South Africa: Against the Odds

On April 22, South Africans will vote in presidential and parliamentary elections for the fourth time since the end of apartheid, and a fourth president will take power through constitutional means. It is worth remembering this amazing achievement. The apartheid legacy of racism, repression and violence was never going to be erased in fifteen years, but the fact the country can already claim such a vibrant democratic culture, alongside strong institutions, a vocal media and civil society is an achievement the historical precedents for which are hard to identify.