Rainbow nation in turmoil

In reality, we are still living in the past and sabotaging the future. In the new South Africa, most citizens judge each other according to colour, race and gender. This rainbow nation is 50 shades of dark, not because of stage 4 load shedding but due to crime, corruption and underlying racism.

Gender-based violence, abuse, murder and kidnappings are becoming a daily phenomenon with little, to no justice.

Women and children are getting raped and killed by unemployed partners who use them as punching bags to relieve their frustrations of living in a country that is going nowhere at an alarming rate.

Being born in the ’90s meant my generation adapted to the new South Africa, with schools exposing us to people of colour at a very young age.

Sadly, 28 years into democracy, basic Tswana words learned in primary school are the only growth some born frees have in the new South Africa.

But counting to 10 in another language is simply not enough to contribute to a rainbow nation, nor does a lack of information, education and understanding.

It isn’t about what they are learning in history class but rather about what they learn at home.

In the news this year, we saw a protest at Jan Viljoen High School, the AfriForum case to appeal the ruling of the old SA flag classified as hate speech and the recent incident of racism at the Stellenbosch University.

Sadly, it seems not much has changed after 28 years of democracy. We are still arguing about who were the first people in South Africa and continue to blame settler Jan van Riebeeck for everything from unemployment to apartheid.

Three decades of democracy can be summed up as load shedding, state capture and a 35% unemployment rate.

Again, it was all Van Riebeeck’s, the Guptas’ and Jacob Zuma’s fault.

Isn’t it time to leave the past in the past and wake up and smell reality?

Black and white people are currently unemployed, underpaid, under pressure and in equal danger. Murderers and criminals are also white and victims are also black.

The BEE policy and bursaries have not made up for the white privilege of the apartheid government. If there is something South Africans are good at, it is division among our racial, gender and religious groups.

Recently, an incident of this division was seen among born free students who humiliated and bullied a fellow student at the Stellenbosch University over a racial incident.

A white student urinating on a black student’s belongings sparked a protest and a national outcry for justice to be served.

It also opened a can of worms of more allegations of racial incidents within the institution that already had a reputation for being in the media for the wrong reasons.

The white student urinating on the black student’s property was shocking but not surprising, considering each person reading this is likely to know a racist, is a racist or is a victim of racism.

Whether it is your uncle, grandmother, husband or brother, someone you know either still uses the k-word, or makes borderline racist comments.

Instead of fighting against Afrikaans, the government should empower the other languages.

The power to empower citizens is in the hands of the government and the departments who, instead of serving the people, contribute to the problem.

This creates further division and undermined the growth of the country financially, economically, politically and morally.

It all boils down to the foundation. What is taught at home and how is this reflected in the outside world?

Three decades of democracy can be summed up as load shedding, state capture and a 35% unemployment rate.