Slavery may have lasted almost 300 years, involved people from different races and tribes - on both sides of the chains - and shaped the current world.
Picture; iStock
Just under 200 years ago, slavery was abolished in South Africa, as the then British colony followed Mother London in doing away with that awful crime against humanity.
There are still people in this part of the world who are sensitive about the use of that phrase – but is accurate.
Slavery may have lasted almost 300 years, involved people from different races and tribes – on both sides of the chains – and shaped the current world.
But it cannot be denied that it is a stain on humanity.
It’s something which will not – should not – be forgotten, no matter how many times the descendants of its victims are told to “get over it.”
However, the matter of reparations for the evil will never be simple.
This is because it will require many a soul-searching mea culpa, but also because it will impact the here and now, requiring significant financial commitments.
Certainly, there is no way that the countries of Africa, for example, can expect to be given enough money by their former colonisers to build themselves into modern developed nations.
On the other hand, they shouldn’t perpetually be treated as the hewers of wood and drawers of water for industrialised countries.
