South Africa dubbed the most unequal society in the world
When I first arrived in the Transvaal (Gauteng ), I was very curious to see Alexandra township, where my brother, younger sister and I were born, but when my parents decided to go back to the Transkei, I was three years old.
It took me some time to get to see Alexandra, and I will never forget the disappointment I felt because I had never seen such an overcrowded place before. But informal settlements were almost non-existent then, that was in 1972.
Then came freedom with the liberation of not only South Africans, but also the mushrooming of shacks in every vacant space. Informal settlements are very unsightly, built with all kinds of material, black refuse bags, cardboard boxes, corrugated iron and just anything imaginable.
Based on the sprawling informal settlements, which are now found even in rural towns, as some people leave their decent homes and move into these tiny structures, just to be close to town.
The many foreigners who have left their standard homes in their countries of origin are largely responsible for almost all the squatter camps known as informal settlements. Some, to make South Africa their second home, have big shacks that are divided into as many as four rooms.
They have become so daring that they make sure that they get all the services that were meant for South Africans, free, without paying a cent. And then all outsiders look at all these unsightly structures and believe we are the most unequal society in the world. The irony of the situation is that those who have been to places like Zimbabwe will tell you, you will never see shacks in Zimbabwe.
So our country has been hijacked and vandalised by mostly illegal immigrants, who have also hijacked abandoned buildings and turned them into shacks. That is what the transformation agenda has earned us.
Johannesburg is a shadow of its past, and so are several cities in other provinces. Will we ever have our country back?
Recently, a Zimbabwean woman said in a video," South Africans must know that we are not going anywhere, we have come here to work, and we won't go to Zimbabwe where there are no jobs, why don't they go and stay in Zimbabwe and leave us here to continue working."
Cometh Dube -Makholwa, Midrand.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
IOL News
a day ago
- IOL News
South Africa dubbed the most unequal society in the world
Alexandra township is notorious for the mushrooming of shacks in every vacant space, says the writer. File picture: Itumeleng English African News Agency (ANA) When I first arrived in the Transvaal (Gauteng ), I was very curious to see Alexandra township, where my brother, younger sister and I were born, but when my parents decided to go back to the Transkei, I was three years old. It took me some time to get to see Alexandra, and I will never forget the disappointment I felt because I had never seen such an overcrowded place before. But informal settlements were almost non-existent then, that was in 1972. Then came freedom with the liberation of not only South Africans, but also the mushrooming of shacks in every vacant space. Informal settlements are very unsightly, built with all kinds of material, black refuse bags, cardboard boxes, corrugated iron and just anything imaginable. Based on the sprawling informal settlements, which are now found even in rural towns, as some people leave their decent homes and move into these tiny structures, just to be close to town. The many foreigners who have left their standard homes in their countries of origin are largely responsible for almost all the squatter camps known as informal settlements. Some, to make South Africa their second home, have big shacks that are divided into as many as four rooms. They have become so daring that they make sure that they get all the services that were meant for South Africans, free, without paying a cent. And then all outsiders look at all these unsightly structures and believe we are the most unequal society in the world. The irony of the situation is that those who have been to places like Zimbabwe will tell you, you will never see shacks in Zimbabwe. So our country has been hijacked and vandalised by mostly illegal immigrants, who have also hijacked abandoned buildings and turned them into shacks. That is what the transformation agenda has earned us. Johannesburg is a shadow of its past, and so are several cities in other provinces. Will we ever have our country back? Recently, a Zimbabwean woman said in a video," South Africans must know that we are not going anywhere, we have come here to work, and we won't go to Zimbabwe where there are no jobs, why don't they go and stay in Zimbabwe and leave us here to continue working." Cometh Dube -Makholwa, Midrand.
TimesLIVE
4 days ago
- TimesLIVE
Cinema is alive and well: Nu Metro showcases the power of the big screen
It was lights, camera, big screens at Hyde Park Corner as Nu Metro Theatres showcased their new VIP luxury and 4DX experiences. This comes after the much-anticipated ScreenX, which is the first panoramic viewing experience in Africa. The experience uses multi-projection technology to deliver a 270° screen. Recent numbers, including those from Cinevation, have shown a rise in cinema attendance, with more than 2.1-million regular moviegoers monthly. More than 4.6-million South Africans visit cinemas up to six times a year, debunking the myth that the moviegoing habit is fading post-pandemic. The event's discussions centred on three core themes: ticket pricing, content diversity and support for South African films. Strategic partnerships with financial institutions such as Absa, Nedbank and Momentum were spotlighted, showcasing efforts to make cinema outings more accessible through subsidy programmes and loyalty club concessions. 'Cinema tickets for a family of four are now more affordable than they were in 2019,' said Menen Muthial, business analyst at Nu Metro, dispelling the belief that ticket prices are prohibitive.
IOL News
4 days ago
- IOL News
Finally! SA expats to get smart IDs abroad as Home Affairs unveils long-awaited digital breakthrough
Home Affairs Minister Dr. Leon Schreiber says new overseas facilities will cut smart ID and passport wait times to five weeks, bringing long-awaited relief to South Africans living abroad. Image: Parliament of SA Home Affairs Minister Leon Schreiber says his department has 'heard the pleas for help from South Africans living abroad' who currently face long delays when applying for smart IDs and passports. Delivering his Budget Vote speech on Wednesday, Schreiber announced that the department will begin rolling out new facilities abroad before the end of this month, with a five-week turnaround time for document processing. 'We have heard the pleas for help from South Africans living abroad who currently often may wait more than a year just to get a new smart ID or passport,' said Schreiber. 'I am pleased to announce that by the end of this month, we will begin to launch new facilities abroad to assist South Africans living overseas.' He said the initiative will start in Australia, New Zealand and the United Arab Emirates, with France, Germany, and the Netherlands following later this year, and North America in early 2026. 'These new facilities will ensure a five-week turnaround time for IDs and passports,' the minister confirmed. This move is part of Schreiber's broader 'Home Affairs at Home' reform vision aimed at transforming how citizens access government services. Home Affairs has heard the pleas of South Africans living abroad, who have struggled for years to renew their passports and IDs, often waiting 12+ months just to get a new passport. From end July, we're launching new facilities abroad - with a turnaround time of just 5 weeks.… — Leon Schreiber (@Leon_Schreib) July 9, 2025 Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Next Stay Close ✕ ''Our ultimate aim, as I said, is to deliver Home Affairs at home, which will enable every South African, no matter where you are in the country or in the world, to obtain services from your government online,' he said. Schreiber emphasised that these efforts mark the beginning of an ambitious journey towards a fully digital ID system. 'The civic service reforms we will deliver during the current financial year are all part of laying the foundation for our ambitious plan to create South Africa's first ever digital ID system.' He added that this digital-first approach will eventually allow citizens to order IDs and passports through banking apps and even have them delivered to their homes using advanced facial recognition technology. According to Schreiber, the department has made visible progress in the past year, including the delivery of nearly 3.6 million smart IDs, which he considers a record. 'If this is just some of what Home Affairs could do in one year, just imagine what we can do in five,' he said. He also announced plans to digitise the application process for South Africans in-country by expanding smart ID and passport services to 100 additional bank branches this year, with the goal of reaching 1,000 over the medium term. A new home delivery option using facial recognition is also in the pipeline 'It won't be long until you can log into your bank app and see the Home Affairs logo sitting there, ready for you to interact and order your documents remotely,' Schreiber said. Schreiber also noted the current gap in service availability at home. 'Many people do not realise that 101 out of the 348 existing Home Affairs offices still do not even have the capability to issue smart IDs,' he said. He added that the department plans to scale up its partnership with banks to expand access. To support these sweeping reforms, Schreiber tabled a budget of R11 billion for Home Affairs for the 2025/26 financial year. This includes a baseline increase of R321 million this year, R1.2 billion in 2026/27, and R369 million in 2027/28. The Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) will receive R2.1 billion this year, including an additional R885 million to prepare for the 2026 local government elections, he said. The Government Printing Works is allocated R1.8 billion for this year. However, Schreiber cautioned that the Border Management Authority (BMA) remains underfunded, despite its key role in digital transformation and immigration security. 'The BMA budget will only increase from R1.7 billion to R1.9 billion over the next three years, which, as I say, remains insufficient,' he said. 'We will continue to work on self-financing and finding alternative revenue sources for the BMA to unlock greater investment and further accelerate our digital transformation efforts.' Get your news on the go, click here to join the IOL News WhatsApp channel IOL Politics
