EBR approved submission
The Union of South Africa
Pretoria is a dusty city packed with honking cars and men on motorcycles shouting at one another. As the sandstorm puts the road at a standstill, vendors pour into the streets, handing out bubble gum and corn puffs. Similar to myself, every vendor I see wears a facemask to protect their lungs from the gritty air. As I trudge through the traffic and the harsh winds, I eventually spot my destination towering over the city. The Union Building is an arcology built to minimize its environmental impact and shaped similar to a silicone termite mound. At the gates of the Union Building, I show my card to a guard behind a glass panel, who in turn presses a button on the keypad. As the door opens, I am greeted with a breeze of cool air and a refuge against the sandstorm.
The guard in the window waves his hand and says “I’ll show you where you need to go, Mr. Chana.” As we walk from one building to another, I notice that my guide has started singing a jaunty tune to himself. “Braaivleis, rugby, and sunny days! They all go together in the USA!”
The Union of South Africa is a large country, encompassing the Namib Desert, the Cape of Good Hope, and the Lake Kariba. Often called the USA by its citizens (not to be confused with the United States of America), the white government would be put to the test during the 1970s, following a series of wide-reaching famines, multiple outbreaks of the Ebola virus, and a rising black population. Inspired by Malthusian ideologies and the writings of Paul R. Ehrlich, one Dr. Wallace Wolfhaardt argued that overpopulation was a major driving force behind societal collapse. To solve this, Wolfhaardt suggested that a system of population control was necessary to prevent future outbreaks of disease and food shortages.
The Malan administration would eventually implement the volkingsbeheer system which taxed families with additional children and utilized sterilization as a form of punishment. Today, the Union of South Africa has garnered criticism from international organizations over allegations of human rights abuses, institutional racism, and restrictions on reproductive rights. To gain a new perspective on the volkingsbeheer system and South Africa’s fight for a cleaner environment, I have decided to meet with the so-called Architect of Population Control, Dr. Wallace Wolfhaardt himself. As I enter his office, Dr. Wolfhaart greets me with a wide grin, while adjusting a pair of coke bottle glasses on his face
“Ah, Mr. Chana, so good to finally meet you! I hope that this world has been to your liking, despite our… less than pleasant weather.”
I decide to ask if sandstorms as harsh as the one outside are a common occurrence within South Africa. The doctor responds with a sad look and a nod of his head.
“You don’t have to be a meteorologist to see the effects that climate change have had on the country. Nuclear war, pollution, overpopulation, they’ve only sped up the inevitable.”
I ask Dr. Wolfhaardt what caused him to correlate those factors with the changing climate. Specifically, overpopulation.
“Well, when I looked at events like the Black Death, the Little Ice Age, and the famines that happened here in Africa, it became clear that societies with large populations are very vulnerable to what we call environmental hazards. They consume more, expand more, and end up creating some of the hazards themselves. To put it simply, the environmental hazards just pile up until the whole society collapses under pressure.”
I then ask how the volkingsbeheer system helps deal with the environmental hazards plaguing South Africa.
“What we try to do is ensure that our country’s population remains at a stable level and prevent future instances of scarcity. Often times, poorer families are unable to sustain themselves because they usually need to feed more mouths. But by promoting birth control and responsible family planning, we’re able to ensure our population doesn’t end up spiraling out of control. After all, what use is a government if it can't provide for all of its people?”
I then refer to accusations that South Africa’s policies on population control are inherently biased against the non-white population. Prior to the Civil Rights Act of 1979, the volkingsbeheer system would only be applied to black families, drawing criticism from human rights organizations across the globe.
“I know that some people can get a negative impression of volkingsbeheer due to its… complicated history. But what some people fail to understand is that South Africa in the 70s was not the same country as it is today. Apartheid ended decades ago and you don’t see any more bathroom signs that say whites-only. And yes, wealthier families tend to be larger because they’re able to feed more children, but in our world, that’s become something of a modern necessity.”
Eventually, I decide to change the subject to another system that survived the end of apartheid: the Bantustans. Large swathes of disconnected land were often set aside for black South Africans and would later be granted nominal independence after the apartheid era. I brought up claims regarding the mistreatment of refugees within the Bantustans, but Dr. Wolfhaart shakes his head.
“Well you see, we don’t really use that term anymore, because honestly, it’s quite insulting to dismiss a recognized independent republic as a Bantustan. And besides, if the tribes of our country wish to govern themselves and decide their own fate, then who are we to deny them that freedom? As for human rights, the government of South Africa has no jurisdiction over what happens in Transkei or KwaZulu. If you want more information about our foreign policy, then I can direct you someone else, because this isn’t really my jurisdiction.”
Before ending our interview, I ask Dr. Wolfhaart I ask one last question regarding the South African government’s stance regarding reproductive rights and the ethical complication created by sterilizing prisoners.
“I would argue that South Africa is very supportive of reproductive rights for men and women. Abortions clinics are easier to access here compared to other countries which, as I said before, has become a modern necessity. As for contraception, most prisoners voluntarily agree to take birth control methods instead of being forced to do so. By giving these people the chance to take personal responsibility, they’re able to reintegrate into society and end up being better off, financially speaking. Some countries in America and Europe have even started implementing this program in their own cities, so we must be doing something right!”
I bid Dr. Wolfhaart farewell before heading to the city center to meet my next contact. I arrive at a sprawling complex of unkempt apartment called Robins Park where I introduce myself to Mrs. Elizabeth Dosini, a party official for the African National Congress. After shaking my hand, she begins our interview with a gesture to the run-down buildings behind her.
“Robins Park was built to give cheap housing for black workers in the city. Of course, the government didn’t care about the people living here, so it fell into disrepair. Now the only people you’ll find here are squatters, criminals, and homeless folk kept down by the system. Apartheid may be dead Mr. Chana, but the government will still do everything in its power to oppress us.”
I ask how the South African government is able to oppress its black population over the course of decades.
“Volkingsbeheer is only one way the nation is able to continue its genocide against black people. The Bantustans aren’t really reservations or homelands for black people. They’re concentration camps the size of entire countries. If you aren’t able to register yourself as a South African citizen in time, then the government will usually deport you to your “proper homeland” where they leave you to die. But not if you’re white or coloured. In those cases, the government is a lot more patient with citizenship.”
I refer to Dr. Wolfhaart’s argument that the Bantustans were independent self-governing republics outside of the government’s control.
“I’m not surprised that Wolfhaart has been trying to fill your head with lies. Truth be told, the Bantustans aren’t recognized by most countries outside of South Africa and they only exist because the government keeps paying them to take refugees. During the Boer War, the Anglos would let the Boers starve to death or die from disease in their refugee camps. Now they’ve found a way to do the same to us on a much larger scale.”
I then ask Mrs. Dosini to elaborate when she referred to the volkingsbeheer system as a form of black genocide.
“Volkingsbeheer was made to control the black birthrate, but at least Malan didn’t hide that from the rest of the world. If you live in a province with a black majority, there’s a chance that you’ll be taxed a lot more for having more children. The government might say that volkingsbeheer doesn’t care about your race or your skin color, but that couldn’t be any further from the truth.”
Surprised by the extent of racism within the nation, I asked if the program to sterilize prisoners was also driven by race.
“Race and politics, Mr. Chana. When I was arrested for protesting against the government, they offered me a shorter sentence and a basic income if they let me operate on my womb. At first I refused, but the conditions in the prison were revolting and the guards nearly beat me to death when I disobeyed them. Eventually the message became clear, let us operate on you or you’re going to die. When I realized that I had no choice in this matter I did what I had to do and I sacrificed any chance of having biological children.”
I quickly apologize to Mrs. Dosini, but she remains collected throughout the interview.
“There’s no need to apologize dear, I already have a daughter who I love as if she were my own. Now, is there anything else you want to ask?”
I ask Mrs. Dosini if she has any words to say before I take my leave.
“In this world, lots of countries see population control as this cure-all solution to climate change. And while it does solve some of the symptoms of climate change, it’s not really a solution for what causes climate change. You see, I believe that the government is doing the right thing by promoting birth control and family planning, but the thing is, they’re not doing it to protect the environment. They’re doing it to protect their own power. Our government is willing to send thousands of people to death in the name of sustainability, but there are hardly any restrictions on pollution or deforestation.
Honestly, it’s horrible what those people in the Union Building are doing to their own citizens. And Wolfhaardt is the worst amongst them. He’s greenwashed the genocide of entire races and always turns a blind eye whenever the issue of human rights comes up. I tell you, that man you interviewed is nothing more than a criminal in sheep’s clothing. All of them are. When you go back to the Nutshell, Mr. Chana, I want you to show them what they’re doing to us. I want you to show them this.”
Mrs. Dosini raises her shirt and shows me a pale scar below her stomach.
“This is what they take away from us, Mr. Chana. This is what they do to keep themselves in power.”
"Bantustans" unrecognized by the United Nations are not shown on the map