Into the Cannibal's Pot: Lessons for America from Post-Apartheid South Africa Paperback – Illustrated, April 24, 2012

This is a well written and thoroughly researched book that must be read by every South African, Black and White. Whites (especially the Afrikaners) must read it so that they can realise what terrible price they have paid by surrendering all political input in the future running of a country that in 1994 was the jewel of Africa with the basic infrastructure and know-how to assure a good life for all its citizens if only, by compromise, a system of government could be found that satisfied the political aspirations of its diverse population. Black people (especially the ones from the ANC ruling class) must read it so that they can realise that what they have done over the past 18 years has made life worse for every one except for the governing elite who have enriched themselves through greed and corruption. Not only have they made the day to day life for the vast majority worse but they have also compromised the future of the country by ruining the infrastructure through neglect and utter incompetence. The first act was to get rid of skilled people and to replace them with their own cronies. The worst off are the poor who have not the slightest hope of ever lifting themselves out of their miserable conditions but who still vote for the ANC. Thirteen million poor people receive grants that keep them from utter destitution. This is unsustainable in a country where taxes are collected from ten per cent of the population. The education system has deteriorated to such an extent that pupils leave school with very few skills to help them climb out of the poverty trap.The ANC has been very crafty in putting the face of Mandela on their organization, forgetting that the "sainthood" was bestowed on him by a conscience ridden West eager to wash their hands of the mess that was to follow the capitulation of a modern and complex governing system to a greedy and totally inexperienced, communist inspired, elite. Mandela, as an icon, did not have the slightest effect on the real ANC during his one term of office. In fact they could not accommodate someone as a president who constantly had to to prove his "sainthood" to the world while the ANC in government had plans not befitting a saint. The solution was to make him even more of a saint by forcing him to become the first African ruler to give up power "voluntarily". Mandela, as a declared icon also had the effect of lulling the whites into a false sense of trust for the future under an ANC government.The author far from "whitewashing" the whites for what they have done under apartheid, tries to form a balanced opinion based on facts throughout. She struggles with one of the most complex questions in the world: who owns the land? Is it they who conquered and developed it to the good of everybody living on it, and thus making everyone in effect an "owner", or does it belong to the original "owners"? Who is to say who the original owners were? They certainly do not, in most cases, exist anymore. If their offspring now claim what others have paid for or worked for, it amounts to nothing less than theft. There are plenty of examples in Africa where the land was given back to the "original" owners and the outcome was without exception catastrophic for all the inhabitants or at least resulted in a drastic deterioration in the quality of life for just about everybody. Should there in any case be a slogan: Africa for the Africans or America for the Americans? What does it mean in the end other than an excuse for someone to lay claim to property for which he has not earned the right to ownership as laid down by the law in an orderly community that exists for the good of all its members.These are perhaps questions that cannot be answered in any case. Maybe the only test, as the book emphasizes,should be that individual rights must be paramount over group rights which are based on whatever distinguishes groups. What transpires from her book is that if the ANC government should proceed on its present course, the question of ownership will, within the next twenty years or so, be utterly meaningless: nobody would want to own South Africa.The author points out that the armed struggle is largely a myth and that it was never more than a nuisance. It was largely the isolation by big business and sporting bodies from the West that caused the cracks in the apartheid edifice. The ANC seems to have forgotten who their real saviors were. The liberation soldiers were taken up in the defense force,which as a result of this new blood, has now deteriorated into an inefficient, money wasting shadow of the old SADF.Interspersed with the analysis of the South African reality is a discussion of how it relates to the present American situation and possible future outcomes in that country. Throughout she warns against reward in society based on group rights. She insists that everyone should have his rightful place in the sun but the individual must be free to develop his or her full potential and be rewarded according to their contribution to the well being of the society. The author bases her warnings on available statistics and hard facts. She leaves it to those who can make a difference, to use these facts and change course or to ignore them to the detriment of future generations.

Mrs. Mercer's book should be required reading in every public school in America and afterwards required course material in our universities. This is a great factual and analytical work that needs to be told and needs to be heard. Mrs. Mercer has done an excellent job at presenting many facts that are not easy to discount or deny. Her analytical arguments are even harder to refute.I encourage everyone to not only read Mrs. Mercer's book, but also to continue your own research and investigation into South Africa (particularly the distinction between the original Boers, before the Anglo-Boars wars, and the Afrikaners that now dominate South Africa after the gold and diamond rush) so that a critical mass of individuals can learn from South Africa's mistakes. (Mrs. Mercer's 800 plus end notes will get you own your way.)The lessons for Citizens of the United States can learn from this expose on South Africa:1- No civilization can survive when the people who created it or their ideology die out. The country degrades or transforms and turns into something else.2- Foreign meddling should be considered high treason.3- As Mrs. Mercer argues (and as did the American Founders), only propertied citizens should be able to vote in a republic. The founders also considered themselves a melting pot of Europeans.4- Mob rule or democracy is vastly inferior to a republic.6- An unarmed and untrained civilian population is an easy target for mobs when the government refuses to enforce the rule of law.7- Cultural Marxism is a failure. All are not equal in contributions, abilities, and worth to a civilization. All citizens are only equally protected by basic rule of law.8- Affirmative action produces mediocre and poor performance and demoralizes producers.10- As Mrs. Mercer maintains, American Citizens must have complete "Freedom of Association" to freely associate, conduct business, make contracts with complete freedom. Our government is a complete failure at forced business practices and forced association to meet their political ambitions and feed their personal moral ambitions.11- American citizens with dual citizenship, foreign intelligence agents working in America (especially as consultants), and foreign owned mass media operating in America create a treasonous conflict of interest, conflict of loyalty and must end.12- We must forever be on guard for traitors in our midst, as in the case of South Africa: Many who betrayed her were in her own institutions and government.Courage and talk are not enough when foreign elements attack and undermine a civilization, country, or state, and its leadership. It does not amount to isolationism for a civilization, for a group of people, or a country, united for a common purpose, to act in their own self-interest and reject forcefully a foreign diplomacy that seeks to corrupt or dismantle it.Enjoy this riveting, accurate read, but be aware that if you have any sense of justice, fairness, and love of what is good and naturally just, you will be a changed person when you finish this book.As JFK said, in so many words: There is a Global Elite that believe they are special and destined to rule the world. To accomplish their agenda they work through influence, deceit, and malice to subjugate and rule, by any means necessary. Their infection of America must end.NOTE: Please note that the Kindle edition is not properly formatted: No links in the Table of Contents. I understand Mrs. Mercer is in the process of having the Kindle edition properly formatted.Good reading to all!

Utterly amazing to read what one suspected. It was true to form and had a lot of facts and detail. Good author. 👍

Fantastic book to create awareness. My people at the southern tip of Africa is suffering, and political correctness is partly to blame. The media, and subsequently the world has forgotten the plight of the European in South Africa. My fear is that I see similar writing on the wall for the US, it is purely a matter of time. This book will hopefully awaken the common man to wake up and the roses. The pot is getting warmer. Well worth reading.

An interesting, well written but disturbing account of the current situation in the Republic of South Africa. It is hard to accept that law and order has deteriorated so much since the end of Apartheid and that we are currently witnessing the genocide of the Afrikaaner farmer. However, we have been down this path before in Rhodesia, now Zimbabwe.The author has thoroughly researched the political, racial and historical background of SA leading up to the present putting this into a completely in a new light. We are witnessing 'white flight' from S.A. Those who can, leave. There is surely a place somewhere in Africa or the world for the 'White Tribe' of Africa with their unique language and culture, or do we have to witness another case of genocide?

scholarly and replete, highest commendation

It is seldom that I cannot follow an argument as fast as I can read. This book slowed me down in places. Much of the well-reasoned and supported insight is new and contrary to "accepted wisdom".One of the best books I have read in a long time. A bit of money and some spent with this book will be richly rewarded.I look forward to reading more from this very bright and very current libertarian.