Places and forms of power : south Africa

Let me introduce the notion “Places and forms of power”. To illustrate this notion, let me talk

about the rainbow Nation, the South Africa. This nickname was chosen because the different

colours of the rainbow refer to the different skin colours of the people of South Africa. The

rainbow is a positive symbol of hope for a multicultural society where people can live

together in harmony.

But we can wonder: If it isn’t only an illusion?

I – APARTHEID

From 1948 to 1990’s, South Africa was hit by the Apartheid. In fact, the National Part came

to power after a white only election. The government implanted a series of low to reduce

black people’s rights. White people were considered as more important and lack people were

considered as second class citizens. Whites and blacks were totally separated.

Because of the laws, each black person was given a “passbook”, a passport to justify his or

her presence in a “white” neighbourhood. They had to show it to the police or they’d be sent

to prison. Passbooks were the symbol of inequalities between blacks and whites, as whites

could go wherever they wanted while blacks had to stay in “blacks” areas.

The political of the black majority organisations have been banned, like the African National

Congress. Nelson Mandela’s political party was forbidden in 1960.

There is no room for counter-power but oppression.

In class, we saw a cartoon “What’s apartheid” shows a little girl who asks what apartheid is.

The old lady answers that apartheid is segregation, but the girl doesn’t understand. The

message is that apartheid is so stupid that it’s impossible to explain or to justify today.

II – FROM REBELLION TO RECONCILIATION

The rebellion starts whit Nelson Mandela’s head. He is an emblematic figure if anti-apartheid.

He opened the first black law practice to defend the rights of the black people. He joined the

ANC and organized non violent resistance. He was soon considered an enemy of the

government. He was arrested in 1962 and was sentenced to jail where he spends 27 years.

He was released in 1990 and became the first black President of South Africa in 1994.

Fortunately some whites have mobilized against apartheid. One of them is Afrikaner poet

and novelist Breyton Breytonbach. He wrote books to criticize apartheid. He was charged

with terrorism and spent 7 years in jail. Other artists,

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