Race will matter for years - Friedman
2012-12-12 22:50
Johannesburg - People need to realise that race will matter for a long time to come, political analyst Steven Friedman said on Wednesday.
"The racial hierachy that existed before is still part of society," he said at a debate in Constitution Hill.
"Not much has changed in the past 18 years."
He referred to a recent survey conducted by the University of Johannesburg which found that 18 years into democracy it took black students about three months after graduation to find a job, while white people with the same degree got it straight away.
Friedman said those in the economic elite needed to be aware of certain realities.
One reality was that some people lived in extreme poverty.
"Another reality is that It isn't so easy for black people to slot in properly into the economy," he said.
"We are in a process of change but that change hasn't gone as far as it could."
- SAPA
