Identity is still an important debate in South Africa, said political analyst Frederik van Zyl Slabbert on Wednesday.
”There is no legal definition of a black [person], there is no legal definition of an African,” said Van Zyl Slabbert.
He said he was an African ”because my president told me I’m an African”, referring to what he called Thabo Mbeki’s ”very inclusive” definition of an African when he spoke at the adoption of the Constitution in 1996.
”I’m comfortable to say I’m an African.”
Van Zyl Slabbert was speaking at the University of the Witwatersrand, in the last of a series of public lectures on identity.
He said South Africa had come through a ”remarkable” transition and that public debate on issues like identity and race was crucial.
He warned against clinging to racial or ethnic identities.
”If you have an exclusive definition of identity, that can be a source of instability.”
Van Zyl Slabbert also warned against rewriting history.
Commenting on the recent death of former president PW Botha, he noted that ANC members who had been in jail for lengthy periods or in exile had offered condolences.
”Isn’t it extraordinary that nobody from the UDF [United Democratic Front] high command sent condolences?” he asked, saying they had to live under Botha’s rule. – Sapa