Former President Thabo Mbeki acknowledged his generation failed to educate young South Africans about apartheid's lasting effects after the transition to democracy in 1994. Speaking on the African Renaissance Podcast released on Sunday, October 27, Mbeki said leaders concentrated on delivering houses and employment while neglecting political education for emerging citizens. He told host Mbuyiseni Ndlozi that youth protests across the continent reflect unmet promises of renewal following liberation struggles.
Mbeki defended economic policies from 1994 through 2009 as a period of rapid advancement in living standards and infrastructure development. He cited research showing per capita income growth and investment rates that reached 23 percent of gross domestic product by 2008. The 81-year-old leader blamed infiltration of the governing party after 2007 for reversing gains and blocking national conversations about progress.
Mbeki defended economic policies from 1994 through 2009 as a period of rapid advancement in living standards and infrastructure development. He cited research showing per capita income growth and investment rates that reached 23 percent of gross domestic product by 2008. The 81-year-old leader blamed infiltration of the governing party after 2007 for reversing gains and blocking national conversations about progress.
