Affirmative action is a policy that seeks to address historical inequalities and promote equal opportunity by providing preferential treatment to disadvantaged groups, typically based on race, gender, or ethnicity.
In South Africa it’s mostly based on race.
The underlying intention is to counteract the effects of past discrimination and ensure that underrepresented individuals have fair access to education, employment, and other opportunities.
While affirmative action may be well-intentioned, it is a slippery slope towards more racism and discrimination.
By favouring certain groups based on their race or gender, the policy inadvertently perpetuates stereotypes and reinforce divisions among different communities. Instead of treating individuals as equals, affirmative action tends to classify people into groups based on their race or gender and allocate opportunities accordingly. This leads to a cycle of resentment and animosity, as those who are negatively affected by affirmative action become marginalised and unfairly treated.
Furthermore, affirmative action undermines the principles of meritocracy. When preferences are given based on factors other than individual qualifications and achievements, it devalues the importance of personal accomplishments and qualifications. This breeds a culture of mediocrity and discourages hard work and excellence.
