SDNR

Thank you for you nice post Farouk, but you didn't offend me at all ........I am not American

I do agree with you that the US has problems too, like every country. Please understand, I was not trying to insult you or any African citizen. I just find it to be a terrible tragedy that so many Africans suffer extreme poverty when Africa has the potential to be the richest continent on Earth.

JLBM

GuysI live in South Africa and I'll sum it up pretty well for you:

Good stuff:
- Fairly good business opportunities - especially for entrepreneurs and skilled labour.
- Great weather and stunning scenery/tourism
- Positive strides in terms of healing from the past of apartheid.
- A beacon of hope for the rest of Africa to follow - for now.
- Some great roads

Bad stuff:
- Crime: I've been hijacked twice (fortunately not hurt), a friend of mine was shot in December for a cellphone and is paralized for life now, three weeks ago another friend of mine was shot through the heart for an empty briefcase coming out of the bank. Crime is a big problem here.
- Unemployment at 40% = crime and poverty
- HIV a big problem too.
- Only the younger generations of black and white are integrating socially - but at least it is now normalising: I am white and I live in an upmarket suburb and have new black neighbours and Indian neighbours and it makes me feel good - it's nice and normal! Not like the old days when the Group Areas Act prevented us living in the same suburbs.
- Democracy not necessarily under threat, but it is being tested - and corruption in government, but this is not unique to SA.

German cars in South Africa are very popular and are the top sellers - MB, Audi and BMW. Lexus is on the up here too now.

SDNR

Thank you for your post JLBM,

yours is a similar experience to what I have heard from other South Africans.

One thing I have noticed is South Africans tell you about the bad things but also always speak enthusiastically about the many wonders of their country (and continent). Both black and white South Africans would be some of the most patriotic people I have met.

There has been talk of a United States Of Africa, do you think it is a possibility?

BMW Power

Yeah, theres no question about it.... Crime is really bad. If they could just sort out the crime problem, SA could become an awesome place in my books

JLBM

Yes, there has been talk - but that will not happen in my lifetime, and I'm only 32! Africa is in turmoil, especially Congo and Darfur etc and there are way too many different governments, from Religious (Islam) to Military, to Dictatorship Regimes (Zimbabwe) to nomal democratic states like South Africa. There is no way any sane person would try to unite all this mess. It would be stupid of South Africa to join in, in any event. But north of Botswana I could care less if they created a United States of Africa all the way to Libya!! Just leave us South Africans out of it!!!

martinbo

You folks will know that I tend to shy away from political debate; if you think that argument over automotive issues is contentious and prone to personal subjectivity and experience then political debate is ever so much more fraught with conflict and emotion.

I'm glad that Rob and Farouk are having an amicable discussion and are able to respect each others viewpoints.

As I white South African I could harp on about our (sometimes terrifying) crime stats, or our worryingly high HIV/AIDS rates. I could belabour the point that corruption in government is a less than healthy state of affairs or that broad-based black economic empowerment (BBBEE) is slowly eroding opportunity for the white minority. I could harp on about unemployment and economic disparity…

I could. But I steadfastly choose not to.

There's an enormous amount of negative publicity being perpetuated overseas by the media, politicians and ex-patriot South Africans. Some of it is true to a certain extent but most of it is blown out of proportion.

South Africa is recovering from an apocal stuff up called Apartheid, and prior to that, Colonialism and before that the illegal occupation by European settlers. Decades upon decades of exploitation of the native citizens and abundant resources to enrich and build foreign economies have left Africa with a grave imbalance.

Prior to the abolishment of Apartheid in the years leading up to our first democratic elections, the then presiding National Party government was facing an economic crisis - our country was practically bankrupt. So much for the "slegs-blankes" supremacy, eh? The vast majority of SA's population prior to transformation had no political, constitutional or cultural rights, none whatsoever. How bitterly ironic then that such a deplorable and immoral policy left a country in economic tatters, bereft of its natural wealth?

As white South Africans we can only breath a very deep and grateful sigh of relief that economic collapse was not followed by revolution and grim retribution! After all, if you were on the other side of the barb wire fence, pass book in hand, wouldn't you want to exact out revenge for the atrocities that you and your people were subjected to?

Do people outside of Africa think that such political, social and moral imbalances can be erased overnight? The aftermath of the previous dispensation will last for many years to come and with this, residual negative rudiments of crime, poverty, disease, illiteracy, social and economic disparity will persist.

Now in 2007 (just 13 short years after political transformation) South Africa already has a robust and growing economy; our macro-economic policies are sound; foreign direct investment is at an all time high; previously disadvantaged individuals and communities have opportunities; our policies around HIV/AIDS are amongst the most proactive in the world; our constitution is widely recognised for being one of the most progressive and morally upstanding in the world; and our country is recognised as a shining example of tolerance, mutual respect, cultural diversity and peaceful transformation.

But, most importantly, all of South Africa's people now have the God given right to choose.
- Choose where in SA you want to live
- Choose if you want leave SA
- Choose who you think should govern the people.

This makes South Africa a far better place to live in than in 1987.

So then, some South Africans reading this may judge me but, in the end, I'm just another regular South African who lives with all of the fear of crime and insecurity for my future. At the same time, I'm still fiercely patriotic and proud to be a part of this rainbow nation.

If you want to really and truly judge South Africa for what it is then come and see for yourself. But, be prepared to take the (whole lot of) good with the (great deal less) bad.

Sure, we live behind electric fences, burglar bars and locked doors but this is a small price to pay for the magnificent, abundant and free country we now live in.

SDNR

^^Thank you for your excellent post Martin, I am so glad you commented. I didn't mean to sound so pessimistic in my posts, I certainly hope all of Africa can transform into a continent of great prosperity while maintaining its natural treasures. Africa is important, not just to Africans, but to the entire world.