The whole recent drama about the assault of the academic prof. Anton van Niekerk at Stellenbosch University by the “far-right extremist” Abel Malan just goes to show how interpretations of apartheid still differ in South Africa amongst white folk. Apartheid was a political system. As such, it was developed by criminals (politicians). But it was the public at the time (whites) that gave them the mandate. At first, it was easy for the government to make the system work. However, as time went by, opposition to apartheid spiralled, from the perspective of the government, out of control. And the more the ‘reforms’ came forth, the more the violence and chaos spiralled out of control. And to white South Africans, it was the freedom movement that represented the danger, much more so than the government. One must remember how those in power were able to control and manipulate the white mind. In newspapers, on radio, television, research and with publications of books, strict control was applied. State propaganda was an everyday occurrence. Because of their limited contact with blacks, due to legislation, it was easy for white South Africans to be made to believe the lies of their own government, for example that the ANC is a communist organisation. One must not forget that white South Africans at the time were very much church going people, and a great part of state propaganda involved the fact that communism rejects God and religion.
Don’t these things make the whole debate of white guilt seem so amazingly trivial?
What apartheid became in the period following 1976, especially in the 1980’s, caught most whites off guard. When the hearings of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission took place, many white South Africans wrongly refused to take part wholeheartedly in the process, but most were genuinely shocked by statements made by the victims and the reports that were broadcasted into the world. A picture of broken families and unbelievable cruel violence emerged that was so disturbing to hear that many white South Africans turned a ‘blind’ ear.
It was the apartheid government’s politicians that ordered the biggest atrocities of apartheid and also kept it secret from white South Africans. Isn’t it ironic that not a single politician of that era ever paid a price for all their crimes?
The past still haunts South Africa today, and despite the fact that the country still has a very long way to go towards lasting reconciliation, South Africa remains in many ways a miracle country. If white South Africans have to stare themselves blind against their own guilt, then the new South Africa was certainly nothing ‘new’. This is not to say that mistakes must not be acknowledged, but the country today belongs to all who live in it. White South Africans fought colonialism in the same way that many black Africans did. The land is littered with their blood. Many have fled, but many knows no other home. It is good to be critical about the past, and as much about the present, but nobody should be made to dive forever into the bottomless pit of guilt. There is too much work to be done on the ground level to have people down there.
(538 Words)
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