How COVID-19 exposed inequality in the “Rainbow Nation” 26 years post-apartheid

The COVID-19 lockdown in South Africa has not only wreaked havoc on our economy but has exposed major inequalities in our country’s education system. With social distancing and stringent sanitizing measures being put into place, it is now more clear than ever that the rural and poor communities have no chance to fight this virus on a fair playing field. Education in South Africa is officially in a crisis. But how did the system then work for everyone before lockdown?

In 2016 already, the Government made a solemn promise that they will ensure that all schools in South Africa will have access to water and sanitation. Just another hollow promise, that now – 4 years down the line – has not been kept. Schools in rural areas that were built in the apartheid era still have major shortages when it comes to proper infrastructure.

Over and above actual infrastructure issues, e-learning is not something that is accessible for every household. Pre-lockdown, e-learning was for the middle and upper class, leaving the rest of the working class to fend for themselves. The Government made an attempt to make basic education accessible through TV and radio channels but the divide is far from bridged! The lack of e-learning material and infrastructure in public schools means that about 80% of our children are being disadvantaged. 

There is a shortage of masks, soap and sanitizers in schools and South Africa is nowhere near having enough measures in place for proper screening and testing of learners and teachers. The government needs to ensure that we invest in digitising our education system to gain efficiencies, increase quality and oversight, as well as reduce inequality. We must also recapitalise, modernise, and corporatise the taxi industry into a flourishing, authentically black-owned transport value chain.

There has been no overhaul of the education system post-apartheid and it seems like the Government is focusing all its energy on all the wrong things. Back to basics Mr President, South Africa is counting on you!