‘Big deterioration of the quality of life’: Disingenuous to say SA is better today

Despite shortcomings of the ANC-led government, the country is “much better” now than under apartheid, the ruling party’s deputy president Paul Mashatile said.

Addressing the ANC’s election manifesto review rally in the Free State on Saturday, Mashatile said progress was made towards improving the lives of South Africans since the dawn of democracy, despite some drawbacks.

“Today’s South Africa is profoundly better than South Africa under apartheid. I don’t care what people say. There are things we haven’t done right and we accept that, but this country is better than when it was under apartheid,” he said.

SA growth stagnant

But North-West University political analyst Professor André Duvenhage said despite the high levels of violence before 1994, the country was relatively more stable at that time than currently.

“I’m referring to organised crime, xenophobia and labour unrest. That sends the post-94 dispensation more negative.”

With regards to growth at the moment, SA was in a very negative cycle. Despite even sanctions during the ’80s and early ’90s, SA still managed a low level of growth, Duvenhage said.

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“The provision of electricity, basic services and houses was at least better planned before 1994 than post-1994.

“More people are receiving social grants than was before 1994, but that is not positive. It is negative because people are becoming dependent on the state,” he said.

“The level of unemployment is a lot higher nowadays. The school system, the education system and other social services, were better before 1994 than currently.”

‘Government needs to do better’

Another political analyst, Goodenough Mashego, said during apartheid things were far better in terms of infrastructure and service delivery and government was functioning.

“When it comes to infrastructure, it was on par. Everyday people knew when they open taps water would come out, they knew the lights on the streets would come on, roads were taken care of and when kids go to school, they would be educated,” he said.

Mashego said it was disingenuous to say things were better now. “There is a big deterioration of the quality of life,” he said.

Speaking to The Citizen, Zakes Nkosi from Vosloorus said although the state of the country was in dire straits, he agreed with Mashatile.

In the past, black people never had freedom of speech and movement, and education was confined to a certain level, Nkosi said.

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“Discrimination was the order of the day with no compromise. Indeed, the crime levels nowadays have escalated due to organised syndicates and corruption in the government, but pre-1994 it was also very much in existence. It was swept under the carpet by the apartheid regime to protect their own. That is the real truth.

“Yes, we are facing major challenges with electricity and water but a lot of things have change since apartheid. Jobs are now open to all people of colour. But the government needs to do better.”

For Sibongile Hadebe, from Katlehong, a lot had changed.

“The experience people went through in time of apartheid is non-comparable to today. The only setback nowadays is the living conditions that has deteriorated after the ruling party became greedy. But we are in a better place now than before.”