Transferring frozen conflict to future generations : in search of a contextual pastoral approach

Date
2020
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
African Sun Media
Abstract
In general, the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) was a salient process with a firm mandate to set a process in place to face and deal with the apartheid past of South Africa. However, the lack of implementing the TRCs recommendations3 as well as the reluctance of government, civil society and the religious4 groupings to lobby, network and facilitate this commitment is evident. As time elapsed since the onset of transition in South Africa to the current situation new insight has come to the fore regarding how the transition was managed and the impact of the TRC on current and future generations. Subsequently, there has been an escalation of resistance to transformation and justice on many levels of our society. What is also evident is that the intensity of the resistance, more often violent than not, has increased. In addition, the language has shifted from a focus on reconciliation to having a strong emphasis on justice, reparation and restitution. Meanwhile, in South Africa, the majority of people are disillusioned, as the promises made to them during the transitional process as well as subsequent election campaigns by the government has not materialised. Political freedom is largely in place but economic justice is still an ever-increasing challenge. The resultant disillusionment and desperation is causing more and more people from different sectors of society to turn to violence in their search for justice, as they literally have nothing to lose.
Description
CITATION: Thesnaar, C. H. 2020. Transferring frozen conflict to future generations : in search of a contextual pastoral approach, in Nel, M. J., Forster, D. A. & Thesnaar, C. H. (eds.) 2020. Reconciliation, forgiveness and violence in Africa : biblical, pastoral and ethical perspectives. Stellenbosch: SUN PReSS, doi:10.18820/9781928480532/07.
The original publication is available from AFRICAN SUNMeDIA - www.sun-e-shop.co.za
Keywords
Reconciliation -- Religious aspects -- Christianity, South Africa. Truth and Reconciliation Commission
Citation
Thesnaar, C. H. 2020. Transferring frozen conflict to future generations : in search of a contextual pastoral approach, in Nel, M. J., Forster, D. A. & Thesnaar, C. H. (eds.) 2020. Reconciliation, forgiveness and violence in Africa : biblical, pastoral and ethical perspectives. Stellenbosch: SUN PReSS, doi:10.18820/9781928480532/07.