Nomadithini Saki, was born into a segregated and systemically racist regime commonly known as 'Apartheid'. As a native South African, she sits down with INECO's CEO and Founder: Ama Antwi-Saki to share her unique experience of South Africa's Apartheid.
Disclaimer: Due to the sensitive nature of this topic, not all interview questions have been answered. We at INECO respect Ms Saki's wish to share only as she feels comfortable.
1. What does apartheid mean for you?
N: "Apartheid means discrimination, against black people and white people. Black people who were not encouraged to do so many things. They were not allowed to have free education, they were not allowed to live in a posh area as we do here [United Kingdom]."
2. How do you feel about apartheid today?
N: [No Comment]
3. Do you think your country can heal and repair with time?
N: "Because of certain things that happened, it's like water - if water fell down there, you cannot pick it and put it back in the packet as it was. Now, when you're picking it - it's full of mud - it's no more pure water."
4. Do you have a mistrust for white people as a result of apartheid
N: [No comment]
5. Do you think global governments did enough to encourage the ending of apartheid?
N: [No comment]
6. Do you think local governments did enough to encourage the ending of apartheid?
N: [No comment]
7. Going forward, would you ever return permanently to your home country?
N: "Now, when it comes for me to go to [live in] my country permanently I don't think it will be impossible for me, because of certain things that happened"
8. Do you feel safe in your home country?
N: "I don't think now being in my country is safe to me, because even in our day this is what [was] happening. Our heroes died and they will never come back, and now in this generation now there is others now who are still doing the same thing, which I don't think is safe for me to go and stay in my country permanently."
9. What are your feelings on the proposed “Employment Equity Act”,?
N: "Employment Equity Act is very good, because these are the one that make sure everything is going in order, people get the employment which they are looking for and their treatment is fairly, everybody is equal. This is the kind of thing that everyone is looking [for] when working, that you find that [in] the job everybody qualifies to do that job, and everyone is treated fairly."
10. Do you think the Employment Equity Act should have limitations, such as a 20 year period?
N: "No, I don't think it's good for the Employment Equity Act should have limitations, I think it should go by itself, [and] continue. Not like maybe after sometime you have to... yes maybe the limitations would be like according to the level of your degrees - you cannot, yeah. It can be good, it can not be good - it can't be like you've not even gone to school and you want to be in a parliament, it's not done anywhere."
11. Do you believe the Act is reverse apartheid?
N: [No comment]
12. How will you explain apartheid to younger generations?
N: [No comment]
13. In the 28 years since apartheid was abolished, have you seen or felt social improvement?
N: Yes, there is an improvement in other areas but - the more the populations goes bigger in numbers, the more the crime as well, it will also increase. Because not everybody has the means to go to education, some of them they lost their love ones now they end up being in the street begging. Which means now, when the time [comes] for them to realise that no their supposed to do this and that, they'll do those shortcuts to have money. Which is not good, these are some of the results, so..."
14. Finally, what gave you strength, hope and endurance during apartheid?
N: [No comment]