Friday, April 5

South Africa: Apartheid today by David Van Wyk



This is the second time that the South African David Van Wyk is at this blog.
Apartheid is history for many people and the mainstream media doesn't report what is really happening in the country, or in any other country in Africa, or in any other country in the world.
Apartheid-era is not over.

What is astonishing is that all these questions can be made by people from other countries and, mutatis mutandis, the answers will be the same to the questions raised a this article.

The Fallacy of 'democracy'
by David Van Wyk

"When you drive through the streets of any South African city who is walking next to the streets? Are they white or black? Who are the pedestrians? When you look at the coffins called taxis, who is sitting in them? When you look at the public transport buses  who is using them? When you look at the mostly single occupants of private cars, the majority are? When you are in downtown Johannesburg among the street traders do you see many whites? When you go to Cresta Mall, Sandton Mall, East Gate Mall you will be excused for thinking whites are a majority in the country. Who continues to live in squatter camps? The spatial arrangements of Apartheid are still intact.

Did you know that it is still easier for a white kid with matric to find a job than what it is for a black kid with a degree? The same five global monopoly coal mine companies that dominated coal mining and exports under apartheid are still responsible for 80% of coal exports from this country.

Three global multinationals own and control more than 90% of platinum mining and exports from this country, the same three that did so under Apartheid. Yes there are one or two members of the ANC elite on the boards, but the majority of shareholders sit in London, Paris and New York. I would say that the capitalist ruling class, mostly foreign, are laughing all the way to the bank as they plunder this country's resources, while South Africans have been fooled into thinking that making a cross on a piece of paper is 'freedom.' Lobengula lost his land to Rhodes in the late 19th century by making a cross on a piece of paper." (emphasis added)

David van Myk M.D. is a professor of Sociology at the University of the North West Province and researcher for Bench Marks Foundation and Southern African Resource