South Africa's Tipping Point
Not since the fall of apartheid have we seen such dark days in South Africa. For five days last week, parts of Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal were aflame with looting and violence. Attacks on crucial supply chain networks severely limited access to basic essentials such as bread, milk, and petrol, and stalled COVID-19 vaccinations. At least 212 people died, over 3,400 were arrested, and thousands of military personnel were mobilised. In this state of unrest, many elders were too afraid to leave their homes, forgoing medical care and food, in order to remain safe.
This spate of violence following the jailing of former President Jacob Zuma was not a coincidence. It started as a deliberate, orchestrated attempt by his supporters to flout the constitutional court’s power and undermine the legal system. He also exploited competing interests within the African National Congress (ANC) for his own political gain. But President Zuma is not the sole cause for the scale and magnitude of the social unrest. In reality, the kindling had been smouldering for generations and was exacerbated by the general lack of social welfare, particularly during the pandemic.
In South Africa’s 27 years as a democracy, leaders of the ANC have failed to deliver on their promise to transform the structures designed to brutalise and alienate Black South Africans, people of colour, and the millions of migrants living here without citizenship. Despite some progress, South Africa is experiencing unprecedented levels of social devastation, youth unemployment, starvation, and broken infrastructure, all while some political leaders engage in corruption and state capture to fill their coffers.
Moreover, the dynamics at play in South Africa right now are inextricably linked to the global political and economic systems that disenfranchise Black people, pit communities of colour against each other, and attempt to rob us of hope. These systems have created a global leadership vacuum and have left behind a body politic defined by scarcity. In this paradigm, there can be no wonder why people grab, take and hoard what they need in moments of crisis. Festering grief often manifests as rage.
For now, calm appears to be returning. The fires have quelled, the military is starting to be recalled, communities are starting to engage in clean-up efforts, and food distribution networks have been established. We however are left with the question: Where do we go from here? The truth is, we don’t know. What is clear is the aftermath of last week’s events will remain with us for a long time and we urgently need a new kind of leadership.
At AFRE, we’re holding space for the profound grief and loss so rife in this moment. We’re facilitating support to communities impacted by the duelling crises of COVID and social unrest. But most importantly, we are challenging ourselves to engage in radical and active hope. Hope that this moment of reckoning will bring a new, more equitable South Africa. Hope that South Africa can live up to her promise. Hope that a collective leadership rooted in justice, compassion and empathy; that practices reflection and endurance; and that respects the dignity and rights of all people, will emerge as the norm of South Africa’s civic life. We saw traces of this during the unrest and after, but community leadership, leadership in civil society, and leadership in the private sector will be critical for moving forward.
If you’d like to learn more, we’ve included some information below.
Batho Pele!
Resources
A Place Weeping, published in New Frame on 4 June 2021
A Moment of Rupture, published in New Frame on 13 July 2021.
We Cannot ‘Other’ This Crisis, published in Daily Maverick on 14 July 2021.
Rage as Love Under Duress, published in Africa Is A Country on 15 July 2021.
South Africa’s Gaping Wounds, published in Africa is A Country on 16 July 2021.
Header Images by Guilliem Sartorio/AFP; James Oatway/Getty Images; Shiraaz Mohamed/Daily Maverick; Sharon Seretlo/Gallo Images