I recently returned from South Africa after spending a summer working and taking classes at one of the historically black/colored universities. I always read about apartheid and the racial conflict – but I was not aware of the post apartheid issues festering. On the surface, things seemed kumbaya – Mandela was released from prison, apartheid ended, the African National Congress became the new government. However, while I was there, many people were reluctant to have a conversation if the topic of race was brought up in our exchange. It became apparent to me that things were not as settled, when I began to notice the communities of shacks I would pass on my way to school and to work. I was later told that those communities were called “Townships” and many were 100% black occupied.

The video clip below explains the issue of land ownership and property and South Africa during apartheid and the issues that South Africa is having now in their new constitutional democracy.