Post-Apartheid South Africa: The Great Exodus

On May 10, 1994, Nelson Mandela was elected president of South Africa. Three decades later, what is happening in the country? The story of two young people describes an unstoppable 'brain drain.' (original article) https://shorturl.at/sAKT3

On May 10, 1994, with the election of Nelson Mandela as president, South Africa embraced a period of great hope and change. The end of apartheid marked the beginning of a democratic journey for a renewed, inclusive, and fair society, with dreams of overcoming decades of injustices and racial divisions.

However, over the last thirty years, the path towards these radical changes has been strewn with obstacles. The country has faced economic stagnation, rampant corruption, and crime, within an increasingly polarized political context.

Unemployment remains high, especially among the youth, and promises of equitable resource distribution have not been kept, leaving widespread poverty in their wake.

Urban and rural violence, along with scandals, continue to dominate headlines, eroding trust in the government's ability to protect and serve its citizens.

Currently, South Africa is home to about 2.9 million legal immigrants, but the wave of xenophobia and social tensions have intensified, partly due to the impact of illegal migrants. At the same time, there has been a steady reverse flow, a flight, particularly among the white population to countries like the United Kingdom, Australia, and the United States, often motivated by disillusionment with the new government, contributing to a progressive distancing of the white population from the country, with significant reflections on the economy and social fabric.

Take the illustrative case of Johan and Thandi, both raised in the coastal town of Durban. Johan is an engineer, the son of immigrants from late-nineteenth-century Europe. On the other side, there is Thandi, a recently specialized doctor, one of the first black female doctors of Sotho ethnicity to complete her studies.

Johan's family benefited from apartheid policies, having access to quality resources and education, but its end opened a period of uncertainty for the white population. Johan witnessed the birth of democracy with Mandela's election on May 10, 1994, perceiving it as a renewal, even though his family maintained some privileges inherited from the past.

Over the years, he has seen improvements in interracial dialogue, noting increased cooperation among communities, but he has also confronted the growing corruption that has hindered the country's growth. This situation makes him increasingly frustrated with institutions unable to completely eliminate inequalities.

Thandi, however, had a deeply marked childhood, though she always dreamed of becoming a doctor to help her community. With the end of apartheid, she was able to do so, thanks to new policies of inclusion and scholarships open to all. Thandi has worked and studied hard to overcome the barriers set before her. Despite her success, she has experienced the persistent inequality and xenophobia that still undermine social cohesion.

Every day, during her shifts, she sees the results of violence, the disparities in the healthcare system, and the impact of politics on the quality of care; facts that are further exacerbated by violence against foreign immigrants seeking new opportunities.

Faced with this, and despite their different backgrounds, both Johan and Thandi are contemplating the possibility of leaving South Africa.

The uncertainty about the future economy and the government's inability to manage violence are pushing Johan towards job opportunities in Australia, as the only way to ensure a better and safer life for his family.

Thandi, on her part, tired of the continuous struggle for adequate resources in the healthcare sector and concerned about social instability and violence, sees emigration as the only viable way to practice her profession in a more stable and supportive environment.