Human slavery in a new form has emerged internationally and is yet to be defeated, President Thabo Mbeki said on Friday.
Writing in his weekly newsletter on the African National Congress website, he said the international community is still challenged by ”slavery in new clothes”.
The contemporary global economy and society has given birth to various forms of economic activity affecting millions of human beings, which are akin to the loss of personal freedom experienced by the slaves of the past.
”This suggests that the past historic victories against slavery succeeded to defeat and suppress slavery only for a limited period of time,” he said.
Mbeki said large numbers of Africans, driven by dire poverty, daily risk their lives to reach Europe ”in search of even the meanest of jobs, provided these give them the means to avoid death by starvation”.
This flight from poverty in Africa creates circumstances for some in Europe to employ Africans (and others from Asia and Latin America), in conditions of ”disguised slavery”.
”Surely the moment will once again come round when the newly enslaved will once more rise up to liberate themselves,” Mbeki said.
”Undoubtedly, once again [as in the past], there will be people of conscience within the developed world, who will join the newly enslaved in a concerted and sustained uprising that will, once more, constitute a landmark in the evolution of human society.” — Sapa