Apartheid was officially abolished in South Africa in the 1990s. The system of racial segregation, when the rights of the majority black inhabitants were curtailed and white supremacy rule was maintained, ended to exist in 1994 with the victory of the African National Congress under Nelson Mandela in the general elections. Today, almost 20 years afterwards, the position of white people in South Africa is not easily determined, says John Simpson, a BBC journalist. Some of them have a disproportionate amount of influence; others say they feel vulnerable and the feeling is growing.
Many would agree white people are still doing well in the country. They are playing a larger part in the country’s economy, they have a disproportionate amount of influence in politics and the media, they have most of the best jobs, the journalist notes.