From Apartheid South Africa to Modern America: Echoes of Oppression and Hope
Each morning, Stephanie Urdang wakes to a familiar weight—a sense of dread amplified by news alerts on her phone. Headlines detailing the U.S.-backed conflict in Gaza, Israeli settlements in the West Bank, and the mass deportation of undocumented immigrants in America evoke painful memories of her childhood in apartheid South Africa.
Born into a white family in Cape Town, Urdang’s parents were socialist activists who fought tirelessly against the oppressive apartheid regime. Growing up, she heard constant refrains: “Apartheid is evil,” “The majority are oppressed,” “Only an uprising can end this.” Her parents saw the United States, a staunch ally of apartheid South Africa, as “the belly of the beast.”
As a child, Urdang’s privilege shielded her from the harshest realities of apartheid. But as she matured, she began to peel away the layers of propaganda, confronting her guilt and anger over the systemic exploitation of Black and Coloured South Africans. Her father, a lawyer, chose to practice in Athlone, a predominantly Coloured community, rather than serve wealthy white clients.
The Sharpeville Massacre and the Beginning of Resistance
March 21, 1960, marked a turning point in South Africa’s struggle for equality. In Sharpeville, police opened fire on peaceful protesters, killing 69 people, including 29 children. The massacre, known globally as the Sharpeville Massacre, shocked the world and galvanized the anti-apartheid movement.
Urdang remembers the fear that gripped her school that day. Her principal warned students to remain indoors, describing protesters as “natives” heading toward the city. But her father, upon returning home, was jubilant. “I’ve just seen the beginning of the end of apartheid!” he exclaimed, recounting how thousands of protesters marched silently toward Parliament in a powerful display of resistance.
Life in Exile and the Fight Against Apartheid
In 1966, Urdang left South Africa for the United States, fleeing the suffocating grip of apartheid. She joined the Southern Africa Committee, editing a monthly magazine that highlighted the struggles against apartheid and colonialism across Africa. She found camaraderie with like-minded activists, but also confronted the deep-seated racism and inequality in American society.
Years later, the parallels between apartheid South Africa and modern America became impossible to ignore. The rise of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), with its unmarked vehicles and brutal tactics, reminded her of South Africa’s dreaded Bureau of State Security (BOSS). Images of families torn apart at the border echoed the forced removals of Black South Africans during apartheid.
The Return of Fear and the Power of Resistance
Decades after leaving South Africa, Urdang finds herself haunted by familiar horrors. The rhetoric of division, the scapegoating of immigrants, and the erosion of democratic institutions in the U.S. evoke painful memories. Yet, she draws strength from the courage of protesters organizing against injustice.
“Where there is courage and resistance, there is hope,” she says, echoing the lessons of her youth.
Stephanie Urdang’s journey from apartheid South Africa to modern America serves as a powerful reminder of the enduring fight for justice and equality. Her story underscores the importance of solidarity in the face of oppression—a lesson as relevant today as it was decades ago.
— Reported by Nexio News
