Racism In South Africa

Introduction

The endeavour behind this assignment is to identify racism with emphasise on its behavioural, motivational and cognitive features. Identifying the different types of racism and looking at the history of South Africa and thus identifying solutions. The concept of reconciliation goes hand in hand with racism as it is a tool which aids as rehabilitation from our unfortunate past. To aid reconciliation, respect should be re-taught and bestowed in our everyday lives.

Body

Racism comprises of both prejudice and discrimination based on social perceptions of biological differences between people. According to the SACP (South African Communist Party), racism is referred to as negative attitudes held against other individuals belonging

“Unequal consideration out of a belief in the inferiority of another race.” (Nzimande, 2000) suggests that the problem of racism in South Africa can be associated with the problem of a class-based society. Dating back from the early days of colonialism to the present day, the evolution of institutionalised racism (apartheid) strongly impacts our cognitive psychology on perceptions about other races.

Types of racism

• Racial discrimination

Discrimination based on race for the purposes of differential treatment. A study conducted in 2004 by the University of Chicargo by Marianna Bertrand and Sendhil Mullainathan found that there is a vast discrimination in the work place towards applicants whose names are merely perceived as “sounding black”. These applicants are 50% less likely than other applicants perceived as having “white sounding names” to be recalled for interviews.

• Institutional racism

As the name suggests, institutional racism is discrimination based on race by large entities such as governments, corporations, religions or educational institutions with the mightiness to profoundly affect the lives of many individuals.

• Historical economic/ Social

During the Apartheid years, people of colour (Black Africans, Indians and Coloureds) lived under oppression brought upon by the White Apartheid government. People of colour all over the country were ripped of their human dignity and treated less than human.

The concept of racism flourished during the days of the Apartheid Era, where the Afrikaner minority were taught to oppress and mistreat their black counter-parts through the legislation passed by the ruling party (National Party). “The White Man was taught to hate the Black Man”.

During the Apartheid years, racial segregation became a way of life with restrooms for “Blacks Only” and “Whites Only” that forced Black and White people to live separately. None-white South Africans were forced to move to segregated townships through the Group Areas Act 41 of 1950 which was enforced by the Apartheid government.

After 20 years of democracy South African’s (both Black and White) are still unlearning the ways of the Apartheid