Category Archives: Beyond the Miracle by Allister Sparks

A BOOK “REVIEW” (SUMMARY): BEYOND THE MIRACLE by Allister Sparks
“With its wildly diverse population, South Africa is an exciting place to live; because it is at the cutting edge of so many of the world’s most challenging problems.”
– Allister Sparks writing in ‘Beyond the Miracle’ *
* and published by Jonathan Ball Publishers Pty Ltd
Submitter’s Note: Here are my notes from the excellent book Beyond the Miracle by former South African journalist Allister Sparks, which I’ve been researching and studying for many years. Many quotes have been taken directly from this fascinating book and are hereby acknowledged. I truly believe that the lessons (valuable) learned in South Africa’s transformation, with “the negotiated revolution” can be applied to countries in turmoil in today’s uncertain world – model for the present and the future. So I’m sharing in the spirit of “believing in ‘Beyond a/the Miracle”.
craig October 2013

“He (Mandela) pulled the country out of the abyss and placed it on the pedestal of hope.”
So often in this land of contradictions, even in its darkest corners there are inspiring rays of light.
“It is not given to every generation that it should be present during and participate in the act of creation.”
– Thabo Mbeki, former Vice President, then later President of South Africa in April 1997
“The change that has taken place in South Africa was brought about not by some Damascus Road revelation, but by ordinary , fallible human beings, who ultimately recognized that they had been cast together by forces of history that could not be undone…and that in the final analysis, they were dependent on one another to a degree that they could either live together or perish together, and who then followed the painful and difficult logic of that recognition.”
– fine writing by Allister Sparks in Beyond the Miracle

“South Africa should put the freedom of its press and media at the top of its priorities as a democracy. A bad press which is free is preferable to a technically good, but subservient press.”
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