Apartheid has re-articulated itself in the democratic dispensation: Analyst

While South Africa gained political independence in 1994 when apartheid rule came to end, Political Analyst Angelo Fick is of the opinion that apartheid “re-articulated itself” since then. 

He says this can be seen in the inequalities of contemporary South Africa in economic terms and largely so because African National Congress (ANC) policies articulated neo-liberalism. 

“Think of the [Thabo] Mbeki years. Think of what we have seen around the globe, including South Africa over the last five years alone, where profits are chosen over people. The investors who invest in corporations tend to take away huge amounts of profits and senior managers and executives are paid huge bonuses, but ordinary workers have seen stagnation in real income and their ability to spend in relation to inflation,” he argues. 

Apartheid has re-articulated itself in the democratic dispensation. That’s according to Angelo Fick who argues this can be seen in how profits are chosen over people – issues the #ANCPolicyConference should be grappling with. #SABCNews #ANCpolicy pic.twitter.com/JNahz5sWPo

— Sipho King K Kekana (@KingKAzania) July 31, 2022

Fick was speaking on the sidelines of the sixth ANC National Policy Conference which has entered its final day at the Johannesburg Expo Centre in Nasrec.  

The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) have for a very long time preached that South Africa needed to start building a socialist future in which everyone shared in the wealth of the country. In so doing, they have suggested that South Africa should look in the direction of countries like China for ideas. 

MALEMA: China must unapologetically lead a new socialist world order devoid of imperialism, imperialist wars and dispossession of the powerless. #EFFTurns8

— Economic Freedom Fighters (@EFFSouthAfrica) July 26, 2021

However, Fick says while a post-capitalist order is necessary, China also has its own problems. 

The EFF has suggested that perhaps to replace capitalism, SA should look in the direction of China. Angelo Fick, while he agrees the #ANCPolicyConference needs to consider a post-capitalist order, the Chinese model has its own problems. #SABCNews #ANCpolicy pic.twitter.com/9uWOG90olA

— Sipho King K Kekana (@KingKAzania) July 31, 2022

Fick has warned that a country should not be run like a business. He argues that if a country is run like a business it is the poor of the country who will suffer because the elites will always choose profits over people.

A country should not be run like a business, says Angelo Fick. He argues that if a country is run like a business it is the poor of the country who will suffer because the elites will always choose profits over people. #SABCNews #ANCPolicyConference #ANCpolicy pic.twitter.com/kN6J92Ls1S

— Sipho King K Kekana (@KingKAzania) July 31, 2022

He says a post-capitalist order is absolutely necessary for the survival of the human species and all species.

A post-capitalist order is absolutely necessary for the survival of the human species and all species, says Angelo Fick, speaking on the sidelines of the #ANCPolicyConference currently underway at the Johannesburg Expo Centre in Nasrec. #ANCpolicy #SABCNews pic.twitter.com/5cvDoV7nJx

— Sipho King K Kekana (@KingKAzania) July 31, 2022

The Director of Research at ASRI on Friday pointed out that the successes of the colonial and apartheid farming in South Africa were a myth. 

He says it is no longer a tenable position for government to regard as untouchable the thorny issue of land reform, which has largely become lip service.   

“There were records of spectacular failure,” says Fick.

“Land reform is absolutely needed and for a variety of reasons. Put the economic reasons aside, all the people of South Africa need to have a sense of belonging. And you can’t have a sense of belonging if your tenure on the land is threatened by people who own it, who have the power to remove you from it or the people who administer it on behalf of the state can remove you as traditional authorities,” he says. 

“It’s a myth that colonial and apartheid farming in SA was successful. There were records of spectacular failure,” says Angelo Fick, stating it’s untenable to regard the issue of land reform as untouchable. #SABCNews #ANCPolicyConference #ANCpolicy pic.twitter.com/Zcobdr43YQ

— Sipho King K Kekana (@KingKAzania) July 29, 2022