Divided We Stand - Divided We Fall

There are still many problems in South Africa, but none as strong and possibly insurmountable as the differences amongst the various races/ nations. It was Desmond Tutu who coined the phrase "Rainbow Nation" but as anyone can see, that is a misnomer, it is more true to talk of the "Zebra Nation"

A popular poll and TV programme in 2004 captured this reality in a snapshot. SABC 3 ran a poll named "100 Great South Africans" which was open to the general public to make submissions and nominate their particular favourite. The results were appalling, yet credible.

As predicted, Nelson Mandela was voted number 1 favourite South African, with Doctor Christiaan Barnard in 2nd place and former president De Klerk in 3rd. Winnie Mandela and Thabo Mbeki came in at 6th and 7th respectively. This is as one would have expected, but the surprise was in position 19 (Hendrik Verwoerd) and position 25 (Eugene Terreblanche)

The final poll results were pulled and the program scrapped 2 days before final release. The reality of course that nobody could deal with (and this is what still be-devils SA even today) is that it revealed the fact that there is no racial harmony and consensus between the races. Whites have their heroes, and blacks have their's.

One to 25 from the original list of "100 Greatest South Africans", with positions 2 to 10 still to be confirmed by public vote, before the show was taken off the air:

1. Nelson Mandela, first president of post-Apartheid South Africa and joint Nobel Peace Prize winner (1918 - )
2. Christiaan Barnard, pioneering heart transplant surgeon (1922–2001)
3. F. W. de Klerk, former president and joint Nobel Peace Prize winner (1936 - )
4. Mahatma Gandhi, political activist (1869–1948)
5. Nkosi Johnson, child who died of AIDS (1989–2001)
6. Winnie Madikizela-Mandela, politician and 2nd wife of Nelson Mandela (1936 - )
7. Thabo Mbeki, second president of post-Apartheid South Africa (1942 - )
8. Gary Player, golfer (1936 - )
9. Jan Smuts, statesman (1870–1950)
10. Desmond Tutu, cleric and Nobel Peace Prize winner (1931 - )
11. Hansie Cronje, cricketer (1969–2002)
12. Charlize Theron, actress and Academy Award winner (1975 - )
13. Steve Biko, nonviolent political activist (1946–1977)
14. Shaka, founder of the Zulu nation (1787–1828)
15. Mangosuthu Buthelezi, politician and a Zulu prince (1928 - )
16. Tony Leon, politician (1956 - )
17. Brenda Fassie, singer (1964–2004)
18. Mark Shuttleworth, Web entrepreneur, founder of Thawte, distributor of Ubuntu Linux and second fee paying space tourist (1973 - )
19. Hendrik Verwoerd, former prime minister and primary architect of Apartheid (1901–1966)
20. Chris Hani, political activist who was Secretary General of the SACP when he was assassinated (1942–1993)
21. Bonginkosi Dlamini, also known as "Zola", poet, actor and musician (1977 - )
22. Patricia de Lille, politician (1951 - )
23. Johnny Clegg, also known as "The White Zulu", musician (1953 - )
24. Helen Suzman, stateswoman (1917–2009)
25. Eugène Terre'Blanche founder of the Afrikaner Weerstandsbeweging (1941–2010)