The new democratic South Africa, supposedly reflecting a transformed society, is more than ten years old. Yet increasingly more and more pointers emerge, indicating a growing impatience and dissatisfaction with the nature and tempo at which the South African society is transforming. Amongst many previously disadvantaged people, unfulfilled expectations give rise to disillusionment, potentially resulting in an impatient reluctance to continue the personal journey of transformation. Conversely, evident amongst many previously advantaged whites is a reluctance to depart from the previous social order. These tendencies are unfortunately supported by first-hand experiences of some of the current consequences of the new social dispensation, generating profound feelings of negativity, pessimism, resistance and revived racism. Recent political and social disintegration in neighbouring countries compounds scepticism and reluctance to embark on the intense personal voyage to a transformed society.

In part two of this book I used my own narrative to illustrate the multifaceted implications of social transformation at a more profound, personal level. I furthermore believe that this narrative reinforces Nussbaum's conception of rationality, by highlighting the intense involvement of the emotions as cognitive guides in the process of personal transformation. I believe that transformation of South Africans at a personal level is not only necessary, but also possible, provided that social transformation is conceived not only in super structural terms, but also as including the equally crucial aspect of personal transformation. Society should not only allow for, but also try to reinforce such transformation. Schools are one of the key sites where social transformation can and should occur. However, the conceptual frameworks of those people involved in education will fundamentally determine the success or failure of education's contribution to the social transformation of South Africa.