I grew up in Apartheid South Africa, AMA

[hagiasophia]

I was born in 1963 and so saw apartheid at its most divisive of peoples. I then saw the tinkling of apartheid in order to try and keep it going, and finally the collapse of the system and the first free elections.
I left SA in 2003.

I’m currently watching a documentary on Oscar Pistorius.
It seems that the background to the murder was totally significant: fear of violence from intruders; gun culture; the ending of apartheid while the black v white divide was still strong - do you think any of this played a part in what happened?

Why did you leave?

I certainly think that gun culture has increased almost exponentially amongst the population since the end of apartheid. Sure, guns were big before, but no where near the scale seen these days. RE that case, I could possibly see it playing a part.

I left SA due to the economy, and in particular what was an increasing feeling of being unsafe there.

Can I ask ... are you black or whit?

*white!

I'm white, my dad's family came to the Cape in the 1780s, my mum has a bit of Boer blood going to 1600s but otherwise her family came over in the 1880s

Would you go back?

I also grew up there although am not South African born. However when I left was just prior to the 1994 elections.

IMO Oscar Pistorius used the fear of violence as a potential get-out for what he did, and all the South Africans I know are of the opinion that he was always an arrogant, unpleasant arsehole who traded off his disability for sympathy.

There was a program last week where the presenter showed us a street in Durban. The houses were all large, gated and with CCTV, all owned by white people. The blacks were sometimes homeless, or often in huts with no facilities. They said nothing had changed since black rule took over. No wonder there is resentment and violence. Apparently 8% of the population is white, but owns 70% of the land.

hmm, but many land owners lost their houses didnt they?

www.independent.co.uk/news/world/africa/south-africa-white-farmers-plaasmoorde-cyril-ramaphosa-anc-economic-freedom-fighters-gabriel-stols-a8262306.html

Were you aware of the unfairness of it growing up, or did you accept it as "normal"/ "The way things are"?