South Africa is not a country that has been broken up but rather a nation that has been realigned.
That's what former Utah Gov. Norm Bangerter believes after having spent three years as a mission president for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Johannesburg.Speaking Tuesday morning to the Hinckley Institute of Politics at the University of Utah on South African politics, he said that democracy there has evolved and now a very strong political system is developing.
"The transition has been phenomenal," Bangerter said. He said the nation's black population are capable leaders, though they aren't used to making decisions.
He believes the success of the country depends greatly on the cooperation of the white and black races. Surprisingly, he said there's a strong possibility that a white African could be elected as the next president.
Economic and social problems continue to plague the country and the unemployment is in the 30 to 40 percent range.
"Taxes are high and services are low. That's a poor platform to run on," Bangerter said.
He said despite the low work rate, the welfare rolls aren't jammed as much as one might think.
"Africans are very industrious. They are willing to work," he said, stressing their innovative use of resources to provide for their families.
He said the family is very fractured in South Africa and that there are few traditional families with a father and mother. Their homes are also very modest.
"It's almost embarrassing the houses we live in after you see their homes," Bangerter said, referring to the many shanty towns that exist.
Because of the poor economy, he said it is very economical for Americans to live in South Africa because of the strong dollar rate. He said an American couple can live comfortably there on just $1,200 a month.
Crime is also a problem there. He said about every 60 days the church would lose a missionary's car to an armed hijacker and that missionaries were occasionally robbed.
However, Bangerter's wife, Colleen, said she felt very safe in South Africa.
"I think they had a respect for the missionaries," she said.
Despite the high crime rate, Bangerter said the missionaries suffered no serious injuries during his three-year mission that ended last July.
He said the affluent areas in the country are like walled cities and there is a lot of security there.
"You don't hardly see any activity after dark," Bangerter said.
Education is also a big problem in South Africa and many of the more educated whites are rapidly leaving the nation for more profitable countries. There is a shortage of skilled workers, but once the education levels rise, the country should be a haven for businesses because labor is so inexpensive.
During a question-and-answer session, Bangerter said he doesn't miss being involved in raw politics, but he does miss the information and learning that goes along with political involvement.
He also said his political experience and advice were never called on by South African leaders. He believes that's mainly because the LDS Church's area presidency was also headquartered where he was and they handled the political matters.