We've come a long way but still have far to go
The upcoming celebration of 30 years of freedom and democracy in 2024 provides South Africans from all walks of life the chance to reflect on what it was like to have lived in apartheid South Africa. It is also an opportunity to reflect on the changes that have taken place since 1994, the challenges that remain, and the way forward for the country.
We have made significant progress in transforming the apartheid state into a democratic one founded on the values of human dignity, nonracialism and non-sexism, the rule of law, and universal adult suffrage, as enshrined in the Constitution.
We have created a vibrant democracy where the lives of all people are valued, and indeed protected by democratic institutions. The independence of our democratic institutions, which is guaranteed by the separation powers is a hallmark of our democracy.
Living in South Africa in 2023, it is however easy to forget just how different life was prior to 1994. In 1994, the new democratic government inherited a society with gross inequalities across every aspect of life as a result of apartheid’s policies that systematically excluded black South Africans to the fringes of society.
Basic needs were neglected, and things we now take for granted such as access to water, electricity, housing, education and healthcare were mostly unavailable for the majority. Every part of society back then was highly fragmented and structured to serve only a small portion of the population.
This was the stark reality faced by the democratic government in 1994, and since then we have worked to ensure that the basic needs of people are met by providing housing, water, electricity and telecommunications.
The stark disparities at the time were brought to light by the first democratic Census in 1996, which showed that of the 6,5 million households headed by black Africans, 2,8 million used electricity, 2,5 million used candles and 1,1 million used paraffin for lighting.
The results from Census 2022 shows that the proportion of households using electricity as the main source of energy for lighting now stands at 94,7 percent, and the use of paraffin and candles, which was a mainstay for many prior to 1994 has markedly decreased to almost negligible levels.
A similar picture emerges in water and the results from Census 2022, show that over four-fifths, 82,4 percent of households in the country had access to piped water either inside their dwelling or inside their yard.
In 1996 only 31,1 percent of black African-headed households had access to a flush or chemical toilet. While in
2022 people who had access to a flush toilet stood at 70.8 percent.
These and many others are some of the material changes that have occurred over the past 29 years, and we should rightly be proud of the progress we have made as a young nation.
Another major success of the democratic government has been the expansion of our social welfare net, and major advances in health and education. The Census 2022 results show that our social welfare system has made a huge difference in the lives of the poorest households, especially schoolchildren by ensuring that no one slips below a minimum standard of living.
Our basket of social services includes free basic services, education and social housing for the poor, as well as an extensive social security grants system.
We have also ensured that we implement a health system that is responsive to the needs of people. We have the world’s largest HIV treatment programme, and millions of South Africans who previously had no hope now live productive lives due to our massive rollout of ARV treatment. Treatment has led to an increase in life expectancy and low levels of mother-to-child HIV transmission rates.
The strides we have made in education and literacy have also been remarkable. In 1980, the overall literacy rate in South Africa stood at only 76.2 percent, while In 2021, the literacy rate in South Africa reached 95.33 percent. The matric pass rate in 1995 was only 53.4 percent and increased to 80.1 percent in 2022, and in 2021 an incredible 256 031 (36,4 per cent) of learners obtained a Bachelor level pass. It is also notable that enrolment in public universities has increased from 494 356 in 1994 to over a million in 2023.
This is not to pretend that we still have deep challenges facing us. The triple challenge of poverty, inequality and unemployment remain our biggest challenges. We must not forget the devastation imposed on our society and government by HIV/AIDS, Covid-19, the state capture years and international conflicts that have shaken our economy. Corruption from both private and public sectors continue to rob our society of real development.
While we know that more must still be done to meet the ambitious targets we have set for ourselves, the progress we have made shows that our development is not by chance, but rather by design from government programmes since 1994. Despite the many headwinds we have faced, especially since COVID-19 we remain a society on the move.
Of course, our trajectory since 1994 has not been without many challenges. But, what has remained clear is the ability of South Africans to rise above adversity and to pull together in our darkest hours.
The story of South Africa has always been about our people and now more than ever the collective future resides in the hands of the people. While addressing a rally in Durban, on 25 February 1990, former President Nelson Mandela once famously said:
“Since my release, I have become more convinced than ever that the real makers of history are the ordinary men and women of our country. Their participation in every decision about the future is the only guarantee of true democracy and freedom.”
These powerful words are a reminder that democracy has always been about the people, and citizens are at the heart of making it stronger. Let us therefore reflect on our 30-year journey and together find ways to take our nation to even greater heights.
Previously published on TimesLive website. ❖
Tasneem Carrim is the Chief Director Policy and Research at the GCIS.