Signs of hope and other good news

As I review the tone of my musings on South African society so far, it occurs to me that I ought to offer some of the signs of hope and sources of optimism that I have been encountering here.

One is certainly the quite vigorous and markedly free press ("the freest in Africa," one source claims, and #26 in the world rankings) upon which I am relying for much of my information and source material. There is, on many issues, a healthy and widely followed (and widely participated in) debate in the newspapers and on the radio and television. Such thorny and controversial topics as racism, education, and corruption, as well as the government's efforts to address these issues, all receive extensive news coverage and then are thoroughly analyzed and discussed by both expert commentators and engaged citizens. It helps that there are multiple daily (20, plus 13 weeklies; ibid) papers and that newspaper circulation is broad (14.5 million in 2006; ibid). I've particularly enjoyed the political cartoons in the papers. One example is the work of Jonathan Shapiro (aka Zapiro), who is well-known internationally for his insightful, uncompromising, and occasionally controversial sketches. The radio and tv system seems much like the British/BBC model. There are, for example, multiple radio stations operated by the state-owned broadcasting service SABC, and there are only four standard television stations (three of which are run by SABC), with many more available on cable.

This influential media is currently contributing to several initiatives designed to unify South Africans and to encourage civic behavior among them. One is the campaign to mount a successful World Cup. Under the slogan, "South Africa can do it. South Africa will do it," citizens are being encouraged to look for ways to contribute to the hosting preparations and also to support the build-up by wearing a national team jersey on "Football Fridays." Another initiative is a series of PSA's and other media programming that is part of an Africa-wide campaign to reduce HIV/AIDS infection rates through responsible sexual behavior. The initiative includes a "Imagine Afrika," a continent-wide reality television series, promoted with the tag line: “Imagine the Possibility of an HIV free Generation: It Begins with YOU!” Also underway is an admirable, SABC-led appeal for donations to the relief and rebuilding efforts in Haiti. The message, "Let South Africa be counted among caring nations," encourages a compassion and empathy that can only serve benefit those working to address South Africa's internal poverty. As Human Settlements Minister Tokyo Sexwale put it, "We are dealing every day with a man-made disaster... It is Haiti every day. The earth broke there. Here the earth is not broken, but consequences are the same. It is a disaster."[Full article]

Back to the uplifting theme of good news, another source of hope here is the prevailing spirit of ubuntu (described well on Wikipediea). Broadly ubuntu, as I understand it, is living with an openness and generosity toward others that is rooted in a recognition of our common humanity and interconnectedness. Certainly this attitude was reflected in the drive for forgiveness and healing represented by the Truth and Reconciliation Committee. In my time here, I feel that I have experienced ubuntu in the open, friendly manner in which most people have welcomed and interacted with me. I think it is also reflected in what the head of a school I visited this week described as a "rapprochement" between whites and blacks that has happened and continues here in the Western Cape province (perhaps more so than in some other parts of the country). I have also experienced a general mood of joyfulness and optimism in the classrooms and schools that I have visited.

One way that this joyfulness manifests itself is in song. To end the week, for example, the students at the Hector Peterson School (all ~1300 of them!) gather in their spacious common hall to sing; it's amazing to hear! There is a great documentary film about the role of music in the resistance to apartheid called Amandla (there is also a CD soundtrack available). Here's a link to the IMDb description of the film. In the paper here a few weeks ago, there was also an excellent review of the DVD of Paul Simon's Graceland Concert that provides an overview of and tribute to artists who suffered under and resisted apartheid. I would add also that many South Africans seem to manage not to take themselves too seriously and show an enviable capacity to laugh at their own foibles and prejudices.

Finally and importantly, always in the background is South Africa's inspired, inspiring, and inspirational (I think all apply) constitution. Here are links to its Preamble and to its "Bill of Rights" section. The document articulates high ideals and sets ambitious goals and standards, and, despite some considerable shortfalls (such a spotty record of scandals and corruption) and some unresolved challenges (crime reduction, delivery of basic services, growing income inequality, etc.), these ideals still seem to be steadily guiding the march toward the promise of a democratic rainbow nation.