i wonder if there might be something South Africa could learn from the story of Zacchaeus in the Bible.

As a much-hated tax collector known for robbing and cheating the people he has an encounter with Jesus and it changes his life so significantly that he makes amends with his money and gives back to those he wronged.

But in some cases we see that he gives back four times as much to those he stole from. It’s almost as if he realises that if he stole R100 five years ago, then giving that person R100 today is not the same thing. There is lost interest, lost opportunity, lost revenue, affected identity and family relationship and so much more.

With land that was stolen, with education that was stifled and destroyed, with living conditions that were made unbearable, with opportunities that were curtailed and so much more, maybe giving someone the vote and allowing them on the same beach as you is not the furthest extent of distance that was needing to be travelled…

Maybe we still have a ways to go?

Some people and organisations are doing that really quite well, but most of us have probably not done much at all. What movement still needs to happen to redress the past, cos that is the question we never quite got round to asking seriously enough in all spheres…

Your thoughts?