Week 42: South Africa Today

"One vision can have many interpretations."

South Africa is one of the few countries in the world where, like the USA, there is a long and complicated history of ethnicities, nationalities, and cultural groups that have set policies and shaped the creating and state of the nation. In this week's Tuesday Fix, we will hear a firsthand account of a recent student who is attending university and living there, as well as other accounts of how the history of South Africa impacts the current day nature of the country.

1. SOUTH AFRICA VS. AMERICA: BIGGEST DIFFERENCES: "What is life like for an American living in Cape Town, South Africa? Here are the biggest differences between South Africa and the US that you should know."

Watch SOUTH AFRICA VS. AMERICA: BIGGEST DIFFERENCES by Jared Dawson

2. Why South Africa is still so segregated: "For decades, South Africa was under apartheid: a series of laws that divided people by race. Then, in the 1990s, those laws were dismantled. But many of the barriers they created continue to divide South Africans by skin color - which in turn determines their quality of life, access to jobs, and wealth. Racial division was built into the fabric of cities throughout South Africa, and it still hasn't been uprooted."

Watch Why South Africa is still so segregated by Vox

3. South Africa’s Descent into Chaos: "After the imprisonment of the former South African President, Jacob Zuma, by his one-time ally and successor, widespread protests in his home state of KwaZulu-Natal turned deadly. Over a week of riots and looting, the city of Durban was left in flames. VICE World News goes inside South Africa’s descent into chaos, witnessing the scale of the rage and destruction."

Watch South Africa’s Descent into Chaos by Vice

Call to Action! A lot of the issues and events of South Africa over its semi-recent history to today have often foreshadowed and reflected similar issues and events that happen in the United States. Begin to see if you can see the signs of what could happen, and how you would prepare to adjust for it.

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