It sure was, and the new government that was put in place is a hundred times more racist. Then UN sure fixed South Africa, but good. Now instead of ride in the back of the bus, you can get killed in the back of the bus. People have their lands taken from them because of the color of their skin, or raped, and or beaten to death in the police stations. Rape, murder, and racial killings are a hundred times worse, you take your life in your hands just walking some places.
But since it is whites at the bottom now, It is a success. Never mind that violence against blacks is also much worse, but it was never about Blacks was it?
South Africa, once the flower of Africa is now just a squashed cactus, once a the bread basket, now an importer. Property rights gone, justice gone, prosperity gone, peace gone, but hey, at least there is not Apartheid, just brewing Genocide.
South Africa is a disaster of Continental proportions for Leftists, so suddenly not news worthy anymore. Face it Apartheid would be one helluva step up from where it is now. By the way, I have never met a South African that was FOR Apartheid. What happened to South Africa was like shooting your neighbor because he had a broken wrist. He's so much better off now...
I've got a friend from high school whose family came the US in '94, right as apartheid ended. Under no circumstance has "going back" ever been something he's talked about. He's far happier here, and occasionally talks to old friends there who tell him to stay away.
I still believe that democracy was the best replacement for Apartheid. No good can come to a country that doesn't respect its own citizens. A return to Apartheid would not be a step up, just a step. It would be like breaking your neighbor's foot because his wrist was broken.
"Property rights gone, justice gone, prosperity gone, peace gone, but hey, at least there is not Apartheid, just brewing Genocide."
This is the pessimistic view of SA, but not the current situation. Property rights are not "gone" (and we can argue whether or not the Apartheid state really respected property), nor is justice (unless a domestic bioterror program can exist in a just state), nor is peace (and after 20+ years of wars both 'hot' and 'proxy', was Apartheid SA at 'peace'?). If there is a 'brewing Genocide' then let's identify it and stop it (as was the case with the Apartheid government's bioterror policies mentioned above) instead of waiting for it to happen and then grimly and smugly harrumpf that everything would have been better if they stuck with Apartheid.
FReepers are smart people, but the SA discussions get stuck in doomsday predictions about Southern African and fuzzy memories about Apartheid 'law' and order.
"Rape, murder, and racial killings are a hundred times worse, you take your life in your hands just walking some places."
well, they're also reported about a lot more frequently now that they're no longer part of certain Apartheid 'police' officers' toolkit.