South Africa with People from Different Cultures - Essay Example

There are 11 official languages and isiZulu is the mother tongue of 23,8% of the population but it can be noted that the majority of South Africans can speak more than one language.

The healthcare sector in South Africa is comprised of public and private sectors. The public sector offers basic primary healthcare for free to the majority of citizens and it is state-controlled but the problem is poor funding. On the other hand, the private sector is highly sophisticated and it caters to the wealthy and affluent but it is beyond the reach of many people (South Africainfo.com). those with healthcare insurance and who can afford the services offered have a positive attitude toward their healthcare while the poor often display a negative attitude by virtue of being unable to meet the expenses to get quality healthcare.  However, measures are being implemented by the government in order to create a positive attitude among all citizens toward their healthcare.

Almost 80 % of South Africa’s population follows Christianity while other religious groups include Hindus, Muslims, Jews, and Buddhists (SA Yearbook, 4). However, just a minority of people do not belong to any specific religion. Due to diversity in their religions and culture, different groups from different cultural backgrounds have different perceptions about their world. Their cultural values and beliefs shape their behavior and this clearly distinguishes one cultural group from the other in this populous country. For instance, the majority of Black South Africans believe in traditional beliefs and they are concerned with upholding their values which shape their behavior. They religiously follow rituals such as customary marriages and the society is generally male-dominated though various measures have been put in by the government that is designed to emancipate the women as well. The Africans believe in the philosophy of brotherhood and togetherness where collective action is required for major decisions that shape their culture. On the other hand, it can be seen that people belonging to the white community are liberal and they have their own beliefs that are different from the Africans. The whites believe in individualism where achievement and personal fulfillment and often prioritized.

There are different types of food that are consumed in South Africa and these are mainly determined by factors such as culture and origin. In African communities, traditional foods are more common and their staple diet is comprised of maize meals and a variety of other farm produce (SA Yearbook, 253). On the other hand, the Whites, Coloureds, as well as Indians, mainly eat rice and potatoes as their staple diet. These races also prefer fish while African communities prefer beef, chicken, and fish as well. One interesting fact is that the food that is consumed by some people is determined by their religion. For instance, Muslims only consume Halaal food and they do not consume anything other than this. Some groups such as Rastafarians maintain a vegetarian diet. In the same vein, it can be seen that the hospitality industry in South Africa is quite lucrative. Travel information is available on the internet and it is also found in all public places such as shopping malls, libraries and it can also be obtained from travel agencies and other bodies which specialize in promoting tourism in South Africa.

Over and above, it can be observed that South Africa is a diverse country comprised of people from different cultures. As discussed above, it can be observed that South Africans form the majority of the population. People in this country have various beliefs and these shape their behavior as well as philosophies toward different aspects of life. The food consumed by South Africans is determined by their backgrounds. This country is a tourist destination and travel information is available from different places as well as the internet.