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Julia Treuel
Many years ago, I was introduced to a book called Cry, the Beloved Country. Written by Alan Paton, it explores the story of a Zulu Pastor who travels to Johannesburg in search of his missing son, only to find that he has immersed himself in a world of crime. Soon after, the son is rightly convicted of murder and is sentenced to death, thus resigning the tale in a somewhat defeated sorrow.
Though there are numerous messages interwoven in the text, there is one that now stands pertinent in my mind. Regardless of the father's love, the criminal undercurrent so prevalent in South Africa superseded his efforts, eventually guiding the son into a dark and disparate fate. Certainly, there is an inextricable link between crime and apartheid and it is easy to see how the former is so strongly influenced by the latter. Oppression breads an anger and resentment all of its own, and this provides fuel for the smallest of fires. In the case of Cry, the Beloved Country, the son's racial scars were too deeply etched and so his father's attempts at salvation were futile.
The tragedy here is that this is not just a story of one individual. It is the story of millions of South Africans who have been gripped by the injustice of the apartheid regime. Many turn to crime because they have no other way of making a living, and to assume a position of power over others. Men, women and children are sexually abused in large numbers, spurred by a similar motive. As a direct result, the spread of HIV/AIDS is visibly rampant, though little consideration is given to this blight due to a lack of quality education. These factors combine to paint a bleak picture of post-apartheid South Africa and so the question is, how long does it take a people to recover from such oppression?
History tells us that it does not abate in one mere generation, or several for that matter. We need only look at the Australian treatment of the Aboriginal populace to recognize that acts of supremacy and segregation leave a lasting score, impacting the lives of those in its wake. Though the government has since instilled laws that protect the rights of these people, the sad reality is that many Aboriginals are unable to conform to the societal standards of the west. 40 years on from the Stolen Generation, many suffer from poor health, drug and alcohol abuse and meager education. Undoubtedly there are many other issues that have contributed to this reality but most, if not all, stem from the oppression experienced during this system. The scars that were inflicted by the Australian government have not healed easily and it may be many years before we bare witness to a positive but endemic shift.
This is also true in the case of South Africa and I am learning that change is in no way immediate. Having said this however, I understand the importance of planting seeds, no matter how small, in the hope that they one day blossom into something remarkable. Though apartheid has left an abominable legacy that will continue to defeat many, the road now needs to be paved for future generations. The effort may appear crippling but it pails in comparison to the reality of life without it.
In the words of the Zulu Pastor, 'Go well. Stay well.'
Let us fight his fight.
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