The Immoral Waters of South Africa

After the brutal era of apartheid in South Africa, the corruption and conflict never was fully washed away. The newly formed government started strong and united as apartheid ended as it was led by the morally strong Nelson Mandela, but after Mandela moved on, old tendencies returned. Corruption poisoned government leaders, and conflict soon rose again. Many officials of South Africa, both legislative and judicial, don’t try to stop the violence, but rather add to it and disrupt the lives of the people all over the country. Officials are hiring hitmen to murder those that oppose them, and leave the people unemployed and poor.

Ever since apartheid has ended in South Africa, the KwaZulu-Natal province has continued to be filled with corruption. The local officials and politicians have only provided employment to specific people (Campbell). This leads to unemployment raging across the province. Not only are the local officials corrupt, but Jacob Zuma, a former president from the province had a massive scandal in which he, his family, and his cabinet members, extorted millions from the country (Ngwane). As most of the population lived in harsh conditions, Zuma and members of his cabinet lived luxuriously. With the difference in the wage gap and living conditions widenned, corruption led to violence.

When apartheid ended, the violence did not. In the KwaZulu-Natal province, the ANC and Inkatha Freedom Party fought in the 1980s and 1990s (Economist). Many innocents were caught in the crossfire and the region became very dangerous. Nowadays, there are political murders that take place across the region. Either local officials hire hitmen to take out opposition or the people murder out of displeasure of the officials. This violence is also still found in townships, slums where the apartheid government kept others in poverty (Campbell). The townships’ culture opposes the authority of the federal government, and murders are widespread. This has been prevalent in townships, for townships were the center of opposition to the apartheid government.

In more recent years, South Africa has taken a turn for the better. Jacob Zuma was forced to resign in early 2018, and his opposition has taken office (BBC). In fall of 2019, there were strikes and demonstrations to better the financial resources provided by the government (Ngwane). There have been strikes before, but only recently have members of the police and military join in. There were negotiations for a higher minimum wage and more employment opportunities for all people. As the corruption in South Africa begins to be eliminated, people will be safer and more prosperous in provinces like KwaZulu-Natal.

Works Cited

Aucoin, Ciara. “Less Armed Conflict but More Political Violence in Africa.” ISS Africa, 12 Apr. 2017, issafrica.org/iss-today/less-armed-conflict-but-more-political-violence-in-africa.

Campbell, John. “What's Behind South Africa's Recent Violence?” Council on Foreign Relations, Council on Foreign Relations, 15 Nov. 2019, www.cfr.org/in-brief/whats-behind-south-africas-recent-violence.

"So much to cry about; Political violence in South Africa." The Economist, vol. 424, no. 9060, 30 Sept. 2017, p. 44(US). Gale In Context: Global Issues, https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/A507018347/GIC?u=los42754&sid=GIC&xid=7caef4fd. Accessed 10 Mar. 2020.

“South Africa Profile - Timeline.” BBC News, BBC, 4 Apr. 2018, www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-14094918.

Ngwane, Trevor. “The Political and Social Crisis in South Africa.” Global Research, 11 Nov. 2010, www.globalresearch.ca/the-political-and-social-crisis-in-south-africa/21873.

The Death of a Buffalo

Dai Sijie uses the symbol of the buffalo to demonstrate Four-Eyes’ coming of age. The symbol, buffalo, is an animal. Earlier in the book, Four-Eyes is portrayed to be below the status of the buffalo. Even though Four-Eyes is supposed to be the master of the buffalo, the buffalo seemed “determined to splatter its timid, inexperienced master with as much filth as possible…. One split second of inattention was enough for Four Eyes to receive a blow to the face from the buffalo’s tail, which sent his spectacles hurtling through the air… The creature halted, then heaved from side to side, trampling the muddy bed with vigor, as though intent upon crushing the submerged spectacle with its hooves…” (47). Four-Eyes, as described in the quote is “timid” and “inexperienced.” He lets the buffalo tread over him, unable to control his charge. At the same time, the buffalo is a symbol of everything going wrong in Four-Eyes life. He makes working in the fields hard for Four-Eyes and breaks a large part of his identity, his glasses, a symbol for his intellect.
Later in the book, Four-Eyes kills the buffalo, a symbol representing weaknesses and vulnerability. To prove his growth and coming of age, “the event, which would be attended by all the villagers, called for the slaughter of a buffalo.” Four-Eyes moved past his struggles of re-education and returned to society by destroying what was holding him back. He slaughtered the buffalo and drank its blood as a symbol of a restart and reentrance into society.