[This article was published in Kennesaw State University’s Talon Magazine.]
When we think of South Africa we tend to think of Nelson Mandela, a Nobel Peace Prize winner credited for negotiating the end of apartheid. We also know him for becoming the first black South African President. But this isn’t the end of South Africa’s story.
Julene Eayrs grew up in South Africa as the metaphorical walls of apartheid came down. While Eayrs is African, she is also Caucasian: an Afrikaner. Although apartheid has ended in South Africa, Eayrs fears the country’s racial hatred continues– this time through instructional teaching to kill off the white Afrikaners.
According to the New York Times, South African police have reported the killing of over 900 white farmers since 2001; the Times also notes that white South African farmers claim the number is actually much higher.
There are pictures of the victims online, Eayrs said; women who have been raped and killed, with broomsticks forced through their bodies and out of their mouths.
“It becomes normal after a while,” she said. “When other people get brutally murdered or raped, it doesn’t really matter cause you hear it all the time. But if it happens to you…”
Members of the Afrikaner Resistance Movement accuse ANC youth leader, Julius Malema of inciting violence towards the Afrikaners, according to the Times. At public appearances Malema was known for having the song “Ayesab’ Amagwala” sung. One particular phrase in the anti-apartheid song says: “shoot the boer.” Boer is a Dutch word meaning farmer.
Eayrs believes that many black South Africans are being “taught to hate” white South Africans. However Dr. Ryan Ronnenburg, a history professor at KSU, does not believe the killings are necessarily racial.
“Crime tends to go up when there’s an increasing chasm between those who have or have not.”
In this case, the white Afrikaners have.
The Afrikaners Have
In the 17th century, the Dutch landed at the Cape of Good Hope and set up a trade center in what is today South Africa. However, over time the trading town began expanding and the Dutch began to consider the land their home.
According to Ronnenberg, the land was ideal for the Dutch; the climate was not too hot so malaria wasn’t as common. These people, along with other Europeans who moved into the region, became known as Afrikaners. As they expanded out into the land, they began to come into contact with native Africans. Conflict and war soon followed.
While segregation had occurred for centuries, apartheid did not officially begin until 1950.
“At its heart [apartheid was] a series of legislative change that moved Africans into reserves called Bantustans,” said Ronnenberg. Each race had their own homeland, but once one left their ‘homeland’ they were legally on foreign soil. Colored South African workers had to get migrant labor passes in order to leave and work in ‘foreign nations.’ Suddenly those of color were made foreign citizens in their own land.
According to Ronnenberg, 80 percent of the population moved into less than 15 percent of the land while white South Africans, who made up about 10 percent of the population, owned the rest.
At the end of apartheid, the Afrikaners still owned a majority of the land. The post-apartheid government needed a long term way to distribute the wealth and land amongst the people, instead of a small minority, while still keeping the country stable.
Therefore, one of the ANCs primary goals was to have black South Africans own 30% of the land by 2014. However Ronnenberg believes, based on today’s progress, that policy is unlikely to achieve its goal.
Today
Many farmers today believe the killings have some government involvement and are meant to scare white South African farmers into selling their land. Ronnenberg however, does not believe there is conclusive evidence to back up any of these claims without making assumptions based on fear.
“Concern can’t drive the analysis of the crime,” he said.
Regardless Eayrs still worries for her grandfather who owns a farm miles away from any neighbors.
A lot of white South Africans are leaving the country, Eayrs said. Several of her friends have moved to the United States, Australia, and England. As for her own family, Eayrs, her mother, step-dad, and two step-brothers have moved to the United States and they plan to stay.
“If you can get out, you will get out,” she said. “Even with our presence, we’re in danger. We don’t have a future there.”
Besides the killings, Eayrs says Afrikaners can’t find work because of affirmative action and, at only 10 percent of the population, have little to no influence in elections.
Ronnenburg argued that Afrikaners “still have a voice,” and remain an important vote for any political election as they still have majority of land and business interests in the country.
As an example, the professor pointed to the United States. Based on estimates by Census.gov for 2009, African Americans only account for 12.9 percent of the population, while “white persons (non-Hispanic)” account for 65.1 percent of the population. Yet, Ronnenburg said, the African American minority still has a say in U.S. elections.
“We could ignore race and say we’re all the same, but we’re not.” Eayrs said. “Instead of ignoring this we should talk about it. Maybe by talking about it we’ll find we’re more alike than we think… I think there’s hope for South Africa, buts going to take years… generations.”
“I’m happy black South Africans have an opportunity at life now, they are the majority.”
Eayrs is currently a supplemental instruction leader at KSU, working towards a degree in Accounting.
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