Nelson Mandela.

South Africa, now more than before, needs leaders who will rise above our differences as people, and, like Mandela and other icons of democracy, remind us of our common humanity.

With a sad and painful history of colonialism and apartheid, South Africa needs leaders who will unite the nation instead of dividing it along racial, religious and gender lines.

The divisive rhetoric that has accompanied the debate on land is worrisome considering the strides that had already been made by the forebears of our democracy regarding reconciliation and unity.

We appear to have reverted to our small cocoons where it is all about “us” versus “them”. This, we know very well, is not going to help us to reconcile with one another, or unite.

As the land debate rages on, it would do us well to remember one of Mandela’s endearing quotes: “It is not our diversity which divides us; it is not our ethnicity, or religion or culture that divides us. Since we have achieved our freedom, there can only be one division among us: between those who cherish democracy and those who do not.”