As a student studying in South Africa, I have come to realize that there are many remarkable aspects of this country. One way in which we have expanded our knowledge about these advancements is through Charlayne Hunter-Gault’s novel “New News Out of Africa.” Hunter-Gault presents Africa in a way most people do not view it. She makes stark contrasts between Africa during the apartheid period, and the modern Africa, which is making radical social, economical, educational, and political changes. Hunter-Gault chooses to present the “new news,” or positive aspects of Africa, through journalism. She has interviewed many prestigious figures and has presented South Africa to the world as a progressive nation.
One important aspect to Africa’s renaissance is their economy. The government has shown growth for a consecutive 87 months, which is an astounding accomplishment. Many companies and corporations are implementing programs to maintain a healthy workforce for the long term. These health improvements include providing workers with free HIV testing and counseling. Even companies like Barclays Bank, who withdrew from the country due to anti-apartheid campaigners, are buying their way back into the economy. Unemployment rates are on the decrease, but still at a very high number. In my experience I have seen many attempts of creating job opportunities. For example, there are men who collect trash on the road who are paid a daily wage. This job was not implemented until a few years ago but has proven to get people in the workforce.
It is very important for the African people to be able to stand on their own two feet. One leader in this movement is South Africa’s former president, Thabo Mbeki. His ultimate ambition is to have the African people set up institutions in order to solve their own problems. Mbeki wants to lessen their requests from Western powers, and to come together as one to make this happen. Mbeki has instated the African Union (AU) in order to promote pan-Africanism and human rights. Overall, Mbeki wants all African nations to come together to help one another through the difficult times that every African country has faced.
Another aspect of “new news” that has truly affected me is the education in Africa. During my internship I had the opportunity of working at the Little Star educare center, which takes care of children from the ages of 6 months to 6 years of age. The center provides childcare from 8am to 6pm. The cost to send a child for daily care ranges from about five dollars a month, to 20 dollars a month. The fees are used for food for the children, and doctor fees if necessary. It is so important to get African children into a school setting at a young age. It is a common trend for young children who are not in school to take to the streets and become involved in gang related life. After interviewing students at the Ekukhanyisweni Primary School in Alexandra, I have learned that most students in school have high aspirations. Many of the children we talked to hoped to become doctors, lawyers, and teachers. These students are the poorest of the poor in their school and have barely enough money to eat, yet they still know the importance of a quality education. Each one expressed their desire to attend a university in the future. For these children, school is a safe haven where they do not have to worry about violence, drugs, and the life of absolute poverty that they return to each night.
The widespread violence that we hear about in Africa is another misnomer that is presented to the rest of the world through the media. The headlines we hear of the crimes in Africa make us this it is a place of criminals and rapists. Although the crime rate is still high, South Africa has made vast improvements to their police forces. There are now strict prerequisites for each member of the force including the requirement of a driver’s license, a high school diploma, and no criminal record. There have also been over 250 crime organizations implemented that have considerably cut down on crime rates. The rest of the world does not acknowledge these improvements that have been made to reduce the violence in Africa.
Through my experience in South Africa I have learned there is so much more to this country that is not apparent to the outside world. Although this country is seen as a society of poor democracy, and high crime, we have to understand that it is still a very young nation and there are improvements being made everyday. With every negative story we hear, there are several awe-inspiring stories that fail to infiltrate our daily headlines. Becoming aware of this problem is the most important way to counteract it. Think of a person or place that you have negative stereotypes about. Is it really that negative, or have you just not delved deep enough?
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