The nineteenth century history of South Africa was a powerful formative influence upon attitudes to colonialism and racism, and the effects of this are still with us. This is only too visible when the raw pain inside black South Africans surfaces to remind us how deeply they have been affected.

Even so, overcoming the injustices of the past is possible, however slowly and imperfectly. Though colour no longer matters as a legal distinction, in a country teeming with racial divisions, knowing about our different cultures brings understanding and respect for them, and that shift in viewpoint goes a long way towards reconciliation.

By Penny Howcroft.  Posted by Captain Kirk