MUHUYUWATHOMBA
SURNAME : makwarela
NAME : thabelo portia
SUBJECT : life orientation
GRADE : 12
SCHOOL : MUHUYUWATHOMBA
TABLE OF CONTENT
PAGES
COVER PAGE 1
TABLE OF CONTENT 2
INTRODUCTION 3
RACIAL INEQUALITY AND IMPACT OF RACISM 3
SOCIO-ECONOMIC CHALLENGES 4-5
EFFORTS ADDRESSING RACISM 5-6
QUESTIONARE 7
CONCLUTION 8
REFERRENCES 8
THE EFFECTS OF RACISM CONTRIBUTED TO THE CURRENT SOCIO-
ECONOMIC CHALLENGES FACED BY BLACKS IN SOUTH AFRICA
INTRODUCTION
Racism is a form of prejudice and discrimination based on the belief
that certain races are inherently superior or inferior to others. It
often manifests in behaviors and attitudes that marginalize and
oppress individuals or groups based on their race or ethnicity.
Racism can be both individual and systemic, with individual acts of
discrimination and bias contributing to larger societal structures and
institutions that perpetuate inequality.
Throughout history, racism has had a profound impact on societies
around the world, often resulting in violence, conflict, and social
unrest. In many cases, it has been used as a tool of oppression and
exploitation, perpetuating systems of inequality and privilege.
Despite progress in addressing racism in some parts of the world, it
remains a pervasive issue in many societies, affecting individuals
and communities in various ways. Efforts to combat racism include
education, advocacy, and policy reform to dismantle systems of
oppression and promote equity and justice for all.
The impact of racism in South Africa has been significant and far-
reaching. It has shaped the country's history and continues to affect
social, economic, and political structures. The system of apartheid,
which was implemented in 1948 and lasted until the early 1990s,
institutionalized racism and segregation, resulting in the
marginalization and oppression of the black majority. The legacy of
apartheid has had lasting effects on South African society, including
high levels of inequality, poverty, and violence. While progress has
been made since the end of apartheid, racism remains a persistent
issue in South Africa, and efforts to address it continue to be
necessary.
Under apartheid, black South Africans were subjected to a range of
discriminatory laws and policies, including forced removals from
their homes, limited access to education and healthcare, and
restrictions on their ability to vote and participate in political life.
These policies created deep-seated inequalities that persist to this
day, with significant disparities in income, education, and health
outcomes between different racial groups.
Apartheid, the government-enforced segregation and discrimination
against non-white people, came to an end in 1994 with the
introduction of a racially mixed, democratically elected parliament
under the leadership of Nelson Mandela. But although
discriminatory policies stopped being imposed by the government,
that unfortunately does not mean that racism vanished from the
country. In fact, South Africa remains the most racially unequal
country in the entire world.
The legacy of apartheid has had lasting effects on South African
society, including high levels of inequality, poverty, and violence.
Despite efforts to address these issues since the end of apartheid,
The residual effects of apartheid have had tremendous impacts on
the poverty rate, and the remnants of racial inequality in South
Africa are still playing a role in the nation’s economic structure to
this day and progress has been slow and uneven, with many black
South Africans continuing to face significant barriers to social and
economic mobility.
The impacts of racism in South Africa were profound and far-
reaching, affecting every aspect of society. The apartheid system
institutionalized racial segregation and discrimination, resulting in
significant economic, social, and political inequalities between the
white minority and the black majority.
Some of the key impacts of racism in South Africa include:
1. Economic inequality: The apartheid system created a highly
unequal economy, with black South Africans receiving lower wages
and having fewer economic opportunities than their white
counterparts. This led to pervasive poverty and unemployment
among black South Africans.
2. Social inequality: The apartheid system also created significant
social inequalities, with black South Africans facing discrimination in
education, healthcare, housing, and other areas. This resulted in
poor living conditions, limited access to basic services, and a lack of
political representation.
3. Political oppression: The apartheid government cracked down
harshly on any dissent, with political activists and opponents of the
regime subject to torture, imprisonment, and even assassination.
This created a climate of fear and repression that stifled political
expression and participation.
4. Human rights abuses: The apartheid regime committed
numerous human rights abuses, including forced removals,
extrajudicial killings, and torture. These abuses were well-
documented and contributed to the international condemnation of
the regime.
Racism in South Africa has also contributed to high levels of
violence and crime, particularly in urban areas. Many black South
Africans live in impoverished and overcrowded neighborhoods, with
limited access to basic services and infrastructure. These
conditions have contributed to high levels of crime, including violent
crime, which disproportionately affect black South Africans.
In addition to its social and economic impacts, racism has also had
significant political consequences in South Africa. The struggle
against apartheid was a key driver of the country's transition to
democracy in the early 1990s, and the legacy of that struggle
continues to shape political discourse in the country today. Despite
the formal end of apartheid, however, racism remains a persistent
issue in South African politics, with some political parties and
movements explicitly promoting racial divisions and exclusion.
Efforts to address racism in South Africa have been ongoing since
the end of apartheid, with the government and civil society
organizations working to promote equality and social justice. These
efforts have included initiatives to address economic inequality,
improve access to education and healthcare, and promote greater
social inclusion and diversity.
However, progress has been slow, and many South Africans
continue to face significant barriers to full participation in society.
Apartheid , the government enforced segregation and discrimination
against no white people, came to an end in 1994 with the
introduction of a racially mixed, democratically elected parliament
under the leadership of Nelson Mandela, but although
discriminatory policies stopped being imposed by the government
that unfortunately does not mean that racism vanished from the
country. In fact, South Africa remains the most racially unequal
country in the entire world.the residual effects of apartheid has had
tremendous impacts on the poverty rate, and the remnants of racial
inequality in South Africa are still playing a role in Nations Economic
Structure to this day.
Racism can have a devastating effect on the lives of those targeted,
they can suffer physically and psychologically, in addition to impacts
on their working lives, finances and social connectedness. Racist
incidents can have a negative impacts not only on an individual who
directly experienced it, but also on the persons family or even the
entire community, for example: travelers commit suicide at 6x the
rate of the settled population. Migrants suffer 10x the rate of post
traumatic stress disorder due to trauma discrimination and other
identity-based factors.
QUESTIONARE
Interviewee number 1
Name : Masala Olugaho
Age: 20
Number phone: 060 1282 154
Questions:
1. What is racial inequality
-racial inequality is the unequal distribution of resources, power and
economic opportunity across race in society.
2. What are the social economic challenges.
-low gross domestic product and high levels of unemployment.
3. What factors contribute to socio economic status.
- socio economic status is a complex concept that involves
education and income.
Interviewee number 2
Name : Tshamano Lindiwe
Age: 23
Number phone: 072 1196 145
Questions:
1.What is racial inequality
-Racial inequality is a set of ideas and practices that is informed by
perceived racial differences
2.What are the social economic challenges.
-Inflation driven higher interest rate and constraining spending
3.What factors contribute to socio economic status.
-Opportunities afforded to people within society
CONCLUSION
In conclusion, the impacts of racism in South Africa were severe
and long-lasting, and continue to be felt by many South Africans
today. While progress has been made in addressing these issues
since the end of apartheid, much work remains to be done to
ensure true equality and justice for all South Africans and the
impact of racism in South Africa has been profound and far-
reaching, shaping the country's history and continuing to affect
social, economic, and political structures. Addressing the legacy of
apartheid and promoting greater social inclusion and equality
remains a key challenge for South African society, requiring ongoing
efforts and commitment from all sectors of society.
REFERENCE
1. "How to Be an Antiracist" by Ibram X. Kendi - In this book, Kendi
offers a new way of thinking about racism and provides concrete
steps for individuals to take to become antiracist.
2. "White Fragility: Why It's So Hard for White People to Talk About
Racism" by Robin DiAngelo - This book examines the ways in
which white people often react defensively to discussions of race,
and provides insights into how to engage in productive
conversations about racism.
3. “South Africa’s Racial past” by PAUL MAYLAM
4. “THE NATIONAL ACTION PLAN AND STRATEGY TO COMBAT
RACISM”https://www.gov.za/sites/default/files/gcis_document/2019
03/national-action-plan.
5. FOCUS HISTORY: GRADE 12: LEARNER'S BOOK - CAPS
COMPLIANT by M. Fernandez, L. Wills, P. McMAHON, S. Pienaar,
Y. Seleti, M Jacobs, Maskew Miller Longman Pty.Ltd ,South Africa
2013
