47% of white SA believe apartheid wasn't a crime against humanity

A 2014 South African Reconciliation Barometer released today revealed that Whites are less likely to remember the oppressive nature of apartheid than other citizens.

According to the report, 53 percent of whites who took part in the survey agreed with the statement that apartheid was a crime against humanity.

This was compared to 80 percent of blacks, 77 percent of Indians, and 70 percent of coloured citizens who agreed with the statement.

Whites were half as likely as black South Africans to agree with redressing the injustice of the past.

The barometer looked at 10 years of data collected between 2003 and 2013.

It found that in 2003, 86.5% of South Africans agreed that apartheid was an inhumane crime compared to 76.4% today.

The report stated that remembering the oppressive nature of apartheid encouraged citizens to be aware of its legacy and allow for transformation, rather than reproducing unequal relationships.

The barometer's project leader Kim Wale said that there is a real need to engage white South Africans on what their whiteness meant in relation to the experiences of other races.

News 24