The South African Ideology: The Myth of Exceptionalism, the Idea of Renaissance

Critical Discourse of African Vernacular Rooted Imageries in Pitika Ntuli’s Sculptures

“…And in Sandra Klopper's words, it seems Mandela was "exploring the ways in which the present has [to be] shaped [from the] painful experiences [of] the country's past" (Klopper, 2013:129). It might be argued that although South Africans clamoured for a non-racial nation, more than two "decades since the end of apartheid ... this myth of South African exceptionalism" (Lazarus, 2004:611) appears elusive. Despite such a mythological campaign, the work, however, seeks not merely to relay but remind of and uphold this South African cultural value that underlies the attitude of promoting harmony and unity of a nonracial country.…”

Barriers to protection:gender-related persecution andasylum in South Africa

“…Africa combined, and it has the highest intermediate and final manufactured goods market in Africa (McGowan & Ahwireng-Obeng, 1998). South Africa's African Renaissance, as articulated and promoted by former president Thabo Mbeki, has in part been an effort to re-integrate South African within Africa, and to define its identity as African (Lazarus, 2004). Despite these efforts, however, South Africans continue see themselves as distinct from the rest of Africa -politically, economically, and as is seen in the decisions of asylum officials, also socially and culturally.…”

Heritage-making and political identity

“…Largely blocked from the ability to make substantive land claims by the terms of the constitutional agreements that brought about the democratic dispensation, 2 lawyers representing the Khoi and San groups have generally refrained from focusing too closely on aboriginal and 'tribal' land rights, [but] like their clients they have found that stressing 'tribal' history and status has tended to produce favorable responses and strong interest from media and state. (Robins, 2002: 74) The outcome of this situation, given the free-market outlook of the ANC and the 'dwindling rights and resources of the growing number of people rendered surplus to requirements by the cold globalist wind blowing through the New South Africa' (Lazarus, 2004), is that claims for recognition come to find their most receptive public forum within heritage and tourism. Obviously, this move brings a welcome sense of collective recognition and commemoration centering upon those who had been for so long overlooked and disenfranchised.…”