As South Africans, we need to acknowledge the fact that Apartheid exists without pretending as if it does not. Nelson Mandela and Albetina Sisulu knew and fought Apartheid at home, in Africa. It was a time full of pain, Apartheid created strong currents of pain. Today we survived and everything is well, because of people like Mandela and Sisulu.

Today we live by making as few demands as possible. Yet, under the deceptive peace around us we are more easily torn apart than those with the capacity to take in their stride the width and the reach of new horizons. Then what about rights? One of the most difficult rights to enforce by law is the right we all have, to be treated equally and with respect. There can be a gap between the theory of equality and the practice of inequality.

My big question as a writer is: are we equal?

Nelson Mandela said: “In our society there are some people who are rich and some who are poor. Others have just enough for the things they need. Whether we are rich, poor or somewhere in between, poverty and inequality is an important issue for all of us.”

I asked myself, is South African society becoming more equal now that apartheid is over? My answer is, there is still inequality between the different population groups. There are rich and poor people within each population group. The gap between the rich and the poor is getting bigger within each group. Yes! That’s my answers.

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