Thank you Jay, for so eloquently sharing your experience. I'm from Cape Town and was in elementary school when Nelson Mandela was released. I remember it well, the sense that our parents were holding their breaths and waiting to see what would happen next is engraved in my memory. Thank you also for drawing the parallels with what has and is happening in the USA (a place I now call home). Living here with the perspective of apartheid and post-apartheid as my backdrop has been intensely frustrating at times. Why are we so unable/resistant to learn from history? Enjoy the rest of your trip. South Africa is an incredible country and I'm fiercely proud to be a South African.
There are many here who have failed to learn the lessons of the past and would gladly doom the whole lot of us to repeat them. I surely hope we can convince the true majority in the US to vote against their attempt in November.
Generations of people keep learning the very same lessons over again and again. People like Mandela, MLK, and Gandhi help us to move slightly along the continuum, dragging our human nature behind us like a ball and chain.
This one of the best accounts of the history I’ve read (and I haven’t finished it yet. I was so eager to respond that I just dove in with a comment.) Part of the history subsequent to this portion quoted below is something that I’d like to know the history of. How did the Nationalist Party go from not having a mandate or majority to, in later years, controlling every seat but one in the parliament?
“The Nationalists had actually failed to win the popular vote, even after running on a disgraceful campaign of fear, often citing the “Black Peril” to drive white anxiety. Despite the lack of any popular mandate, they moved to implement the core racist laws that later became the foundation of the apartheid system.”
The nation boomed economically—at least for the whites—as demand for natural resources surged. Apartheid was seen as working out well for the ruling caste, the only ones who could vote.
Thank you for taking time out of your travels to inform us of the hope of South Africa. I pray daily for equality here in this country for ALL people, especially children that are different from the ‘norm’ in any way. If SA could realize that dream, we can do it here, too.
Beautifully written, thank you. I hope that they can keep their democracy alive and healthy - and the rest of us who are blessed to live in one, keep ours, too.
Thank you for this. Just as Apartheid has been relegated to the ash heap of history, I am hoping the same will very soon be the end of the story for the MAGA movement and its “leader”.
Thanks for this Jay. One thing I remember from our visit to South Africa last year is that there USED to be communities where S Asians and Blacks lived. They were all moved out to towns in the interior (effectively concentration camps) and white razed all of their homes.
The other is that is just unconscionable that there are many hundreds of thousands of South African citizens living in actual shanty camps….with a blue Porta-John at the end of each block. Some of those shanties have a satellite dish on the roof (not many, but some). One woman said she skimped on other essentials because she wanted her daughter to know that “this is NOT all there is in the world”.
Yes, whole neighborhoods and towns even were bulldozed with no rights to those affected who had to relocate. It’s part of the economic pain that the country still endures.
Thank you very much, Jay. Incredibly moving. I’m hoping to replicate your journey soon since my Mum’s mother emigrated from England to Cape Town shortly after the war. Curious to see where Little Granny lived and died. And if I don’t make it, you’ve given me a good introduction anyway.
That's one helluva travel log. Beautifully written, thanks!
Thank you Jay, for so eloquently sharing your experience. I'm from Cape Town and was in elementary school when Nelson Mandela was released. I remember it well, the sense that our parents were holding their breaths and waiting to see what would happen next is engraved in my memory. Thank you also for drawing the parallels with what has and is happening in the USA (a place I now call home). Living here with the perspective of apartheid and post-apartheid as my backdrop has been intensely frustrating at times. Why are we so unable/resistant to learn from history? Enjoy the rest of your trip. South Africa is an incredible country and I'm fiercely proud to be a South African.
A difficult road which leads to the betterment of the whole world. Let freedom ring - everywhere.
Absolutely remarkable. Thank you for sharing this. It gives me hope.
There are many here who have failed to learn the lessons of the past and would gladly doom the whole lot of us to repeat them. I surely hope we can convince the true majority in the US to vote against their attempt in November.
Generations of people keep learning the very same lessons over again and again. People like Mandela, MLK, and Gandhi help us to move slightly along the continuum, dragging our human nature behind us like a ball and chain.
😭
Amen 🌊🌊🌊🌊
That must have been an incredibly moving experience for you and your sister. Thank you for sharing it with all of us.
This is a lovely and enlightening article. Thank you.
This one of the best accounts of the history I’ve read (and I haven’t finished it yet. I was so eager to respond that I just dove in with a comment.) Part of the history subsequent to this portion quoted below is something that I’d like to know the history of. How did the Nationalist Party go from not having a mandate or majority to, in later years, controlling every seat but one in the parliament?
“The Nationalists had actually failed to win the popular vote, even after running on a disgraceful campaign of fear, often citing the “Black Peril” to drive white anxiety. Despite the lack of any popular mandate, they moved to implement the core racist laws that later became the foundation of the apartheid system.”
The nation boomed economically—at least for the whites—as demand for natural resources surged. Apartheid was seen as working out well for the ruling caste, the only ones who could vote.
I think it was gerrymandering. There was a lot of white, including Afrikaner, opposition to that government.
Thank you for taking time out of your travels to inform us of the hope of South Africa. I pray daily for equality here in this country for ALL people, especially children that are different from the ‘norm’ in any way. If SA could realize that dream, we can do it here, too.
I agree with Sharon's hope here. Though it'll remain a hope until proven so. Thanks for the write up, Jay- Very interesting.
Beautifully written, thank you. I hope that they can keep their democracy alive and healthy - and the rest of us who are blessed to live in one, keep ours, too.
Lovely, heart-felt, and exceptionally well written. Thank you.
Thank you for telling this most important history. May we live our lives to make a positive difference in this world like Nelson Mandela.
Thank you for this. Just as Apartheid has been relegated to the ash heap of history, I am hoping the same will very soon be the end of the story for the MAGA movement and its “leader”.
Amen
and Amen again.
Thanks for this Jay. One thing I remember from our visit to South Africa last year is that there USED to be communities where S Asians and Blacks lived. They were all moved out to towns in the interior (effectively concentration camps) and white razed all of their homes.
The other is that is just unconscionable that there are many hundreds of thousands of South African citizens living in actual shanty camps….with a blue Porta-John at the end of each block. Some of those shanties have a satellite dish on the roof (not many, but some). One woman said she skimped on other essentials because she wanted her daughter to know that “this is NOT all there is in the world”.
Yes, whole neighborhoods and towns even were bulldozed with no rights to those affected who had to relocate. It’s part of the economic pain that the country still endures.
Thank you very much, Jay. Incredibly moving. I’m hoping to replicate your journey soon since my Mum’s mother emigrated from England to Cape Town shortly after the war. Curious to see where Little Granny lived and died. And if I don’t make it, you’ve given me a good introduction anyway.
Thank you Jay for sharing this history. What an amazing man!