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Stephen Cutts's avatar

Thanks Eduardo. I would agree with most of this, but while Rwanda's progress has been impressive in many areas, Kagame's regime is notorious for its abuses against journalists. And Amnesty points out many other human rights issues in the country: https://www.amnesty.org/en/location/africa/east-africa-the-horn-and-great-lakes/rwanda/report-rwanda/

On South Africa, I was shocked when I visited Jo'burg last year at the lack of progress and especially at the corruption scandal in the energy sector that has led to daily lengthy power cuts (including traffic signals!)

Mandela probably should have done more to institute managed land reform (NOT in the Mugabe way in Zimbabwe) but his successors, for all their rhetoric, certainly seem to have taken the country backwards in recent decades.

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Mickeysworld's avatar

Great comparison Eduardo. I remember these events so well. Democracy doesn't seem to have turned out so well for much of South Africa, despite the fanfare and hope. Whereas the despair that existed in Rwanda is a model of success 30 years later in spite of some abuses. Both histories are so painful. Great read!

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