Affirmative action as an approach to economic restitution in post-apartheid South Africa : a reading of Luke 19:1-10

Abstract

In an article entitled “Race and Racism” Andrews (2014:402) quoting Shivers (2008), argues that to build on the cornerstones of repentance and reconciliation requires us to deal with racism’s legacy. While the South African Truth and Reconciliation Commission tried to establish a form of restorative justice to overcome the atrocities of the apartheid system. Many felt frustrated because they believed this approach risks impunity for the perpetrators, by that extending the societal attack on black life. In 2013, Bishop Tutu called for the implementation of wealth taxes on wealthy white South Africans. Taxes he argued must be charged on “white wealth” and then used for the upliftment of the Black South African. In this article, the authors aim to address the issue of economic restitution. Using Luke 19:1-10 as its methodology, the authors attempt to address this question by asking what role can affirmative action play as a form of economic restitution in addressing the historical past racially orientated wage gap.