This Human Rights Day saw a peppy multidenominational, multiracial religious service with 50,000 attendees. South African leaders have been experimenting for some time with such surreal language, which if accepted would make experience and common sense unspeakable, and so let the regime do whatever it wants. Established meaninglessness is necessary for those wanting to control the last country in Africa with the potential for a full and public intellectual life. The economy is international and fairly diversified, with good infrastructure, particularly in communications. Educated people want to stay and raise children and indigenous plants.
Independent courts take constitutional promises seriously.
The government is therefore hoping to stave off frank criticism by means of political correctness. I suspect that in America the problem is more than just a good subject for internet jokes, but I am certain that in South Africa political correctness is a starving monster. T he open predations on freedom of speech in South African are not my most insomniac concern. Officials regularly insult and threaten journalists for reporting on corruption. The Minister of Safety and Security is withholding crime statistics, and various departments are working in apparent coordination on plans to ban reporters from government property and from conversations with government employees unless by written ministerial consent.