Initial Response

At first I couldn't believe a man could kill his own child just because of its skin color, but sometimes people kill others just because they want to. Apartheid was the reason that Paulus killed his baby, because he didn't want to ruin his (or Thebedi's) reputation or image, but I also think, as sadistic as it may be, at least he could justify it in his own brain and even to the people of his community as a valid reason. Some humans can't justify their actions at all, and human nature goes beyond laws such as apartheid sometimes. So yes, it's horrible he killed his baby, it's horrible that society told him he should kill his baby, it's horrible society made him want to kill himself, but at this time his thoughts and actions were understandable. No matter how understandable, however, killing your child--or anybody--is still a crime and was treated as such.