Whites are less likely to remember the oppressive nature of apartheid than other citizens, according to the 2014 SA Reconciliation Barometer released on Wednesday.<\/p>\n
Only 53% of whites who took part in the survey agreed with the statement that apartheid was a crime against humanity.<\/p>\n
This was compared to 80% of blacks, 77% of Indians, and 70% of coloured citizens who agreed with the statement.<\/p>\n
Whites were half as likely as black South Africans to agree with redressing the injustice of the past.<\/p>\n
The barometer, published by the Institute for Justice and Reconciliation (IJR), looked at 10 years of data collected between 2003 and 2013.<\/p>\n
The report was titled “Reflecting on Reconciliation: Lessons from the Past, Prospects for the Future”.<\/p>\n
It was found that in 2003, 86.5% of South Africans agreed that apartheid was an inhumane crime compared to 76.4% today.<\/p>\n
Data was collected during face-to-face interviews with a nationally representative sample across all provinces. The 2013 sample was around 1989 metro inhabitants and 1601 non-metro inhabitants.<\/p>\n
According to the report remembering the oppressive nature of apartheid encouraged citizens to be aware of its legacy and allow for transformation, rather than reproducing unequal relationships.<\/p>\n
The barometer’s project leader Dr Kim Wale said the findings perhaps spoke to how history was being taught and that there was a real need to engage white South Africans on what their whiteness meant in relation to the lived experiences of other races.<\/p>\n
IJR director Fanie du Toit said the barometer was not “anti-white” but anti-racist.<\/p>\n
“Racism is an illness that can destroy a society. We can’t afford it in South Africa.”<\/p>\n
Asked about how the findings related to a seemingly increased trend of racial attacks in Cape Town, Du Toit said one needed to look at how representative the attacks were of the general mindset of the white population.<\/p>\n
“One way to look at it is that the bigger interracial contact is smoking out the racists. It is exposing people who have not adopted [this trend] and it is becoming increasingly difficult to hold onto,” he said.<\/p>\n
“That is not to say that this is exceptionalism.”<\/p>\n
SA identity based on race: study<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n