With Nelson Mandela at the helm, South Africa overcame apartheid and entered a transitional era, brimming with optimism for sustainable transformation. But two decades and two post-Mandela leaders later, the country’s progress has stalled. The monopoly of the African National Congress and its focus on fulfilling its own self-interest and power plague the country, which was once propelled by moral momentum.
The articles in this volume of The ANNALS, written largely by South Africans, explore the challenges facing contemporary South Africa. The authors suggest that improving governance through bold policies related to labor, education, security, and health care would uphold Mandela’s legacy and move South Africa forward.