Essay about Morality in South Africa - 654 Words

Politicians, religious leaders and social commentators have all spoken about a breakdown in morality in South Africa, with crime as the most commonly cited evidence. The lack of respect for the sanctity of human life, for the next person, private property, disregard for the law of the land, lack of parental control over children, and the general blurring of the lines between right and wrong are continuing to plague our communities. To communicate my opinion on the controvercial subject of moral degeneration, I would like to refer to the roots of this dilemma. Even though we as the post-Apartheid teenagers tend to roll our eyes at the mere mentioning of the word, we must acknowledge the influence it has had on the moral decay of our†¦show more content†¦Now, ten years into a democratic South Africa, how can faith communities who misused their prophetic role under Apartheid be seen as moral authorities after Apartheid? How can a justice system that allowed the unjust brutalization of the majority of the population be seen as an instrument of justice in a new millenium? Of course, control of these institutions is changing, even if slowly, and that will help. But the bigger question remains: can these societal institutions help contribute to the genuine reconciliation that South Africa needs to emerge from the shadow of Apartheid? As rural poverty and starvation push millions of people out of rural and into urban communities, people migrate not as communities, but as individuals. Many settle in squatter shacks where there is no sense of community. As a result there is an absence of socially reinforced rules of conduct and morality. In these areas a shortage of appropriate housing, hospitals and jobs, consequently leads to informal housing, massive unemployment, crime and disease. Transition takes time, because change brings hope, but it also brings tension, confusion and fear. The old has gone, but the new is not yet established. Still the growing threat of the disregard for the value of human life and property, lack of respect and compassion, illegal self-enrichment in both the private and public sectors, and otherShow MoreRelatedMohandas Gandhi and Nelson Mandela746 Words   |  3 PagesIndia and was killed by a fanatic, he studied law and came to advocate for the rights of Indians, both at home and in South Africa. Gandhi became a leader of Indias independence movement, organizing boycotts against British institutions in peaceful forms of civil disobedience, in 1948. As a nationalist leader he studied law in London and England, but in 1893 went to South Africa, where he spent 20 years opposing discriminatory legislation against Indians. 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