Afrika Nå: 30 years since Apartheid in South Africa

Afrika Nå

30 years ago - in 1994, the first mixed-race election in South Africa's history was held. The African National Congress (ANC), led by Nelson Mandela, won in a landslide. Since then, the ANC has continued to win the elections, and has remained the ruling party in South Africa. In May this year, the dissatisfaction over lack of progress led to the ANC for the first time ever receiving less than 50% of the votes. August 28th, The Norwegian Committee for Africa and Norwegian People’s Aid invites you to a seminar about South Africa in the 30 years since Apartheid, and the way ahead for the country in Boksen at Kulturhuset. Did ANC keep their promises, and has South Africa become the inclusive and rainbow coloured society people were sold in 1994? In the panel we have with us Thapelo Mohapi, Secretary General of Abahlali baseMjondolo, a South African organisation that works with shackdwellers right to land and housing, xenophobia and other forms of discrimination in South Africa. Last year, Amnesty International organised a petition to pressure the South African police to investigate harassment and killings of leaders and members in Abahlali - that forced Thapelo to go into hiding. We also have with us Zanele Baqwa, one of Norway’s most prominent anti-apartheid activists. Zanele grew up in South Africa during Apartheid, before moving to Norway in 1965, where she became central in the European mobilisation against apartheid. In 1994, after apartheid ended, Baqwa returned to South Africa to work as a psychiatrist, but has since found her way to Norway again. Liv Tørres is the international secretary of the Norwegian Labour Union (LO). From 1987 to 2008 she lived in South Africa, where she joined the South African labour movement and actively participated in the anti-apartheid movement. She later wrote her doctorate on the role the labour movement played in ending apartheid. The panel was moderated by Andreas Saaghus, Program Advisor working with Southern Africa in Norwegian People's Aid.