South Africa's national and transnational threats in the post-apartheid era

South Africa

Sources of, Developments in, and Responses to National and Transnational Threats in Modern South Africa

The second half of the twentieth century was a period of major development and progress for the African continent and many of the individual nations located on that continent. As colonial rule came to an end with World War II or shortly thereafter and the countries and peoples of Africa gained independence and struggled with the problems and responsibilities of modern statehood, new economic and political models were developed, experimented with, implemented, and either allowed to evolve or eradicated and replaced with other experimental forms. Alternatively, power vacuums in many nations have simply led to traditional though highly harmful and despotic military regimes that essentially practice violence to retain full dictatorial power in the countries or regions that they control.

South Africa, on the other hand, has had a very different twentieth century experience than much of the rest of the continent, largely due to its rather unique history to that point. South Africa had been more visited than the vast majority of Africa's interior and even more than much of its coastal regions throughout the navigational exploits of the modern age, and thus had already been colonized by German and Dutch settlers before the rampant and widespread colonization of Africa took place in its entirety. The English arrived with this later wave of colonization, however, setting up their own government in the country, and this led to the unique political structure and history of the country in the twentieth century.

Not only was the native black population in South Africa subjugated by the first wave of white settlers -- the people that would come to be known as the Afrikaners -- but the descendants of these original settlers would themselves become subjugated by the British imperialist authorities established in the nation, leading to even worse conditions for the black natives and a complete eradication of any access to power. This changed in the 1990s, as the system of segregation and overtly racially divided and biased government known as apartheid came to an end and the country elected its first black leaders. This does not mean that the threats facing the nation or the factors contributing to its instability have been done away with, however, and in fact the country now has many problems both old and new that it must contend with. An overview of these problems and threats as well as the internal and external responses to these threats that have been attempted are discussed below.

Current Threats: An Overview

Though there are many different threats facing South Africa and many avenues for addressing them, all of the issues that the country and its government must contend with have two ultimate sources (really one source with two faces, in some perspectives): political and economic influences. All of the other problems that South Africa must contend with, and they are legion, stem directly from political and economic instabilities and power differences, or are at the very least exacerbated by these forces (Frost 2009; Coovadia et al. 2009; Baker 2010). These forces have created threats aimed at many levels and areas of South African society.

Healthcare problems and the general well-being of the populous remains a large threat to the internal security of South Africa, as continuing destitute conditions have led to frequent and violent regime changes throughout Africa and indeed throughout the world on an historical basis (Marais 2001; Chigwedere et al. 2008; Coovadia et al. 2009). There is also ongoing racial tension from the country's rather checkered track record in this area and the fact that a more equal and representative government is still barely a generation old in the country (Goldberg 2009). In addition, regional instabilities present various levels of threat to South Africa's sovereignty and stability, and though these threats have lessened considerably over the past several decades they still must be considered and contended with by the South African government (Schoeman 2007; Frost 2009; Baker 2010). Various international organizations, non-profits, and foreign powers have attempted to work with or in spite of the South African government on many of these threats, with results that can best be described as mixed.

Non-Governmental Organizations

A variety of organizations not affiliated with any government body have also worked to alleviate certain internal as well as external threats to South Africa. Again, the AIDS epidemic has been the focus of many organizations such as the Red Cross and other similar organizations, but the same resistance and differing opinions of the South African government has limited efforts in these areas (Chingwedere et al. 2008; Coovadia et al. 2009). This has not been the only area in which non-governmental organizations have attempted to assist South Africa, however.

Other health-related charities exist in South Africa, and these private charities generally focus on the impoverishment that AIDS and other diseases have contributed to (to the point than an estimated four percent of South Africa's population faces disease-caused or -- related impoverishment) (Goldberg 2009). COSATU is another example of an effective non-governmental organization operating to address certain threats within South Africa's borders, though it is not a typical NGO in that it is a trade union, and not a purely charitable organization. Still, this group has been shown to have substantial clout in addressing certain economic grievances and imbalances, and while some see the trade union as contributing to certain instabilities other see it as a powerful tool to establish greater equality and access to political power as well as economic prosperity, thus ultimately decreasing stability and assuaging many of the social ills and weaknesses that threaten South Africa internally (Marais 2001).

International Organizations

Organizations like the united Nations and other governmental or quasi-governmental entities have been very involved in South Africa's development since the decades of apartheid preceding the modern era. Currently, there are a variety of ways in which such entities -- the United Nations in particular -- are working to address the various threats that are facing South Africa from a variety of sources in with many different parameters. Again, these threats exist both internally and externally and are largely influences by overtly political and economical forces, making responses difficult and complex.

Regardless of the exact nature or governance of the international organizations concerned and involved with establishing a more stable and prosperous South Africa, it seems, the AIDS epidemic ranks high on the list of specific areas of assistance provided. The economic detriments of this disease are even more far reaching than the devastating health effects, and the United Nations, the World Bank, and many other political and economic international bodies have attempted to address this illness directly and to mitigate the negative effects it has on productivity, political legitimacy, and overall stability in the country (Coovadia et al. 2009; Baker 2010). These international organizations are also working with South Africa in the same capacity as with other nations, in attempts to codify human rights laws, build generally more democratic government and equal societies, and take many other actions that will make south Africa stronger internally while also reducing external threats through increased stability (Baker 2010).

Foreign Powers

Foreign national entities such as the United States and other powerful countries represent one of the more complex areas of South African involvement in recent decades. Economic sanctions and other foreign influences played a major role in South Africa during the latter years of apartheid, and there is still major economic influence on South Africa wielded by other nations (Marais 2001; Frost 2009). Direct political involvement and aid, however, has not been as noticeable or as openly accepted in the past decade and a half.

Part of this resistance to foreign influence is a direct result of South Africa's long submission to colonial or Europeanized rule, first by the Germanic Afrikaners and subsequently by the British (and the Afrikaners at the same time), and finally by the white government that intermingled European settlers from both origins if it ostensibly established "home rule" and full national sovereignty (Frost 2009). This does not mean that foreign powers have not attempted to assert some influence over the national policies and related threats of South Africa -- largely through international bodies like the United Nations -- but the South African government has been quite vocal in its independence and sovereignty as a response to the long period of disenfranchisement and a lack of sovereignty experienced by the majority of the country's citizens (Frost 2009; Baker 2010). Influence has thus been limited by the explicit perspectives of the South African government.

Conclusion

The threats currently facing South Africa are quite diverse and far-reaching, stemming from internal instabilities and ongoing health issues to external threats of a less solidified but potentially wider-reaching nature. The ongoing AIDS epidemic in the country continues to be a substantial source of direct and indirect threats, decimating the population and contributing to economic instability and a lack of equality. Efforts to address this epidemic have been hampered by the South African government, though other threat areas have seen some progress made.