A case study of South Africa

A community is a group of people sharing common characteristics or interests and perceiving itself as distinct in some respect from the larger society within which it exists (Dictionary.com). As the definition infers, people are the backbone of a community and their synchronization is essential for co-operation towards achieving common interests and prosperity. When this synchronization is intentional, it can be referred to as community building. Community building is all about bringing people together and creating a sense of togetherness (meltingspot). When this process is done on a national level, it can be referred to as nation-building. Nation-building is the process whereby a society comes together within the boundaries of a sovereign state with a unified constitutional and legal dispensation, a national public education system, an integrated national economy, shared symbols and values, as equals, to foster unity and promote a countrywide conscious sense of being a proud citizen (DSAC). This article argues that to a large extent, community building is a worthwhile process.

The first way that community building is important is for the creation of social cohesion and a singular identity with which everyone can identify. Without this, co-operation towards common goals is next to impossible and so it is a necessary step to be taken by any leadership. In addition to this, it is indispensable for the purpose of ensuring all minority groups in a community feel included, are recognized and are supported. In South Africa, after the apartheid era that ended in 1994, South Africa was a divided state. The Group Areas Act of 1950 divided the lands in which blacks and whites resided into distinct residential zones. This act established the distinct areas of South Africa in which members of each race could live and work, typically setting aside the best urban, industrial, and agricultural areas for whites (sahistory.org.za). The Immorality Act of 1950 prohibited interracial sex (sahistory.org.za). The pass laws required black South Africans over the age of 16 to carry a pass book, known as a dompas, everywhere and at all times. As a result of these and other laws, South Africa’s was a tumultuous history filled with wars against each other, the most vivid forms of discrimination ever seen globally and hatred. There was a need to attempt to resolve these differences and create unity. Without addressing the historic injustices and forging peace amongst all groups, South Africa would not prosper. A newly elected government under Nelson Mandela in 1994 therefore took on a nation-building project (Herron). The Truth and Reconciliation Commission was established in 1995 to facilitate reparations, trials and exhumation (Herron). The sumptuous President’s Fund was also set up to implement community-based redress by doing things like educating some victims’ children (Herron). This example shows that the newly elected government of South Africa identified an immediate need for community building and therefore embarked on such a project. The evident need to create social cohesion so that South Africa could move on as a country shows the profound importance of community building. It is clear that community building is needed.

Community building can be done in a number of ways. One way of community building is to forge ways to come to terms with history and attempt to redress past injustices. This was the sole purpose of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission mentioned above headed by Archbishop Desmond Tutu (Herron). Many more processes can be used for community-building. However, they all have one thing in common and that is the creation and amplification of an overarching identity. First of all, legislative tools can be used. The first democratic elections held in the country in 1994 laid the foundation for lots of more nation building work to come (dpme.gov.za). The creation of a government selected by the people and whose responsibility is the people enhanced the common identity and increased social cohesion (dpme.gov.za). At the head of this government was Nelson Mandela who was widely accepted by all groups in South Africa and this also was central to the new identity (dpme.gov.za). The Truth and Reconciliation Commission set up by Nelson Mandela’s government then eased the nation into the process of creating social cohesion (usip.org). By 1996, South Africa had a firmly established national territory, a new constitution, national flag, national anthem and a coat of arms, and these also laid the foundation for the creation of an all-encompassing national identity (dpme.gov.za). As Deputy President Thabo Mbeki delivered his speech at the presentation of the new South African Constitution on 8^th May 1996, he painted a picture of the new South Africa where everyone co-existed in harmony, all the oppressors were forgiven and no man was above another (Drum Digital). This constitution which he presented recognized eleven official languages as a way of building this overarching identity thus laying a foundation for inclusivity for all in South Africa regardless of race (dpme.gov.za). Since then, South Africa has been widely regarded as the rainbow nation because of how inclusive its constitution is. Here, we see how legal and legislative tools were used to build the South African Community. We can also see that, sports, arts and culture can be used to build community. The mission of the Department of Sport, Arts and Culture (DSAC) is to transform the delivery of sports, arts and culture by ensuring equitable access, development and excellence at all levels of participation and to harness the socio-economic contributions that can create a better life for all South Africans (Gov.za). It oversees the establishment and protection of heritage sites and the promotion of sports as a force to unify people (Gov.za). When Siya Kolisi hoisted the trophy from the Rugby World Cup over his head to thunderous applause, the symbolism was hard to miss. For black rugby players and fans South Africa’s World Cup win confirmed something they’d spent years trying to convince their families and neighbors. Rugby didn’t just belong to white people anymore. When apartheid ended at last in the early 1990s, sports were seen as an equally important turf for reconciliation (csmonitor.com). But even as successive governments forced professional teams to field more black players, the highest echelons of the sport were still fed mostly by disproportionately white suburban prep schools (csmonitor.com). This leads me to believe that community building is a dynamic process and is carried out via multiple fronts. It is clear that so much effort and strategy has to go into community building.

Does it work? Does it result into social cohesion as intended? On the one hand, massive leaps and strides can be made towards achieving this social cohesion and the intentions behind it are absolutely relevant. As has been illustrated above, community building has so many pros. On the other hand, not everyone can always feel included and recognized (sabcdigitalnews). Some people may not feel the effects of these processes. Moreover, achieving social change at a grand level is an extremely difficult and slow process (Wilson Center). Calling South Africa’s constitution the most inclusive in the world whitewashes the suffering of those who may not agree. Despite apparently having the best constitution, it is still the most economically unequal country in the world (sabcdigitalnews). Firstly, scholars argue that South Africa’s constitution attempts to ignore the fact that so many people were forcefully dispossessed and displaced to accommodate foreigners. To create a constitution that attempts to ignore all the past evils and injustices that occurred to minorities is to instead bury underlying problems (sabcdigitalnews). As of 2017, over 73.3% of the farm land in South Africa was owned by whites and yet the constitution already recognizes whites as equal citizens (Crowley). It would be really hard to dispossess the whites from their land to compensate the black people whose ancestors were moved to homelands. And yet this perpetuates the injustice that happened to the blacks. It is clear that not everyone can be satisfied by nation building. In 2018, the South African government in fact explored the possibility of displacing without compensation. The African National Congress and the Economic Freedom Fighters called for the expropriation of land without compensation. They established an ad hoc Constitutional Review Committee, comprised of different political parties, to “review and amend section 25 of the Constitution to make it possible for the state to expropriate land in the public interest without compensation” (News24). Furthermore, 28 years down the road since this nation-building process was undertaken and still inequality is grand and social cohesion is only an attempt to swallow the hard truth that change will take really long and to come to terms with the status quo. This leads me to believe that social building, just like any other social change, is not the most effective of processes despite its necessity.

So, the big question is, ‘Is community building worthwhile?’ Yes. Without a doubt, the first step to achieving social change is to seek social change. Despite the fact that so many loopholes can be pointed out within the South African community building process, it is still a big factor that has created a sense of being a proud South African and has made significant strides toward creating social cohesion. Without it, so many people would still be in abject poverty and thus so many people have actually been helped to fit into community. As a Ugandan, I have seen processes of nation building happen through the emphasis on sports, creation of national committees for conflict resolution, making singing of the national anthem as well as hoisting the national flag compulsory at school assemblies. As a result, I believe that I am in many ways a proud Ugandan and I want to see the best for my country. It is a deliberate process in Uganda and I can see the effects in my attitudes and opinions. The sense of comradery among Uganda can be attributed to the common experiences we all share, many of which resulted from deliberate community building processes. For example, supporting our national team, national heritage sites, shared spaces and institutions and shared symbols. The progress made in South Africa as well as my personal experience convince me that community building is indeed worthwhile and that the shortcomings are simply areas for improvement. Despite the shortcomings, it should still be undertaken but efforts should be made towards resolving the loopholes in order to ensure maximum inclusivity.

WORK CITED:

Crowley, Kevin. “Whites Own 73% of South Africa’s Farming Land, City Press Says.” Bloomberg.com, Bloomberg, 29 Oct. 2017, https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2017-10-29/whites-own-73-of-south-africa-s-farming-land-city-press-says#:~:text=Some%2073.3%20percent%20of%20agricultural,democratic%20elections%2C%20the%20newspaper%20reported.

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dpme.gov.za, dpme.gov.za dpme.gov.za. “20 Year Review.” Department of Planning Monitoring and Evaluation, Republic of South Africa, Department of Planning Monitoring and Evaluation, Republic of South Africa, https://www.dpme.gov.za/news/Pages/20-Year-Review.aspx.

Gov.za, Gov.za Gov.za. “Sports, Arts and Culture.” South African Government, https://www.gov.za/about-sa/sports-arts-and-culture.

Herron, Brett. “Opinionista: What’s Happened to the R2bn in the Reparations Fund? the State Has Abandoned Our Nation-Building Project.” Daily Maverick, 8 Nov. 2022, https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/opinionista/2022-11-08-whats-happened-to-the-r2bn-in-south-africas-reparations-fund/.

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News24, News24. “Land Expropriation without Compensation: What Does It Mean?” News24, News24, 4 Mar. 2018, https://www.news24.com/news24/land-expropriation-without-compensation-what-does-it-mean-20180304-5.

Sabcdigitalnews, director. A Deeper Look | The South African Constitution and Its Limits. YouTube, YouTube, 26 Apr. 2022, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kLjSpqU5rF4. Accessed 1 Dec. 2022.

sahistory.org.za. “Apartheid Legislation 1850s-1970s.” South African History Online, https://www.sahistory.org.za/article/apartheid-legislation-1850s-1970s.

sahistory.org.za. “Pass Laws in South Africa 1800-1994.” South African History Online, https://www.sahistory.org.za/article/pass-laws-south-africa-1800-1994.

usip.org, usip.org usip.org. “Truth Commission: South Africa.” United States Institute of Peace, United States Institute of Peace, 26 Dec. 2021, https://www.usip.org/publications/1995/12/truth-commission-south-africa#:~:text=The%20Truth%20and%20Reconciliation%20Commission,1995%2C%20July%2026%2C%201995.

Wilson. “The Hard Realities of Nation Building.” Wilson Center, Wilson Center, https://www.wilsoncenter.org/article/the-hard-realities-nation-building.