Heritage of diversity must shape common identity: academics

BUILDING a shared South African common identity, often referred to as a 'civic nationalism', must involve economic redress, tackling racism, and a rebalance of apartheid-inherited power relations.

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It must be built on solidarity for the vulnerable across ethnicity, colour, and political affiliation, which means that social justice must underpin governing.

This is according to Professor William Gumede from the Wits School of Governance.

In his paper titled 'Fostering a common South Africanness based on democracy, diversity and social justice', and published by Inclusive Society, he states that race, and the continued legacy of apartheid inequalities, where most blacks are poor, and whites are better off, is one of the fault lines in the country's efforts to build a common South Africanness.

"Building commonality based on difference presents a unique challenge. In the South African type of colonial and apartheid history, white skins were bestowed with more social, political, and economic power. Power was further dispersed based on skin pigmentation.

"It will be critical that economic development policies focus on genuinely uplifting not only the poor, but the widest number of people at the same time, whatever their race, colour or political affiliation rather than a small elite, whether white or black or both. If the poor black majority is left out of prosperity, a common South Africanness will remain a fading dream," Gumede states.

He said that leadership style matters very much, and there is going to be a premium on South Africa's political leaders to govern at all times for every South African, not just for one political party, faction, or ethnic group.