Interracial dating still frowned on in new SA

HMM...The past 20 years flew by and South Africa now finds itself emerging from infancy, through the teenage years, and now as an adult "boy-to-man" of democracy. Twenty years is arguably a long time to me; but how can a 20- year-old "born-free" be the judge?

It really baffles me how some of us seem so stuck in the past and extremely reluctant to embrace the beautiful diversity that this country provides beyond racial borders and across all divisions.

Especially, there exists a general reluctance from certain sections in our society to share their love/sex lives with different races – be it black, white, coloured or Asian.

From my personally experienced point of view, interracial dating or "jungle fever" is still being actively opposed by some and frowned upon by many; mostly based on historical differences. Some people either have racial hatred, fear or prejudice embedded in them from a time when racism was considered the norm.

Twenty years down the line as a Rainbow Nation; some people (both black and white) still live with that animosity. My message of ubuntu is: "There is no rational reason to hold reservations toward a person based on skin colour." All it creates is unnecessary division, which is something that South Africa can really do without. After all, unity in diversity should be a deed, and not just a slogan.

Ernest Hogah, King Williams Town