Beyond the rainbow nation effect

Is the 'rainbow nation' era coming to an end? Time will tell.

I can't say I ever fully embraced the cliched term accredited to our peace-loving Archbishop Tutu. Although it aptly describes SA's diversity, its often extended meaning carries the deceptive connotation of a nation reconciled and unified in spite of its diversity. But that prize has up to now mostly been a figment of our collective imagination. That's not to say that we can't one day claim it in truth.

Perhaps the SA Patriot agenda of responsible citizenship marks a new era in national consciousness that expresses more aptly our identity and aspirations as one nation. The steady stream of new registrations from the SA PATRIOT website are encouraging this point of view.