Abstract

Sixteen years after the end of the apartheid regime, South Africa is a country full of contradictions. It has huge mineral resources and a gorgeous nature, but one of the most unequal distributions of income and wealth, aggravated by a high level of crime and HIV/AIDS infection. South Africans are still obsessed with race, and their government is often dominated by corruption and scandals. This article looks at South Africa through the eyes of its people, with their challenges, their wish to change and their strong fear of failure.