Nelson Mandela Rolls in his Grave

By Bill Curtis

Bill Curtis

A ripple shatters the force of Freedom. Nelson Mandela rolls in his grave. The African National Congress (ANC) has formed a coalition with the White racists’ parties in South Africa, disregarding the Black progressive parties.

  In 1994, radical Apartheid government “officially” ended in South Africa and the people elected Nelson Mandela President. Yet over the past 30 years the ANC has not radically improved the lives of Blacks. It is embarrassing and downright stupid. People sacrificed their lives to defeat Apartheid.

  “As of 2023, around 18.2 million people in South Africa are living in extreme poverty, with the poverty threshold at 1.90 U.S. dollars daily. This means that 162,859 more people were pushed into poverty compared to 2022”, writes Natalie Cowling, a research expert on South Africa. Additionally, the World Bank reports that “South Africa is one of the most unequal countries in the world.” Approximately 55.5 percent (30.3 million people) of the population is living in poverty at the national upper poverty line while a total of 13.8 million people (25 percent) are experiencing food poverty.

  As per its own Freedom Charter Principles, the ANC miserably failed to radically improve living conditions for the masses of Black South Africans. A blind man could see that this is not the look of Freedom in their lifetimes.

  Minority White South Africans and capital still control and dominate the economy, banks, mines, industry, and land. The May 29, 2024, elections witnessed the ANC for the first time lose its majority in the South African Parliament.

  Instead of reaching out to Black progressive political parties and negotiating a power sharing deal, the ANC reaches out to the racist White political parties and forms a coalition. It is the story of the fox carrying the scorpion on its back to cross the river. The scorpion will sting the ANC to death. It is the nature of a scorpion. Yes! Mandela is rolling in his grave.

 Bill Curtis follows progressive developments in emerging national politics in African countries. His work has appeared in the Baltimore Afro-American; Baltimore Times; Baltimore Sun; African-American News & World Report; San Francisco Bay View; Weekly Challenger (FL); Urban Star; Consciousness Newsletter; Positive Quotes for Affirmative Living; and Financial Independence Magazine. He graduated Frostburg State University. Email him: NowThisIdea@gmail.com