Apartheid: A Genocide And Crime Against Humanity

The notion as to whether the system of Apartheid is or was really a crime and genocide inflicted on humanity in South Africa cannot be doubted or debated by a person of sounding consciousness.

While remarking on the same matter, the last president of the Apartheid government Mr Frederik Willem de Klerk argued and said that it has never addressed his mind that apartheid was really a crime against humanity.

de Klerk’ statement has aggravated the wounds and the scars of those who were and still suffer from the effects of the repressive system(apartheid) not only in South Africa but Africa and the world at large.

President de Klerk through his de Klerk foundation has apologised and retracted the statement, but many, especially black South Africans argue that the apology made by Mr de Klerk has come too late, and therefore the former president of the post-Apartheid regime must be stripped off his Nobel Prize Award of being a peace maker.

A few weeks ago, president Mr Cyril Ramaphosa while addressing a gathering to mark the release of Nelson Mandela from prison after 27 years, argued that it wasn’t out of mercy, remorse or gentlemanship by Mr de Klerk over Mandela’s release from the prison, but rather it was due to pressure and struggle of the masses.

The apartheid system didn’t only affect black South Africans; it also impacted greatly on other races including the whites themselves and the effects are still felt up to present day.

The mere fact that a man who was accorded a Nobel prize can still argue and possess a different position about apartheid; it’s enough to justify how it greatly impacted negatively on the entire society of South Africa.

The South African government has put stringent laws and measures to curb all kinds of prejudice and discrimination. However, little or no meaningful impact has been realised in the last twenty years of independence.

The issue of land is not yet solved, the economy is in the hands of the white minority, blacks who are the majority cannot afford quality education, basic necessities and the rate of unemployment is at a very alarming stage.

Apartheid was really a crime beyond the South African borders; people of Mozambique for example lost their president Samora Machel whose plane was downed by apartheid South Africa. Machel was a true son of Africa who supported the struggle of the black people of South Africa.

Robert Mugabe spent a good number of years in prison for fighting apartheid.

Many economies of African countries where greatly affected, Tanzania can be cited as an example.

Many South Africans didn’t acquire quality education, no exposure to outside world at all, not even travelling freely on their mother continent.

The effects of these inhuman practices can be realised up to present day, as some South Africans especially blacks have got a phobia about their fellow Africans.

South Africans are blamed for being xenophobic but apartheid is greatly to blame for cutting off ties with almost all countries in Africa.

South Africans were curtailed and never got a chance to venture into the mother continent or the world for that matter.

Blacks were made to think that no life beyond the borders, ironically, white people could freely travel in and out of the country without being questioned.

In a nutshell, the conception that apartheid was not a crime against humanity is wrong and irresponsible. The system was repressive and inhuman, it affected black people in South Africa, Africa and the world over, its effects can still be felt up to present day. Millions of people lost their lives, property and land, which they have never gained up today.

It is therefore justified to call apartheid a genocide and a heinous crime against humanity.

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By: Abubakar Sematimba