What was the best thing about the Apartheid years?

Answer 1

The Joburg CBD was clean.......Hillbrow nightlife was the best thing that ever happened to the city......civil servants were doing their jobs...whether the laws were repressive or not is not an issue....they were deligent in implementing the laws of the country!!!!!!!

Answer 2

k, this is gonna sound strange but bear with me...

I think it was the feeling of fear that authority figures generated around themselves (all for the wrong reason tho). No one would dare putting even a toenail out of line.
Now that feeling is gone. No-ones scared of the police. No-one scared of punishment (our prisons are the first to have revolving doors). No-one fears being caught out (but yet, officials still pass the buck and deny responsibilty).
Instead its been replaced with this sickening sense of entitlement the majority have. You only have to look at some of the stikes that are happening, like the recent car components strike. Intl. export contracts were jeopardised because of the strike, resulting in lots of ppl in the car manufacturing losing their jobs, car prices would skyrocket etc. Im not saying ppl shouldnt have the right to strike but it does come with *heavy* responsibilities (and i dont think the unions are taking enough responsibilty).
No-one would've striked like that in the old days; everyone was too scared too. The same can be said about crime, corruption, infrastructure maintenace etc...
We need to replace this entitlement with fear (thru tougher punishments and p'haps even the death penalty) and respect for the law.

Answer 3

I don't miss anything from that era except lower crime rate -- it's sad to see the rising criminality in the country. I guess i also miss some of the protest music like Eddy Grant's JoAnna and Free Nelson Mandela.

Answer 4

The Infrastructure,1st World Banking and Business systems,Public Services.Police and Armed Services that were the best on the Continent and the villification of Communism are some things that come to mind.

Answer 5

The Police presence, and as MB 1810 said it, the feeling of safety, sleeping outside in a tent, and still being alive in the morning, riding bicycle without it being high-jacked etc.

Answer 6

For me i'd as a naive kid, i'd say it was the "Stay-aways". We'd always be turned back when trying to get to school.I didn't mind because that meant a free day at home.

But now that i've grown up, i'd say i never benefited in any way. Apartheid should never happen again.

Answer 7

Local trains (Metrorail). I used to get so excited to travel by train from Soweto to Joburg (ePaki). Or to my aunt eSpruit, i.e. Katlehong in the east Rand. There were still tsotsis but they were just pick-pocketing and playing dice and cards on the train. I still miss those "good old days".

Answer 8

I was a little kid, but what I remember most was being able to play outside till late at night, without worries of being kidnapped, raped or asaulted for the R1 coin in my pocket.

Answer 9

there were plenty food and no crime.the black people are suffering now more than in apartheid years.our apartheid ended in the 1970 s look at my country zimbabwe now

Answer 10

The unemployment figures were so low. So to speak, everyone had a job.