Why South Africa is still so segregated
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Published 2021-04-12
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For decades, South Africa was under apartheid: a series of laws that divided people by race. Then, in the 1990s, those laws were dismantled. But many of the barriers they created continue to divide South Africans by skin color - which in turn determines their quality of life, access to jobs, and wealth. Racial division was built into the fabric of cities throughout South Africa, and it still hasn't been uprooted.
That's partly because, while apartheid was the culmination of South Africa's racial divisions, it wasn't the beginning of them. That story starts closer to the 1800s, when the British built a network of railroads that transformed the region's economy into one that excluded most Black people -- and then made that exclusion the law.
Sources and further reading:
If you want to learn more about the railroads and how they impacted Cape Colony’s economy, check out this paper by Johan Fourie and Alonso Herranz Loncan:
academic.oup.com/ereh/article-abstract/22/1/73/393…
To understand segregation in South Africa’s major urban centers, take a look at this paper about segregation and inequality:
www.seri-sa.org/images/SERI_Edged_out_report_Final…
For more information on post-Apartheid cities, you can read this paper by Edgar Pieterse (who we feature in the video):
www.africancentreforcities.net/wp-content/uploads/…
To explore the history and legacy of District Six, visit the District Six Museum website:
www.districtsix.co.za/
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All Comments (21)
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As a South African I can tell you that the divide between the poor and rich is stark, it's gigantic
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As a South African, I say that, our greatest failure is that we could not establish a professional, functioning government.
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As a South-African I would have hoped they mentioned how corrupt the government is and how they are the reason why we are spiraling out of control.
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My English grandparents, mother, and aunt lived in Port Elizabeth from early 1979 to the end of 1981 before returning to England. Part of the reason they did not stay was because of how upsetting they all found living with apartheid to be. My family is all white. My mother and aunt played with Afrikaaner, Coloured, and Black children, and did not understand why the White South African adults would hassle them. My mother actually learned to speak Xhosa fluently. I remember my grandmother telling me a story, that one day while in the family apartment, she was watching an enormous fire billow from the nearby Black community, and she called the fire brigade. She did not give them the exact address, but instead directed them to the nearest White house, in the hopes they would not stop to check whether the fire was actually within the White boundary. When the fire brigade arrived, they stopped at the boundary, hovered for about a minute, before switching off the sirens and returning to the station. Over a dozen people, including children, died in that fire. That was the moment my grandparents decided they could not raise their daughters in this country, even if returning to England meant my grandfather would be on the dole. Thinking of that fire still makes my Nan cry to this day.
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The black politicians that rule the country seem to have some really nice houses in gated communities - just saying
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As a person who’s never been to South Africa 🇿🇦 , I can confirm that I’ve never been to South Africa
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As a South African, it really does not have much to do with race but rather corruption, maladministration, nepotism, over-centralisation, ineptitude and mismanagement. Most private companies in South Africa are stable and able to grow through profit, despite tough economic conditions.
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Just a small correction, the Afrikaners do not descend just to Dutch but also French Huguenot and German.
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the fact that it’s literally separated by a little pathway
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As a Chinese guy working in the government of South Africa, I have to say the government is horrbly corrupt.
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As a Hungarian who works 9-5 at local restaurant, i can tell you. It is really concerning of the massive social gap in south africa. I hope they will get better.
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"But diversity is our strenght"
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As a South African I can say that the divide between the rich and poor is still as great as before. As an Indian whose parents grew up in very poor neighbourhoods I am very fortunate to have the life that I have but while a few managed to have a “new” life after apartheid most have not changed
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As an “upper class” POC in South Africa, I can tell you, it is very strange. I go to a private school where 99% of the students are white despite 70%+ of the country being black.
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This was the best video I’ve come across to explain what I didn’t know. I’m looking forward to my upcoming visit to the Mother Land
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This reminds me when I was in cape town in 2018 and I saw the houses for the rich and the slums on the other hand for the poor when I was on a tour. It just shows how much the country is truly messed up.
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At least our government is working super hard and doing everything in their power to fix these issues. Oh wait.....
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Yes, this is why education is so important. The ANC after thirty years of rule have not been able to do much except line their own pockets.
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First visited this country in 1985 , then again in 1995 I returned for the last time in 2014 what a shambles this country has turned into , I won’t be returning, such a beautiful country wasted 😞