Living in modern day, democratic South Africa it is often easy to forget about our fractured past and the real impact it still has on lives today. Although we have come a very long way in a reasonably short space of time, we were never going to erase hundreds of years of oppression overnight.
All South Africans over the age of 18 and above have a right to vote in an election. This right was not available to the majority of the people of this country before the new democratic dispensation in 1994.
All parents want the best for their children. We want them to go to well-functioning schools and get the best results so that they can be admitted to tertiary institutions. These schools not only prioritise academic achievements but also focus on the holistic development of children that includes sports, arts and cultural activities.
There was a time when HIV and AIDS was a deadly disease with no cure. It claimed countless lives, destroyed families and created despair. Back then, the commemoration of World Aids Day on 01 December was a sombre occasion; filled with tributes to people we had lost.
The release of the Census 2022 results recently show that South Africa is indeed making valuable progress in redressing our past on the education front and charting a better path for our children. While many challenges remain, no one can deny that we are on the path to reversing Apartheid’s evils.
To move our democracy and nation forward, we must eliminate discrimination on all grounds, including discrimination against people with mental illnesses which should be treated in the same manner as any other medical disorder.
