Manie as a symbol of whiteness
Manie is the husband of Rachel, and he refuses to honor his promise of giving Salome a house. After the death of Rachel, Manie argues that he never made the promise simply because he does not want to give house ownership to a black maid. Salome is a black woman who is considered inferior. Therefore, Manie is an emblem of the presumed white superiority that black people are unfit to own property.
Apartheid as a symbol of oppression
Apartheid is a symbol of oppression against the blacks. During the apartheid period, the Africans did not have the privilege of accessing the best education, jobs, and medical care, among other first-class services preserved for the whites. However, after South Africa got independence under the leadership of Nelson Mandela, Africans started interacting freely with the whites, and they gained access to services that were initially preserved for the whites.
Salome’s old age
Salome's old age represents the freedom fighters that fought for independence but never got the opportunity to enjoy the fruits of their labor. For instance, Salome gets the ownership of the house when she is already very old and cannot even enjoy living in the house any longer. Similarly, the people who relentlessly fought for South Africa's freedom died before seeing the outcome of their struggle.
The symbolism of relief to South Africans
Salome is a black maid in the Swart family, and she performs her work diligently. After realizing that she is about to die, the Swart family's matriarch, Rachel, decides to tell her husband to award Salome the house she is living on the farm. When Rachel dies, Manie refuses to honor his promise, which brings a curse of mysterious deaths in the family. All family members die except Amor, who at last gives the house ownership to Salome. Salome's house ownership symbolizes the black people's relief in South Africa after waiting for freedom for decades.
