INTHEKNOW
Turning
diversity by Athabile Jojo, CEO, Diversity Empowerment
into an organisational strength T
There is strength in our diversity. South Africa’s history of brutal division – which systematically deprived non-white people of economic and social opportunities – denied our nation the opportunity to reach its full potential. More than 25 years after the first democratic elections, we continue to struggle with the bitter legacies of colonialism and apartheid, yet we are in a better position than ever to build a winning society.
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he reason I say this is that democracy, at last, gave us the opportunity to turn the diversity of our nation into a strength rather than a source of division. With a progressive constitution that recognises the rights and the value of every person – irrespective of race, religion, gender, sexual orientation, age, ethnicity or disability – we can harness the potential of every person in the nation. Yes, there are some tensions and sources of division in our society, but we have come a long way. Setting aside the noisy echo chambers of social media or the well-publicised
