Very cool story, never heard of Vula before this, will have to look into it, it was definitely a chaotic time with a lot happening and it shows the importance of encrypted communications.

From a personal take as a black South African, I would disagree with the idea that life of the average citizen hasn't improved since, yes there's still crazy levels of poverty and yes the ANC is a shit show and a lot of our public infrastructure has deteriorated since due to state corruption, but autonomy counts for a lot well at least it does for me

The currency is relatively better than any African nation, evident by how many other African countries citizens flock to our shores

Comparing life after we now get access to capital markets, we can own real estate without it being expropriated (as is the case with my family), we have freedom of movement (I remember as a kid being told by the police my black ass isn't welcome on a whites-only beach lol, that shit stays with you), we have access to education, can enter any field of study, and can start competitive businesses in the private sector

I was born towards the end of apartheid, so I got to see the end of it I was in the "blacks only" schools and was one of the first kids to be thrown into the deep end of a mixed society and I got to see the life on the other side

I think upward mobility has been limited by the actions of the government and made harder by the fiat system, and its set of incentives, but I still think in general I and many that I know are better off