MyPE

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Apartheid vs Coronavirus

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Some food for thought as we compare the denial of rights and freedoms introduced by the National Party during the dark years of Apartheid with our current Coronavirus Lockdown situation. Judging by the number of restrictions for Coronavirus could this really mean that our current situation is worse?

For clarity – a CROSS indicates that the activity WAS/IS restricted and a TICK means that the activity WAS NOT/IS NOT restricted.

Compare the number of Apartheid Deaths with the present number of Coronavirus Deaths.

Apartheid was enacted in 1948 and abolished in 1990.

Deaths due to political violence during apartheid:

Max Coleman’s authoritative book analyses all deaths due to political violence from 1948 to 1994 in South Africa and Namibia. According to the HRC statistics, 21,000 people died in political violence in South Africa during apartheid – of whom 14,000 people died during the six-year transition process from 1990 to 1994. Of those deaths, the vast majority, 92%, have been primarily due to inter-tribal battles for territory

The book’s detailed analyses of the period June 1990 to July 1993 indicates a total of 8580 (92%) of the 9,325 violent deaths during the period June 1990 to July 1993 were caused by Africans killing Africans.

The activities of the Civil Cooperation Bureau as outlined by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, were also included in these figures.

The security forces caused 518 deaths (5.6%) throughout this period.

SA History Online notes 67 deaths deaths in detention from 3 September 1963 to 26 August 1988.

The Independent Complaints Directorate noted 3 042 deaths as a result of police action in the 7 years from 1997 to 2004.

Deaths due to Coronavirus in SA:

As at 14 May 2020 the number of deaths in South Africa due to the Coronavirus stood at 219.

References:

  1. https://www.sahistory.org.za/article/list-deaths-detention
  2. https://groups.google.com/forum/#!topic/soc.culture.south-africa.afrikaans/kZ5yS27OUnA
  3. https://www.sahistory.org.za/article/south-african-major-mass-killings-timeline-1900-2012

EDITOR: THIS is one of those articles where one hopes that it is ALL WRONG and that saner minds will be able to coherently point out just exactly where we went wrong in our research:

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Alan Straton

Chief Cook, Bottle Washer and Broom Mechanic at MyPE
Passionate about Port Elizabeth and definitely NOT packing for Perth. Alan's ethos is epitomised in the words of Nelson Mandela; "I have fought against white domination and I have fought against black domination. I have cherished the idea of a democratic and free society. If need be, it is an ideal for which I am prepared to die." See more articles by Alan.