A critical reflection on the state of social contract in the 21st century South Africa

Abstract

This study examined the state of social contract in South Africa. It explored the state of the social contract during the apartheid era to map out the changes and continuities in the social contract. The study employed desk-top research methodology, which involved the exploration of existing sources of information. The study found that the apartheid regime was fueled by a racial contract, which caused the division of members of society and the allocation of resources amongst them. The racial contract during the apartheid era favored the minority white people while suppressing the majority black people. The study revealed that there exists a concerning social contract, to an extent that no political party represents the majority. In 2024 a coalition government comprising of six political parties was formed to govern the country with no single political party dominating the government. This is a significant change in the social contract since 1994.