Reconciliation and Reconfiliation in South Africa

Abstract

The bookkeeping and theological models of reconciliation continue to dominate thought and action in the quest for nation-building in South Africa. Despite their dominance, these models tend towards deepening the polarization of the South African society on the basis of the poverty and wealth divide. The emerging voluntary reconfiliation—without any legal backing—appears to be a better substitute for the over used and somewhat barren bookkeeping and theological models of reconciliation. The thesis defended in this essay, from the standpoint of African philosophy, is that reconciliation as a legislative Act was a still born because of its objective reinforcement of the poverty and wealth divide. Reconfiliation is more suitable for the advancement of nation-building in South Africa.